Arrangement for detection of the amount of material in a supply container of a machine for application of material to a field

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11428567-B2
Application number	US-202117154709-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 21, 2021
Priority date	Aug 5, 2016
Publication date	Aug 30, 2022
Grant date	Aug 30, 2022

Abstract

An arrangement for detection of the amount of material in a supply container of a machine for application of material to a field comprises a data entry device for receiving fill level data concerning an amount of material present in the supply container at a specific time point and an outflow sensor for detection of the amount of material that has flowed out of the supply container. A computer device connected to the data entry device and outflow sensor, the computing device is programmed to calculate the current amount of material in the supply container using the obtained fill level data and the signals of the outflow sensor obtained after the specific time point, and to issue a warning signal if the amount of material in the supply container goes below a predetermined level.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An arrangement for detection of an amount of material in a supply container of a machine for application of material to a field, the arrangement comprising:
a data entry device for receiving fill level data concerning an amount of material present in the supply container at a specific time point;
an outflow sensor for detection of the amount of material that has flowed out of the supply container; and
a computing device communicatively coupled to the data entry device and the outflow sensor, the computing device programmed to calculate a current amount of material in the supply container based on the received fill level data and signals of the outflow sensor obtained after the specific time point, wherein the computing device is programmed to calculate the current amount of material in the supply container based on an integrated amount of material corresponding to the signals of the outflow sensor and the amount of material present in the supply container at the specific time point.

2. The arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the data entry device receives fill level data, the fill level data including information concerning the amount of material present in the supply container entered by an operator or generated by a fill level sensor associated with the supply container at the specific time point.

3. The arrangement of claim 2 , wherein the material in the supply container includes a plurality of units and the outflow sensor is configured to count the units removed from the supply container.

4. The arrangement of claim 2 , wherein the computing device is programmed to receive data including a volume density information of the material in the supply container, fill level data of the material in the supply container and outflow data from the supply container, and calculate the amount of material in the supply container.

5. The arrangement of claim 4 , wherein the computing device is programmed to receive the volume density information of the material in the supply container from at least the data entry device or from stored information on a local or remote memory.

6. The arrangement of claim 2 , wherein the computing device is programmed to receive mass density information of the material in the supply container, fill level data of the material in the supply container and outflow data from the supply container, and calculate the amount of material in the supply container at the specific point in time.

7. The arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the computing device is programmed to calculate and display a path length or area that can be covered with the material in the supply container using the calculated amount of material in the supply container.

8. The arrangement of claim 7 , wherein the computing device is programmed to calculate and display the path length or area that can be covered with the material in the supply container with a planting chart, the planting chart including a map of the field with an intended path of the machine and an intended spacing of the material.

9. The arrangement of claim 7 , wherein the machine includes a plurality of planting units, each of which has its own supply container, and wherein the computing device is programmed to calculate and display a shortest path length for at least one of the supply containers.

10. The arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the computing device is associated with an onboard computer of at least one of the machine, a vehicle moving the machine or a separate portable device.

11. The arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the machine is for application of seed, fertilizer, and chemicals.

12. The arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the calculating of the amount of material in the supply container includes subtracting, with the computing device, the integrated amount of material from the amount of material present in the supply container at the specific time point.

13. The arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the computing device is programmed to issue a warning signal if the amount of material in the supply container falls below a predetermined level.

14. A method for detecting an amount of material in a supply container of a machine for application of material to a field, the method comprising:
identifying, with a computing device, at least one of a volume density or mass density of the material in the supply container;
identifying, with the computing device, fill level data for an amount of material present in the supply container at a specific time point;
receiving, with the computing device, data from an outflow sensor, the data relating to the amount of material that has flowed out of the supply container; and
calculating, with the computing device, a current amount of material in the supply container based on the identified fill level data and signals of the outflow sensor obtained after the specific time point, wherein the current amount of material in the supply container is calculated based on an integrated amount of material corresponding to the signals of the outflow sensor and the amount of material present in the supply container at the specific time point.

15. The method of claim 14 further including:
when a plurality of supply containers are present, calculating, with the computing device, a path length or area which can be covered by each respective supply container based on an amount of material in the respective supply containers;
identifying, with the computing device, a shortest path length which can be covered by each supply container using the amount of material in the respective supply containers; and
displaying to an operator an indication of the supply container with a shortest remaining path length.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the path length or area is calculated, with the computing device, using a planting chart, the planting chart including a map of the field with an intended machine path and locations in which the material will be applied.

17. The method of claim 14 , further including generating a warning signal if the amount of material in the supply container goes below a predetermined amount, wherein the warning notifies an operator to refill the supply container.

18. The method of claim 14 , wherein the fill level data includes information concerning the amount of material present in the supply container entered by an operator at the specific time point or generated by a fill level sensor associated with the supply container at the specific time point.

19. The method of claim 14 , wherein the amount of material in the supply container includes at least one of a volume of the material in the supply container, a weight of the material in the supply container, a number of units of the material in the supply container or a fill level of the material in the supply container.

20. A method for detecting an amount of material in a supply container of a machine for application of material to a field, the method comprising:
identifying, with a computing device, at least one of a volume density or mass density of the material in the supply container;
identifying, with the computing device, fill level data for an amount of material present in the supply container at a specific time point;
receiving, with the computing device, data from an outflow sensor, the data relating to the amount of material that has flowed out of the supply container; and
calculating, with the computing device, a current amount of material in the supply container based on the identified fill level data and signals of the outflow sensor obtained aft

Assignees

• Deere & Co

Inventors

• Kremmer Martin
• Gresch Valentin

Classifications

• G01F23/20

  by measurement of weight, e.g. to determine the level of stored liquefied gas · CPC title

• A01C15/006 Primary

  Hoppers · CPC title

• G01F23/0007

  for discrete indicating and measuring (G01F23/02 - G01F23/28 take precedence) · CPC title

• A01C5/064

  with rotating tools · CPC title

• A01C7/105

  Seed sensors · CPC title