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Mobile soil optical mapping system

  • US 9,743,574 B1
  • Filed: 10/19/2011
  • Issued: 08/29/2017
  • Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2007
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A soil mapping system, comprising:

  • an implement for traversing a field to be mapped, said implement comprising a frame with a toolbar supported by a frame support wheel, and a row unit pivotally mounted to said toolbar, said row unit comprising a subframe mounted to said toolbar by at least one pivotal linkage member;

    a furrow opener mounted on the subframe for creating a furrow as the implement traverses the field;

    an optical module mounted on the subframe, said optical module comprising at least one light source, a window arranged to press against soil in situ at a predetermined depth within said furrow with consistent pressure to provide a self-cleaning function, and an optical receiver for receiving light reflected back from the soil through the window; and

    at least one depth gauging wheel mounted on the subframe in close proximity to the furrow opener to control the operating depth of the furrow opener and the optical module;

    wherein said at least one light source of said optical module comprises two monochromatic light sources having different wavelengths which are modulated at different frequencies;

    wherein said optical receiver comprises a single photodiode arranged to receive light reflected back from the soil from each of said two monochromatic light sources; and

    further comprising a controller for receiving a modulated voltage from the photodiode, said controller comprising two function generators for sending two separate pulses to the two monochromatic light sources, a phase lock loop to separate each source of reflected light from the photodiode signal to form an output, an analog to digital converter to process the output, and a serial output, wherein the processed output is sent through the serial output for data logging.

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