IP Library Granted Patent US 9,974,226
Granted Patent B2
US 9,974,226 · App. 14/691,280 · Granted May 22, 2018

Generating an agriculture prescription

Inventors: Craig Eugene Rupp (Ames, IA); A. Corbett S. Kull (Palatine, IL); Steve Richard Pitstick (Maple Park, IL); Patrick Lee Dumstorff (Chicago, IL)
Assignee: The Climate Corporation
A01B79/005
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,974,226
App. No.
14/691,280
Granted
May 22, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method begins by agriculture equipment collecting current on-site gathered agriculture data regarding an agriculture region and sending at least a representation of the current on-site gathered agriculture data to a host device. The method continues with the host device processing one or more of the at least a representation of the current on-site gathered agriculture data, current off-site gathered agriculture data, historical on-site gathered agriculture data, historical off-site gathered agriculture data, and historical analysis of agriculture predictions regarding the agriculture region to produce a current agriculture prediction for the agriculture region. The method continues with the host device generating an agriculture prescription regarding at least a portion of the agriculture region based on the current agriculture prediction and sending the agriculture prescription to one or more of the agriculture equipment.

Claims (78)

1. A method for execution by one or more processing modules of one or more computing devices affiliated with agriculture equipment, the method comprising:

collecting, by the agriculture equipment, current on-site gathered agriculture data regarding an agriculture region;

sending, by the agriculture equipment, at least a representation of the current on-site gathered agriculture data to a host device;

wherein the host device performs an analysis function that includes historical agriculture data and performance of at least one of:

a transformation operation executable by the one or more processing modules that encodes the agriculture data regarding the agriculture region and transforms a portion of the current on-site agriculture data to a corresponding planting pattern symbol, wherein the planting pattern symbol comprises a track planting pattern for one or more tracks of the agriculture region,

an identification operation executable by the one or more processing modules that identifies an object associated with at least a portion of the current on-site agriculture data, wherein the object is detected by an object detection module operably coupled to a plurality of sensors associated with the host device and identified by an object identification module,

a probability density generating operation executable by the one or more processing modules that generates a measurable parameter of density based on at least a portion of the current on-site agriculture data,

a trend analysis operation executable by the one or more processing modules that analyzes estimates of a subset of at least a portion of the current on-site agriculture data, and generates an analysis summary based on at least a portion of the current on-site agriculture data and at least one performed operation;

using the analysis summary to process, by the host device, at least one of the at least a representation of the current on-site gathered agriculture data, current off-site gathered agriculture data, historical on-site gathered agriculture data, historical off-site gathered agriculture data, and historical analysis of agriculture predictions regarding the agriculture region to produce a current agriculture prediction for the agriculture region;

comparing the current agriculture prediction with actual agriculture results collected for the agriculture region to produce comparison data;

based, at least in part, on the comparison data, determining an in-season course correction agriculture prediction for the agriculture region;

generating, by the host device, an agriculture prescription regarding at least a portion of the agriculture region based on the current agriculture prediction and the in-season course correction agriculture prediction;

sending, by the host device, the agriculture prescription to the agriculture equipment;

in response to receiving the agriculture prescription, the agriculture equipment dispensing a volume of agriculture substance based on the agriculture prescription.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprises:

executing, by the one or more computing devices affiliated with agriculture equipment, at least a portion of the agriculture prescription.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprises:

generating, by one of the one or more computing devices affiliated with agriculture equipment, the at least a representation of the current on-site gathered agriculture data by at least one of:

utilizing the current on-site gathered agriculture data as the at least a representation of the current on-site gathered agriculture data;

filtering, based on the agriculture prescription, the current on-site gathered agriculture data to produce the at least a representation of the current on-site gathered agriculture data;

compiling the current on-site gathered agriculture data to produce the at least a representation of the current on-site gathered agriculture data; and

processing the current on-site gathered agriculture data to produce the at least a representation of the current on-site gathered agriculture data.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the processing by the host device further comprises:

for a given snapshot of an agriculture season:

comparing the current agriculture prediction with actual agriculture results for the given snapshot to produce comparison data; and

processing the comparison data with the one or more of the at least a representation of the current on-site gathered agriculture data, the current off-site gathered agriculture data, the historical on-site gathered agriculture data, the historical off-site gathered agriculture data, and the historical analysis of agriculture predictions regarding the agriculture region to produce an in-season course correction agriculture prediction for the agriculture region for the given snapshot.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the collecting the current on-site gathered agriculture data further comprises at least one of:

receiving, from the host device, an indication to collect the current on-site gathered agriculture data;

receiving, from the host device, a message to collect a particular type of agriculture data; and

interpreting, by the agriculture equipment, the agriculture prescription to determine one or more types of agriculture data to collect as the current on-site gathered agriculture data.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the processing by the host device further comprises:

processing geographical information of the at least a representation of the current on-site gathered agriculture data to produce a current topographical map of the agriculture region; and

comparing the current topographical map with one or more previous topographical maps of the agriculture region to detect one or more areas of erosion.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the agriculture prescription comprises:

establishing a speed pattern for the agriculture equipment while traversing the at least a portion of the agriculture region.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the agriculture prescription comprises:

establishing a crop planting orientation pattern for the agriculture equipment while traversing the at least a portion of the agriculture region.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the agriculture prescription comprises:

establishing a crop planting distribution pattern for the agriculture equipment while traversing the at least a portion of the agriculture region.

10. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising at least one memory section that stores operational instructions that, when executed by one or more processing modules of one or more computing devices affiliated with agriculture equipment of a computing system, cause the one or more computing devices to:

collect, by the agriculture equipment, current on-site gathered agriculture data regarding an agriculture region;

send, by the agriculture equipment, at least a representation of the current on-site gathered agriculture data to a host device;

wherein the host device performs an analysis function that includes historical agriculture data and performance of at least one of:

a transformation operation executable by the one or more processing modules that encodes the agriculture data regarding the agriculture region and transforms a portion of the current on-site agriculture data to a corresponding planting pattern symbol, wherein the planting pattern symbol comprises a track planting pattern for one or more tracks of the agriculture region;

an identification operation executable by the one or more processing modules that identifies an object associated with at least a portion of the current on-site agriculture data, wherein the object is detected by an object detection module operably coupled to a plurality of sensors associated with the host device and identified by an object identification module;

a probability density generating operation executable by the one or more processing modules that generates a measurable parameter of density based on at least a portion of the current on-site agriculture data,

a trend analysis operation executable by the one or more processing modules that analyzes estimates of a subset of at least a portion of the current on-site agriculture data, and generates an analysis summary based on at least a portion of the current on-site agriculture data and at least one performed operation;

using the analysis summary to process, by the host device, at least one of the at least a representation of the current on-site gathered agriculture data, current off-site gathered agriculture data, historical on-site gathered agriculture data, historical off-site gathered agriculture data, and historical analysis of agriculture predictions regarding the agriculture region to produce a current agriculture prediction for the agriculture region;

comparing the current agriculture prediction with actual agriculture results collected for the agriculture region to produce comparison data;

based, at least in part, on the comparison data, determining an in-season course correction agriculture prediction for the agriculture region;

generating, by the host device, an agriculture prescription regarding at least a portion of the agriculture region based on the current agriculture prediction and the in-season course correction agriculture prediction;

sending, by the host device, the agriculture prescription to the agriculture equipment;

in response to receiving the agriculture prescription, the agriculture equipment dispensing a volume of agriculture substance based on the agriculture prescription.

11. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 10 wherein the at least one memory section stores further operational instructions that, when executed by the one or more processing modules, cause the one or more computing devices of the computing system to:

execute, by the one or more computing devices affiliated with agriculture equipment, at least a portion of the agriculture prescription.

12. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 10 wherein the at least one memory section stores further operational instructions that, when executed by the one or more processing modules, cause the one or more computing devices of the computing system to:

generate, by one of the one or more computing devices affiliated with agriculture equipment, the at least a representation of the current on-site gathered agriculture data by at least one of:

utilize the current on-site gathered agriculture data as the at least a representation of the current on-site gathered agriculture data;

filter, based on the agriculture prescription, the current on-site gathered agriculture data to produce the at least a representation of the current on-site gathered agriculture data;

compile the current on-site gathered agriculture data to produce the at least a representation of the current on-site gathered agriculture data; and

process the current on-site gathered agriculture data to produce the at least a representation of the current on-site gathered agriculture data.

13. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 10 , wherein the one or more processing modules execute the operational instructions stored by the at least one memory section to cause the one or more computing devices of the computing system to:

for a given snapshot of an agriculture season:

compare the current agriculture prediction with actual agriculture results for the given snapshot to produce comparison data; and

process the comparison data with the one or more of the at least a representation of the current on-site gathered agriculture data, the current off-site gathered agriculture data, the historical on-site gathered agriculture data, the historical off-site gathered agriculture data, and the historical analysis of agriculture predictions regarding the agriculture region to produce an in-season course correction agriculture prediction for the agriculture region for the given snapshot.

14. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 10 , wherein the one or more processing modules execute the operational instructions stored by the at least one memory section to cause the one or more computing devices of the computing system to:

receive, from the host device, an indication to collect the current on-site gathered agriculture data;

receive, from the host device, a message to collect a particular type of agriculture data; and

interpret, by the agriculture equipment, the agriculture prescription to determine one or more types of agriculture data to collect as the current on-site gathered agriculture data.

15. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 10 , wherein the one or more processing modules execute the operational instructions stored by the at least one memory section to cause the one or more computing devices of the computing system to:

process geographical information of the at least a representation of the current on-site gathered agriculture data to produce a current topographical map of the agriculture region; and

compare the current topographical map with one or more previous topographical maps of the agriculture region to detect one or more areas of erosion.

16. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 10 , wherein the at least one memory section stores further operational instructions that, when executed by the one or more processing modules, cause the one or more computing devices of the computing system to:

establish a speed pattern for the agriculture equipment while traversing the at least a portion of the agriculture region.

17. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 10 , wherein the at least one memory section stores further operational instructions that, when executed by the one or more processing modules, cause the one or more computing devices of the computing system to:

establish a crop planting orientation pattern for the agriculture equipment while traversing the at least a portion of the agriculture region.

18. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 10 , wherein the at least one memory section stores further operational instructions that, when executed by the one or more processing modules, cause the one or more computing devices of the computing system to:

establish a crop planting distribution pattern for the agriculture equipment while traversing the at least a portion of the agriculture region.

Assignments (6)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 23, 2026
From: CLIMATE LLC
To: MONSANTO COMPANY
Reel/Frame 075177/0751 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 23, 2026
From: MONSANTO COMPANY
To: MONSANTO TECHNOLOGY LLC
Reel/Frame 075177/0908 →
CHANGE IN PRINCIPAL PLACE OF BUSINESS Recorded Sep 2, 2025
From: CLIMATE LLC
To: CLIMATE LLC
Reel/Frame 072809/0473 →
CHANGE OF ADDRESS Recorded Jul 28, 2025
From: CLIMATE LLC
To: CLIMATE LLC
Reel/Frame 072257/0429 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Mar 4, 2022
From: THE CLIMATE CORPORATION
To: CLIMATE LLC
Reel/Frame 059320/0241 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 28, 2015
From: RUPP, CRAIG EUGENE; KULL, A. CORBETT S.; PITSTICK, STEVE RICHARD; DUMSTORFF, PATRICK LEE
To: THE CLIMATE CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 036673/0247 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 61981909 · Apr 21, 2014
Related Publication 20150302305A1 · Oct 22, 2015