Satellite Crop Spraying Theft Detection

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Solution Overview

Problem

The 'chain of custody' of agricultural materials during transfer between machinery in harvesting and planting operations is susceptible to theft, making it difficult to track and determine the stage and responsible party for theft due to manual recording and lack of real-time monitoring.

Innovation Solution

A method involving a transaction management system that generates records, uses satellite data communication to track agricultural materials, and determines discrepancies in weight to identify potential theft, with encryption to secure data and prevent unauthorized access.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If manual recording is used for crop monitoring, then operational simplicity is maintained, but measurement precision and theft detection capability deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoperational simplicityVSAvoidcrop amount monitoring accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces manual mechanical recording systems with automated electronic sensors and satellite communication systems. Weight sensors on grain carts automatically measure crop amounts, and satellite communication transmits this data remotely, eliminating manual recording while improving measurement precision and enabling real-time theft detection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The system enables self-service monitoring where the equipment itself automatically measures and reports its own state. The grain cart's sensors continuously monitor weight and communicate location data without human intervention, allowing the system to track crop amounts and detect theft automatically.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Reliability

If real-time tracking systems are implemented, then theft detection capability is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetheft detection capabilityVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies multi-functionality by using satellite communication systems that simultaneously provide location tracking, weight monitoring, and theft detection capabilities. This single system performs multiple functions that would otherwise require separate complex subsystems, improving theft detection while managing overall system complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The satellite communication system acts as an intermediary between the grain cart sensors and the central monitoring system. This intermediary handles the complexity of remote data transmission and processing, allowing the theft detection capability to improve without requiring direct complex connections between all system components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Measurement precision

If automated measurement systems are used, then measurement precision is improved, but loss of time in data processing increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecrop amount measurement accuracyVSAvoiddata processing time

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements continuous monitoring where weight sensors continuously measure crop amounts and satellite communication continuously transmits location and weight data. This continuous operation eliminates gaps in data collection and processing, ensuring that measurements are captured in real-time without time loss, while maintaining high measurement precision.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary actions by pre-configuring sensors and communication systems to automatically capture and transmit data as soon as measurement events occur. This preliminary setup ensures that no time is lost in manual data collection or processing, as the system is already prepared to immediately record and transmit measurements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS20240265791A1Methods and systems to reduce theft in ground-based crop spraying operations

Publication Date: 2024.08.08 KUHNS PHILIP

AI summary

A method for tracking agricultural material to be transferred from a first entity to a second entity includes generating a transaction record indicating a destination location for the agricultural material and a first amount of the agricultural material to be applied at the destination location, receiving measurement information indicating a second amount of the agricultural material applied by vendor equipment at the destination location and location information indicating locations of the vendor equipment while applying the second amount of the agricultural material, updating the transaction record based on the received measurement information and location information, and at least one of transmitting, using a satellite data communication protocol, the transaction record to the second entity, and determining whether any of the agricultural material was not applied at the destination location based on a comparison between the first amount and the second amount and transmitting a notification based on the determination.