System and method for automated odometry calibration for precision agriculture systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12414492-B2
Application number	US-202418747389-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 18, 2024
Priority date	Feb 21, 2014
Publication date	Sep 16, 2025
Grant date	Sep 16, 2025

Abstract

A method including: recording a first image of a first field region; automatically treating a plant within the first region in-situ based on the first image; automatically verifying the plant treatment with a second image of the first region; and automatically treating a second region concurrently with treatment verification.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for identifying a failure of a treatment mechanism of a plurality of treatment mechanisms of a farming machine:
capturing, using a monitoring sensor of the farming machine, an image of the plurality of treatment mechanisms of the farming machine while the farming machine is traversing a field performing plant treatments for plants in the field;
detecting, based on the image, the failure of the treatment mechanism of the farming machine; and
in response to detecting the failure, automatically performing, using the farming machine, a treatment mechanism remediation action based on the detected failure of the treatment mechanism.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein detecting the failure of the treatment mechanism comprises:
accessing a normal treatment factor for the plurality of treatment mechanisms, the normal treatment factor describing operation of the plurality of treatment mechanisms without failures;
determining, based on the image, a current treatment factor for the treatment mechanism, the current treatment factor describing operation of the treatment mechanism; and
in response to determining that the current treatment factor is above a threshold deviation different than the normal treatment factor.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein detecting the failure of the treatment mechanism comprises:
accessing a treatment prescription for a plant in the field; and
determining, using the image, that a performed treatment for the plant is different than the treatment prescription for the plant.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
capturing, using an additional sensor of the farming machine, an additional image of the plurality of treatment mechanisms while the farming machine is traversing the field performing plant treatments, and
wherein detecting the failure of the treatment mechanism is based on the image and the additional image.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein detecting the failure of the treatment mechanism comprises determining that the treatment mechanism is continuously treating the plants in the field.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein detecting the failure of the treatment mechanism comprises determining that the treatment mechanism is failing to treat the plants in the field.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein detecting the failure of the treatment mechanism comprises determining that the treatment mechanism is applying treatment to an incorrect plant.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein performing the treatment mechanism remediation action comprises sending a notification to a remote system indicating the failure.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein performing the treatment mechanism remediation action comprises sending a notification to an operator of the farming machine indicating the failure.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the failure comprises one of: a solenoid of the treatment mechanism failing, an overtreatment of a plant, an undertreatment of the plant, a leak of the treatment mechanism, or an incorrect operation of the treatment mechanism.

11. A farming machine comprising:
a plurality of treatment mechanisms configured to treat plants in a field as the farming machine traverses through the field;
a monitoring sensor configured to capture images of the plurality of treatment mechanisms as the farming machine traverses through the field and performs plant treatments for plants in the field;
one or more processors; and
a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising computer program instructions for identifying a failure of a treatment mechanism of the plurality of treatment mechanisms of the farming machine, the computer program instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, causing the one or more processors to:
capture, using the monitoring sensor, an image of the plurality of treatment mechanisms of the farming machine while the farming machine is traversing the field performing plant treatments for plants in the field;
detect, based on the image, the failure of the treatment mechanism of the farming machine; and
in response to detecting the failure, automatically perform, using the farming machine, a treatment mechanism remediation action based on the detected failure of the treatment mechanism.

12. The farming machine of claim 11 , wherein executing the computer program instructions for detecting the failure of the treatment mechanism further causes the one or more processors to:
capture, using a monitoring sensor of the farming machine, an image of the plurality of treatment mechanisms while the farming machine is traversing a field performing plant treatments for plants in the field;
detect, based on the image, a failure of the treatment mechanism; and
in response to detecting the failure, automatically performing an action with the farming machine based on the detected failure of the treatment mechanism.

13. The farming machine of claim 11 , wherein executing the computer program instructions for detecting the failure of the treatment mechanism further causes the one or more processors to:
access a normal treatment factor for the plurality of treatment mechanisms, the normal treatment factor describing operation of the plurality of treatment mechanisms without failures;
determine, based on the image, a current treatment factor for the treatment mechanism, the current treatment factor describing operation of the treatment mechanism; and
in response to determining that the current treatment factor is above a threshold deviation different than the normal treatment factor.

14. The farming machine of claim 11 , wherein executing the computer program instructions for detecting the failure of the treatment mechanism further causes the one or more processors to:
access a treatment prescription for a plant in the field; and
determine, using the image, that a performed treatment for the plant is different than the treatment prescription for the plant.

15. The farming machine of claim 11 , further comprising,
an additional image sensor configured for capturing additional images of the plurality of treatment mechanisms while the farming machine is traversing the field and performing plant treatments; and
wherein executing the computer program instructions further causes the one or more processors to:
capture, using the additional image sensor, an additional image of the plurality of treatment mechanisms while the farming machine is traversing the field performing plant treatments, and
wherein detecting the failure of the treatment mechanism is based on the image and the additional image.

16. The farming machine of claim 11 , wherein executing the computer program instructions for detecting the failure of the treatment mechanism further causes the one or more processors to:
determine that the treatment mechanism is continuously treating the plants in the field.

17. The farming machine of claim 11 , wherein executing the computer program instructions for detecting the failure of the treatment mechanism further causes the one or more processors to:
determine that the treatment mechanism is failing to treat the plants in the field.

18. The farming machine of claim 11 , wherein executing the computer program instructions for detecting the failure of the treatment mechanism further causes the one or more processors to:
determine that the treatment mechanism is applying treatment to an incorrect plant.

19. The farming machine of claim 11 , wherein performing the treatment mechanism remediation action fur

Assignees

• Deere & Co

Inventors

• Redden Lee Kamp
• Anderson Kent
• Pell Edward William Jeffcott
• Ostrowski James Patrick

Classifications

• A01C21/005

  Following a specific plan, e.g. pattern · CPC title

• A01B41/06

  with electric, e.g. photo-electric control of thinning operations · CPC title

• Y02A40/10

  in agriculture · CPC title

• A01M21/04

  Apparatus for destruction by steam, chemicals, burning, or electricity {(apparatus for burning A01M15/00)} · CPC title

• A01M21/02

  Apparatus for mechanical destruction {(hand-tools for uprooting weeds A01B1/16; machines for working soil and for weeding A01B39/18; harvesting machines A01D; cutting implements A01G3/00)} · CPC title