Systems and methods for selective fertilizer placement

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11445658-B2
Application number	US-201916551291-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 26, 2019
Priority date	Aug 26, 2019
Publication date	Sep 20, 2022
Grant date	Sep 20, 2022

Abstract

Locations of seeds in a field can be identified using event-based processing or frequency-based processing. A material is applied to the field, based upon the seed locations.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A planting machine comprising:
a furrow opener configured to open a furrow as the planting machine moves across a field;
a seed metering system configured to meter seeds;
a seed delivery system configured to receive seeds from the seed metering system and to actively operate to deliver seeds to seed locations in the furrow;
a device configured to be actuated to apply a material to the field;
a device actuation timing system configured to identify a speed at which the seed delivery system actively operating and to generate a device actuation timing indicator indicative of a timing for actuating the device to apply the material at material placement locations relative to the seed locations based on the identi fled speed at which the seed delivery system is actively operating; and
a device control signal generator configured to receive the device actuation timing indicator and to generate a device actuation signal based on the device actuation timing indicator to control the device to apply the material to the field.

2. The planting machine of claim 1 , wherein the device actuation timing system comprises:
a frequency driven processing system configured to generate an a priori seed pattern indicative of a relative placement of seeds in the field relative to a reference point.

3. The planting machine of claim 2 , wherein the reference point comprises a location of a known planting operation, and wherein the frequency driven processing system comprises:
a planting operation start detector configured to detect when the planting machine is at the location of the known planting operation and to generate a planting operation signal indicative off the reference point.

4. The planting machine of claim 3 , wherein the frequency driven processing system comprises:
time to actuation calculator logic configured to generate the device actuation timing indicator hosed on the a priori seed pattern and the planting operation reference signal.

5. The planting machine of claim 4 , wherein the frequency driven processing system comprises:
a seed pattern verification system configured to intermittently verify that the a priori seed pattern is accurate based on a detected actual seed pattern.

6. The planting machine of claim 5 , wherein the seed pattern verification system comprises:
an actual seed pattern detection system configured to detect an actual seed pattern;
a pattern correction value identifier configured to identify a pattern correction value based on the a priori seed pattern and the actual seed pattern; and
seed pattern correction logic configured to apply the pattern correction value to the a priori seed pattern to generate a corrected seed pattern.

7. The planting machine of claim 5 , and further comprising:
a seed firmer; and
a seed sensor mounted to the seed firmer and configured to detect a seed and generate a seed sensor signal indicative of the detected seed; and
wherein the seed pattern verification system is configured to intermittently verify that the a priori seed pattern is accurate based on seed sensor signal.

8. The planting machine of claim 1 , wherein the device that is configured to be actuated to apply material to the field comprises a valve, and wherein the valve is mounted to a seed firmer.

9. The planting machine of claim 5 , and further comprising:
a seed sensor configured to detect a seed in the furrow and generate a seed sensor signal indicative of the detected seed, and wherein the seed pattern verification system is configured to intermittently verify that the a priori seed pattern is accurate based on the seed sensor signal.

10. The planting machine of claim 1 , and further comprising;
a seed sensor configured to detect a seed and generate a seed sensor signal indicative al the detected seed.

11. The planting machine of claim 10 , wherein the device actuation timing system comprises:
an event driven processing system configured to generate the device actuation timing indicator based on the seed sensor signal.

12. The planting machine of claim 11 , wherein the seed sensor is located at a seed sensor location on the planting machine and wherein the event driven processing system comprises:
a time stamp generator configured to generate a time stamp corresponding to the seed sensor signal indicating a detected seed.

13. The planting machine of claim 12 , wherein the event driven processing system comprises:
a system delay generator that generates a seed travel time delay value indicative of a time delay between the time stamp and a time when the detected seed will be in a final seed position.

14. The planting machine of claim 13 , wherein the event driven processing system is configured to generate the device actuation timing indicator based on a device position of the device on the planting machine and based on the seed travel time delay value.

15. The planting machine of claim 14 , wherein the event driven processing system comprises:
a device time offset generator configured to generate a device time offset value indicative of a time delay between generating the device delay actuation signal and a time when the material is applied to the field based on a responsiveness of the device.

16. The planting machine of claim 15 , wherein the event driven processing system comprises:
a pulse titning generator configured to generate it pulse timing output indicative of a time when the device control signal generator is to generate the device control signal to actuate the device to apply the material.

17. The planting machine of claim 16 , wherein the event driven processing system comprises:
a pulse duration generator configuied to output a pulse duration signal indicative of a duration for which the device control signal generator is to generate the device control signal to actuate the device.

18. The planting machine of claim 12 , wherein the event driven processing system comprises:
a travel distance generation system configured to identify a seed travel distance mid generate an output indicative of when the seed is in the final seed location based on the seed travel distance.

19. The planting machine of claim 1 , wherein the device that is configured to be actuated to apply material to the field comprises a valve, and wherein the valve is mounted to the seed delivery system.

20. A method of controlling a planting machine comprising:
opening a furrow as the planting machine moves across a field;
actively operating a seed delivery system to receive seeds from a seed metering system and to deliver seeds to seed locations in the furrow:
identifying a speed at. which the seed delivery system is actively operating to deliver seeds to the furrow;
generating a device actuation timing indicator indicative of a timing for actuating a device to apply material to the field based on the identified speed at which the seed delivery system is actively operating to deliver seeds to the furrow; and
generating a device actuation signal based on the device actuation indicator to control the device to apply the material to the field.

Assignees

• Deere & Co

Inventors

• Garner Elijah B
• Signer Todd N
• Hubner Cary S
• Wonderlich Grant J
• Herrmann Kenneth E

Classifications

• A01C7/102 Primary

  Regulating or controlling the seed rate · CPC title

• A01C5/062

  Devices for making drills or furrows · CPC title

• A01C7/105

  Seed sensors · CPC title

• A01B69/00

  Steering of agricultural machines or implements; Guiding agricultural machines or implements on a desired track · CPC title

• A01B49/06 Primary

  for sowing or fertilising · CPC title