Crop product tracking system and method

• US 9,538,710 B2
• Filed: 08/25/2014
• Issued: 01/10/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Deveron USA LLC
• Original Assignee: Tony Wayne Covely
• Inventors: Covely, Tony W
• Primary Examiner(s): TSAI, CAROL S W
• Application Number:
  US14/467,965
• Publication Number:
  US 20140365083A1
• Time in Patent Office: 869 Days
• Field of Search: 702/2, 702/5, 705/7.13, 701/50, 235/375, 235/462.15, 235/472.01, 235/487, 738/644.1, 738/644.5, 738/645.2, 738/643.1, 382/159, 382/141
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: E02D 1/04 Sampling of soil E02D1/025 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/90335 Query processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9038 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 40/10 in agriculture

Abstract

A system is disclosed that can be used in precision farming to apply crop product to a field. The system includes a remote terminal connected with a network. The remote terminal includes a scanning application configured to allow the remote terminal to scan a unique product identifier associated with a crop product to be applied to a field. A server is connected with the remote terminal via the network. A transmission application is associated with the remote terminal that is configured to transmit the unique product identifier to the server. A lookup application associated with the server is configured to query a crop product database to retrieve one or more crop product data properties associated with the crop product. A prescription map generation application is configured to generate a prescription map for the field as a function of the one or more crop product data properties. A map transmission application is configured to transmit the prescription map to a field terminal associated with a piece of farming equipment which applies the crop product to the field according to the prescription map.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a remote terminal connected with a network, wherein said remote terminal includes a scanning application configured to allow said remote terminal to scan a unique product identifier associated with a crop product to be applied to field;

a server connected with said remote terminal via said network;

a transmission application associated with said remote terminal configured to transmit said unique product identifier to said server;

a lookup application associated with said server configured to query, a crop product database to retrieve one or more crop product data properties associated with said crop product;

a prescription map generation application configured to generate a prescription map for said field as a function of said one or more crop product data properties; and

a map transmission application configured to transmit said prescription map via said network to a field terminal associated with a piece of farming equipment.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said transmission application transmits a geographic coordinate reading, associated with said remote terminal to said server.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said prescription map generation application is configured to generate said prescription map as a function of soil type properties associated with said field.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said prescription map generation application is configured to generate said prescription map as a function of soil nutrient properties associated with said field.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said prescription map generation application is configured to generate said prescription map as a function of image properties associated with said field.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said prescription map generation application is configured to generate said prescription map as a function of typographic properties associated with said field.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said prescription map generation application is configured to generate said prescription map as a function of custom properties associated with said field.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said prescription map generation application is configured to generate said prescription map as a function of crop restriction properties associated with said field.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein said prescription map generation application is configured to generate said prescription map as a function of environmental properties associated with said field.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein said prescription map generation application is configured to generate said prescription map as a function of timing properties.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein said field terminal includes a field applicator application configured to apply said crop product to said field as a function of said prescription map.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein said field terminal includes a product tracking application configured to record a plurality of application rates and a plurality of geographic coordinate readings associated with said plurality of application rates as said crop product is applied to said field.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein said field terminal includes a syncing application configured to transmit said plurality of application rates and said plurality of geographic coordinate readings to said server to be stored in a database associated with said server.

14. A method, comprising the steps of:

scanning a unique product identifier associated with a crop product to be applied to a field with a remote terminal;

wirelessly transmitting said unique product identifier to a server over a network;

querying a crop product database to obtain one or more crop product properties associated with said crop product as a function of said unique product identifier;

generating a prescription reap for said field with a prescription map generation application as a function of said one or more crop product properties;

transmitting said prescription map to a field terminal associated with a piece of farming equipment;

utilizing said prescription map to apply said crop product to said field using a piece of farming equipment as a function of said prescription map and recording a plurality of application rates and a plurality of geographic coordinate readings associated with said plurality of application rates with said field terminal as said crop product is applied to said field; and

syncing said plurality of application rates and said geographic coordinate readings associated with said field to a database associated with said server.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of generating said prescription map as a function of one or more properties selected from a group of properties consisting of one or more soil type properties, one or more soil nutrient properties, one or more image properties, one or more typographic properties, one or more custom properties, one or more crop restriction properties, one or more environmental properties, and one or more timing properties.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein said field terminal includes a field applicator application configured to control an application rate controller associated with said piece of farming equipment.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said field terminal includes a product tracking application configured to monitor and record said plurality of application rates.

18. A system, comprising:

a wireless remote terminal having a scanner connected with a network;

a server connected with said wireless remote terminal via said network;

a scanning application on said wireless terminal configured to scan a unique product identifier associated with a crop product to be applied to a field;

a prescription map generation application associated with said server that is configured to generate a prescription map for said field as a function of one or more select properties;

a transmission application configured to transmit said prescription map to a field terminal associated with a piece of farming equipment;

a field applicator application associated with said field terminal configured to apply said crop product to said field as a function of said prescription map;

a product tracking application configured to monitor an application rate sensor associated with said piece of farming equipment for recording a plurality of application rates and a plurality of geographic coordinate readings associated with said plurality of application rates as said crop product is applied to said field; and

a syncing application associated with said field terminal configured to transmit said plurality of application rates and said plurality of geographic coordinate readings associated with said plurality of application rates to said server.

19. The system of claim 18, herein said server includes a lookup application configured to query a crop product database to obtain, crop product data properties associated with said crop product identified by said unique product identifier, herein said one or more select properties includes said crop product data properties.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein said one or more select properties can be selected from a group of properties consisting of one or more soil type properties, one or more soil nutrient properties, one or more image properties, one or more typographic properties, one or more custom properties, one or more crop restriction properties, one or more environmental properties, and one or more timing properties.

21. A system, comprising:

a wireless remote terminal having a scanner connected with a network;

a server connected with said wireless remote terminal via said network;

a scanning application on said wireless terminal configured to scan a unique product identifier associated with a crop product the applied to field and a geographic coordinate reading associated with said remote terminal;

a database eon said wireless terminal configured to store said unique product identifier and said geographic coordinate reading; and

a syncing application on, said remote terminal configured to transmit said unique product identifier and said geographic coordinate reading from said remote terminal to at least one hardware device.