IP Library Granted Patent US 12,620,096
Granted Patent B2
US 12,620,096 · App. 18/781,072 · Granted May 5, 2026

Crop yield component map

Inventors: William Louis Patzoldt (Gilroy, CA); Lee Kamp Redden (Palo Alto, CA); John Chadwick Yagow (Mansfield, IL)
Assignee: Deere & Company
G06T7/0012A01B79/005G06Q50/02G06T11/00G06T2207/30108G06T2207/30188
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,620,096
App. No.
18/781,072
Granted
May 5, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

Embodiments relate to a system that generates a crop yield component map for a field. The system determines amounts of nitrogen applied to each portion of the field by a set of nitrogen applicator farming machines. The system accesses crop yield data associated with a crop that was grown in the field. The crop yield data was generated by a set of harvester farming machines that travelled through the field and harvested plant parts of the crop. The system determines, by analyzing the crop yield data, plant part metrics for the harvested plant parts in each field portion. The system generates a crop yield component map that maps, for each field portion, a plant part metric associated with the field portion and an amount of nitrogen applied to the field portion. The component map may then be provided for display.

Claims (46)

1 . A method comprising:

receiving data of a crop yield component map that maps, for a field portion in a field, plant part metrics corresponding to harvested plant parts in the field portion and amounts of nitrogen previously applied to the field portion during a first agricultural cycle including sprouting and harvesting of a crop in the field;

determining, based on the data of the crop yield component map, a first amount of nitrogen to apply to the field portion during a first sub-time period of a second agricultural cycle, wherein the second agricultural cycle occurs after the first agricultural cycle;

determining, based on the data of the crop yield component map, a second amount of nitrogen to apply to the field portion during a second sub-time period of the second agricultural cycle, wherein the second sub-time period occurs after the first sub-time period; and

at least one of:

wherein the first sub-time period of the second agricultural cycle occurs before seeds of the crop sprout; or

wherein the second sub-time period of the second agricultural cycle occurs after seeds of the crop sprout.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising instructing a farming machine to apply the first amount of nitrogen to the field portion during the first sub-time period of the second agricultural cycle.

3 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising instructing the farming machine or another farming machine to apply the second amount of nitrogen to the field portion during the second sub-time period of the second agricultural cycle.

4 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising: instructing an agricultural manager of the field (a) to apply the first amount of nitrogen to the field portion during the first sub-time period of the second agricultural cycle and (b) to apply the second amount of nitrogen to the field portion during the second sub-time period of the second agricultural cycle.

5 . A method comprising:

receiving data of a crop yield component map that maps, for a field portion in a field, plant part metrics corresponding to harvested plant parts in the field portion and amounts of nitrogen previously applied to the field portion during a first agricultural cycle including sprouting and harvesting of a crop in the field;

determining, based on the data of the crop yield component map, a first amount of nitrogen to apply to the field portion during a first sub-time period of a second agricultural cycle, wherein the second agricultural cycle occurs after the first agricultural cycle; and

determining, based on the data of the crop yield component map, a second amount of nitrogen to apply to the field portion during a second sub-time period of the second agricultural cycle, wherein the second sub-time period occurs after the first sub-time period,

wherein the amounts of nitrogen previously applied to the field portion during the first agricultural cycle of the crop yield component map includes:

a third amount of nitrogen previously applied to the field portion by a first farming machine during a first sub-time period of the first agricultural cycle, wherein the first sub-time period of the first agricultural cycle occurred before sprouting of the crop in the field; and

a fourth amount of nitrogen previously applied to the field portion by a second farming machine during a second sub-time period of the first agricultural cycle that occurred subsequent to the first sub-time period, wherein the second sub-time period of the first agricultural cycle occurred after sprouting and before harvesting of the crop in the field.

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the first amount of nitrogen is determined based on (a) a first metric of the plant part metrics and (b) the third amount of nitrogen.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the second amount of nitrogen is determined based on (a) a second metric of the plant part metrics and (b) the fourth amount of nitrogen.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein:

the crop is corn;

the first metric is the average number of kernels on a cob; and

the second metric is the average weight or size of each kernel.

9 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by a computer system, causes the computer system to perform operations comprising:

receiving data of a crop yield component map that maps, for a field portion in a field, plant part metrics corresponding to harvested plant parts in the field portion and amounts of nitrogen previously applied to the field portion during a first agricultural cycle including sprouting and harvesting of a crop in the field;

determining, based on the data of the crop yield component map, a first amount of nitrogen to apply to the field portion during a first sub-time period of a second agricultural cycle, wherein the second agricultural cycle occurs after the first agricultural cycle;

determining, based on the data of the crop yield component map, a second amount of nitrogen to apply to the field portion during a second sub-time period of the second agricultural cycle, wherein the second sub-time period occurs after the first sub-time period; and

at least one of:

wherein the first sub-time period of the second agricultural cycle occurs before seeds of the crop sprout; or

wherein the second sub-time period of the second agricultural cycle occurs after seeds of the crop sprout.

10 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9 , further comprising instructing a farming machine to apply the first amount of nitrogen to the field portion during the first sub-time period of the second agricultural cycle.

11 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 10 , further comprising instructing the farming machine or another farming machine to apply the second amount of nitrogen to the field portion during the second sub-time period of the second agricultural cycle.

12 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9 , further comprising: instructing an agricultural manager of the field (a) to apply the first amount of nitrogen to the field portion during the first sub-time period of the second agricultural cycle and (b) to apply the second amount of nitrogen to the field portion during the second sub-time period of the second agricultural cycle.

13 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by a computer system, causes the computer system to perform operations comprising:

receiving data of a crop yield component map that maps, for a field portion in a field, plant part metrics corresponding to harvested plant parts in the field portion and amounts of nitrogen previously applied to the field portion during a first agricultural cycle including sprouting and harvesting of a crop in the field;

determining, based on the data of the crop yield component map, a first amount of nitrogen to apply to the field portion during a first sub-time period of a second agricultural cycle, wherein the second agricultural cycle occurs after the first agricultural cycle; and

determining, based on the data of the crop yield component map, a second amount of nitrogen to apply to the field portion during a second sub-time period of the second agricultural cycle, wherein the second sub-time period occurs after the first sub-time period,

wherein the amounts of nitrogen previously applied to the field portion during the first agricultural cycle of the crop yield component map includes:

a third amount of nitrogen previously applied to the field portion by a first farming machine during a first sub-time period of the first agricultural cycle, wherein the first sub-time period of the first agricultural cycle occurred before sprouting of the crop in the field; and

a fourth amount of nitrogen previously applied to the field portion by a second farming machine during a second sub-time period of the first agricultural cycle that occurred subsequent to the first sub-time period, wherein the second sub-time period of the first agricultural cycle occurred after sprouting and before harvesting of the crop in the field.

14 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13 , wherein the first amount of nitrogen is determined based on (a) a first metric of the plant part metrics and (b) the third amount of nitrogen.

15 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 14 , wherein the second amount of nitrogen is determined based on (a) a second metric of the plant part metrics and (b) the fourth amount of nitrogen.

16 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein:

the crop is corn;

the first metric is the average number of kernels on a cob; and

the second metric is the average weight or size of each kernel.

Assignments (6)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 10, 2025
From: BLUE RIVER TECHNOLOGY INC.
To: DEERE & COMPANY
Reel/Frame 070165/0250 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE COVER SHEET TO CONFIRM THAT THIS DOCUMENT SERVESAS AN OATH/DECLARATION (37 CFR1.63) PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 69651 FRAME 561. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ORIGINAL ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Jan 30, 2025
From: PATZOLDT, WILLIAM LOUIS; REDDEN, LEE KAMP
To: BLUE RIVER TECHNOLOGY INC.
Reel/Frame 070056/0178 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE COVER SHEET TO CONFIRM THAT THIS DOCUMENT SERVES AS AN OATH/DECLARATION (37 CFR1.63) PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 69651 FRAME 565. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Jan 30, 2025
From: YAGOW, JOHN CHADWICK
To: DEERE & COMPANY
Reel/Frame 070056/0213 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 20, 2024
From: PATZOLDT, WILLIAM LOUIS; REDDEN, LEE KAMP
To: BLUE RIVER TECHNOLOGY INC.
Reel/Frame 069651/0561 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 20, 2024
From: YAGOW, JOHN CHADWICK
To: DEERE & COMPANY
Reel/Frame 069651/0565 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 11, 2024
From: BLUE RIVER TECHNOLOGY INC.
To: DEERE & COMPANY
Reel/Frame 069164/0195 →
Continuity (3)
Continuation 17583110 · Jan 24, 2022
Provisional Application 63294050 · Dec 27, 2021
Related Publication 20240394878A1 · Nov 28, 2024
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