Soil Estimation Device Using Geographical Data
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing soil moisture estimation methods are inaccurate when geographical features and soil quality are non-uniform, and require multiple sensors, which increases costs and reduces work efficiency, especially in large fields.
Innovation Solution
A soil estimation device that generates an estimated model using geographical and soil distribution information to predict soil states from measured values, allowing for accurate estimation without increasing the number of sensors, by dividing the field into sections and considering geographical features and soil quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If multiple soil moisture sensors are installed to measure soil moisture content at several locations, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses slope distribution of measured values from a limited number of sensors to create estimated values for locations without sensors. This copying approach allows the system to infer soil moisture content across the entire field based on measurements from fewer actual sensors, thereby maintaining measurement precision while reducing the number of physical sensors required
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces slope distribution as an intermediary method to transfer measurement information from locations with sensors to locations without sensors. By using the slope distribution of measured values as a mediator, the system can estimate soil moisture content at unsampled locations without directly measuring them, thus reducing the total number of sensors needed
2Measurement precision
If multiple soil moisture sensors are installed to accurately measure soil moisture content, then measurement precision is improved, but productivity decreases due to reduced work efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The system copies measurement patterns and slope distributions from locations with sensors to estimate values at locations without sensors. This allows agricultural machines to operate continuously without repeatedly stopping to install or remove multiple sensors, thereby maintaining measurement precision while preserving work efficiency and productivity
3Device complexity
If slope distribution of measured values is used to estimate soil moisture content at locations without sensors, then device complexity is reduced, but measurement precision deteriorates when geographical features and soil quality are non-uniform
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by recognizing that different locations in the field have different characteristics (geographical features and soil quality). The system divides the field into sections and applies slope distribution estimation locally within each section, allowing the estimation method to adapt to local conditions and maintain accuracy even when the overall field is non-uniform
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the field into multiple sections based on geographical features and soil quality variations. By performing slope distribution estimation within each segmented section rather than across the entire field, the system maintains measurement precision in heterogeneous conditions while still reducing the total number of sensors required
Data Source
AI summary
Provided are a soil estimation device, a soil estimation method and a program that are capable of improving the accuracy of estimation of a state in soil without increasing the number of sensors that detect the state in the soil. The soil estimation device 100 is provided with an estimated model generation unit 10. The estimated model generation unit 10 generates an estimated model based on at least one among geographical information that specifies a geographical feature of a field of interest and soil distribution information that specifies a soil distribution in the field. The estimated model is a model for estimating, from a measured value that indicates the state in the soil at one location within the field, the state in the soil at a location other than the one location.