US 12,270,802 B2
Agricultural machine with resonance vibration response detection
Mahesh N. Bhanu, Magarpatta (IN); Benjamin M. Smith, Falls Church, VA (US); and Noel W. Anderson, Fargo, ND (US)
Assigned to Deere & Company, Moline, IL (US)
Filed by Deere & Company, Moline, IL (US)
Filed on Aug. 28, 2018, as Appl. No. 16/114,916.
Prior Publication US 2020/0072809 A1, Mar. 5, 2020
Int. Cl. G01N 29/44 (2006.01); A01B 79/00 (2006.01); B64U 20/87 (2023.01); G01N 21/29 (2006.01); G01N 29/34 (2006.01); G01N 33/00 (2006.01); G05D 1/00 (2006.01); B64U 101/30 (2023.01); B64U 101/40 (2023.01)
CPC G01N 33/0098 (2013.01) [A01B 79/005 (2013.01); B64U 20/87 (2023.01); G01N 21/29 (2013.01); G01N 29/348 (2013.01); G01N 29/4409 (2013.01); G05D 1/0246 (2013.01); B64U 2101/30 (2023.01); B64U 2101/40 (2023.01); G01N 2223/612 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
15. A method performed by an agricultural machine, the method comprising:
generating, by a stimulation source associated with the agricultural machine, a mechanical wave, transmitted through air, that mechanically stimulates plant matter on a field;
sensing electromagnetic radiation reflected from the plant matter;
generating, a first signal based on the sensed electromagnetic radiation;
determining, based on the first signal, at least one of a shape of the plant matter, a location of the plant matter, or a color of the plant matter;
detecting a physical response of the plant matter to the mechanical wave;
generating first plant characterization data that identifies a particular plant species of a particular plant in the plant matter based on correlating the detected physical response of the plant matter with prior response data correlated to the particular plant species, the prior response data being indicative of at least one of structure or condition of the particular plant species;
generating second plant characterization data based on correlating the detected physical response of the plant matter with the prior response data, wherein the second plant characterization data is indicative of at least one of:
a plant health, a plant yield, or a number of plants of the particular plant species; and
generating an action signal based on at least one of the first plant characterization data or the second plant characterization data.