Ground Sensor Electromagnetic Shielding for Real-Time Soil Data
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing soil sensors used in agriculture are not capable of providing real-time, flexible, and independent soil information acquisition during farming operations, requiring specialist personnel and separate data collection processes, which limits their usability for controlling agricultural machines.
Innovation Solution
A soil sensor integrated into an agricultural working machine with a housing made of non-conductive composite material and electromagnetic shielding fleece, allowing interference rejection and real-time data processing for conductivity analysis, combined with GPS and distance sensors for accurate depth calculation and topological mapping.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the ground sensor is mounted on the tractor for real-time measurement during agricultural work, then the ability to acquire soil information during work trips is improved, but electromagnetic interference from the tractor affects measurement quality
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an electromagnetic shielding fleece as an intermediary element between the tractor's electromagnetic sources and the sensor coils. This fleece, made of conductive material, acts as a barrier that redirects electromagnetic interference away from the sensitive measurement components, allowing real-time measurements during agricultural work without compromising data quality
Solution Approach 2:
The housing is constructed from composite materials including electromagnetic shielding fleece integrated into the structural components. This composite construction provides both mechanical protection and electromagnetic interference rejection, enabling the sensor to operate in the electromagnetically noisy environment of a working tractor
2Measurement precision
If conventional soil sensors are used in separate survey drives, then measurement quality is maintained, but the complexity of data collection and processing increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the soil sensing function with the agricultural working machine into an integrated system. The ground sensor, computing unit, and control system are merged into a single operational platform that performs both agricultural work and soil measurement simultaneously, eliminating the need for separate survey drives and reducing overall system complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The agricultural working machine is transformed into a multi-functional platform that simultaneously performs agricultural operations and soil characterization. The sensor system can operate during various agricultural tasks (sowing, cultivation, harvesting), making the measurement system universally applicable across different farm operations without requiring dedicated survey equipment
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables farmers to acquire and utilize soil information during agricultural work trips, eliminating the need for separate data collection and allowing real-time control of agricultural machines based on soil conditions, improving operational efficiency and reducing data processing complexity.
Implementation Method 1
An electromagnetic transmitting coil generates a primary field, which induces a secondary electromagnetic field in the subsurface depending on the soil properties
Implementation Method 2
the housing may include an electromagnetic radiation shielding fleece, which is preferably arranged in the entire housing wall except in the area below the coils. This fleece serves to dissipate the electromagnetic interference signals from the tractor and other sources of interference
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3a~3d
AI summary
The invention relates to a device for sensing the quality of a substratum, in particular a ground sensor (1), comprising at least one transmitting coil (2) and at least one but preferably four receiving coils (3), wherein the transmitting coil (2) is designed to generate an electromagnetic primary field and the receiving coil (3) is designed to receive the electromagnetic secondary field induced in the substratum by the primary field, wherein the transmitting coil (2) and the receiving coil (3) are arranged in a housing (4), which comprises material that screens electromagnetic rays. The invention further relates to an agricultural working machine comprising a ground sensor according to the invention and to a method for operating a working machine according to the invention.