Systems and methods for detecting soil characteristics

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016109569-A1
Application number	US-201514983105-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 29, 2015
Priority date	May 20, 2013
Publication date	Apr 21, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A soil detection and planting apparatus. The apparatus includes a vehicle and a controller coupled to the vehicle. The apparatus further includes a planting device coupled to the vehicle, the planting device configured to plant seeds or plants into a soil material. The apparatus includes a ground penetrating radar sensor coupled to the vehicle. The ground penetrating radar soil sensor is configured to scan the soil material up to a designated depth beneath a surface of the soil material, wherein the ground penetrating radar soil sensor is further configured to provide a sensor feedback signal to the controller with respect to an intrinsic characteristic of the soil material. The controller is configured to instruct placement of a seed or a plant into the soil material based on the feedback signal.

First claim

1 . A soil detection apparatus comprising:
a housing; a controller; a ground penetrating radar soil sensor coupled to the housing, the ground penetrating radar soil sensor configured to scan a soil material up to a designated depth beneath a surface of the soil material, wherein the ground penetrating radar soil sensor is further configured to provide a sensor feedback signal to the controller with respect to an intrinsic characteristic of the soil material; and a location sensor, the location sensor configured to provide a location feedback signal to the controller; wherein the controller is configured to create a map of the soil material based on the sensor feedback signal and the location feedback signal.

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the intrinsic soil characteristic comprises at least one of a composition of the soil material, a water property of the soil material, a presence of humus in the soil material, a density of the soil material, and a soil material porosity.

3 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller analyzes the location feedback signal to determine a specific location of the intrinsic soil characteristic.

4 . The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the controller indicates the intrinsic soil characteristic on the map at the specific location.

5 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the ground penetrating radar soil sensor is further configured to provide a sensor feedback signal to the controller with respect to an extrinsic characteristic of the soil material.

6 . The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the extrinsic characteristic comprises a presence of the soil material.

7 . The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the extrinsic characteristic comprises a depth of the soil material.

8 . The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the extrinsic characteristic comprises a presence of an object beneath the surface of the soil material.

9 . The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the controller identifies the object based on the sensor feedback signal.

10 . The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the controller analyzes the location feedback signal to determine a specific location of the extrinsic soil characteristic.

11 . The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the controller updates the map with an indication of a location of the extrinsic soil characteristic.

12 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the housing is configured to be mounted in a bed of a pickup truck.

13 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the housing is part of the ground-driven vehicle.

14 . An air-based soil detection apparatus comprising:
an aircraft; a controller coupled to the aircraft; a soil sensor coupled to the aircraft, the soil sensor configured to scan a soil material up to a designated depth beneath a surface of the soil material to locate at least a portion of an irrigation system contained within the soil material or on a surface of the soil material, wherein the soil sensor is further configured to provide a sensor feedback signal relating to the detected portion of the irrigation system to the controller; and a location sensor coupled to the aircraft, the location sensor configured to provide a location feedback signal to the controller; wherein the controller is configured to create a map of the soil material including a location of the portion of the irrigation system based on the sensor feedback signal and the location feedback signal.

15 . The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the soil sensor is a ground penetrating radar unit that emits electromagnetic radio waves into the soil material.

16 . The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the soil sensor is a reflection seismology sensor that transmits acoustic waves into the soil material.

17 . The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the aircraft is an airplane.

18 . The apparatus of claim 14 , further comprising a spraying device coupled to the aircraft.

19 . The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the controller instructs the spraying device to spray a liquid over a target area of land.

20 . The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the controller updates the map with an indication of a location of the liquid.

21 . The apparatus of claim 14 , further including memory coupled to the controller, wherein the controller stores the map in the memory.

22 . The apparatus of claim 14 , further comprising a network interface coupled to the controller.

23 . The apparatus of claim 22 , wherein the controller exports the map to an external computing device through the network interface.

24 . A apparatus comprising:
a vehicle; a controller coupled to the vehicle; a soil sensor coupled to the vehicle, the soil sensor configured to scan a soil material up to a designated depth beneath a surface of the soil material to locate at least a portion of an irrigation system contained within the soil material or on a surface of the soil material, wherein the soil sensor is further configured to provide a sensor feedback signal relating to the detected portion of the irrigation system to the controller; and a location sensor coupled to the vehicle, the location sensor configured to provide a location feedback signal to the controller; wherein the controller is configured to create a map of the soil material including a location of the portion of the irrigation system based on the sensor feedback signal and the location feedback signal.

25 . The apparatus of claim 24 , wherein the soil sensor is a ground penetrating radar unit that emits electromagnetic radio waves into the soil material.

26 . The apparatus of claim 24 , wherein the soil sensor is a reflection seismology sensor that transmits acoustic waves into the soil material.

27 . The apparatus of claim 24 , wherein the vehicle is an airplane.

28 . The apparatus of claim 24 , wherein the vehicle is a ground-driven vehicle.

29 . The apparatus of claim 24 , further comprising a spraying device coupled to the vehicle.

30 . The apparatus of claim 24 , wherein the controller instructs the spraying device to spray a liquid over a target area of land.

31 . The apparatus of claim 30 , wherein the controller updates the map with an indication of a location of the liquid.

32 . The apparatus of claim 24 , further including memory coupled to the controller, wherein the controller stores the map in the memory.

33 . The apparatus of claim 24 , further comprising a network interface coupled to the controller.

34 . The apparatus of claim 24 , wherein the controller exports the map to an external computing device through the network interface.

35 . The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the extrinsic soil characteristic is related to the depth variation of moisture in the soil.

36 . A soil detection and planting apparatus comprising:
a vehicle; a controller coupled to the vehicle; a planting device coupled to the vehicle, the planting device configured to plant seeds or plants into a soil material at varying depths; a ground penetrating radar soil sensor in communication with the controller, the ground penetrating radar soil sensor configured to scan the soil material up to a designated depth beneath a surface of the soil material, wherein the ground penetrating radar soil sensor is further configure

Assignees

• Elwha Llc

Inventors

• Chan Alistair K
• Duncan William D
• Hyde Roderick A
• Wood Jr Lowell L

Classifications

• A01C7/102

  Regulating or controlling the seed rate · CPC title

• G01S13/887

  for detection of concealed objects, e.g. contraband or weapons · CPC title

• B64D1/18

  by spraying, e.g. insecticides · CPC title

• A01C7/085

  Broadcast seeders · CPC title

• B64D43/00

  Arrangements or adaptations of instruments · CPC title