Patent classifications
A01F25/22
GRAIN BIN CONDITIONING SYSTEM USING HEADSPACE AIR
An air conditioning system and methods of use regulate a moisture content of an agricultural product in a grain bin. The system receives headspace air from the headspace of the grain bin, which generally has a higher moisture content than ambient air. The system further receives ambient air and mixes the headspace air and the ambient air into a ratio comprising a target moisture content. The air mixture is provided into a grain bin plenum, where it then permeates through to agricultural product, thereby regulating the moisture. The system and method can be used to bring the agricultural product to a target moisture content that is preferred when storing the agricultural product.
Systems and methods for post-harvest crop quality management
Embodiments of systems and approaches for managing post-harvest crop quality and pests are described. Such a system may include a plurality of edge devices each comprising sensor components and collectively forming a mesh network, for measuring the local physical environment within stored crops and, for example, transmitting the measurements to a service from within the crop storage area. In certain embodiments, such a system may be used to manage post-harvest crops and storage areasfor example, approaches are described for determining fumigation treatment duration, determining phosphine dosage, determining heat treatment duration, and determining safe storage time for crops.
Systems and methods for post-harvest crop quality management
Embodiments of systems and approaches for managing post-harvest crop quality and pests are described. Such a system may include a plurality of edge devices each comprising sensor components and collectively forming a mesh network, for measuring the local physical environment within stored crops and, for example, transmitting the measurements to a service from within the crop storage area. In certain embodiments, such a system may be used to manage post-harvest crops and storage areasfor example, approaches are described for determining fumigation treatment duration, determining phosphine dosage, determining heat treatment duration, and determining safe storage time for crops.
Prediction of in-field dry-down of a mature small grain, coarse grain, or oilseed crop using field-level analysis and forecasting of weather conditions and crop characteristics including sampled moisture content
A modeling framework for evaluating the impact of weather conditions on farming and harvest operations applies real-time, field-level weather data and forecasts of meteorological and climatological conditions together with user-provided and/or observed feedback of a present state of a harvest-related condition to agronomic models and to generate a plurality of harvest advisory outputs for precision agriculture. A harvest advisory model simulates and predicts the impacts of this weather information and user-provided and/or observed feedback in one or more physical, empirical, or artificial intelligence models of precision agriculture to analyze crops, plants, soils, and resulting agricultural commodities, and provides harvest advisory outputs to a diagnostic support tool for users to enhance farming and harvest decision-making, whether by providing pre-, post-, or in situ-harvest operations and crop analyzes.
Modeling of time-variant threshability due to interactions between a crop in a field and atmospheric and soil conditions for prediction of daily opportunity windows for harvest operations using field-level diagnosis and prediction of weather conditions and observations and recent input of harvest condition states
A modeling framework for evaluating the impact of weather conditions on farming and harvest operations applies real-time, field-level weather data and forecasts of meteorological and climatological conditions together with user-provided and/or observed feedback of a present state of a harvest-related condition to agronomic models and to generate a plurality of harvest advisory outputs for precision agriculture. A harvest advisory model simulates and predicts the impacts of this weather information and user-provided and/or observed feedback in one or more physical, empirical, or artificial intelligence models of precision agriculture to analyze crops, plants, soils, and resulting agricultural commodities, and provides harvest advisory outputs to a diagnostic support tool for users to enhance farming and harvest decision-making, whether by providing pre-, post-, or in situ-harvest operations and crop analyzes.
GRAIN STORAGE BIN WITH AERATION SYSTEM
A grain storage bin includes a cylindrical wall formed by a plurality of panels arranged in rows with a bottom edge of a first row bolted to a top edge of a second lower row. At each joint the bottom edge of the first upper row is overlapped with and outside of the outer surface of top edge of the second lower row and the bottom edge is fastened to the top edge by bolts carrying spacers as to define a first channel along the joint for passage of air. A central air injection duct is formed of a series of generally frustoconical duct pieces arranged in a row suspended on a cable from the roof with a tube portion into which the air is injected fixed on legs at a hopper bottom standing upwardly therefrom. The cable is connected by a spring at the bottom to maintain tension
GRAIN STORAGE BIN WITH AERATION SYSTEM
A grain storage bin includes a cylindrical wall formed by a plurality of panels arranged in rows with a bottom edge of a first row bolted to a top edge of a second lower row. At each joint the bottom edge of the first upper row is overlapped with and outside of the outer surface of top edge of the second lower row and the bottom edge is fastened to the top edge by bolts carrying spacers as to define a first channel along the joint for passage of air. A central air injection duct is formed of a series of generally frustoconical duct pieces arranged in a row suspended on a cable from the roof with a tube portion into which the air is injected fixed on legs at a hopper bottom standing upwardly therefrom. The cable is connected by a spring at the bottom to maintain tension
AGRICULTURAL PRODUCT STORAGE SYSTEM INCLUDING ADAPTIVE CONDITIONING CONTROL FUNCTION DEPENDENT UPON STATE OF STORAGE
In an agricultural product storage system, product is stored in a bin having a condition sensor associated therewith and a conditioning device for conditioning the stored product when activated, for example an aeration fan. A controller in communication with the sensor and the conditioning device, operates the condition device in response to the sensed condition of the product according a selected one of a plurality of different control functions defining different control parameters of the conditioning device. The controller selects among the different control functions based upon the changing state of the of the storage bin.
AGRICULTURAL PRODUCT STORAGE SYSTEM INCLUDING ADAPTIVE CONDITIONING CONTROL FUNCTION DEPENDENT UPON STATE OF STORAGE
In an agricultural product storage system, product is stored in a bin having a condition sensor associated therewith and a conditioning device for conditioning the stored product when activated, for example an aeration fan. A controller in communication with the sensor and the conditioning device, operates the condition device in response to the sensed condition of the product according a selected one of a plurality of different control functions defining different control parameters of the conditioning device. The controller selects among the different control functions based upon the changing state of the of the storage bin.
Combine Harvesters For Use In Harvesting Corn, And Related Methods
Combine harvesters are provided for use in harvesting seed corn from corn plants in fields. In connection therewith, a method for producing such seed corn from the corn plants, for use in growing subsequent corn plants, includes measuring a moisture content of corn kernels on ears of the corn plants in the field and removing, by one of the combine harvesters, the ears of corn from the corn plants when the moisture content satisfies a threshold moisture content. The method then includes separating the corn kernels from cobs of the ears of corn onboard the combine harvester and collecting the separated corn kernels for use as seed corn, whereby one or more subsequent corn plants can be grown from the collected corn kernels.