Agricultural Row Position Mapping for Terrain-Adaptive Planting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Agricultural implement operators face challenges in maintaining effective row positions during planting, leading to issues like ground contact loss and terrain-related operational inefficiencies, which affect yield and require improved mapping and sensing technologies.
Innovation Solution
The development of systems and methods for mapping the row position of agricultural implements in a digital geographic map, utilizing sensors like rotary sensors and accelerometers to track operative row positions and correlate them with terrain changes, enabling effective path planning and optimization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If row units are equipped with sensors to track position, then measurement precision of row position is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sensing system is segmented into multiple independent sensors, each attached to individual row units rather than a centralized system. This allows precise tracking of each row unit's position independently while keeping each sensor unit simple and manageable.
Solution Approach 2:
A computing system acts as an intermediary that receives data from multiple simple sensors, processes the information, and generates the comprehensive row position map. This mediator handles the complexity of data integration while sensors remain relatively simple devices.
2Reliability
If multiple sensors are deployed across the toolbar to track each row unit, then reliability of row position data is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the monitoring task into segments by placing sensors on individual row units rather than using a single complex system. Each sensor provides reliable data for its specific row unit, and the computing system integrates these segments into a complete picture.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensors are designed to be universal components that can be attached to any row unit across different positions on the toolbar. This multi-functional approach allows the same sensor design to reliably track multiple row units without requiring custom complex systems for each position.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the planter uses vertical contouring toolbar with extended row unit travel, then adaptability to terrain variations is improved, but difficulty of detecting and measuring row position worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically tracks row unit positions as they move through varying terrain. The sensors and computing system continuously update position data to account for the dynamic changes in row unit location caused by terrain variations and the extended travel range of the VCT.
Solution Approach 2:
The system provides feedback by continuously monitoring row unit positions and comparing them against the effective position range. This feedback mechanism helps operators understand when row units are out of effective position due to terrain variations, enabling real-time adjustments to maintain proper planting depth and position.
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
This solution allows for precise tracking and rendering of row positions, enhancing operational efficiency, minimizing ground contact loss, and providing agronomic insights for improved implement performance and yield maximization.
Implementation Method 1
a rotary sensor connected to multiple row parallel links of a row unit that can provide information to a computing system of where the operative row is at
Implementation Method 2
an accelerometer based sensor or an inclinometer and such a sensor is connected to multiple row parallel links of a row unit that can provide information to a computing system of where the operative row is at
Implementation Method 3
an accelerometer based sensor or an inclinometer and such a sensor is connected to multiple row parallel links of a row unit
Data Source
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AI summary
Described herein are technologies for mapping sensed positions of operative rows of an agricultural implement, such as when the implement moves through a crop field. The technologies include a method including (1) sensing a position of an operative row at a geographic location of the field, (2) matching the location of the field with a position in a map of the field corresponding to the location, and (3) associating the sensed position of the row to the position in the map. In some embodiments, the method includes repeating the aforesaid operations for multiple geographic locations of the field and rendering an image of the map to be displayed in a GUI. Also, in some embodiments, the method includes rendering the image of the map with an image of a yield map of the field. In some embodiments, the method includes generating a topographic map based on the sensed row positions.