Agricultural Machine Control for Seed-Aligned Material Placement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current agricultural seeding systems often apply materials such as fertilizer continuously, leading to inefficiencies and waste, as they do not account for precise placement relative to seed locations, especially in high-rate applications.
Innovation Solution
An agricultural planting machine that senses and tracks seed movement, controlling seed release based on the location of previously applied material, allowing for controlled and targeted application of materials like fertilizer, herbicide, or pesticide, by integrating a material application control system that adjusts the timing and location of material dispensing relative to seed placement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If material is applied continuously to the field, then material application coverage is improved, but material waste increases and application efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from continuous material application to periodic/pulsed application based on detected seed positions. The material application device is controlled to apply material only at specific intervals corresponding to seed placement locations, thereby maintaining coverage while reducing waste.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies material selectively at specific locations where seeds are detected rather than uniformly across the entire field. This localized application approach ensures material is placed only where needed (near seeds) while avoiding waste in areas without seeds.
2Manufacturing precision
If material application is synchronized with seed placement, then application precision is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system combines the seed detection function and material application control into an integrated system. The seed detection device and material application device work together through a control system that synchronizes their operations, achieving precise application without requiring entirely separate systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback from the seed detection device to control the material application device. The detected seed positions are fed back to the control system, which then adjusts material application timing and location accordingly, enabling precise synchronization through closed-loop control.
3Manufacturing precision
If seed release is controlled based on material location, then seed placement precision is improved, but control system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system determines material application locations in advance based on detected seed positions before actual material application occurs. This preliminary determination allows the control system to prepare and execute precise seed release at the correct timing and location.
Solution Approach 2:
The system replaces purely mechanical seed release mechanisms with a controlled system that uses detection signals and electronic control. The seed release is triggered by electronic control signals based on material location data, substituting mechanical timing with sensor-based electronic control for improved precision.
Data Source
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AI summary
An agricultural machine (100, 201) is disclosed. The machine (100, 201) comprises a seeding system (203) that delivers seed to a field; a target determination component (302) that identifies a target parameter indicative of previously applied material applied to a field; and a seed ejection system (242) generating a control signal to control the seeding system (203) to plant the seed based on the target parameter, further comprising a computer system for controlling the agricultural system that is configured to move through a field in a direction of travel, the computer system comprising: at least one processor (243); and memory (274) storing computer executable instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform steps, comprising: identifying (419) a material location characteristic indicative of a location of previously applied material applied to a field; and controlling (436) the agricultural system to eject seeds from a seed ejection endpoint at seed locations in a furrow opened by the agricultural system based on the material location characteristic. Further, a computer implemented method of controlling the agricultural machine (100, 201) is disclosed.