Robotic platform and method for performing multiple functions in agricultural systems

• US 10,528,048 B2
• Filed: 01/18/2017
• Issued: 01/07/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RowBot Systems LLC
• Original Assignee: RowBot Systems LLC
• Inventors: Cavender-Bares, Kent
• Primary Examiner(s): Dunn, Alex C
• Application Number:
  US15/408,847
• Publication Number:
  US 20170123424A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,084 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 51/02 propelled by a motor
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 69/008 automatic
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 79/005 Precision agriculture
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 15/00 Fertiliser distributors combined with seeders A01C7/06
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 21/002 Apparatus for sowing fertiliser; Fertiliser drill
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 23/008 Tanks, chassis or related parts
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 23/024 for ammonia
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 7/00 Sowing
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 7/004 using liquid seeding techniques
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 7/06 Seeders combined with fertilising apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 7/085 Broadcast seeders
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 5/00 Manipulators mounted on wheels or on carriages B25J1/00 takes precedence; programme-controlled manipulators B25J9/00 ; vehicle aspects B60, B62, e.g. remote-controlled steering for motor vehicles B62D1/24; control of position of vehicles G05D1/00
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 5/007 mounted on wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 47/08 Arrangements of cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/00 UAVs specially adapted for particular uses or applications
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/30 for imaging, photography or videography
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/10 autonomous, i.e. by navigating independently from ground or air stations, e.g. by using inertial navigation systems [INS]
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 80/25 for recharging batteries; for refuelling
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0011 associated with a remote control arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0088 : characterized by the autonomous decision making process, e.g. artificial intelligence, predefined behaviours using knowledge based models G06N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0231 : using optical position detecting means position-fixing by using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves, e.g. optical position detecting means G01S5/16
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/01 : Mobile robot

Abstract

An autonomous vehicle platform and system for selectively performing an in-season management task in an agricultural field while self-navigating between rows of planted crops, the autonomous vehicle platform having a vehicle base with a width so dimensioned as to be insertable through the space between two rows of planted crops, the vehicle base having an in-season task management structure configured to perform various tasks, including selectively applying fertilizer, mapping growth zones and seeding cover crop within an agricultural field.

Claims

1. An autonomous vehicle platform configured to monitor the conditions of planted crops in an agricultural field while self-navigating between rows of planted crops, comprising:

a vehicle base having a length, width and height, the width so dimensioned as to be insertable through the space between two rows of planted crops the vehicle base being operably coupled to at least a plurality of ground engaging tracks and/or wheels;

at least one power-train fixedly coupled to the vehicle base and operably coupled to at least one of the ground engaging tracks and/or wheels;

one or more sensor configured to monitor the conditions of the planted crops operably coupled to said vehicle base;

a navigation module operably carried by said vehicle platform and configured to sense a position of the rows of planted crops in real-time; and

a microprocessor in communication with the navigation module and programmed with a self-direction program to autonomously steer the autonomous vehicle platform between the rows of planted crops based on the real-time sensed position of the rows of planted crops, while monitoring the conditions of the planted crops.

2. The autonomous vehicle of claim 1, wherein the one or more sensor is an optical sensor.

3. The autonomous vehicle of claim 2, wherein the optical sensor is configured to at least one of measure light reflected from crop (reflectance), measure light absorbed by plant pigments (absorbance), measure fluorescent light emitted by the plant pigments, and a combination thereof.

4. The autonomous vehicle of claim 2, wherein the one or more sensor is configured to determine the abundance and/or concentration of plant pigments in the planted crops.

5. The autonomous vehicle of claim 4, wherein the plant pigment is chlorophyll.

6. The autonomous vehicle of claim 2, wherein the one or more sensor is configured to measure the physiological functioning of the plant pigments in the planted crops.

7. The autonomous vehicle of claim 1, wherein the one or more sensor is mounted on a robotic arm.

8. The autonomous vehicle of claim 7, wherein the robotic arm is configured to enable the one or more sensor to observe planted crop conditions above the autonomous vehicle platform.

9. The autonomous vehicle of claim 1, wherein data collected by the one or more sensor is used as input to creating a map of the agricultural field that can be used by autonomous platforms for navigation.

10. The autonomous vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a soil probe configured to monitor the soil conditions of the agricultural field.

11. The autonomous vehicle of claim 10, wherein the soil probe is insertable into the soil of the agricultural field.

12. The autonomous vehicle of claim 11, wherein the soil probe is configured to measure at least one of the soil temperature, the soil moisture, the organic matter in the soil, and a combination thereof.

13. An autonomous vehicle platform configured to monitor soil conditions of an agricultural field while self-navigating between rows of planted crops, comprising:

a vehicle base having a length, width and height, the width so dimensioned as to be insertable through the space between two rows of planted crops the vehicle base being operably coupled to at least a plurality of ground engaging tracks and/or wheels;

at least one power-train fixedly coupled to the vehicle base and operably coupled to at least one of the ground engaging tracks and/or wheels;

one or more sensor configured to monitor the soil conditions of the agricultural field;

a navigation module operably carried by said vehicle platform and configured to sense a position of the rows of planted crops in real-time; and

a microprocessor in communication with the navigation module and programmed with a self-direction program to autonomously steer the autonomous vehicle platform between the rows of planted crops based on the real-time sensed position of the rows of planted crops, while monitoring the conditions of the planted crops.

14. The autonomous vehicle of claim 13, wherein the one or more sensor is soil probe.

15. The autonomous vehicle of claim 14, wherein the soil probe is insertable into the soil of the agricultural field.

16. The autonomous vehicle of claim 13, wherein the one or more sensor is configured to measure at least one of the soil temperature, the soil moisture, the organic matter in the soil, and a combination thereof.

17. The autonomous vehicle of claim 13, wherein data collected by the one or more sensor is used as input to creating a map of the agricultural field that can be used by autonomous platforms for navigation.

18. The autonomous vehicle of claim 13, further comprising an optical sensor configured to monitor the conditions of the planted crops.

19. The autonomous vehicle of claim 18, wherein the optical sensor is configured to at least one of measure light reflected from crop (reflectance), measure light absorbed by plant pigments (absorbance), measure fluorescent light emitted by the plant pigments, and a combination thereof.

20. The autonomous vehicle of claim 18, wherein the optical sensor is configured to determine the abundance and/or concentration of chlorophyll in the planted crops.