Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) enabled field equipment

Abstract

A soil analysis apparatus may comprise a vehicle, at least one control-logic processor, a sensor housing, and a Laser-induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) sensor. The LIBS sensor may be contained, at least in part, in the sensor housing. The vehicle may be configured to traverse an agricultural field. The LIBS sensor may be in connection to the vehicle and in communication with the control-logic processor. The LIBS sensor may comprise a laser source, a spectrometer, and at least one light collecting element. The laser source and / or the spectrometer may be in non-contacting proximity with the soil. The LIBS sensor may be configured to traverse a surface of the agricultural field via the connection to the vehicle. The LIBS sensor may be configured to conduct in situ soil analysis of the agricultural field during the traverse of the surface of the agricultural field.

Description

LASER-INDUCED BREAKDOWN SPECTROSCOPY (LIBS) ENABLED FIELD EQUIPMENTCROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Application No. 63 / 569,391, filed 25 March 2024, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.FIELD

[0002] Embodiments of the present disclosure relate generally to a soil-analysis device.BACKGROUND

[0003] In recent years, the availability of advanced location-specific agricultural soil measurement systems (used in so-called “precision farming” practices) has increased grower interest in determining spatial variations in soil properties. However, soil sensors in soil and remote satellite soil sensing can both suffer from measurement accuracy issues.BRIEF SUMMARY

[0004] A soil analysis apparatus may comprise a vehicle. The vehicle may be configured to traverse an agricultural field. The apparatus may comprise at least one control-logic processor and / or a sensor housing. The apparatus may comprise a Laser-induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) sensor. The LIBS sensor may be contained, at least in part, in the sensor housing. The LIBS sensor may be in connection to the vehicle and / or in communication with the control-logic processor. The LIBS sensor may comprise a laser source, a spectrometer, and / or at least one light collecting element. The laser source and / or the spectrometer may be in non-contacting proximity with the soil. The LIBS sensor may be configured to traverse a surface of the agricultural field via the connection to the vehicle. The LIBS sensor may be configured to conduct in-situ soil analysis of the agricultural field during the traverse of the surface of the agricultural field.

[0005] One or more methods of conducting in-situ soil analysis may be performed by a soil analysis apparatus. Methods may comprise providing a vehicle. The vehicle may be configured to traverse an agricultural field. Methods may comprise providing a sensor housing and / or providing a Laser-induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) sensor. The LIBS sensor may be contained, at least in part, in the sensor housing. Methods may comprise connecting the LIBSsensor to the vehicle.

[0006] The providing the LIBS sensor may comprise providing a laser source and / or providing a spectrometer. Providing the LIBS sensor may comprise providing at least one light collecting element. The laser source and / or the spectrometer may be in non-contacting proximity with the soil.

[0007] Methods may comprise traversing the LIBS sensor across a surface of the agricultural field via the vehicle. Methods may comprise conducting in-situ soil analysis of the agricultural field by the LIBS sensor during the traversing of the surface of the agricultural field.

[0008] Other technical features may be readily apparent to one skilled in the art from the following figures, descriptions, and claims.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009] While the specification concludes with claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming what are regarded as embodiments of the present disclosure, various features and advantages may be more readily ascertained from the following description of example embodiments when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0010] FIG. 1 illustrates an example LIBS sensor system.

[0011] FIG. 2 illustrates an example LIBS scheme in which laser induced light emissions may be analyzed to determine one or more characteristics of a sample.

[0012] FIG. 3A illustrates an example system diagram / flow chart of a LIBS sensor analysis in combination with one or more other sensors.

[0013] FIG. 3B illustrates an example system diagram / flow chart of a LIBS sensor analysis in combination with one or more other sensors.

[0014] FIG. 3C illustrates an example system diagram / flow chart of a LIBS sensor analysis in combination with one or more other sensors.

[0015] FIG. 3D illustrates an example system diagram / flow chart of a LIBS sensor analysis in combination with one or more other sensors.

[0016] FIG. 3E illustrates an example system diagram / flow chart of a synchronization between a LIBS sensor laser source and the LIBS sensor detector / spectrometer.

[0017] FIG. 3F illustrates an example system diagram / flow chart of a height / distance control of a LIBS sensor / sensor housing relative to the soil surface / furrow under study.

[0018] FIG. 3G illustrates a flowchart illustrates an example technique of conducting in-situ soilanalysis that may be performed by soil analysis apparatus / device that may comprise a LIBS sensor.

[0019] FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a hardware configuration of an example device that may function as a process control device / logic controller, such as the control-logic processor and / or a LIBS sensor device.

[0020] FIG. 5A illustrates an example soil analysis apparatus.

[0021] FIG. 5B illustrates an example soil analysis apparatus.

[0022] FIG. 6 illustrates an example soil analysis apparatus.

[0023] FIG. 7A illustrates an example soil analysis apparatus.

[0024] FIG. 7B illustrates an example soil analysis apparatus.

[0025] FIG. 7C illustrates an example soil analysis apparatus.

[0026] FIG. 7D illustrates an example soil analysis apparatus.

[0027] FIG. 7E illustrates an example soil analysis apparatus.

[0028] FIG. 8 illustrates an example of LIBS sensor spectra that may be produced by a spectrometer.

[0029] FIG. 9 illustrates an example diagram of how the LIBS sensor may be configured / positioned and / or may operate relative to a soil / furrow surface.

[0030] FIG. 10 illustrates an example LIBS sensor configuration analyzing soil.

[0031] FIG. 11 illustrates an example LIBS sensor configuration analyzing soil.

[0032] FIG. 12 illustrates an example LIBS sensor configuration analyzing soil.

[0033] FIG. 13 illustrates an example LIBS sensor configuration analyzing soil.

[0034] FIG. 14 illustrates an example of an example LIBS sensor configuration analyzing soil / furrow.

[0035] FIG. 15 illustrates an example of a system for performing agricultural analysis and / or operations.

[0036] FIG. 16 illustrates an example of a soil and plant analysis system / apparatus that includes an implement.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0037] All references cited herein are incorporated herein in their entireties. If there is a conflict between a definition herein and in an incorporated reference, the definition herein shall control.

[0038] Referring to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals designate identical or corresponding parts throughout the several views.

[0039] The illustrations presented herein are not actual views of any planter row unit or portion thereof, but are merely idealized representations to describe example embodiments of the present disclosure. Additionally, elements common between figures may retain the same numerical designation.

[0040] The following description provides specific details of embodiments. However, a person of ordinary skill in the art will understand that the embodiments of the disclosure may be practiced without employing many such specific details. Indeed, the embodiments of the disclosure may be practiced in conjunction with conventional techniques employed in the industry. In addition, the description provided below does not include all elements to form a complete structure or assembly. Only those process acts and structures necessary to understand the embodiments of the disclosure are described in detail below. Additional conventional acts and structures may be used. The drawings accompanying the application are for illustrative purposes only, and are thus not drawn to scale.

[0041] As used herein, the terms "comprising," "including," "containing," "characterized by," and grammatical equivalents thereof are inclusive or open-ended terms that do not exclude additional, unrecited elements or method steps, but also include the more restrictive terms "consisting of' and "consisting essentially of' and grammatical equivalents thereof.

[0042] As used herein, the term "may" with respect to a material, structure, feature, or method act indicates that such is contemplated for use in implementation of an embodiment of the disclosure, and such term is used in preference to the more restrictive term "is" so as to avoid any implication that other, compatible materials, structures, features, and methods usable in combination therewith should or must be excluded.

[0043] As used herein, the term "configured" refers to a size, shape, material composition, and arrangement of one or more of at least one structure and at least one apparatus facilitating operation of one or more of the structure and the apparatus in a predetermined way.

[0044] As used herein, the singular forms following "a," "an," and "the" are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0045] As used herein, the term "and / or" includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0046] As used herein, spatially relative terms, such as "beneath," "below," "lower," "bottom," "above," "upper," "top," "front," "rear," "left," "right," and the like, may be used for ease of description to describe one element's or feature's relationship to another element(s) or feature(s) as illustrated in the figures. Unless otherwise specified, the spatially relative terms are intended to encompass different orientations of the materials in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures.

[0047] As used herein, the term "about" used in reference to a given parameter is inclusive of the stated value and has the meaning dictated by the context (e.g., it includes the degree of error associated with measurement of the given parameter).

[0048] As used throughout, ranges are used as shorthand for describing each and every value that is within the range. Any value within the range can be selected as the terminus of the range.

[0049] Laser-Induce Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) uses a laser (e.g., Nd: YAG, among others, etc.) with relatively short, relatively high energy pulses. The beam may be focused and / or concentrated to a point that converges on a sample. FIG. 1 illustrates an example LIBS sensor system 103. The high energy laser pulses heat the sample so rapidly that material ablation may occur before thermal energy may be dissipated. Ablation may cause plasma formation, which is of temperatures on the order of 10,000 Kelvin. Atoms in the plasma may relax from the high temperatures and / or may emit light that is characteristic to their atomic structure. Optics may focus emitted light into a spectrometer for conversion to a digital signal. In one or more scenarios, for example to maximize the signal-to-noise ratio of the detected emission to detector noise, among other reasons, a timing / delay circuit may be useful to synchronize the detector / spectrometer and the laser.

[0050] Synchronization and / delay / timing circuit may be used to capture one or more different time periods of the plasma lifetime. In one or more scenarios, there may be four parts of the LIBS process, such as the laser pulse, the ionic emissions, the atomic emission, and / or the molecular emissions. In one or more scenarios, the atomic emissions may be useful / of interest, so the laser may be triggered and / or gated to capture (e.g., only capture) the atomic emissions, for example, among other scenarios.

[0051] As used herein, a “spectrometer” may include the detector (e.g., integrally and / or unitary, etc.). In one or more scenarios, there may be at least two parts of a spectrometer. A first part may be a device that splits an incoming light beam into a continuous number of one or morebeams, perhaps depending on the wavelength of the light (e.g., some scientists may refer to this part as the “spectrometer.” A second part may be a detector that may detect a linear array of pixels where the position of the pixel may be known to correspond to a specific beam of light from the spectrometer, for example.

[0052] FIG. 2 illustrates an example LIBS scheme 205 in which laser induced light emissions may be analyzed to determine one or more characteristics of a sample. Techniques disclosed herein describe one or more LIBS applications by way of a full range spectrometer, perhaps for example in the UV-VIS and / or potential NIR regions and / or LIBS sensors sensitive to one or more (e.g., some) characteristic wavelengths. There may be a laser source focused on the soil (e.g., of an agricultural field) and / or pulsing with a duration between Ips - lus with the objective of exciting the soil particles enough for atomic breakdown to occur, such that a detector (e.g., a spectrometer) may measure / analyze at least some of the light emissions from the soil. FIG. 8 illustrates an example of LIBS sensor spectra that may be produced by a spectrometer.

[0053] FIG. 3A illustrates an example system diagram / flow chart 303 of a LIBS sensor analysis in combination with one or more other sensors. A LIBS sensor can be deployed independently (e.g., as a first sensor) or in combination with one or more additional sensors (e.g., as second sensors) that may provide information / data to one or more processing models / algorithms to better understand / interpret the LIBS sensor data, such as one or more soil characteristics.

[0054] The LIBS sensor (e.g., Spectrometer) data may be received. The LIBS sensor data may describe intensity value(s) at one or more detector pixel positions. The detector pixel positions may correlate to a wavelength in the electromagnetic spectrum. Additional data may be received from at least one second sensor (e.g., an EC meter, a camera, a bulk density meter, a gamma ray detector, and / or a diffuse reflectance spectrometer, among other devices). That additional data may be a number which may relate to one or more soil properties that may correlate to textural information, surface compaction value(s), and / or moisture content, among other soil properties / characteristics. This additional data may be used to select and / or condition the one or more processing models / functions / algorithms from one or more set(s) that may receive the LIBS sensor / spectrometer data and / or may output one or more soil characteristics / property information.

[0055] The model(s) / function(s) / algorithms selected and / or conditioned may take spectral input data and / or may measure values at peaks and / or at specific characteristic wavelengths. The peakvalues may be known by the selected and / or conditioned model / function / algorithm to relate to specific element concentration(s) in the soil. In one or more scenarios, the model may be learned / trained / correlated from a dataset that may have been built from previous reference runs, and / or may have been calculated by traditional scientific methods to represent the soil indicated by the additional (e.g., second sensor) data / information. In one or more scenarios, a correction may be applied to the extracted peak values. The correction may measure laser temperature(s) using the Boltzmann fraction relationship for peaks known to belong to the same element. Shifting the peak ratios from the temperature measured to a set standard temperature may be the correction applied, for example.

[0056] FIG. 3B illustrates an example system diagram / flow chart 315 of a LIBS sensor analysis in combination with one or more other sensors. A LIBS sensor can be deployed independently (e.g., as a first sensor) or in combination with one or more additional sensors (e.g., as second sensors) that may provide information / data to one or more processing models / algorithms to better understand / interpret the LIBS sensor data, such as one or more soil characteristics.

[0057] In one or more scenarios, a second sensor may be an EC sensor whose signal (a “second signal”) may be indicative of soil moisture and / or soil conductivity. A first sensor may be a LIBS sensor whose signal (a “first signal”) that may contain information about soil chemical content, for example. The first signal may be pre-processed by using atomic / ionic spectral lines, among other techniques. An estimated LIBS distribution may be calculated using the Saha ionization distribution equation, Boltzmann fraction, and / or line emission intensity equation where temperature, electron density, and / or concentration may be iteratively regressed for one or more, or each, atomic species such that the calculated spectra may match the measured spectra. With the atomic concentrations known, the conversion from concentration to soil property may be performed using a model from a database of one or more models. One or more, or each model, may be useful for a specific range of EC signals, which may be how the second signal chooses which model / function / algorithm to use to process the first signal. The output may be a soil moisture and / or one or more soil electrical characteristics from the second signal. The nutrient / elemental concentrations may be obtained from the processed first signal.

[0058] In one or more scenarios, one or more machine learning models / functions / algorithms that accepts LIBS sensor spectral input and / or predicts nutrient / elemental concentration as an output may be trained on a collected dataset. One or more specific model weights may be selected froma database of weights that may correspond to one or more soil families. The selection may be done using the second signal, which could be from any second sensor that may be indicative of soil type, soil moisture, soil organic matter content, and / or soil texture, etc. An output may be one / any of soil type, soil moisture, and / or soil organic matter content, etc., from the second signal, and / or nutrient concentration(s) / el emental concentration(s) may be obtained from the processed first signal, for example.

[0059] In one or more scenarios, plasma temperature may be consistent (e.g., sufficiently) for the measured LIBS spectrum to not need temperature calculation. Instead, a correlation between peak values / peak areas may be experimentally developed such that peaks that are known to correspond to specific elements may be measured and / or taken to represent total concentration and / or relative concentration of the element(s) in soil. As described herein, in one or more scenarios, the second signal may be known to correlate to a specific soil property that may be used to select a model(s) / function(s) / algorithm(s) from a database where the model(s) / function(s) / algorithm(s) may be tuned to one or more specific soil families. The chosen model(s) / function(s) / algorithm(s) may accept the first signal as an input and / or may calculate / predict soil nutrient content and / or elemental content, etc., from the first signal, for example.

[0060] FIG. 3C illustrates an example system diagram / flow chart 325 of a LIBS sensor analysis in combination with one or more other sensors. A LIBS sensor can be deployed independently (e.g., as a first sensor) or in combination with one or more additional sensors (e.g., as second sensors) that may provide information / data to one or more processing models / algorithms to better understand / interpret the LIBS sensor data, such as one or more soil characteristics.

[0061] In one or more scenarios, the one or more model(s) / algorithm(s) / function(s) may be a machine learning model(s) / function(s) / algorithm(s) that may be trained on a dataset that may contain information about one or more soil lab results and / or one or more records of a measured first signal (e.g., from the first sensor) and / or a second signal (from the second sensor). Once trained, the model / function / algorithms can then accept (e.g., real time, dynamic, in situ, on the go, etc.) inputs of the first signal and / or the second signal to predict / analyze the desired soil characteristic (e.g., on which the model was trained). In one or more scenarios, the first signal may be understood to contain information regarding chemical content in the soil. The first signal could be a raw signal from the sensor, or a pre-processed signal to convert a spectrum into asignal with information related to one or more, or each, peak such as peak area, center wavelength, and / or corresponding known atomic species that emits at that wavelength, etc.

[0062] The second signal may be understood to contain information about soil texture, soil moisture, and / or organic matter content, etc. The second sensor can be an EC sensor, for example, whose output signal (“second signal”) can be indicative of soil moisture and / or soil conductivity. In one or more scenarios, pre-processing may occur to remove noise, normalize the data, etc. In one or more scenarios, the second signal can be a camera sensor aimed at the sample soil surface where / at which the LIBS data is also measured. The camera image may contain information indicative of soil textural information, soil moisture, soil organic matter content, and / or soil color, etc. Pre-processing may occur to extract a useful signal from one or more, or each, image.

[0063] In one or more scenarios, such as where the camera is the second sensor, one or more machine learning model(s) / function(s) / algorithm(s) that may be trained on a dataset that may contains samples where the input image is known, and the moisture, organic matter content, soil type, and / or soil texture information of the imaged soil is known. Once trained, the model(s) / function(s) / algorithm(s) can accept an (e.g., on the go, dynamic, real time, in situ, etc.) image of the sample surface to predict the soil characteristics (e.g., on which it is trained).

[0064] In one or more scenarios, such as where the camera is the second sensor, one or more (e.g., conventional, custom, hybrid, etc.) computer vision algorithms (e.g., edge detection, convolutional filters, etc.) may be used to convert one or more input image(s) into a signal that may be indicative of moisture, organic matter content, soil type, and / or soil texture information, etc. In one or more scenarios, the signal can be correlated to one or more specific soil properties.

[0065] FIG. 3D illustrates an example system diagram / flow chart 333 of a LIBS sensor analysis in combination with one or more other sensors. The LIBS sensor and / or one or more other / second sensors may comprise various modules such as a sensing module, a processing module, and / or a communications module, among other modules, for example. The sensors may send one or more signals representing measured / detected values by the sensors to a control-logic processor / central-processing module (e.g., that may be located in any of the sensors and / or in a separate control unit, etc.). The control-logic processor may determine one or more control parameters for operating agricultural equipment based on the one or more measured / detected values. For example, an agricultural device / vehicle that may comprise and / or use the LIBSsensor and / or one or more second sensors may comprise a variable applicator mechanism (e.g., seeder, spray applicator, etc., among other agricultural equipment / mechanisms). The variable rate applicator mechanism may comprise a variable rate controller. The control-logic processor may transmit one or more signals to the variable rate controller to control the rate at which the variable applicator operates based on processing of, at least, the one or more measured variables.

[0066] FIG. 3E illustrates an example system diagram / flow chart 353 of a synchronization between a LIBS sensor laser source and the LIBS sensor detector / spectrometer. For various reasons, it may be useful to synchronize the operation of LIBS sensor laser source and the LIBS sensor spectrometer / detector. A control-logic processor may be configured to determine a trigger condition and / or send a trigger signal to the LIBS laser source for generation of the one or more laser pulses. The control-logic processor may be configured to determine and / or initiate an (adjustable) time delay (e.g., that may be zero, or some positive time unit) such that the LIBS spectrometer may not be triggered to receive / detect light emissions from a sample until some time after the LIBS laser source irradiates the sample with laser pluses. For example, a delay between laser source and the spectrometer may allow for the laser pulses to build, shoot, and / or dissipate.

[0067] In one or more scenarios, any of the LIBS sensors described herein that may show soil contact could also be used for non-contacting variations, perhaps for example if the sensor house / device height may be controlled. One or more mirrors and / or transparent optic lens can be used to guide / focus / manipulate the laser beam / pluses and / or light emissions. If non-contacting detection and / or height / distance control may be useful, perhaps due to surface variability, and if compensation with non-powered mechanical linkages might not be available, automatic height control may be useful. A relatively close height to soil surface may be useful to maximize capture of the atomic emissions from LIBS laser excitation, as the further away the device may be, the weaker the communicate laser / light emission may be.

[0068] FIG. 3F illustrates an example system diagram / flow chart 363 of a height / distance control of a LIBS sensor / sensor housing relative to the soil surface / furrow under study. For various reasons, it may be useful to adjust the height / distance of the LIBS sensor / sensor housing relative to the soil. A control-logic processor may be configured to receive a measured height / distance between the LIBS sensor / sensor housing from the soil / furrow. In one or more scenarios, the control-logic processor may be configured to determine a desir ed / target height / distance betweenthe LIBS sensor / sensor housing. In one or more scenarios, the control-logic processor may be configured to receive a desired / target height / distance between the LIBS sensor / sensor housing from another device or module. The control-logic processor may be configured to send a signal corresponding to the desired / target height / distance between the LIBS sensor / sensor housing to an actuator / mechanism to control the distance / height of the LIBS sensor / sensor housing relative to the soil, soil surface, and / or furrow.

[0069] FIG. 3G illustrates a flowchart 373 illustrates an example technique of conducting in-situ soil analysis that may be performed by soil analysis apparatus / device that may comprise a LIBS sensor as described herein. At 375, one or more technologies may comprise providing a vehicle, where the vehicle may be configured to traverse an agricultural field. At 377, one or more techniques may comprise providing a sensor housing. At 379, one or more techniques may comprise providing a Laser-induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) sensor contained, at least in part, in the sensor housing. At 381, one or more techniques may comprise connecting the LIBS sensor to the vehicle.

[0070] At 383, the providing the LIBS sensor may comprise providing a laser source. At 385, the providing the LIBS sensor may comprise providing a spectrometer. At 387, the providing the LIBS sensor may comprise providing at least one light collecting element, where at least one of: the laser source, or the spectrometer may be in non- contacting proximity with the soil.

[0071] At 389, one or more techniques may comprise traversing the LIBS sensor across a surface of the agricultural field via the vehicle. At 391, one or more techniques may comprise conducting in-situ soil analysis of the agricultural field by the LIBS sensor during the traversing of the surface of the agricultural field.

[0072] FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a hardware configuration of an example device that may function as a process control device / logic controller, such as the control-logic processor and / or a LIBS sensor device, among other devices. The hardware configuration 400 may be operable to facilitate delivery of information from an internal server of a device. The hardware configuration 400 can include a processor 410, a memory 420, a storage device 430, an input / output device 440, and / or a camera 460. One or more of the components 410, 420, 430, 440, and 460 can, for example, be interconnected using a system bus 450. The processor 410 can process instructions for execution within the hardware configuration 400. The processor 410 can be a single-threaded processor or the processor 410 can be a multi-threaded processor. Theprocessor 410 can be capable of processing instructions stored in the memory 420 and / or on the storage device 430.

[0073] The memory 420 can store information within the hardware configuration 400. The memory 420 can be a computer-readable medium (CRM), for example, a non-transitory CRM. The memory 420 can be a volatile memory unit, and / or can be a non-volatile memory unit.

[0074] The storage device 430 can be capable of providing mass storage for the hardware configuration 400. The storage device 430 can be a computer-readable medium (CRM), for example, a non-transitory CRM. The storage device 430 can, for example, include a hard disk device, an optical disk device, flash memory and / or some other large capacity storage device. The storage device 430 can be a device external to the hardware configuration 400.

[0075] The input / output device 440 may provide input / output operations for the hardware configuration 400. The input / output device 440 (e.g., a transceiver device) can include one or more of a network interface device (e.g., an Ethernet card), a serial communication device (e.g., an RS-232 port), one or more universal serial bus (USB) interfaces (e.g., a USB 2.0 port) and / or a wireless interface device (e.g., an 802.11 card). The input / output device can include driver devices configured to send communications to, and / or receive communications from one or more networks (not shown). The input / output device 400 may be in communication with one or more input / output modules (not shown) that may be proximate to the hardware configuration 400 and / or may be remote from the hardware configuration 400. The one or more output modules may provide input / output functionality in the digital signal form, discrete signal form, TTL form, analog signal form, serial communication protocol, fieldbus protocol communication and / or other open or proprietary communication protocol, and / or the like.

[0076] The camera device 460 may provide digital video input / output capability for the hardware configuration 400. The camera device 460 may communicate with any of the elements of the hardware configuration 400, perhaps for example via system bus 450. The camera device 460 may capture digital images and / or may scan images / light of various kinds, such as soil / furrow surfaces as described herein. In one or more scenarios, the camera device 460 may be the same and / or substantially similar to any of the other camera devices as may be described herein.

[0077] The camera device 460 may include at least one microphone device and / or at least one speaker device (not shown). The input / output of the camera device 460 may include audiosignals / packets / components, perhaps for example separate / separable from, or in some (e.g., separable) combination with, the video signals / packets / components the camera device 460.

[0078] The camera device 460 may detect one or more general (e.g., visible) soil characteristics of the one or more soil surfaces detected by the camera device 460. The camera device 460 may be configured to recognize one or more soil particles, for example. The camera device 460 may be in wired and / or wireless communication with the hardware configuration 400. In one or more scenarios, the camera device 460 may be external to the hardware configuration 400. In one or more scenarios, the camera device 460 may be internal to the hardware configuration 400.

[0079] In one or more scenarios, LIBS sensor spectrometer detection and laser pulse(s) may be timed down to nanosecond resolution to capture atomic spectra. Synchronization may occur between single pulses and spectrometer detection. Several laser pulses could also be captured with a single spectrometer exposure, perhaps for example if pulsing rate may be high enough.

[0080] FIG. 9 illustrates an example diagram of how the LIBS sensor 901 may be configured / positioned and / or may operate relative to a soil / furrow surface 919. A LIBS sensor housing (not shown) may be mounted where the sensor housing / frame height / distance may be kept relatively constant above the soil surface 919 through various ways and / or may be calculated to be at a certain distance above the soil surface 919. A laser source 905 may transmit laser beams / pulses 915 toward to the soil surface 919. One or more light emissions 917 may be produced from the soil surface 919. One or more guiding optics 911 (e.g., lenses, fiber optic cables, etc.) may conduct at least some of the light emissions 917 to the spectrometer / detector 907.

[0081] Exposed soil may be useful. The LIBS sensor 901, and / or one or more other / second sensors, may measure / detect continuously while the vehicle on which they are disposed is moving, for example traversing an agricultural field. In one or more scenarios, little to no contact and / or touching of the LIBS sensor components to the soil may occur. In one or more scenarios, some contact and / or touching of the LIBS sensor components to the soil may occur.

[0082] FIG. 5A, FIG. 5B, FIG. 6, and FIG. 7A to FIG. 7E illustrate various vehicle / device form factors upon which a LIBS sensor, and one or more other sensors, can be disposed / implemented for “on-the-go” soil analysis of an agricultural field.

[0083] FIG. 5 A illustrates an example soil analysis apparatus 503. The soil analysis apparatus 503 can be self-propelled and / or may comprise (e.g., and / or be pulled by) a vehicle / truck 515and / or another machine. The soil analysis apparatus 503 may include at least a LIBS sensor (not shown), and / or one or more other sensors (not shown). The LIBS sensor may be contained, at least in part, in a sensor housing 523. The LIBS sensor housing 523 can be above, near, or below a soil surface level 550, perhaps depending on a soil analysis application. The LIBS sensor housing 523 may be connected to the vehicle 515 frame via a hitch 520 (e.g., with or without height adjustment).

[0084] FIG. 5B illustrates an example soil analysis apparatus 505. The soil analysis apparatus 505 can be self-propelled and / or may comprise (e.g., and / or be pulled by) a vehicle / truck 525 and / or another machine. The soil analysis apparatus 505 may include at least a LIBS sensor (not shown), and / or one or more other sensors (not shown). The LIBS sensor may be contained, at least in part, in a sensor housing 532. The LIBS sensor housing 532 can be above, near, or below a soil surface level 550, perhaps depending on a soil analysis application. The LIBS sensor housing 532 may be connected to the vehicle 525 frame via a bed mount 530 (e.g., with or without height adjustment).

[0085] FIG. 6 illustrates an example soil analysis apparatus 605. The soil analysis apparatus 605 can be self-propelled and / or may comprise (e.g., and / or be pulled by) a vehicle / harvester 625 and / or another machine. The soil analysis apparatus 605 may include at least a LIBS sensor (not shown), and / or one or more other sensors (not shown). The LIBS sensor may be contained, at least in part, in a sensor housing 632. The LIBS sensor housing 632 can be above, near, or below a soil surface level 650, perhaps depending on a soil analysis application. The LIBS sensor housing 632 may be connected to a frame and / or undercarriage of vehicle 625.

[0086] FIG. 7A illustrates an example soil analysis apparatus 700. The soil analysis apparatus 700 can be self-propelled and / or may comprise (e.g., and / or be pulled by) a tractor 702 and / or another machine. The soil analysis apparatus 700 may include at least a LIBS sensor 710, and / or one or more other sensors (not shown). The LIBS sensor 710 may be contained, at least in part, in a sensor housing 720. The LIBS sensor 710 can be above, near, or below a soil surface level 750, perhaps depending a soil analysis application.

[0087] FIG. 7B and FIG. 7C illustrate an example soil analysis apparatus 725, 730. The soil analysis apparatus 725, 730 can be self-propelled and / or may comprise (e.g., be pulled by) a tractor 702, 704, and / or another machine. The soil analysis apparatus 725 may comprise a sensor housing 727. The soil analysis apparatus 730 may include a sensor 712 (e.g., laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) probe sensor) in direct contact with soil 750 to measure soil properties with laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy. The soil apparatus 730 may comprise a housing 729 that may contain, at least in part, one or more components of the LIBS sensor 712.

[0088] FIG. 7D and FIG. 7E illustrate an example soil analysis apparatus 732, 740. The soil analysis apparatus 732, 740 can be self-propelled and / or may be manually propelled 739. The soil analysis apparatus 735 may comprise a sensor housing 737. The soil analysis apparatus 740 may include a sensor 744 (e.g., laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) probe sensor) in direct contact with soil 750 to measure soil properties with laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy. The soil apparatus 740 may comprise a housing 742 that may contain, at least in part, one or more components of the LIBS sensor 744.

[0089] FIG. 10 to FIG. 13 illustrate variations of packaging / assembling a LIBS sensor and / or optics that may facilitate LIBS sensor function. FIG. 10 illustrates an example LIBS sensor configuration 1003 analyzing soil 1050, perhaps for example while the LIBS sensor may travel in a direction 1027. One or more of the components of the LIBS sensor configuration 1003 may be, at least in part, contained in a housing 1011. One or more laser beam / pulses 1005 may be transmitted to the soil 1050 from a laser source (not shown). The one or more laser pulses 1005 may be directed through a targeting lens 1015 to the soil 1050. The one or more laser pulses 1005 may travel though the housing 1011 via a viewport 1013 (e.g., glass, sapphire, quartz, among other materials, etc.) to the soil 1050. At least some light emissions 1025 from the soil 1050 may be transmitted through the viewport 1013. At least some light emissions 1025 may be directed through the one or more focusing lenses 1023 (e.g., that may provide 3x focusing optics effect). The focused emissions 1026 may be directed to detector / spectrometer (not shown).

[0090] FIG. 11 illustrates an example LIBS sensor configuration 1103 analyzing soil 1150, perhaps for example while the LIBS sensor may traverse an agricultural field. One or more of the components of the LIBS sensor configuration 1103 may be, at least in part, contained in a housing 1111. One or more laser beam / pulses 1105 may be transmitted to the soil 1150 from a laser source (not shown). The one or more laser pulses 1105 may be directed through a targeting lens 1115 to the soil 1150. The one or more laser pulses 1105 may travel though the housing 1111 via a viewport 1113 (e.g., glass, sapphire, quartz, among other materials, etc.) and / or at least one hole 1137 to the soil 1150. At least some light emissions 1125 from the soil 1150 maybe transmitted through the viewport 1113. At least some light emissions 1125 may be directed by a mirror 1134 and / or may be directed through the one or more focusing lenses 1123 (e.g., that may provide 3x focusing optics effect). The focused emissions 1126 may be directed to detector / spectrometer (not shown) via the fiber optic cable 1139.

[0091] FIG. 12 illustrates an example LIBS sensor configuration 1275 analyzing soil 1280 that may be in a furrow 1282, perhaps for example while the LIBS sensor may traverse an agricultural field. One or more of the components of the LIBS sensor configuration 1275 may be, at least in part, contained in a housing 1277. One or more laser beam / pulses 1287 may be transmitted to the soil 1280 in furrow 1282 from a laser source (not shown). At least some light emissions 1285 from the soil 1280 in the furrow 1282. At least some light emissions 1285 may be directed by a mirror 1273. The focused emissions 1276 may be directed to detector / spectrometer (not shown).

[0092] FIG. 13 illustrates an example LIBS sensor configuration 1303 analyzing soil 1350, perhaps for example while the LIBS sensor may traverse an agricultural field. One or more of the components of the LIBS sensor configuration 1303 may be, at least in part, contained in a housing 1311. One or more laser beam / pulses (not shown) may be transmitted to the soil 1350 from a laser source (not shown). At least some light emissions (not shown) from the soil 1350. The one or more laser pulses (not shown) may travel though the housing 1311 via a viewport 1313 (e.g., glass, sapphire, quartz, among other materials, etc.) to the soil 1350. At least some light emissions (not shown) from the soil 1350 may be transmitted through the viewport 1313. The focused emissions (not shown) may be directed to detector / spectrometer (not shown).

[0093] FIG. 14 illustrates an example of an example LIBS sensor configuration 1403 analyzing soil / furrow 1450, perhaps for example while the LIBS sensor may traverse an agricultural field. One or more of the components of the LIBS sensor configuration 1403 may be, at least in part, contained in a housing 1411. The housing 1411 may be disposed on an appendage, such as skis 1415 that may be deployed on an implement / vehicle 1405. In one or more scenarios, the skitype appendages / elements 1415 may be replaced by wheels (not shown) that may ride on the soil / ground, for example, among other appendages / elements (not shown). One or more laser beam / pulses (not shown) may be transmitted to the soil 1450 from a laser source (not shown). At least some light emissions (not shown) from the soil 1450. The one or more laser pulses (not shown) may travel though the housing 1411 via a viewport (not shown) to the soil 1450. At leastsome light emissions (not shown) from the soil 1450 may be transmitted through the viewport (not shown). The focused emissions (not shown) may be directed to detector / spectrometer (not shown).

[0094] In one or more scenarios, a relatively clear view of soil may be useful. In one or more scenarios, one or more furrows may be useful. In one or more scenarios, perhaps for example if attempting to view the soil surface, among other reasons, a row cleaner and / or other soilexposing device(s) may be usefully disposed in front of the sensor to clear the soil surface, and / or at least a portion of soil that is the target of sensing / analysis.

[0095] FIG. 15 shows an example of a system 100 for performing agricultural analysis and / or operations. For example, system 100 may perform, at least in part, high and low frequency soil and plant analysis, sensing soil and agricultural plant characteristics, and / or applying fluid applications to plants of agricultural fields, shows an example of a system 100 for performing agricultural operations (e.g., high and low frequency soil and plant analysis, sensing soil and agricultural plant characteristics, applying fluid applications to plants) of agricultural fields in accordance with one embodiment. For example, the system 100 may be implemented as a cloud based system with servers, data processing devices, computers, etc. Aspects, features, and functionality of the system 100 can be implemented in planters, planter monitors, All-terrain vehicle, Utility Terrain Vehicle, Pick-up truck, Combine Harvester, Tractor, Planter, Seeder, Drill, Fertilizer Spreader, Sprayer, Plow, Harrow, Disk, Ripper, irrigation implement (e.g., Center pivot irrigator), Tillage equipment, side dress bars, servers, laptops, tablets, computer terminals, client devices, handheld computers, personal digital assistants, cellular telephones, cameras, smart phones, mobile phones, computing devices, or a combination of any of these or other data processing devices.

[0096] In one or more scenarios, the system 100 includes a network computer or an embedded processing device within another device (e.g., display device) or within a machine (e.g., planter, combine), or other types of data processing systems having fewer components or perhaps more components than that shown in FIG. 15. The system 100 (e.g., cloud based system) can sense soil and plants for soil and plant analysis using one or more of an implement (e.g., Planter, Seeder, Drill, Fertilizer Spreader, Sprayer, Plow, Harrow, Disk, Ripper, Center pivot irrigator, Tillage equipment), a machine (e.g., translatable self-propelled or pulled machine, vehicle, All-terrain vehicle, Utility Terrain Vehicle, Pick-up truck, Combine Harvester, Tractor), and an aviation device.

[0097] The system 100 may include machines 140, 142, 144, 146 and implements 141, 143, 145 coupled to a respective machine 140, 142, 144, 146. The implements can include subsystems 182, 183 and the machines and aviation devices can include sub-systems 180, 181 with sensors for sensing soil and plants within associated fields (e.g., fields 102, 105, 107, 109).

[0098] The system 100 includes an agricultural analysis system 101 that includes a weather store 150 with current and historical weather data, weather predictions module 152 with weather predictions for different regions, and at least one processing system 132 for executing instructions for controlling and monitoring different operations (e.g., soil and plant measurements). The storage medium 136 may store instructions, software, software programs, etc. for execution by the processing system and for performing operations of the agricultural analysis system 102. In one example, storage medium 136 may contain a plant sensing prescription (e.g., plant sensing prescription that relates georeferenced positions in the field to locations of plants, plant data for each plant). The implement 141 (or any of the implements) may include sensors, a pump, flow sensors and / or flow controllers that may be specifically the elements that are in communication with the network 180 for sending control signals or receiving as-applied data.

[0099] An image database 160 stores captured images of crops at different growth stages. A data analytics module 130 may perform analytics on agricultural data (e.g., images, weather, field, yield, etc.) to generate crop predictions 162 relating to agricultural operations.

[0100] A field information database 134 stores agricultural data (e.g., sensed data for determining plant characteristics (e.g., stalk diameter, plant dimensions), crop growth stage, soil types, sensed data for determining soil characteristics, moisture holding capacity, etc.) for the fields that are being monitored by the system 100. An agricultural practices information database 135 stores farm practices information (e.g., as-applied planting information, as-applied spraying information, as-applied fertilization information, planting population, applied nutrients (e.g., nitrogen), yield levels, proprietary indices (e.g., ratio of seed population to a soil parameter), etc.) for the fields that are being monitored by the system 100. An implement can obtain fluid application data from the application units and provide this data to the system 100. Acost / price database 138 stores input cost information (e.g., cost of seed, cost of nutrients (e.g., nitrogen)) and commodity price information (e.g., revenue from crop).

[0101] The system 100 shown in FIG. 15 may include a network interface 118 for communicating with other systems or devices such as drone devices, user devices, and machines (e.g., planters, combines) via a network 180 (e.g., Internet, wide area network, WiMax, satellite, cellular, IP network, etc.). The network interface includes one or more types of transceivers for communicating via the network 180.

[0102] The processing system 132 may include one or more microprocessors, processors, a system on a chip (integrated circuit), or one or more microcontrollers. The processing system includes processing logic for executing software instructions of one or more programs.The system 100 includes the storage medium 136 for storing data and programs for execution by the processing system. The storage medium 136 can store, for example, software components such as a software application for sensing plant data or any other software application.The storage medium 136 can be any known form of a machine readable non-transitory storage medium, such as semiconductor memory (e.g., flash; SRAM; DRAM; etc.) or non-volatile memory, such as hard disks or solid-state drive.

[0103] While the storage medium (e.g., machine-accessible non-transitory medium) is shown in an exemplary embodiment to be a single medium, the term “machine-accessible non-transitory medium” should be taken to include a single medium or multiple media (e.g., a centralized or distributed database, and / or associated caches and servers) that store the one or more sets of instructions. The term “machine-accessible non-transitory medium” shall also be taken to include any medium that is capable of storing, encoding or carrying a set of instructions for execution by the machine and that cause the machine to perform any one or more of the methodologies of the present disclosure. The term “machine-accessible non-transitory medium” shall accordingly be taken to include, but not be limited to, solid-state memories, optical and magnetic media, and carrier wave signals.

[0104] FIG. 16 shows an example of a soil and plant analysis system / apparatus 1200 that includes an implement 1240 (e.g., Planter, Seeder, Drill, Fertilizer Spreader, Sprayer, Plow, Harrow, Disk, Ripper, Center pivot irrigator, Tillage equipment) and a machine 1202 (e.g., translatable self-propelled or pulled machine, vehicle, All-terrain vehicle, Utility Terrain Vehicle, Pick-up truck, Combine Harvester, Tractor).

[0105] The machine 1202 includes a processing system 1220, memory 1205, machine network 1210 (e.g., a controller area network (CAN) serial bus protocol network, an ISOBUS network, etc.), and a network interface 1215 for communicating with other systems or devices including the implement 1240. The machine network 1210 includes sensors 1212 (e.g., speed sensors, optical wavelength reflectance / absorption, electromagnetic wavelength reflectance / absorption, temperature, electrical current flow, electrical conductivity, Xray flourescence, Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS), Near Infrared Spectroscopy, Mid Infrared Spectroscopy, Far Infrared Spectroscopy, Xray Diffraction, Gamma Ray emission, Multi-Spectral Sensing, Short wave infrared, Ion-Selective Electrode, Chemical Field Effect Transistor, Microfluidics, Flow Injection Analysis, Inductively Coupled Plasma, UV Visible or Near Infrared Flourescence, Photoacoustic Spectroscopy), controllers 1211 (e.g., GPS receiver, radar unit) for controlling and monitoring operations of the machine or implement. The network interface 1215 can include at least one of a GPS transceiver, a WLAN transceiver (e.g., WiFi), an infrared transceiver, a Bluetooth transceiver, Ethernet, or other interfaces from communications with other devices and systems including the implement 1240. The network interface 1215 may be integrated with the machine network 1210 or separate from the machine network 1210. The I / O ports 1229 (e.g., diagnostic / on board diagnostic (OBD) port) enable communication with another data processing system or device (e.g., display devices, sensors, etc.).

[0106] In one example, the machine performs operations of a tractor that is coupled to an implement for soil and plant analysis of a field. The soil and plant analysis data for each row unit of the implement can be associated with locational data at time of application to have a better understanding of the soil and plant analysis for each row and region of a field. Data associated with the soil and plant analysis can be displayed on at least one of the display devices 1225 and 1230. The display devices can be integrated with other components (e.g., processing system 1220, memory 1205, etc.) to form the monitor 50.

[0107] The processing system 1220 may include one or more microprocessors, processors, a system on a chip (integrated circuit), or one or more microcontrollers. The processing system includes processing logic 1226 for executing software instructions of one or more programs and a communication unit 1228 (e.g., transmitter, transceiver) for transmitting and receiving communications from the machine via machine network 1210 or network interface 1215 orimplement via implement network 1250 or network interface 1260. The communication unit 1228 may be integrated with the processing system or separate from the processing system. In one embodiment, the communication unit 1228 is in data communication with the machine network 1210 and implement network 1250 via a diagnostic / OBD port of the I / O ports 1229.

[0108] Processing logic 1226 including one or more processors or processing units may process the communications received from the communication unit 1228 including agricultural data (e.g., GPS data, planting application data, soil characteristics, plant characteristics, any data sensed from sensors of the implement 1240 and machine 1202, etc.). The processing logic 1226 can process high and low frequency soil / plant measurements as described herein to determine soil and plant properties and characteristics. The system 1200 includes memory 1205 for storing data and programs for execution (software 1206) by the processing system. The memory 1205 can store, for example, software components such as soil and plant analysis software for analysis of soil and planting applications for performing operations of the present disclosure, or any other software application or module, images (e.g., captured images of crops, soil, furrow, soil clods, row units, etc.), alerts, maps, etc. The memory 1205 can be any known form of a machine readable non-transitory storage medium, such as semiconductor memory (e.g., flash; SRAM; DRAM; etc.) or non-volatile memory, such as hard disks or solid-state drive. The system can also include an audio input / output subsystem (not shown) which may include a microphone and a speaker for, for example, receiving and sending voice commands or for user authentication or authorization (e.g., biometrics).

[0109] The processing system 1220 communicates bi-directionally with memory 1205, machine network 1210, network interface 1215, header 1280, display device 1230, display device 1225, and I / O ports 1229 via communication links 1231-1236, respectively. The processing system 1220 can be integrated with the memory 1205 or separate from the memory 1205.

[0110] Display devices 1225 and 1230 can provide visual user interfaces for a user or operator. The display devices may include display controllers. In one embodiment, the display device 1225 is a portable tablet device or computing device with a touchscreen that displays data (e.g., soil and plant analysis data, planting application data, captured images, localized view map layer, soil color data and images, high definition field maps of seed germination data, seed environment data, as-planted or as-harvested data or other agricultural variables or parameters, yield maps, alerts, etc.) and data generated by an agricultural data analysis software applicationand receives input from the user or operator for an exploded view of a region of a field, monitoring and controlling field operations. The operations may include configuration of the machine or implement, reporting of data, control of the machine or implement including sensors and controllers, and storage of the data generated. The display device 1230 may be a display (e.g., display provided by an original equipment manufacturer (OEM)) that displays images and data for a localized view map layer, as-applied fluid application data, as-planted or as-harvested data, yield data, seed germination data, seed environment data, controlling a machine (e.g., planter, tractor, combine, sprayer, etc.), steering the machine, and monitoring the machine or an implement (e.g., planter, combine, sprayer, etc.) that is connected to the machine with sensors and controllers located on the machine or implement.[OHl] A cab control module 1270 may include an additional control module for enabling or disabling certain components or devices of the machine or implement. For example, if the user or operator is not able to control the machine or implement using one or more of the display devices, then the cab control module may include switches to shut down or turn off components or devices of the machine or implement.

[0112] The implement 1240 includes an implement network 1250, a processing system 1262, a network interface 1260, and optional input / output ports 1266 for communicating with other systems or devices including the machine 1202. The implement network 1250 (e.g., a controller area network (CAN) serial bus protocol network, an ISOBUS network, etc.) includes a pump 1256 for pumping fluid from a storage tank(s) 1290 to application units 1280, 1281, . . . N of the implement, sensors 1252 (e.g., speed sensors, optical wavelength reflectance / absorption, electromagnetic wavelength reflectance / absorption, temperature, electrical current flow, electrical conductivity, Xray flourescence, Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS), Near Infrared Spectroscopy, Mid Infrared Spectroscopy, Far Infrared Spectroscopy, Xray Diffraction, Gamma Ray emission, Multi-Spectral Sensing, Short wave infrared, Ion-Selective Electrode, Chemical Field Effect Transistor, Microfluidics, Flow Injection Analysis, Inductively Coupled Plasma, UV Visible or Near Infrared Flourescence, Photoacoustic Spectroscopy seed sensors for detecting passage of seed, sensors for detecting characteristics of soil or a trench including soil moisture, soil organic matter, soil temperature, soil color, seed presence, seed spacing, percentage of seeds firmed, and soil residue presence, downforce sensors, actuator valves, moisture sensors or flow sensors for a combine, speed sensors for the machine, seed force 1sensors for a planter, fluid application sensors for a sprayer, or vacuum, lift, lower sensors for an implement, flow sensors, etc.) for sensing soil and plant properties and characteristics, probes 1255 for collecting soil and plant samples for the soil and plant analysis, controllers 1254 (e.g., GPS receiver), and the processing system 1262 for controlling and monitoring operations of the implement.

[0113] The pump controls and monitors the application of the fluid to crops or soil as applied by the implement. The fluid application can be applied at any stage of crop development including within a planting trench upon planting of seeds, adjacent to a planting trench in a separate trench, or in a region that is nearby to the planting region (e.g., between rows of corn or soybeans) having seeds or crop growth. In other embodiments, the applicator can be granular material applicator or a combination of fluid applicator and granular material applicator.

[0114] For example, the controllers may include processors in communication with a plurality of seed sensors. The processors are configured to process data (e.g., fluid application data, seed sensor data, soil data, plant data, furrow or trench data) and transmit processed data to the processing system 1262 or 1220. The controllers and sensors may be used for monitoring motors and drives on a planter including a variable rate drive system for changing plant populations. The controllers and sensors may also provide swath control to shut off individual rows or sections of the planter. The sensors and controllers may sense changes in an electric motor that controls each row of a planter individually. These sensors and controllers may sense seed delivery speeds in a seed tube for each row of a planter.

[0115] The network interface 1260 can be a GPS transceiver, a WLAN transceiver (e.g., WiFi), an infrared transceiver, a Bluetooth transceiver, Ethernet, or other interfaces from communications with other devices and systems including the machine 1202. The network interface 1260 may be integrated with the implement network 1250 or separate from the implement network 1250.

[0116] The processing system 1262 communicates bi-directionally with the implement network 1250, network interface 1260, and I / O ports 1266 via communication links 1241-1243, respectively.

[0117] The implement communicates with the machine via wired and possibly also wireless bidirectional communications 1204. The implement network 1250 may communicate directly with the machine network 1210 or via the networks interfaces 1215 and 1260. The implement mayalso be physically coupled to the machine for agricultural operations (e.g., planting, harvesting, spraying, etc.). The memory 1205 may be a machine-accessible non-transitory medium on which is stored one or more sets of instructions (e.g., software 1206) embodying any one or more of the methodologies or functions described herein. The software 1206 may also reside, completely or at least partially, within the memory 1205 and / or within the processing system 1220 during execution thereof by the system 1200, the memory and the processing system also constituting machine-accessible storage media. The software 1206 may further be transmitted or received over a network via the network interface 1215.

[0118] In view of FIG. 1 to FIG. 16, a soil analysis apparatus may comprise a vehicle. The vehicle may be configured to traverse an agricultural field. The apparatus may comprise at least one control-logic processor. The apparatus may comprise a sensor housing. The apparatus may comprise a Laser-induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) sensor that may be contained, at least in part, in the sensor housing. The LIBS sensor may be in connection to the vehicle and / or may be in communication with the control-logic processor.

[0119] The LIBS sensor may comprise a laser source, a spectrometer, and / or at least one light collecting element. The laser source and / or the spectrometer may be in non-contacting proximity with the soil.

[0120] The LIBS sensor may be configured to traverse a surface of the agricultural field via the connection to the vehicle. The LIBS sensor may be configured to conduct in-situ soil analysis of the agricultural field during the traverse of the surface of the agricultural field. As used herein, “in-situ” may refer to analysis of the soil in its natural and / or original position or space in the agricultural field perhaps for example while the vehicle may be traversing the agricultural field, such as in dynamic and / or “on-the-go” in-situ soil analysis.

[0121] The LIBS sensor may be connection to the vehicle may be configured such that the connection may be a direct physical connection to the vehicle and / or an indirect physical connection to the vehicle.

[0122] In one or more scenarios, the indirect physical connection may comprise at least one of a towed connection between the LIBS sensor and the vehicle, and / or a mounting to a ski-type appendage of the vehicle. In one or more scenarios, the ski-type appendages / elements may be replaced by wheels that may ride on the soil / ground, for example, among other appendages / elements.

[0123] In one or more scenarios, the LIBS sensor may be configured to conduct the in-situ soil analysis, perhaps for example without extracting a soil sample and / or a soil core sample.

[0124] In one or more scenarios, the vehicle may be an All-terrain vehicle, a Utility Terrain Vehicle, a Pick-up truck, a Combine Harvester, a Tractor, a Planter, a Seeder, a Fertilizer Spreader, a Sprayer, a Plow, a Harrow, a Disk, a Ripper, an Irrigator, and / or a Tiller.

[0125] In one or more scenarios, the vehicle may be a self-powered machine, and / or a manually- powered machine.

[0126] In one or more scenarios, the soil-analysis apparatus may comprise a measurement sensor that may be configured to measure a distance between the sensor housing and a soil surface. The apparatus may comprise an actuator configured that may be to adjust the distance of the sensor housing relative to the soil surface.

[0127] In one or more scenarios, the control-logic processor may be configured to receive a signal from the measurement sensor corresponding to the measured distance between the sensor housing and the soil surface. The control-logic processor may be configured to determine a comparison of the measured distance between the sensor housing and the soil surface with a target distance between the sensor housing and the soil surface. The control-logic processor may be configured to control the actuator to adjust the distance of the sensor housing relative to the soil surface based on the comparison.

[0128] In one or more scenarios, the LIBS sensor may be a first sensor. The apparatus may comprise at least a second sensor. The second sensor may be at least one of a camera, a gamma ray detector, a bulk density meter, an electrical conductivity (EC) meter, and / or a diffuse reflectance spectrometer.

[0129] In one or more scenarios, the control-logic processor may be configured to receive a first signal from the LIBS sensor. The control-logic processor may be configured to receive a second signal from the second sensor. The control-logic processor may be configured to select and / or condition one or more analysis models based on the second signal. The control-logic processor may be configured to process at least one of the first signal and / or the second signal via the one or more analysis models. The control-logic processor may be configured to determine one or more soil characteristics based on the one or more analysis models. In one or more scenarios, the second signal may condition the one or more analysis models based on some soil characteristic(s) it may represent, for example, among other scenarios.

[0130] In one or more scenarios, the apparatus may further comprise a variable rate applicator. The variable rate applicator may comprise at least a variable rate controller. The control-logic processor may be further configured to receive a first signal from the LIBS sensor. The controllogic processor may be configured to receive a second signal from the second sensor. The control-logic processor may be configured to determine a target application rate based on the first signal and the second signal. The control-logic processor may be configured to send a signal corresponding to the target application rate to the variable rate controller to control the variable rate applicator to operate at the target application rate.

[0131] In one or more scenarios, the control-logic processor may be configured to synchronize an operation of the laser source and the spectrometer.

[0132] In one or more scenarios, the at least one light collecting element may be at least one of a lens, and / or a fiber optic conductor.

[0133] In one or more scenarios, the sensor housing may comprise at least one of a mirror, a view port, and / or a hole in the housing.

[0134] In one or more scenarios, the control-logic processor may be configured to initiate one or more laser pulses from the laser source to the soil. The one or more pluses may be configured to cause light emissions from the soil. The control-logic processor may be configured to initiate a capture of at least some of the light emissions by the spectrometer via the at least one light collecting element. The control-logic processor may be configured to initiate an analysis of the at least some of the light emissions by the spectrometer.

[0135] In one or more scenarios, the LIBS sensor may comprise one or more targeting lenses. The one or more laser pulses from the laser source may be directed through the one or more targeting lenses to the soil.

[0136] In one or more scenarios, the LIBS sensor may comprise one or more focusing lenses that may be configured to focus the at least some light emissions to the spectrometer.

[0137] In one or more scenarios, the LIBS sensor may comprise one or more targeting mirrors that may be configured to direct the one or more laser pulses from the laser source to the soil.

[0138] In one or more scenarios, the LIBS sensor may comprise one or more directional mirrors that may be configured to direct the at least some light emissions to the spectrometer.

[0139] One or more methods of conducting in-situ soil analysis may be performed by a soil analysis apparatus. One or more methods may comprise providing a vehicle. The vehicle maybe configured to traverse an agricultural field. One or more methods may comprise providing a sensor housing. One or more methods may comprise providing a Laser-induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) sensor that may be contained, at least in part, in the sensor housing. One or more methods may comprise connecting the LIBS sensor to the vehicle.

[0140] The providing the LIBS sensor may comprise providing a laser source and / or providing a spectrometer. The providing the LIBS sensor may comprise providing at least one light collecting element. At least one of the laser source, and / or the spectrometer, may be in noncontacting proximity with the soil.

[0141] One or more methods may comprise traversing the LIBS sensor across a surface of the agricultural field via the vehicle. One or more methods may comprise conducting in-situ soil analysis of the agricultural field by the LIBS sensor during the traversing of the surface of the agricultural field.

[0142] In one or more scenarios, the connecting the LIBS sensor to the vehicle may comprise at least one of placing the LIBS sensor into a direct physical connection to the vehicle, and / or placing the LIBS sensor into an indirect physical connection to the vehicle.

[0143] In one or more scenarios, the placing the LIBS sensor into an indirect physical connection with the vehicle may comprise at least one of placing the LIBS sensor into a towed connection to the vehicle, and / or mounting the LIBS sensor to a ski -type appendage of the vehicle. In one or more scenarios, the ski-type appendages / elements may be replaced by wheels that may ride on the soil / ground, for example, among other appendages / elements.

[0144] In one or more scenarios, one or more methods may comprise conducting, by the LIBS sensor, the in-situ soil analysis without extracting at least one of a soil sample, and / or a soil core sample.

[0145] In one or more scenarios, one or more methods may comprise providing a measurement sensor that may be configured to measure a distance between the sensor housing and a soil surface. One or more methods may comprise providing an actuator configured to adjust the distance of the sensor housing relative to the soil surface.

[0146] In one or more scenarios, one or more methods may comprise receiving a signal from the measurement sensor corresponding to the measured distance between the sensor housing and the soil surface. One or more methods may comprise determining a comparison of the measured distance between the sensor housing and the soil surface with a target distance between thesensor housing and the soil surface. One or more methods may comprise controlling the actuator to adjust the distance of the sensor housing relative to the soil surface based on the comparison.

[0147] In one or more scenarios, the LIBS sensor may be a first sensor. One or more methods may further comprise providing at least a second sensor. One or more methods may comprise receiving a first signal from the LIBS sensor. One or more methods may comprise receiving a second signal from the second sensor. One or more methods may comprise selecting and / or conditioning one or more analysis models based on the second signal. One or more methods may comprise processing the first signal via the one or more analysis models. One or more methods may comprise determining one or more soil characteristics based on the one or more analysis models.

[0148] In one or more scenarios, one or more methods may comprise providing a variable rate applicator. One or more methods may comprise providing a variable rate controller in communication with the variable rate applicator. One or more methods may comprise receiving a first signal from the LIBS sensor. One or more methods may comprise receiving a second signal from the second sensor. One or more methods may comprise determining a target application rate based on the first signal and the second signal. One or more methods may comprise sending a signal corresponding to the target application rate to the variable rate controller to control the variable rate applicator to operate at the target application rate.

[0149] In one or more scenarios, one or more methods may comprise synchronizing an operation of the laser source and the spectrometer.

[0150] In one or more scenarios, the providing the at least one light collecting element may comprise providing at least one of a lens, and / or a fiber optic conductor.

[0151] In one or more scenarios, the providing the sensor housing may comprise providing at least one of a mirror, a view port, and / or a hole in the housing.

[0152] In one or more scenarios, one or more methods may comprise transmitting one or more laser pulses from the laser source to the soil. The one or more pluses may be configured to cause light emissions from the soil. One or more methods may comprise capturing at least some of the light emissions by the spectrometer via the at least one light collecting element. One or more methods may comprise analyzing the at least some of the light emissions by the spectrometer.

[0153] In one or more scenarios, the providing the LIBS sensor may comprise providing one or more targeting lenses and / or directing the one or more laser pulses from the laser source through the one or more targeting lenses to the soil.

[0154] In one or more scenarios, the providing the LIBS sensor may comprise providing one or more focusing lenses and / or focusing the at least some light emissions via the one or more focusing lenses to the spectrometer.

[0155] In one or more scenarios, the providing the LIBS sensor may comprise providing one or more targeting mirrors and / or directing the one or more laser pulses from the laser source via the one or more targeting mirrors to the soil.

[0156] In one or more scenarios, the providing the LIBS sensor may comprise providing one or more directional mirrors and / or directing the at least some light emissions via the one or more directional mirrors to the spectrometer.

[0157] In one or more scenarios, the vehicle may be at least one of an All-terrain vehicle, a Utility Terrain Vehicle, a Pick-up truck, a Combine Harvester, a Tractor, a Planter, a Seeder, a Fertilizer Spreader, a Sprayer, a Plow, a Harrow, a Disk, a Ripper, an Irrigator, and / or a Tiller.

[0158] In one or more scenarios, the vehicle may be least one of a self-powered machine, and / or a manually-powered machine.

[0159] In one or more scenarios, the LIBS sensor may be a first sensor. One or more methods may comprise providing at least a second sensor. The second sensor may be at least one of a camera, a gamma ray detector, a bulk density meter, an electrical conductivity (EC) meter, and / or a diffuse reflectance spectrometer.

[0160] While the inventions have been described with respect to specific examples including presently preferred modes of carrying out the inventions, those skilled in the art will appreciate that there are numerous variations and permutations of the herein described systems and techniques. It is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and structural and functional modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the present inventions. Thus, the spirit and scope of the inventions should be construed broadly as set forth in the appended claims.

[0161] The subject matter of this disclosure, and components thereof, can be realized by instructions that upon execution cause one or more processing devices to carry out the processes and / or functions described herein. Such instructions can, for example, comprise interpretedinstructions, such as script instructions, e.g., JavaScript or ECMAScript instructions, or executable code, and / or other instructions stored in a computer readable medium. C ++, C#, and / or C, Python scripts and / or Zephyr RTOS may be used.

[0162] Implementations of the subject matter and / or the functional operations described in this specification and / or the accompanying figures can be provided in digital electronic circuitry, in computer software, firmware, and / or hardware, including the structures disclosed in this specification and their structural equivalents, and / or in combinations of one or more of them. The subject matter described in this specification can be implemented as one or more computer program products, e.g., one or more modules of computer program instructions encoded on a tangible program carrier for execution by, and / or to control the operation of, data processing apparatus.

[0163] A computer program (also known as a program, software, software application, script, or code) can be written in any form of programming language, including compiled or interpreted languages, and / or declarative or procedural languages. It can be deployed in any form, including as a stand-alone program or as a module, component, subroutine, and / or other unit suitable for use in a computing environment. A computer program may or might not correspond to a file in a file system. A program can be stored in a portion of a file that holds other programs and / or data (e.g., one or more scripts stored in a markup language document), in a single file dedicated to the program in question, and / or in multiple coordinated files (e.g., files that store one or more modules, sub programs, or portions of code). A computer program can be deployed to be executed on one computer or on multiple computers that may be located at one site or distributed across multiple sites and / or interconnected by a communication network.

[0164] The processes and / or logic flows described in this specification and / or in the accompanying figures may be performed by one or more programmable processors executing one or more computer programs to perform functions by operating on input data and / or generating output, thereby tying the process to a particular machine (e.g., a machine programmed to perform the processes described herein). The processes and / or logic flows can also be performed by, and apparatus can also be implemented as, special purpose logic circuitry, e.g., an FPGA (field programmable gate array) and / or an ASIC (application specific integrated circuit).

[0165] Computer readable media suitable for storing computer program instructions and / or data may include all forms of non-volatile memory, media and memory devices, including by way ofexample semiconductor memory devices (e.g., EPROM, EEPROM, and / or flash memory devices); magnetic disks (e.g., internal hard disks or removable disks); magneto optical disks; and / or CD ROM and DVD ROM disks. The processor and / or the memory can be supplemented by, or incorporated in, special purpose logic circuitry.

[0166] While this specification and the accompanying figures contain many specific implementation details, these should not be construed as limitations on the scope of any invention and / or of what may be claimed, but rather as descriptions of features that may be specific to described example implementations. Certain features that are described in this specification in the context of separate implementations can also be implemented in combination in perhaps one implementation. Various features that are described in the context of perhaps one implementation can also be implemented in multiple combinations separately or in any suitable sub-combination. Although features may be described above as acting in certain combinations and / or perhaps even (e.g., initially) claimed as such, one or more features from a claimed combination can in some cases be excised from the combination. The claimed combination may be directed to a sub-combination and / or variation of a sub-combination.

[0167] While operations may be depicted in the drawings in an order, this should not be understood as requiring that such operations be performed in the particular order shown and / or in sequential order, and / or that all illustrated operations be performed, to achieve useful outcomes. The described program components and / or systems can generally be integrated together in a single software product and / or packaged into multiple software products.

[0168] Examples of the subject matter described in this specification have been described. The actions recited in the claims can be performed in a different order and still achieve useful outcomes, unless expressly noted otherwise. For example, the processes depicted in the accompanying figures do not require the particular order shown, and / or sequential order, to achieve useful outcomes. Multitasking and parallel processing may be advantageous in one or more scenarios.

[0169] While the present disclosure has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character, it being understood that only certain examples have been shown and described, and that all changes and modifications that come within the spirit of the present disclosure are desired to be protected.EXAMPLES

[0170] The following are nonlimiting examples.

[0171] Example 1 - a soil analysis apparatus may comprise a vehicle. The vehicle may be configured to traverse an agricultural field. The apparatus may comprise at least one controllogic processor and / or a sensor housing. The apparatus may comprise a Laser-induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) sensor. The LIBS sensor may be contained, at least in part, in the sensor housing. The LIBS sensor may be in connection to the vehicle and / or in communication with the control-logic processor.

[0172] The LIBS sensor may comprise a laser source and / or a spectrometer. The LIBS sensor may comprise at least one light collecting element. The laser source and / or the spectrometer may be in non-contacting proximity with the soil.

[0173] The LIBS sensor may be configured to traverse a surface of the agricultural field via the connection to the vehicle. The LIBS sensor may be configured to conduct in-situ soil analysis of the agricultural field during the traverse of the surface of the agricultural field.

[0174] Example 2 - the apparatus of Example 1, wherein the LIBS sensor connection to the vehicle may be further configured such that the connection is at least one of: a direct physical connection to the vehicle, or an indirect physical connection to the vehicle.

[0175] Example 3 - the apparatus of Example 2, wherein the indirect physical connection may comprise at least one of: a towed connection between the LIBS sensor and the vehicle, or a mounting to a ski-type appendage of the vehicle. In one or more scenarios, the ski-type appendages / elements may be replaced by wheels that may ride on the soil / ground, for example, among other appendages / elements.

[0176] Example 4 - the apparatus of any of Example 1 to Example 3, wherein the LIBS sensor may be further configured to conduct the in-situ soil analysis without extracting at least one of: a soil sample, or a soil core sample.

[0177] Example 5 - the apparatus of any of Example 1 to Example 4, wherein the vehicle is at least one of: an All-terrain vehicle, a Utility Terrain Vehicle, a Pick-up truck, a Combine Harvester, a Tractor, a Planter, a Seeder, a Lertilizer Spreader, a Sprayer, a Plow, a Harrow, a Disk, a Ripper, an Irrigator, or a Tiller.

[0178] Example 6 - the apparatus of Example 5, wherein the vehicle may be at least one of: a self-powered machine, or a manually-powered machine.

[0179] Example 7 - the apparatus of any of Example 1 to Example 6, may further comprise a measurement sensor that may be configured to measure a distance between the sensor housing and a soil surface. The apparatus may comprise an actuator that may be configured to adjust the distance of the sensor housing relative to the soil surface.

[0180] Example 8 - the apparatus of Example 7, wherein the control-logic processor may be further configured to receive a signal from the measurement sensor corresponding to the measured distance between the sensor housing and the soil surface. The control-logic processor may be further configured to determine a comparison of the measured distance between the sensor housing and the soil surface with a target distance between the sensor housing and the soil surface. The control-logic processor may be configured to control the actuator to adjust the distance of the sensor housing relative to the soil surface based on the comparison.

[0181] Example 9 - the apparatus of any of Example 1 to Example 8, wherein the LIBS sensor may be a first sensor. The apparatus may further comprise at least a second sensor.

[0182] Example 10 - the apparatus of Example 9, wherein the second sensor may be at least one of: a camera, a gamma ray detector, a bulk density meter, an electrical conductivity (EC) meter, or a diffuse reflectance spectrometer.

[0183] Example 11 - the apparatus of Example 9, wherein the control-logic processor may be further configured to receive a first signal from the LIBS sensor and / or to receive a second signal from the second sensor. The control-logic processor may be configured to select and / or condition one or more analysis models based on the second signal and / or to process the first signal and / or the second signal via the one or more analysis models. The control-logic processor may be configured to determine one or more soil characteristics based on the one or more analysis models.

[0184] Example 12 - the apparatus of Example 9, that may further comprise a variable rate applicator. The variable rate applicator may comprise at least a variable rate controller. The control-logic processor may be further configured to receive a first signal from the LIBS sensor and / or to receive a second signal from the second sensor. The control-logic processor may be configured to determine a target application rate based on the first signal and the second signal. The control-logic processor may be configured to send a signal corresponding to the targetapplication rate to the variable rate controller to control the variable rate applicator to operate at the target application rate.

[0185] Example 13 - the apparatus of any of Example 1 to Example 12, wherein the controllogic processor may be configured to synchronize an operation of the laser source and the spectrometer.

[0186] Example 14 - the apparatus of any of Example 1 to Example 13, wherein the at least one light collecting element may be at least one of: a lens, or a fiber optic conductor.

[0187] Example 15 - the apparatus of any of Example 1 to Example 14, wherein the sensor housing may further comprise at least one of: a mirror, a view port, or a hole in the housing.

[0188] Example 16 - the apparatus of any of Example 1 to Example 15, wherein the controllogic processor may be further configured to initiate one or more laser pulses from the laser source to the soil. The one or more pluses may be configured to cause light emissions from the soil. The control-logic processor may be configured to initiate a capture of at least some of the light emissions by the spectrometer via the at least one light collecting element. The controllogic processor may be configured to initiate an analysis of the at least some of the light emissions by the spectrometer.

[0189] Example 17 - the apparatus of Example 16, wherein the LIBS sensor may further comprise one or more targeting lenses. The one or more laser pulses from the laser source may be directed through the one or more targeting lenses to the soil.

[0190] Example 18 - the apparatus of Example 16, wherein the LIBS sensor may further comprise one or more focusing lenses that may be configured to focus the at least some light emissions to the spectrometer.

[0191] Example 19 - the apparatus of Example 16, wherein the LIBS sensor may further comprise one or more targeting mirrors that may be configured to direct the one or more laser pulses from the laser source to the soil.

[0192] Example 20 - the apparatus of Example 16, wherein the LIBS sensor may further comprise one or more directional mirrors that may be configured to direct the at least some light emissions to the spectrometer.

[0193] Example 21 - a method of conducting in-situ soil analysis that may be performed by a soil analysis apparatus. The method may comprise providing a vehicle, the vehicle configured to traverse an agricultural field and / or providing a sensor housing. The method may compriseproviding a Laser-induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) sensor contained, at least in part, in the sensor housing. The method may comprise connecting the LIBS sensor to the vehicle.

[0194] The providing the LIBS sensor may comprise providing a laser source and / or providing a spectrometer. Providing the LIBS sensor may comprise providing at least one light collecting element. At least one of the laser source and / or the spectrometer may be in non-contacting proximity with the soil.

[0195] The method may further comprise traversing the LIBS sensor across a surface of the agricultural field via the vehicle. The method may comprise conducting in-situ soil analysis of the agricultural field by the LIBS sensor during the traversing of the surface of the agricultural field.

[0196] Example 22 - the method of Example 21, wherein the connecting the LIBS sensor to the vehicle may further comprise at least one of: placing the LIBS sensor into a direct physical connection to the vehicle, and / or placing the LIBS sensor into an indirect physical connection to the vehicle.

[0197] Example 23 - the method of Example 22, wherein the placing the LIBS sensor into an indirect physical connection with the vehicle may comprise at least one of: placing the LIBS sensor into a towed connection to the vehicle, and / or mounting the LIBS sensor to a ski-type appendage of the vehicle. In one or more scenarios, the ski-type appendages / elements may be replaced by wheels that may ride on the soil / ground, for example, among other appendages / elements.

[0198] Example 24 - the method of any of Example 21 to Example 23, that may further comprise conducting, by the LIBS sensor, the in-situ soil analysis without extracting at least one of: a soil sample, or a soil core sample.

[0199] Example 25 - the method of any of Example 21 to Example 24, that may further comprise providing a measurement sensor configured to measure a distance between the sensor housing and a soil surface and / or providing an actuator configured to adjust the distance of the sensor housing relative to the soil surface.

[0200] Example 26 - the method of Example 25, that may further comprise receiving a signal from the measurement sensor corresponding to the measured distance between the sensor housing and the soil surface. The method may comprise determining a comparison of the measured distance between the sensor housing and the soil surface with a target distance betweenthe sensor housing and the soil surface. The method may comprise controlling the actuator to adjust the distance of the sensor housing relative to the soil surface based on the comparison.

[0201] Example 27 - the method of any of Example 21 to Example 26, wherein the LIBS sensor may be a first sensor. The method may further comprise providing at least a second sensor and / or receiving a first signal from the LIBS sensor. The method may further comprise receiving a second signal from the second sensor. The method may further comprise selecting and / or conditioning one or more analysis models based on the second signal. The method may further comprise processing the first signal and / or the second signal via the one or more analysis models. The method may further comprise determining one or more soil characteristics based on the one or more analysis models.

[0202] Example 28 - the method of any Example 21 to Example 27, that may further comprise providing a variable rate applicator and / or providing a variable rate controller in communication with the variable rate applicator. The method may comprise receiving a first signal from the LIBS sensor. The method may comprise receiving a second signal from the second sensor. The method may comprise determining a target application rate based on the first signal and the second signal. The method may comprise sending a signal corresponding to the target application rate to the variable rate controller to control the variable rate applicator to operate at the target application rate.

[0203] Example 29 - the method of any of Example 21 to Example 28, that may further comprise synchronizing an operation of the laser source and the spectrometer.

[0204] Example 30 - the method of any of Example 21 to Example 29, wherein the providing the at least one light collecting element may further comprise providing at least one of: a lens, or a fiber optic conductor.

[0205] Example 31 - the method of any of Example 21 to Example 30, wherein the providing the sensor housing may further comprise providing at least one of: a mirror, a view port, or a hole in the housing.

[0206] Example 32 - the method of any of Example 21 to Example 31, that may further comprise transmitting one or more laser pulses from the laser source to the soil. The one or more pluses may be configured to cause light emissions from the soil. The method may comprise capturing at least some of the light emissions by the spectrometer via the at least one light collectingelement. The method may comprise analyzing the at least some of the light emissions by the spectrometer.

[0207] Example 33 - the method of Example 32, wherein the providing the LIBS sensor may further comprise providing one or more targeting lenses and / or directing the one or more laser pulses from the laser source through the one or more targeting lenses to the soil.

[0208] Example 34 - the method of Example 32, wherein the providing the LIBS sensor may further comprise providing one or more focusing lenses and / or focusing the at least some light emissions via the one or more focusing lenses to the spectrometer.

[0209] Example 35 - the method of Example 32, wherein the providing the LIBS sensor may further comprise providing one or more targeting mirrors and / or directing the one or more laser pulses from the laser source via the one or more targeting mirrors to the soil.

[0210] Example 36 - the method of Example 32, wherein the providing the LIBS sensor may further comprise providing one or more directional mirrors and / or directing the at least some light emissions via the one or more directional mirrors to the spectrometer.

[0211] Example 37 - the method of any of Example 21 to Example 36, wherein the vehicle may be at least one of: an All-terrain vehicle, a Utility Terrain Vehicle, a Pick-up truck, a Combine Harvester, a Tractor, a Planter, a Seeder, a Fertilizer Spreader, a Sprayer, a Plow, a Harrow, a Disk, a Ripper, an Irrigator, or a Tiller.

[0212] Example 38 - the method of Example 37, wherein the vehicle may be at least one of: a self-powered machine, and / or a manually-powered machine.

[0213] Example 39 - the method of any of Example 21 to Example 38, wherein the LIBS sensor may be a first sensor. The method may further comprise providing at least a second sensor. The second sensor may be at least one of: a camera, a gamma ray detector, a bulk density meter, an electrical conductivity (EC) meter, and / or a diffuse reflectance spectrometer.

[0214] The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. As used herein, the term “and / or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. As used herein, the singular forms “a,”, “an,” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well as the singular forms, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises” and / or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, steps, operations, elements, and / or components, but do not preclude the31presence of addition of one or more other features, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or groups thereof. The foregoing description is presented to enable one of ordinary skill in the art to make and use the invention and is provided in the context of a patent application and its requirements. Various modifications to the preferred embodiment of the apparatus, and the general principles and features of the system and methods described herein will be readily apparent to those of skill in the art. Thus, the present invention is not to be limited to the embodiments of the apparatus, system and methods described above and illustrated in the drawing figures, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Claims

CLAIMSWhat is Claimed is:

1. A soil analysis apparatus, comprising: a vehicle, the vehicle configured to traverse an agricultural field; at least one control-logic processor; a sensor housing; and a Laser-induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) sensor contained, at least in part, in the sensor housing, the LIBS sensor being in connection to the vehicle and in communication with the control-logic processor, the LIBS sensor comprising: a laser source; a spectrometer; and at least one light collecting element, at least one of: the laser source, or the spectrometer being in non-contacting proximity with the soil, the LIBS sensor configured to: traverse a surface of the agricultural field via the connection to the vehicle; and conduct in-situ soil analysis of the agricultural field during the traverse of the surface of the agricultural field.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the LIBS sensor connection to the vehicle is further configured such that the connection is at least one of: a direct physical connection to the vehicle, or an indirect physical connection to the vehicle.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the indirect physical connection comprises at least one of: a towed connection between the LIBS sensor and the vehicle, or a mounting to a ski -type and / or a wheel-type appendage of the vehicle.

4. The apparatus of any of claim 1 to claim 3, wherein the LIBS sensor is further configured to conduct the in-situ soil analysis without extracting at least one of: a soil sample, or a soil core sample.

5. The apparatus of any of claim 1 to claim 4, wherein the vehicle is at least one of: an All-terrain vehicle, a Utility Terrain Vehicle, a Pick-up truck, a Combine Harvester, a Tractor, a Planter, a Seeder, a Fertilizer Spreader, a Sprayer, a Plow, a Harrow, a Disk, a Ripper, an Irrigator, or a Tiller.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the vehicle is at least one of: a self-powered machine, or a manually-powered machine.

7. The apparatus of any of claim 1 to claim 6, further comprising: a measurement sensor configured to measure a distance between the sensor housing and a soil surface; and an actuator configured to adjust the distance of the sensor housing relative to the soil surface.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the control-logic processor is further configured to: receive a signal from the measurement sensor corresponding to the measured distance between the sensor housing and the soil surface; determine a comparison of the measured distance between the sensor housing and the soil surface with a target distance between the sensor housing and the soil surface; and control the actuator to adjust the distance of the sensor housing relative to the soil surface based on the comparison.

9. The apparatus of any of claim 1 to claim 8, wherein the LIBS sensor is a first sensor, the apparatus further comprising at least a second sensor.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the second sensor is at least one of: a camera, a gamma ray detector, a bulk density meter, an electrical conductivity (EC) meter, or a diffuse reflectance spectrometer.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the control-logic processor is further configured to: receive a first signal from the LIBS sensor; receive a second signal from the second sensor; select and / or condition one or more analysis models based on the second signal; process at least one of: the first signal, or the second signal, via the one or more analysis models; and determine one or more soil characteristics based on the one or more analysis models.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising a variable rate applicator, the variable rate applicator comprising at least a variable rate controller, the control-logic processor further configured to: receive a first signal from the LIBS sensor; receive a second signal from the second sensor; determine a target application rate based on the first signal and the second signal; and send a signal corresponding to the target application rate to the variable rate controller to control the variable rate applicator to operate at the target application rate.

13. The apparatus of any of claim 1 to claim 12, wherein the control-logic processor is configured to synchronize an operation of the laser source and the spectrometer.

14. The apparatus of any of claim 1 to claim 13, wherein the at least one light collecting element is at least one of: a lens, or a fiber optic conductor.

15. The apparatus of any of claim 1 to claim 14, wherein the sensor housing further comprises at least one of: a mirror, a view port, or a hole in the housing.

16. The apparatus of any of claim 1 to claim 15, wherein the control-logic processor is further configured to: initiate one or more laser pulses from the laser source to the soil, the one or more pluses configured to cause light emissions from the soil;initiate a capture of at least some of the light emissions by the spectrometer via the at least one light collecting element; and initiate an analysis of the at least some of the light emissions by the spectrometer.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the LIBS sensor further comprises one or more targeting lenses, the one or more laser pulses from the laser source being directed through the one or more targeting lenses to the soil.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the LIBS sensor further comprises one or more focusing lenses configured to focus the at least some light emissions to the spectrometer.

19. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the LIBS sensor further comprises one or more targeting mirrors configured to direct the one or more laser pulses from the laser source to the soil.

20. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the LIBS sensor further comprises one or more directional mirrors configured to direct the at least some light emissions to the spectrometer.

21. A method of conducting in-situ soil analysis performed by a soil analysis apparatus, the method comprising: providing a vehicle, the vehicle configured to traverse an agricultural field; providing a sensor housing; providing a Laser-induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) sensor contained, at least in part, in the sensor housing; and connecting the LIBS sensor to the vehicle, the providing the LIBS sensor comprising: providing a laser source; providing a spectrometer; and providing at least one light collecting element, at least one of: the laser source, or the spectrometer being in non-contacting proximity with the soil, the method further comprising: traversing the LIBS sensor across a surface of the agricultural field via the vehicle; andconducting in-situ soil analysis of the agricultural field by the LIBS sensor during the traversing of the surface of the agricultural field.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the connecting the LIBS sensor to the vehicle further comprises at least one of: placing the LIBS sensor into a direct physical connection to the vehicle, or placing the LIBS sensor into an indirect physical connection to the vehicle.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the placing the LIBS sensor into an indirect physical connection with the vehicle comprises at least one of: placing the LIBS sensor into a towed connection to the vehicle, or mounting the LIBS sensor to a ski -type appendage and / or a wheel-type appendage of the vehicle.

24. The method of any of claim 21 to claim 23, further comprising conducting, by the LIBS sensor, the in-situ soil analysis without extracting at least one of: a soil sample, or a soil core sample.

25. The method of any of claim 21 to claim 24, further comprising: providing a measurement sensor configured to measure a distance between the sensor housing and a soil surface; and providing an actuator configured to adjust the distance of the sensor housing relative to the soil surface.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising: receiving a signal from the measurement sensor corresponding to the measured distance between the sensor housing and the soil surface; determining a comparison of the measured distance between the sensor housing and the soil surface with a target distance between the sensor housing and the soil surface; and controlling the actuator to adjust the distance of the sensor housing relative to the soil surface based on the comparison.

27. The method of any of claim 21 to claim 26, wherein the LIBS sensor is a first sensor, the method further comprising: providing at least a second sensor; receiving a first signal from the LIBS sensor; receiving a second signal from the second sensor; selecting and / or conditioning one or more analysis models based on the second signal; processing at least one of: the first signal, or the second signal, via the one or more analysis models; and determining one or more soil characteristics based on the one or more analysis models.

28. The method of nay of claim 21 to claim 27, further comprising: providing a variable rate applicator; providing a variable rate controller in communication with the variable rate applicator; receiving a first signal from the LIBS sensor; receiving a second signal from the second sensor; determining a target application rate based on the first signal and the second signal; and sending a signal corresponding to the target application rate to the variable rate controller to control the variable rate applicator to operate at the target application rate.

29. The method of any of claim 21 to claim 28, further comprising synchronizing an operation of the laser source and the spectrometer.

30. The method of any of claim 21 to claim 29, wherein the providing the at least one light collecting element further comprises providing at least one of: a lens, or a fiber optic conductor.

31. The method of any of claim 21 to claim 30, wherein the providing the sensor housing further comprises providing at least one of: a mirror, a view port, or a hole in the housing.

32. The method of any of claim 21 to claim 31, further comprising: transmitting one or more laser pulses from the laser source to the soil, the one or more pluses configured to cause light emissions from the soil; capturing at least some of the light emissions by the spectrometer via the at least one light collecting element; and analyzing the at least some of the light emissions by the spectrometer.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the providing the LIBS sensor further comprises: providing one or more targeting lenses; and directing the one or more laser pulses from the laser source through the one or more targeting lenses to the soil.

34. The method of claim 32, wherein the providing the LIBS sensor further comprises: providing one or more focusing lenses; and focusing the at least some light emissions via the one or more focusing lenses to the spectrometer.

35. The method of claim 32, wherein the providing the LIBS sensor further comprises: providing one or more targeting mirrors; and directing the one or more laser pulses from the laser source via the one or more targeting mirrors to the soil.

36. The method of claim 32, wherein the providing the LIBS sensor further comprises: providing one or more directional mirrors; directing the at least some light emissions via the one or more directional mirrors to the spectrometer.

37. The method of any of claim 21 to claim 36, wherein the vehicle is at least one of: an All-terrain vehicle, a Utility Terrain Vehicle, a Pick-up truck, a Combine Harvester, a Tractor, a Planter, a Seeder, a Fertilizer Spreader, a Sprayer, a Plow, a Harrow, a Disk, a Ripper, an Irrigator, or a Tiller.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein the vehicle is at least one of: a self-powered machine, or a manually-powered machine.

39. The method of any of claim 21 to claim 38, wherein the LIBS sensor is a first sensor, the method further comprising providing at least a second sensor, wherein the second sensor is at least one of: a camera, a gamma ray detector, a bulk density meter, an electrical conductivity (EC) meter, or a diffuse reflectance spectrometer.

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