Extendable moisture content sensing system

• US 8,671,741 B2
• Filed: 06/29/2011
• Issued: 03/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited (Trimble Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited (Trimble Inc.)
• Inventors: Cash, Michael, Hanks, D'Anne Beukelaur, Lange, Arthur F., Jackman, Brian, Jackson, Brian A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Williams, Hezron E
• Assistant Examiner(s): MERCADO, ALEXANDER A
• Application Number:
  US13/172,716
• Publication Number:
  US 20130000393A1
• Time in Patent Office: 993 Days
• Field of Search: 336/791, 337/12, 324/667, 73/290.2, 73/290.5, 7333501-33504, 73/73, 702/97, 248/542
• US Class Current: 73/73
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 41/1277 for measuring grain quality
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/223 for determining moisture content, e.g. humidity rain detectors on vehicle windows B60S1/0825
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/0098 Plants or trees wood G01N33/46

Abstract

A moisture content sensing system is described comprising a collar mechanically coupled with a clean grain transport system. An extendable support extends through the collar and has an extendable capacitive sensor element disposed at one end. The extendable support is configured to be located at a first position in which the extendable capacitive sensor element is disposed adjacent to clean grain conveyed by the clean grain transport system and moved to a second position wherein the extendable capacitive sensor element is disposed at least partially within the clean grain of the clean grain transport system.

Claims

1. A moisture content sensing system comprising:

a collar mechanically coupled with a clean grain transport system;

an extendable support extending through said collar and having an extendable capacitive sensor element disposed at one end, said extendable support configured to be located at a first position in which said extendable capacitive sensor element is disposed adjacent to clean grain conveyed by said clean grain transport system and to be located at a second position wherein said extendable capacitive sensor element is disposed at least partially within said clean grain conveyed by said clean grain transport system; and

a processor configured to adjust a moisture content reading of the clean grain based upon an indication of a distance said extendable capacitive sensor element extends into the clean grain and a respective frequency signal from said extendable capacitive sensor element when located at at least one of said first position and said second position.

2. The extendable moisture content sensing system of claim 1 further comprising:

a scale which is configured to indicate the distance said extendable capacitive sensor element extends into the clean grain.

3. The extendable moisture content sensing system of claim 2 further comprising:

a capacitance controlled oscillator communicatively coupled with said extendable capacitive sensor element and with said processor and configured to vary an output frequency based upon a capacitance signal received from said extendable capacitive sensor element.

4. The extendable moisture content sensing system of claim 1 further comprising:

a non-transitory memory device comprising a data table accessed by said processor which stores a correction value to be applied to said moisture content reading based upon said distance.

5. The extendable moisture content sensing system of claim 4 wherein said data table of said non-transitory memory device comprises a plurality of compensation values which are derived using interpolation to describe a variation in said moisture content reading based upon the position of said extendable capacitive sensor element.

6. The extendable moisture content sensing system of claim 1 further comprising:

a stopping device configured to prevent said extendable support from entering entirely into the clean grain.

7. A method of determining the moisture content of a harvested crop, said method comprising:

receiving an indication of a distance an extendable capacitive sensor element extends into a collection of a harvested crop;

receiving a frequency signal; and

generating a moisture content reading of said harvested crop based upon said indication of said distance and said frequency signal.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

using a scale which is disposed proximate to an extendable collar upon which said extendable capacitive sensor element is disposed to determine said distance said extendable capacitive sensor element extends into said collection of said harvested crop.

9. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

receiving a capacitance signal from said extendable capacitive sensor element by a capacitance controlled oscillator communicatively coupled with said extendable capacitive sensor element; and

generating said frequency signal based upon said capacitance signal which indicates said moisture content reading.

10. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

accessing a data table which stores a correction value to be applied to said moisture content reading based upon said indication.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

generating an interpolation which describes a variation in said moisture content reading based upon the position of said extendable capacitive sensor element into a controlled moisture content material; and

storing said interpolation in said data table.

12. A method for determining the moisture content of clean grain, said method comprising:

accessing a data table having a plurality of data points and interpolating a correction for making an adjustment of a moisture content reading of a controlled moisture content material generated by an extendable capacitive sensor element disposed upon an extendable support;

receiving an indication of a distance said extendable capacitive sensor element extends into a collection of clean grain;

receiving a frequency signal; and

determining a moisture content of said collection of clean grain based upon said indication of said distance and said frequency signal.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

generating a first moisture content reading based upon a signal from said extendable capacitive sensor element when said extendable capacitive sensor element is disposed at a first distance into said controlled moisture content material;

generating a second moisture content reading based upon a second signal from said extendable capacitive sensor element when said extendable capacitive sensor element is disposed at a second distance into said controlled moisture content material; and

generating said data table which indicates a variation in said moisture content reading based upon the position of said extendable capacitive sensor element at said first distance into said controlled moisture content material and said second distance into said controlled moisture content material.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

generating an interpolation which describes a variation in said moisture content reading based upon the position of said extendable capacitive sensor element into said controlled moisture content material; and

storing said interpolation in said data table.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein said determining said moisture content further comprises:

receiving a capacitance signal from said extendable capacitive sensor element by a capacitance controlled oscillator communicatively coupled with said extendable capacitive sensor element; and

generating said frequency signal based upon said capacitance signal received from said extendable capacitive sensor element.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

receiving said frequency signal when said extendable capacitive sensor element is extended into said collection of clean grain;

determining said moisture content reading of said collection of clean grain based upon said frequency signal;

accessing said data table to determine said correction to be applied to said moisture content reading based upon said indication of said distance; and

applying said correction to said moisture content reading to generate an adjusted moisture content reading.

17. A method for measuring moisture content of a harvested crop comprising:

extending an extendable capacitive sensor element into a collection of clean grain within a clean grain transport system of a combine; and

based on a distance said extendable capacitive sensor extends into said collection of clean grain and a frequency signal received from said extendable capacitive sensor element, determining a moisture content of said collection of clean grain.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising:

determining a first moisture content reading of said clean grain based upon said frequency signal;

accessing a data table which stores a correction value to be applied to said moisture content reading based upon said distance said extendable capacitive sensor element extends into said collection of clean grain; and

applying said correction value to said first moisture content reading to derive said moisture content of said collection of clean grain.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising:

generating an interpolation which describes a variation in capacitance measured by said extendable capacitive sensor element based upon the position of said extendable capacitive sensor element into a controlled moisture content material; and

storing said linear interpolation in said data table.