System and method for using impulse radio technology in the farming field
First Claim
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1. A method for tracking an object located on a farm, said method comprising the steps of:
- attaching, to the object, an ultra wideband impulse radio unit;
determining a position of the object from the interaction between the ultra wideband impulse radio unit and at least two of a plurality of reference ultra wideband impulse radio units distributed at known locations throughout the farm;
receiving, at a central station, information relating to the position of the object;
displaying, at the central station, an overlay of the farm that indicates the position of the object; and
using the ultra wideband impulse radio unit and another ultra wideband impulse radio unit at the central station to establish two-way communications between a person at the central station and a person that is the object or is associated with the object, wherein the ultra wideband impulse radio unit is used to determine the position of the object and to establish the two-way communications between the person at the central station and the person that is the object or is associated with the object.
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Abstract
A system, electronic monitor and method are provided that utilize impulse radio technology to enable a farmer to accurately track a position of an object (e.g., farm equipment, farm animal, farm employee) as the object moves around a farm and/or to enable a farmer to monitor a variety of parameters associated with the moving farm equipment. In addition, the system, electronic monitor and method can utilize impulse radio technology to help control either remotely or automatically one or more pieces of farm equipment.
149 Citations
48 Claims
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1. A method for tracking an object located on a farm, said method comprising the steps of:
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attaching, to the object, an ultra wideband impulse radio unit;
determining a position of the object from the interaction between the ultra wideband impulse radio unit and at least two of a plurality of reference ultra wideband impulse radio units distributed at known locations throughout the farm;
receiving, at a central station, information relating to the position of the object;
displaying, at the central station, an overlay of the farm that indicates the position of the object; and
using the ultra wideband impulse radio unit and another ultra wideband impulse radio unit at the central station to establish two-way communications between a person at the central station and a person that is the object or is associated with the object, wherein the ultra wideband impulse radio unit is used to determine the position of the object and to establish the two-way communications between the person at the central station and the person that is the object or is associated with the object. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A system for tracking an object located on a farm, said system comprising:
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an ultra wideband impulse radio unit attached to the object;
a plurality of reference ultra wideband impulse radio units distributed at known locations throughout the farm at least two of which interact with the ultra wideband impulse radio unit to enable the determination of the position of the object;
a central station capable of receiving information relating to the position of the object;
said central station capable of displaying an overlay of the farm that indicates the position of the object; and
said central station including an ultra wideband impulse radio unit that interacts with the ultra wideband impulse radio unit attached to the object to establish two-way communications between a person at the central station and a person that is the object or is associated with the object, wherein the ultra wideband impulse radio unit attached to the object is used to determine the position of the object and to establish the two-way communications between the person at the central station and the person that is the object or is associated with the object. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. An electronic monitor comprising:
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an ultra wideband impulse radio unit, attached to an object, capable of transmitting an impulse radio signal containing information to a central station that enables a person to track a position of the object moving on a farm, where the position of the object is determined from the interaction between the ultra wideband impulse radio unit and at least two of a plurality of reference ultra wideband impulse radio units distributed at known locations throughout the farm; and
said ultra wideband impulse radio unit is further capable of interacting with an ultra wideband impulse radio unit at the central station to establish two-way communications between a person at the central station and a person that is the object or is associated with the object, wherein the ultra wideband impulse radio unit attached to the object is used to determine the position of the object and to establish the two-way communications between the person at the central station and the person that is the object or is associated with the object. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A method for tracking and monitoring a piece of farm equipment located on a farm, said method comprising the steps of:
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attaching, to the farm equipment, an ultra wideband impulse radio unit;
receiving, at a central station, information from the ultra wideband impulse radio unit relating to the farm equipment;
displaying, at the central station, at least a portion of the information relating to the farm equipment;
determining a current position of the farm equipment by enabling the ultra wideband impulse radio unit to interact with a plurality of reference ultra wideband impulse radio units that are distributed at known locations around the farm by performing the following steps;
synchronizing the reference ultra wideband impulse radio units;
synchronizing the ultra wideband impulse radio unit to the synchronized reference ultra wideband impulse radio units;
collecting and time-tagging range measurements between the ultra wideband impulse radio unit and at least two of the reference ultra wideband impulse radio units; and
calculating the position of the farm equipment carrying the electronic monitor containing the ultra wideband impulse radio unit using the collected and time-tagged range measurements;
displaying, at the central station, the current position of the farm equipment; and
using the ultra wideband impulse radio unit and another ultra wideband impulse radio unit at the central station to establish two-way communications between a person at the central station and a person operating the farm equipment, wherein the ultra wideband impulse radio unit is used to determine the position of the farm equipment and to establish the two-way communications between the person at the central station and the person operating the farm equipment. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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35. A system comprising:
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an electronic monitor, attached to a piece of farm equipment, including an ultra wideband impulse radio unit capable of transmitting an impulse radio signal containing information relating to the farm equipment;
a central station capable of obtaining the information and further capable of displaying at least a portion of the information relating to the farm equipment;
a plurality of reference ultra wideband impulse radio units distributed at known locations throughout the farm at least two of which interact with the ultra wideband impulse radio unit to enable the determination of the position of the farm equipment by performing the following steps;
synchronizing the reference ultra wideband impulse radio units;
synchronizing the ultra wideband impulse radio unit to the synchronized reference ultra wideband impulse radio units;
collecting and time-tagging range measurements between the ultra wideband impulse radio unit and at least two of the reference ultra wideband impulse radio units; and
calculating the position of the farm equipment carrying the electronic monitor containing the ultra wideband impulse radio unit using the collected and time-tagged range measurements;
said central station capable of displaying an overlay of the farm that indicates the position of the farm equipment; and
said central station including an ultra wideband impulse radio unit that interacts with the ultra wideband impulse radio unit attached to the farm equipment to establish two-way communications between a person at the central station and a person operating the farm equipment, wherein the ultra wideband impulse radio unit is used to determine the position of the farm equipment and to establish the two-way communications between the person at the central station and the person operating the farm equipment. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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41. An electronic monitor comprising:
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a controller operable to monitor at least one parameter of a piece of farm equipment;
an ultra wideband impulse radio unit operable to interact with said controller such that a person can view at a central station the at least one monitored parameter;
said ultra wideband impulse radio unit is capable of interacting with at least two of a plurality of reference ultra wideband impulse radio units distributed at known locations throughout a farm to enable a determination of a position of the farm equipment by performing the following steps;
synchronizing the reference ultra wideband impulse radio units;
synchronizing the ultra wideband impulse radio unit to the synchronized reference ultra wideband impulse radio units;
collecting and time-tagging range measurements between the ultra wideband impulse radio unit and at least two of the reference ultra wideband impulse radio units; and
calculating the position of the farm equipment using the collected and time-tagged range measurements; and
said ultra wideband impulse radio unit is further capable of interacting with another ultra wideband impulse radio unit at the central station to establish two-way communications between a person at the central station and a person operating the farm equipment, wherein the ultra wideband impulse radio unit is used to determine the position of the object and to establish the two-way communications between the person at the central station and the person operating the farm equipment.
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42. A method for managing a farm, said method comprising the steps of:
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obtaining farm related information using ultra wideband impulse radio technology, wherein said step of obtaining farm related information further includes;
determining a current position of an object carrying an ultra wideband impulse radio unit by enabling the ultra wideband impulse radio unit to interact with a plurality of reference ultra wideband impulse radio units that are distributed at known locations around the farm; and
using the ultra wideband impulse radio unit and another ultra wideband impulse radio unit at a central station to establish two-way communications between a person at the central station and a person that is the object or is associated with the object, wherein the ultra wideband impulse radio unit is used to determine the position of the object and to establish the two-way communications between the person at the central station and the person that is the object or is associated with the object. - View Dependent Claims (43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48)
monitoring soil conditions and crop conditions on the farm.
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44. The method of claim 42, wherein the object is a farm animal.
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45. The method of claim 42, wherein the object is a farm employee.
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46. The method of claim 42, wherein the object is a piece of farm equipment.
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47. The method of claim 42, wherein said step of using the farm related information to increase the profitability of the farm includes:
automatically controlling the piece of farm equipment in accordance with the determined position and an agronomic plan.
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48. The method of claim 47, wherein the piece of farm equipment can be automatically controlled to distribute fertilizer, seeds, water or insecticides.
Specification