System and method for calibrating a material metering system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10379547-B2
Application number	US-201715660402-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 26, 2017
Priority date	Jul 26, 2017
Publication date	Aug 13, 2019
Grant date	Aug 13, 2019

Abstract

A method for controlling a material flow rate from a metering system, includes determining, via a controller, a change in weight of material in a storage tank. The method further includes determining, via the controller, a swept area of an agricultural implement associated with the change in weight based at least in part on a width of the agricultural implement and a change in position of the agricultural implement. Further, the agricultural implement is configured to receive the material from the storage tank. The method also includes determining, via the controller, a calibration of the metering system based at least in part on the change in weight and the swept area. In addition, the method includes controlling, via the controller, a rotation rate of a meter roller of the metering system based at least in part on the calibration to control the material flow rate.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for controlling a material flow rate from a metering system, comprising:
determining, via a controller, a change in weight of material in a storage tank;
determining, via the controller, a swept area of an agricultural implement associated with the change in weight based at least in part on a width of the agricultural implement and a change in position of the agricultural implement, wherein the agricultural implement is configured to receive the material from the storage tank;
determining, via the controller, a calibration of the metering system based at least in part on the change in weight and the swept area; and
controlling, via the controller, a rotation rate of a meter roller of the metering system based at least in part on the calibration to control the material flow rate.

2. The method of claim 1 , comprising:
receiving, via the controller, a first signal indicative of an initial weight; and
receiving, via the controller, a second signal indicative of a weight after covering the swept area, wherein determining the change in weight is based on the first signal and the second signal.

3. The method of claim 2 , comprising receiving, via the controller, the first signal and the second signal when the storage tank is stopped.

4. The method of claim 3 , comprising outputting, via the controller, a third signal indicative of not covering a minimum swept area if the swept area is less than one acre.

5. The method of claim 1 , comprising receiving, via the controller, a signal indicative of an acceleration of the storage tank, and determining, via the controller a change in weight based on the acceleration.

6. The method of claim 5 , comprising determining, via the controller, a baseline force caused by gravity.

7. The method of claim 1 , updating, via the controller, an initial calibration with the calibration, wherein the initial calibration is determined by rotating a meter roller a number of times, and determining an amount of weight of material deposited.

8. The method of claim 1 , comprising setting, via the controller, an initial flow rate based on an amount of material deposited per rotation of a meter roller.

9. The method of claim 1 , comprising determining, via the controller, an output, wherein the output is the weight of material divided by the swept area.

10. A controller comprising a memory and a processor, wherein the controller is configured to:
control a material flow rate from a metering system;
determine a change in weight of material in a storage tank;
determine a swept area of an agricultural implement associated with the change in weight based at least in part on a width of the agricultural implement and a change in position of the agricultural implement, wherein the agricultural implement is configured to receive the material from the storage tank;
determine a calibration of the metering system based at least in part on the change in weight and the swept area; and
control a rotation rate of a meter roller of the metering system based at least in part on the calibration to control the material flow rate.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the controller is configured to:
receive a first signal indicative of an initial weight; and
receive a second signal indicative of a weight after covering the swept area, wherein determining the change in weight is based on the first signal and the second signal.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the controller is configured to receive the first signal and the second signal when the storage tank is stopped.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the controller is configured to output a third signal indicative of not covering a minimum swept area if the swept area is less than one acre.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein the controller is configured to update an initial calibration with the calibration, wherein the initial calibration is determined by rotating a meter roller a number of times, and determining an amount of weight of material deposited.

15. The method of claim 10 , wherein the controller is configured to determine an output, wherein the output is the weight of material divided by the swept area.

16. One or more non-transitory, machine-readable media comprising instructions configured to cause a processor to:
control a material flow rate from a metering system;
determine a change in weight of material in a storage tank;
determine a swept area of an agricultural implement associated with the change in weight based at least in part on a width of the agricultural implement and a change in position of the agricultural implement, wherein the agricultural implement is configured to receive the material from the storage tank;
determine a calibration of the metering system based at least in part on the change in weight and the swept area; and
control a rotation rate of a meter roller of the metering system based at least in part on the calibration to control the material flow rate.

17. The one or more non-transitory, machine-readable media comprising instructions of claim 16 , wherein the instructions are configured to cause a processor to receive a first signal indicative of an initial weight; and
receive a second signal indicative of a weight after covering the swept area, wherein determining the change in weight is based on the first signal and the second signal.

18. The one or more non-transitory, machine-readable media comprising instructions of claim 17 , wherein the instructions are configured to cause a processor to receive the first signal and the second signal when the storage tank is stopped.

19. The one or more non-transitory, machine-readable media comprising instructions of claim 17 , wherein the instructions are configured to cause a processor to determine an output, wherein the output is the weight of material divided by the swept area.

20. The one or more non-transitory, machine-readable media comprising instructions of claim 16 , wherein the instructions are configured to cause a processor to output a third signal indicative of not covering a minimum swept area if the swept area is less than one acre.

Assignees

• Cnh Ind Canada Ltd

Inventors

• Thompson Dennis George
• Ryder Nicholas George Alfred

Classifications

• G05D7/06

  characterised by the use of electric means {(G05D7/005 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• A01C15/00 Primary

  Fertiliser distributors ({combined with seeders} A01C7/06) · CPC title

• A01C7/107 Primary

  Calibration of the seed rate · CPC title

• A01C7/102

  Regulating or controlling the seed rate · CPC title

• B65D88/26

  Hoppers, i.e. containers having funnel-shaped discharge sections (B65D88/34 - B65D88/78 take precedence) · CPC title