Agricultural Patents (Class 340/684)
  • Patent number: 11821910
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a system for detecting characteristics of a moving element. The system may include a tubular housing having a tubular first portion having a first end and a second end, with the first end forming an input port and the second end forming an output port. A source of wireless electromagnetic energy projects a wireless electromagnetic energy signal, travelling in a first direction, into the input port and through an interior area defined by the tubular first portion. A signal processing subsystem detects at least one characteristic of the signal after the signal is reflected back to the first end after having interacted with the element as the element moves past the output port of the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC
    Inventors: Tammy Chang, Rayford Owen Mays, Joe Tringe
  • Patent number: 11801794
    Abstract: Disclosed are front entry cabs, and power machines with front entry cabs, having a door that is moveable between opened and closed positions and a display oriented in the cab to provide information to the operator both while the door is in the opened and closed positions. In the opened position, the door is positioned within an operator compartment of the cab above the operator seat and below a top of the cab. The display is positioned to not interfere with the door, door linkages, or operator joystick control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: CLARK EQUIPMENT COMPANY
    Inventors: Cody Erhardt, Jonathan J. Roehrl
  • Patent number: 11778939
    Abstract: The present invention relates to the technical field of controlling harmful organisms in the cultivation of cultivated plants. The present invention relates to a method for controlling harmful organisms, to a system for controlling harmful organisms and to the use of a digital application map for the application of one or more control agents against harmful organisms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: BASF AGRO TRADEMARKS GMBH
    Inventors: Holger Hoffmann, Ole Peters, Eleen Grüneberg, Andreas Johnen, Andree-Georg Girg
  • Patent number: 11767187
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus includes a plurality of coils that are provided in a feeding section which feeds a sheet that has been taken in into a transport path and that generate magnetic fields and a control section that determines, on the basis of differential values between signals output from the plurality of coils, whether a foreign object has entered the feeding section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Assignee: GLORY LTD.
    Inventor: Taiki Gokurakuji
  • Patent number: 11744182
    Abstract: A cotton harvester estimates the mass of cotton as it is harvested using sensor devices and compares the mass of each module against the estimated mass of the module as determined by the sensors so that a calibration factor may be determined and actively updated for more accurate crop yield determination. The mass flow for a specific module is accumulated and processed during harvesting using a base calibration factor and the module is weighed and compared against the expected mass using the base calibration factor to develop a candidate updated calibration factor. The base calibration factor is selectively replaced by the candidate updated calibration factor for processing a subsequent module based on machine feedback information relating to the operation of the harvester. Harvested crop data determined using the calibration factor is used to generate highly accurate yield maps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignees: Deere & Company, Iowa State University Research Foundation
    Inventors: Brandon C. Carlson, Jeffrey S. Wigdahl, Nicholas W. Vanlaningham, Kurt D. Gustafson, Jeffrey C. Askey
  • Patent number: 11716930
    Abstract: An agricultural work machine is provided comprising a surroundings detection device for detecting a surroundings in sections, and one or more controllable working elements, wherein the surroundings detection device generates surroundings detection signals, which can be processed in a control and regulating device assigned to the agricultural work machine, wherein the surroundings detection device is designed as a scanner, which scans the surroundings in scanning planes, and wherein each scanning plane is assigned to the control of working elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: CLAAS Selbstfahrende Erntemaschinen GmbH
    Inventors: Rene Middelberg, Thilo Krause
  • Patent number: 11711999
    Abstract: A seed delivery apparatus having a seed meter configured to entrain seeds on a seed disc and to release said entrained seeds at a seed release location; a seed conveyor having an upper end disposed to receive released seeds from said seed meter and a lower end through which the released seeds are discharged proximate a soil surface; and a loading wheel rotatably disposed at said upper end of said seed conveyor to introduce the released seeds from said seed meter into said seed conveyor, wherein said loading wheel has a plurality of radial fingers with each of said radial fingers having a sinusoidal configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignee: Precision Planting LLC
    Inventors: Ian Radtke, Todd Swanson
  • Patent number: 11714800
    Abstract: In an embodiment, a server computer (“server”) identifies planting datasets of planting data values that correspond to separate planting passes in a field and harvesting datasets of harvesting data values that correspond to separate harvesting passes in the field, each planting data value and each harvesting data value including a location value. The server normalizes the planting datasets based on a heading direction of a first agricultural equipment, a row-unit shift of the first agricultural equipment, or a direct measurement of a first measurement device value. The server also normalizes the harvesting datasets based on a heading direction of a second agricultural equipment, a row-unit shift of the second agricultural equipment, or a direct measurement of a second measurement device value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignee: CLIMATE LLC
    Inventors: Wayne Tai Lee, Markus Huber
  • Patent number: 11698086
    Abstract: A system has a hydraulic circuit configured to control a position of an attachment of the system and a control system configured to perform operations that include receiving an input indicative of a center of gravity of the attachment and controlling a flow rate of fluid directed through the hydraulic circuit based on the center of gravity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2023
    Assignee: CNH INDUSTRIAL AMERICA LLC
    Inventors: Dana Lee Froemming, Jonathan Richard Nistler, Michael Sylvester Bares
  • Patent number: 11561269
    Abstract: A device is dynamically isolated via a broadband switch that includes a plurality of cascade elements in series, wherein each cascade element comprises a first set of SQUIDs in series, a matching capacitor, and a second set of SQUIDs in series. The broadband switch is set to a passing state via flux bias lines during programming and readout of the device and set to a suppression state during device's calculation to reduce operation errors at the device. A device is electrically isolated from high-frequencies via an unbiased broadband switch. A device is coupled to a tunable thermal bath that includes a broadband switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: D-WAVE SYSTEMS INC.
    Inventors: Loren J. Swenson, Andrew J. Berkley, Mark H. Volkmann, George E. G. Sterling, Jed D. Whittaker
  • Patent number: 11156673
    Abstract: A device (10) for detecting electrically conducting objects to be measured in a ground is provided, including a housing (21), a solenoid unit (34) situated in the housing (21), which includes a transmitter coil unit (38) and a receiver coil unit (39), a control unit (36), and an evaluation unit (37). A metal sheet (35) is provided in the housing (21), the solenoid unit (34) being situated on a lower side (53) of the metal sheet (35) facing the ground during the measuring operation, and the control unit (36) being situated on an upper side (54) of the metal sheet (35) facing away from the ground during the measuring operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: Hilti Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Torsten Gogolla, Dietmar Schoenbeck, Geert Kalusche, Christoph Wuersch
  • Patent number: 11078038
    Abstract: A document feeder may include a media transporter to feed a number of sheets of media through a feed path and a detector to detect the presence of a metal object including a number of triangular-shaped inductor coils to detect the metal objects. A method of detecting a metal object coupled to a sheet of media entering a document processing device may include applying an alternating current to a number of triangular-shaped inductor coils to create a magnetic field upstream of a media feed path, detecting a change in a magnetic flux of the magnetic field due to a metal object in the path of said magnetic flux, and producing a warning when the changes in the magnetic flux are detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventor: Stuart Allman
  • Patent number: 11064373
    Abstract: A radio frequency identification (RFID) tag includes an antenna structure operable to receive a radio frequency (RF) signal, an RF signal circuit operable to, when enabled, produce the RF signal, a sensing element operably coupled to the antenna structure, a memory, and a processing module. When in a calibration mode, the processing module adjusts the input impedance until a measured power level is substantially equal to the desired input power level, and generates a first digital value based on the amount of the adjustment a power difference between a measured first input power level and a desired power level, and stores the first digital value in the memory, where the first digital value is representative of a known condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: RFMicron, Inc.
    Inventor: Shahriar Rokhsaz
  • Patent number: 11037379
    Abstract: Resource consumption of a work vehicle in a specified work site is estimated more appropriately and a resource replenishment timing is calculated appropriately.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: Kubota Corporation
    Inventors: Tomofumi Fukunaga, Keishiro Nishi, Atsushi Shinkai, Yushi Matsuzaki
  • Patent number: 11016049
    Abstract: An agricultural permittivity sensor has a drive electrode and a separate sense electrode. Both electrodes have surfaces that face the sensed material and the surfaces are co-planar. The drive electrode receives an excitation signal and generates an electric field that produces a current in the sense electrode. The current is indicative of a test weight of the sensed material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventors: Andrew C. Locken, Brian J. Booth, William D. Todd
  • Patent number: 10962360
    Abstract: A method of calibrating a grade control system is provided. The method includes placing a smartphone on first defined calibration location of a work machine. The smartphone determines a slope of the first defined calibration location relative to gravity. The smartphone is placed on a second defined calibration location of the work machine and determines a slope of the second defined calibration location relative to gravity. The slope of the first and second defined calibration locations is automatically communicated to the grade control system and is employed for subsequent grade control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventors: Madeline T Olgesby, Cory J. Brant, Christopher R. Benson
  • Patent number: 10925211
    Abstract: A system for automatic control of an operating parameter of a crop transport or processing device of an agricultural harvesting machine includes a sensor configured to detect at least one property of a crop or a parameter affected by the operating property and a control device disposed in communication with the sensor to receive signals therefrom. The control device is operable by means of the signals from the sensor using an algorithm to determine successive control signals for control of an actuator. The control signals affect the operating parameter of the crop transport or processing device that interacts with the sensed crop. An operator interface is included for input of corrective inputs for the operating parameter. The control device is connected to the interface and is operable to override the control signals sent to the actuator by means of the received corrective inputs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventors: Philipp Muench, Tobias Peschke
  • Patent number: 10920394
    Abstract: Lever neutrality is determined by whether or not operation levers are at a neutral position based on operation signals from operation levers. Pilot pressures are computed based on the operation signals from the operation levers; and pilot pressure signals are converted to current signals. A current interruption controller controls interruption and communication of the current signals to the solenoid proportional valves; and an operating condition is determined by determining whether a construction machine is in a manual operation state or a semiautomatic operation state. At least one hydraulic actuator is controlled to assist the operation of the operator, and when it is determined that the construction machine is in the semiautomatic operation state, the current interruption controller interrupts the current signals to all of the solenoid proportional valves only when it is determined that all the operation levers are at the neutral position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: HITACHI CONSTRUCTION MACHINERY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Kobayashi, Hiroshi Sakamoto, Yoshiyuki Tsuchie
  • Patent number: 10849266
    Abstract: The invention concerns apparatuses (1) for distributing mixed fluid or bulk material on to agricultural productive surfaces (100) comprising a distribution device (5) which has at least one fluid inlet (3) which can be connected to a mixed fluid supply and a plurality of outlets (7). The apparatus has a plurality of conduits (11) connected to the outlets, wherein the conduits (11) have a respective connecting portion (35b) for coupling to an application device (9), wherein an outlet (7) and the conduit (11) connected to the fluid outlet define a respective flow path. In particular the apparatuses have a device (15) for blockage detection in individual ones of, a plurality of or all flow paths, that has a plurality of sensors (21), and an electronic evaluation unit (17) which is adapted to receive the measurement signals output by the sensors (21), compare them to each other and on the basis of signal deviations determined in that case to identify individual ones of or a plurality of flow paths as blocked.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Assignees: Hugo Vogelsang Maschinenbau GmbH, Prometheus GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Karl-Heinz Block, Paul Krampe, Martin Hertwig
  • Patent number: 10832544
    Abstract: A method of detecting a metal object in a detection zone between a transmitting antenna (101) and a receiving antenna (102) installed in proximity of a revolving door (110), the method comprising: in real time: demodulating a signal received via the receiving antenna (102) to provide a first signal (y; 501); filtering the first signal (y; 501) by a first adaptive notch filter (201) to suppress at least a fundamental tone or a fundamental tone and one or more harmonic tones of the fundamental tone in a filtered signal (e; 502); and processing the filtered signal (e; 502) to detect an impulse (504), and while the impulse develops, computing a feature value of the impulse and determining whether the feature value exceeds a threshold. In case the feature value exceeds the threshold, setting a first alarm detector. In this way a so-called booster bag can be reliably detected the moment it passes the detection zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: Alert Systems ApS
    Inventor: Dennis Pedersen
  • Patent number: 10774507
    Abstract: An excavator comprises a control architecture having one or more actuators and one or more controllers. The one or more controllers are programmed to execute instructions. The instructions determine if there is a request to operate the excavator boom and the excavating implement in automatics mode. The instructions also receive target design surface data representing a target design surface of an excavating operation. The instructions still further receive an implement angle representing an operating angle of the excavating implement relative to the target design surface. The instructions also determine whether the implement angle is within an activation angle, determine whether the implement angle is outside of a deactivation angle, activate the excavating implement in the automatics mode when the implement angle is within the activation angle and the deactivation angle, and deactivate when the implement angle is outside of the deactivation angle subsequent to the automatics mode activation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: Caterpillar Trimble Control Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Kyle Davis, Richard Weinel
  • Patent number: 10579460
    Abstract: An error diagnosing method performed by an apparatus for diagnosing an error of operating equipment in a smart farm includes: receiving a control message which triggers an error diagnosis; analyzing data collected from a smart farm on the basis of a preset error diagnostic rule when the control message is received; outputting a result of determining whether an error of the operating equipment installed in the smart farm occurs according to an analysis result; and providing the error determination result to a user through a user interface. It is possible to stably operate and efficiently manage a smart farm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: ELECTRONICS AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS RESEARCH INSTITUTE
    Inventors: Se Han Kim, Hyeon Park, Jee Sook Eun
  • Patent number: 10437243
    Abstract: A user device, that is remote from a combine harvester, communicates with a remote system to receive performance metrics corresponding to sensed operation of a plurality of different combine harvesters. A performance display element, for each machine, and for each of a plurality of different performance criteria, is generated. Display control logic controls a display device so the performance display elements are displayed with display elements corresponding to a same performance criteria, but for different combine harvesters, being displayed adjacent one another, on the display device. The display control logic also controls the display device so the performance machine display elements for the plurality of different combine harvesters are also displayed along with a performance distribution display element that represents a performance distribution of a plurality of different machines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventors: Sebastian Blank, Mario L. Donini, Dohn W. Pfeiffer, Joshua D. Hoffman
  • Patent number: 10416793
    Abstract: Provided is a selection unit for selecting different states or functions of an aircraft system, including: a manually operable selection element, the selection element including a first display indicating the actual selection state of the selection element, with each selection state of the selection element representing a different state or function of the aircraft system, wherein the selection element is additionally designed and configured for a dynamic electronic selection of the actual selection state based on an external signal input, and a second display co-located with the selection element, the second display visualizing the actual state of the aircraft system depending on the actual selection state of the selection element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: Airbus Defence and Space GmbH
    Inventors: Daniel Dreyer, Matthias Oberhauser
  • Patent number: 10380704
    Abstract: A set of data is received. The data is indicative of sensed parameters on a mobile machine. The data is evaluated against a set of actionable conditions to determine the degree of fulfillment of each condition. A recommendation for changing the operation of the mobile machine is identified based on the degree of fulfillment. An output is generated based on the recommendation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventors: Dohn W. Pfeiffer, Sebastian Blank
  • Patent number: 10138618
    Abstract: An excavator comprises a control architecture having one or more linkage assembly actuators and one or more controllers. The one or more controllers are programmed to execute instructions. The instructions determine if there is a request to operate the excavator boom and the excavating implement in automatics mode. The instructions also receive target design surface data representing a target design surface of an excavating operation. The instructions further receive an implement position representing a position of the excavating implement relative to the target design surface. The instructions still further receive an implement angle representing an operating angle of the excavating implement relative to the target design surface. The instructions also determine whether the implement position is within an automatics region of the target design surface, wherein the automatics region represents a region on one or both sides of the target design surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: Caterpillar Trimble Control Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Kyle Davis, Richard Weinel
  • Patent number: 9807932
    Abstract: A set of sensor inputs are received in an agricultural machine. The sensor inputs are indicative of sensed or measured variables. A probabilistic control system probabilistically infers values for another set of variables and generates a set of control signals based on the probabilistically inferred values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventors: William D. French, Jr., Aaron J. Bruns, Janos Kis
  • Patent number: 9648807
    Abstract: An agricultural harvesting machine has a control arrangement including an optical sensor device for recording image series of a continuous main crop stream, an evaluation device for ascertaining a portion of damaged grain, a portion of non-grain in the main crop stream or both, on the basis of an image analysis of the recorded image series and a visualization device for displaying the portion of damaged grain and/or the portion of non-grain. The control arrangement cyclically records image series of the continuous main crop stream and, within a predetermined processing time after an image series has been recorded, displays a current portion of damaged grain, a current portion of non-grain or both, based on the image series.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: CLAAS Selbstfahrende Erntemaschinen GmbH
    Inventors: Mathias Escher, Georg Eggenhaus, Thilo Krause, Boris Kettelhoit, Allan Kildeby, Jan Van De Sluis, Willi Behnke, Thomas Roewekamp, Stephan Recknagel
  • Patent number: 9631964
    Abstract: A material flow sensor for a harvesting machine comprising an acoustic chamber comprising an impact plate and a housing, microphone, a pneumatic impulse line connecting the housing and the microphone, and an electronics module, wherein the housing is shaped so as to direct sound waves created by crop matter striking the impact plate into the pneumatic impulse line, wherein the sound waves move through the pneumatic impulse line into the microphone, which detects the sound waves and converts them into an electrical signal that is a representation of the sound power derived from the sound waves, which in turn is a representation of the mass of the crop matter striking the material flow sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: Intelligent Agricultural Solutions, LLC
    Inventors: Joshua N. Gelinske, Barry D. Batcheller, Paul A. Nystuen, Adam A. Reich, Bradley R. Thurow, Bradley K. Schleusner
  • Patent number: 9560802
    Abstract: A sensor signal is received, and is indicative of a sensed parameter. A metric is generated that indicates a likelihood of a tailings elevator plug, based upon the sensed parameter. A controller determines whether adjustments to controllable mechanisms are to be made, based upon the metric, in order to avoid a tailings elevator plug and, if so, automatically makes the adjustments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2017
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventors: Bhanu Kiran Reddy Palla, John M. Hageman
  • Patent number: 9483863
    Abstract: A terrain mapping system is disclosed for use with an excavation machine at a worksite. The terrain mapping system may have a locating device mountable onboard the excavation machine and configured to generate a first signal indicative of a position of the excavation machine at the worksite, and a sensor configured to generate a second signal indicative of a load on the excavation machine. The terrain mapping system may also have a controller in communication with the locating device and the sensor. The controller may be configured to update a surface contour of the worksite contained in an electronic map based on the first signal as the excavation machine traverses the worksite, and to determine an amount of material moved by the excavation machine based on the second signal. The controller may also be configured to generate a representation of the material moved by the excavation machine in the electronic map when the excavation machine ceases to move the material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2016
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Jean-Jacques Clar, Michael Allen Taylor, Robert Jason McGee, Kyle Adam Edwards
  • Publication number: 20150137984
    Abstract: To accurately grasp a generation situation of a warning generated in an operation machine, the operation machine is provided with: warning generation means 55 adapted to determine whether or not there is abnormality, and in the case where there is abnormality, generate a warning; warning storage means 56 adapted to store warning information on the warning; display means adapted to display the warning information stored in the warning storage means 56; and warning erasing means adapted to erase the warning information, wherein the warning storage means 56 is configured to store warning information on a warning generated after the erasure by the warning erasing means 57.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2015
    Publication date: May 21, 2015
    Applicant: KUBOTA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ryosuke KINUGAWA, Atsushi MATSUMOTO, Keisuke MIURA
  • Patent number: 8981949
    Abstract: A harvester grain bin monitoring system is disclosed. The system includes a sensor that monitors the perimeter of the bin proximate to the top rim to provide a warning to an operator when the grain level reaches approaches the bin rim. The sensor may be optical or mechanical.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC
    Inventors: Jonathan E. Ricketts, Brandon E. Ricketts, Wade L. Klennert
  • Patent number: 8976037
    Abstract: To accurately grasp a generation situation of a warning generated in an operation machine, the operation machine is provided with: warning generation means 55 adapted to determine whether or not there is abnormality, and in the case where there is abnormality, generate a warning; warning storage means 56 adapted to store warning information on the warning; display means adapted to display the warning information stored in the warning storage means 56; and warning erasing means adapted to erase the warning information, wherein the warning storage means 56 is configured to store warning information on a warning generated after the erasure by the warning erasing means 57.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Kubota Corporation
    Inventors: Ryosuke Kinugawa, Atsushi Matsumoto, Keisuke Miura
  • Patent number: 8970389
    Abstract: A stir alarm device for monitoring a forced air in-bin grain stirring system and alerting an individual when the stirring system malfunctions. The stir alarm device may include a movement device which is movably secured to the stirring system, such that movement of the stirring system causes movement of the movement device. The stir alarm device may further include a detection mechanism for monitoring the movement of the movement device. The stir alarm may also include a signaling device operably attached to the detection mechanism, the signaling device for signaling a malfunction when an amount of movement detected by the movement detection mechanism is below a threshold for a predetermined period of time and may include methods or components to control the operation of the stir machine and/or drying system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Inventor: Randy Heying
  • Patent number: 8955445
    Abstract: The seed distribution tower of an air seeder has a distribution head that splits a single, primary stream of conveying air and seeds into a plurality of secondary streams for delivery to openers that deposit the seeds into the ground as the seeder advances. The outlets through which the secondary streams exit the head are constructed as modules that can be individually installed and replaced without disassembling the entire head. Shut-off valves and/or flow sensors may or may not be incorporated into certain or all of the modules to provide optimum user flexibility.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: Great Plains Manufacturing, Inc.
    Inventor: Jacob R. Riffel
  • Patent number: 8843281
    Abstract: Seed meters, agricultural planters, and methods of planting seed are provided. Such meters, planters, and methods may include a housing defining a chamber, a seed disc rotatably coupled to the housing and at least partially positioned within the chamber with the seed disc adapted to engage a seed, and a sensor for detecting a characteristic of the seed after the seed disengages the seed disc and before the seed exits the seed meter. The sensor may be coupled to a seed chute of the seed meter and may detect a wide variety of seed characteristics such as seed position within the seed chute, seed size, and seed shape. The seed characteristic may be used to adjust operation of the seed meters, agricultural planters, and methods. In some instances, the adjustment may be manual. In other instances, the adjustment may be automatic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: Kinze Manufacturing, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew J. Wilhelmi, Courtney N. Achen, Marvin L. Bachman
  • Patent number: 8656848
    Abstract: The seed distribution tower of an air seeder splits a single, primary stream of conveying air and seeds into a plurality of secondary streams for delivery to openers that deposit the seeds into the ground as the seeder advances. As seeds enter the head of the tower in an upward vertical direction through an inlet at the bottom of the head, they are scattered 360° in a horizontal direction by an inverted, overhead distribution cone. The inlet through which the seeds enter the distribution head has an eased configuration to reduce turbulence and promote laminar flow within the head during the dramatic transition from vertical to horizontal movement. Sensitive components such as tram line valves, solenoid actuators, and blockage sensors are protectively housed within the interior of the distribution head to avoid exposure to hostile environmental elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: Great Plains Manufacturing, Inc.
    Inventors: Verne A. Hubalek, Jacob R. Riffel
  • Patent number: 8631749
    Abstract: A seed sensor for an agricultural planter adapted to be disposed proximate an egress end of a seed tube through which seeds pass during planting operations. The seed sensor capable of generating an output signal corresponding to the passage of seed therethrough.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2014
    Assignee: Precision Planting LLC
    Inventors: Gregg A. Sauder, Louis Gino Plantamura
  • Patent number: 8600629
    Abstract: A method for compensating for planter shut off delay in a planter includes automatically calculating by an intelligent control associated with the planter, a time delay look-ahead distance based on groundspeed of the planter and a time delay, and a total look-ahead distance based on the time delay look-ahead distance and a distance delay look ahead distance. The method further includes determining by the intelligent control if seeding should be off or on at a point in the field at the total look ahead distance, and sending a signal to a row shutoff device of the planter to control the seeding. A control system is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: AG Leader Technology
    Inventor: Roger R. Zielke
  • Patent number: 8525699
    Abstract: A device for aiding flight for an aircraft includes means for locating the localities situated in the operational area for rescue missions. The device is able to present to the crew a landmark of the positions of the localities in relation to the position of the aircraft, this landmark also indicating information connected with navigation and to flight regulations for each of the localities. The device relates to operations aircraft and more particularly rescue helicopters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: Thales
    Inventors: Thomas Landragin, Christian Nouvel
  • Publication number: 20130176134
    Abstract: To accurately grasp a generation situation of a warning generated in an operation machine, the operation machine is provided with: warning generation means 55 adapted to determine whether or not there is abnormality, and in the case where there is abnormality, generate a warning; warning storage means 56 adapted to store warning information on the warning; display means adapted to display the warning information stored in the warning storage means 56; and warning erasing means adapted to erase the warning information, wherein the warning storage means 56 is configured to store warning information on a warning generated after the erasure by the warning erasing means 57.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2012
    Publication date: July 11, 2013
    Applicant: KUBOTA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ryosuke Kinugawa, Atsushi Matsumoto, Keisuke Miura
  • Patent number: 8306727
    Abstract: A control system controls a pair of vehicles in coordination to traverse a respective pair of trajectories. The control system is configured to specify a plurality of successive waypoints, a safe stopping interval and an intermediate interval greater than the safe stopping interval, and exchange waypoints between vehicles. The system controls each vehicle in coordination with the other, senses a rate of exchange of waypoint data between the vehicles, and determines the safe stopping interval. The control system updates positions with additional waypoints as the respective vehicles pass by waypoints of the forecasted trajectory, determines the length of the forecasted trajectory remaining and compares it with the intermediate interval and the safe stopping interval. The system generates a warning signal if distance is less than the intermediate interval, and if the distance is less than the safe stopping interval, stops within the safe stopping interval.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: CNH America LLC
    Inventors: Riccardo Morselli, John Posselius
  • Patent number: 8282453
    Abstract: A method and system for use with the combine to modify tailings conveyed to a cleaning system grain bed. Methods and systems are provided that utilize one or more sensors to detect uneven distribution of crop material in the grain bed, which provides information for a controller to determine whether adjustments to a tailings distribution system is needed to encourage even distribution of crop material in the grain bed. Elements in the tailings distribution system can be adjusted to alter direction of tailings conveyed to the grain bed to encourage even distribution of crop material on the grain bed. The system may also inform an operator of suggested manual adjustments to mitigate the non-uniformity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: CNH America LLC
    Inventors: Curtis Frederick Hillen, Todd A. Cannegieter
  • Patent number: 8264378
    Abstract: Technologies are described herein for providing enhanced center and range control on an aircraft display. According to embodiments, a display mode is selected to display a map on the aircraft display. A range input for displaying the map in the selected display mode at a desired range and a centering input for centering on a predefined map location on the aircraft display are received. The range input and the centering input associated with the selected display mode are then stored. When the selected display mode is deselected and then reselected, the map is displayed on the aircraft display in the selected display mode according to at least one of the stored range input and the centering input associated with the selected display mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Jill M. Martins, Samuel T. Clark, Juliana J. Goh, Roglenda R. Bowe
  • Patent number: 8260499
    Abstract: An automatic steering system for a work vehicle comprises a position sensor for detecting a position of the vehicle, a memory for storing information about a nominal path of the vehicle and a control unit coupled to the position sensor, to the memory and to a steering actuator for steering the vehicle. The control submits control signals to the steering actuator that depend upon a feedback gain and a lateral offset between the actual position and the nominal path. The feedback gain depends upon a sensed payload of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventor: Broughton Boydell
  • Patent number: 8160765
    Abstract: A control system controls a pair of vehicles in coordination to traverse a respective pair of trajectories. The control system is configured to specify a plurality of successive waypoints, a safe stopping interval and an intermediate interval greater than the safe stopping interval, and exchange waypoints between vehicles. The system controls each vehicle in coordination with the other, senses a rate of exchange of waypoint data between the vehicles, and determines the safe stopping interval. The control system updates positions with additional waypoints as the respective vehicles pass by waypoints of the forecasted trajectory, determines the length of the forecasted trajectory remaining and compares it with the intermediate interval and the safe stopping interval. The system generates a warning signal if distance is less than the intermediate interval, and if the distance is less than the safe stopping interval, stops within the safe stopping interval.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: CNH America LLC
    Inventors: Riccardo Morselli, John Posselius
  • Publication number: 20110227745
    Abstract: Positional information transmitted from a mobile unit mounted on an agricultural work vehicle is displayed overlapping with map data obtained from a map database. Display of the field data on the display screen is color-coded based on a result of comparison of a date of the positional information transmitted from the mobile unit with the field data obtained from the map database and a scheduled date for work stored in the field data. Thereby, an operational management system of an agricultural work vehicle capable of promptly and spatially confirming an operational situation of the agricultural work vehicle is provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 18, 2011
    Publication date: September 22, 2011
    Applicant: HITACHI SOLUTIONS, LTD.
    Inventors: Kenji KIKUCHI, Atsuhiro SAEGUSA, Noriko YAMAGATA
  • Patent number: 8001914
    Abstract: To produce, monitor, and control a flow of air for a seed conveying system and a seed metering system, an air-assisted planting system includes an air handling system having a single air source and an air controller for maintaining a generally constant air pressure to the metering system. The air controller includes a plurality of sensors associated with and operable to monitor an air pressure through the metering system. Based on a sensed air pressure, a microprocessor of the air controller instructs the air handling system to selectively divert the flow of air to the metering system on an as-needed basis to maintain the generally constant air pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2011
    Assignee: Great Plains Manufacturing, Inc.
    Inventors: Bruce D. Peterson, Brent W. Nelson
  • Patent number: 7969319
    Abstract: A fill level sensor is magnetically coupled to a hopper of an agricultural implement to provide a signal indicative of product fill level in the hopper relative to a fill line. The sensor can be positioned at various heights to provide variability in the height of the sensed fill line. The fill level sensing components are contained within a sensor housing. A magnet for magnetically mounting the sensor may be coupled to an exterior surface of the sensor housing or enclosed within the sensor housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2011
    Assignee: CNH Canada, Ltd.
    Inventor: Trevor Kowalchuk