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US 9,645,006 B2Granted
Calibration of grain mass measurement
AssigneesDeere & Company, Iowa State University Research Foundation, Inc.
InventorsJames J. Phelan, Jeremiah K. Johnson, Aaron J. Bruns, Matthew J. Darr, Robert McNaull
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method of calibrating a mass flow sensor while harvesting grain includes sensing an accumulated mass of a portion of grain within the grain tank with a first sensor. A mass flow rate sensor is calibrated based at least in part on a signal of the first sensor.
Claims24
A method of calibrating a mass flow sensor comprising:
- determining a change of mass of less than complete portion of grain within a grain tank without determining an entire amount of grain within the grain tank, over a period of time, as a function of signals received from at least one sensor;
- evaluating operational data received from at least a first device, using a decision-making algorithm to determine a likelihood that the change of mass of the at least first portion of grain in the grain tank will provide an accurate estimate of the change of mass of at least substantially all of the grain within the grain tank;
- determining a calibration factor for a mass flow sensor based at least in part as a function of the signals received from the at least one sensor, wherein the at least one sensor comprises a first sensor having a surface to contact grain in the grain tank, the first sensor to provide a signal indicating a total mass of a column of the grain located directly above the first sensor, the column of the grain having a cross-sectional area corresponding to a surface area of the surface of the first sensor;
- and
- calibrating the mass flow sensor based upon the determined calibration factor and in response to the evaluation of the operational data.
2 more elements
A device for calibration of a mass flow sensor comprising:
- a processor;
- and
- a non-transitory computer-readable medium operatively coupled to the processor, the computer-readable medium having computer-readable instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to:
- determine a change of mass of less than a complete portion of grain within a grain tank without determining an entire amount of grain within the grain tank, over a period of time, as a function of signals received from at least one second sensor in direct contact with grain in the grain tank;
- evaluate operational data received from an external device, over the period of time;
- determine whether the operational data fall within a predetermined range to calibrate the mass flow sensor as a function of the determined change of mass;
- and
- calibrate the mass flow sensor based upon the determined change of mass in response to the operational data falling within the predetermined range.
5 more elements
A method for providing a calibration factor for a mass flow sensor comprising:
- estimating a change of mass of a pile of grain in a grain tank over a period of time as a function of signals from at least one sensor intermediate a floor of the grain tank and the grain utilizing a predetermined model of a geometric shape of the pile of grain in the grain tank, wherein the shape has an apex higher than other regions of the pile of grain, the at least one sensor comprising a sensor located beneath the apex;
- evaluating operational data received from at least a first device, using a decision-making algorithm to determine if the operational data falls within an acceptable range to evaluate the mass flow rate of a mass flow sensor;
- and
- determining a calibration factor for a mass flow sensor based at least in part on the estimated change of mass of at least substantially all of the pile of grain in the grain tank as a function of the at least one sensor.
1 more element
A method for providing a calibration factor for a mass flow sensor comprising:
- estimating a change of mass of a pile of grain in a grain tank over a period of time as a function of signals from sensors intermediate a floor of the grain tank and the grain utilizing a predetermined model of a geometric shape of the pile of grain in the grain tank;
- evaluating operational data received from at least a first device, using a decision-making algorithm to determine if the operational data falls within an acceptable range to evaluate the mass flow rate of a mass flow sensor;
- and
- determining a calibration factor for a mass flow sensor based at least in part on the estimated change of mass of at least substantially all of the pile of grain in the grain tank as a function of signals from the sensors.
1 more element
A method for providing a calibration factor for a mass flow sensor comprising:
- determining a change of mass of at least a first portion of grain in a grain tank over a period of time, as a function of signals received from at least one sensor;
- evaluating operational data received from at least a first device, using a decision-making algorithm to determine a likelihood that the change of mass of the at least first portion of grain in the grain tank will provide an accurate estimate of the change of mass of at least substantially all of the grain within the grain tank;
- determining a calibration factor for a mass flow sensor based at least in part as a function of the signals received from the at least one sensor, wherein the at least one sensor comprises:
- a first sensor having a surface to contact grain in the grain tank, the first sensor to provide a signal indicating a total mass of a column of the grain located directly above the first sensor, the column of the grain having a cross-sectional area corresponding to a surface area of the surface of the first sensor;
- and
- a second sensor having a second surface to contact grain in the grain tank, the second sensor to provide a second signal indicating a total mass of a second column of the grain located directly above the second sensor, the second column of the grain having a cross-sectional area corresponding to a surface area of the surface of the second sensor;
- and
- calibrating the mass flow sensor based upon the determined calibration factor and in response to the evaluation of the operational data.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.