Systems and methods for detecting soil characteristics

• US 9,618,614 B2
• Filed: 12/29/2015
• Issued: 04/11/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Elwha LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Elwha LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Chan, Alistair K., Duncan, William D., Hyde, Roderick A., Wood, Jr., Lowell L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Marc, McDieunel
• Application Number:
  US14/983,105
• Publication Number:
  US 20160109569A1
• Time in Patent Office: 469 Days
• Field of Search: 701 50, 111149
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 69/00 Steering of agricultural machines or implements; Guiding agricultural machines or implements on a desired track
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 79/005 Precision agriculture
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 21/005 Following a specific plan, e.g. pattern
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 23/04 Distributing under pressure; Distributing mud; Adaptation of watering systems for fertilising-liquids
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 7/085 Broadcast seeders
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 7/102 Regulating or controlling the seed rate
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 25/167 Control by humidity of the soil itself or of devices simulating soil or of the atmosphere; Soil humidity sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 1/18 by spraying, e.g. insecticides spraying apparatus per se B05B
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 43/00 Arrangements or adaptations of instruments arrangements of cameras B64D47/08; aeronautical measuring instruments per se G01C
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/885 for ground probing prospecting or detecting using electromagnetic waves G01V3/12
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/887 for detection of concealed objects, e.g. contraband or weapons
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/888 through wall detection
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/89 for mapping or imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/89 for mapping or imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/412 based on a comparison between measured values and known or stored values

Abstract

A soil detection and planting apparatus. The apparatus includes a vehicle and a controller coupled to the vehicle. The apparatus further includes a planting device coupled to the vehicle, the planting device configured to plant seeds or plants into a soil material. The apparatus includes a ground penetrating radar sensor coupled to the vehicle. The ground penetrating radar soil sensor is configured to scan the soil material up to a designated depth beneath a surface of the soil material, wherein the ground penetrating radar soil sensor is further configured to provide a sensor feedback signal to the controller with respect to an intrinsic characteristic of the soil material. The controller is configured to instruct placement of a seed or a plant into the soil material based on the feedback signal.

Claims

1. A soil detection apparatus comprising:

a housing;

a controller;

a ground penetrating radar soil sensor coupled to the housing, the ground penetrating radar soil sensor configured to scan a soil material up to a designated depth beneath a surface of the soil material, wherein the ground penetrating radar soil sensor is further configured to provide a sensor feedback signal to the controller with respect to an intrinsic characteristic of the soil material; and

a location sensor, the location sensor configured to provide a location feedback signal to the controller;

wherein the controller is configured to create a map of the soil material based on the sensor feedback signal and the location feedback signal.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the intrinsic soil characteristic comprises at least one of a composition of the soil material, a water property of the soil material, a presence of humus in the soil material, a density of the soil material, and a soil material porosity.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller analyzes the location feedback signal to determine a specific location of the intrinsic soil characteristic.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the controller indicates the intrinsic soil characteristic on the map at the specific location.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the ground penetrating radar soil sensor is further configured to provide a sensor feedback signal to the controller with respect to an extrinsic characteristic of the soil material.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the extrinsic characteristic comprises a presence of the soil material.

7. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the extrinsic characteristic comprises a depth of the soil material.

8. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the extrinsic characteristic comprises a presence of an object beneath the surface of the soil material.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the controller identifies the object based on the sensor feedback signal.

10. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the controller analyzes the location feedback signal to determine a specific location of the extrinsic soil characteristic.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the controller updates the map with an indication of a location of the extrinsic soil characteristic.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the housing is configured to be mounted in a bed of a pickup truck.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the housing is part of the ground-driven vehicle.

35. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the extrinsic soil characteristic is related to the depth variation of moisture in the soil.

37. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a location sensor coupled to the vehicle, the location sensor configured to provide a location feedback signal to the controller, and wherein the controller analyzes the location feedback signal to determine a specific location of the intrinsic soil characteristic.

38. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the controller instructs the planting device to plant the seed in the soil material at the specific location and at a specific depth based on the soil characteristic.

39. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the controller is further configured to create a map of the soil material based on the sensor feedback signal and the location feedback signal.

40. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the controller updates the map with an indication that the seed was planted at the specific location and at a specific depth.

41. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the controller indicates a soil characteristic on the map at the specific location.

42. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the extrinsic characteristic comprises a moisture at different depths in the soil.

14. An air-based soil detection apparatus comprising:

an aircraft;

a controller coupled to the aircraft;

a soil sensor coupled to the aircraft, the soil sensor configured to scan a soil material up to a designated depth beneath a surface of the soil material to locate at least a portion of an irrigation system contained within the soil material or on a surface of the soil material, wherein the soil sensor is further configured to provide a sensor feedback signal relating to the detected portion of the irrigation system to the controller; and

a location sensor coupled to the aircraft, the location sensor configured to provide a location feedback signal to the controller;

wherein the controller is configured to create a map of the soil material including a location of the portion of the irrigation system based on the sensor feedback signal and the location feedback signal.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the soil sensor is a ground penetrating radar unit that emits electromagnetic radio waves into the soil material.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the soil sensor is a reflection seismology sensor that transmits acoustic waves into the soil material.

17. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the aircraft is an airplane.

18. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising a spraying device coupled to the aircraft.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the controller instructs the spraying device to spray a liquid over a target area of land.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the controller updates the map with an indication of a location of the liquid.

21. The apparatus of claim 14, further including memory coupled to the controller, wherein the controller stores the map in the memory.

22. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising a network interface coupled to the controller.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the controller exports the map to an external computing device through the network interface.

24. An apparatus comprising:

a vehicle;

a controller coupled to the vehicle;

a soil sensor coupled to the vehicle, the soil sensor configured to scan a soil material up to a designated depth beneath a surface of the soil material to locate at least a portion of an irrigation system contained within the soil material or on a surface of the soil material, wherein the soil sensor is further configured to provide a sensor feedback signal relating to the detected portion of the irrigation system to the controller; and

a location sensor coupled to the vehicle, the location sensor configured to provide a location feedback signal to the controller;

wherein the controller is configured to create a map of the soil material including a location of the portion of the irrigation system based on the sensor feedback signal and the location feedback signal.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the soil sensor is a ground penetrating radar unit that emits electromagnetic radio waves into the soil material.

26. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the soil sensor is a reflection seismology sensor that transmits acoustic waves into the soil material.

27. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the vehicle is an airplane.

28. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the vehicle is a ground-driven vehicle.

29. The apparatus of claim 24, further comprising a spraying device coupled to the vehicle.

30. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the controller instructs the spraying device to spray a liquid over a target area of land.

31. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein the controller updates the map with an indication of a location of the liquid.

32. The apparatus of claim 24, further including memory coupled to the controller, wherein the controller stores the map in the memory.

33. The apparatus of claim 24, further comprising a network interface coupled to the controller.

34. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the controller exports the map to an external computing device through the network interface.

36. A soil detection and planting apparatus comprising:

a vehicle;

a controller coupled to the vehicle;

a planting device coupled to the vehicle, the planting device configured to plant seeds or plants into a soil material at varying depths;

a ground penetrating radar soil sensor in communication with the controller, the ground penetrating radar soil sensor configured to scan the soil material up to a designated depth beneath a surface of the soil material, wherein the ground penetrating radar soil sensor is further configured to provide a sensor feedback signal to the controller with respect to an intrinsic characteristic of the soil material; and

wherein the controller is configured to;

determine a designated planting depth in the soil material based on the sensor feedback signal, and

instruct placement of a seed or a plant into the soil material at the designated planting depth by the planting device.