METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR OPTIMIZING PLANTING OPERATIONS

• US 20140379228A1
• Filed: 06/23/2014
• Published: 12/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Appareo Systems LLC (AGCO Corporation), Intelligent Agricultural Solutions LLC
• Original Assignee: Appareo Systems LLC (AGCO Corporation)
• Inventors: Batcheller, Barry D., Heilman, Joseph A., Batcheller, David C., Weinmann, Robert V., Johnson, Jeffrey L., Johnson, Paul D., Nystuen, Paul A.
• Granted Patent: US 9,924,629 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/50
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 76/00 Parts, details or accessories of agricultural machines or implements, not provided for in groups A01B51/00 - A01B75/00
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 79/005 Precision agriculture
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 79/02 combined with other agricultural processing, e.g. fertilising, planting
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 14/00 Methods or apparatus for planting not provided for in other groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 21/005 Following a specific plan, e.g. pattern
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 21/007 Determining fertilization requirements
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 7/102 Regulating or controlling the seed rate
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 7/201 Mounting of the seeding tools

Abstract

An agricultural planting system and method comprising a soil sampling and analysis means, wherein soil samples are taken and analyzed in real-time during a planting operation (or, optionally, via a separate, prior operation) to determine the conditions and nutrient content of the soil, and a planting system, wherein the planting system is capable of planting seeds in any arbitrary position on an X-Y plane directly beneath the planting system, whereby the data gathered from the analyzed soil samples is used to determine the optimal placement of seeds or plants in a field in order to take advantage of the soil conditions present and to optimize crop yield.

Claims

1. A soil sampling and analysis system, comprising:

a vehicle;

a ground-engaging device mounted on the vehicle, wherein the ground-engaging device can acquire a soil sample from a pre-determined depth in the ground near the vehicle;

a sample preparation module, the sample preparation module mounted on the vehicle and capable of receiving the soil sample from the ground-engaging device, performing at least one preparatory step on the soil sample;

a soil analysis unit, the soil analysis unit capable of performing at least one analysis step on the soil sample, wherein at least one condition is determined about the soil sample;

a location sensor; and

a processor, the processor capable of receiving information on the at least one condition of the soil sample and location information from the location sensor,

whereby the vehicle is capable of moving through an area of land and periodically acquiring soil samples, and whereby the processor is capable of combining the information on the at least one condition of the soil sample and the location information to create a map of soil conditions that exist in the area of land.

2. A real-time soil analysis system, comprising:

a vehicle;

a ground-engaging device mounted on the vehicle, wherein the ground-engaging device is used to overturn soil;

a soil spectroscopic analysis unit, the soil spectroscopic analysis unit capable of performing at least one analysis step on the overturned soil, wherein at least one condition is determined about the overturned soil;

a location sensor; and

a processor, the processor capable of receiving information on the at least one condition of the overturned soil and location information from the location sensor,

whereby the vehicle is capable of moving through an area of land and periodically overturning soil, and whereby the processor is capable of combining the information on the at least one condition of the overturned soil and the location information to create a map of soil conditions that exist in the area of land.

3. An agricultural planting system, comprising:

a soil sampling and analysis means, wherein soil samples are taken and analyzed in real-time during a planting operation to determine the conditions and nutrient content of the soil; and

a planting system, wherein the planting system is capable of planting seeds in any arbitrary position on an X-Y plane directly beneath the planting system,

whereby the data gathered from the analyzed soil samples is used to determine the optimal placement of seeds or plants in a field in order to take advantage of the soil conditions present and to optimize crop yield.

4. The agricultural planting system of claim 3 wherein the planting system further comprises at least one pick-and-plant unit, the pick-and-plant unit comprising an X-Y translation platform, and a planting tool located on the underside of the X-Y translation platform capable of interacting with the ground, wherein the planting tool can be moved to and location on the X-Y translation platform, and wherein the planting tool can place one or more seeds in the ground at a commanded location.

5. The agricultural planting system of claim 3 wherein the planting system further comprises at least one smart row unit, the smart row unit capable of moving from side-to-side perpendicular to the path of the planting system and of placing one or more seeds into the ground at a commanded location.

6. An agricultural planting system, comprising:

a soil trenching and analysis means, wherein soil is taken from trenches dug along the travel path of the planting system and analyzed in real-time during a planting operation to determine the conditions and nutrient content of the soil;

a planting system, wherein the planting system is capable of planting seeds in any arbitrary position on an X-Y plane directly beneath the planting system; and

a nutrient additive means, wherein nutrients may be added to the soil taken from the trenches when the existing nutrient content is determined to be less than optimal,

whereby the data gathered from the analyzed soil is used to determine the optimal placement of seeds inside the trench in order to take advantage of the soil conditions present and to optimize crop yield, and whereby the soil taken from the trenches is returned to the field to fill in the trenches and cover the seed just planted.

7. An agricultural planting system, comprising:

a planting system, wherein the planting system is capable of planting seeds in any arbitrary position on an X-Y plane directly beneath the planting system; and

a soil conditions map, wherein the soil conditions map consists of a plurality of geographic locations paired with at least one condition of the soil found at each geographic location;

whereby the data contained in the soil conditions map is used to determine the optimal placement of seeds or plants in a field in order to take advantage of the soil conditions present and to optimize crop yield.

8. A method of agricultural planting comprising:

mounting a soil sampling means on the front of a planter;

taking soil samples from multiple points in a field along the travel path of the planter;

analyzing the soil samples to determine the conditions and content of the soil samples;

using location information obtained from a location sensor integral to the planter to create a map showing the soil conditions and content at each location in the field;

using the soil conditions and content map to determine an optimal placement position for a seed in the field; and

moving a seed placement means to the optimal placement position and planting the seed in the ground at the optimal placement position,

whereby the seeds are placed in an optimal position based on the determined soil conditions such that crop yield is optimized.

9. A method of agricultural planting comprising:

mounting a soil sampling means on the front of a planter;

removing soil in trenches from a field along the travel path of the planter;

analyzing the soil removed from the trenches to determine the conditions and content of the soil;

using location information obtained from a location sensor integral to the planter to create a map showing the soil conditions and content at each location in the field;

using the soil conditions and content map to determine an optimal placement position for a seed in the field;

moving a seed placement means to the optimal placement position and planting the seed in the ground within the trench at the optimal placement position; and

replacing the soil in the trench,

whereby the seeds are placed in an optimal position based on the determined soil conditions such that crop yield is optimized.

10. The method of agricultural planting of claim 9, further comprising the steps of:

determining if the soil removed from the trenches has adequate nutrient content; and

adding nutrient content to the soil removed from the trenches if it does not have adequate nutrient content.

11. A method of agricultural planting comprising:

taking soil samples from multiple points in a field along the travel path of the planter;

analyzing the soil samples to determine the conditions of the soil samples;

creating a soil conditions map which shows the soil conditions and the geographic location of each of the soil samples;

using the soil conditions map to determine an optimal placement position for a seed in the field; and

moving a seed placement means to the optimal placement position and planting the seed in the ground at the optimal placement position,

whereby the seeds are placed in an optimal position based on the determined soil conditions such that crop yield is optimized.