Granted Patent B2

US 12,642,187 · App. 18/317,998 · Granted Jun 2, 2026

Inventors: Benjamin H. Johnson (Omaha, NE); Chad E. Johnson (Aurora, NE); Zane Zents (Omaha, NE)

Assignee: Grain Well Corporation

A01F25/186B65G69/0433H04Q9/00H04Q2209/40

Abstract

Claims (57)

1 . A grain management system comprising:

a robot comprising:

an auger-based drive system;

a memory; and

a processor coupled with the memory and configured to:

control movement of the robot, via the auger-based drive system, relative to grain in a bulk store;

direct traversal, by the robot, of a landing zone portion of a surface of a pile of the grain during load-in of the grain to disperse broken grain and foreign material away from the landing zone portion, wherein the landing zone portion is where the grain of the pile of grain lands as it falls into the bulk store during load-in, and wherein the dispersal is effected in part by rotation of augers of the auger-based drive system; and

direct additional traversal, by the robot, of a sloped portion of the pile of grain to incite sediment gravity flow in the sloped portion of the pile of grain by disruption of viscosity of the sloped portion of the pile of grain through agitation of the sloped portion of the pile of grain by rotation of the augers of the auger-based drive system, and wherein the sediment gravity flow reduces a slope of the sloped portion from outside a predefined range to within the predefined range and further disperses the broken grain and foreign material away from the landing zone portion;

direct performance of an extraction traversal, by the robot, of the pile of the grain during a load-out of grain from the bulk store, wherein the extraction traversal moves grain of the pile of grain toward an extraction point; and

a computer system located remotely from and configured to wirelessly communicate with the robot.

2 . The grain management system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

direct performance of a maintenance traversal, by the robot, of the pile of the grain during a storage period of the grain to disperse a layer of the grain on and near the surface and thus prevent crust formation on the surface during the storage period, wherein the dispersal is effected by rotation of augers of the auger-based drive system.

3 . The grain management system of claim 2 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

direct capture, by a sensor of the robot, of a measurement of a characteristic of the pile of grain during the maintenance traversal; and

direct the robot to wirelessly communicate the measurement of the characteristic to the computer system.

4 . The grain management system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

direct performance of a rehydration traversal, by the robot, of the pile of grain in concert with a fan of the bulk store drawing humid air onto a top surface of the pile, wherein the rehydration traversal mixes grain on the top surface with grain below the top surface to facilitate even rehydration of a layer of grain near the top surface by the humid air.

5 . The grain management system of claim 4 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

direct capture, by a sensor of the robot, of a measurement of a characteristic of the layer of grain during the rehydration traversal; and

direct the robot to wirelessly communicate the measurement of the characteristic to the computer system.

6 . The grain management system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

direct capture, by a sensor of the robot, of a measurement of a characteristic of the of the pile of grain during the extraction traversal; and

direct the robot to wirelessly communicate the measurement of the characteristic to the computer system.

7 . The robot of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

direct capture, by a sensor of the robot, of a measurement of a characteristic of the landing zone portion of the pile of grain during the traversal of the landing zone portion of the pile of grain; and

direct the robot to wirelessly communicate the measurement of the characteristic to the computer system.

8 . The grain management system of claim 1 , wherein the computer system is configured to:

receive one or more positions of the robot and one or more measurements of characteristics of the grain at the one or more positions; and

assemble the one or more positions of the robot and one or more measurements of characteristics of the grain at the one or more positions into a map of the grain for viewing by a human to assist with management of the grain.

9 . The grain management system of claim 1 , wherein the bulk store is a round bin and the landing zone is in the center of the round bin.

10 . A robot comprising:

an auger-based drive system;

a memory; and

a processor coupled with the memory and configured to:

control movement of the robot, via the auger-based drive system, relative to grain in a bulk store;

direct traversal, by the robot, of a landing zone portion of a surface of a pile of the grain during load-in of the grain to disperse broken grain and foreign material away from the landing zone portion, wherein the landing zone portion is where the grain of the pile of grain lands as it falls into the bulk store during load-in, and wherein the dispersal is effected in part by rotation of augers of the auger-based drive system;

direct additional traversal, by the robot, of a sloped portion of the pile of grain to incite sediment gravity flow in the sloped portion of the pile of grain by disruption of viscosity of the sloped portion of the pile of grain through agitation of the sloped portion of the pile of grain by rotation of the augers of the auger-based drive system, and wherein the sediment gravity flow reduces a slope of the sloped portion from outside a predefined range to within the predefined range and further disperses the broken grain and foreign material away from the landing zone portion; and

direct performance of an extraction traversal, by the robot, of the pile of the grain during a load-out of grain from the bulk store, wherein the extraction traversal moves grain of the pile of grain toward an extraction point.

11 . The robot of claim 10 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

direct performance of a maintenance traversal, by the robot, of the pile of the grain during a storage period of the grain to disperse a layer of the grain on and near the surface and thus prevent crust formation on the surface during the storage period, wherein the dispersal is effected by rotation of augers of the auger-based drive system.

12 . The robot of claim 10 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

direct performance of a rehydration traversal, by the robot, of the pile of grain in concert with a fan of the bulk store drawing humid air onto a top surface of the pile, wherein the rehydration traversal mixes grain on the top surface with grain below the top surface to facilitate even rehydration of a layer of grain near the top surface by the humid air.

13 . The robot of claim 10 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

direct capture, by a sensor of the robot, of a measurement of a characteristic of the landing zone portion of the pile of grain during the traversal of the landing zone portion of the pile of grain; and

direct the robot to wirelessly communicate the measurement of the characteristic to a computer system located remotely from the robot.

14 . A method of grain management in a bulk store, the method comprising:

controlling via an auger-based drive system of a robot, by a processor of the robot, movement of the robot relative to grain in a bulk store;

traversing, by the robot, a landing zone portion of a surface of a pile of the grain during load-in of the grain to disperse broken grain and foreign material away from the landing zone portion, wherein the landing zone portion is where the grain of the pile of grain lands as it falls into the bulk store during load-in, and wherein the dispersal is effected in part by rotation of augers of the auger-based drive system;

additionally traversing, by the robot, a sloped portion of the pile of grain to incite sediment gravity flow in the sloped portion of the pile of grain by disruption of viscosity of the sloped portion of the pile of grain through agitation of the sloped portion of the pile of grain by rotation of the augers of the auger-based drive system, and wherein the sediment gravity flow reduces a slope of the sloped portion from outside a predefined range to within the predefined range and further disperses the broken grain and foreign material away from the landing zone portion; and

performing an extraction traversal, by the robot, of the pile of the grain during a load-out of grain from the bulk store, wherein the extraction traversal moves grain of the pile of grain toward an extraction point.

15 . The method as recited in claim 14 , further comprising:

performing a maintenance traversal, by the robot, of the pile of the grain during a storage period of the grain to disperse a layer of the grain on and near the surface and thus prevent crust formation on the surface during the storage period, wherein the dispersal is effected by rotation of augers of the auger-based drive system.

16 . The method as recited in claim 14 , further comprising:

performing a rehydration traversal, by the robot, of the pile of grain in concert with a fan of the bulk store drawing humid air onto a top surface of the pile, wherein the rehydration traversal mixes grain on the top surface with grain below the top surface to facilitate even rehydration of a layer of grain near the top surface by the humid air.

17 . The method as recited in claim 14 , further comprising:

capturing, by a sensor of the robot, of a measurement of a characteristic of the landing zone portion of the pile of grain during the traversal of the landing zone portion of the pile of grain; and

wirelessly communicating the measurement of the characteristic to a computer system located remotely from the robot along with a position of the robot at a time of the measurement.

Assignments (1)

Continuity (10)

References Cited (111)