Automated Tracking And Identification In A Crop Production Cycle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016140367-A1
Application number	US-201414547692-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 19, 2014
Priority date	Nov 19, 2014
Publication date	May 19, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

An improved system for tracking the application of crops and field amendments being applied to fields is disclosed. A series of passive communication devices are included in products being applied to the field. As seed and other products are supplied to the field, the passive communication devices are delivered to the field as well A reader is mounted to the agricultural vehicle and is in communication with the passive devices to read data stored on each device. The data may include the type and variety of product in which the passive devices were supplied. A controller on the vehicle receives data from the reader to identify what product has been applied to the field. The controller may store data on any additional product subsequently applied to the field and/or may verify that subsequent product is acceptable for application to a crop in the field prior to application.

First claim

I claim:

1 . A system for tracking agricultural products applied to a field, the system comprising:
a plurality of identification devices, wherein each of the plurality of identification devices is inserted into a product to be applied to the field; and a distribution system configured to dispense the product to the field, wherein each of the plurality of identification devices is dispensed to the field along with the product.

2 . The system of claim 1 wherein each of the plurality of identification devices includes a memory device and a communication device and wherein the memory device stores data corresponding to the product in which its corresponding identification device is inserted.

3 . The system of claim 2 wherein at least one agricultural vehicle traverses the field after the product is dispensed and wherein each agricultural vehicle includes a controller to control operation of the agricultural vehicle, the system further comprising:
a reader mounted to each agricultural vehicle and in communication with the controller, wherein the reader includes a communication device and the reader establishes a communication link between the reader and each of the plurality of identification devices in the field as the agricultural vehicle traverses the field.

4 . The system of claim 3 wherein:
each agricultural vehicle also includes a data storage device and a positioning system operable to generate a position signal;
the reader reads the data from each of the plurality of identification devices via the communication link; and
the data from each of the plurality of identification devices and the position signal corresponding to a location at which each of the plurality of identification devices is read are stored in the data storage device.

5 . The system of claim 4 wherein each agricultural vehicle is configured to apply an amendment to the field and wherein data corresponding to the amendment applied to the field is stored in the data storage device.

6 . The system of claim 4 wherein each agricultural vehicle is configured to apply an amendment to the field and wherein the controller receives the data from each of the plurality of identification devices and generates a plurality of control signals as a function of the data from each of the plurality of identification devices.

7 . The system of claim 3 wherein one of the at least one agricultural vehicles is a harvester, the system further comprising:
a plurality of harvest identification devices loaded on the harvester;
a programmer mounted to the harvester, wherein the programmer writes at least a portion of the data from the plurality of identification devices to each of the harvest identification devices; and
a delivery system configured to insert each of the harvest identification devices into the product being harvested from the field.

8 . A method of tracking an agricultural product during its production cycle, the method comprising the steps of:
inserting a plurality of identification devices within a quantity of seed for the agricultural product, wherein each of the plurality of identification devices includes a memory device and a communication device, the memory device storing data corresponding to the seed in which the identification device is inserted; and distributing the plurality of identification devices on a field along with the seed wherein then agricultural vehicle equipped with a positioning system operable to generate a position signal distributes the plurality of identification devices and the seed.

9 . The method of claim 8 further comprising the steps of
reading the position signal from the positioning system while the plurality of identification devices and the seed are distributed; and
generating a distribution map identifying where the plurality of identification devices and the seed are distributed within the field.

10 . The method of claim 8 further comprising the steps of:
traversing the field with a second agricultural vehicle, wherein the second agricultural vehicle includes a reader having a communication device;
establishing a communication link between the communication device on the reader and the communication device in each of the plurality of identification devices; and
reading the data from the plurality of identification devices via the communication link.

11 . The method of claim 10 wherein the second agricultural vehicle: is configured to apply an amendment to the field, includes a positioning system operable to generate a position signal, and includes a memory device in communication with the reader; the method further comprising the step of storing in the memory device the data from the plurality of identification devices, the position signal from the positioning system in the second agricultural vehicle, and data corresponding to the amendment applied to the field.

12 . The method of claim 10 wherein the second agricultural vehicle is configured to apply an amendment to the field and the second agricultural vehicle includes a memory device storing an application table, the method further comprising the steps of:
comparing the data from the plurality of identification devices to the application table;
enabling the second agricultural vehicle to apply the amendment to the field when the data from the plurality of identification devices matches data m the application table, indicating the amendment is compatible with the seed applied to the field; and
preventing the second agricultural vehicle from applying the amendment to the field when the data from the plurality of identification devices fails to match data in the application table, indicating the amendment is not compatible with the seed applied to the field.

13 . The method of claim 10 wherein the second agricultural vehicle is configured to apply an amendment to the field, the method further comprising the steps of:
inserting a plurality of additional identification devices within the amendment, wherein each of the plurality of additional identification devices includes a memory device and a communication device, the memory device storing data corresponding to the amendment in which it is inserted; and
distributing the plurality of additional identification devices on the field along with the amendment.

14 . The method of claim 10 wherein the second agricultural vehicle is a harvester, the method further comprising the steps of:
writing at least a portion of the data from the plurality of identification devices to a harvest identification device with a programmer mounted on the harvester;
harvesting the crop from the field with the harvester; and
inserting the harvest identification device into the harvested crop.

15 . The method of claim 14 wherein the harvester includes a positioning system operable to generate a position signal and the position signal from the harvester is written to the harvest identification device.

16 . In a precision farming system having a plurality of agricultural vehicles, wherein the precision fanning system: dispenses at least one crop product to a field to begin a crop product cycle, dispenses at least one field amendment to the field during the crop product cycle, and harvests the crop product from the field to complete the crop product cycle; an improved system for monitoring the crop product cycle comprising:
a plurality of identification devices, wherein each of the plurality of identification devices is inserted into one of the crop products to be dispensed to the field and wherein each of the plurality of identification devices includes a co

Assignees

• Cnh Ind America Llc

Inventors

• Dollinger Tyson

Classifications

• G06K7/10297 Primary

  arrangements for handling protocols designed for non-contact record carriers such as RFIDs NFCs, e.g. ISO/IEC 14443 and 18092 (cryptographic protocols H04L9/00; network security protocols H04L63/00; real-time communication protocols in data switching networks H04L65/00; network protocols for data switching network services H04L67/00) · CPC title

• G06K7/10376

  the interrogation device being adapted for being moveable · CPC title

• A01B79/00

  Methods for working soil · CPC title

• G05D1/021

  specially adapted to land vehicles · CPC title

• A01C21/005 Primary

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