IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,274,260
Granted Patent B2
US 12,274,260 · App. 17/490,328 · Granted Apr 15, 2025

System and method to quantify spray quality

Inventors: Scott Allen Long (Plainfield, IL); Trevor Stanhope (Oak Lawn, IL); Nathan Brooks (Manitowoc, WI); Monte Gene Weller (Frankfort, IL)
Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC
A01M7/0089A01C23/007B05B12/008B05B12/082A01C23/047A01M7/0042
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,274,260
App. No.
17/490,328
Granted
Apr 15, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

An agricultural application system can include a nozzle assembly positioned along a boom assembly and can be configured to selectively dispense an agricultural product therefrom. One or more sensors can be operably coupled with the boom assembly and configured to capture data associated with first and second application variables. A controller can be communicatively coupled to the one or more sensors. The controller can include a processor and associated memory. The memory can store instructions that, when implemented by the processor, configure the controller to receive the data associated with the one or more application variables and calculate the spray quality index. The first application variable can have a first scaling factor and a second application variable can have a second scaling factor. The second scaling factor may differ from the first scaling factor.

Claims (43)

1. An agricultural work vehicle comprising:

a chassis supporting a cab and a boom assembly;

one or more nozzle assemblies positioned along the boom assembly and configured to selectively dispense an agricultural product therefrom;

a sensor operably coupled with the boom assembly and configured to capture data associated with one or more application variables; and

a controller communicatively coupled to the sensor, the controller configured to receive, from the sensor, the data associated with the one or more application variables and calculate a spray quality index defined between an upper integer and a lower integer based on the one or more application variables, the upper integer and the lower integer being determined based on a scaling and weighting of the one or more application variables, wherein the weighting of the one or more application variables is altered as the one or more nozzle assemblies positioned along the boom assembly selectively dispense the agricultural product therefrom.

2. The agricultural work vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to provide a notification within the cab when the spray quality index deviates from a predefined range.

3. The agricultural work vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to provide a mitigation instruction based on the spray quality index exceeding a predefined range.

4. The agricultural work vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising:

an imaging sensor configured to detect one or more application variables, wherein the one or more application variables include at least one of an orifice type of the one or more nozzle assemblies or a mixture of materials defining the agricultural product.

5. The agricultural work vehicle of claim 3 , further comprising:

a positioning device communicatively coupled to the controller, the controller being configured to receive location data from the positioning device associated with the boom assembly and correlate the location data to the one or more application variables to generate or update a field map associated with a field.

6. The agricultural work vehicle of claim 5 , further comprising:

a display within a human-machine interface (HMI) and configured to provide the field map thereon.

7. The agricultural work vehicle of claim 4 , wherein the controller is further configured to store variables that cause a variance in the spray quality index during operation of the vehicle.

8. An agricultural work vehicle comprising:

a chassis supporting a boom assembly;

one or more nozzle assemblies positioned along the boom assembly and configured to selectively dispense an agricultural product therefrom;

an imaging sensor operably coupled with the boom assembly and configured to capture data associated with one or more application variables; and

a controller communicatively coupled to the imaging sensor, the controller configured to receive, from the imaging sensor, the data associated with the one or more application variables and calculate a spray quality index defined between an upper integer and a lower integer based on the one or more application variables, the upper integer and the lower integer being determined based on a scaling and weighting of the one or more application variables, wherein the weighting of the one or more application variables is altered as the one or more nozzle assemblies positioned along the boom assembly selectively dispense the agricultural product therefrom.

9. The agricultural work vehicle of claim 8 , wherein the controller is further configured to provide a notification when the spray quality index deviates from a predefined range.

10. The agricultural work vehicle of claim 8 , wherein the controller is further configured to provide a mitigation instruction based on the spray quality index exceeding a predefined range.

11. The agricultural work vehicle of claim 8 , wherein the one or more application variables include at least one of an orifice type of the one or more nozzle assemblies or a mixture of materials defining the agricultural product.

12. The agricultural work vehicle of claim 8 , further comprising:

a positioning device communicatively coupled to the controller, the controller being configured to receive location data from the positioning device associated with the boom assembly and correlate the location data to the one or more application variables to generate or update a field map associated with a field.

13. The agricultural work vehicle of claim 12 , further comprising:

a display within a human-machine interface (HMI) and configured to provide the field map thereon.

14. The agricultural work vehicle of claim 8 , wherein the controller is further configured to store variables that cause a variance in the spray quality index during operation of the vehicle.

15. An agricultural work vehicle comprising:

a chassis supporting a boom assembly;

one or more nozzle assemblies positioned along the boom assembly and configured to selectively dispense an agricultural product therefrom;

a sensor operably coupled with the boom assembly and configured to capture data associated with one or more application variables; and

a controller communicatively coupled to the sensor, the controller configured to:

receive, from the sensor, the data associated with the one or more application variables;

calculate a spray quality index defined between an upper integer and a lower integer based on the one or more application variables, the upper integer and the lower integer being determined based on a scaling and weighting of the one or more application variables, wherein the weighting of the one or more application variables is altered as the one or more nozzle assemblies positioned along the boom assembly selectively dispense the agricultural product therefrom; and

provide a notification when the spray quality index deviates from a predefined range.

16. The agricultural work vehicle of claim 15 , wherein the controller is further configured to provide a mitigation instruction based on the spray quality index exceeding a predefined range.

17. The agricultural work vehicle of claim 15 , further comprising:

an imaging sensor configured to detect one or more application variables, wherein the one or more application variables include at least one of an orifice type of the one or more nozzle assemblies or a mixture of materials defining the agricultural product.

18. The agricultural work vehicle of claim 15 , further comprising:

a positioning device communicatively coupled to the controller, the controller being configured to receive location data from the positioning device associated with the boom assembly and correlate the location data to the one or more application variables to generate or update a field map associated with a field.

19. The agricultural work vehicle of claim 18 , further comprising:

a display within a human-machine interface (HMI) and configured to provide the field map thereon.

20. The agricultural work vehicle of claim 15 , wherein the controller is further configured to store variables that cause a variance in the spray quality index during operation of the vehicle.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 7, 2026
From: CNH INDUSTRIAL AMERICA LLC
To: BLUE LEAF I.P., INC.
Reel/Frame 074296/0308 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 30, 2021
From: LONG, SCOTT ALLEN; STANHOPE, TREVOR; BROOKS, NATHAN; WELLER, MONTE GENE
To: CNH INDUSTRIAL AMERICA LLC
Reel/Frame 057656/0415 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 63106061 · Oct 27, 2020
Related Publication 20220125033A1 · Apr 28, 2022
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Cited By (4)
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