# US 9,872,424 B2 · Systems, methods, and apparatus for multi-row agricultural implement control and monitoring > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,872,424 B2 - Document ID: US9872424B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/150,403 - Filed: 2016-05-09 - Published: 2016-09-01 - Granted: 2018-01-23 - Earliest claimed: 2012-07-25 - Assignees: Precision Planting LLC - Applicants: Precision Planting LLC - Inventors: Phil Baurer; Tim Sauder; Jason Stoller; Derek Sauder; Jeremy Hodel - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9872424B2 ## CPC - A01C 7/105: {Seed sensors} - A01B 49/06: for sowing or fertilising - A01C 7/06: Seeders combined with fertilising apparatus - A01C 7/102: {Regulating or controlling the seed rate} - A01C 7/128: {Cell discs} - A01C 7/16: Seeders with other distributing devices, e.g. brushes, discs, screws or slides - A01C 7/20: Parts of seeders for conducting and depositing seed - A01C 19/02: by a motor - A01C 21/00: Methods of fertilising {, sowing or planting} - A01C 21/002: {Apparatus for sowing fertiliser; Fertiliser drill} - A01C 21/005: {Following a specific plan, e.g. pattern} - A01M 9/0092: {Regulating or controlling systems (the delivery being related to the movement of a vehicle B05B9/06)} - G01V 8/20: using multiple transmitters or receivers - A01C 5/064: {with rotating tools} - A01C 5/068: {Furrow packing devices, e.g. press wheels} - A01C 7/203: {comprising depth regulation means} - A01C: PLANTING; SOWING; FERTILISING (parts, details or accessories of agricultural machines or implements, in general A01B51/00 - A01B75/00) - A01B: SOIL WORKING IN AGRICULTURE OR FORESTRY; PARTS, DETAILS, OR ACCESSORIES OF AGRICULTURAL MACHINES OR IMPLEMENTS, IN GENERAL (making or covering furrows or holes for sowing, planting or manuring A01C5/00; mowers convertible to soil working apparatus or capable of soil working A01D42/04; mowers combined with soil working implements A01D43/12; soil working for engineering purposes E01, E02, E21) - A01M: CATCHING, TRAPPING OR SCARING OF ANIMALS (appliances for catching swarms or drone-catching A01K57/00; fishing A01K69/00 - {A01K99/00}; biocides, pest repellants or attractants A01N); APPARATUS FOR THE DESTRUCTION OF NOXIOUS ANIMALS OR NOXIOUS PLANTS - G01V: GEOPHYSICS; GRAVITATIONAL MEASUREMENTS; DETECTING MASSES OR OBJECTS; TAGS (means for indicating the location of accidentally buried, e.g. snow-buried, persons A63B29/02) ## Abstract A monitoring system and method for modify a motor speed driving a seed conveyor on an implement so that the seed release speed is matched to the travel speed of the implement. A speed sensor measures the travel speed of the implement. A seed conveyor having a plurality of flights receives seeds from a seed meter. A monitor is in communication with the speed sensor, the motor driving the seed conveyor, a first sensor disposed to detect the passing of seeds and the flights as they travel toward the soil and a second sensor disposed to detect the passing of flights after the seed is released, wherein the monitor modifies the motor speed of the conveyor based on the speed sensor and signals generated by the first sensor and second sensor. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A monitoring system for an agricultural implement having a plurality of row units, comprising: a seed meter; a seed conveyor having a forward side and a rearward side, said seed conveyor being disposed to receive seeds from said seed meter, said seed conveyor comprising a belt, said belt having a plurality of flights configured to convey said seeds, wherein said seed conveyor is configured to guide said seeds down said forward side of said seed conveyor to a lower end of said seed conveyor, and wherein said seed conveyor is configured to release said seeds from said lower end, wherein said flights ascend said rearward side without said seeds; a first seed sensor mounted to said forward side of said conveyor, said first seed sensor disposed to detect the presence of seeds and flights descending said forward side of said seed conveyor; a motor configured to drive said seed conveyor; a speed sensor configured to measure a travel speed of the row unit associated with said seed conveyor; a second seed sensor mounted to said rearward side of said seed conveyor, said second seed sensor disposed to detect the presence of flights ascending said rearward side of said seed conveyor; a monitor including a processor, said monitor being in data communication with said motor, said speed sensor, said first seed sensor and said second seed sensor, wherein said monitor determines a desired motor speed to match a seed release speed to said travel speed, and wherein said monitor commands said motor to modify an actual speed of said motor to said desired motor speed. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein said first seed sensor comprises an optical sensor, and wherein said second seed sensor comprises an optical sensor. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein said monitor is configured to record a first signal generated by said first seed sensor, and wherein said monitor is configured to record a second signal generated by said second seed sensor. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The monitoring system of claim 3, wherein said monitor is configured to generate a corrected signal based on said first signal and said second signal. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The monitoring system of claim 3, wherein said monitor is configured to subtract from the amplitude of a first signal portion of said first signal based on the amplitude of a second signal portion of said second signal. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The monitoring system of claim 5, wherein said monitor is configured to apply a time shift to said second signal. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The monitoring system of claim 6, wherein said time shift is related to the relative position of the first and second seed sensor and the distance between adjacent flights. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The monitoring system of claim 6, wherein said time shift is related to the time between a pulse in said first signal and an immediately subsequent pulse in said second signal. ### Claim 9 (depends on 3) The monitoring system of claim 3, wherein said first signal includes a seed pulse portion and a flight pulse portion, and wherein said monitor is configured to distinguish between said seed pulse portion and said flight pulse portion by comparing said first signal to said second signal. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The monitoring system of claim 9, wherein said monitor is configured to identify said seed pulse portion based on the timing of a flight pulse in said second signal. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The monitoring system of claim 10, wherein said monitor is configured to apply a time shift to said second signal. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The monitoring system of claim 11, wherein said time shift is related to one of the relative position of the first and second seed sensor and the distance between adjacent flights and the time between a pulse in said first signal and an immediately subsequent pulse in said second signal. ### Claim 13 A method for monitoring an agricultural implement, comprising: receiving seeds into an upper portion of a seed conveyor, said seed conveyor including a belt having a plurality of flights; conveying seeds between said flights from an upper portion of said seed conveyor to a lower portion of said seed conveyor; releasing seeds from said lower portion of said seed conveyor; with a first sensor, detecting both said seeds and said flights passing a first location as said seeds and said flights travel from said upper portion of said seed conveyor to said lower portion of said seed conveyor, wherein said first sensor is mounted to a first portion of said seed conveyor, wherein said flights pass through said first portion in a generally downward direction, and wherein said flights convey seeds in a generally downward direction through said first portion; and with a second sensor, detecting said flights passing a second location as said flights travel from said lower portion of said seed conveyor toward said upper portion of said seed conveyor after said seeds are released from between said flights, wherein said second sensor is mounted to a second portion of said seed conveyor, wherein said flights pass through said second portion in a generally upward direction, and wherein said flights do not convey seeds through said second portion. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, further including: distinguishing seeds from flights at said first location based on a time at which flights are detected at said second location. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the step of distinguishing seeds from flights is carried out by: generating a raw seed signal indicative of passage of seeds and flights past said first location; generating a flight signal indicative of passage of flights past said second location; and identifying a seed pulse within said raw seed signal based on said flight signal. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the step of identifying a seed pulse within said raw seed signal based on said flight signal is carried out by: applying a time shift to one of said flight signal and said raw seed signal; identifying flight passage portions of said raw seed signal by comparing said flight signal to said raw seed signal; and identifying seed passage portions of said raw seed signal by comparing portions other than said flight passage portions to a seed event threshold. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein said time shift is related to the relative position of the first and second location and the distance between adjacent flights. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein said time shift is related to the time between a pulse in said raw seed signal and an immediately subsequent pulse in said flight signal. ### Claim 19 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, further including: applying a speed modification to an operational speed of said seed conveyor. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, further including: determining a travel speed of said seed conveyor, wherein said speed modification is based on said travel speed. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The method of claim 20, wherein said travel speed is a row-unit specific speed. ### Claim 22 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, further including: sensing a tractor travel speed with a speed sensor, said speed sensor in electrical communication with a monitor having a monitor bus node, said bus node being in electrical communication with an implement bus. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The method of claim 22, further including: transmitting said tractor travel speed to a central processor via said implement bus, said central processor having a central processor bus node; and transmitting said tractor travel speed to a multi-row control module via said implement bus, said multi-row control module having a control module bus node, said multi-row control module being in electrical communication with a row bus, said row bus being in electrical communication with a first drive module, a second drive module, a first conveyor module, and a second conveyor module, wherein said first drive module comprises an electrical assembly mounted directly to a first seed meter drive motor, said first seed meter drive motor configured to drive a seed disc via a gearbox, wherein said electrical assembly includes a circuit board including a bus node, a processor, a motor PWM driver, and a motor encoder signal conditioning chip. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The method of claim 23, further including: calculating individual desired operating speeds for said first drive module, said second drive module, said first conveyor module, and said second conveyor module; and transmitting said desired operating speeds via said row bus to said first drive module, said second drive module, said first conveyor module, and said second conveyor module.