Agricultural Distribution Device Refill Planning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Agricultural distribution devices face inefficiencies and field damage due to unnecessary travel for refilling, as they often run out of materials mid-task, requiring them to travel back to a mobile storage device, wasting time and potentially damaging fields.
Innovation Solution
A method for determining a refill time and access point for a mobile storage device to meet an agricultural distribution device along its planned path, minimizing unnecessary travel and field disruption by calculating the material depletion point and selecting a suitable access point for refilling, thus optimizing the refill process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the agricultural distribution device travels back to the mobile storage device for refilling when material is depleted, then the storage carrier can be refilled, but time is lost and field areas are adversely affected
Solution Approach 1:
The system predicts material depletion events before they occur by monitoring current material levels, application rates, and planned path duration. This preliminary detection allows the distribution device to maintain its distribution task while the mobile storage device proactively travels to the predicted location to perform refilling, eliminating the need for the distribution device to stop or return.
Solution Approach 2:
A communication system acts as an intermediary between the distribution device and mobile storage device. The distribution device transmits material level data and path information, which the mobile storage device uses to calculate optimal refill locations and times, enabling coordinated action without direct interaction or interruption of distribution operations.
2Reliability
If the mobile storage device travels over planting fields to refill the distribution device, then refilling can occur, but the field areas are adversely affected
Solution Approach 1:
The mobile storage device calculates optimal refill locations in advance based on predicted material depletion points and field boundary information. This preliminary planning ensures that refilling operations occur at predetermined safe locations such as field edges or access points, preventing the mobile storage device from traveling over and damaging the planting fields.
3Loss of time
If the distribution device adjusts dispensing rate to make material last until desired location, then travel time is reduced, but application precision is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The communication system serves as an intermediary that enables the mobile storage device to receive precise material level and path information from the distribution device. This allows the mobile storage device to calculate the optimal refill point and travel there proactively, eliminating the need for the distribution device to adjust its dispensing rate while maintaining both time efficiency and application precision.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for agricultural refill planning determines a refill time and access point for a mobile storage device (e.g., a seed tender) to refill an agricultural distribution device (e.g., planter) with agricultural material (e.g., seed). The refill time and access point are selected so that excess time is not lost and areas, such as planting fields, are not adversely affected by movement of the agricultural distribution device or the mobile storage device.