Patents by Inventor Timothy A. Schaefer

Timothy A. Schaefer has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20240377377
    Abstract: An automated computer-controlled sampling system and related methods for collecting, processing, and analyzing agricultural samples for various chemical properties such as plant available nutrients. The sampling system allows multiple samples to be processed and analyzed for different analytes or chemical properties in a simultaneous concurrent or semi-concurrent manner. Advantageously, the system can process soil samples in the “as collected” condition without drying or grinding to produce a sample slurry. The system includes a chemical analysis sub-system which processes and analyzes the prepared slurry for quantifying multiple analytes and/or chemical properties of the sample. The chemical analysis sub-system may be embodied in a multi-layered microfluidic manifold processing substrate comprising microfluidic devices which extract and quantify the concentration of analytes or other chemical parameters associated with the sample.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2022
    Publication date: November 14, 2024
    Inventors: Todd Swanson, Timothy A. Schaefer, Riley Litwiller
  • Publication number: 20240369525
    Abstract: An automated computer-controlled sampling system and related methods for collecting, processing, and analyzing agricultural samples for various chemical properties such as plant available nutrients. The sampling system allows multiple samples to be processed and analyzed for different analytes or chemical properties in a simultaneous concurrent or semi-concurrent manner. Advantageously, the system can process soil samples in the “as collected” condition without drying or grinding to produce a sample slurry. The system includes a chemical analysis sub-system which processes and analyzes the prepared slurry for quantifying multiple analytes and/or chemical properties of the sample. The chemical analysis sub-system may be embodied in a multi-layered microfluidic manifold processing substrate comprising microfluidic devices which extract and quantify the concentration of analytes or other chemical parameters associated with the sample.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2024
    Publication date: November 7, 2024
    Inventors: Todd SWANSON, Timothy A. SCHAEFER, Riley LITWILLER
  • Patent number: 12031970
    Abstract: An automated computer-controlled sampling system and related methods for collecting, processing, and analyzing agricultural samples for various chemical properties such as plant available nutrients. The sampling system allows multiple samples to be processed and analyzed for different analytes or chemical properties in a simultaneous concurrent or semi-concurrent manner. Advantageously, the system can process soil samples in the “as collected” condition without drying or grinding to produce a sample slurry. The system includes a chemical analysis sub-system which processes and analyzes the prepared slurry for quantifying multiple analytes and/or chemical properties of the sample. The chemical analysis sub-system may be embodied in a multi-layered microfluidic manifold processing substrate comprising microfluidic devices which extract and quantify the concentration of analytes or other chemical parameters associated with the sample.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2024
    Assignee: Precision Planting LLC
    Inventors: Todd Swanson, Timothy A. Schaefer, Riley Litwiller
  • Publication number: 20240198331
    Abstract: An automated computer-controlled sampling system and related methods for collecting, processing, and analyzing agricultural samples for various chemical properties such as plant available nutrients. The sampling system allows multiple samples to be processed and analyzed for different analytes or chemical properties in a simultaneous concurrent or semi-concurrent manner. Advantageously, the system can process soil samples in the “as collected” condition without drying or grinding first to produce a sample slurry. The system includes a multi-layered microfluidic manifold chemical analysis substrate configured to provide a temperature-compensated concentration of analytes or other chemical properties associated with the sample. The system utilizes a programmable controller, temperature sensor, and absorbance measurement device for that purpose. The system can be used to analyze various type of agricultural-related samples including soil, vegetation, manure, milk or other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2022
    Publication date: June 20, 2024
    Inventors: Todd Swanson, Adam Vaccari, Timothy A. Schaefer, Riley Litwiller
  • Patent number: 11871694
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and apparatus for selection of crop-input varieties. Multiple varieties of seeds may be planted with a row unit seed hopper having a plurality of compartments for receiving seed, each compartment having a seed passage through which seeds pass under gravity. A seed transfer actuator is disposed within or below the row unit seed hopper and is in communication with each of the seed passages and is configured to selectively open the seed passage of one of the plurality of compartments to permit the seeds therein to pass into the seed pool of a seed meter while closing the seed passage of other of the plurality of compartments to prevent the seeds from the other plurality of compartments passing into the seed pool of the seed meter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: Precision Planting LLC
    Inventors: Todd Swanson, Luke Stuber, Timothy A. Schaefer
  • Publication number: 20230133335
    Abstract: An automated computer-controlled sampling system and related methods for collecting, processing, and analyzing agricultural samples for various chemical properties such as plant available nutrients. The sampling system allows multiple samples to be processed and analyzed for different analytes or chemical properties in a simultaneous concurrent or semi-concurrent manner. Advantageously, the system can process soil samples in the “as collected” condition without drying or grinding. The system generally includes a sample preparation sub-system which receives soil samples collected by a probe collection sub-system and produces a slurry (i.e. mixture of soil, vegetation, and/or manure and water), and a chemical analysis sub-system which processes the prepared slurry samples for quantifying multiple analytes and/or chemical properties of the sample. The sample preparation and chemical analysis sub-systems can be used to analyze soil, vegetation, and/or manure samples.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 7, 2021
    Publication date: May 4, 2023
    Inventors: Todd Swanson, Timothy A. Schaefer, Riley Litwiller, Dale M. Koch, Nicholas Minarich
  • Publication number: 20220196628
    Abstract: An automated computer-controlled sampling system and related methods for collecting, processing, and analyzing agricultural samples for various chemical properties such as plant available nutrients. The sampling system allows multiple samples to be processed and analyzed for different analytes or chemical properties in a simultaneous concurrent or semi-concurrent manner. Advantageously, the system can process soil samples in the “as collected” condition without drying or grinding to produce a sample slurry. The system includes a chemical analysis sub-system which processes and analyzes the prepared slurry for quantifying multiple analytes and/or chemical properties of the sample. The chemical analysis sub-system may be embodied in a multi-layered microfluidic manifold processing substrate comprising microfluidic devices which extract and quantify the concentration of analytes or other chemical parameters associated with the sample.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2021
    Publication date: June 23, 2022
    Inventors: Todd SWANSON, Timothy A. SCHAEFER, Riley LITWILLER
  • Publication number: 20210341452
    Abstract: An automated computer-controlled sampling system and related methods for collecting, processing, and analyzing agricultural samples for various chemical properties such as plant available nutrients. The sampling system allows multiple samples to be processed and analyzed for different analytes or chemical properties in a simultaneous concurrent or semi-concurrent manner. Advantageously, the system can process soil samples in the “as collected” condition without drying or grinding to produce a sample slurry. The system includes a chemical analysis sub-system which processes and analyzes the prepared slurry for quantifying multiple analytes and/or chemical properties of the sample. The chemical analysis sub-system may be embodied in a multi-layered microfluidic manifold processing substrate comprising microfluidic devices which extract and quantify the concentration of analytes or other chemical parameters associated with the sample.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2021
    Publication date: November 4, 2021
    Inventors: Todd SWANSON, Timothy A. SCHAEFER, Riley LITWILLER
  • Publication number: 20210268456
    Abstract: An automated computer-controlled sampling system and related methods for collecting, processing, and analyzing agricultural samples for various chemical properties such as plant available nutrients. The sampling system allows multiple samples to be processed and analyzed for different analytes or chemical properties in a simultaneous concurrent or semi-concurrent manner. Advantageously, the system can process soil samples in the “as collected” condition without drying or grinding. The system generally includes a sample preparation sub-system which receives soil samples collected by a probe collection sub-system and produces a slurry (e.g., mixture of soil, vegetation, and/or manure and water), and a chemical analysis sub-system which processes the prepared slurry samples for quantifying multiple analytes and/or chemical properties of the sample. The preparation sub-system may comprise a slurry recirculation flow loop configured with devices to stir, measure, and adjust a water to solids ratio of the slurry.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2021
    Publication date: September 2, 2021
    Inventors: Todd SWANSON, Kent LEVY, Timothy A. SCHAEFER, Riley LITWILLER, Reid HARMAN, Joshua SEELYE, Adam VACCARI, Joanquin GANOZA, Dale M. KOCH
  • Publication number: 20210007269
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and apparatus for selection of crop-input varieties. Multiple varieties of seeds may be planted with a row unit seed hopper having a plurality of compartments for receiving seed, each compartment having a seed passage through which seeds pass under gravity. A seed transfer actuator is disposed within or below the row unit seed hopper and is in communication with each of the seed passages and is configured to selectively open the seed passage of one of the plurality of compartments to permit the seeds therein to pass into the seed pool of a seed meter while closing the seed passage of other of the plurality of compartments to prevent the seeds from the other plurality of compartments passing into the seed pool of the seed meter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2020
    Publication date: January 14, 2021
    Inventors: Todd Swanson, Luke Stuber, Timothy A. Schaefer
  • Patent number: 10820485
    Abstract: Systems, methods and apparatus for selection of crop-input varieties. In one embodiment multiple varieties of seeds may be planted utilizing a row unit seed hopper having a plurality of compartments for receiving seed, each compartment having a seed passage through which seeds pass under gravity. A seed transfer actuator is disposed within or below the row unit seed hopper and is in communication with each of the seed passages and is configured to selectively open the seed passage of one of the plurality of compartments thereby permitting the seeds therein to pass into the seed pool of a seed meter while closing the seed passage of other of the plurality of compartments preventing the seeds from the other plurality of compartments passing into the seed pool of the seed meter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: Precision Planting LLC
    Inventors: Todd Swanson, Luke Stuber, Timothy A. Schaefer
  • Publication number: 20180124998
    Abstract: Systems, methods and apparatus for selection of crop-input varieties. In one embodiment multiple varieties of seeds may be planted utilizing a row unit seed hopper having a plurality of compartments for receiving seed, each compartment having a seed passage through which seeds pass under gravity. A seed transfer actuator is disposed within or below the row unit seed hopper and is in communication with each of the seed passages and is configured to selectively open the seed passage of one of the plurality of compartments thereby permitting the seeds therein to pass into the seed pool of a seed meter while closing the seed passage of other of the plurality of compartments preventing the seeds from the other plurality of compartments passing into the seed pool of the seed meter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2018
    Publication date: May 10, 2018
    Inventors: Todd Swanson, Luke Stuber, Timothy A. Schaefer