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US 2024/0260520 A1Published application
Sensing and control of liquid application using an agricultural machine
AssigneeDeere & Company
InventorsGrant J. WONDERLICH, Kenneth E. HERRMANN, Michael C. STEELE, Kilian WOLFF, Gerrit PRUESSMANN
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An agricultural machine applies liquid material to a field. Valve control signals control valves to apply the liquid material. Row pressure on the agricultural machine is sensed to identify when the valve is opened to apply the liquid material. The valve control signals are generated, based on the row pressure, to control the valves to apply the liquid material at a desired location in the field, relative to plant locations in the field.
Claims21
1-20. (canceled)
An agricultural system, comprising:
- a material tank configured to store a material to be applied to a field;
- a valve configured to be controlled to an open position by a first valve open control signal and a closed position by a first valve closed control signal;
- a sensor configured to detect a characteristic indicative of the valve being in the open position or the closed position, generate a valve open sensor signal indicative of the valve being in the open position, and generate a valve closed sensor signal indicative of the valve being in the closed position;
- one or more processors;
- and
- memory storing instructions, executable by the one or more processors, that, when executed by the one or more processors, configure the one or more processors to perform steps comprising:
- identifying an open time delay indicating a delay in opening the valve based on the first valve open control signal and the valve open sensor signal;
- and
- identifying a close time delay indicating a delay in closing the valve based the first valve closed control signal and the valve closed sensor signal;
- identifying a target location in the field to which material is to be applied;
- generating a second valve open control signal controlling the valve to the open position based, at least, on the identified open time delay and the identified target location;
- and
- generating a second valve closed control signal controlling the valve to the closed position based, at least, on the identified close time delay, and the identified target location.
10 more elements
An agricultural system, comprising:
- a material reservoir configured to store a material to be applied to a field;
- a valve configured to receive the material and to be controlled to pulse between an open
- position and closed position by a pulse width modulation signal;
- a control system configured to:
- identify an open time delay indicating a delay in opening the valve;
- identify a closed time delay indicating a delay in closing the valve;
- identify a target location in the field to which material is to be applied;
- generate the pulse width modulation signal based, at least, on the open time delay, the closed time delay, and the target location.
5 more elements
An agricultural system comprising:
- a material reservoir, disposed on an agricultural machine, configured to hold a fluid material to be applied to a field;
- a controllable valve, disposed on the agricultural machine, in fluidic communication with the material reservoir and configured to receive the fluid material, the controllable valve actuatable between an open position and closed position;
- one or more processors;
- and
- memory storing instructions, executable by the one or more processors, that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform steps comprising:
- identifying a specific gravity of the fluid material;
- and
- controlling the agricultural machine based, at least, on the identified specific gravity of the fluid material.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.