System and method for monitoring spray quality

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12207586-B2
Application number	US-202117487336-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 28, 2021
Priority date	Oct 27, 2020
Publication date	Jan 28, 2025
Grant date	Jan 28, 2025

Abstract

An agricultural application is provided herein that includes a nozzle assembly positioned along a boom assembly and configured to selectively dispense an agricultural product therefrom. One or more sensors can be operably coupled with the boom assembly and can be configured to capture data associated with one or more application variables. A computing system can be communicatively coupled to the one or more sensors and to a display. The computing system can be configured to receive the data associated with the one or more application variables; convert the one or more application variables to a scaled integer to determine a spray quality index; generate a geo-located application map of the scaled integer; and present the geo-located application map on the display.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An agricultural work vehicle comprising:
a boom assembly;
one or more nozzles positioned along the boom assembly and configured to selectively dispense an agricultural product therefrom;
a sensor operably coupled with the boom assembly and configured to capture data associated with first and second application variables, wherein the first application variable has a greater effect on a spray quality index during an application operation than the second application variable, the spray quality index being a predefined application range indicating an accuracy of an application operation based on a summation of the first application variable and the second application variable; and
a computing system coupled to the sensor and a display, the computing system configured to receive, from the sensor, the data associated with the first and second application variables and generate a first layer of an application map illustrating a spray quality index based on the first and second application variables, a second layer of the application map presenting the first application variable, and a third geo-located application map presenting the second application variable.

2. The agricultural work vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the sensor is configured to detect data indicative of the first application variable or the second application variable associated with an adjacent field swath as the boom assembly makes a pass along a current field swath and the computing system is further configured to provide a projection map of the adjacent field swath.

3. The agricultural work vehicle of claim 2 , further comprising:
a positioning device communicatively coupled to the computing system, the computing system being configured to receive location data from the positioning device associated with the boom assembly and correlate the location data to the first application variable or the second application variable to generate or update the application map associated.

4. An agricultural work vehicle comprising:
a boom assembly;
one or more nozzles positioned along the boom assembly and configured to selectively dispense an agricultural product therefrom;
a sensor operably coupled with the boom assembly and configured to capture data associated with first and second application variables, wherein the first application variable has a greater effect on a spray quality index during an application operation than the second application variable, the spray quality index being a predefined application range indicating an accuracy of an application operation based on a summation of the first application variable and the second application variable; and
a computing system coupled to the sensor and a display, the computing system configured to receive, from the sensor, the data associated with the first and second application variables and generate a first layer of an application map illustrating a spray quality index based on the first and second application variables, a second layer of the application map presenting the first application variable, and a third geo-located application map presenting the second application variable, wherein the first, second, and third layers are each configured as geospatial maps.

5. An agricultural work vehicle comprising:
a boom assembly;
one or more nozzles positioned along the boom assembly and configured to selectively dispense an agricultural product therefrom;
a sensor operably coupled with the boom assembly and configured to capture data associated with first and second application variables, wherein the first application variable has a greater effect on a spray quality index during an application operation than the second application variable, the spray quality index being a predefined application range indicating an accuracy of an application operation based on a summation of the first application variable and the second application variable, the sensor including an imaging sensor configured to capture data associated with the first application variable, wherein the first application variable is at least one of an orifice type of the one or more nozzles or a mixture of materials defining the agricultural product; and
a computing system coupled to the sensor and a display, the computing system configured to receive, from the sensor, the data associated with the first and second application variables and generate a first layer of an application map illustrating a spray quality index based on the first and second application variables, a second layer of the application map presenting the first application variable, and a third geo-located application map presenting the second application variable.

Assignees

• Cnh Ind America Llc

Inventors

• Long Scott Allen
• STANHOPE Trevor
• Brooks Nathan
• Weller Monte Gene

Classifications

• G05D1/689

  Pointing payloads towards fixed or moving targets (positioning towed, pushed or suspended implements G05D1/672) · CPC title

• G05D1/65

  Following a desired speed profile · CPC title

• G06V20/188

  Vegetation · CPC title

• G06V20/56

  exterior to a vehicle by using sensors mounted on the vehicle · CPC title

• B05B1/20

  Perforated pipes or troughs, e.g. spray booms; Outlet elements therefor · CPC title