IP Library Granted Patent US 10,999,967
Granted Patent B2
US 10,999,967 · App. 15/989,944 · Granted May 11, 2021

Cross-grower study and field targeting

Inventors: Jyoti Dharna (San Francisco, CA); Morrison Jacobs (San Francisco, CA); Beiyan Zeng (San Francisco, CA); Allan Trapp (San Francisco, CA)
Assignee: THE CLIMATE CORPORATION
A01C21/005A01C21/00A01C21/007G06N5/02
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,999,967
App. No.
15/989,944
Granted
May 11, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

A computer-implemented method of targeting grower fields for crop yield lift is disclosed. The method comprises receiving, by a processor, crop seeding rate data and corresponding crop yield data over a period of time regarding a group of fields associated with a plurality of grower devices; receiving, by the processor, a current seeding rate for a grower's field associated with one of a plurality of grower devices; determining, whether the grower's field will be responsive to increasing a crop seeding rate for the grower's field from the current seeding rate to a target seeding rate based on the crop seeding rate data and corresponding crop yield data; preparing, in response to determining that the grower's field will be responsive, a prescription including a new crop seeding rate and a specific hybrid to be implemented in the grower's field.

Claims (52)

1. A computer-implemented method of targeting grower fields for crop yield lift, comprising:

receiving, by a processor, crop seeding rate data and corresponding crop yield data over a period of time regarding a group of fields associated with a plurality of grower devices;

receiving, by the processor, a current seeding rate and a corresponding current crop yield for a grower's field associated with a specific grower device;

identifying a target seeding rate;

determining, after the identifying, whether the grower's field will be responsive, with an increasing crop yield, to increasing a crop seeding rate for the grower's field from the current seeding rate to the target seeding rate wherein an impact of increasing the crop seeding rate, for the grower's field on crop yield lift is above a slope threshold on responsiveness, the determining being based on a relationship between the crop seeding rate data and the corresponding crop yield data;

preparing, in response to determining that the grower's field will be responsive, a prescription as an executable script to be implemented in the grower's field, the prescription identifying a new crop seeding rate and a specific characteristic of a hybrid based on a relationship between the current seeding rate and the new seeding rate;

transmitting the executable script to an agricultural apparatus, the executable script once received driving operation of the agricultural apparatus, including effecting the new seeding rate and planting the specific characteristic of the hybrid in the grower's field according to the prescription.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising identifying the group of fields based on one or more of a crop hybrid grown in a field, a yield lift management practice for a field, and a location of a field.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising

computing an optimal seeding rate from the crop seeding rate data and the corresponding crop yield data, the optimal seeding rate corresponding to a maximal crop yield for the group of fields,

the target seeding rate being up to the optimal seeding rate.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3 , further comprising:

calculating a relationship correlating the crop seeding rate data and the corresponding crop yield data;

estimating a potential impact of increasing a crop seeding rate from a minimum value to the optimal seeding rate on crop yield lift from the relationship;

identifying the slope threshold on responsiveness to a seeding rate increase based in the potential impact.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising

receiving information regarding a type of yield lift management practice for the grower's field,

the target seeding rate being related to the type of yield lift management practice.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving an intended seeding rate for the grower's field from the specific grower device;

determining the new seeding rate based on one or more of the intended seeding rate and the target seeding rate.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6 , the preparing comprising recommending a fixed or semi-flex hybrid for the grower's field when the intended seeding rate is no less than the target seeding rate.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising identifying a zone within the grower's field for which a seeding rate varies from the current seeding rate for more than a certain level.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 8 , further comprising,

when the seeding rate for the zone is higher than current seeding rate, recommending a fixed or semi-flex hybrid and a higher seeding rate than the new seeding rate for the zone;

when the seeding rate for the zone is lower than the current seeding rate, recommending a flex hybrid and a lower seeding rate than the new seeding rate for the zone.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving specific crop yield data from implementing the prescription in the grower's field.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 10 , further comprising:

validating an effect of the prescription based on the specific crop yield data;

distributing a result of the validating to the plurality of grower devices.

12. A non-transitory storage medium storing instructions which, when executed by one or more computing devices, cause performance of a method of targeting grower fields for crop yield lift, the method comprising:

receiving crop seeding rate data and corresponding crop yield data over a period of time regarding a group of fields associated with a plurality of grower devices;

receiving a current seeding rate for a grower's field associated with a specific grower device;

identifying a target seeding rate;

determining, after the identifying, whether the grower's field will be responsive, with an increasing crop yield, to increasing a crop seeding rate for the grower's field from the current seeding rate to the target seeding rate, wherein an impact of increasing the crop seeding rate for the grower's field on crop yield lift is above a slope threshold on responsiveness, the determining being based on a relationship between the crop seeding rate data and the corresponding crop yield data;

preparing, in response to determining that the grower's field will be responsive, a prescription as an executable script to be implemented in the grower's field, the prescription identifying a new seeding rate and a specific characteristic of a hybrid based on a relationship between the current seeding rate and the new seeding rate;

transmitting the executable script to an agricultural apparatus, the executable script once received driving operation of the agricultural apparatus, including effecting the new seeding rate and planting the specific characteristic of the hybrid in the grower's field according to the prescription.

13. The non-transitory storage medium of claim 12 , the method further comprising identifying the group of fields based on one or more of a crop hybrid grown in a field, a yield lift management practice for a field, and a location of a field.

14. The non-transitory storage medium of claim 12 , the method further comprising

computing an optimal seeding rate from the crop seeding rate data and the corresponding crop yield data, the optimal seeding rate corresponding to a maximal crop yield for the group of fields,

the target seeding rate being up to the optimal seeding rate.

15. The non-transitory storage medium of claim 14 , the method further comprising:

calculating a relationship correlating the crop seeding rate data and the corresponding crop yield data;

estimating a potential impact of increasing a crop seeding rate from a minimum value to the optimal seeding rate on crop yield lift from the relationship;

identifying the slope threshold on responsiveness to a seeding rate increase based on the potential impact.

16. The non-transitory storage medium of claim 12 ,

the hybrid being a corn hybrid,

the specific characteristic being an ear type.

17. The non-transitory storage medium of claim 12 , the method further comprising identifying a zone within the grower's field for which a seeding rate varies from the current seeding rate for more than a certain level.

18. The non-transitory storage medium of claim 17 , the method further comprising,

when the seeding rate for the zone is higher than current seeding rate, recommending a fixed or semi-flex hybrid and a higher seeding rate than the new seeding rate for the zone;

when the seeding rate for the zone is lower than the current seeding rate, recommending a flex hybrid and a lower seeding rate than the new seeding rate for the zone.

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 072809/0623 →
CHANGE OF PRINCIPAL BUSINESS OFFICE Recorded May 8, 2025
From: CLIMATE LLC
To: CLIMATE LLC
Reel/Frame 071222/0654 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Aug 9, 2022
From: THE CLIMATE CORPORATION
To: CLIMATE LLC
Reel/Frame 061133/0391 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 20, 2018
From: DHARNA, JYOTI; JACOBS, MORRISON; ZENG, BEIYAN; TRAPP, ALLAN
To: THE CLIMATE CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 046139/0947 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20190357425A1 · Nov 28, 2019