# US 12,108,694 B2 · Method for performing an agricultural task > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,108,694 B2 - Document ID: US12108694B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/305,428 - Filed: 2021-07-07 - Published: 2022-01-13 - Granted: 2024-10-08 - Earliest claimed: 2020-07-07 - Assignees: Deere & Company - Applicants: Deere & Company - Inventors: Kilian Wolff; Stefan Kuebler; Florian Reinmuth; Georg Kormann; Akshay Kumar - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12108694B2 ## CPC - A01B 69/008: {automatic} - A01C 7/04: Single-grain seeders with or without suction devices - A01C 14/00: Methods or apparatus for planting not provided for in other groups of this subclass - G05D 1/0219: {ensuring the processing of the whole working surface} - G05D 1/648: Performing a task within a working area or space, e.g. cleaning - A01B 79/005: {Precision agriculture} - A01C 21/005: {Following a specific plan, e.g. pattern} - 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) - A01C: PLANTING; SOWING; FERTILISING (parts, details or accessories of agricultural machines or implements, in general A01B51/00 - A01B75/00) - G05D: SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES ## Abstract A method performing an agricultural task on a field, the method comprising: identifying a number of plants in the field on a per unit area; determining a field pattern of plant maintenance for the plants in the field, the field pattern comprising: a planting instruction for travel in a first direction; and a plant maintenance instruction for travel in a second direction which is not parallel to the first direction, the plant maintenance instruction generated using at least one parameter corresponding to the number of plants in the field on a per unit area. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for performing an agricultural task on a field, the method comprising: determining a planting instruction for travel in a first direction, the planting instruction to vary a first spacing between plants in a first row; determining a plant maintenance instruction for travel in a second direction, which is not parallel to the first direction, the plant maintenance instruction generated using at least one parameter corresponding to a number of plants per unit area in the field; and positioning a unit on an implement to carry out the plant maintenance instruction based on the first spacing and the at least one parameter. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further including planting a seed in the field using the planting instruction with a planter in the first direction. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, further including performing a plant maintenance measure using the plant maintenance instruction with a plant maintenance machine in the second direction. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further including performing a plant maintenance measure using the plant maintenance instruction with a plant maintenance machine in the first direction. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, wherein the at least one parameter of the plant maintenance instruction is generated using at least one of: the first spacing of the plants in the first direction, a second spacing of the plants in the second direction, an angle between the first direction and the second direction, and a planned void in a field pattern. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein the number of plants per unit area upon which the plant maintenance measure will be performed is determined by a respective location on the field. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein the at least one parameter continuously changes in at least one of the first direction and the second direction as a function of the respective location on the field. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein a spacing between a first unit and a second unit of the implement of the plant maintenance machine is adjustable using at least one actuator. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein a track width between wheels of the plant maintenance machine is adjustable using at least one actuator. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, further including adjusting the track width based on at least one of a first tramline of the first direction and a second tramline of the second direction, the first tramline based on a spacing between adjacent rows in the first direction and the second tramline based on the spacing between adjacent rows in the second direction. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein a position of the second tramline is generated for the plant maintenance machine in advance of planting. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein a position of the second tramline is generated for the plant maintenance machine during planting using a local sensor on the planter. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the track width of the second tramline of the plant maintenance machine is generated in advance of planting. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the width of the track width of the second tramline of the plant maintenance machine is generated during planting using a local sensor on the planter. ### Claim 15 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein the plant maintenance instruction updates a location of the planned void in the field pattern based on an occurrence of an unintentional void, the unintentional void to occur during planting in a different location from the planned void. ### Claim 16 An agricultural machine system for performing an agricultural task in a field, the agricultural machine system comprising: an agricultural machine; a frame connected to the agricultural machine, the frame configured with at least two units to perform an agricultural task; a controller in communication with the agricultural machine and the at least two units, the controller configured to determine agricultural task instructions, the agricultural task instructions including: a first agricultural task instruction for travel in a first direction, the first agricultural task instruction to vary a first spacing between plants in a first row; and a second agricultural task instruction for travel in a second direction, which is not parallel to the first direction, the second agricultural task instruction for travel in the second direction is generated using at least one parameter corresponding to crop density; and actuators in communication with the agricultural machine and the at least two units, the actuators configured to position the at least two units based on the first spacing and the at least one parameter. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The agricultural machine system of claim 16, wherein the at least two units are configured to be in an adjustable relationship with each other. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The agricultural machine system of claim 16, wherein the first agricultural task instruction is performed using a planter, the planter configured to plant seed using at least in part a planting instruction. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The agricultural machine system of claim 16, wherein the second agricultural task instruction is performed using a cultivator, the cultivator configured to cultivate plants in the field using at least in part a plant maintenance instruction. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The agricultural machine system of claim 16, wherein the first agricultural task instruction is performed using a cultivator, the cultivator configured to cultivate plants in the field performing a plant maintenance measure using at least in part a plant maintenance instruction.