Applicator state detection and control using pressure decay time and aggregate pressure values
Patent Information
- Application Number
- AU2026201828
- Authority / Receiving Office
- AU · AU
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Priority Date
- 2025-04-17
- Filing Date
- 2026-03-11
- Publication Date
- 2026-11-05
Smart Images
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Abstract
Claims
1. A computer implemented method, comprising:receiving a pressure sensor signal indicative of pressure sensed by a pressure sensor in an agricultural applicator that has a valve and an exit end, the pressure sensor being configured to sense the pressure between the valve and the exit end of the agricultural applicator;identifying a pressure characteristic corresponding to the applicator based on the pressure sensor signal;determining an applicator state corresponding to the applicator based on the pressure characteristic; andgenerating a control signal responsive to the applicator state.
2. The computer implemented method of claim 1 and further comprising:receiving pressure sensor signals from a plurality of different pressure sensors on a plurality of different corresponding agricultural applicators, each pressure sensor signal being indicative of sensed pressures between a valve and an exit end of each corresponding agricultural applicator.
3. The computer implemented method of claim 2 wherein identifying a pressurecharacteristic comprises:identifying a plurality of pressure characteristic values, each pressure characteristic value corresponding to one of the plurality of agricultural applicators and being identified based on the corresponding sensed pressures.
4. The computer implemented method of claim 3 wherein determining an applicator statecomprises:identifying a comparison value based on the plurality of pressure characteristic values;and2026201828 11 Mar 2026determining the applicator state corresponding to each of the plurality of different agricultural applicators based on the corresponding pressure characteristic value and the comparison value.
5. The computer implemented method of claim 4 wherein receiving a pressure sensor signalindicative of pressure sensed by a pressure sensor in an agricultural applicator comprises:receiving the pressure sensor signal indicative of the pressure, over a time period, after the valve closes.
6. The computer implemented method of claim 5 wherein identifying a pressurecharacteristic comprises:identifying a slope of a pressure decay between an initial pressure value and a threshold value, over the time period, for a selected agricultural applicator of the plurality of different agricultural applicators.
7. The computer implemented method of claim 6 wherein identifying a plurality of pressurecharacteristic values comprises:identifying a plurality of slopes of a pressure decay, each slope corresponding to a pressure decay of one of the plurality of agricultural applicators between an initial pressure value and a threshold value over a time period, based on the corresponding sensed pressures, and wherein identifying the comparison value comprises identifying the comparison value based on the plurality of slopes.
8. The computer implemented method of claim 7 wherein determining an applicator statecomprises:comparing the slope of the pressure decay for the selected agricultural applicator to the comparison value to obtain a comparison result; anddetermining the applicator state of the selected agricultural applicator based on the comparison result.2026201828 11 Mar 20269. The computer implemented method of claim 4 wherein receiving a pressure sensor signalindicative of pressure sensed by a pressure sensor in an agricultural applicator comprises:receiving the pressure sensor signal indicative of pressure values detected over a time period, while the valve is open, for a selected agricultural applicator of the plurality of agricultural applicators, wherein identifying the pressure characteristic comprises generating an aggregate pressure value for the selected agricultural applicator based on the pressure values detected over the time period while the valve for the selected agricultural applicator is open.
10. The computer implemented method of claim 9 wherein identifying a plurality of pressure characteristic values comprises:generating a plurality of aggregate pressure values, each aggregate pressure value corresponding to a different one of the plurality of agricultural applicators and being based on pressure values detected over the time period while the valve in the one of the plurality of agricultural applicators is open, and wherein identifying the comparison value comprises identifying the comparison value based on the plurality of aggregate pressure values.
11. The computer implemented method of claim 10 wherein determining an applicator state comprises:comparing the aggregate pressure value for the selected agricultural applicator for the selected agricultural applicator to the comparison value to obtain a comparison result; anddetermining the applicator state of the selected agricultural applicator based on the comparison result.
12. An agricultural system, comprising:an applicator having a valve and an exit end, the valve being controllable to move between an open position, in which liquid under pressure passes from an inlet end of the applicator to the exit end of the applicator, and a closed position;a pressure sensor configured to sense pressure between the valve and the exit end of the applicator and generate a sensor signal responsive to the sensed pressure;2026201828 11 Mar 2026an applicator state detection system configured to identify a pressure characteristic corresponding to the applicator based on the sensor signal and to determine an applicator state corresponding to the applicator based on the pressure characteristic; anda control signal generator configured to generate a control signal responsive to the applicator state.
13. The agricultural system of claim 12 and further comprising:a plurality of applicators, each having a valve and an exit end;a plurality of pressure sensors, each configured to sense pressure between the valve and the exit end of a corresponding one of the plurality of applicators and generate a sensor signal responsive to the sensed pressure, wherein the applicator state detection system is configured to identify a plurality of pressure characteristic values, each pressure characteristic value corresponding to one of the plurality of agricultural applicators and being identified based on the corresponding sensed pressures.
14. The agricultural system of claim 13 wherein the applicator state detection system comprises:a decay slope processor configured to identify a plurality of pressure decay slopes, each pressure decay slope corresponding to a sensor signal decay of one of the plurality of pressure sensors between an initial pressure value and a threshold value over a time period after the valve is closed; anda slope range / threshold generator configured to generate a slope range / threshold based on the plurality of pressure decay slopes.
15. The agricultural system of claim 14 wherein the applicator state detection system comprises:a comparison system configured to compare the pressure decay slope of a selected sensor in a selected applicator to the slope range / threshold to generate a comparison result; andan applicator state processor configured to identify the applicator state of the selected applicator based on the comparison result.2026201828 11 Mar 202616. The agricultural system of claim 15 wherein the slope range / threshold generator is configured to generate a first slope range / threshold value and wherein the applicator state processor is configured to identify the applicator state for the selected applicator as partially blocked when the comparison result indicates that the pressure decay slope for the selected sensor in the selected applicator is above the first range / threshold value.
17. The agricultural system of claim 13 wherein the applicator state detection system comprises:a valve ON pressure aggregation system configured to generate a plurality of aggregate pressure values, each aggregate pressure value corresponding to a different one of the plurality of applicators and being based on pressure values detected over the time period while the valve in the one of the plurality of applicators is open; andan aggregated pressure range / threshold generator configured to generate an aggregate pressure range / threshold based on the plurality of aggregate pressure values.
18. The agricultural system of claim 17 wherein the applicator state detection system comprises:a comparison system configured to compare the aggregate pressure value for a selected sensor in a selected applicator to the aggregate pressure range / threshold to generate a comparison result; andan applicator state processor configured to identify the applicator state of the selected applicator based on the comparison result.
19. The agricultural system of claim 18 wherein the applicator state processor is configured to identify the applicator state for the selected applicator as missing a spray tip when the comparison result indicates that the aggregate pressure value for the selected applicator is below the aggregate pressure range / threshold.
20. An agricultural system, comprising:2026201828 11 Mar 2026a liquid application component having a stopper and an exit end, the stopper being controllable to move between an open position, in which liquid under pressure passes from an inlet end of the liquid application component to the exit end, and a closed position;a pressure detector configured to detect pressure between the stopper and the exit end of the liquid application component and generate a pressure signal responsive to the detected pressure; anda state detection system configured to determine a state corresponding to the liquid application component based on the pressure signal.