System and method for visual confirmation of planter performance
AssigneeDeere & Company
InventorMatthew Mentzer
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Systems and methods are presented for automatically capturing visual data of a seed placed by a seed planting machine (e.g., a crop row planter). An electronic controller is configured to receive a signal indicative of a seed being dispensed by the seed planting machine and to trigger a camera to capture an image of the dispensed seed in response to a determination, based on the signal, that the seed has been dispensed by the seed planting machine. In some implementations, the system includes a seed sensor configured to detect a seed moving through a seed tube that dispensed seeds from the seed planting machine. In other implementations, the system is configured to detect a new seed being dispensed by the seed planting machine by analyzing image data captured by a camera.
Claims20
A system for automatically capturing visual data of a seed placed by a seed planting machine, the system comprising:
- an electronic controller configured to
- receive a signal indicative of a seed being dispensed by the seed planting machine;
- and
- trigger a camera to capture an image of the dispensed seed in response to a determination, based on the signal, that the seed has been dispensed by the seed planting machine.
A system for automatically capturing visual data of a seed placed by a seed planting machine, the system comprising:
- a controllable seed dispensing actuator configured to dispense individual seeds into a trench;
- and
- an electronic controller configured to
- determine, based on actuation signals to the controllable seed dispensing actuator, when a seed is being dispensed, and
- trigger a camera to capture an image of the dispensed seed in the trench in response to the determination that the seed is being dispensed.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.