# US 11,439,139 B2 · Agricultural sprayer control system and method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,439,139 B2 - Document ID: US11439139B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/594,760 - Filed: 2020-05-26 - Published: 2022-06-30 - Granted: 2022-09-13 - Earliest claimed: 2019-05-30 - Assignees: AGCO International GmbH - Applicants: AGCO International GmbH - Inventors: Lars Schmitz; Hans Stols - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11439139B2 ## CPC - A01M 7/0089: {Regulating or controlling systems (the delivery being related to the movement of a vehicle B05B9/06)} - A01C 23/007: {Metering or regulating systems} - B05B 12/126: {responsive to target velocity, e.g. to relative velocity between spray apparatus and target (B05B9/06 takes precedence)} - B60Q 9/00: Arrangement or adaptation of signal devices not provided for in one of main groups B60Q1/00 - B60Q7/00 {, e.g. haptic signalling} - G05B 19/0426: {Programming the control sequence} - G05B 2219/37399: Pressure - G05B 2219/45013: Spraying, coating, painting - G05B 2219/45017: Agriculture machine, tractor - G05B 2219/45106: Used in agriculture, tree trimmer, pruner - A01M: CATCHING, TRAPPING OR SCARING OF ANIMALS (appliances for catching swarms or drone-catching A01K57/00; fishing A01K69/00 - {A01K99/00}; biocides, pest repellants or attractants A01N); APPARATUS FOR THE DESTRUCTION OF NOXIOUS ANIMALS OR NOXIOUS PLANTS - A01C: PLANTING; SOWING; FERTILISING (parts, details or accessories of agricultural machines or implements, in general A01B51/00 - A01B75/00) - B05B: SPRAYING APPARATUS; ATOMISING APPARATUS; NOZZLES (spray-mixers with nozzles B01F25/72; processes for applying liquids or other fluent materials to surfaces by spraying B05D) - B60Q: ARRANGEMENT OF SIGNALLING OR LIGHTING DEVICES, THE MOUNTING OR SUPPORTING THEREOF OR CIRCUITS THEREFOR, FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL - G05B: CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS (systems for controlling or regulating non-electric variables G05D; systems for regulating electric or magnetic variables G05F; control devices or systems insofar as characterised by mechanical features only G05G) ## Abstract A controller for an agricultural sprayer machine is configured to receive for each of a plurality of nozzle sets a respective upper pressure limit, a nozzle reference flow, and a nozzle reference pressure. For each one of the plurality of nozzle sets, a speed setpoint is calculated based upon the application rate setpoint, the nozzle reference flow, the nozzle reference pressure, and the product pressure setpoint. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An agricultural sprayer machine, comprising: a fluid delivery network in selective hydraulic communication with a plurality of nozzle groups disposed in a mutually spaced relationship, wherein each nozzle group comprises a plurality of nozzles that can be independently activated, wherein, when activated, a nozzle of the plurality of nozzles is put into hydraulic communication with the fluid delivery network, wherein a nozzle set comprises at least one nozzle from each nozzle group; and an electronic controller configured to: receive an application rate setpoint and a product pressure setpoint; receive for each of a plurality of nozzle sets a respective upper pressure limit, a nozzle reference flow, and a nozzle reference pressure; calculate a speed setpoint for each one of the plurality of nozzle sets based upon the application rate setpoint, the nozzle reference flow, the nozzle reference pressure, and the product pressure setpoint; and control a forward speed of the agricultural sprayer machine based upon the speed setpoints. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The agricultural sprayer machine of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to adapt the speed setpoint in response to a change in the application rate setpoint or the pressure setpoint. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The agricultural sprayer machine of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to: receive a pressure range; and generate an adapted pressure setpoint from the pressure setpoint when the pressure setpoint resides outside of the pressure range, wherein the adapted pressure setpoint equals one of an upper limit or a lower limit of the pressure range, and wherein the speed setpoint is based upon the adapted pressure setpoint. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The agricultural sprayer machine of claim 1, wherein a forward speed of the agricultural sprayer machine is limited at or below the speed setpoint. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The agricultural sprayer machine of claim 1, further comprising a user interface device for receiving speed commands from a driver, wherein the controller is configured to control a forward speed of the agricultural sprayer machine in response to received speed commands, wherein a speed command sequentially steps the speed up or down from a first one of the speed setpoints to a second one of the speed setpoints. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The agricultural sprayer machine of claim 1, further comprising a display in communication with the controller, wherein an active one of the speed setpoints is displayed together with a sequential next, inactive, speed setpoint which is available for selection by a driver. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The agricultural sprayer machine of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to: receive an application rate setpoint; for each nozzle set an upper pressure limit, a lower pressure limit, a nozzle reference flow, and a nozzle reference pressure; calculate a speed range for each nozzle set, wherein each speed range comprises a lower speed limit and an upper speed limit, receive a forward speed signal; and select one of the nozzle sets based upon the forward speed signal and the speed ranges. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The agricultural sprayer machine of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to receive and store an operating parameter for each one of a plurality of drift reduction classes, wherein the controller is operable to control at least one of a pump, a forward speed, a nozzle selection, and a display based on the operating parameter of a selected one of the plurality of drift reduction classes. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The agricultural sprayer machine of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to control a display based upon the speed setpoints. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The agricultural sprayer machine of claim 9, further comprising a user interface device for receiving speed commands from a driver, wherein the controller is configured to control the forward speed in response to received speed commands. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The agricultural sprayer machine of claim 10, wherein the controller is further configured to generate a driver alert in response to receiving a speed command that corresponds to a speed that exceeds the speed setpoint for a currently active nozzle set. ### Claim 12 A method of controlling an agricultural spraying machine, the method comprising: receiving an application rate setpoint and a product pressure setpoint; receiving for each of a plurality of nozzle sets a respective upper pressure limit, a nozzle reference flow and a nozzle reference pressure; calculating for each one of the plurality of nozzle sets a speed setpoint based upon the application rate setpoint, the nozzle reference flow, the nozzle reference pressure, and the product pressure setpoint; and controlling a forward speed of the agricultural spraying machine based upon the speed setpoints. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, further comprising adapting the speed setpoint in response to a change in the application rate setpoint or the upper pressure limit. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, further comprising receiving a speed command from a driver and controlling the forward speed of the agricultural spraying machine in response to the received speed command by sequentially stepping the speed up or down from a first one of the speed setpoints to a second one of the speed setpoints. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, further comprising: receiving a lower pressure limit for each of the plurality of nozzle sets; calculating a speed range for each nozzle set, wherein each speed range comprises a lower speed limit and an upper speed limit; sensing a forward speed of the spraying machine; and selecting one of the nozzle sets based upon the forward speed of the spraying machine and the speed ranges. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, further comprising displaying the speed setpoints.