Agricultural Work Data Management With Position-Linked Field Records

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing agricultural data collection systems fail to effectively manage field data by not associating collected data with its position, leading to inefficient agricultural work and business operations.

Innovation Solution

An agricultural work apparatus equipped with image-capturing devices, measurement units, and management systems that determine and execute agricultural tasks based on image information, measuring target positions and dimensions, and managing agricultural work information in association with positional data, enabling appropriate data utilization.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If field data is collected without associating position information, then data collection is simple, but the relevance between position and field data cannot be derived

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveposition-data relevanceVSAvoiddata management system
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines field data collection with position information acquisition by integrating a position measurement unit (GPS receiver) with the field data collection system. The management terminal receives both field data and corresponding position information, merging these previously separate data streams into a unified dataset that maintains the relationship between location and agricultural observations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The management terminal serves as an intermediary that receives both field data from the field data collection device and position information from the position measurement unit, then associates them together. This intermediary component enables the linkage between position and field data without requiring direct integration between the collection device and measurement unit.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If position measurement and data association are implemented, then field data can be appropriately managed, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefield data managementVSAvoidmeasurement and management units
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system is divided into distinct functional modules: a field data collection device for gathering agricultural data, a position measurement unit for acquiring location information, and a management terminal for associating and managing the combined data. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function reliably while maintaining overall system manageability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The management terminal is designed with multi-functionality, serving both as a receiver for field data and as a processor for associating position information with that data. This universal component handles multiple tasks within a single system, reducing the need for additional specialized devices.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Adaptability or versatility

If agricultural work information is not associated with position, then data storage is simple, but data cannot be effectively utilized for future work

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata utilizationVSAvoidinformation management system
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary association of position information with field data at the time of data collection, rather than requiring post-processing linkage. The management terminal establishes the relationship between location and agricultural observations immediately when data is received, preparing the data for future utilization without requiring additional processing later.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP3626043B1Agricultural work apparatus, agricultural work management system, and program
Publication Date: 2024.02.14 INAHO INC
  • EP3626043B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3626043B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3626043B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

An object of the present invention is to provide an agricultural work apparatus, an agricultural work management system, and a program capable of appropriately managing agricultural work information and smoothly implementing agricultural work and business in the future by making use of agricultural work information. An agricultural work apparatus (1) includes: a first image-capturing device; an agricultural work determination unit (34) that determines, on the basis of first image information obtained by capturing an image of a target of agricultural work through the first image-capturing device, whether or not to execute the agricultural work on the target; an agricultural work execution unit (36) that executes the agricultural work on the basis of a determination result of the agricultural work determination unit (34); an agricultural work information generation unit (38) that generates agricultural work information including a result of the agricultural work; a measurement unit that measures a position of the target; and an agricultural work information management unit (40) that manages the agricultural work information and positional information indicating the measured position.