IP Library Granted Patent US 11,080,798
Granted Patent B2
US 11,080,798 · App. 14/846,659 · Granted Aug 3, 2021

Methods and systems for managing crop harvesting activities

Inventors: James Ethington (San Francisco, CA); Alex Wimbush (San Francisco, CA)
Assignee: THE CLIMATE CORPORATION
G06Q50/02A01B79/005A01D91/04G06Q10/04G06Q10/06G06Q10/1097
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,080,798
App. No.
14/846,659
Granted
Aug 3, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

A computer-implemented method for managing crop harvesting activities is implemented by a harvest advisor computing device in communication with a memory. The method includes receiving an initial date of a crop within a field, receiving an initial moisture value associated with the crop and the initial date, and receiving a target harvest moisture value associated with the crop. The method also includes receiving field condition data associated with the field. The method further includes computing, by the harvest advisor, a target harvest date for the crop based at least in part on the initial date, the initial moisture value, the field condition data, and the target harvest moisture value, and displaying the target harvest date for the crop to the grower for harvest planning. The target harvest date indicates a date at which the crop will have a present moisture value approximately equal to the target harvest moisture value.

Claims (50)

1. One or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media for managing agricultural activities having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon, wherein, when executed by at least one processor, the computer-executable instructions cause the processor to:

receive a black layer date at which a crop growing within a field reaches its maturity;

receive an initial moisture value which indicates a moisture percentage of determined for the crop as measured on the black layer date;

receive a desired target harvest moisture value which indicates a moisture percentage that is desired for the crop at a future harvest date;

receive physical sensor data from at least one or more physical sensors installed throughout the field via a computer network connection established between a computing device and the one or more physical sensors; compute field condition data associated with the field based at least in part on the physical sensor data;

predict a predicted target harvest date for harvesting the crop in the future, wherein the predicted target harvesting date is a date at which the crop will reach a moisture value approximately equal to the desired target harvest moisture value;

wherein the predicted target harvest date is predicted based at least in part on the black layer date, the initial moisture value, the field condition data, and the desired target harvest moisture value;

compute, by the computing device, a risk value that represents a numerical score and is determined based at least in part on the field condition data and two or more of: pesticide application date, a pesticide product type, a pesticide formulation, a pesticide usage rate, a pesticide amount sprayed, or a pesticide source identifier;

update, by the computing device, the predicted target harvest date based, at least in part, on the computed risk value, wherein updating the predicted target harvest date comprises updating a date of crop harvest for which harvest yield of the crop is maximized;

send the updated predicted target harvest date to a user device via a computer network connection established between the computing device and the user device; and

display, by the user device, the updated predicted target harvest date for the crop.

2. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the computer-executable instructions also cause the processor to predict the predicted target harvest date based at least in part on estimated field condition data for the field.

3. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media in accordance with claim 1 , wherein reception of a black layer date of a crop includes one or more of (i) receiving a provided maturity date of the crop from the user device and (ii) computing, by the processor, an estimated maturity date of the crop based at least in part on one or more of a planting date of the crop and field condition data.

4. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media in accordance with claim 1 , wherein reception of an initial moisture value includes one or more of (i) receiving a provided moisture value of the crop on a maturity date from the user device and (ii) computing, by the computing device, an estimated moisture value of the crop on the maturity date.

5. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the computer-executable instructions also cause the processor to:

identify an upcoming harvest risk near the predicted target harvest date; and

display the upcoming harvest risk to the user device.

6. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the crop is corn, wherein the black layer date is a black layer date for the corn.

7. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the computer-executable instructions also cause the processor to:

compute an additional predicted target harvest date for an additional crop on an additional field;

compute a harvest plan for the field and the additional field based at least in part on the predicted target harvest date and the additional predicted target harvest date; and

provide the harvest plan to the user device.

8. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media in accordance with claim 7 , wherein computing a harvest plan further includes:

identifying a logistical feature including one or more of (i) a dry down cost, (ii) harvesting equipment availability, and (iii) field location data; and

altering one or more of the predicted target harvest date and the additional predicted target harvest date based at least in part on the logistical feature.

9. A method comprising:

receiving a black layer date at which a crop growing within a field reaches its maturity;

receiving an initial moisture value which indicates a moisture percentage of determined for the crop as measured on the black layer date;

receiving a desired target harvest moisture value which indicates a moisture percentage that is desired for the crop at a future harvest date;

receiving physical sensor data from at least one or more physical sensors installed throughout the field via a computer network connection established between a computing device and the one or more physical sensors; compute field condition data associated with the field based at least in part on the physical sensor data;

predicting a predicted target harvest date for harvesting the crop in the future, wherein the predicted target harvesting date is a date at which the crop will reach a moisture value approximately equal to the desired target harvest moisture value;

wherein the predicted target harvest date is predicted based at least in part on the black layer date, the initial moisture value, the field condition data, and the desired target harvest moisture value;

computing, by the computing device, a risk value that represents a numerical score and is determined based at least in part on the field condition data and two or more of: pesticide application date, a pesticide product type, a pesticide formulation, a pesticide usage rate, a pesticide amount sprayed, or a pesticide source identifier;

updating, by the computing device, the predicted target harvest date based, at least in part, on the computed risk value, wherein updating the predicted target harvest date comprises updating a date of crop harvest for which harvest yield of the crop is maximized;

sending the updated predicted target harvest date to a user device via a computer network connection established between the computing device and the user device; and

displaying, by the user device, the updated predicted target harvest date for the crop.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the computer-executable instructions also cause the processor to predict the predicted target harvest date based at least in part on estimated field condition data for the field.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein reception of a black layer date of a crop includes one or more of (i) receiving a provided maturity date of the crop from the user device and (ii) computing, by the processor, an estimated maturity date of the crop based at least in part on one or more of a planting date of the crop and field condition data.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein reception of an initial moisture value includes one or more of (i) receiving a provided moisture value of the crop on a maturity date from the user device and (ii) computing, by the computing device, an estimated moisture value of the crop on the maturity date.

13. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

identifying an upcoming harvest risk near the predicted target harvest date; and

displaying the upcoming harvest risk to the user device.

14. The method of claim 9 , wherein the crop is corn, wherein the black layer date is a black layer date for the corn.

15. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

computing an additional predicted target harvest date for an additional crop on an additional field;

computing a harvest plan for the field and the additional field based at least in part on the predicted target harvest date and the additional predicted target harvest date; and

providing the harvest plan to the user device.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein computing a harvest plan further includes:

identifying a logistical feature including one or more of (i) a dry down cost, (ii) harvesting equipment availability, and (iii) field location data; and

altering one or more of the predicted target harvest date and the additional predicted target harvest date based at least in part on the logistical feature.

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 Mar 21, 2017
From: ETHINGTON, JAMES; WIMBUSH, ALEX
To: THE CLIMATE CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 041669/0263 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 62049929 · Sep 12, 2014
Related Publication 20160078570A1 · Mar 17, 2016