IP Library Granted Patent US 11,182,931
Granted Patent B2
US 11,182,931 · App. 16/927,920 · Granted Nov 23, 2021

Methods for generating soil maps and application prescriptions

Inventors: Derek A. Sauder (Tremont, IL); Timothy A. Sauder (Tremont, IL); Steven D. Monday (Tremont, IL)
Assignee: THE CLIMATE CORPORATION
G06T11/00A01B79/005G06F16/29G06F16/9537
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,182,931
App. No.
16/927,920
Granted
Nov 23, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

Methods are provided for generating a prescription map for the application of crop inputs. In one method, the user draws a boundary on a map within a user interface and the system identifies relevant soil data and generates a soil map overlay and legend for changing the application prescription for various soils and soil conditions. In another method, the user instead drives a field boundary which is recorded on a planter monitor using a global positioning receiver, and the system generates a soil map and legend for changing the application prescription.

Claims (42)

1. A method comprising:

importing, at a planter monitor, a soil map comprising a plurality of soil polygons for an agricultural field;

recording a set of global positioning vertices while an agricultural implement communicatively coupled to the planter monitor moves through the agricultural field;

receiving a request to pause recording the set of global positioning vertices and, in response, stopping recording the set of global positioning vertices;

while the recording of the set of global positioning vertices is paused, displaying the agricultural field and a location on the agricultural field corresponding to a last recorded global positioning vertex of the set of global positioning vertices;

using the set of global positioning vertices, generating a boundary file representing a field boundary based on the set of global positioning vertices;

identifying a subset of soil polygons that are within the field boundary;

displaying the map of the agricultural field comprising the field boundary and the subset of the plurality of soil polygons that are within the field boundary.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

generating a plurality of management zones, each management zone corresponding to relevant soil polygons of the subset of soil polygons within the field boundary;

wherein displaying the map of the agricultural field comprising the subset of the plurality of soil polygons comprises display boundaries and identifiers of each of the plurality of management zones.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

displaying, with each management zone of the plurality of management zones, a default application parameter associated with the management zone.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:

receiving input at the planter monitor modifying a particular default application parameter;

generating a control map that, when executed by the planter monitor, causes the planter monitor to control the agricultural implement to implement a prescription with respect to the agricultural field within the boundary that is consistent with the modified particular default application parameter.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the prescription comprises a seed planting prescription and the particular default application parameter comprises a seed population.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein the prescription comprises a spatially dependent crop input prescription and the default parameter comprises a rate for the crop input prescription.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, while the recording of the set of global positioning vertices is paused, displaying an indicator indicating a direction of the last recorded global positioning vertex from a global positioning receiver of the agricultural implement.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving a request to resume recording the set of global position vertices when a global positioning receiver of the agricultural implement is within a particular distance of the last recorded global positioning vertex and, in response, resuming recording the set of global positioning vertices.

9. A system comprising:

a global positioning receiver coupled to an agricultural implement;

a planter monitor communicatively coupled to the agricultural implement comprising a processor and a memory storing instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause performing:

importing a soil map comprising a plurality of soil polygons for an agricultural field;

recording a set of global positioning vertices reported by the global positioning receiver while the agricultural implement communicatively coupled to the planter monitor moves through the agricultural field;

receiving a request to pause recording the set of global positioning vertices and, in response, stopping recording the set of global positioning vertices;

while the recording of the set of global positioning vertices is paused, display of the agricultural field and a location on the agricultural field corresponding to a last recorded global positioning vertex of the set of global positioning vertices;

using the set of global positioning vertices, generating a boundary file representing a field boundary based on the set of global positioning vertices;

identifying a subset of soil polygons that are within the field boundary;

displaying a map of the agricultural field comprising the field boundary and the subset of the plurality of soil polygons that are within the field boundary.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause performing:

generating a plurality of management zones, each management zone corresponding to relevant soil polygons of the subset of soil polygons within the field boundary;

wherein displaying the map of the agricultural field comprising the subset of the plurality of soil polygons comprises display boundaries and identifiers of each of the plurality of management zones.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause performing:

displaying, with each management zone of the plurality of management zones, a default application parameter associated with the management zone.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause performing:

receiving input at the planter monitor modifying a particular default application parameter;

generating a control map that, when executed by the planter monitor, causes the planter monitor to control the agricultural implement to implement a prescription with respect to the agricultural field within the boundary that is consistent with the modified particular default application parameter.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the prescription comprises a seed planting prescription and the particular default application parameter comprises a seed population.

14. The system of claim 12 , wherein the prescription comprises a spatially dependent crop input prescription and the default parameter comprises a rate for the crop input prescription.

15. The system of claim 9 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause performing, while the recording of the set of global positioning vertices is paused, displaying an indicator indicating a direction of the last recorded global positioning vertex from a global positioning receiver of the agricultural implement.

16. The system of claim 9 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause performing receiving a request to resume recording the set of global position vertices when a global positioning receiver of the agricultural implement is within a particular distance of the last recorded global positioning vertex and, in response, resuming recording the set of global positioning vertices.

Assignments (5)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 23, 2026
From: CLIMATE LLC
To: MONSANTO COMPANY
Reel/Frame 075177/0751 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 23, 2026
From: MONSANTO COMPANY
To: MONSANTO TECHNOLOGY LLC
Reel/Frame 075177/0908 →
CHANGE IN PRINCIPAL PLACE OF BUSINESS Recorded Sep 2, 2025
From: CLIMATE LLC
To: CLIMATE LLC
Reel/Frame 072810/0487 →
CHANGE OF ADDRESS Recorded Jul 28, 2025
From: CLIMATE LLC
To: CLIMATE LLC
Reel/Frame 072257/0429 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Nov 17, 2022
From: THE CLIMATE CORPORATION
To: CLIMATE LLC
Reel/Frame 061963/0737 →
Continuity (4)
Continuation 16681677 · Nov 12, 2019
Continuation 13978339
Provisional Application 61429635 · Jan 4, 2011
Related Publication 20200342633A1 · Oct 29, 2020
Cited By (1)
US 12,211,119