IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,185,650
Granted Patent B2
US 12,185,650 · App. 17/162,175 · Granted Jan 7, 2025

System and method for controlling the operation of an agricultural implement based on compaction layer position

Inventor: James W. Henry (Saskatoon, CA)
Assignee: CNH Industrial Canada, Ltd.
A01B63/24A01B3/26A01B13/14A01B79/005
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,185,650
App. No.
17/162,175
Granted
Jan 7, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A system for controlling an operation of an agricultural implement includes a ground-penetrating tool configured to penetrate soil within a field to a penetration depth. Furthermore, the system includes a sensor configured to capture data indicative of a compaction layer within the field as the implement travels across the field. Additionally, the system includes a computing system configured to generate a representation of a portion of the soil within the field based on the data captured by the sensor. Moreover, the computing system is configured to determine a position of a bottom surface of the compaction layer based on the generated representation. In addition, the computing system is configured to control the penetration depth of the ground-penetrating tool based on the determined position of the bottom surface of the compaction layer.

Claims (39)

1. A system for controlling an operation of an agricultural implement, the system comprising:

a ground-penetrating tool configured to penetrate soil within a field to a penetration depth;

a sensor configured to capture data indicative of a compaction layer within the field as the agricultural implement travels across the field, the compaction layer extending in a vertical direction between a bottom surface of the compaction layer and a top surface of the compaction layer; and

a computing system communicatively coupled to the sensor, the computing system configured to:

generate a representation of a portion of the soil within the field based on the data captured by the sensor;

determine a position of the bottom surface of the compaction layer based on the generated representation; and

control the penetration depth of the ground-penetrating tool based on the determined position of the bottom surface of the compaction layer such that a tip of the ground-penetrating tool is positioned below the bottom surface of the compaction layer in the vertical direction.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein, when controlling the penetration depth of the ground-penetrating tool, the computing system is configured to control the penetration depth of the ground-penetrating tool such that the tip of the ground-penetrating tool is maintained at a selected distance below the bottom surface of the compaction layer in the vertical direction.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the computing system is further configured to determine the selected distance based on the position of the bottom surface of the compaction layer.

4. The system of claim 2 , wherein the computing system is further configured to:

determine a thickness of the compaction layer extending between the bottom surface of the compaction layer and the top surface of the compaction layer based on the generated representation; and

determine the selected distance based on the thickness of the bottom surface of the compaction layer.

5. The system of claim 2 , wherein the computing system is further configured to:

determine a density of the compaction layer based on the data captured by the sensor; and

determine the selected distance based on the density of the compaction layer.

6. The system of claim 2 , wherein the computing system is further configured to determine the selected distance based on a type of the soil within the field or a moisture content of the soil within the field.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the sensor comprises a non-contact-based sensor.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the sensor comprises a ground-penetrating radar sensing device and an electromagnetic induction sensing device.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the computing system is further configured to generate a field map identifying the position of the bottom surface of the compaction layer at one or more locations within the field.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the ground-penetrating tool comprises a shank.

11. A method for controlling an operation of an agricultural implement, the agricultural implement including a ground-penetrating tool configured to penetrate soil within a field to a penetration depth, the method comprising:

receiving, with a computing system, sensor data indicative of a compaction layer within the field as the agricultural implement travels across the field, the compaction layer extending in a vertical direction between a bottom surface of the compaction layer and a top surface of the compaction layer;

generating, with the computing system, a representation of a portion of the soil within the field based on the received sensor data;

determining, with computing system, a position of the bottom surface of the compaction layer based on the generated representation; and

controlling, with computing system, the penetration depth of the ground-penetrating tool based on the determined position of the bottom surface of the compaction layer such that a tip of the ground-penetrating tool is positioned below the bottom surface of the compaction layer in the vertical direction.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein controlling the penetration depth of the ground-penetrating tool comprises controlling, with the computing system, the penetration depth of the ground-penetrating tool such that the tip of the ground-penetrating tool is maintained at a selected distance below the bottom surface of the compaction layer in the vertical direction.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

determining, with the computing system, the selected distance based on the position of the bottom surface of the compaction layer.

14. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

determining, with the computing system, a thickness of the compaction layer extending between the bottom surface of the compaction layer and the top surface of the compaction layer based on the generated representation; and

determining, with the computing system, the selected distance based on the thickness of the bottom surface of the compaction layer.

15. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

determining, with the computing system, a density of the compaction layer based on the received sensor data; and

determining, with the computing system, the selected distance based on the density of the compaction layer.

16. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

determining, with the computing system, the selected distance based on a type of the soil within the field or a moisture content of the soil within the field.

17. The method of claim 11 , wherein the sensor data comprises a non-contact-based sensor data.

18. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

generating, with the computing system, a field map identifying the position of the bottom surface of the compaction layer at one or more locations within the field.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 29, 2021
From: HENRY, JAMES W.
To: CNH INDUSTRIAL CANADA, LTD.
Reel/Frame 055078/0536 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20220240430A1 · Aug 4, 2022
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