Automatic identification of field boundaries in a site-specific farming system
US5978723A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 22, 1996 |
| Grant date | Nov 2, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 22, 2016 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA01B79/005
- WIPO fieldOther special machines
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A farming system which identifies the boundaries of agricultural fields and performs functions based upon whether a vehicle is located within a particular field is disclosed. The system includes a location signal generation circuit which receives positioning signals and generates location signals representative of the location of the vehicle. The system further includes a memory circuit which stores geo-referenced digital maps of the fields and may include boundary data or application maps for each field. The system further includes a control circuit which compares the location signals to the data stored in the memory circuit to determine when the vehicle is located in a particular field. In one embodiment, the control circuit selects a variable-rate application map for the particular field and generates variable-rate control signals from the map data which are applied to a variable-rate applicator. In another embodiment, the control circuit stores characteristic data sensed by a sensing circuit with correlated location signals in a geo-referenced digital map for the particular field. In another embodiment, the control circuit generates height control signals to raise and lower an …
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.