US 12,075,769 B2
Agricultural sprayer with real-time, on-machine target sensor
Richard A. Humpal, Ankeny, IA (US); Steven Rees, Top Camp (AU); Broughton C. Boydell, Moree (AU); Tarik Loukili, Johnston, IA (US); Travis J. Davis, Polk City, IA (US); Terence D. Pickett, Waukee, IA (US); Scott M. Buse, Adel, IA (US); and Mark M. Chaney, Ankeny, IA (US)
Assigned to Deere & Company, Moline, IL (US)
Filed by Deere & Company, Moline, IL (US)
Filed on Feb. 10, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/172,290.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/128,435, filed on Dec. 21, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0192174 A1, Jun. 23, 2022
Int. Cl. B05B 12/00 (2018.01); A01C 21/00 (2006.01); A01C 23/00 (2006.01); A01C 23/04 (2006.01); A01M 7/00 (2006.01); B05B 12/12 (2006.01)
CPC A01M 7/0089 (2013.01) [A01C 21/005 (2013.01); A01C 23/007 (2013.01); A01C 23/047 (2013.01); A01M 7/0042 (2013.01); B05B 12/124 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An agricultural machine that travels across a field during a pass, comprising:
a material reservoir;
a plurality of controllable valves;
a pump that pumps material from the material reservoir to the controllable valve;
a plurality of optical sensors that each capture an image, of a plurality of captured images, of a portion of the field ahead of the controllable valve relative to a direction of travel of the agricultural machine;
a processing module that receives the plurality of captured images and includes:
a target identification system that identifies a target in at least one image of the plurality of captured images, the target identification system configured to identify, as the agricultural machine travels across the field during the pass, a controllable valve of the plurality of controllable valves that has an application area corresponding to the target, the target identification system including:
a nozzle activation control system that identifies a timing defining when the identified controllable valve is to be activated and deactivated, the nozzle activation control system including a set of variable value sensors that obtains (i) dimension values indicative of machine dimensions, or (ii) machine dynamics information, or (iii) runtime variables, or any combination of (i) dimension values indicative of machine dimensions, (ii) machine dynamics information, and (iii) runtime variables; and
a valve controller that generates a valve control signal to control the identified controllable valve to apply the material to the target as the agricultural machine travels across the field during the pass.