# US 11,997,941 B2 · Agricultural seed sensing and control system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,997,941 B2 - Document ID: US11997941B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/488,683 - Filed: 2021-09-29 - Published: 2022-01-20 - Granted: 2024-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2019-04-26 - Assignees: Deere & Company - Applicants: Deere & Company - Inventors: Terry L. Snipes; Robert T. Casper; William C. Hughes; Gerald E. Rains; Jason D. Walter; Elijah B. Garner; Matt D. Bartelson; Sahil C. Desai; Andrew J. Scholl - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11997941B2 ## CPC - A01C 7/105: {Seed sensors} - A01C 7/081: {Seeders depositing seeds in rows using pneumatic means} - G01F 1/00: Measuring the volume flow or mass flow of fluid or fluent solid material wherein the fluid passes through a meter in a continuous flow (measuring a proportion of the volume flow G01F5/00) - A01C 15/005: {Undercarriages, tanks, hoppers, stirrers specially adapted for seeders or fertiliser distributors} - A01C: PLANTING; SOWING; FERTILISING (parts, details or accessories of agricultural machines or implements, in general A01B51/00 - A01B75/00) - G01F: MEASURING VOLUME, VOLUME FLOW, MASS FLOW OR LIQUID LEVEL; METERING BY VOLUME ## Abstract An agricultural machine includes a metering system comprising one or more meters configured to meter particulate material into a first material distribution line and a second material distribution line, a first sensor configured to generate a first sensor signal indicative of a first measure of a flow of the particulate material in the first material distribution line, a second sensor configured to generate a second sensor signal indicative of a second measure of the flow of the particulate material in the first material distribution line, and a control system. The control system is configured to receive an indication of a sensed flow rate of the particulate material in the second material distribution line, obtain an adjusted flow rate indication by applying, to the sensed flow rate, a rate offset based on the first and second sensor signals, and control the metering system based on the adjusted flow rate indication. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An agricultural machine comprising: a metering system comprising one or more meters configured to meter particulate material into a first material distribution line and a second material distribution line; a first sensor configured to generate a first sensor signal indicative of a first pleasure of a flow of the particulate material in the first material distribution line; a second sensor configured to generate a second sensor signal indicative of a second measure of the flow of the particulate material in the first material distribution line; and a control system configured to: receive an indication of a sensed flow rate of the particulate material in the second material distribution line; obtain an adjusted flow rate indication by applying, to the sensed flow rate, a rate offset based on the first and second sensor signals; and control the metering system based on the adjusted flow rate indication. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The agricultural machine of claim 1, wherein the control system is configured to control the metering system to adjust a metering rate of the particulate material in the second material distribution line. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The agricultural machine of claim 1, wherein the control system is configured to receive the indication of the sensed flow rate from a third sensor corresponding to the second material distribution line. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The agricultural machine of claim 3, wherein the control system is configured to calibrate the third sensor based on the adjusted flow rate indication and control the metering system based on a flow rate indication received from the calibrated third sensor. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The agricultural machine of claim 3, wherein the first sensor and the third sensor have substantially similar sensing precision. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The agricultural machine of claim 5, wherein the second sensor has a higher sensing precision compared to the first sensor. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The agricultural machine of claim 6, wherein the second sensor has a maximum sensing rate that is at least four times greater than a maximum sensing rate of the first sensor. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The agricultural machine of claim 1, wherein the control system is configured to obtain the adjusted flow rate indication by extrapolating the flow rate in the second material distribution line based on the rate offset. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The agricultural machine of claim 1, wherein the particulate material comprises seeds; the first material distribution line is configured to convey a first flow of seeds to a first row unit; and the second material distribution line is configured to convey a second flow of seeds to a second row unit. ### Claim 10 A method performed by an agricultural machine, the method comprising: receiving a first sensor signal from a first sensor, the first sensor signal being indicative of a first measure of a flow of particulate material in a first material distribution line; receiving a second sensor signal from a second sensor, the second sensor signal being indicative of a second measure of the flow of the particulate material in the first material distribution line; receiving an indication of a sensed flow rate of particulate material in a second material distribution line; obtaining an adjusted flow rate indication by applying, to the sensed flow rate, a rate offset based on the first and second sensor signals; and controlling a metering rate of the particulate material in the second material distribution line based on the adjusted flow rate indication. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, and further comprising receiving the indication of the sensed flow rate from a third sensor corresponding to the second material distribution line. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, and further comprising calibrating the third sensor based on the adjusted flow rate indication and controlling the metering rate based on a flow rate indication received from the calibrated third sensor. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11 wherein the first sensor and the third sensor have substantially similar sensing precision. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the second sensor has a higher sensing precision compared to the first sensor. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the second sensor has a maximum sensing rate that is at least four times greater than a maximum sensing rate of the first sensor. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, and further comprising obtaining the adjusted flow rate indication by extrapolating the flow rate in the second material distribution line based on the rate offset. ### Claim 17 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the particulate material comprises seeds; the first material distribution line is configured to convey a first flow of seeds to a first row unit; and the second material distribution line is configured to convey a second flow of seeds to a second row unit. ### Claim 18 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 first sensor signal from a first sensor, the first sensor signal being indicative of a first measure of a flow of particulate material in a first material distribution line; receive a second sensor signal from a second sensor, the second sensor signal being indicative of a second measure of the flow of the particulate material in the first material distribution line; receive an indication of a sensed flow rate of particulate material in a second material distribution line; obtain an adjusted flow rate indication by applying, to the sensed flow rate, a rate offset based on the first and second sensor signals; and control a metering rate of the particulate material in the second material distribution line based on the adjusted flow rate indication. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The control system of claim 18, wherein the control system is configured to receive the indication of the sensed flow rate from a third sensor corresponding to the second material distribution line, and the first sensor and the third sensor have substantially similar sensing precision. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The control system of claim 18, wherein the particulate material comprises seeds; the first material distribution line is configured to convey a first flow of seeds to a first row unit; and the second material distribution line is configured to convey a second flow of seeds to a second row unit.