29results about "Electric potential based soil-working" patented technology

Systems and implements sense, analyze, and display different soil parameters. A soil sensing system includes a mechanical component of an agricultural implement and at least one sensor disposed on the mechanical component. The sensor generates an electromagnetic field through a region of soil as the agricultural implement traverses a field. The sensor comprises at least one radar transmitter and at least one radar receiver and the sensor measures different soil parameters including a soil dielectric constant.

A system for reducing shank wear on an agricultural implement includes a shank configured to be moved through soil within a field as the agricultural implement travels across the field. Furthermore, the system includes an electrode embedded within the shank. Additionally, the system includes a sensor configured to generate data indicative of a soil moisture content of a portion of the field and a computing system communicatively coupled to the sensor. As such, the computing system is configured to determine the soil moisture content of the field based on the data generated by the sensor. Moreover, the computing system is configured to control a flow of electricity at least one of to or from the electrode based on the determined soil moisture content such that an electric field is induced on at least a portion of a forward outer surface of the shank.

The invention relates to a method for the electrical treatment of plants (P) in non-agricultural and / or non-forestry areas, comprising at least the step of: (S300) applying an electrical voltage (U) of less than 1500 V to the plants (P) by means of a current-fed, in particular DC-fed, applicator assembly (20) having at least two applicators (22a, 22b, 22c) for applying electrical current (I) to plants (P), the at least two applicators (22a, 22b, 22c) being at a distance (A1, A2) of at most 15 cm, in particular at most 10 cm.

An agricultural machine includes a soil strength generation system that generates an output indicator of soil strength. A control system generates on action signal based on the soil strength.

An implement monitoring / soil sensor control system for an agricultural implement may include one or more soil sensors configured to couple to a ground engaging tool of the agricultural implement. The one or more soil sensors may be configured to detect one or more soil properties. Additionally, the soil sensor control system includes a controller with a memory and a processor. The controller is configured to receive a signal indicative of a height of a main frame of the agricultural implement above a soil surface, determine a tool penetration depth of the ground engaging tool based on the height of the main frame, wherein the ground engaging tool is configured to couple to the main frame, and selectively activate the one or more soil sensors based on the tool penetration depth of the ground engaging tool.

A planter system includes seed sensors for determining seed placement in a furrow to then target at least one of fluid and solid application with respect to the seed. Plant sensors determine locations of plants within a field and then target at least one of fluid and solid application with respect to the plant.

A planter system includes seed sensors for determining seed placement in a furrow to then target at least one of fluid and solid application with respect to the seed. Plant sensors determine locations of plants within a field and then target at least one of fluid and solid application with respect to the plant.

A sensor system comprising: a below ground sensor device positioned within a tillage depth during tillage in soil of an agricultural field, the sensor device including RF circuitry to transmit RF signals to an above ground entity; and an anchoring device to anchor the sensor device below ground and to prevent the sensor device from being moved out of the soil. There is further provided a base station positioned on a ground surface of soil of an agricultural field, partially in the soil, or below ground surface of the soil, wherein the base station includes RF circuitry that is configured to transmit RF signals to the sensor device and to receive RF signals from the sensor device.

A planter system includes seed sensors for determining seed placement in a furrow to then target at least one of fluid and solid application with respect to the seed. A material application system dispenses a fluid or solid material with one or more dispensing devices containing at least a first material dispensing location to dispense material into a seed furrow and a second material dispensing location to dispense material into the seed furrow or into a furrow that is laterally adjacent to the seed furrow. Plant sensors determine locations of plants within a field and then target at least one of fluid and solid application with respect to the plant.

Below ground sensor systems including at least one sensor and optionally a base station for communicating sensed soil parameters in agricultural fields are described. In an aspect of the disclosure there is provided a sensor system comprising a base station positioned on a ground surface of soil of an agricultural field, partially in the soil, or below ground surface of the soil. The base station includes a first transceiver that is configured to transmit electromagnetic (EM) signals to an above ground entity and a second transceiver that is configured to transmit EM signals downwards through the soil and a below ground sensor device is positioned at a depth in the soil below a tillage depth. The sensor device is configured to generate an electromagnetic field through soil to transmit EM signals to the base station and to receive the EM signals from the base station for bi-directional communications between the sensor device and the base station.

The invention relates to a method for classifying vegetation and a classification device for classifying vegetation. The method comprises the steps of applying an electric current to the vegetation, detecting at least one parameter of the electric current emitted during application, wherein the parameter is determined by at least one property of the vegetation, and classifying the vegetation based on the at least one parameter.

A planter system includes seed sensors for determining seed placement in a furrow to then target at least one of fluid and solid application with respect to the seed. Plant sensors determine locations of plants within a field and then target at least one of fluid and solid application with respect to the plant.

A soil sensing system (500; 1200) for sensing soil properties includes an implement (1240) and one of a radar transceiver (100; 100A; 100B; T; T1; T2; T3; R; R1; R2; R3) or a combination of radar transmitter (100; 100A; 100B; 1252; T; T1; T2; T3) and a radar receiver (100; 100A; 100B; R; R1; R2; R3) disposed on the implement for sensing soil properties at a depth of soil. The system also has at least one optical sensor (1252) to sense at least one of soil organic matter, soil moisture, soil texture, and soil cation-exchange capacity (CEC). The implement may be an agricultural implement and may be a planter.

An agricultural system for monitoring soil properties within a field includes an agricultural implement having a frame, ground engaging tools supported on the frame, and a position sensor configured to generate position data indicative of a distance between the frame and a surface of the field. The agricultural system further includes soil property sensors supported on the agricultural implement and spaced apart along a vertical direction, where each of the soil property sensors generates data indicative of at least one soil property when positioned below the surface of the field. Additionally, the agricultural system includes a computing system configured to receive the position data, determine when one or more of the soil property sensors are positioned above the surface of the field based at least in part on the position data, and deactivate the one or more soil property sensors positioned above the surface of the field.

The invention relates to a method for power management during the electro-treatment of plants, comprising the following steps: (S400) Applying direct current (I) to the plants with at least one target effect parameter (ZW) according to a selected parameter data set (PD1), and (S500) Comparing at least one actual operating parameter (IW) with at least one reference value (RW) and adjusting a parameter (PL) indicatively for an electrical power as a function of the result of comparing the at least one actual operating parameter (IW) with the at least one reference value (RW).

A system for measuring soil properties has at least one sensor coupled to a row unit of an agricultural implement and a camera coupled to the row unit of the agricultural implement. The at least one sensor is configured to measure at least one soil property of soil worked by the row unit and / or of soil in a trench opened by an opening assembly of the row unit. And, the camera is arranged, on the row unit, to capture images of the soil worked by the row unit and / or the trench opened by the opening assembly of the row unit.

A system for sensing characteristics of a trench in a soil surface during planting operations. A trench opening assembly opens a trench in the soil surface as the trench opening assembly moves in a forward direction of travel. A trench closing assembly disposed rearward of the trench opening assembly closes the opened trench with soil. One or more sensors may be disposed on an appurtenance disposed in said trench configured to provide characteristics of an area of the open trench or an area of the trench closed with soil by the trench closing assembly or a sensor may be disposed outside of said trench configured to provide characteristics of an area of the trench closed with soil or a combination of the sensors may be disposed in the trench and outside of the trench.

Below ground sensor systems including at least one sensor and optionally a base station for communicating sensed soil parameters in agricultural fields are described. In an aspect of the disclosure there is provided a sensor system comprising a base station positioned on a ground surface of soil of an agricultural field, partially in the soil, or below ground surface of the soil. The base station includes a first transceiver that is configured to transmit electromagnetic (EM) signals to an above ground entity and a second transceiver that is configured to transmit EM signals downwards through the soil and a below ground sensor device is positioned at a depth in the soil below a tillage depth. The sensor device is configured to generate an electromagnetic field through soil to transmit EM signals to the base station and to receive the EM signals from the base station for bi-directional communications between the sensor device and the base station.

Below ground sensor systems including at least one sensor and optionally a base station for communicating sensed soil parameters in agricultural fields are described. In an aspect of the disclosure there is provided a sensor system comprising a base station positioned on a ground surface of soil of an agricultural field, partially in the soil, or below ground surface of the soil. The base station includes a first transceiver that is configured to transmit electromagnetic (EM) signals to an above ground entity and a second transceiver that is configured to transmit EM signals downwards through the soil and a below ground sensor device is positioned at a depth in the soil below a tillage depth. The sensor device is configured to generate an electromagnetic field through soil to transmit EM signals to the base station and to receive the EM signals from the base station for bi-directional communications between the sensor device and the base station.

A system for determining residue coverage of a field includes a LiDAR sensor configured to emit light-based output signals for reflection off of a field surface of a portion of a field and detect reflections of the light-based output signals as return signals. Furthermore, the system includes a soil moisture sensor configured to generate soil moisture sensor data indicative of a soil moisture content of the portion of the field. Additionally, a computing system is configured to receive LiDAR sensor data associated with the return signals detected by the LiDAR sensor. Moreover, the computing system is configured to determine a soil moisture value for the portion of the field based on the soil moisture sensor data. In addition, the computing system is configured to determine a residue coverage value of the portion of the field based on the determined soil moisture value and the LiDAR sensor data.

A method is provided for monitoring conditions of soil in a field during performance of one or more agricultural operations in the field by an agricultural machine. The method includes receiving, by a monitor computing device of an agricultural machine, from an image capture device coupled to the agricultural machine, an image of soil in a field at a location in the field corresponding to performance of an agricultural operation by the agricultural machine in the field, and then also receiving, by the monitor computing device, from a sensor coupled to the agricultural machine, a soil property of the soil in the field included in the received image. The method further includes causing, by the monitor computing device, display of the received image of the soil together with the soil property of the soil included in the image, at a graphical display.

A system for detecting air pockets within a field includes a ground-engaging tool configured to engage the soil of the field during a seed planting operation. Additionally, the system includes a non-contact-based sensor configured to capture data indicative of the subsurface soil of the soil and a computing system communicatively coupled to the non-contact-based sensor. The computing system is configured to determine a property of the subsurface soil based on the data captured by the non-contact-based sensor. Additionally, the computing system is configured to determine when an air pocket is present between a seed planted within the subsurface soil and the subsurface soil based on the determined property of the subsurface soil.

In one aspect, a wheel assembly configured for use with an agricultural implement. The wheel assembly includes a wheel comprising an outer ground-engaging element and an inner hub extending radially inwardly from the outer ground-engaging element. The wheel defines an internal cavity radially inwardly relative to the outer ground-engaging element. The wheel assembly further includes a sensor positioned within the internal cavity of the press wheel.

A sensor system comprises an antenna positioned above a ground surface of soil of an agricultural field, wherein the antenna includes a transceiver that is configured to transmit electromagnetic (EM) signals to an above ground entity, a connector coupled to the antenna, and a below ground sensor device coupled to the connector and positioned at a depth in the soil below a tillage depth, wherein the sensor device is configured to generate sensed data for a region of soil, to send the sensed data to the antenna using a communication channel of the connector and to receive signals from the antenna for bi-directional communications between the sensor device and the antenna.

The invention relates to a method for the electro-treatment of plants (P) on non-agricultural and / or non-forestry areas, comprising at least the step: (S300) Applying an electrical voltage (U) of less than 1,500 V to the plants (P) by means of a current-fed, in particular direct current-fed, applicator assembly (20) with at least two applicators (22a, 22b, 22c) for applying electrical current (I) to plants (P), wherein the at least two applicators (22a, 22b, 22c) have a distance (A1, A2) of a maximum of 15 cm, in particular a maximum of 10 cm.

A system for sensing characteristics of a trench in a soil surface during planting operations. A trench opening assembly opens a trench in the soil surface as the trench opening assembly moves in a forward direction of travel. A trench closing assembly disposed rearward of the trench opening assembly closes the opened trench with soil. One or more sensors may be disposed on an appurtenance disposed in said trench configured to provide characteristics of an area of the open trench or an area of the trench closed with soil by the trench closing assembly or a sensor may be disposed outside of said trench configured to provide characteristics of an area of the trench closed with soil or a combination of the sensors may be disposed in the trench and outside of the trench.

A trailed implement for electrically disinfecting soil, comprising support plate(s) having group(s) of electrodes, sensor(s) to detect soil data, an electrical power source to provide power to the electrodes, and a processor. Each group of electrodes has at least one first electrode with a first polarity and at least one second electrode with a second polarity, first electrodes alternating with second electrodes. The first polarity and the second polarity are selected from positive, zero and negative and differ. The soil data are processed to determine the voltage, current and power required to kill or disable at least one type of pest. Each electrode comprises a plurality of fins extending downward from the support plate with the fins administering electrical power to the soil. Each row of fins forms a line parallel to the front edge of the support plate.

A multimodal subsurface imaging unit includes a wideband transceiver with a wide band radio frequency signal generator operable to generate radio frequency signals within a wide band. The multimodal subsurface imaging unit includes a plurality of sets of imaging antennas, including a high frequency set, a low frequency set, and a time domain set. The multimodal subsurface imaging unit includes a switching network communicatively coupled to the wideband radio transceiver and to each of the plurality of antennas, and a control unit. The control unit is operable to control operations of the wideband radio transceiver and the switching network and receive echo signals from the plurality of sets of radio imaging antennas based on echoes of the radio frequency signals and provide the echo signals to a storage device, wherein the echo signals are suitable for analysis for feature extraction.