US 11,744,168 B2
Enhanced management zones for precision agriculture
Jeffrey G. White, Raleigh, NC (US); Bradley A. Miller, Ames, IA (US); and Julianne Bielski, Durham, NC (US)
Assigned to SOILMETRIX, INC., Durham, NC (US); IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY RESEARCH FOUNDATION, INC., Ames, IA (US); and NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY, Raleigh, NC (US)
Filed by SoilMetrix, Inc., Research Triangle Park, NC (US); North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC (US); and Iowa State University Research Foundation, Inc., Ames, IA (US)
Filed on May 29, 2020, as Appl. No. 16/887,580.
Application 16/887,580 is a continuation in part of application No. 16/699,292, filed on Nov. 29, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2021/0166019 A1, Jun. 3, 2021
Int. Cl. G06F 17/00 (2019.01); A01B 79/00 (2006.01); G06N 3/08 (2023.01); G06F 16/2458 (2019.01); G06F 16/29 (2019.01); G06V 20/10 (2022.01); G06V 10/764 (2022.01); G06V 20/13 (2022.01)
CPC A01B 79/005 (2013.01) [G06F 16/2458 (2019.01); G06F 16/29 (2019.01); G06N 3/08 (2013.01); G06V 10/764 (2022.01); G06V 20/13 (2022.01); G06V 20/188 (2022.01)] 10 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system for optimizing agricultural soil zone attributes comprising:
a data processor in communication with a data server;
a user device capable of displaying data representations to a user;
a first dataset constructed from remote sensing and digital analysis;
a second dataset constructed from collected imagery bands and calculated indices;
a third dataset constructed from a combination of inputs to the first dataset and the second dataset;
wherein the data processor applies artificial intelligence algorithms to the first dataset and outputs a first set of soil zone attributes;
wherein the data processor applies artificial intelligence algorithms to the second dataset and outputs a second set of soil zone attributes;
wherein the data processor applies artificial intelligence algorithms to the third dataset and outputs a third set of soil zone attributes;
wherein the data processor compares the first, second, and third sets of soil zone attributes;
wherein the data processor creates preliminary zone boundaries from the first, second, and third sets of soil zone attributes by (1) maximizing a total number of statistically different soil zone attributes, (2) maximizing inter-zone differences between soil zone attributes, and (3) minimizing within-zone variances;
wherein the data processor calculates a change in at least one set of soil zone attributes from an aggregated zone comprised of the preliminary zone and one or more zone patches and/or inclusions;
wherein the data processor dissolves zone boundaries of the preliminary zone and the one or more zone patches and/or inclusions; and
wherein the data processor delivers an optimized set of soil zone attributes and one or more zone management recommendations to the user.