Spray Quality Monitoring with Geo-Located Field Mapping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing agricultural applicators lack effective systems for monitoring application quality during operations, leading to potential misapplications of agricultural products on fields.
Innovation Solution
An agricultural application system equipped with sensors and a computing system that captures data on application variables, converts them into scaled integers, and generates a geo-located application map to display spray quality indices, allowing for real-time monitoring and adjustment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional agricultural applicators are used without monitoring systems, then the device complexity is low, but the measurement precision of spray quality is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces physical/manual inspection methods with electronic sensors and computing systems to detect and measure spray quality parameters. Sensors monitor application variables such as spray rate, boom height, and nozzle performance, converting physical phenomena into electrical signals for precise digital measurement and analysis.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces sensors as intermediary devices between the spray application process and the operator. These sensors act as mediators that capture application variables, transmit data to computing systems, and enable indirect measurement of spray quality without direct physical intervention in the spraying process.
2Reliability
If real-time monitoring systems are implemented, then the reliability of application is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms where sensors continuously monitor application variables and transmit data to computing systems that process this information in real-time. The system provides feedback to operators through displays or alerts, enabling them to adjust spray parameters immediately to maintain reliable application quality throughout the operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs preliminary action by monitoring application variables before they result in poor spray quality. The system detects deviations from optimal parameters early in the process, allowing preventive adjustments to be made before misapplication occurs, thereby ensuring consistent application reliability.
3Measurement precision
If multiple application variables are monitored simultaneously, then the measurement precision of spray quality is improved, but the device complexity and data processing requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the monitoring system into specialized sensors for different application variables (spray rate, boom height, nozzle performance, etc.). Each sensor independently measures a specific parameter, and the computing system processes each data stream separately before integrating them into a comprehensive spray quality assessment, reducing overall system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a multi-functional computing system that handles multiple application variables through a unified data processing platform. The system integrates various sensor inputs, applies consistent processing algorithms, and generates comprehensive spray quality metrics, reducing redundancy and simplifying the overall data processing architecture despite monitoring multiple parameters.
Data Source
AI summary
An agricultural application is provided herein that includes a nozzle assembly positioned along a boom assembly and configured to selectively dispense an agricultural product therefrom. One or more sensors can be operably coupled with the boom assembly and can be configured to capture data associated with one or more application variables. A computing system can be communicatively coupled to the one or more sensors and to a display. The computing system can be configured to receive the data associated with the one or more application variables; convert the one or more application variables to a scaled integer to determine a spray quality index; generate a geo-located application map of the scaled integer; and present the geo-located application map on the display.