# US 12,213,401 B1 · Device for monitoring seeding and method thereof

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- Number: US 12,213,401 B1
- Document ID: US12213401B1
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B1
- Application number: 18/729,112
- Filed: 2024-03-07
- Published: 2025-02-13
- Granted: 2025-02-04
- Earliest claimed: 2023-08-10
- Assignees: Shandong Academy of Agricultural Machinery Sciences
- Applicants: Shandong Academy of Agricultural Machinery Sciences
- Inventors: Yongjia Sun; Jingxin Shen; Yifei Wei; Qingqing Dou; Rui Li; Yuxu Wang; Yitian Sun
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12213401B1

## CPC

- A01C 7/105: {Seed sensors}
- A01C: PLANTING; SOWING; FERTILISING (parts, details or accessories of agricultural machines or implements, in general A01B51/00 - A01B75/00)

## Abstract

A device for monitoring seeding and a method thereof, including a monitoring sensor and an algorithm control module, wherein the monitoring sensor includes a first sensor-channel emitting end, a first sensor-channel receiving end, a second sensor-channel emitting end and a second sensor-channel receiving end, and are arranged, in a two-channel opposite-emission photoelectric induction mode, on two sides of a seed belt, respectively; and the algorithm control module is configured to perform counting of seeding, reseeding and missed seeding, monitoring of seed deficiency and seed blockage according to a duration time of a first low level and an interval time of two adjacent falling edges of signals of the two sensor-channels; further, to perform monitoring of a rotating speed of a motor according to an interval time of two adjacent falling edges of signals of the second sensor-channel.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for monitoring seeding, comprising a monitoring sensor and an algorithm control module which are mutually connected; wherein,
the monitoring sensor comprises a first sensor-channel emitting end, a first sensor-channel receiving end, a second sensor-channel emitting end and a second sensor-channel receiving end, and are arranged, in a two-channel opposite-emission photoelectric induction mode, on two sides of a seed belt, respectively; wherein, the first sensor-channel emitting end and the first sensor-channel receiving end form a first sensor-channel, and the second sensor-channel emitting end and the second sensor-channel receiving end form a second sensor-channel; wherein,
the first sensor-channel emitting end and the first sensor-channel receiving end are symmetrical with respect to a plane in which the seed belt is located, and the second sensor-channel emitting end and the second sensor-channel receiving end are symmetrical with respect to a plane in which the seed belt is located;
and, the algorithm control module is configured to perform counting of seeding, reseeding and missed seeding, monitoring of seed deficiency and seed blockage according to a duration time of a first low level and an interval time of two adjacent falling edges of signals of the two sensor-channels; further, to perform monitoring of a rotating speed of a motor according to an interval time of two adjacent falling edges of signals of the second sensor-channel;
wherein, the performing the counting of the seeding, the reseeding and the missed seeding, and the monitoring of the seed deficiency and the seed blockage, comprising:
S1, preparing for monitoring, at a fixed rotational speed, light beams emitted from the first sensor-channel emitting end and the second sensor-channel emitting end, and received by the first sensor-channel receiving end and the second sensor-channel receiving end;
S2, determining whether the emitted light beam of the second sensor-channel is blocked: when the emitted light beam of the second sensor-channel is blocked, executing step S3; when the emitted light beam of the second sensor-channel is not blocked, executing step S1;
S3, recording the duration time t2 of the first low level of the second sensor-channel and the interval time Δt2 (the circle time) between two adjacent falling edges;
S4, determining whether the emitted light beam of the first sensor-channel is blocked: when the emitted light beam of the first sensor-channel is blocked, executing step S5; when the emitted light beam of the first sensor-channel is not blocked, executing step S3;
S5, recording the duration time t1 of the first low level of the first sensor-channel and the interval time Δt1 between two adjacent falling edges;
S6, determining whether t1, t2, Δt1, and Δt2 satisfy relations of t1=t2 and Δt1=Δt2: when t1=t2 and Δt1=Δt2 are satisfied, representing that no seed passes through the first sensor-channel, the two-channel light sources are blocked by the seed belt, and executing step S5; when t1=t2 and Δt1=Δt2 are not satisfied, executing step S7;
S7, determining whether t1, t2, Δt1, and Δt2 satisfy relations of t1=t2 and Δt1<Δt2 or a relation of t1>t2: if satisfy the relation, representing that the seed passes through the first sensor-channel, the light source of the first sensor-channel is blocked by the seed and seed belt, and executing step S8; if not satisfy the relation, executing step S7 continuously to determining;
S8, recording the number x of the cycles when the seed passes through and the number n (n>0) of falling edges appearing in the cycle time Δt2;
S9, determining the magnitude of x and n values: when x #X, executing step S10, wherein X is a theoretical value of the number of cycles when seeds pass through; when n≤2 (a set number), representing that there is a normal seeding, executing step S13; when n>2, representing that there is the reseeding, executing step S14;
S10, counting of the missed seeding, the number of the counting of the missed seeding is increased by 1;
S11, determining whether the number of times of continuous missed seeding is greater than or equal to a threshold value of 3: when the number of times of the continuous missed seeding is greater than or equal to 3, executing step S12; and when the number of times of continuous missed seeding is less than 3, continuing to executing step S11 for determining;
S12, making an alarm when the seed deficiency occurs, to remind timely supplement of seeds;
S13, counting of seeding, the number of the counting of the normal seed is increased by 1;
S14, counting of reseeding, the number of the counting of the reseeding is increased by 1;
S15, determining whether t1 and Δt2 satisfy the relation of t1>Δt2: when t1>Δt2 is satisfied, executing step S16, and when t1>Δt2 is not satisfied, continue to execute step S15 for determining;
S16, making an alarm if there is the seed blockage occurred, to remind timely shut down of the motor and perform of handling;
Step 3: the speed measurement algorithm flow, as shown in FIG. 10, including:
S17, measuring a distance between two adjacent belt teeth is H, and monitoring the two-channel emitting light beams of the sensors;
S18, determining whether the emitted light beam of the second sensor-channel is blocked: when the light beam is blocked, executing step S19; and when the light beam is not blocked, executing step S17;
S19, recording the interval time Δt2 between two adjacent falling edges;
S20: continuously sampling three times the interval time between two adjacent falling edges of the second sensor-channel, as Δt2i;
S21, calculating a running speed of the seed belt
v
b
⁢
e
⁢
l
⁢
t
=
3
⁢
H
/
∑
i
=
1
3
Δ
⁢
t
2
⁢
i
;
S22, measuring the pulley radius is r, and calculating the angular velocity of the pulley
v
angular
=
3
⁢
H
/
r
⁢
∑
i
=
1
3
Δ
⁢
t
2
⁢
i
;
S23, calculating pulley rotation speed
N
⁢
1
=
3
⁢
H
/
2
⁢
π
⁢
r
⁢
∑
i
=
1
3
Δ
⁢
t
2
⁢
i
;
and
S24, calculating, according to a reduction ratio is m, the motor speed
N
⁢
2
=
3
⁢
Hm
/
2
⁢
π
⁢
r
⁢
∑
i
=
1
3
Δ
⁢
t
2
⁢
i
.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method for monitoring seeding according to claim 1, wherein an upper pulley and a lower pulley are respectively arranged at two ends of the seed belt;
wherein, the first sensor-channel emitting end and the second sensor-channel emitting end are symmetrical with respect to a connecting line of a center point of the upper pulley and a center point of the lower pulley.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method for monitoring seeding according to claim 1, wherein an infrared light emitting diode is respectively provided inside the first sensor-channel emitting end and the second sensor-channel emitting end, and a plurality of photosensitive elements are provided inside the first sensor-channel receiving end and the second sensor-channel receiving end.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The method for monitoring seeding according to claim 3, wherein by adjusting an emission angle of the infrared light emitting diode, a distance between the first sensor-channel emitting end and the first sensor-channel receiving end, and a distance between the second sensor-channel emitting end and the second sensor-channel receiving end, all the plurality of the photosensitive elements cover an illumination range of light beam emitted by the infrared light emitting diode.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method for monitoring seeding according to claim 1, wherein when belt teeth on the seed belt pass through the monitoring sensor, the light beams of the first sensor-channel and the second sensor-channel are blocked simultaneously.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method for monitoring seeding according to claim 1, wherein: if the duration time of the first low level of the signal of the first sensor-channel is equal to the duration time of the first low level of the signal of the second sensor-channel, and the interval time between the two adjacent falling edges of the signal of the first sensor-channel is less than the interval time between the two adjacent falling edges of the signal of the second sensor-channel, or if the duration time of the first low level of the signal of the first sensor-channel is greater than the duration time of the first low level of the signal of the second sensor-channel, representing that there are seeds passing through, then recording a number of cycles when the seeds passing through, and recording a number of times the falling edges occur in the signal of the first sensor-channel within the interval time between the two adjacent falling edges of the signal of the second sensor-channel; if the number of the times the falling edges occur is within a set number, executing the counting of the seeding; if the number of the times the falling edges occur exceeds the set number, executing the counting of the reseeding; if the number of the cycles when the seeds passing through is not a theoretical value, executing the counting of the missed seeding; if a number of the counting of the missed seeding exceeds a threshold value, representing that the seed deficiency occurs.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method for monitoring seeding according to claim 1, wherein: if the duration time of the first low level of the signal of the first sensor-channel is greater than the interval time between the two adjacent falling edges of the signal of the second sensor-channel, representing that the seed blockage occurs.