# US 2014/0195948 A1 · Methods and systems for analyzing and visualizing spray patterns > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0195948 A1 - Document ID: US20140195948A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/734,571 - Filed: 2013-01-04 - Published: 2014-07-10 - Earliest claimed: 2013-01-04 - Assignees: WinField Solutions, LLC - Applicants: Winfield Solutions, LLC - Inventors: Lillian Magidow - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140195948A1 ## CPC - A01N 25/00: Biocides, pest repellants or attractants, or plant growth regulators, characterised by their forms, or by their non-active ingredients or by their methods of application {, e.g. seed treatment or sequential application}; Substances for reducing the noxious effect of the active ingredients to organisms other than pests - G06F 3/0482: Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus - G06F 3/04842: Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements (G06F3/0482 takes precedence) - G06F 3/04847: Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials - G06V 20/38: {Outdoor scenes} - A01N: PRESERVATION OF BODIES OF HUMANS OR ANIMALS OR PLANTS OR PARTS THEREOF (preservation of food or foodstuff A23); BIOCIDES, e.g. AS DISINFECTANTS, AS PESTICIDES OR AS HERBICIDES (preparations for medical, dental or toiletry purposes which kill or prevent the growth or proliferation of unwanted organisms A61K); PEST REPELLANTS OR ATTRACTANTS; PLANT GROWTH REGULATORS - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - G06V: IMAGE OR VIDEO RECOGNITION OR UNDERSTANDING ## Abstract Computer-implemented systems and methods predict behavior of sprays based on receiving a selection of one or more variables affecting spray. Relative amounts of the droplets forming the spray are grouped into various droplet size classes, where each droplet size class represents a range of droplet sizes. The relative amounts of the spray in the classes is visually depicted on a computer display according to a distribution of droplets, a volume of spray falling within the droplet size classes, a chart depicting relative amounts of the spray as a function of droplet size, or according to a spray quality based on environmental factors. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A computer-implemented method for depicting agricultural spray behavior as a spray distribution, the method comprising: using a computer processor configured to: receive a selection of an agricultural spray comprising at least one of an active ingredient or an adjuvant; receive a selection of a spray parameter at which the agricultural spray is to be sprayed; retrieve analyzed spray particulate data based on the received selections, the retrieved data comprising a distribution of relative amounts of agricultural spray droplets within droplet size classes where each class corresponds to a range of droplet sizes; and using a computer display configured to graphically display the distribution of the relative amounts of the spray droplets in the droplet size classes; wherein the graphical display depicts the spray droplets as a series of representative droplets, each representative droplet associated with one of the droplet size classes; and wherein the representative droplets are arranged within a distribution curve representing a distribution of size of the representative droplets based on the relative amounts. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the representative droplets within a droplet size class are displayed with droplet size information comprising one or more of the range of droplet sizes represented, drift potential, leaf runoff potential and leaf coverage. ### Claim 3 A computer-implemented method for depicting agricultural spray behavior, the method comprising: using a computer processor configured to: receive a selection of an agricultural spray comprising at least one of an active ingredient or an adjuvant; receive a selection of one or more spray parameters at which the agricultural spray is to be sprayed; retrieve analyzed spray particulate data based on the received selections, the retrieved analysis data comprising relative amounts of agricultural spray droplets within droplet size classes corresponding to a range of droplet sizes; and using a computer display configured to graphically display the relative amounts of the spray droplets in the droplet size classes. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, wherein: the received selections of the agricultural spray and the one or more spray parameters comprises a set of selections and the computer processor is configured to receive at least two sets of selections; and the relative amounts of the droplets in the droplet size classes for the sets of selections are relative volumes of the droplets in the droplet size classes and are displayed as a volumetric comparison of the sets of selections. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, wherein: the received selections of the agricultural spray and the one or more spray parameters comprises a set of selections and the computer processor is configured to receive at least two sets of selections; and the relative amounts of the droplets within the droplet size classes for the sets of selections are simultaneously displayed as a cumulative distribution chart. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, wherein: the received spray parameter selections comprise one or more of a boom height and a wind speed; and the computer display is configured to display the relative amounts of the droplets within the droplet size classes within a plurality of spray quality categories associated with the agricultural spray being sprayed according to the received selections of the one or more of the boom height and wind speed. ### Claim 7 A computer-implemented method for providing agricultural spray information, the method comprising: using a computer processor configured to: analyze spray particulate data of sprayed agricultural fluids to identify a droplet size distribution of the sprayed fluids; group droplets within the droplet size distribution into droplet size classes, each droplet size class representing a range of droplet sizes; calculate a relative amount of the droplets within the droplet size classes; receive a selection of an agricultural mixture corresponding to one of the sprayed fluids; and using a computer display configured to display the calculated relative amounts of the droplets within the droplet size classes for the spray particulate data based on the received selection. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the computer display displays the calculated relative amounts of the droplets as a series of representative droplets, each representative droplet associated with one of the droplet size classes. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the representative droplets are arranged within a distribution curve representing a distribution of size of the representative droplets based on the relative amounts, thereby providing a visual display of a distribution of the droplet size of the selected sprayed fluid. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the representative droplets within a droplet size class are displayed with droplet size information. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the droplet size information displayed comprises one or more of a range of droplet sizes represented, drift potential and leaf runoff potential. ### Claim 12 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein a value representing a span of the distribution is displayed using the computer display, wherein the span is (X90-X10)/X50. ### Claim 13 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein a value representing a volume mean diameter (VMD) of the distribution is displayed using the computer display, wherein the VMD is a median droplet size of the sprayed fluid. ### Claim 14 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the droplet size classes are predefined. ### Claim 15 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the received selection comprises a set of selections of at least one of an active ingredient or an adjuvant in combination with at least one of a rate of spray, a spray pressure or a nozzle type. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein: the computer processor is configured to receive two sets of selections; and the computer display is configured to display the calculated relative amounts of the droplets within the droplet size classes as a volumetric comparison of the two sets of selections. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein: the computer processor is configured to receive two sets of selections; and the relative amounts of the droplets within the droplet size classes for the sets of selections are each displayed by the computer display as a cumulative distribution chart. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein: the received user selection further comprises a selection of at least one of a boom height or a wind speed; and the computer display is configured to display the relative amounts of the droplets within the droplet size classes within a plurality of spray quality categories associated with the agricultural spray according to the received selections. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, wherein the spray quality categories are based on one or more of leaf runoff, on-target spray, drift potential and evaporation. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein one or more of the droplet size classes are defined based on the spray quality categories.