Mobile tobacco receiving station
A system, method, computer program product, and mobile receiving station for receiving and processing leaf tobacco at a location of a tobacco farmer, including processing the tobacco leaf at the location, including means for weighing and grading of the received tobacco leaf and, optionally, determining moisture content and transmitting information relating to the optionally determined moisture content, the weight, and the grade of the received tobacco leaf to a tobacco product manufacturing facility over a communications link.
1. A system for facilitating tobacco purchasing from a tobacco farmer, the system comprising:
a mobile leaf tobacco receiving station comprising a motor vehicle, the motor vehicle configured to receive tobacco leaf bales, the mobile leaf tobacco receiving station including
a communications link configured to communicate with a tobacco product manufacturing facility
a loading ramp configured to load the tobacco leaf bales into the motor vehicle and transfer the tobacco leaf bales through the motor vehicle
an unloading ramp configured to unload the tobacco leaf bales from the motor vehicle;
a moisture sensor configured to determine moisture content of the tobacco leaf bales and
a scale configured to measure bale weight of the tobacco leaf bales; and at least one processor configured to execute computer readable instructions to;
receive a unique identifier for each tobacco leaf bale received by the loading ramp, the unique identifier identifying a source of each tobacco leaf bale;
associate the unique identifier for each tobacco leaf bale with the determined moisture content of the tobacco leaf bale and the measured bale weight of the tobacco leaf bale;
assign a tobacco leaf grade to each of the tobacco leaf bales;
associate the assigned grade with the unique identifier of each respective tobacco leaf bale;
transmit information relating to the measured bale weight, the tobacco leaf grade, and the moisture content of the received tobacco leaf bales to the tobacco product manufacturing facility over the communications link; and
add the information relating to the measured bale weight, the tobacco leaf grade, and the moisture content to the unique identifier of each of the received tobacco leaf bales; and
the motor vehicle further includes a conveyor belt and a 90° transfer;
the loading ramp is further configured to transfer the received tobacco leaf bales to the conveyor belt;
the 90° transfer is configured to receive the tobacco leaf bales from the conveyor belt and transfer the tobacco leaf bales to the unloading ramp; and
the unloading ramp is further configured to unload the tobacco leaf bales from the motor vehicle, the unloading ramp arranged in a perpendicular direction from a direction of the loading ramp.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the computer readable instructions to:
receive a determined value for the received tobacco leaf bales from the tobacco product manufacturing facility, based on the moisture content, the measured bale weight, and the tobacco leaf grade of the received tobacco leaf bales; and
issue funds for the determined value of the received tobacco leaf bales.
3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the communications link comprises an encrypted wireless communications link.
4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the encrypted wireless communications link comprises a retractable satellite communications link.
5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the computer readable instructions to:
generate a bill of lading for shipment of the received tobacco leaf bales to the tobacco product manufacturing facility based on the information relating to the measured bale weight, the tobacco leaf grade, and the moisture content of the received tobacco leaf bales.
6. A mobile receiving station for receiving and processing leaf tobacco at a tobacco farm, the mobile receiving station comprising:
a motor vehicle configured to measure bale weight, and moisture content of tobacco leaf bales received at the tobacco farm, each of the tobacco leaf bales including a unique identifier, the unique identifier associated with a tobacco farmer;
the motor vehicle including:
a communications link configured to communicate with a tobacco product manufacturing facility;
a loading ramp configured to receive the tobacco leaf bales and transfer the tobacco leaf bales;
an unloading ramp configured to unload the tobacco leaf bales;
a moisture sensor configured to determine the moisture content of the tobacco leaf bales; and
a scale configured to measure the bale weight of the tobacco leaf bales; and
at least one processor configured to execute computer readable instructions to;
receive the unique identifier for each tobacco leaf bale received by the loading ramp;
associate the unique identifier for each tobacco leaf bale with the determined moisture content of the tobacco leaf bale and the measured bale weight of the tobacco leaf bale;
assign a tobacco leaf grade to each of the tobacco leaf bales, the assigned grade associated with the unique identifier of each respective tobacco leaf bale;
transmit information relating to the measured bale weight, the tobacco leaf grade, and the moisture content of the received tobacco leaf bales to the tobacco product manufacturing facility over the communications link; and
add the information relating to the measured bale weight, the tobacco leaf grade, and the moisture content to the unique identifier of each of the received tobacco leaf bales; and
the motor vehicle further includes a conveyor belt and a 90° transfer;
the loading ramp is further configured to transfer the received tobacco leaf bales to the conveyor belt;
the 90° transfer is configured to receive the tobacco leaf bales from the conveyor belt and transfer the tobacco leaf bales to the unloading ramp; and
the unloading ramp is further configured to unload the tobacco leaf bales from the motor vehicle, the unloading ramp arranged in a perpendicular direction from a direction of the loading ramp.
7. The mobile receiving station of claim 6 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the computer readable instructions to issue funds based on the moisture content, bale weight, and tobacco leaf grade of the received tobacco leaf bales.
8. The mobile receiving station of claim 6 , wherein the communications link comprises an encrypted wireless communications link.
9. The mobile receiving station of claim 8 , wherein the encrypted wireless communications link comprises a satellite communications link.
10. The mobile receiving station of claim 6 , wherein the motor vehicle comprises a trailer attached to the motor vehicle.