Speed control of implements during transitions of settings of agricultural parameters

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12185654-B2
Application number	US-202017633553-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 9, 2020
Priority date	Aug 5, 2019
Publication date	Jan 7, 2025
Grant date	Jan 7, 2025

Abstract

Speed control of machines and associated implements during transitions of agricultural parameters is described herein. In one embodiment, a processing system comprises processing logic to execute instructions for processing agricultural data and performing speed control of a machine and associated implement during a transition period for adjusting a setting of an agricultural parameter. A communication unit is coupled to the processing logic. The communication unit to transmit and receive data from the implement. The processing logic is configured to execute instructions to adjust the setting of the agricultural parameter and to determine a desired speed control during the transition period based on at least one of a desired transition distance and productivity during the transition period.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A processing system comprising:
processing logic including one or more processors is configured to execute instructions for processing agricultural data and performing speed control of a machine and associated implement during a transition period for adjusting a setting of an agricultural parameter; and
a communication unit coupled to the processing logic, the communication unit including a transmitter and a receiver are configured to transmit and receive agricultural data from the implement, wherein the processing logic is configured to execute instructions to generate a signal to adjust the setting of the agricultural parameter from a first setpoint to a second setpoint, and to determine a desired speed control during the transition period based on a desired transition distance or productivity for the transition period, wherein adjusting a setting of the agricultural parameter from a first setpoint to a second setpoint comprises one or more of changing a population of planted seeds by a controlling a seed meter, changing seed variety, changing application rate of fertilizer, fungicide, or insecticide, changing applied downforce, or upforce to a gauge wheel that is adjacent to a furrow formed by the implement, and controlling the force applied by a row cleaner of the implement, wherein to determine a desired speed control during the transition period from the first setpoint to the second setpoint comprises determining whether one of a shortest transition distance, a productivity being optimized during the transition period by reducing speed of the machine and associated implement from a first speed to a lower second speed for productivity and then returning the machine to the first speed after the transition period ends, or a maximum transition distance during the transition period is desired, wherein the processing logic is configured to execute instructions to control the speed of the implement during the transition period based on the determined desired speed control.

2. The processing system of claim 1 , wherein the processing system optimizes shortest transition distance when the setting of the agricultural parameter is adjusted by slowing the machine and associated implement to a stop as soon as possible, adjusting the setting during the transition period, and then restarting machine movement.

3. The processing system of claim 1 , wherein the processing system optimizes for productivity during the transition period by reducing speed of the machine and associated implement to a minimum tolerable speed for productivity.

4. The processing system of claim 1 , wherein the processing system optimizes for the maximum transition distance by reducing a speed of the machine and associated implement to a specific value that achieves a specific distance in a specific transition period.

5. The processing system of claim 1 , wherein adjusting a setting of an agricultural parameter comprises one or more of changing furrow depth for planting seeds in the furrow, changing application rate of fertilizer, fungicide, or insecticide, changing applied downforce or upforce of an agricultural implement, and controlling the force applied by a row cleaner of an agricultural implement.

6. The processing system of claim 1 , wherein the communication unit is configured to receive soil measurements obtained from sensors of the implement.

7. The processing system of claim 6 , wherein the processing logic is configured to execute instructions to generate a signal to adjust the setting of the agricultural parameter in response to obtaining soil measurements.

8. The processing system of claim 7 , wherein the soil measurements and control of implement include:
A) moisture, organic matter, porosity, or texture/type of soil to change a population of planted seeds by controlling a seed meter;
B) moisture, organic matter, porosity, or texture/type of soil to change seed variety;
C) moisture, organic matter, porosity, or texture/type of soil to change furrow depth;
D) moisture, organic matter, porosity, or texture/type of soil to change application rate offertilizer, fungicide, and/or insecticide;
E) moisture, organic matter, porosity, or texture/type of soil to change applied downforce or upforce of an agricultural implement; or
F) furrow residue to control the force applied by a row cleaner.

9. The processing system of claim 1 , wherein the communication unit communicates with an implement network of the implement via a controller area network (CAN) serial bus protocol network or an ISOBUS network.

10. The processing system of claim 1 , wherein the processing system is positioned on the machine, wherein the machine comprises a vehicle.

11. A computer-implemented method for optimizing speed control during adjustment of a setting of an agricultural parameter, the method comprising:
receiving agricultural data from an implement;
generating a signal to adjust the setting of the agricultural parameter;
determining a desired speed control for the implement during a transition period for adjusting the setting from a first setpoint to a second setpoint based on a desired transition distance or productivity during the transition period; and
controlling the speed of the implement during the transition period based on the determined desired speed control, wherein adjusting a setting of the agricultural parameter from a first setpoint to a second setpoint comprises one or more of changing a population of planted seeds by a controlling a seed meter, changing seed variety, changing application rate of fertilizer, fungicide, or insecticide, changing applied downforce, or upforce to a gauge wheel that is adjacent to a furrow formed by the implement, and controlling the force applied by a row cleaner of the implement, wherein determining a desired speed control during the transition period from the first setpoint to the second setpoint comprises determining whether one of a shortest transition distance, a productivity being optimized during the transition period by reducing speed of the machine and associated implement from a first speed to a lower second speed for productivity and then returning the machine to the first speed after the transition period ends, or a maximum transition distance during the transition period is desired.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 11 , wherein determining a desired speed control during the transition period comprises determining, with a processing system, whether a shortest transition distance, a productivity, or a maximum transition distance during the transition period is desired.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 12 , wherein the processing system optimizes shortest transition distance when the setting of the agricultural parameter is adjusted by slowing a vehicle and associated implement from a first speed to a stop as soon as possible, adjusting the setting during the transition period, and then restarting vehicle movement to the first speed.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 12 , wherein the processing system optimizes for productivity during the transition period by reducing speed of the vehicle and associated implement from a first speed to a minimum tolerable second speed for productivity during the transition period and then returns the vehicle to the first speed after the transition periods ends.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 12 , wherein the processing system optimizes for the maximum transition distance by reducing a speed of the vehicle and associated implement from a first speed to a specific second speed that achieves a specific distance in a spec

Assignees

• Prec Planting Llc

Inventors

• Allgaier Ryan

Classifications

• G01N33/245

  for agricultural purposes · CPC title

• G01N33/246

  for water content · CPC title

• A01C7/203

  comprising depth regulation means · CPC title

• A01C7/102

  Regulating or controlling the seed rate · CPC title

• A01C7/06

  Seeders combined with fertilising apparatus · CPC title