# US 11,895,942 B2 · Plant growth platform > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,895,942 B2 - Document ID: US11895942B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/197,793 - Filed: 2021-03-10 - Published: 2022-09-15 - Granted: 2024-02-13 - Earliest claimed: 2021-03-10 - Assignees: Earth Scout GBC - Applicants: Earth Scout, GBC - Inventors: Dipesh Karki; Troy Schmidtke; Oleg Myslov; Subigya Shakya; Peder Lindberg; Mitra Sangroula; Christopher Burg; David Mulla; Michael Immer - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11895942B2 ## CPC - A01C 21/007: {Determining fertilization requirements} - A01B 79/005: {Precision agriculture} - G06Q 50/02: Agriculture; Fishing; Forestry; Mining - 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) - G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR ## Abstract A method for continuous real time monitoring of a crop growth including the use of a telescoping sensor mount capable of systematically extending a sensor above a crop growth canopy. The method includes determining a value associated with soil saturation, soil nitrogen mineralization, and growing degree units. These values are made available to the user real time. The telescoping sensor mount of the invention includes a foldaway tripod support system and is further capable of being powered with solar energy. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for continuous real time monitoring a crop growth, the method including the steps of: providing field units for positioning within a boundary of a crop growth, wherein the field units are capable of coupling to accessories selected from the group consisting of soil moisture sensors, soil temp sensors, soil conductivity sensors, soil oxygen sensors, air oxygen sensors, air temperature sensors, air humidity sensors, air CO2 sensors, frost sensors, solar radiation sensors, wind sensors, precipitation sensors, digital camera, and GPS location sensors; linking the field units to a base station; transmitting and receiving data between the field units and the base station; obtaining data corresponding to outputs from the accessories; transmitting data corresponding to outputs from the accessories to the base station; obtaining setting preferences for at least two items selected from the group consisting of the field units, accessories, a date range, and a soil decay rate; generating values associated with at least one of soil saturation, soil nitrogen mineralization, and growing degree units, wherein values associated with soil saturation depend upon volumetric soil moisture measurements detected over time; and wherein values associated with soil nitrogen mineralization depend upon detected biological processes of soil organic matter; and wherein values associated with growing degree units depend upon transmitted data outputs, previous compiled outputs and reference data; and transmitting the generated values to a user within a day of obtaining data corresponding to the outputs of the accessories. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method as recited in claim 1, further including the step of transmitting information to the user to allow optimization of tissue sampling tools, wherein the information transmitted is dependent upon the generated values associated with the at least one of soil saturation, soil nitrogen mineralization, and growing degree units. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method as recited in claim 1, further including the step of transmitting information to the user to allow optimization of grower practices, wherein the information transmitted is dependent upon the generated values associated with the at least one of soil saturation, soil nitrogen mineralization, and growing degree units. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method as recited in claim 1, further including the step of transmitting information to the user to allow irrigation optimization, wherein the information provided is dependent upon the generated values associated with the at least one of soil saturation, soil nitrogen mineralization, and growing degree units. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method as recited in claim 1, further including the step of providing information concerning nitrogen mineralization predictors to the user. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the step of generating a value associated with soil saturation further depends upon values associated with field capacity and plant water extraction limit. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method as recited in claim 6, further including the step of estimating available water holding capacity (AWC) dependent upon values associated with field capacity and plant water extraction limit. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the step of determining a value associated with soil nitrogen mineralization further depends upon values transmited and received data from a soil temperature sensor and a soil moisture content sensor. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method as recited in claim 8, further including the step of transmitting information concerning nitrogen mineralization predictors to the user. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method as recited in claim 1, further including the step of adjusting an arm member of each field unit to remain above a crop growth canopy. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method as recited in claim 10, wherein the accessories are coupled to the arm member of each field unit and data is transmitted associated with at least one of ambient light, air humidity, and air temperature. ### Claim 12 A method for continuous real time monitoring a crop growth, the method including the steps of: providing field units for positioning within a boundary of a crop growth, wherein the field units are capable of coupling to accessories selected from the group consisting of soil moisture sensors, soil temp sensors, soil conductivity sensors, soil oxygen sensors, air oxygen sensors, air temperature sensors, air humidity sensors, air CO2 sensors, frost sensors, solar radiation sensors, wind sensors, precipitation sensors, digital camera, and GPS location sensors; linking the field units to a base station; transmitting and receiving data between the field units and the base station; obtaining data corresponding to outputs from the accessories; transmitting data corresponding to outputs from the accessories to the base station; setting preferences for the field units and accessories; transmitting at least one of control commands, notifications and alarms from the base unit to applications; and generating values associated with at least one of soil saturation, soil nitrogen mineralization, and growing degree units, wherein values associated with soil saturation depend upon volumetric soil moisture measurements detected over time; and wherein values associated with soil nitrogen mineralization depend upon detected biological processes of soil organic matter; and wherein values associated with growing degree units depend upon transmitted data outputs, previous compiled outputs and reference data: adjusting at least one of irrigation, field units, and grower practices dependent upon the generated values associated with the at least one of soil saturation, soil nitrogen mineralization, and growing degree units. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method as recited in claim 12, further including the step of providing information to the user to allow optimization of tissue sampling tools dependent upon values associated with at least one of soil saturation, soil nitrogen mineralization, and growing degree units. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The method as recited in claim 12, further including the step of transmitting information to the user to allow optimization of fertilization dependent upon generated values associated with at least one of soil saturation, soil nitrogen mineralization, and growing degree units. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The method as recited in claim 12, further including the step of transmitting information to the user to allow irrigation optimization dependent upon generated values associated with at least one of soil saturation, soil nitrogen mineralization, and growing degree units. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The method as recited in claim 12, further including the step of adjusting an arm member of each field unit to remain above a crop growth canopy. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method as recited in claim 16, wherein the accessories are coupled to the field unit and data is transmitted associated with at least one of ambient light, air humidity, and air temperature. ### Claim 18 A method for continuous real time monitoring a crop growth, the method including the steps of: providing field units for positioning within a boundary of a crop growth, wherein the field units are capable of coupling to accessories selected from the group consisting of soil moisture sensors, soil temp sensors, soil conductivity sensors, and soil oxygen sensors; linking the field units to a base station; transmitting and receiving data between the field units and the base station; obtaining data corresponding to outputs from the accessories; transmitting data corresponding to outputs from the accessories to the base station; obtaining setting preferences for at least two items selected from the group consisting of the field units, accessories, a date range, and a soil decay rate; generating values associated with field capacity wherein the values associated with field capacity depend upon volumetric soil moisture measurements detected over time; and transmitting the generated determined values to a user within a day of obtaining data corresponding to the outputs of the accessories. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method as recited in claim 18, further including the step of generating a value associated with soil saturation that depends upon values associated with field capacity and a plant water extraction limit. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The method as recited in claim 18, further including the step of estimating available water holding capacity (AWC) dependent upon the generated values associated with field capacity and values generated related to plant water extraction limit.