# US 11,895,941 B2 · Tillage system with variable fertilizer application > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,895,941 B2 - Document ID: US11895941B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/578,846 - Filed: 2019-09-23 - Published: 2021-03-25 - Granted: 2024-02-13 - Earliest claimed: 2019-09-23 - Assignees: CNH Industrial America LLC - Applicants: CNH Industrial America LLC - Inventors: Brian Falasz - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11895941B2 ## CPC - A01C 21/007: {Determining fertilization requirements} - A01B 49/06: for sowing or fertilising - A01B 79/005: {Precision agriculture} - A01B 79/02: combined with other agricultural processing, e.g. fertilising, planting - A01C 7/203: {comprising depth regulation means} - A01C 21/005: {Following a specific plan, e.g. pattern} - A01C 23/007: {Metering or regulating systems} - A01C 23/028: {Contactless injection into the soil} - Y02P 60/21: Dinitrogen oxide [N2O], e.g. using aquaponics, hydroponics or efficiency measures - A01C: PLANTING; SOWING; FERTILISING (parts, details or accessories of agricultural machines or implements, in general A01B51/00 - A01B75/00) - A01B: SOIL WORKING IN AGRICULTURE OR FORESTRY; PARTS, DETAILS, OR ACCESSORIES OF AGRICULTURAL MACHINES OR IMPLEMENTS, IN GENERAL (making or covering furrows or holes for sowing, planting or manuring A01C5/00; mowers convertible to soil working apparatus or capable of soil working A01D42/04; mowers combined with soil working implements A01D43/12; soil working for engineering purposes E01, E02, E21) - Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS ## Abstract An agricultural implement including a frame, a plurality of ground engaging tools connected to the frame, a fertilizer device configured for applying at least one liquid fertilizer and including a plurality of fluid lines and a plurality of fertilizer applicator assemblies fluidly connected to the plurality of fluid lines. Each fertilizer applicator assembly includes an applicator connected to the frame and a valve fluidly connected to the applicator. The valve is configured for varying a rate of the at least one liquid fertilizer through the applicator. The agricultural implement also includes an electronic control unit operably connected to the valves of the plurality of fertilizer applicator assemblies and configured for automatically adjusting the valve of at least one fertilizer applicator assembly of the plurality of fertilizer applicator assemblies to vary the rate of the at least one liquid fertilizer, dependent upon a fertilizer requirement characteristic. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An agricultural implement, comprising: a frame; a plurality of ground engaging tools connected to the frame; a fertilizer device configured for applying at least one liquid fertilizer and comprising a plurality of fluid lines and a plurality of fertilizer applicator assemblies fluidly connected to the plurality of fluid lines, and each fertilizer applicator assembly comprising an applicator connected to the frame and a valve fluidly connected to the applicator, and the valve being configured for varying a rate of the at least one liquid fertilizer through the applicator; and an electronic control unit operably connected to the valves of the plurality of fertilizer applicator assemblies and configured for automatically adjusting the valve of at least one fertilizer applicator assembly of the plurality of fertilizer applicator assemblies to vary the rate of the at least one liquid fertilizer, dependent upon a fertilizer requirement characteristic, the electronic control unit being configured for adjusting a depth of the plurality of ground engaging tools dependent upon a compaction layer characteristic, wherein the electronic control unit is configured to determine the compaction layer characteristic based at least upon a crop yield map data and upon real-time compaction layer data determined by a compaction layer sensor. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The agricultural implement of claim 1, further comprising a global positioning system (GPS) sensor operably connected to the electronic control unit and configured for providing a position signal indicative of a position of the agricultural implement. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The agricultural implement of claim 2, wherein the fertilizer requirement characteristic is determined from the position signal of the GPS sensor, estimated fertilizer data based on yield map data, and estimated fertilizer data extrapolated from previous in-field soil measurements. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The agricultural implement of claim 1, wherein the fertilizer requirement characteristic is determined from at least one of estimated fertilizer data based on yield map data and estimated fertilizer data extrapolated from previous in-field soil measurements. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The agricultural implement of claim 1, wherein the electronic control unit comprises a memory which stores field agronomy data from at least one soil sample measurement. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The agricultural implement of claim 5, wherein the at least one soil sample measurement is at least one in-field measurement of a soil nutrient level. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The agricultural implement of claim 1, wherein the plurality of ground engaging tools comprises a plurality of coulters, and each fertilizer applicator is located behind a respective coulter. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The agricultural implement of claim 1, wherein the valve of each fertilizer applicator assembly is a solenoid valve. ### Claim 9 An agricultural tillage system, comprising: an agricultural vehicle; an agricultural implement towed by the agricultural vehicle and comprising a frame and a plurality of ground engaging tools connected to the frame; a fertilizer device connected to the agricultural implement and configured for applying at least one liquid fertilizer, the fertilizer device comprising a plurality of fluid lines and a plurality of fertilizer applicator assemblies fluidly connected to the plurality of fluid lines, and each fertilizer applicator assembly comprising an applicator connected to the frame and a valve fluidly connected to the applicator, and the valve being configured for varying a rate of the at least one liquid fertilizer through the applicator; and an electronic control unit operably connected to the valves of the plurality of fertilizer applicator assemblies and configured for automatically adjusting the valve of at least one fertilizer applicator assembly of the plurality of fertilizer applicator assemblies to vary the rate of the at least one liquid fertilizer, dependent upon a fertilizer requirement characteristic, the electronic control unit being configured for adjusting a depth of the plurality of ground engaging tools dependent upon a compaction layer characteristic, wherein the electronic control unit is configured to determine the compaction layer characteristic based at least upon a crop yield map data and upon real-time compaction layer data determined by a compaction layer sensor. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The agricultural tillage system of claim 9, further comprising a global positioning system (GPS) sensor operably connected to the electronic control unit and configured for providing a position signal indicative of a position of the agricultural implement. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The agricultural tillage system of claim 10, wherein the fertilizer requirement characteristic is determined from the position signal of the GPS sensor, estimated fertilizer data based on yield map data, and estimated fertilizer data extrapolated from previous in-field soil measurements. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The agricultural tillage system of claim 9, wherein the fertilizer requirement characteristic is determined from at least one of estimated fertilizer data based on yield map data and estimated fertilizer data extrapolated from previous in-field soil measurements. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The agricultural tillage system of claim 9, wherein the electronic control unit comprises a memory which stores field agronomy data from at least one soil sample measurement. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The agricultural tillage system of claim 13, wherein the at least one soil sample measurement is at least one in-field measurement of a soil nutrient level. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The agricultural tillage system of claim 9, wherein the plurality of ground engaging tools comprises a plurality of coulters, and each fertilizer applicator is located behind a respective coulter. ### Claim 16 (depends on 9) The agricultural tillage system of claim 9, wherein the valve of each fertilizer applicator assembly is a solenoid valve. ### Claim 17 A method for working a field, comprising: providing an agricultural implement comprising a frame, a plurality of ground engaging tools connected to the frame, a fertilizer device configured for applying at least one liquid fertilizer and comprising a plurality of fluid lines and a plurality of fertilizer applicator assemblies fluidly connected to the plurality of fluid lines, and each fertilizer applicator assembly comprising an applicator connected to the frame and a valve fluidly connected to the applicator, and the valve being configured for varying a rate of the at least one liquid fertilizer through the applicator, and an electronic control unit operably connected to the valves of the plurality of fertilizer applicator assemblies; and adjusting the valve of at least one fertilizer applicator assembly of the plurality of fertilizer applicator assemblies to vary the rate of the at least one liquid fertilizer, dependent upon a fertilizer requirement characteristic; and adjusting, by the electronic control unit, a depth of the plurality of ground engaging tools dependent upon a compaction layer characteristic, wherein the electronic control unit is configured to determine the compaction layer characteristic based at least upon a crop yield map data and upon real-time compaction layer data determined by a compaction layer sensor. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, further including a step of computing, by the electronic control unit, the fertilizer requirement characteristic from at least one of estimated fertilizer data based on yield map data and estimated fertilizer data extrapolated from previous in-field soil measurements. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the agricultural implement further comprises a global positioning system (GPS) sensor operably connected to the electronic control unit, and the method further comprises a step of sensing, by the GPS sensor, a position signal indicative of a position of the agricultural implement. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein the fertilizer requirement characteristic is determined from the position signal of the GPS sensor, estimated fertilizer data based on yield map data, and estimated fertilizer data extrapolated from previous in-field soil measurements.