Soil Property Mapping for Selective Tillage of Compacted Areas

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing technologies face challenges in efficiently determining soil properties and managing soil compaction across agricultural worksites, particularly in selecting areas for treatment and optimizing the operation of agricultural machines.

Innovation Solution

A computer-implemented method that receives soil parameter data, generates a soil parameter map, and creates a plan of action for an agricultural machine based on the map, allowing for selective tillage of areas with soil compaction above a certain level.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If traditional uniform tillage is applied across the entire worksite, then soil compaction can be reduced, but resource consumption and time increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesoil compactionVSAvoidresource efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by transitioning from uniform tillage across the entire worksite to selective tillage based on locally determined soil properties. Thermal latency data is collected at specific locations, and tillage operations are targeted only to areas where soil compaction thresholds are exceeded, making the treatment quality vary according to local soil conditions rather than applying a uniform approach throughout.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments the worksite into distinct zones based on thermal latency measurements. By dividing the field into areas requiring tillage and areas not requiring tillage, the system enables selective application of tillage operations only to specific segments where soil compaction problems exist, rather than treating the entire area uniformly.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Measurement precision

If thermal latency data is used to determine soil properties, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesoil property detectionVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces traditional mechanical soil sampling and physical measurement systems with thermal-based measurement technology. By using thermal latency data collected through thermal imaging or temperature sensors, the system substitutes complex mechanical soil analysis equipment with thermal measurement devices, achieving precise soil property detection while potentially reducing overall system complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

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 method enables precise identification and treatment of compacted areas, reducing soil compaction, conserving resources, and improving crop yields by optimizing agricultural machine operations.

Implementation Method 1

The image data of the worksite include thermal latency data, and extracting the soil parameter data of the worksite from the received image data includes extracting soil compaction data of the worksite

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal latency:

Data Source

PatentEP3812980B1Methods and systems for reducing soil compaction using worksite treatment based on determined soil properties
Publication Date: 2025.04.16 DEERE & CO
  • EP3812980B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3812980B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3812980B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Systems, methods, and devices for receiving soil parameter data of a worksite and identifying one or more locations of the worksite for treatment based on the received soil parameter data are disclosed. In some implementations, the soil parameter data include thermal latency data. Soil compaction data of the worksite may be derived from the thermal latency data. A soil parameter map of the worksite may be generated based on the received soil parameter data, and a plan of action, such as identifying one or more locations to perform a soil treatment operation, may be determined based on the soil parameter map.