Method and system for controlled and selective application of inputs

Abstract

The present invention relates to a system and a method for controlled and seletive application of inputs, preferably agricultural inputs, applicable to the technological field of precision agriculture, wherein said method comprises avoiding the application of inputs in a non-application area (A2) and compensating for this non-application by means of compensatory application rates in compensation areas (A3) adjacent to the non-application areas (A2).

Description

Descriptive report of the Invention Patent: “METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR DEPOSITION OF INPUTS IN A CONTROLLED AND SELECTIVE MANNER” Field of invention

[0001] The present invention relates to a system and a method for deposition of inputs, preferably agricultural, in a controlled and selective manner, applicable to the technological field of precision agriculture. Fundamentals of the invention

[0002] Nowadays, agribusiness, including agriculture, has proven to be a sector experiencing significant growth in terms of the gross domestic product of food-producing countries. In this regard, numerous technology-rich tools, machines, and inputs have been extensively developed with the aim of continually improving crop productivity, whether in planting, monitoring, and protecting crops, or in harvesting, processing, and shipping.

[0003] In this scenario, numerous technologies have been created for the application of inputs that increase the speed of seed, fertilizer, and pesticide deposition, always with the aim of increasing productivity and reducing costs for the producer, in order to maximize profits and, further, make production more sustainable.

[0004] Among these developments, a number of them revolve around optimizing the use of cultivated areas. It's worth noting that sowing is one of the most critical stages in vegetable cultivation, as it truly determines the farmer's profit, requiring optimal planting. In this context, optimizing cultivated areas involves avoiding overlapping inputs, such as seeds, and making better use of the deposition of these inputs, for example.

[0005] In particular, optimal seed deposition is closely linked to the fact that seeds require a certain amount of soil nutrients to germinate. Therefore, if they are deposited in areas too close to each other, they will compete for nutrients and will not develop efficiently. On the other hand, if they are planted too far apart, for example, useful planting area is wasted, which is also not desirable.

[0006] Optimizing cultivated areas is therefore related to a specific input application rate, taking into account the different geological and geographic properties of the soil. Nowadays, to ensure controlled and selective planting, it is common to use georeferencing combined with prescription maps (for both planting and other operations such as spraying, for example). These maps divide the total area to be cultivated (planted, sprayed, etc.) into areas of interest, each with a specific input application rate / prescription, such as plants per hectare, plants per meter, seeds per hectare, seeds per meter, kilograms per hectare, kilograms per square meter, etc.

[0007] Thus, if the position of an input application line (or deposition means) is within the area of ​​a given polygon on the prescription map, the input application rate for the line assumes the value of the input application rate prescribed for that polygon.

[0008] Furthermore, in the current state of the art, after the planting activity carried out by a first agricultural machine (and / or implement) - for example a planter -, and with the aim of providing pest and / or weed control, it is common for a second agricultural machine (and / or implement) to travel over the previously planted area, causing it to be crushed, which may end up causing damage to the planting, since the crushed seeds are damaged and lose their germination power.

[0009] In this sense, some solutions are already known that, during a first operation (planting), through selective control of seed deposition, avoid the deposition of these seeds in areas that will later be crossed by the wheel of a machine (and / or implement) that performs a second operation (spraying, for example).

[0010] Some examples of these solutions are described in patent documents US2019343037, WO19084644, WO19084643, US2015025752, US2015216117, US2008105177, EP0570792, EP0193804 and EP0176023.

[0011] Although the solutions in these documents may be functional for the purposes for which they were made possible, it is possible to optimize them in terms of seed planting compensation, to increase planting productivity, through a sufficiently robust, efficient, reliable, and easy-to-implement solution.

[0012] It is based on the present scenario that the present invention arises. Objectives of the invention

[0013] Thus, it is a fundamental object of the invention in question to reveal a solution that guarantees optimal planting efficiency, which is capable of mitigating the crushing of previously planted and / or already germinated seeds.

[0014] More specifically, it is an object of the current invention to provide an optimized solution in relation to the state of the art, capable of increasing planting productivity.

[0015] Another objective of the current invention is to provide a sufficiently robust, efficient, reliable and easy to implement solution. Summary of the invention

[0016] The present invention relates to a method for deposition of inputs in a controlled and selective manner, based on geolocation data, comprising a first operation, of planting, based on a first map and / or a second map, both containing information regarding the application rate of at least one input, the method including identifying, throughout said first operation, the respective geolocations of a plurality of means for deposition of said at least one input, through at least one geolocation means, said method including: for each means for deposition of said at least one input, if the respective deposition means is within a non-application area, as defined by the first and / or second map, turning off the respective deposition means so as to suspend the deposition of the respective input in that non-application area; for each means for deposition of said at least one input, if the respective deposition means is find within a compensation area, adjacent to the non-application area, as defined by the first and / or second map, control the respective means of deposition of said at least one input in order to apply it according to the application rates prescribed for the respective compensation area as defined by the first and / or second map; and for each means of deposition of said at least one input, if the respective deposition means is outside the non-application area and outside the compensation area, control the respective means of deposition of said at least one input, in order to apply it according to the application rates prescribed for the area of ​​interest, as defined by the first and / or second map or as arbitrarily defined by a user.

[0017] The non-application areas defined in the first and / or second map include the areas through which the wheel of an agricultural machine will pass during a second operation, and the compensation areas defined in the first and / or second map include the areas adjacent to the right and / or left sides of the non-application areas. The non-application areas and the compensation areas defined in the first and / or second map coincide geographically, at least partially, with at least one of the areas of interest defined in the first map.

[0018] Preferably, the prescription rates for the compensation areas comprise the prescription rates for the respective geolocations, as defined by the first map or as arbitrarily defined by a user, multiplied by at least one respective correction factor. More particularly, the respective correction factor is previously predetermined by the first or second map or arbitrarily defined by a user. Furthermore, the respective correction factor is preferably a number greater than one. Also preferably, the respective correction factor for each of the compensation areas is constant throughout the respective compensation area. Alternatively, the respective correction factor for each of the compensation areas may be variable throughout the respective compensation area, depending on the area of ​​interest that coincides with the respective compensation area.

[0019] The system for depositing inputs in a controlled and selective manner capable of executing the method defined above is also claimed. Brief description of the drawings

[0020] The invention in question is now described in detail on the basis of the following figures:

[0021] Fig. 1 illustrates, schematically, a first map, called the prescription map itself;

[0022] Fig. 2 illustrates, schematically, a second map, called the trail map of the second machine and / or implement;

[0023] Fig. 3 illustrates a view of detail A of Fig. 2, in order to highlight the non-deposition areas and the compensation areas;

[0024] Fig. 4 illustrates, schematically, the first and second superimposed maps;

[0025] Fig. 5 illustrates detail B of Fig. 4. Detailed description of the invention

[0026] The present invention relates primarily to a computer-implemented method for the controlled and selective deposition of inputs based on geolocation data, comprising a first planting operation based on a first map M1 and / or a second map M2, both containing information regarding the application rate of at least one input. Said method includes identifying, throughout said first operation, the respective geolocations of a plurality of means for deposition of said at least one input, using at least one geolocation means, wherein for each means for deposition of said at least one input, if the respective deposition means is located within a non-application area A2, as defined by the first and / or second maps M1, M2, the respective deposition means is turned off to suspend the deposition of the respective input in that non-application area A2.

[0027] In particular, according to the present invention, for each means of deposition of said at least one input, if the respective deposition means is located within a compensation area A3, adjacent to the non-application area A2, as defined by the first and / or second map M1, M2, the respective means of deposition of said at least one input is controlled in order to apply it according to the application rates prescribed for the respective compensation area A3 as defined by the first and / or second map M1, M2.

[0028] And, for each means of deposition of said at least one input, if the respective means of deposition is located outside the non-application area A2 and outside the compensation area A3, the respective means of deposition of said at least one input is controlled, in order to apply it according to the application rates prescribed for the area of ​​interest A1a-A1g, as defined by the first and / or second map M1, M2 or as arbitrarily defined by a user.

[0029] Re-explaining the method of the present invention in other words, it follows that: for each means of deposition of said at least one input, said at least one input must be applied according to the prescription rates of each area of ​​interest A1a-A1g, as defined by the first and / or second map M1, M2, except if said means of deposition of said at least one input is located in a non-application area A2 or in a compensation area A3, as defined by the first and / or second map M1, M2.

[0030] In this case, if said means of deposition of said at least one input is located in a non-application area A2, the respective deposition means must be turned off in order to suspend the deposition of the respective input in that non-application area A2.

[0031] On the other hand, and particularly in accordance with the present invention, if said means for deposition of said at least one input is located in a compensation area A3, adjacent to the non-application area A2, the respective deposition means must be controlled so as to apply said at least one input in accordance with the prescription rates for the compensation area A3 as defined by the first and / or second map M2.

[0032] The non-application areas A2 defined in the first and / or second map M1, M2 comprise the areas through which the wheel of an agricultural machine will pass during a second operation - spraying, for example - and, particularly in accordance with the present invention, the compensation areas A3 defined in the first and / or second map M1, M2 comprise the areas adjacent, on the right and / or left sides, to the non-application areas A2.

[0033] It is worth noting that "deposition means" should be understood as, for example, at least one electric motor and / or seed meter and / or seed dispensing tube and / or, even more specifically, the seed dispensing tube outlet. In other words, the component or arrangement of components responsible for depositing / applying the input (in this case, the seed) to the soil.

[0034] Furthermore, it is also worth highlighting that, by “geolocation means” we should understand, for example, a GPS device (or GNSS or similar) preferably associated with a vehicle dynamics algorithm.

[0035] It is also worth mentioning that the shutdown and control actions, for example, are commanded by at least one master control unit, such as an ECU and / or by secondary control units, subordinate to said at least one master control unit.

[0036] Furthermore, it is possible for all information about areas of interest A1a-A1g, A2, and A3 and their respective prescription rates to be contained in a single prescription map. However, and preferably, two distinct maps are provided: the first map, M1, called the prescription map itself, which contains the division of the land (plot) into areas of interest A1a-A1g, each with its respective prescription rate; and the second map, M2, called the second machine and / or implement track map, for example, the sprayer track map, which contains the mapping of the non-deposition areas A2 and the compensation areas A3, each with its respective prescription rate.

[0037] Thus, in summary, in the existence of two maps, the application rates prescribed by the second map M2 have priority over those of the first map M1.

[0038] Prescription fees for A3 compensation areas may eventually be referred to as compensatory prescription fees.

[0039] It is also worth noting that the non-application areas A2 and the compensation areas A3 defined in the first and / or second map M1, M2 coincide geographically, at least partially, with at least one of the areas of interest A1a-A1g defined in the first map M1. In other words, the non-application areas A2 and the compensation areas A3 contain or are contained (i.e., geolocated) in the areas of interest A1a-A1g. Thus, there is a plurality of compensation areas A3a-A3g, each containing or being contained, at least partially, by the respective areas of interest A1a-A1g, as illustrated in Figures 4 and 5.

[0040] According to a first alternative embodiment of the present invention, the prescription rates for each of the compensation areas A3a-A3g comprise the prescription rates for the respective geolocations—that is, for each point contained in one of the areas of interest A1a-A1g—as defined by the first map M1, or as arbitrarily defined by a user, multiplied by at least one respective correction factor, which is previously predetermined by the first and / or second map M1, M2, or arbitrarily defined by a user. Said correction factors are numbers greater than one.

[0041] For example, in this case the prescription rate for the compensation area A3c would be the multiplication of the prescription rate of the respective area of ​​interest A1c by the respective correction factor, while the prescription rate for the compensation area A3d would be the multiplication of the prescription rate of the respective area of ​​interest A1d by the respective correction factor and, in the same way, for the others.

[0042] According to this first alternative embodiment of the present invention, and preferably, the respective correction factor for each of the compensation areas A3 is constant throughout the respective compensation area A3. Alternatively, the respective correction factor for each of the compensation areas A3 is variable throughout the respective compensation area A3, depending on the area of ​​interest A1 that coincides with the respective compensation area A3.

[0043] The system for deposition of inputs in a controlled and selective manner that executes the method defined as described above is also part of the scope of the present invention.

[0044] It is important to emphasize that the above description is solely intended to describe, by way of example, the particular embodiment of the invention in question. Therefore, it becomes clear that modifications, variations, and constructive combinations of the elements that perform the same function in substantially the same way to achieve the same results remain within the scope of protection delimited by the appended claims.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. Method for deposition of inputs in a controlled and selective manner, based on geolocation data, comprising a first planting operation, based on a first map (M1) and / or a second map (M2), both containing information relating to the application rate of at least one input, the method including identifying, throughout said first operation, the respective geolocations of a plurality of means for deposition of said at least one input, through at least one geolocation means, said method being CHARACTERIZED by the fact that it comprises: - for each means of deposition of said at least one input, if the respective means of deposition is located within a non-application area (A2), as defined by the first and / or second map (M1, M2), turn off the respective means of deposition in order to suspend the deposition of the respective input in that non-application area (A2); - for each means of deposition of said at least one input, if the respective means of deposition is located within a compensation area (A3), adjacent to the non-application area (A2), as defined by the first and / or second map (M1, M2), control the respective means of deposition of said at least one input in order to apply it according to the application rates prescribed for the respective compensation area (A3) as defined by the first and / or second map (M1, M2); - for each means of deposition of said at least one input, if the respective means of deposition is located outside the non-application area (A2) and outside the compensation area (A3), control the respective means of deposition of said at least one input, in order to apply it according to the application rates prescribed for the area of interest (A1a-A1g), as defined by the first and / or second map (M1, M2) or as arbitrarily defined by a user.

2. Method for deposition of inputs in a controlled and selective manner, according to claim 1, CHARACTERIZED by the fact that: the non-application areas (A2) defined in the first and / or second map (M1, M2) comprise the areas through which the wheel of an agricultural machine will cross during a second operation; and the compensation areas (A3) defined in the first and / or second map (M1, M2) comprise the areas adjacent, to the right and / or left sides, to the non-application areas (A2).

3. Method for deposition of inputs in a controlled and selective manner, according to claim 1, CHARACTERIZED by the fact that the non-application areas (A2) and the compensation areas (A3) defined in the first and / or second map (M1, M2) coincide geographically, at least partially, with at least one of the areas of interest (A1a-A1g) defined in the first map (M1).

4. Method for deposition of inputs in a controlled and selective manner, according to claim 1, CHARACTERIZED by the fact that the prescription rates for the compensation areas (A3) comprise the prescription rates for the respective geolocations, as defined by the first map (M1) or as arbitrarily defined by a user, multiplied by at least one respective correction factor.

5. Method for deposition of inputs in a controlled and selective manner, according to claim 4, CHARACTERIZED by the fact that the respective correction factor is previously predetermined by the first or second map (M1, M2) or arbitrarily defined by a user.

6. Method for deposition of inputs in a controlled and selective manner, according to claim 4, CHARACTERIZED by the fact that the respective correction factor is a number greater than one.

7. Method for deposition of inputs in a controlled and selective manner, according to claim 4, CHARACTERIZED by the fact that the respective correction factor for each of the compensation areas (A3) is constant throughout the respective compensation area (A3).

8. Method for deposition of inputs in a controlled and selective manner, according to claim 4, CHARACTERIZED by the fact that the respective correction factor for each of the compensation areas (A3) is variable throughout the respective compensation area (A3), depending on the area of interest (A1) that coincides with the respective compensation area (A3).

9. System for deposition of inputs in a controlled and selective manner CHARACTERIZED by the fact that it executes the method defined in any one of claims 1 to 8.

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