Method and apparatus for synthesizing site-specific farming data

US005878371A

Ulllted States Patent [19]

[11] Patent Number:

Hale et al.

[45]

[54]

Date of Patent:

Mar. 2, 1999

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SYNTHESIZING SITE-SPECIFIC FARMING

5,517,419 5,523,765

5/1996 Lanckton et a1. . 6/1996 IChikaWa -

DATA

5,525,998 5,526,002

6/1996 Geier . 6/1996 Gudat et a1. .

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[75]

5,878,371

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Inventors‘

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Crystal Lake, all of Ill.

5,526,291

6/1996

5,606,850

3/1997 Nakamura .......................... .. 56/10.2 A

5 666 793

9 1997

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Lennen .

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........................... .. 56 10.2 R

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FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS

[73] Assignee: Case Corporation, Racine, Wis.

0 702 891 A1 43 42 171 A1

[21] Appl. No.: 753,335

3/1996 5/1994

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European Pat. Off. . Germany .

OTHER PUBLICATIONS

[22]

F1led:

Nov. 22, 1996

[51] [52]

6 Int. Cl. .................................................... .. G06F 19/00 US. Cl. ................................................................. .. 702/5

[58]

Field Of Search ..................... .. 702/2, 3, 5; 701/210,

R. Eatock and MR. Inggs, The Use of Differential GPS in Field Data Extraction and Spatially Variable Fertilizer Application, proceedings of 1994 IEEE International G60. science and Remote Sensing Symposium, pp, 841—843,

701/214, 216, 221; 460/1, 8; 56/10-2 R, 102 A, 10-2 G

France Paquet and Dr. Alain A. Viau, Integration of Remote Sensing, Meteorological and Physiographic Data for the

_

[56]

Delimitation of Agrometeorological Homogeneous Zones,

References Clted Us‘ PATENT DOCUMENTS

Proceedings of 1995 IEEE International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium, pp. 303—305.

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(Ust Continued on next Page)

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Primary Examiner—Donald E. McElheny, Jr.

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Attorne A em or Firm—Fole & Lardner

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[57]

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y’

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572207509

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ABSTRACT

Asite-speci?c farming system Which performs various func [ions While remaining relatively unaffected by Spurious farming data is disclosed. The farming data may be received ~

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.

6/1993 Takemura et a1‘ '

in real t1me from location s1gnal generation and sensing

572827389

2/1994 Faivre et a1‘ _

c1rcu1ts, or may be rece1ved from a digital memory WhlCh

573967431

3/1995 Shimizu et aL _

stores the farming data. The farming data includes both valid

5,398,034 5,416,712 5,421,416

3/1995 Sp?ker’ 1L _ 5/1995 Geier et a1. _ 6/1995 Orbach et a1. .

and spurious farmlng data WhlCh are identi?ed by 1ntegr1ty checking the data. Existing relationships Which exist Within the valid farming data are exploited to generate synthesized

5,428,544

6/1995 Shyu -

farming data used to replace the spurious farming data. The

574407484 534523211

8/1995 K99 9/1995 Kyrtsos et a1‘ '

valid and synthesized farming data are used to perform a function of the farming system such as performing a statis

55,455,769 10/1995 Panoushek ,467,271 11/1995 Abel et a1. 574697158 11/1995 Morita ' 5 490 073

5,497,149 5,510,798

et a1. .

t1cal analysis of the farmlng data, generating an electronic 1 f h f . d . . . 1sp ay o 't e arming ata, generating a prescription map,

.

d.

2/1996 Kyrtsos _ 3/1996 Fast. 4/1996 Bauer .

or generating variable rate appl1cat1on signals.

47 Claims, 6 Drawing Sheets

506 1 500

1 SOURCE

508\ FARM'NG DATA

OUTPUT

> SYNTHESIS /—> LOGIC

SYNTHESIZED FARMING DATA

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504 \

503

502 \ \

INPUT DEVICE

OPERATOR INPUTS

I

FAULT

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F

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INTEGRITY

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CHECK

LOGIC

OUTPUT SIGNALS 5

5,878,371 Page 2 OTHER PUBLICATIONS

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System?) (no date). Brochure: Hiniker 8150 Control System—The Simple and Economical Solution To Accurate Chemical and Fertilizer

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U.S. Patent

Mar. 2, 1999

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