Dry Agricultural Material Management via Optical Volume Measurement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for measuring and managing dry agricultural materials, such as grain, suffer from inaccuracies and inefficiencies due to noise in weight measurements, time lags in calibration, and difficulties in tracking quantities and rates of change, especially during transportation and storage.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of video and optical systems for volume measurement, spectral methods for weight estimation, a flow rate measuring system, and wireless communication of data among farm equipment to enhance precision and speed of material tracking and management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional weight measurement methods are used, then equipment simplicity is maintained, but measurement precision deteriorates due to noise and calibration time lags
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces video cameras and optical sensors as intermediary devices to measure grain volume and calculate weight indirectly. Instead of directly measuring weight with noisy load cells, the system uses visual measurement of grain volume combined with density calculations to determine weight, thereby improving measurement precision while adding moderate system complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces mechanical weight measurement systems (load cells) with optical measurement systems (video cameras and image processing). This substitution eliminates mechanical noise and calibration time lags by using optical fields to measure grain volume and derive weight through computational methods
2Productivity
If real-time measurement systems are implemented, then productivity is improved, but device complexity increases due to multiple sensors and communication systems
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the video camera system multi-functional by using it for both volume measurement and weight estimation. The same optical infrastructure serves multiple measurement purposes, reducing the need for separate dedicated sensors and thereby limiting the increase in device complexity while achieving real-time productivity improvements
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements wireless communication of measurement data between farm equipment and central management systems. This feedback mechanism enables real-time tracking and immediate decision-making, improving productivity by allowing operators to respond to material quantity changes without delay
3Measurement precision
If multiple measurement systems are deployed, then measurement precision is improved, but loss of information increases due to data integration challenges
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges volume measurement data from video systems with weight estimation data from optical sensors and combines them with existing load cell measurements. By integrating these multiple data sources through a unified computational model, the system achieves higher measurement precision while maintaining data consistency through centralized processing
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
These systems improve the accuracy and efficiency of dry agricultural material management, allowing for better yield monitoring and resource allocation, reducing costs and improving crop production by providing real-time, precise data on material quantities and flow rates.
Implementation Method 1
video and optical systems for volume measurement
Implementation Method 2
spectral methods for weight estimation
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods that improve farmers' ability to measure quantities of dry agricultural materials and rates of change of those quantities are disclosed. Also disclosed are systems and methods to rapidly and effectively communicate materials quantities and rates between farm equipment operators.