# US 10,371,558 B2 · System and method for measuring a bin level via an electromagnetic signal > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,371,558 B2 - Document ID: US10371558B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/411,191 - Filed: 2017-01-20 - Published: 2018-03-01 - Granted: 2019-08-06 - Earliest claimed: 2016-08-31 - Assignees: Deere & Company - Applicants: Deere & Company - Inventors: Nikolai R. Tevs; Terry L. Snipes; Elijah B. Garner - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10371558B2 ## CPC - G01F 23/2845: {for discrete levels (G01F23/288, G01F23/292 take precedence)} - A01C 15/006: {Hoppers} - G01F 22/00: Methods or apparatus for measuring volume of fluids or fluent solid material, not otherwise provided for - G01F 23/284: Electromagnetic waves - G01F 23/80: Arrangements for signal processing - A01D 41/1275: {for the level of grain in grain tanks} - G01F: MEASURING VOLUME, VOLUME FLOW, MASS FLOW OR LIQUID LEVEL; METERING BY VOLUME - A01C: PLANTING; SOWING; FERTILISING (parts, details or accessories of agricultural machines or implements, in general A01B51/00 - A01B75/00) - A01D: HARVESTING; MOWING ## Abstract A data processor retrieves or accesses a reference bin level versus reference phase for a determined seed type. A measurement device, receiver, or phase measurement module measures an observed phase of a primary received signal. The data processor is adapted to determine an estimated bin level of seeds, where the estimated bin level is established as the reference bin level that corresponds to a respective reference phase that is closest in value to the observed phase. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for measuring one or more seed levels in a bin, the method comprising: determining a seed type; retrieving or accessing a reference bin level versus reference phase for the determined seed type, measuring an observed phase of a primary received signal; determining an estimated bin level of seeds, where the estimated bin level is established as the reference bin level that corresponds to the respective reference phase that is closest in value to the observed phase; and displaying the estimated bin level to an operator. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the bin level relates to one hopper for a row of a planter or planting device. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1 wherein the measuring of the observed phase further comprises: measuring a detected phase of a primary received signal where seeds are in the bin; retrieving or accessing a reference phase of a primary received signal where the bin is empty; and determining the observed phase as a primary phase difference between the detected phase and the reference phase of the primary received signal. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1 wherein the determining of the seed type comprises: measuring a sensed phase of a secondary received signal when seeds are in the bin; retrieving or accessing a reference phase of a secondary received signal when the bin is empty; and determining a secondary phase difference between the sensed phase and the reference phase of the secondary received signal; identifying a seed type based on the secondary determined difference. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method according claim 4 wherein the secondary received signal has a frequency within a range of approximately 240 MHz to approximately 3 GHz. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1 wherein the determining of the estimated bin level further comprises: estimating the estimated bin level from a seed-type specific relationship between the primary phase difference and a reference bin level. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method according to claim 6 wherein the seed-type specific relationship can be expressed as a chart, a linear equation or a quadratic equation. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1 wherein the displaying of the estimated bin level is indicative of a volume of seeds in the bin and wherein the estimated bin level is displayed as a fraction of total bin volume capacity, fraction of total bin weight capacity, a percent of bin volume capacity, or a percent of bin weight capacity. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1 wherein the primary frequency is within a frequency range of approximately 800 Megahertz (MHz) to approximately 3 Gigahertz (GHz). ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1 wherein the primary frequency is transmitted via a transmit antenna that is separated from a receive antenna by a known spacing on a substantially co-planar dielectric substrate. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method according to claim 10 wherein the receive antenna and the transmit antenna are arranged in a vertical plane of the bin for carrying seeds of a planter. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The method according to claim 10 wherein the receive antenna and transmitted antenna are arranged in a horizontal plane of the bin for carrying seeds of a planter. ### Claim 13 A system for measuring one or more seed levels in a bin, the system comprising: a data storage device for storing a determined seed type in a bin; a data processor for retrieving from or accessing the data storage device a reference bin level versus reference phase for the determined seed type; a measurement unit for measuring an observed phase of a primary received signal; an estimator or data processor for determining an estimated bin level of seeds, where the estimated bin level is established as the reference bin level that corresponds to the respective reference phase that is closest in value to the observed phase; and a display for displaying the estimated bin level to an operator. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The system according to claim 13 further comprising: an input device for inputting or determining a seed type in a bin, wherein the user interface comprises a bar code scanner, a optical scanner, or an imaging device, that a supports scanning or imaging a seed label indicative of seed type. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The system according to claim 13 further comprising: the data storage device adapted to store reference measurements of a reference attenuation, and reference phase shift, or both for a corresponding seed of known seed type in the bin at one or more known levels. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The system according to claim 13 wherein the bin level relates to one hopper for a row of a planter or planting device. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The system according to claim 13 wherein the measurement device is adapted to: measure a detected phase of a primary received signal where seeds are in the bin; retrieve or access a reference phase of a primary received signal where the bin is empty; and determine the observed phase as a primary phase difference between the detected phase and the reference phase of the primary received signal. ### Claim 18 (depends on 13) The system according to claim 13 wherein the data processor is adapted to: measure a sensed phase of a secondary received signal when seeds are in the bin at a reference level; retrieve or access a reference phase of a secondary received signal when the bin is empty or filled to the reference level with a known seed type; and determine a secondary phase difference between the sensed phase and the reference phase of the secondary received signal; identify a seed type based on the secondary determined difference. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The system according claim 18 wherein the secondary received signal has a frequency within a range of approximately 240 MHz to approximately 3 GHz. ### Claim 20 (depends on 13) The system according to claim 13 wherein the estimator or the data processor is adapted to estimate the estimated bin level from a seed-type specific relationship between the primary phase difference and a reference bin level. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The system according to claim 20 wherein the seed-type specific relationship can be expressed as a chart, a linear equation or a quadratic equation. ### Claim 22 (depends on 13) The system according to claim 13 wherein the primary frequency is within a frequency range of approximately 800 Megahertz (MHz) to approximately 3 Gigahertz (GHz). ### Claim 23 (depends on 13) The system according to claim 13 wherein the primary frequency is transmitted via a transmit antenna that is separated from a receive antenna by a known spacing on a substantially co-planar dielectric substrate. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The system according to claim 23 wherein the receive antenna and the transmit antenna are arranged in a vertical plane of the bin for carrying seeds of a planter. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The system according to claim 24 wherein the transmit antenna and the receive antenna are secured to or embedded in a dielectric wall of the bin. ### Claim 26 (depends on 23) The system according to claim 23 wherein the receive antenna and transmitted antenna are arranged in a horizontal plane of the bin for carrying seeds of a planter. ### Claim 27 (depends on 26) The system according to claim 26 wherein the transmit antenna and the receive antenna are secured to or embedded in a dielectric bottom of the bin.