GPS system to provide planter tripping for crop research plots

• US 6,505,124 B2
• Filed: 12/04/2000
• Issued: 01/07/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Gary W. Clem, Inc. (Gary W. Clem)
• Original Assignee: Gary W. Clem, Inc. (Gary W. Clem)
• Inventors: Moore, Peter B., Carr, Brian W., Handorf, Donald F., Schroeder, Timothy A.
• Primary Examiner(s): McElheny, Jr., Donald E.
• Application Number:
  US09/728,963
• Publication Number:
  US 20010000806A1
• Time in Patent Office: 764 Days
• Field of Search: 702/5, 702/2, 701/50
• US Class Current: 702/5
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 21/005 Following a specific plan, e.g. pattern
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 7/102 Regulating or controlling the seed rate

Abstract

A GPS system to provide planter tripping for crop research plots provides the longitude and latitude of the first trip location and provide a continuous flow of location information. A control computer calculates the next tripping location and provides a signal to the planter at that location and each subsequent tripping location in the field grid. A GPS receiver mounted on the planter provides location information. When the first plot is manually tripped the computer will use vector information to determine the next tripping location. The computer has a program that allows entry of planted length and alley width so the system can calculate the next plot location from the original planter trip. Additional parameters entered in the program include the number of trips needed to pass across the field and the number of passes that would be needed to complete the planting grid.

Claims

1. A method of planting field seeds in a test plot field comprising a plurality of plots with a plurality of parallel seed rows wherein a plurality of plots are separated into parallel ranges comprised of a plurality of side by side plots, with the ranges being separated by parallel alleys extending at right angles to the seed rows, comprising,

using a multi-row planter capable of simultaneously planting field seeds in a plurality of parallel rows,

positioning the planter in a corner of a substantially rectangular field to be planted and heading the planter in a direction to plant a plurality of plots in a longitudinal direction along one side of the field,

placing a GPS device on the planter and operatively connecting the same to a computer,

predetermining the length of a longitudinal vector comprising the distance between centerlines of two adjacent alleys,

providing a trigger mechanism on the planter to deposit field seeds in the soil of the field in the location of each of the rows, and to withhold the deposit of seeds in the alleys,

taking a GPS reading on an end point of beginning on the end of a first set of vectors extending along the rows in a first plot,

moving the planter longitudinally through the field in the direction of the rows to plant the first tier of plots,

continuously gathering GPS data from the GPS device and feeding the same to the computer while the first plot is being planted,

and causing the computer to automatically and intermittently cause the planter to plant seed and to stop planting seed as the planter progresses longitudinally through the field as the GPS data advises the computer that the planter has traveled a predetermined distance, with the GPS device providing data to the computer both as to the distance and the direction traveled by the planter, so that seeds will be planted in the rows of the plots of the first tier of plots without planting seeds in the alleys between those plots, and

sequentially moving the planter longitudinally through the field to similarly plant additional tiers of plots parallel to the first tier of plots.

2. A method for triggering a seed planter to establish a plurality of field seed test plots, comprising,

positioning the seed planter at a corner of the area to be planted,

establishing the position of the planter when the planter is tripped to start or stop planting seeds for precision location operatively associated with the planter,

recording the initial position of the planter and establishing the position of the planter when the planter is tripped to start or stop planting seeds for data recording operatively connected to the precision location means,

moving the planter in an initial path across a field that is to be planted,

manually switching the planter on to deposit seeds,

manually switching the planter off to stop depositing seeds,

manually repeating switching the planter both on and off while the planter is moving along an initial path across the field,

manually reversing the direction of the planter such that the planter faces in the direction opposite to the initial path across the field,

positioning for the return path such that the planter is disposed so that the edge of the first path is contiguous to the edge of the return path,

automatically calculating locations for the planter to start or stop planting seeds,

manually moving the planter across the field on the return path,

automatically tripping the planter to start depositing seeds such that as the planter passes contiguous to a planted area the seed planter is switched on,

automatically tripping the planter to stop depositing seeds such that as the planter passes contiguous to an area where no seeds were planted the planter is switched off, and

whereby on each consecutive pass across the field a pattern is created of plots with planted seeds and intervening alleys with no seeds.

3. A method for triggering a seed planter to establish a plurality of field seed test plots, comprising,

positioning the seed planter at a corner of the area to be planted,

establishing the position of the planter when the planter is tripped to start or stop planting seeds,

recording the initial position of the planter and establishing the position of the planter when the planter is tripped to start or stop planting seeds,

moving the planter across a field that is to be planted,

switching the planter on or off to deposit or stop depositing seeds,

reversing the direction of the planter such that the planter faces in the direction opposite to the initial path across the field such that the planter is disposed to a return path so that the edge of the first path is contiguous to the edge of the return path,

calculating start locations and stop locations for the planter to start or stop planting seeds,

moving the planter across the field on the return path,

automatically tripping the planter to start planting seeds such that as the planter passes contiguous to an area planted on the previous path the seed planter is switched on,

automatically tripping the planter to stop planting seeds such that as the planter passes contiguous to an area where no seeds were planted on the previous path the planter is switched off, and

whereby on each consecutive pass across the field a pattern is created of plots with planted seeds and intervening alleys with no seeds.

4. The method in claim 3, wherein the location of said planter is established via a precision location means for precision location operatively associated with the planter.

5. The method in claim 4, wherein the precision location means utilizes signals is selected from the group consisting of GPS, radio, microwave, sonar, radar and laser.

6. The method in claim 3, wherein the location of said planter is established via a precision location device operatively associated with the planter.

7. The method in claim 3, wherein the position of said planter is recorded via a data recording means operatively connected to the precision location means.

8. The method in claim 3, wherein said planter is tripped to start or stop planting seeds while the planter is moving across the field.

9. The method of claim 3, wherein the start or stop planting seed locations of the planter are calculated.

10. The method of claim 3, wherein said planter is tripped to start or stop planting seed for automatically controlling the seed planter operatively connected to the computation means.