IP Library Granted Patent US 12,414,492
Granted Patent B2
US 12,414,492 · App. 18/747,389 · Granted Sep 16, 2025

System and method for automated odometry calibration for precision agriculture systems

Inventors: Lee Kamp Redden (Palo Alto, CA); Kent Anderson (Signal Mountain, TN); Edward William Jeffcott Pell (Sunnyvale, CA); James Patrick Ostrowski (Mountain View, CA)
Assignee: Deere & Company
A01B79/005A01B41/06A01C21/00A01C21/005A01M21/00A01M21/02A01M21/04G01C7/04G01C11/00G01C11/06G01C15/04Y02A40/10
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,414,492
App. No.
18/747,389
Granted
Sep 16, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method including: recording a first image of a first field region; automatically treating a plant within the first region in-situ based on the first image; automatically verifying the plant treatment with a second image of the first region; and automatically treating a second region concurrently with treatment verification.

Claims (57)

1. A method for identifying a failure of a treatment mechanism of a plurality of treatment mechanisms of a farming machine:

capturing, using a monitoring sensor of the farming machine, an image of the plurality of treatment mechanisms of the farming machine while the farming machine is traversing a field performing plant treatments for plants in the field;

detecting, based on the image, the failure of the treatment mechanism of the farming machine; and

in response to detecting the failure, automatically performing, using the farming machine, a treatment mechanism remediation action based on the detected failure of the treatment mechanism.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein detecting the failure of the treatment mechanism comprises:

accessing a normal treatment factor for the plurality of treatment mechanisms, the normal treatment factor describing operation of the plurality of treatment mechanisms without failures;

determining, based on the image, a current treatment factor for the treatment mechanism, the current treatment factor describing operation of the treatment mechanism; and

in response to determining that the current treatment factor is above a threshold deviation different than the normal treatment factor.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein detecting the failure of the treatment mechanism comprises:

accessing a treatment prescription for a plant in the field; and

determining, using the image, that a performed treatment for the plant is different than the treatment prescription for the plant.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

capturing, using an additional sensor of the farming machine, an additional image of the plurality of treatment mechanisms while the farming machine is traversing the field performing plant treatments, and

wherein detecting the failure of the treatment mechanism is based on the image and the additional image.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein detecting the failure of the treatment mechanism comprises determining that the treatment mechanism is continuously treating the plants in the field.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein detecting the failure of the treatment mechanism comprises determining that the treatment mechanism is failing to treat the plants in the field.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein detecting the failure of the treatment mechanism comprises determining that the treatment mechanism is applying treatment to an incorrect plant.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein performing the treatment mechanism remediation action comprises sending a notification to a remote system indicating the failure.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein performing the treatment mechanism remediation action comprises sending a notification to an operator of the farming machine indicating the failure.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the failure comprises one of: a solenoid of the treatment mechanism failing, an overtreatment of a plant, an undertreatment of the plant, a leak of the treatment mechanism, or an incorrect operation of the treatment mechanism.

11. A farming machine comprising:

a plurality of treatment mechanisms configured to treat plants in a field as the farming machine traverses through the field;

a monitoring sensor configured to capture images of the plurality of treatment mechanisms as the farming machine traverses through the field and performs plant treatments for plants in the field;

one or more processors; and

a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising computer program instructions for identifying a failure of a treatment mechanism of the plurality of treatment mechanisms of the farming machine, the computer program instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, causing the one or more processors to:

capture, using the monitoring sensor, an image of the plurality of treatment mechanisms of the farming machine while the farming machine is traversing the field performing plant treatments for plants in the field;

detect, based on the image, the failure of the treatment mechanism of the farming machine; and

in response to detecting the failure, automatically perform, using the farming machine, a treatment mechanism remediation action based on the detected failure of the treatment mechanism.

12. The farming machine of claim 11 , wherein executing the computer program instructions for detecting the failure of the treatment mechanism further causes the one or more processors to:

capture, using a monitoring sensor of the farming machine, an image of the plurality of treatment mechanisms while the farming machine is traversing a field performing plant treatments for plants in the field;

detect, based on the image, a failure of the treatment mechanism; and

in response to detecting the failure, automatically performing an action with the farming machine based on the detected failure of the treatment mechanism.

13. The farming machine of claim 11 , wherein executing the computer program instructions for detecting the failure of the treatment mechanism further causes the one or more processors to:

access a normal treatment factor for the plurality of treatment mechanisms, the normal treatment factor describing operation of the plurality of treatment mechanisms without failures;

determine, based on the image, a current treatment factor for the treatment mechanism, the current treatment factor describing operation of the treatment mechanism; and

in response to determining that the current treatment factor is above a threshold deviation different than the normal treatment factor.

14. The farming machine of claim 11 , wherein executing the computer program instructions for detecting the failure of the treatment mechanism further causes the one or more processors to:

access a treatment prescription for a plant in the field; and

determine, using the image, that a performed treatment for the plant is different than the treatment prescription for the plant.

15. The farming machine of claim 11 , further comprising,

an additional image sensor configured for capturing additional images of the plurality of treatment mechanisms while the farming machine is traversing the field and performing plant treatments; and

wherein executing the computer program instructions further causes the one or more processors to:

capture, using the additional image sensor, an additional image of the plurality of treatment mechanisms while the farming machine is traversing the field performing plant treatments, and

wherein detecting the failure of the treatment mechanism is based on the image and the additional image.

16. The farming machine of claim 11 , wherein executing the computer program instructions for detecting the failure of the treatment mechanism further causes the one or more processors to:

determine that the treatment mechanism is continuously treating the plants in the field.

17. The farming machine of claim 11 , wherein executing the computer program instructions for detecting the failure of the treatment mechanism further causes the one or more processors to:

determine that the treatment mechanism is failing to treat the plants in the field.

18. The farming machine of claim 11 , wherein executing the computer program instructions for detecting the failure of the treatment mechanism further causes the one or more processors to:

determine that the treatment mechanism is applying treatment to an incorrect plant.

19. The farming machine of claim 11 , wherein performing the treatment mechanism remediation action further causes the one or more processors to:

send a first notification to a remote system indicating the failure, or

send a second notification to an operator of the farming machine indicating the failure.

20. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising computer program instructions for identifying a failure of a treatment mechanism of a plurality of treatment mechanisms of a farming machine, the computer program instructions, when executed by one or more processors, causing the one or more processors to:

capture, using a monitoring sensor of the farming machine, an image of the plurality of treatment mechanisms of the farming machine while the farming machine is traversing a field performing plant treatments for plants in the field;

detect, based on the image, the failure of the treatment mechanism of the farming machine; and

in response to detecting the failure, automatically perform, using the farming machine, a treatment mechanism remediation action based on the detected failure of the treatment mechanism.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 11, 2024
From: BLUE RIVER TECHNOLOGY INC.
To: DEERE & COMPANY
Reel/Frame 069164/0195 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 25, 2024
From: REDDEN, LEE KAMP; ANDERSON, KENT; PELL, EDWARD WILLIAM JEFFCOTT; OSTROWSKI, JAMES PATRICK
To: BLUE RIVER TECHNOLOGY INC.
Reel/Frame 067836/0260 →
Continuity (6)
Continuation 17544941 · Dec 8, 2021
Continuation 16153824 · Oct 8, 2018
Continuation 15632583 · Jun 26, 2017
Continuation 14629361 · Feb 23, 2015
Provisional Application 61943158 · Feb 21, 2014
Related Publication 20240334862A1 · Oct 10, 2024
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