Retail point seed treatment systems and methods

• US 9,959,511 B2
• Filed: 12/08/2011
• Issued: 05/01/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bayer Cropscience LP (Bayer AG)
• Original Assignee: Bayer Cropscience LP (Bayer AG)
• Inventors: Reineccius, Greg A., Van der Westhuizen, Jaco Ernest, Geiss, Alan W., May, Bradley W., Ramanarayanan, Tharacad S., Andrieux, Marc Jean-Marie
• Primary Examiner(s): LOUIE, MANDY C
• Application Number:
  US13/993,041
• Publication Number:
  US 20140108076A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,336 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/18 Numerical control [NC], i.e. automatically operating machines, in particular machine tools, e.g. in a manufacturing environment, so as to execute positioning, movement or co-ordinated operations by means of programme data in numerical form G05B19/418 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/32287 Medical, chemical, biological laboratory
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0631 Resource planning, allocation, distributing or scheduling for enterprises or organisations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders

Abstract

An automated seed treatment system is adapted for on-site operation at a retail seed distributor. A sealed seed-treater vessel is configured to apply a plurality of chemical treatments to a batch of seed based on a seed treatment recipe. A programmable system controller is electrically coupled to a pump controller of each of a plurality of pump-stations. The programmable system controller is configured to receive a material transfer indication from each of the plurality of pump-stations and issue commands to the pump controller of each pump-station in response to the seed treatment recipe. The programmable system controller is configured to collect operational data representing at least consumption of chemical from the chemical container at each of the pump-stations based on the corresponding material transfer indication during seed treatment and to provide the operational data to a remotely hosted information system located remotely from the site of the retail seed distributor and accessible to at least one third party that is distinct from the retail seed distributor.

Claims

1. A process for treating seeds at a seed distribution center, the process comprising:

(A) selecting a seed treatment recipe;

(B) applying a plurality of seed treatment components to a batch of seeds based on the seed treatment recipe via a sealed seed treatment system;

wherein said sealed seed treatment system comprises;

(i) a sealed seed-treater vessel configured to apply the plurality of seed treatment components to the batch of seeds based on the seed treatment recipe;

(ii) a plurality of pump-stations, wherein each pump station is configured to receive a sealed transportable keg, and each pump-station comprising a pump, a flow channel fluidly coupled to the seed-treater vessel, and a station controller configured to control the pump;

(iii) a plurality of sealed transportable kegs, each sealed transportable keg comprising;

(a) a seed treatment component; and

(b) a scale positioned underneath each sealed transportable keg;

(iv) at least one flex-tank coupled to a flex-tank pump and a pump controller configured to operate the flex-tank pump, and a scale positioned underneath the at least one flex-tank; and

(v) a programmable system controller configured to receive a material transfer indication from each station controller of the plurality of pump-stations and transmit control commands to the pump of each pump-station of the plurality of pump-stations in response to the seed treatment recipe;

(C) wherein each one of the station controllers of the plurality of pump-stations is programmed to send the material transfer indication to the programmable system controller and to receive control commands from the programmable system controller;

(D) wherein the plurality of transportable sealed kegs and the at least one flex-tank deliver seed treatment components to the seed treater vessel and batch of seed based on the selected seed treatment recipe.

2. The process of claim 1, wherein the process for treating seed does not include pre-mixing seed or hand-mixing of seed treatment components.

3. The process of claim 1, further comprising:

(E) collecting operational data representing at least consumption of individually-maintained chemicals of the plurality of chemical treatments and providing the operational data to a remotely hosted information system located remotely from the retail seed distribution center; and

(F) receiving a re-supply of chemicals from a third party that is distinct from the retail seed distribution center sent in response to the providing of the operational data to the remotely hosted information system.

4. The process of claim 3, further comprising:

(G) receiving environmental condition data from an external source and making adjustments to the seed treatment recipe based on the environmental condition data.

5. The process of claim 1, wherein said sealed seed treatment system further comprises at least one of a bar code scanner and radio frequency identification (RFID) reader operably coupled to the programmable system controller and configured to read chemical parameter information associated with the chemical container of each of the pump-stations, and the programmable system controller is configured to receive and store the chemical parameter information in an inventory database that is remotely accessible by a third party supplier of the chemical container.

6. The process of claim 1, wherein the programmable system controller is configured to receive environmental condition data from an external source and to make adjustments to the seed treatment recipe based on the environmental condition data such that at least one of the pump-stations is operated at a new pump speed in response to the environmental condition data.

7. The process of claim 4, wherein the process for treating seed does not include pre-mixing or hand-mixing seed treatment components.

8. The process of claim 7, wherein said sealed seed treatment system further comprises at least one of a bar code scanner and radio frequency identification (RFID) reader operably coupled to the programmable system controller and configured to read chemical parameter information associated with the chemical container of each of the pump-stations, and the programmable system controller is configured to receive and store the chemical parameter information in an inventory database that is remotely accessible by a third party supplier of the chemical container.

9. The process of claim 8, wherein said sealed seed treatment system further comprises an air removal valve.

10. The process of claim 9, wherein said sealed seed treatment system further comprises a stirrer assembly comprising a motor and stirrer-coupler coupled to a stirring apparatus.

11. The process of claim 10, wherein said sealed seed treatment system further comprises a motion sensor coupled to the scale.

12. The process of claim 11, wherein said sealed seed treatment system further comprises a filter through which fluid pumped out of a keg passes.

13. The process of claim 1, wherein the seed is treated at a retail distribution center.

14. The process of claim 1, wherein the seed is treated at a retail seed distribution center, the process further comprising:

collecting operational data representing at least consumption of individually-maintained chemicals of the plurality of chemical treatments and providing the operational data to a remotely hosted information system located remotely from the retail seed distribution center; and

receiving a re-supply of chemicals from a third party that is distinct from the retail seed distribution center sent in response to the providing of the operational data to the remotely hosted information system;

and

wherein the process for treating seed does not include hand-mixing or premixing seed treatment components.

15. The process of claim 1, wherein said sealed seed treatment system further comprises a multi-port manifold coupled to the plurality of sealed transportable kegs and the at least one flex-tank.