Vision system for metering device
OwnerRye DeGarmo, Gregory W. Arnettinventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A metering device for dispensing agricultural product from a bin. The metering device comprises a housing enclosing an interior space, and at least one metering wheel positioned within the interior space of the housing and configured to convey agricultural product through the metering device. The metering device additionally comprises an access door rotatably coupled with the housing and configured to selectively provide access to the interior space of the housing. The metering device further includes a vision system comprising at least one camera incorporated with the access door. The camera is configured to capture images and/or video of agricultural product being conveyed through the metering device.
Claims20
A metering device for dispensing agricultural product, wherein said metering device comprises:
- a housing enclosing an interior space;
- at least one metering wheel positioned within the interior space of said housing and configured to convey agricultural product through said metering device;
- an access door rotatably coupled with said housing and configured to selectively provide access to the interior space of said housing;
- and
- a vision system comprising at least one camera incorporated with said access door, wherein said camera is configured to capture images and/or video of agricultural product being conveyed through said metering device.
An implement for dispensing agricultural product, said implement comprising:
- a bin for holding the agricultural product;
- and
- a plurality of metering devices secured to a bottom of said bin and configured to dispense agricultural from said bin onto the ground, wherein each of said metering devices includes—
- a housing enclosing an interior space,
- at least one metering wheel positioned within the interior space of said housing and configured to convey agricultural product through said metering device,
- an access door rotatably coupled with said housing and configured to selectively provide access to the interior space of said housing,
- a vision system comprising at least one camera incorporated with said access door, wherein said camera is configured to capture images and/or video of agricultural product being conveyed through said metering device;
- and
- a control system comprising a processing element configured to analyze the images and/or video to determine if flow rates and/or flow patterns of agricultural product through said metering devices is appropriate.
A method of dispensing agricultural product from an implement, said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) transferring agricultural product from a bin of the implement to a metering device, wherein the metering device comprises a housing and an access door rotatably coupled with the housing;
- (b) conveying agricultural product through the metering device;
- (c) obtaining, via a camera integrated with the access door, images or video of the agricultural product being conveyed in step (b);
- (d) transmitting the images or video to a control system configured to analyze the images or video to determine a flow rate or a flow pattern of the agricultural product through the metering device;
- and
- (e) adjusting the metering device to modify the flow rate or the flow pattern of agricultural product through the metering device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.