Planting characteristic detection and control using a seed sensor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12426532-B2
Application number	US-202217695211-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 15, 2022
Priority date	Jun 11, 2019
Publication date	Sep 30, 2025
Grant date	Sep 30, 2025

Abstract

A seed sensor senses seeds on a row unit and generates a seed sensor signal. A number of planting characteristics, such as a seed orientation, seed slugging, delivery system wear, and seed abnormalities, can be detected based on the seed sensor signal. The planter can be controlled based on the detected planting characteristics.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An agricultural machine comprising:
a furrow opener configured to open a furrow as the agricultural machine moves across a field;
a seed delivery system configured to deliver seeds to the furrow;
a seed sensor configured to sense a seed and to generate a seed sensor signal indicative of the seed; and
a seed abnormality detector configured to detect a spectral characteristic of the seed based on the seed sensor signal and to identify a seed abnormality based on the detected spectral characteristic.

2. The agricultural machine of claim 1 and further comprising:
a control system configured to generate a control signal to control a controllable subsystem based on the seed abnormality.

3. The planting machine of claim 2 , wherein the controllable subsystem comprises a population control subsystem.

4. The agricultural machine of claim 3 , wherein the control system is configured to generate the control signal to control the population control subsystem to increase a speed of the seed delivery system.

5. The agricultural machine of claim 3 , wherein the control system is configured to generate the control signal to control the population control subsystem to increase a speed of a seed metering system, the seed metering system configured to meter seeds to the seed delivery system.

6. The agricultural machine of claim 1 , wherein the seed sensor comprises an image sensor that is configured to generate, as the seed sensor signal, an image of the seed.

7. The agricultural machine of claim 1 , wherein the seed abnormality detector is configured to compare the detected spectral characteristic of the seed to a seed type spectral characteristic, and to identify the seed abnormality based on the comparison.

8. A method of controlling an agricultural machine comprising:
generating, with a seed sensor, a seed sensor signal indicative of seed detected moving through the agricultural machine;
detecting, with a seed abnormality detector, a spectral characteristic of the seed based on the seed sensor signal;
identifying a seed abnormality based on the detected spectral characteristic of the seed; and
generating a controllable subsystem of the agricultural machine based on the seed abnormality.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the controllable subsystem comprises a population subsystem and wherein generating the control signal comprises:
generating the control signal to control the population subsystem of the agricultural machine to temporarily increase a speed at which a seed delivery system is configured to deliver seeds to a furrow.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the controllable subsystem comprises a population subsystem and wherein generating the control signal comprises:
generating the control signal to control the population subsystem of the agricultural machine to temporarily increase a speed at which a seed metering system meters seeds to a seed delivery system.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein generating the seed sensor signal comprises capturing an image of the seed, with the seed sensor, as the seed is moving through the agricultural machine.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein identifying the seed abnormality comprises identifying that the seed detected moving through the agricultural machine is of a different type than a type of the seed that is to be delivered to a furrow opened by the agricultural machine.

13. An agricultural machine comprising:
a furrow opener configured to open a seed furrow as the agricultural machine moves across a field during a planting operation;
a seed delivery system configured to deliver seeds to the furrow;
a seed sensor configured to sense a seed and to generate a seed sensor signal indicative of the seed; and
a seed orientation detector configured to detect an orientation of the seed in the seed delivery system based on the seed sensor signal and to generate a characteristic signal indicative of a detected planting characteristic.

14. The agricultural machine of claim 13 and further comprising:
a control system configured to generate a control signal to control a controllable subsystem based on the detected orientation of the seed.

15. The agricultural machine of claim 14 , wherein the controllable subsystem comprises a seed orientation subsystem being configurable to change an orientation of the seeds being delivered to the seed delivery system, and wherein the control system is configured to generate the control signal to control the seed orientation subsystem to change an orientation of the seeds being delivered to the seed delivery system.

16. The agricultural machine of claim 13 , wherein the seed sensor is configured to generate the seed sensor signal at a value that varies from a first level indicative of a seed not being detected to a second level indicative of a seed being detected, and wherein the agricultural machine further comprises:
signal width logic that identifies a signal width value indicative of a time for which the seed sensor signal has a value that continuously meets or exceeds the second level.

17. The agricultural machine of claim 13 and further comprising:
a planting characteristic detection system configured to detect, as a characteristic of the planting operation, that a spacing of seeds within the seed delivery system does not satisfy a target spacing.

Assignees

• Deere & Co

Inventors

• Walter Jason D
• Liu James Z

Classifications

• G05B15/02

  electric · CPC title

• A01C1/025

  Testing seeds for determining their viability or germination capacity · CPC title

• A01C5/062

  Devices for making drills or furrows · CPC title

• A01C7/102

  Regulating or controlling the seed rate · CPC title

• A01C7/105 Primary

  Seed sensors · CPC title