Field Application Parameter Mapping for Uniform Crop Emergence

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Current agricultural technologies fail to account for the impact of sowing and fertilization parameters on adjacent plant growth, leading to uneven plant development and resource competition among plants, as they do not calculate expected plant growth based on a plant growth model and working parameters for neighboring locations.

Innovation Solution

A method where a computer unit calculates working parameters for a machine, such as sowing depth and fertilizer application, by considering plant growth-influencing properties at both the current and adjacent locations, using a plant growth model to optimize agronomic results and ensure uniform plant emergence.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If working parameters are optimized based only on local data without considering adjacent locations, then the control system is simple and fast, but plant growth becomes uneven and resource competition increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontrol system simplicityVSAvoidplant growth uniformity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by optimizing working parameters specifically for each location based on its unique characteristics and the characteristics of adjacent locations. The system determines location-specific sowing depths, fertilizer application rates, and seed types by considering both the target location's soil properties and the plant growth conditions at neighboring locations, ensuring each area receives tailored treatment for uniform plant development.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements preliminary action by calculating and storing optimal working parameters for all locations before the actual sowing operation begins. An electronic map containing pre-calculated working parameters for multiple locations is created using a plant growth model, allowing the control system to automatically apply the appropriate parameters as the machine moves through each location without real-time computation delays.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Manufacturing precision

If working parameters are optimized considering adjacent locations using plant growth models, then plant growth uniformity improves, but the control system complexity and calculation requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveplant growth uniformityVSAvoidcontrol system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses copying by creating an electronic map that replicates the optimal working parameters for each location based on a plant growth model. Instead of performing complex real-time calculations, the system pre-generates this map by copying and adapting parameter sets for different locations, then simply retrieves the appropriate parameters during operation, significantly reducing computational complexity while maintaining precision.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

3Measurement precision

If data from multiple locations is collected and processed, then the optimization accuracy improves, but the data processing time and computational load increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveoptimization accuracyVSAvoiddata processing time
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent resolves this contradiction by performing data processing in advance. The electronic map with optimized working parameters for multiple locations is generated before the sowing operation begins, using soil data, weather forecasts, and plant growth models. During the actual operation, the system only needs to retrieve pre-calculated parameters, reducing processing time to minimal lookup operations while maintaining high optimization accuracy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP3278645B1Method for optimizing an operating parameter of a machine for the application of agricultural material to a field and corresponding machine
Publication Date: 2021.10.20 DEERE & CO
  • EP3278645B1 patent drawingFigure 1~5
  • EP3278645B1 patent drawingFigure 2~4

AI summary

A computer unit (60) calculates a working parameter for a machine (12) for applying agricultural material to a field (80) based on data regarding a property of the location to be treated with the material that influences plant growth and based on data regarding the property and/or a derived working parameter of the machine (12) for a neighboring location of the field (80) in order to optimize an agronomic result.