Agricultural seed detection and tracking system
AssigneeDeere & Company
InventorsGrant J. Wonderlich, Cary S. Hubner
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An agricultural machine includes a seeding system having a seed meter configured to meter seed, a seed meter sensor configured to generate a sensor signal indicative of movement of the seed meter, and an assistive seed transport mechanism configured to receive the metered seed from the seed meter and to transport the metered seed along a delivery path. A control system is configured to determine a position of the seed in the assistive seed transport mechanism based on the sensor signal, and generate a control signal to control the agricultural machine based on the determined position of the seed.
Claims20
An agricultural machine comprising:
- a seeding system comprising:
- a seed meter configured to meter seed;
- a seed meter sensor configured to generate a sensor signal indicative of movement of the Seed meter;
- and
- all assistive seed transport mechanism configured to receive the metered seed from the seed meter and to transport the metered seed along a delivery path;
- and
- a control system configured to:
- determine a position of the seed in the assistive seed transport mechanism based on the sensor signal;
- and
- generate a control signal to control the agricultural machine based on the determined position of the seed.
A method of con trolling an agricultural machine, the method comprising:
- operating a seed meter to meter seed;
- receiving a sensor signal indicative of movement of the seed meter;
- determining release of the seed from the seed meter to an assistive seed transport mechanism based on the sensor signal;
- determining an orientation of the assistive seed transport mechanism corresponding to the release of the seed from the seed meter;
- determining a position of the seed in the assistive seed transport mechanism based on the determined orientation;
- and
- controlling the agricultural machine based on the position of the seed in the assistive seed transport mechanism.
A control system for an agricultural machine, the control system comprising:
- at least one processor;
- and
- memory storing instructions executable by the at least one processor, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the control system to:
- receive a seed presence signal indicative of presence of a seed at a sensor location in a seed meter;
- receive a seed meter signal indicative of movement of the seed meter;
- determine release of the seed from the seed meter to an assistive seed transport mechanism based on the seed meter signal;
- receive a transport mechanism signal indicative of an orientation of the assistive seed transport mechanism corresponding to the release of the seed from the seed meter;
- determine a position of the seed in the assistive seed transport mechanism based on the orientation of the assistive seed transport mechanism corresponding to the release of the seed from the seed meter;
- and
- track a movement of the seed in the assistive seed transport mechanism;
- and
- control the agricultural machine based on the movement of the seed in the assistive seed transport mechanism.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.