Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
AIR SEEDER MANIFOLD SYSTEM
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[001] This patent application is a continuation-in-part of and claims
priority in U.S.
Patent Application No. 15/145,661, filed on May 3, 2016, which is a
continuation-in-part of and
claims priority in U.S. Patent Application No. 13/843,029, filed on March 15,
2013, now U.S.
Patent No. 9,330,062, issued on May 3, 2016, which is in turn a continuation-
in-part of U.S.
Patent Application No. 13/046,549, filed on March 11, 2011, now U.S. Patent
No. 8,950,260,
issued on February 10, 2015. This application is related to U.S. Patent
Application No.
14/229,492, filed on March 28, 2014, now U.S. Patent No. 9,324,197, issued on
April 26, 2016.
The entire disclosures of the above-noted patent applications are incorporated
by reference in
their entireties herein.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
[002] The present invention relates generally to a material flow
monitoring and
equalization system, and more particularly to a system for measuring and
balancing the flow of
seeds in an air seeder for crop planting.
2. Description of the Related Art
[003] The general principle of an air seeding system is to dispense
seeds and/or other
particulate matter (fertilizers, herbicides, etc.) from a hopper or other
container into a moving
flow of air, where the moving air will carry it through a series of branching
tubes and manifolds to
a point where it will ultimately be deposited into the soil. The particulate
matter is typically
metered in a controlled fashion as it is dispensed from the hopper, allowing
the total rate of
material distributed to be controlled. However, once the material leaves the
hopper, it is difficult
to determine precisely which portion takes which specific path through the
branching network of
tubes to eventually make its way to the end of the seed tubes and be placed
into the soil.
[004] An air seeding system represents a complex fluid dynamics problem,
in which a
single initial flow of air and suspended seeds may be continuously divided and
redirected through
multiple tubes to manifolds where it is then split off into branching seed
tubes of varying lengths
DN 4529.4
CA 2995040 2018-02-13
- 2 -
to a point of eventual discharge into the soil. Sharp turns, bends, and forks
in the distribution
tubes cause restrictions on the material flow, and make balancing the system
for seed and other
particulate dispersal problematic. A modern air seeder may plant well over 100
rows of seeds
simultaneously. If a partial or full blockage develops in one or more of the
particulate flow
tubes, air flow (and, therefore, particulate flow) increases proportionately
in the remaining
tubes, further complicating the balancing problem. To optimize the
distribution of material and
maintain an even balance of distribution, an air seeding system must employ
some type of
particulate flow balancing system which balances the amount of particulate
material flowing in
the distribution tubes (the particulate flow path), a subsystem by which the
flow can be
adjusted so that an operator can balance the system, and another subsystem to
detect particulate
flow disruption or blockage during use should field conditions cause the
system to become
unbalanced.
[005] It should be noted that the term "blockage" will be used generally
throughout the
specification to refer to either a full and a partial blockage in some part of
the air seeding system.
A partial blockage will still allow some amount of air and material to flow
past it, but will reduce
the flow noticeably. A full blockage will not allow any material to flow past
it (although it may
be possible for a small amount of air to leak past a full blockage).
[006] An important metric for measuring the balance of an air seeder system
is the
"Coefficient of Variation" (CV), which is defined as a percentage difference
between sets of
final seed runs. The sets could range from a few final runs, to an entire
manifold, to the entire
width of the seeder. The Prairie Agricultural Machinery Institute has
published guidelines for
CV values as its basis for rating the uniformity of distribution for seeding
implements. These
guidelines describe a rating scale wherein: a CV greater than 15% is
unacceptable, a CV
between 10% and 15% is acceptable, and a CV less than 10% is good.
[0071 Heretofore there has not been available an air seeder manifold
system with the
advantages and features of the present invention.
CA 2995040 2018-02-13
-3 -
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[008] In accordance with the teachings of the present invention, a
particulate flow
measurement, monitoring and balancing system is disclosed. The system has a
particular use for
monitoring and measuring the particulate flow in a pneumatic system such as an
air seeder, such
particulate flow consisting of seeds, fertilizer, or a combination of both
seeds and fertilizer; and,
based upon data derived from sensors in the system, provide a means to simply
and effectively
balance the material flow being dispensed by a plurality of seed tubes so as
to affect uniform
distribution of the material across the field. Each system consists of a
plurality of discrete sensors
placed in the particulate flow tubes such that the signals received are
analyzed by a computational
means, the data from which is transmitted to a central operator interface.
[009] The system of the present invention can be used in conjunction with a
vehicle
control and gateway module, as described. An electronics module, called a
gateway module,
acts as a bridge between proprietary communication busses standard on a
vehicle (such as those
commonly seen on commercial agricultural and construction vehicles, including
the standardized
communication busses used for operator displays in the vehicle), and various
external, remotely-
located wireless networks (including but not limited to personal area
networks, local area
networks (LANs), mesh networks, wide area networks (WANs), metropolitan area
networks, and
cellular networks). The gateway module receives messages from one system (from
one or more
of the vehicle busses or from one or more of the off-board wireless networks),
interprets the
message, translates it into a form appropriate to the receiving system, and
transmits it to the
receiving system seamlessly. This allows a mobile device to access data from
the vehicle as
needed, or even to be used as a controller for the vehicle. It also allows an
application
programming interface (API) to be created that will allow an external, web-
based application to
access and use vehicle-generated data (such as vehicle service information,
vehicle or implement
status, seed or chemical quantity, etc.).
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] FIG. 1 shows a side view of a typical air seeder system being
pulled by a tractor.
[0011] FIG. 2 shows a cutaway view of one embodiment of an air seeding
system.
CA 2995040 2018-02-13
- 4 -
[0012] FIG. 3 shows an example of how the primary seed tubes bring seeds
to the
secondary manifolds, which in turn branch the flow of material into several
secondary seed
tubes.
[0013] FIG. 4A shows a stand-alone, cutaway view of an acoustic sensor of
the present
invention.
[0014] FIG. 4B shows a cutaway view of the mounting of an acoustic sensor
of the
present invention, showing how the sensor interacts with and detects seeds.
[0015] FIG. 5A shows a block diagram of a blockage monitoring node of the
present
invention.
[0016] FIG. 5B shows a cutaway view of one embodiment of the connection
between the
transmitting hose and the microphone mounted inside the blockage monitoring
node.
[0017] FIG. 5C shows a side view of the blockage monitoring node of FIG.
5A in use as
it would be mounted and connected to the acoustic sensors of the present
invention.
[0018] FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of an air flow restrictor as used
in the present
invention.
[0019] FIG. 7A shows an alternative embodiment of the acoustic sensor
where the air
flow restrictor of FIG. 6 is built into the acoustic sensor housing.
[0020] FIG. 7B shows the alternative embodiment of the acoustic sensor
from FIG. 7A
with a cutaway view of the air flow restrictor.
[0021] FIG. 7C shows the cutaway view of the air flow restrictor from
FIG. 7B, but with
the restrictor shell tightened such that the restrictor fingers are squeezed
more tightly together.
[0022] FIG. 8 illustrates how the blockage monitoring nodes of FIG. 5A
communicate
wirelessly with a handheld computing device, which may be used as both a
system display and
control device.
CA 2995040 2018-02-13
-5 -
[0023] FIGS. 9A through 9E show various examples of user interface
screens that might
be used on the handheld computing device to configure and operate the system.
[0024] FIGS. 10A, 10B, and 10C illustrate how the blockage monitoring
nodes of the
present invention can communicate wirelessly with each other, as well as with
a remote
information display.
[0025] FIG. 11 shows a functional block diagram of the wireless-to-serial
node shown in
FIGS. 10B and 10C.
[0026] FIGS. 12A and 12B illustrate one embodiment of an algorithm for
determining
when an air seeding system using the present invention is stopping or turning
around at the end
of a field, allowing the blockage alarms to be disabled to prevent false
alarms.
[0027] FIGS. 13A and 13B show two possible embodiments of an algorithm
for
balancing the output of an air seeding system using the present invention.
[0028] FIG. 14 shows one embodiment of an algorithm for creating a sound
power
estimate using the acoustic sensors of the present invention.
[0029] FIG. 15 is a software architecture diagram showing the various
layers of software
resident in at least one embodiment of a vehicle gateway module.
[0030] FIG. 16 is a high-level hardware block diagram illustrating the
physical hardware
components of at least one embodiment of a vehicle gateway module.
[0031] FIG. 17 is a system architecture diagram showing one embodiment of
a vehicle
gateway module interacting with other components in the system.
[0032] FIG. 17A is a use case diagram showing possible interactions
between a hard-
wired display and one or more mobile devices, as well as the human operator,
when the mobile
device is to be used as the primary system display.
CA 2995040 2018-02-13
-6-
100331 FIG. 17B is a second use case diagram showing possible interactions
between a
hard-wired display, one or more mobile devices, and the human operator, but
with the mobile
device now acting as the primary display.
[0034] FIG. 17C is a state transition diagram for one embodiment of an
application for
managing the handoff among a hard-wired display and one or more mobile
devices.
[0035] FIG. 17D is a block diagram showing how an external device might
request and
be granted control of subsystems on system of which it is not a part.
[0036] FIG. 17E shows a table describing possible security modes in which
the system of
the present invention might operate, granting certain privileges to system
actors based on pre-
defined conditions or scenarios.
[0037] FIG. 18 is an example embodiment of an application interface for an
operations
scheduling tool for use with the vehicle control and gateway module of the
present invention.
[0038] FIG. 19 is an example embodiment of an application interface for an
operations
map tool for use with the vehicle control and gateway module of the present
invention.
[0039] FIG. 20 is an example embodiment of an application interface for an
implement
information tool for use with the vehicle control and gateway module of the
present invention.
[0040] FIG. 21 is an example embodiment of an application interface for a
virtual
dashboard display for use with the vehicle control and gateway module of the
present invention.
[0041] FIG. 22 is an example embodiment of an application interface for a
blockage
monitor tool for use with the vehicle control and gateway module of the
present invention.
[0042] FIG. 23 is an example embodiment of an application interface for a
meter roll
application for use with the vehicle control and gateway module of the present
invention,
demonstrating the incorporation of an operator safety feature into the
application.
[0043] FIGS. 24A and 24B are a schematic diagram of an air seeder and
liquid applicator
control system embodying an alternative embodiment or aspect of the present
invention.
CA 2995040 2018-02-13
,
-7-
100441 FIG. 25 is a side diagram of an air seeder manifold system embodying
an
alternative aspect or embodiment of the present invention with primary,
secondary and tertiary
manifolds for distributing seed from a seed hopper to seed depositing tools,
shown mounted on
an agricultural tillage and planting implement towed by a tractor.
[0045] FIG. 26 is a top plan view thereof, particularly showing secondary
and tertiary
manifolds.
[0046] FIG. 27 is an upper perspective view of a tertiary manifold,
particularly showing
an automated diverter cone subassembly thereof.
[0047] FIG. 28 is an enlarged top plan view thereof.
[0048] FIG. 29 is an exploded, perspective view of the tertiary manifold
and the
automated diverter cone subassembly.
[0049] FIG. 30 is a top plan view thereof, with the diverter cone
subassembly shown in
an alternative position in phantom lines.
[0050] FIG. 31 is a top plan view thereof.
[0051] FIG. 32 is a cross-sectional view taken generally along a line 32-32
in Fig. 31,
particularly showing the diverter cone subassembly in an alternative position
in phantom lines.
[0052] FIG. 33 is a cross-sectional, upper perspective view thereof taken
generally along
line 33-33 in Fig. 31, particularly showing the diverter cone subassembly in
an alternative
position in phantom lines.
[0053] FIG. 34 is a top plan view of yet another alternative aspect or
embodiment of the
present invention with manual adjusting screws connected to the diverter cone
subassembly.
[0054] FIG. 35 is an exploded, perspective view of the tertiary manifold
and the screw-
adjusted diverter cone subassembly.
[0055] FIG. 36 is a top plan view thereof, with the diverter cone
subassembly shown in
an alternative position in phantom lines.
CA 2995040 2018-02-13
-8-
100561 FIG. 37 is an enlarged, top plan view thereof, with the diverter
cone subassembly
shown in an alternative position in phantom lines.
[0057] FIG. 38 is a cross-sectional view of the diverter cone subassembly
and a portion
of the manifold, taken generally along the line 38-38 in Fig. 37.
[0058] FIG. 39 is a cross-sectional view of an air seeder manifold system
comprising
another alternative embodiment of the present invention with an elastomeric or
rubber diverter
element (cone).
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
I. Introduction and Environment
[0059] As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are
disclosed herein;
however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely
exemplary of the
invention, which may be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specific
structural and functional
details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as
a basis for the claims
and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously
employ the present
invention in virtually any appropriately detailed structure.
[0060] Certain terminology will be used in the following description for
convenience in
reference only and will not be limiting. For example, up, down, front, back,
right and left refer to
the invention as oriented in the view being referred to. The words "inwardly"
and "outwardly"
refer to directions toward and away from, respectively, the geometric center
of the embodiment
being described and designated parts thereof. Said terminology will include
the words
specifically mentioned, derivatives thereof and words of similar meaning.
II. Air Seeder Monitoring and Equalization System and Method
[0061] With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1
through 14
thereof, a new air seeder monitoring and equalization system embodying the
principles and
concepts of the present invention will be described.
[0062] FIG. 1 shows a side view of a typical air seeding system being
pulled by a tractor,
which illustrates a typical system on which the present invention may be
employed, and to
CA 2995040 2018-02-13
- 9 -
provide a context for the present invention. A tractor 100 is towing an air
seeding system 140.
The air seeding system includes a tool bar 160 and an air cart 120, and is
connected to the tractor
by a tow bar 102. It should be noted that the configuration and details of the
system shown in
FIG. 1 are meant to be exemplary, and the actual system may vary in the exact
configuration and
components. For example, in some configurations, the position of the air cart
120 and the tool
bar 160 may be reversed, such that the air cart 120 tows the tool bar 160.
[0063] While the exact configuration of the system shown in FIG. 1 does
not limit the
present invention, certain components of the system should be highlighted for
clarity. Additional
details on the configuration and operation of the air seeding system are
provided in FIG. 2, which
will be discussed shortly. The air cart 120 consists of one or more hoppers
126 which contain the
material that is to be dispensed into the soil during operation. The material
to be dispensed may
be a particulate, which may consist of any particles suitable for achieving
the purpose described
herein, such as seeds, grains, herbicides, fertilizers, chemicals, etc., or
any combination thereof;
however, for the purposes of this discussion, the material will be referred to
generically in the
text of this specification as seeds. Any operations described herein in
reference to seeds may also
be applied to any other appropriate particulate or combination without
changing the inventive
concept.
[0064] It is important to note that the air cart 120 may actually have
more than one
hopper 126, and that each hopper 126 may contain a different type of material.
For example, one
hopper may include seed and a second hopper may contain fertilizer or other
chemicals. It is also
possible that the air seeding system 140 may itself include more than one air
cart 120, with each
air cart 120 potentially holding a different type of material. The exact
number of air carts 120 in
an air seeding system 140, as well as the exact number of hoppers 126 per air
cart 120, can vary
within the scope of the invention presented herein.
[0065] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a prior art, preexisting air seeder
implement can
include a fan 122, which is connected to the air cart 120, and is used to
introduce a flow of air
into the implement which is used to carry the seeds 121 throughout the system.
In general terms,
the seeds 121 are dropped from the hopper 126 through a meter 123 and a
conduit 127 into a
primary manifold 124, where they enter into the flow of air provided by the
fan 122. The seeds
CA 2995040 2018-02-13
- 10 -
121 flow from the primary manifold 124 to the primary seed tube 144 to
secondary seed tubes
162 and are distributed throughout the tool bar 160. The air and seeds flow
through the tool bar
160 and are deposited into a furrow dug in the ground by openers 148. The
openers 148 are
blades which extend into the soil, and create furrows for holding the seeds as
they are drawn
through the ground. As the tractor 100 and air seeding system 140 continue
forward, the furrows
created by the openers 148 are pushed shut by closers 146, covering the
dispensed seeds with
soil.
[0066] Referencing now to FIG. 2, a cutaway view of a portion of the air
seeding system
140 is shown, detailing the path of the seeds 121 and particulate flow through
the system. As
with FIG. 1, FIG. 2 is intended to show an exemplary system to outline the
functioning of a
typical air seeding system, and is not meant to be limiting in any way.
Various changes to the
configuration and components of the system can be made without affecting the
overall inventive
concept presented herein.
[0067] For the example embodiment of an air seeding system shown in FIGS.
1 and 2,
we will use the terms "primary" and "secondary" to indicate a component's
relative position on
the example air seeding system shown. In this example, seeds leaving the
hopper first enter into a
primary manifold, where they are divided into one or more primary seed tubes.
The primary seed
tubes carry the seeds away from the air cart and onto the tool bar, where the
primary seed tubes
each flow into a secondary manifold, where the flow of material is once again
divided. From
each secondary manifold, the seeds flow into secondary seed tubes, and
eventually down into the
furrow being made in the ground by the openers on the air seeder. It should be
noted that the
exact configuration of the manifolds and seed tubes is not critical to the key
inventive concepts
presented herein, and that the present invention will work on any
configuration of air seeder.
What is critical to the inventive concepts presented herein is that the amount
of material flowing
through each of the final seed runs in the system, just prior to the seeds
leaving the machine and
flowing into the earth below, is sensed as described herein. In the example
system presented in
the figures contained herein, these "final seed runs" are referred to as
secondary seed tubes, but
they could be called by another name in another system. This example system is
further
described, with the appropriate reference designators, in the following text.
CA 2995040 2018-02-13
- 11 -
[0068] The air cart 120 includes a hopper 126 which holds the seeds 121
to be dispensed
by the implement. The seeds 121 are released from the hopper 126, falling into
a conduit 127
that is connected to the rest of the system. As the seeds 121 pass into the
conduit 127, the rate of
their flow is controlled by a metering system 123. The seeds 121 fall through
the conduit 127
into the primary manifold 124, where they are introduced to the flow of air
produced by the fan
122. The fan 122 is connected to the primary manifold 124 by a hose 125.
[0069] The seeds 121 are propelled out of the primary manifold 124 by the
flow of air
and enter into one or more primary seed tubes 144. From the primary seed tube
144, the seeds 121
travel into a secondary manifold 142, where the flow of seeds 121 is split or
branched in several
directions and directed into a plurality of secondary seed tubes 162. The
secondary seed tubes 162
then deliver the seeds 121 down into and behind the opener 148, where the
seeds 121 fall down
into the furrow in the ground created by the opener 148. Block 161 in FIG. 2,
shown in the
location between the secondary manifold 142 and the secondary seed tube 162,
is one possible
location for the sensor and restrictor components described in detail in FIGS.
3 through 6.
[0070] FIG. 2 illustrates a single path through the system from the
hopper 126 to an
opener 148. To better illustrate how an air seeding system represents a
complex fluid dynamics
problem, it is helpful to describe the flow of material through an air seeder.
FIG. 3 shows one
example of an air seeding system which can seed up to ninety-six rows
simultaneously. An air
seeder with ninety-six rows is a common configuration, and modern air seeding
systems may
have more than one hundred rows. For the example air seeder shown in FIG. 3,
only certain
components are depicted to show the flow of material through the system. For
ninety-six rows,
this example system uses eight primary seed tubes 144 supplying a flow of
material to eight
secondary manifolds 142. Each of the eight secondary manifolds 142 then split
the flow of
material into twelve separate secondary seed tubes 162. In FIG. 3, only a
portion of each of the
secondary seed tubes 162 is shown (in dashed lines) to simplify the drawing.
In reality, each of
these ninety-six secondary seed tubes 162 will flow out onto the tool bar 160
and down into
each of ninety-six openers 148, where the flow of seeds 121 will be injected
into the
corresponding furrow.
CA 2995040 2018-02-13
- 12 -
[0071] As illustrated in FIG. 3, the length of the primary seed tubes 144
will vary,
depending on which secondary manifold they are routed to. The primary seed
tubes 144 are
routed over the structure of the tool bar 160, and may each have dips and
bends where the flow
of seed material can be slowed or otherwise disturbed. The secondary manifolds
142 are
typically raised on towers, and the primary seed tubes 144 rise up into the
towers, causing the
flow of material to flow straight up, directly against gravity. Within the
secondary manifolds
142, the flow of material is branched in twelve different directions (in this
example), and follows
the air flow into the secondary seed tubes 162. Similar to the primary seed
tubes 144, the
secondary seed tubes 162 must also be routed from the secondary manifolds 142
across the
structure of the tool bar 160 and into the furrows behind the openers 148. The
flow of air created
by the fan 122 is split ninety-six times (in this example), and each branch of
this flow has a
different geometry and length, creating different impediments to the flow of
air and airborne
material and hence completely different flow characteristics. Creating a
system in which this
flow of material is balanced with all of the flows coming into the openers 148
on the system are
essentially the same, is an extremely difficult task. The present invention
provides an
inexpensive yet accurate particulate flow monitor and a method of balancing
the flow of
particulate throughout the entire particulate flow path of a pneumatic system,
such as an air
seeding system.
[0072] Throughout this specification, various terms may be used
interchangeably to
describe the present invention. As previously discussed, the term "seeds" will
be used generally
to cover any type of particulate (that is, a material made up of particles or
droplets) that is
flowing through a system. Although the examples given herein primarily
represent an air seeding
system, the same inventive concepts may be applied to any particulate flow
system in which
particles or droplets of material are pushed through the system by a flow of
air. Because the
systems being described are based on flowing air, the term "pneumatic system"
may be applied
to these particulate flow systems. In general, the term "pneumatic" means
filled with air,
especially compressed or forced air.
[0073] The detailed description describes various embodiments and
features of a
particulate flow monitor, or simply flow monitor, which, for the purposes of
this description, is a
means of sensing the amount of particulate matter flowing through a pneumatic
system at a given
CA 2995040 2018-02-13
- 13 -
time. Other terms for a particulate flow monitor may include "seed flow
monitor" or "material
flow monitor."
[0074] One inventive component of the present invention is an acoustic
sensor, also
referred to as an acoustic transducer. The purpose of the acoustic sensor or
transducer is to
transform the sound waves generated by the flow of particulate material in a
pneumatic system
into electrical signals representing the amount of particulate flow through
the flow paths of the
pneumatic system. Sound waves are created by the vibrations of an object in
air, which causes
the air to be compressed in waves or impulses. The acoustic sensor detects the
pneumatic
impulses created by particulate striking the face of the acoustic sensor and
directs them into an
internal microphone, where the impulses are transformed into electrical
signals to be interpreted
by a processor.
[0075] For the purposes of this discussion, the term "processor" or
"controller" is used in
a general sense to describe electronic and/or software means for processing
signals and/or data
generated by a system, and may refer to a microprocessor, a microcomputer, or
a separate
computer system. A processor may be part of an "electrical signal generator,"
which is a module
or collection of modules or functions that interpret data items or events
(such as pneumatic
impulses) and output electrical signals representing the data items or events.
[0076] The present invention also provides a means of displaying or
outputting the
electrical signals and/or the information they represent. This may be done
using a direct mounted
computer monitor (that is, a display built in or directly wired into a vehicle
or application) or on
a handheld computing device. The term "handheld computing device" is intended
to generally
refer to any type of easily portable computing platform that does not require
being directly wired
into a vehicle or application. One example of such a device is the iPad
manufactured by Apple,
Inc. Other examples may include a laptop computer, a tablet computer, or even
a personal
cellular phone with sufficient processing and displaying capabilities.
[0077] The present invention will now be described in additional detail
in the following
text and the remaining figures.
CA 2995040 2018-02-13
- 14 -
[0078] Referencing now to FIGS. 4A and 4B, an embodiment of an acoustic
sensor used
for detecting the amount of seeds and material flowing through the system will
be discussed.
FIG. 4A shows a stand-alone, cutaway view of an acoustic sensor of the present
invention. The
acoustic sensor 200 is a mechanical component that is designed to pick up,
amplify, and direct
sound from the inside of a seed tube into a separate electronics module called
a blockage
monitoring node 300. The blockage monitoring node 300 is not shown in FIGS. 4A
and 4B, but
is presented in detail in FIGS. 5A and 5B, and FIG. 5B shows one embodiment of
how the
blockage monitoring node 300 may be mounted along with one or more acoustic
sensors 200.
[0079] In FIG. 4A, a sensor plate 210 is mounted over a hollow acoustic
chamber 220. In
the preferred embodiment, the sensor plate 210 is constructed of a durable
material such as
stainless steel which can withstand the impact of seeds, rocks, and other
materials which may
enter the material stream flowing through the air seeding system, and can also
transmit sound into
the acoustic chamber 220. Although stainless steel offers an ideal surface
that provides high-
amplitude signals and is both strong and resistant to corrosion, it is
important to note that any
appropriate material can be used to create the sensor plate 210. A gasket 215
is placed over or
between the sensor plate 210 and the acoustic chamber 220 to prevent material
from getting
inside the acoustic chamber 220, thereby affecting the acoustic properties of
the sensor, and also
as a means of holding the sensor plate 210 in place. The gasket 215 may be a
separate piece or
may be applied as a paste in a dispensing operation. The gasket 215 is a
flexible or spongy
material that can be readily compressed to form an airtight seal between the
sensor plate 210 and
the acoustic chamber 220.
[0080] The acoustic chamber 220 is designed such that it can direct the
sound picked up
from objects striking the sensor plate 210 and direct them toward the back of
the acoustic
chamber 220, where they enter a transmitting hose 230. The sound travels
through the
transmitting hose 230 and is directed into the blockage monitoring node 300
(shown in FIGS.
5A and 5B).
[0081] In the preferred embodiment, the acoustic chamber 220 is made from
an injection-
molded plastic, such as those plastics commonly used for the construction of
electronics
enclosures and which withstand the extreme conditions found in the harsh
environment of an air
CA 2995040 2018-02-13
- 15 -
seeding system. However, the acoustic chamber 220 may be constructed by any
appropriate
manufacturing technique and using other materials without changing the
inventive concept of the
acoustic chamber 220.
[0082] The selection of materials is very important for the design of an
acoustic sensor.
The thickness and density of the material (for example, the sensor plate 210)
will determine the
frequency of the sound data that is transmitted into the acoustic chamber 220,
and thus the sensor
design can be "tuned" such that the frequencies it produces fall into an
environmental "sweet
spot" which is relatively free of background noise. Similarly, the design of
the transmitting hose
230 is critical. The material of the transmitting hose 230 can have a
filtering or attenuating effect
on the noise that is transmitted down its length. If the transmitting hose 230
is too soft, it may
also collapse and cut off sound transmissions. The material should be chosen
with consideration
for stiffness and such that the filtering effect of the transmitting hose 230
will not attenuate the
frequencies in the system "sweet spot."
[0083] The transmitting hose 230, in the preferred embodiment, is
constructed from a
length of rubber hose. This material is flexible and allows the transmitting
hoses 230 of several
separate acoustic sensors to be easily routed to a nearby blockage monitoring
node 300. However,
the transmitting hose 230 may be made in a different manner, in a different
geometry, or with a
different material without altering its function, which is to create a conduit
of sound which directs
the sounds from the acoustic sensor 200 into a blockage monitoring node 300.
[0084] The acoustic sensor 200 is a simple mechanical solution which can
be easily and
inexpensively manufactured. The acoustic sensor 200 does not contain
electronics, but instead
routes the sounds it detects to a remotely located node where the sounds can
be processed. As
shown in FIG. 513, the outputs of several acoustic sensors 200 can be directed
into a single
blockage monitoring node 300, so that the total amount of electronics on the
air seeding system
can be minimized, significantly reducing system cost and increasing system
reliability.
[0085] Referencing now FIG. 413, the acoustic sensor 200 is shown mounted
on a hollow,
tubular sensor housing 205. The sensor housing 205 provides a mounting point
for the acoustic
sensor 200. In the preferred embodiment, the sensor housing 205 is mounted
between the
secondary manifold 142 and the secondary seed tube 162 (placed in the position
marked as 161
CA 2995040 2018-02-13
- 16 -
in FIG. 2, and as shown in FIG. 5C). The sensor housing 205 is essentially a
rigid piece of
tubing, bent at an angle such that the acoustic plate 210 of the acoustic
sensor 200 will be
impacted by seeds 121. The acoustic sensor 200 is mounted in an opening at the
bend of the
sensor housing 205, such that the acoustic plate 210 is directly exposed to
the flow of material
leaving the secondary manifold 142. Multiple seeds 121 are blown into the
sensor housing 205
(following seed travel paths 121A, shown here as examples), where they impact
the acoustic
plate 210 and are deflected back down into the sensor housing and continue
traveling down into
the secondary seed tubes 162. Sounds created by the impacts of the seeds 121
on the acoustic
plate 210 are transmitted into the acoustic chamber 220, and then are directed
into the
transmitting hose 230.
[00861 It should be noted that the sensor housing 205 could be designed
such that it is an
integral part of the acoustic sensor 200, or it could be a separate piece that
connects the output of
the secondary manifold 142 to the input of the secondary seed tubes 162.
Although the angle of
the sensor housing 205 is shown to be approximately 90 degrees in the figures,
the ideal angle
may be different, and would be calculated based on the geometry of the air
seeding system for
which the sensors are being designed. The angle of the acoustic sensor 200
would be optimized
such that is presents the acoustic plate 210 to the flow of seeds 121 such
that the sounds of
impact can be adequately detected without adversely affecting the flow of
material.
[00871 FIG. 5A is a functional block diagram of one embodiment of the
blockage
monitoring node 300 referenced previously in the specification. FIG. 5A shows
one embodiment
of the blockage monitoring node 300 capable of connecting to four acoustic
sensors 200. The
transmitting hoses 230 from one or more acoustic sensors 200 would connect to
the blockage
monitoring node 300 via a hose port 305. In alternative embodiments, the
blockage monitoring
node 300 may have any number of hose ports 305, and would likely offer the
same number of
hose ports 305 as there are acoustic sensors 200 on a single secondary
manifold 142. As shown
in the example system configuration of FIG. 3, each secondary manifold 142
would have a
dedicated blockage monitoring node 300 (for a system total of eight blockage
monitoring nodes
300), and each blockage monitoring node 300 would have a total of twelve hose
ports 305. The
number of hose ports 305 for a single blockage monitoring node 300 is
variable, and may be any
appropriate number.
CA 2995040 2018-02-13
- 17 -
[0088] Returning to FIG. 5A, for each hose port 305, there is a
corresponding MEMS
microphone 310 and a corresponding analog switch 315. "MEMS" is an acronym
which stands
for Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems, and is used generally to refer to small
devices or
components which are micrometers (microns) in size. The MEMS microphones 310
receive the
sound waves through the hose port 305 as they travel down from the
transmitting hose 230 from
the acoustic sensor 200. The analog switches 315 are used by the blockage
monitoring node 300
to select which of the input streams from the MEMS microphones 310 should be
processed at a
given time.
[0089] MEMS microphones 310 are preferred for several reasons. Not only
are the
MEMS microphones 310 very small parts, contributing to a small blockage
monitoring node 300,
but they are also manufactured from a process that produces consistent parts,
with very little part-
to-part variation. This is important because it means that no calibration is
required to account for
the large part-to-part variations seen in traditional (non-MEMS) microphone
components.
[0090] A general purpose processor 325 is provided to control the basic
operations of the
blockage monitoring node 300. A channel selector circuit 320 is controlled by
the general
purpose processor 325, and is used to toggle the analog switches 315 to select
which of the
MEMS microphones 310 should be processed. The audio signals captured by the
MEMS
microphones 310 are sent to an audio processor 330. In the preferred
embodiment, the audio
processor 330 is a high-end audio frequency processor, ideally suited for
processing the
frequency-based audio data captured from the acoustic sensors 200.
100911 The blockage monitoring node 300 contains a communications module
335,
which is responsible for communicating the analyzed audio signals and related
data to a remote
device, such as a central display in the tractor cab. Alternatively, the
communications module
335 may transmit the data to an off-board device, such as a tablet computer or
similar handheld
computing platform. In the preferred embodiment, the communications module 335
is a
wireless transceiver, capable of both transmitting and receiving information
via a wireless
protocol. An alternative embodiment of the communications module 335 is the
circuitry
required to communicate over a hardwired connection, such as a serial
communications bus.
CA 2995040 2018-02-13
- 18 -
[0092] The blockage monitoring node 300 also has a power supply circuit
340, which is
used to process and regulate the power coming into the blockage monitoring
node 300, and
provide it as necessary at the proper voltage level for the functional blocks
shown in FIG. 5A. In
one embodiment, the blockage monitoring node 300 will receive power from the
implement or
tractor through a wired connection. In another embodiment, the blockage
monitoring node 300
could have its own internal power source, such as a battery pack.
[00931 In at least one embodiment, the blockage monitoring node 300
contains a global
navigation satellite system (GNSS) receiver 345 to provide information on the
location of the
blockage monitoring node 300 in three-dimensional space. The GNSS receiver 345
may
comprise any appropriate device for receiving signals from geosynchronous
satellites and/or
ground-based stations. Common examples of deployed, available GNSS systems
include the
global positioning system (GPS) and the Russian GLONASS system.
[0094] The general purpose of the GNSS receiver 345 is to allow the
blockage
monitoring node 300 to determine its current position at any given moment in
time, and, by
knowing its current position, to be able to calculate a ground speed (by
determining how far the
air seeding system has moved between two points in time) and to determine
whether the air
seeding system has reached the end of the field (which it may determine by
detecting a reducing
ground speed combined with consecutive changes in position that indicate the
vehicle is turning
around).
100951 Also, some embodiments of the blockage monitoring node 300 may
include the
ability to accept inputs other than the audio signals entering the blockage
monitoring node 300
through the hose ports 305. For instance, the blockage monitoring node 300 may
accept a work
switch input 356, which could be a digital switch input indicating that the
operator of the air
seeder has stopped the flow of seed through the system (perhaps because they
have reached the
end of the field and are turning around and do not wish to seed in this area).
Another potential
input the blockage monitoring node 300 may receive is an alternative ground
speed input 357
(from a source such as a speed sensor that may already exist on the system).
Inputs such as the
work switch input 356 and alternative ground speed input 357, as well as
additional outputs, may
enter and leave the blockage monitoring node 300 through one or more I/0
connectors 355. A
CA 2995040 2018-02-13
- 19 -
block of input/output circuitry 350 would control and process the inputs and
outputs from the
blockage monitoring node 300.
[0096] FIG. 5B shows a cutaway view of one embodiment of the connection
between the
transmitting hose and the microphone mounted inside the blockage monitoring
node. The
components shown in FIG. 5B are internal to the blockage monitoring node 300.
Inside the
blockage monitoring node 300, the required electronics are mounted to a
printed circuit board, or
PCB, 312. A portion of the PCB 312 is shown in FIG. 5B, highlighting the
acoustic connections
made to the PCB 312.
[0097] A MEMS microphone 310 is mounted to the back or bottom side of a
PCB 312,
positioned so that a resistive membrane 310A built into the MEMS microphone
310 is directly in
line with a hole 312A that passes through the thickness of the PCB 312. On the
top or front side of
the PCB 312 (that is, on the side of the PCB 312 opposite that of the MEMS
microphone 310), an
acoustic coupler 314 is attached to the PCB 312 with an adhesive 314A. The
hollow center of the
acoustic coupler 314B is positioned such that it lines up above the hole 312A
in the PCB 312.
The end of the transmitting hose 230 (the other end of which is attached to
the acoustic sensor
200) is placed over top of the acoustic coupler 314. Sounds passing into the
acoustic sensor 200
as pressure waves are directed into the transmitting hose 230, travel down the
transmitting hose
230 into the acoustic coupler 314, and pass through hole 312A to strike the
resistive membrane
310A. The resulting vibrations on the resistive membrane 310A are detected in
the MEMS
microphone 310 as changes in electrical characteristics, which can be
interpreted by other
electronics (not shown) mounted on or near the PCB 312.
[0098] It should be noted that other types of non-MEMS microphones could
be used
without changing the inventive concepts of the present invention. MEMS
microphones are used
for their size, reliability, and uniformity, as described previously. Also,
the technology used for
the MEMS microphones of the present invention is resistive (in which the
amount of resistance
in the membrane changes when it is compressed by sound waves), and this
technology is
inherently immune to the environmental noise present in an air seeding system.
[0099] FIG. 5C shows how the blockage monitoring node 300 may be mounted
on the air
-24-
CA 2995040 2018-02-13
,
- 20 -
seeding system and interconnected with other system components. As previously
discussed, the
examples shown in the figures show one possible configuration, and
configuration details may
change in the implemented system without affecting the invention content.
Specifically, the
blockage monitoring node 300 shown here offers only four hose ports 305, and
only two acoustic
sensors are shown connected to the system. Detail on the secondary manifold
142 has been
omitted for clarity. In a real system, several additional acoustic sensors 200
would be present (up
to twelve per manifold for the example system shown in FIG. 3), and the
blockage monitoring
node 300 would have a corresponding number of hose ports 305.
[00100] The intent of FIG. 5C is to show how the components of the present
invention
would be utilized on a typical secondary manifold tower 142. In the preferred
embodiment, the
blockage monitoring node 300 is attached to a rigid vertical section of the
primary seed tube 144.
As material flows up through the primary seed tube 144, it enters into a
secondary manifold 142
and is split into multiple sub-streams. For simplicity, FIG. 5B shows only two
such branches
from the secondary manifold 142, one going to the left and one going to the
right, but in reality
these branches would occur in several directions, directed radially out from
the center of the
secondary manifold 142. The sensor housing 205 attached to each acoustic
sensor 200 acts as a
connector from the secondary manifold 142 to the secondary seed tubes 162. As
the branched
flow of material passes through the sensor housings 205, the seeds 121 impact
the acoustic
sensors 200 before continuing to flow into the secondary seed tubes 162. The
sounds thus created
by the impacts are directed into the transmitting hoses 230 and travel down
into the blockage
monitoring node 300, where the sounds are processed to determine the amount of
flow traveling
into each secondary seed tube 162.
[00101] The previous figures have illustrated how the present invention is
used to
determine the amount of material flow traveling through an air seeding system
such as that
shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. This is done by using the acoustic sensors detailed in
FIGS. 4A and 4B
in conjunction with the blockage monitoring nodes detailed in FIGS. 5A and 5C.
By thus
equipping every secondary seed tube with the sensors and modules described in
these figures, a
value of material flow, as calculated from the relative audio signal detected
within each seed
tube, can be calculated for these seed tubes. Additional details on how these
material flow
values are determined, and how they are used, are provided later in FIGS. 9A
through 9E and
CA 2995040 2018-02-13
-21 -
the corresponding textual description. Once these material flow values are
determined,
measures can be taken to balance the material flows so that the flow is
consistent within every
secondary seed tube. Although existing prior art systems offer very little in
the way of a means
for balancing the material flow within the seed tubes, the present invention
differs from the
prior art by offering a means for adjusting the flow within each secondary
seed tube
independently, based upon data derived from the sensors 200. For example, this
could be
accomplished by providing an adjustable air flow restrictor within each
secondary seed tube as a
means of balancing the material flow values across the air seeding system.
[00102] FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of an air flow restrictor 400 as
used in the
present invention. The air flow restrictor 400 is comprised of two independent
pieces: a toothed
insert 405 and an outer adjustment sleeve 410. The toothed insert 405 includes
insert threads 420
and a set of fingers 430 arranged in a circular grouping separated by a small
gap. The outer
adjustment sleeve 410 includes internal threads 422 which mate with the insert
threads 420 on
the toothed insert and is designed with a tapered end 415. When the outer
adjustment sleeve 410
is placed over the toothed insert 405, such that the internal threads 422 just
begin to engage the
insert threads 420, the air flow restrictor 400 is assembled. When it is
assembled, it can be
placed in line with the secondary seed tubes 162 such that the material
flowing through the
secondary seed tubes 162 will also pass through the air flow restrictor 400.
The two pieces of
the air flow restrictor 400 are designed in such a way that, as the outer
adjustment sleeve 410 is
rotated, the internal threads 422 engage the insert threads 420 and pull the
outer adjustment
sleeve 410 further down onto the toothed insert 405. Because the outer
adjustment sleeve 410
has a tapered end 415, the movement of the outer adjustment sleeve 410 as it
engages the
toothed insert 405 causes the internal walls of the tapered end 415 to come in
contact with the
fingers 430 and constrict them such that they push in toward each other. This
squeezing of the
fingers 430 causes the movement of air and other material through the center
of the air flow
restrictor 400 to be reduced. Loosening the outer adjustment sleeve 410 by
rotating it in the
opposite direction allows the fingers 430 to open back up again, allowing more
air to pass
through the center of the air flow restrictor 400.
[00103] The air flow restrictor 400 has a hollow center that allows air
and material to flow
through it, allowing it to be placed in-line anywhere in the secondary seed
tube 162. An
CA 2995040 2018-02-13
- 22 -
alternative method of introducing the air flow restrictor 400 would be to make
it integral to the
sensor housing 205 of the acoustic sensor 200 assembly. FIG. 7A shows an
alternative
embodiment of the acoustic sensor assembly of FIG. 4B where the air flow
restrictor 400 is built
into the lower half of the sensor housing 205. In this position, the flow of
air and material
entering the secondary seed tube 162 can be restricted by turning the outer
adjustment shell 410
to close down the fingers 430. Note that the outer adjustment shell 410 is
shown here with a non-
tapered exterior, but the interior of the outer adjustment shell 410 is still
tapered, as will be
shown in cutaway views in FIGS. 7B and 7C.
[00104] FIG. 7B shows the alternative embodiment of the acoustic sensor
from FIG. 7A
with a cutaway view of the air flow restrictor 400. As viewed through the
cutaway portion of FIG.
7B, the outer adjustment shell 410 has inner tapered walls 415A. The numeric
designator for the
interior tapered walls is 415A, to show the relation to the tapered end 415 of
the outer adjustment
shell 410 shown in FIG. 6. Both numeric designators, 415 and 415A, refer to
the tapered features,
but 415 refers to the tapered end in general and 415A refers to the interior
tapered walls. The
insert threads 420 are integral to or otherwise connected to the sensor
housing 205. The fingers
430 are shown through the cutaway just coming into contact with the tapered
walls 415A, but
they are not yet compressed in this position. Full air and material flow would
be allowed in this
configuration.
[00105] FIG. 7C shows the cutaway view of the air flow restrictor from
FIG. 7B, but with
the restrictor shell tightened such that the restrictor fingers are squeezed
more tightly together.
The dashed lines near the bottom of FIG. 7C show the former position of the
outer adjustment
shell 410 as it appeared in FIG. 7B, before it was tightened down. The small
arrow on the
diagram near the insert threads 420 shows the direction in which the outer
adjustment shell 410
moved. The insert threads 420 are now visible through the cutaway in the outer
adjustment shell
410, instead of above it as they were in FIG. 7B. As shown, the fingers 430
are compressed by
the tapered walls 415A, and are tightly squeezed together. The resulting
configuration of the
fingers 430 constricts the air and material flow that can pass through the
sensor housing 205 as it
passes into the secondary seed tube 162.
CA 2995040 2018-02-13
- 23 -
[00106] The information obtained by the acoustic sensors 200 as processed
by the
blockage monitoring nodes 300 is communicated to an operator. If a blockage is
detected in one
or more of the secondary seed tubes 162, then this condition should be
displayed to the operator
of the air seeding system so that appropriate steps can be taken to clear the
condition. In addition,
to be able to equalize the output of all of the secondary seed tubes 162, an
operator must be able
to have access to the output values of all of the seed tubes 162 in order to
make corrections. Once
these current output values are known, an operator can correct an imbalance in
the system by
manually adjusting the air flow restrictors 400 on the appropriate secondary
seed tubes 162 in
order to change the air and material flows in those tubes.
[00107] In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, the air
flow restrictors 400
might be connected to electric motors or otherwise automatically controlled.
In this embodiment,
an electronics module (possibly a variation of the blockage monitoring node
300, or a separate
module) could be entered into an "automatic balancing" mode. In this mode, the
electronics
module could read the seed flow rates for all of the secondary tubes 162 on
the system, check for
imbalances, and then drive the electric motors (or other automatic means) to
adjust the air flow
restrictors 400 automatically, without manual intervention. This would enable
automatic
adjustment of a system every time an operator pulls the air seeding system
into a new field or
changes crops.
[00108] FIG. 8 illustrates how the blockage monitoring nodes 300 are
capable of
communicating wirelessly with a handheld computing device 500. FIG. 8 also
shows how the
primary inventive components of the present invention might be mounted in one
embodiment of
the invention. The acoustic sensors 200 are between the secondary manifold 142
and the
secondary seed tubes 162. The air flow restrictors 400 are show in-line with
the acoustic sensors
200 and secondary seed tubes 162. One or more blockage monitoring nodes 300
are mounted on
the vertical portion of the primary seed tube leading up into the secondary
manifold 142. As
previously described, FIG. 8 illustrates one possible configuration of the
inventive components
of the present invention, and is not meant to be limiting in any way. There
may be alternative
configurations of an air seeding system that would require a different
configuration of the
acoustic sensors 200, air flow restrictors 400, and blockage monitoring nodes
300.
CA 2995040 2018-02-13
- 24 -
[00109] The handheld computing device 500 may be used as both a system
display and
control device. In one embodiment, the handheld computing device 500 is a
commercially
available computing platform such as a version of the iPad computing device
available from
Apple, Inc., or any similar commercial computing platform. In an alternative
embodiment, the
handheld computing device 500 is a custom-designed handheld computing
platform, which can
be specifically designed for use with the present invention.
[00110] The handheld computing device 500 can receive and transmit
wireless messages
with the blockage monitoring nodes 300. In one operating scenario, one or more
of the
blockage monitoring nodes 300 detects a drop in sound level from one or more
of the acoustic
sensors 200 to which it is connected. This information is transmitted to the
handheld computing
device 500 in the form of wireless messages 10. The handheld computing device
500 receives
the wireless messages 10, processes the information contained within them, and
determines what
to display on the handheld computing device 500.
[00111] In the preferred embodiment, the algorithms that determine how to
interpret the
data transmitted by the blockage monitoring nodes 300 are located on the
handheld computing
device 500. By locating the algorithms inside the handheld computing device
500, the blockage
monitoring nodes 300 may have less powerful, inexpensive processors, reducing
the overall
system cost. In an alternative embodiment, the algorithms for determining if
there is a blockage
are located within each blockage monitoring node 300, instead of in the
handheld computing
device 500. In this alternative embodiment, the handheld computing device 500
effectively
becomes a sort of "dumb display", and is only used to display the results
calculated by the
blockage monitoring nodes 300. Although, in the preferred embodiment, the
handheld computing
device 500 does the majority of the processing, it may be desirable to have
the blockage
monitoring nodes 300 communicate with an existing "dumb display" on the
tractor, instead of to
the handheld computing device 500. In these cases, the blockage monitoring
nodes 300 may need
to do all of the processing, and send display directives to a non-processing
(dumb) display,
instead of allowing a handheld computing device 500 to do the processing.
[00112] For the purposes of this discussion, a "dumb display" or "non-
processing display"
shall be defined as a display with very limited processing power, which must
be commanded
CA 2995040 2018-02-13
-25 -
what it should display through messages sent to it by a separate electronics
module. Many
modern tractor manufacturers provide such non-processing dumb displays for
their tractors, as
the displays must be capable of receiving and displaying information from
different implements
(hay balers, air seeders, spray equipment, etc.) from various manufacturers.
Instead of trying to
create a single display type that contains all of the processing power and
algorithms needed for
all of the various types of implements, the tractor manufacturers instead
often provide a single
"dumb display" which simply displays the information it receives from a
separate module
mounted on the implement.
[00113] In this way, the "intelligence" is encapsulated in the electronics
on the implement,
and a single dumb display type will work with many different kinds of
implements. In order to
communicate with a single display type, all of the implements must send
messages in a
standardized format to the display in the tractor. One example of such a non-
processing display
is the GreenStar display found on tractors manufactured by the John Deere
Company of Moline,
Illinois. The GreenStar display is an ISOBUS virtual terminal, where "ISOBUS"
refers to a
standardized open communications network technology for connecting electronic
devices on
agricultural equipment, and "virtual terminal" refers to a display which
follows the ISOBUS
standard. An ISOBUS virtual terminal accepts messages from implements using
the industry-
standard ISO 11873 communications protocol. Any implement that can send the
proper
commands using this communications protocol is capable of displaying
information on the
GreenStar display. Many other types of ISOBUS virtual terminals are available.
FIG. 10B
provides additional information on how the present invention might communicate
to an existing
non-processing display, such as an ISOBUS virtual terminal.
[00114] Referring now to FIGS. 9A through 9E, several examples of user
interface pages
will be described. The pages shown in these figures are intended to be
examples only and not
limiting in any way, and are representative of any number of similar pages
that could be created
for the application. For the purposes of this discussion, these user interface
screens will be
shown as they might appear being displayed on a handheld computing device 500.
It should be
noted, however, that similar screens could be displayed on any type of
displaying device,
including an ISOBUS virtual terminal as previously described and as
illustrated in FIG. 10B.
CA 2995040 2018-02-13
-26-
1001151 FIG. 9A shows one embodiment of a default information screen
showing status
information on the air seeding system. A display screen 501 displays
information on the
handheld computing device 500. In the preferred embodiment, the display screen
501 has a
touch-sensitive interface (a touch screen), allowing the operator to interact
with the device to
bring up different displays, or to send commands to the blockage monitoring
nodes 300, via the
handheld computing device 500.
[00116] In the screen illustrated in FIG. 9A, a summary view of the entire
air seeder
implement is shown. In this view, numeric designators 503 refer to the number
of a specific
secondary manifold 142 on the seeder. FIG. 9A shows 12 separate numeric
designators 503,
showing that the air seeder implement now connected to the machine has 12
separate secondary
manifolds 142. Next to each numeric designator 503 is a manifold status 505.
In this
embodiment, a manifold status 505 of "OK" indicates that the manifold in
question is operating
correctly (no blockages). A manifold status 505 other than "OK" will appear
next to secondary
manifolds 142 which have one or more problems. For example, as shown in FIG.
9A, a manifold
status 505A stating "NO CONNECTION" is shown next to the entry for manifold 4,
and
manifold status 505B showing the numbers "1, 3, 5, 6" next to the entry for
manifold 6.
[00117] A connection icon 507 appears to the right of each manifold status
505
(including statuses 505A and 505B). The connection icon 507 may be an animated
icon such as
a spinning disk or any appropriate symbol when the wireless connection to the
blockage
monitoring nodes 300 on the corresponding secondary manifold 142 is working
properly. An
alternative form of the connection icon 507A is used to indicate a
malfunctioning or non-
existent wireless connection between the handheld computing device 500 and the
corresponding
secondary manifold 142. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 9A, an "X" is used for
the
alternative connection icon 507A to indicate a bad connection. The manifold
status 505A of
"NO CONNECTION" is shown as an additional indication that the wireless
connection is
faulty. As previously indicated, the status labels, specific graphics, and the
number and
arrangement of onscreen components is intended to be an example only, and not
meant to be
limiting in any way.
CA 2995040 2018-02-13
- 27 -
[00118] The manifold status 505B showing the numbers "1, 3, 5, 6", as
shown in FIG.
9A, is used to indicate that the corresponding secondary manifold 142 is
detecting partial or full
blockages on the first, third, fifth, and sixth secondary seed tubes 162 on
that manifold. The
fault condition shown in this FIG. 9A would likely have been caused by a
detected and
significant decrease in the amount of noise received from the acoustic sensors
200 associated
with the secondary seed tubes 162 numbered 1, 3, 5, and 6 on the secondary
manifold 142
numbered 6.
[00119] Each user interface screen, such as the one shown on the display
screen 501 in
FIG. 9A, will also likely contain one or more navigation controls 510. In FIG.
9A, the navigation
controls 510 are displayed along the bottom of the display screen 501, and
include buttons for
moving to additional user interface screens (shown here with labels
"Implements" and
"Profiles") and a Help button (shown here as a circle with a lowercase "i"
inside it).
[00120] FIG. 9B shows one embodiment of a manifold information page. While
FIG. 9A
presented summary information showing the status of all of the secondary
manifolds 142 on an air
seeding system, FIG. 9B show the relative flow rates for each of the secondary
seed tubes 162
connected to a single secondary manifold 142. This page, or one like it, may
be displayed after an
operator touches one of the manifold statuses 505 shown on FIG. 9A. For
example, if the operator
were to touch the top manifold status 505 on the display screen 501
illustrated in FIG. 9A
(manifold number 1), the screen illustrated in FIG. 9B would appear.
[00121] In this embodiment, the manifold information page of FIG. 9B
displays the
current coefficient of variance (CV) numbers for each secondary seed tube 162
on Manifold 1
as a bar graph 502. The bar graphs 502 are created and displayed on the
display screen 501
such that the exact middle point of each bar graph 502 represents the average
flow rate across
all of the secondary seed tubes 162 on this secondary manifold 142. The far
left side of each
bar graph 502 represents 0% flow rate. The far right side of each bar graph
502 represents
twice the average flow rate. Each bar graph 502 is preceded by a numeric
designator 504
indicating the number of the corresponding secondary seed tube 162. The CV
numbers 506
displayed to the right of the bar graphs 502 represent the percentage that a
secondary seed tube
162 is either above or below the average. For example, secondary seed tube
number 2 (the
CA 2995040 2018-02-13
- 28 -
second bar graph 502 from the top of the display screen 501) shows that its
current CV is +4%,
meaning that the flow rate in that secondary seed tube 162 is 4% greater than
the average of all
the secondary seed tubes 162 on this secondary manifold 142. Secondary seed
tube number 14,
near the bottom of the display screen 501, is 4% below the average (shown as -
4%). The
overall average flow rate 514 across all secondary seed tubes 162 for the
displayed manifold
142 is shown at the top of the page.
[00122] A center line 512 (FIG. 9B) is displayed as a visual reference and
represents 0%
CV (it represents the average flow rate). A dashed line 514 is used to show
the point to which a
bar graph 502 must drop before the system will indicate a blockage or partial
blockage has
occurred. An alarm percentage 508 is displayed beneath the dashed line 514,
showing the actual
percentage drop that will trigger a blockage alarm. The alarm percentage 508
shown in this
example is -10%, indicating that an alarm will be triggered when one or more
of the bar graphs
502 falls at least 10% below the average flow rate. In a preferred embodiment,
this alarm
percentage 508 and the relative position of the dashed line 514 are user
adjustable, allowing the
operator to pick a different alarm percentage 508.
[00123] When an alarm condition occurs, the graphics shown on the bar
graphs 502 may
change as an indication of the condition. Bar graph 502A (shown corresponding
to secondary
seed tube 6 in FIG. 9B) has dropped below the dashed line 514 and is thus
shown as a different
color than the other bar graphs 502. The corresponding CV value 506A shows -
20%, a
significant drop from the average flow rate. Bar graph 502B has dropped to 0%,
indicating either
a total blockage condition (no seed flow) or an error in receiving data from
the corresponding
secondary seed tube 162 or blockage monitoring node 300. The CV value 506B is
shown as an
exclamation point, in this example, to indicate a serious condition exists.
[00124] Navigation controls 510 are provided for this page, as well. In
this example, left
and right arrows are provided to move from one manifold display to the next,
and a "Back"
button is provided to return the operator to the screen that was previously
displayed. The
navigation controls 510 shown here are intended to be representative of any
type of virtual user
control that allows the operator to navigate through the screens.
CA 2995040 2018-02-13
- 29 -
[00125] FIG. 9C shows one embodiment of an implement selection page. For
the
purposes of this discussion, an "implement" is any piece of agricultural
machinery that can be
attached to and pulled from a tractor (such as an air seeder or air cart).
This page might be
displayed when the handheld computing device 500 is first turned on, or when
the software
application for the air seeding system is first executed. An implement list
511 will appear on
this page, showing a list of all of the implements that are currently in
wireless communications
range with the handheld computing device 500. If no implements are within
communications
range, the implement list 511 might display "No implements in range" or a
similar
informational message. If only one implement is in range, this implement
selection page may
not appear, as there are no choices to be made (the solitary implement will be
the one chosen by
default). When the implement list 511 has two or more selections to choose
from, a selection
indicator 516 will appear on the display screen 501, indicating which
implement is currently
selected. The operator can touch a different implement on the implement list
511 with a finger
or stylus, and the selection indicator 516 will then appear around the
selected implement.
Navigation controls 510 are provided for additional functionality on this
page. These may
include an ADD and DELETE button, such as those shown in FIG. 9C, to allow the
operator to
define a new implement, or to remove an existing implement from the implement
list 511.
[00126] FIG. 9D shows one embodiment of a profile selection page. For the
purposes of
this discussion, a "profile" is defined as a specific pattern of secondary
seed tubes 162. Defined
profiles are sometimes required because different kinds of crops may require
different row-to-
row spacing when being planted. If the openers 148 (from FIG. 1 or 2) which
dig the furrows
in the soil are spaced on the air seeding system 12 inches apart, but a crop
is known to grow
better using a 24-inch spacing, then the operator of the air seeding system
can disable every
other row on the air seeder. This is typically done by blocking the entry of
every other
secondary seed tube 162 inside of the secondary manifold 142, so that only
half of the seed
tubes 162 will have air and seed flow. However, since all of the seed tubes
162, even the
blocked ones, will have an acoustic sensor 200 installed, the system needs a
means of detecting
which of the secondary seed tubes 162 have been blocked, and which acoustic
sensors 200
should be ignored, so that a false alarm is not triggered. Additional detail
on how a specific
profile is created will be shown on FIG. 9E.
CA 2995040 2018-02-13
- 30 -
[00127] The display screen 501 of the profile selection screen shown in
FIG. 9D has a
profile list 511A, listing all of the profiles that have been defined by the
operator. A selection
indicator 516 is used to indicate which profile is currently selected. The
operator can choose a
different profile by touching the profile name from the profile list 511A.
Example navigation
controls 510 allow the operator to add, delete, or edit profiles.
[00128] FIG. 9E shows an embodiment of an edit profile page, which can be
used to
create a new profile or to edit an existing one. At the top of the display
screen 501, there is a
profile name box 522, displaying the name of the profile currently being
edited. In this example,
the current profile is called "24-Inch Spacing". Below the profile name box
522, a series of
virtual on/off switches 520 are displayed, one for each secondary seed tube
162 in the
corresponding secondary manifold 142. By touching one of the on/off switches
520 with a
finger or stylus, the operator can toggle the status of that switch. If a
specific on/off switch 520
is shown to be "ON", that means that, for this profile, the secondary seed
tube 162
corresponding to that on/off switch should be considered. If the on/off switch
520 is shown to
be "OFF", the corresponding seed tube 162 is assumed to be blocked off and the
data from the
acoustic sensor 200 associated with that secondary seed tube 162 will be
ignored when
determining if there is an alarm condition.
[00129] As a profile may contain switch definitions for multiple
manifolds, a slider bar
512 or similar control is provided to move the display up or down (to make
other manifold
switch sets visible). Example navigation controls 510 may include buttons to
save an edited
profile, or cancel editing mode and return to the previous screen.
[00130] The example pages shown in FIGS. 9A through 9E are intended to be
representative of the types of operations that could be done using the
handheld computing device
500. They should not be considered complete, and a person skilled in the art
should realize that
any number of display and control pages could be created. The fundamental
concept presented
herein is that a wireless display (the handheld computing device 500) can be
used as a user
interface and display for the air seeding system of the present invention.
[00131] Other types of display pages could include, but are certainly not
limited to, the
following types:
CA 2995040 2018-02-13
-31 -
= A grouping page, which allows subsets of secondary manifolds from a
single implement
to be grouped together based on the type of material flowing into them. This
may be
needed in the case when two or more hoppers 126 (from FIGS. 1 and 2) are used
on an
air seeding system, with each containing different materials (for example, one
containing
seed and the other containing fertilizer).
= A documentation page, allowing an operator to display user's manuals or
other
documents.
= An "about" page, showing firmware and hardware revision numbers for each
blockage
monitoring node 300 on the seeder, and software revision numbers for the
application
running on the handheld computing device 500.
= A built-in-test (BIT) page, allowing an operator to initiate and see the
results of system
tests.
= A log page, displaying the text of log files created by the system
software, perhaps
showing the occurrence and location of blockage events or sensor/electronics
errors.
1001321 It should be noted that, in one embodiment of the present
invention, much of the
configuration system described in FIGS. 9A through 9E may be stored in the
blockage
monitoring nodes 300 instead of or in addition to storing this information in
the handheld
computing device 500. By storing configuration information such as profile
definitions in the
blockage monitoring nodes 300, it becomes possible to swap out one handheld
computing device
500 for another, allowing multiple handheld computing devices 500 to be used
with the system
without requiring a complete re-configuring of the system and redefinition of
profiles. Since the
blockage monitoring nodes 300 are meant to be mounted directly to the
implement, the
configuration information can be stored here, with the implement for which it
is defined, instead
of solely on the handheld computing device 500.
1001331 FIGS. 10A, 10B, and 10C illustrate how the blockage monitoring
nodes of the
present invention can communicate wirelessly with each other, as well as with
a remote
information display. FIG. 10A shows a set of blockage monitoring nodes 300
(shown here
removed from the air seeding system, which is assumed to exist) communicating
wirelessly 10
with each other and with a handheld computing device 500. As previously
discussed, in the
preferred embodiment, the majority of the processing required by the system
(such as
CA 2995040 2018-02-13
- 32 -
determining if there are blockages or alarm-triggering events) would be done
by the handheld
computing device 500. The blockage monitoring nodes 300 would simply capture
the audio data
from the acoustic sensors 200, convert the data into wireless messages 10, and
transmit the
messages to the handheld computing device 500 for processing and eventual
display.
[00134] FIG. 10B illustrates an alternative embodiment of the present
invention, in which
the handheld computing device 500 is replaced by a tractor-mounted, hard-wired
or wireless
tractor display 650. As previously discussed, the tractor display 650 may be
an ISOBUS virtual
terminal (a non-processing or "dumb" display) or similar display which is
designed to accept
display directives from an electronics module on the implement. These virtual
terminal displays
receive the display directives from other system modules 22 over an industry
standard, hardwired
communications bus 20 following the ISO 11873 communications protocol. The
other system
modules 22 may be any number of separate electronic modules connected to the
communications
bus 20, and may include items such as transmission controllers, engine
controllers, implement
controllers, or any other appropriate electronic modules configured to send
and receive messages
using the ISO 11873 communications protocol.
[00135] In an embodiment using a tractor display 650 connected to a
communications bus
20, a wireless-to-serial node 600 must be introduced to intercept the wireless
communications 10
transmitted by the blockage monitoring nodes 300, and convert them to ISO
11873 messages for
transmission over the communications bus 20. This added component, the
wireless-to-serial node
600, allows the present invention to work with existing tractor displays 650.
Also shown on FIG.
10B are bus terminators 25, which are required by some communications physical
layer
implementations.
[00136] FIG. 10C illustrates yet another embodiment of the present
invention for use in an
air seeding or similar system that uses the ISO 11873 communications protocol.
Similar to the
embodiment in FIG. 10B, this embodiment has a wireless-to-serial node 600
connected to a
communications bus 20, and in communications with one or more other system
modules 22. In
this embodiment, however, the hardwired tractor display 650 has been replaced
with a handheld
computing device 500. In this embodiment, the handheld computing device 500
communicates
wirelessly at 10 to the wireless-to-serial node 600, and can thus retrieve ISO
11873 messages
CA 2995040 2018-02-13
- 33 -
from the communications bus 20. A ISOBUS virtual terminal emulator (a software
program, and
thus not shown here) can be executing on the handheld computing device 500,
allowing the
handheld computing device 500 to be used in place of the tractor display 650.
[00137] The embodiment shown in FIG. 10C is a significant advance in the
art, because a
typical tractor display 650, such as an ISOBUS virtual terminal supplied by an
original
equipment manufacturer (such as John Deere, CASE IH, etc.), is very expensive
and may be
several thousand dollars. If the same functionality can be supplied by an off-
the-shelf handheld
computing device 500 for a few hundred dollars, this is a significant benefit
to the operator. The
handheld computing device 500 may also be taken off of the tractor and used
for other purposes,
further reducing the system cost.
[00138] In the alternative embodiments shown in FIGS. 10A, 10B, and 10C,
the wireless
communication link 10 could be replaced with direct-wired communication links,
but this would
add additional system costs and decrease the system reliability (additional
wiring provides
additional failure points in the system). Also, although the ISO 11873
communications standard
is described above in some detail, any similar protocol or messaging scheme
can be supported
using the same invention.
[00139] The other system modules 22 can include an electronic equipment
control module
connected to the dynamic equipment and configured for controlling and
monitoring one or more
equipment functions. The electronic equipment control module can be connected
to the wireless
to serial node 600 via the communications bus 20 (Fig. 10 C).
[00140] FIG. 11 shows a functional block diagram of the wireless-to-serial
node
introduced in FIG. 10B. In one embodiment, the wireless-to-serial node 600
includes wireless
communications circuitry 605 to exchange wireless information with the
blockage monitoring
nodes 300. Optionally, the wireless-to-serial node 600 may contain optional
radio devices 606 or
an optional cellular modem 607, for communicating with other systems either on
the air seeding
system or external to it. The cellular modem 607 may be one adhering to the
CDMA, GSM, or
any other appropriate cellular communications protocol.
CA 2995040 2018-02-13
- 34 -
[00141] A processor 610 controls the operations of the wireless-to-serial
node 600, and
contains instructions for processing the information received from the
wireless communications
circuitry 605, or optional radios 606 or cellular modem 607, and sends it to
the serial
communications interface 620, which packages the data received wirelessly into
messages
based on the particular serial communications protocol employed by the system.
A connector
630 provides a connection point for the communications bus 20. An antenna 625
is provided to
allow the wireless-to-serial node 600 to receive and transmit information
wirelessly. The
wireless-to-serial node 600 includes a power supply circuit 615 to regulate
incoming power and
convert it to the levels required for the circuitry within the node. Power may
be supplied from
the vehicle or implement (routed through the connector 630), or may come from
an optional
internal power source such as a battery pack.
[00142] The remaining figures illustrate some of the operational aspects
of the present
invention. FIGS. 12A and 12B illustrate one embodiment of an algorithm for
determining when
an air seeding system using the present invention is stopping or turning
around at the end of a
field, allowing the blockage alarms to be disabled to prevent false alarms.
During normal
operation, the acoustic sensors 200 will determine the relative amount of seed
flowing through the
secondary seed tubes 162 based on the sound level present in the tubes. If one
or more of the
acoustic sensors 200 detects a sudden drop in sound level, the blockage
monitoring node 300 will
determine that the corresponding seed tube 162 has a partial or full blockage
and will indicate an
alarm condition (in at least one embodiment, the determination of whether
there is an alarm
condition may actually take place in the handheld computing device 500, based
on information it
receives from the blockage monitoring node 300).
[00143] However, when the air seeder reaches the end of the field, the
operator typically
lifts the implement (the components of the air seeding system that are in
contact with the ground,
such as the openers 148), turns off the flow of seed, and begins to turn
around to make the next
pass down the field. Since the flow of seed is stopped during the turn, the
acoustic sensors 200
will detect a drop in sound level which may in turn be falsely interpreted by
the system as a
blockage. To prevent false alarms in this manner, some means for detecting
when the implement
has been lifted must be provided, such that the system can tell the difference
between a blockage
and the operator turning off the air flow through the system.
CA 2995040 2018-02-13
-35 -
[00144] One means of doing this is to provide a work switch input 356 to
the blockage
monitoring node 300, such as that shown in FIG. 5A. In one embodiment, this
work switch
input 356 is a digital input that is high when the implement is lowered and
seed flow is enabled,
and low when the implement is lifted and seed flow is turned off. The blockage
monitoring
node 300 reads the current state of the work switch input 356 and enables or
disables the alarms
accordingly. As previously discussed, in certain embodiments of the present
invention, the
blockage monitoring node 300 may simply pass the state of the work switch
input 356, along
with the data detected from the acoustic sensors 200, to the handheld
computing device 500,
and it is actually the handheld computing device 500 that determines whether
or not an alarm
should be sounded.
[00145] In some air seeding systems, however, there may not be a work
switch input 356,
or the work switch input 356 may be malfunctioning. In these circumstances, it
is possible to
detect the conditions normally associated with seed flow being disabled by
using information
already present in the system of the present invention. FIG. 12A graphically
depicts what
happens to the seed flow during a typical work stoppage, and FIG. 12B outlines
an algorithm for
determining if alarms should be disabled or enabled when a work stoppage is
detected.
[00146] FIG. 12A shows the relative seed flow 700 in an air seeding system
as it changes
over time. As shown in FIG. 12A, a user-defined threshold 710 indicates the
level at which the
seed flow 700 will trigger an alarm, if it drops below threshold 710 for a pre-
determined period
of time. Four key times are marked as times T1 through T4.
[00147] T1 indicates the time when the seed flow 700 first drops below the
threshold 710.
This time is reached when the seed flow 700 begins to drop off (due to either
a blockage or a
work stoppage).
[00148] T2 indicates the time when the seed flow 700 stops dropping and
reaches a steady
state below the threshold 710. This might occur, for instance, during a work
stoppage, when the
seed flow 700 has completely stopped (remains steady at zero flow for a period
of time).
[00149] T3 indicates the time when the seed flow 700 begins to rise again.
This may occur
after a work stoppage when the seed flow 700 is resumed. Since seed flow 700
will not jump
CA 2995040 2018-02-13
- 36 -
immediately back to its former "full-flow" level, the seed flow 700 takes some
time to climb
back above the threshold 710.
[00150] T4 indicates the time when the seed flow 700 climbs back above the
threshold
710, presumably after a work stoppage has ended and seed flow 700 begins to
return to the
previous level.
[00151] By defining acceptable durations between these key timing events
(T1 through
T4), the system can be configured so that it can detect the difference between
a blockage and a
normal end of field work stoppage. For example, if the time between T1 (when
the seed flow 700
first falls below the threshold 710) and T2 (when seed flow 700 reaches steady
state) takes too
long (that is, it exceeds a pre-defined timer), an alarm may be sounded.
However, if T2 (steady
state) is reached before the pre-defined timer expires, the alarm is disabled,
meaning that steady
state has been achieved and seed flow is considered off
[00152] FIG. 12B is a block of pseudo-code detailing one embodiment of an
algorithm
used for determining if alarms should be enabled or disabled for a scenario
such as that shown in
FIG. 12A. The times T1 through T3 from FIG. 12A are used in this algorithm.
[00153] Section or step 720 of FIG. 12B defines the variables used in the
algorithm. Most
of the variables are "flags" which are Boolean-type variables (set to either
"true" or "false),
indicating the presence or absence of a certain condition. For instance, if
the FLOW RISING flag
is true, that is an indication that the seed flow 700 is currently increasing.
[00154] Section 725 indicates what happens when the seed flow 700 is below
the
threshold and currently falling, but the VISUAL_ALARM flag is false. In this
case, the visual
alarm flag is set to true and the ALARM_TIMER is reset to 0. Section 725 will
only occur when
the seed flow 700 first drops below the threshold.
[00155] Sections 730, 735, and 740 are all only executed when the VISUAL
ALARM flag
is already true, when the seed flow 700 is below the threshold 710. Section
730 checks to see how
long the seed flow 700 has been falling, and if it has been falling longer
than the pre-defined
ALARM TIMEOUT period, the audible alarm is sounded (AUDIBLE ALARM set to
true).
CA 2995040 2018-02-13
- 37 -
[00156] Section 735 checks to see if the seed flow 700 has been in a
steady state for too
long (exceeding the ALARM_TIMEOUT). If the ALARM_TIMEOUT is exceeded, the
audible
alarm is also sounded in this case.
[00157] Section 740 checks to see if the seed flow 700 has been rising for
too long. If the
ALARM TIMEOUT period is exceeded, the audible alarm is sounded.
[00158] Finally, Section 745 resets the ALARM_TIMEOUT, AUDIBLE_ALARM and
VISUAL ALARM flags once the seed flow 700 is no longer below the threshold
710.
[00159] It should be noted that the algorithm outlined in FIG. 12B is an
example only and
is not intended to represent an optimized algorithm or to limit the
implementation of the
algorithm in any way. One skilled in the art understands that changes can be
made to the
algorithm shown without deviating from the general idea of the algorithm. For
example, instead
of a single ALARM_TIMEOUT variable, the algorithm may use up to three separate
alarm
timeout variables, one each for the scenarios covered in Sections 730, 735,
and 740 of FIG. 12B.
Other changes are also possible.
[00160] FIG. 13A shows one embodiment of a flowchart for balancing the
output of an air
seeding system using the present invention. In Step 800, an operator begins
operating the air
seeder in a field, or, alternatively, in a stationary test set-up. Seed begins
to flow through the air
seeding system and secondary seed tubes 162. A person (who could be the same
operator who
initiated air seeder operation in Step 800, or a second person) walks or
stands behind the seeder
holding the handheld computing device 500. In Step 805, the person enters
"Balancing Mode" on
the handheld computing device 500, which is a page that aids the user in
equalizing the outputs
of all active secondary seed tubes 162. In Step 810, the handheld computing
device 500 displays
the flow rates for all manifolds and seed tubes in the air seeding system. In
Step 815, the person
uses the handheld computing device 500 to identify seed tubes with flow rates
that are either too
high or too low. In Step 820, the person adjusts the air flow restrictors 400
on the seed tubes with
improper flow rates to increase or decrease the flow as needed. If the
handheld computing device
500 shows that the outputs of all secondary seed tubes 162 are now balanced
(Step 825), the
balancing operation is complete (Step 830). If the secondary seed tubes 162
are still not
CA 2995040 2018-02-13
- 38 -
balanced, the algorithm jumps back up to Step 810 and these steps are repeated
as necessary until
the outputs of all secondary seed tubes 162 are equalized.
[00161] FIG. 13B shows another embodiment of a flowchart for balancing the
output of an
air seeding system using the present invention. In Step 802, an operator
initiates an air seeding
operation by driving the air seeder into the field and planting seed. As they
seed, the operator or
the handheld computing device will keep track of imbalances detected by the
present invention
(Step 807). After a sufficient section of field has been seeded (enough to
note where the system
imbalances are), the air seeding operation is halted (Step 812) and the
operator adjusts the air
flow restrictors on the seed tubes that showed improper flow rates
(imbalances). The operator
then re-initiates the air seeding operation (Step 822) and checks to see if
any imbalances are
remaining. If all seed tubes are balanced (Step 827), the balancing operation
in complete (Step
832). If the seed tubes are not balanced (Step 827), then Steps 807-827 are
repeated until the
system is fully balanced.
[00162] In the preferred embodiments of an air seeding system, as
described herein, a
design was chosen to reduce the overall system cost while still providing
sufficient functionality,
e.g., in processing of the acoustic data captured by the present invention.
This was achieved by
providing one blockage monitoring node for multiple microphones (potentially
more than 20
acoustic sensors may be plugged into a single blockage monitoring node). Since
a single
blockage monitoring node has to process sound data received by multiple
microphones, a
multiplexing approach is used, where a blockage monitoring node listens to one
microphone for
a short period of time, then moves on to the next, and so on, until the
blockage monitoring node
has sampled all of the microphones and begins again. These multiplexed signals
are then
converted into the frequency domain and analyzed to produce an estimate for
the overall "sound
power" seen by the system. This sound power is a relative indication of the
amount of flow in a
system or in a given seed tube. Instead of showing the exact amount of seed
flowing in each
tube, the system provides the amount of flow relative to the average of all
seed tube flow rates.
One embodiment of an algorithm for determining a sound power estimate in this
fashion is
provided in FIG. 14, which will be discussed shortly.
CA 2995040 2018-02-13
- 39 -
[00163] However, by reducing the amount of or eliminating completely the
multiplexing
that occurs, possibly by increasing the number of processors available for
each microphone,
the sound data could be processed in the time domain. This would allow a
system to count the
actual number of seeds that strike the acoustic sensor, instead of providing a
relative flow rate.
Working in the time domain in this fashion would allow elements of the present
invention to be
used in other applications. For instance, the acoustic sensors described in
this specification
could be used in a grain loss monitor, in which grain falling out of the back
of a combine (and
therefore lost to the harvester) could be detected by placing an acoustic
sensor (or an array of
acoustic sensors) on the back of the combine, such that grain falling out of
the harvester would
first hit the acoustic sensor and be detected. The acoustic sensors and
electronic components
described herein enable processing in both the frequency and time domains.
While this
specification describes the inventions use on an air seeding system, it is
important to note that
the same components can be used in similar material flow applications,
including agricultural
and other applications.
[00164] FIG. 14 shows an embodiment of an algorithm for creating a sound
power estimate
using the acoustic sensors of the present invention, in which the data is
utilized in the frequency
domain. In Step 900, audio samples are obtained from the acoustic sensors as
interlaced left and
right channel samples. Then the samples are separated (de-interlaced) into
left and right channel
data (Step 905). The processing shown in FIG. 14 from Step 910 on is done for
both the left
channel data and right channel data. The steps for both left and right
channels are labeled with the
same number, but an "L" or an "R" is appended to the reference designator to
distinguish the
processing of the left channel ("L") versus the right channel ("R"). The
remaining description of
FIG. 14 will apply to both the left and right channels equally.
[00165] A fast Fourier transform (FFT) is performed on the raw data from
the left and right
channels (Steps 910L, 910R). This creates a frequency spectrum containing
imaginary and real
spectrum information. The algorithm then finds the absolute value of the
spectrum (Steps 915L,
915R), and the spectrum is scaled so that the frequency data of interest is
better displayed (Steps
920L, 920R). The average of the frequency "bins" of interest is found to
produce an instantaneous
sound power measurement (Steps 925L, 925R). If the data is out of range,
indicating a reset of the
gain and error information is needed (Steps 930L, 930R), the algorithm resets
the gain and error
CA 2995040 2018-02-13
- 40 -
covariance (Steps 935L, 935R) and a new sample is obtained (Step 900). This is
repeated until a
valid instantaneous power measurement is obtained (Steps 930L, 930R).
[00166] Once a valid instantaneous power measurement is obtained, the
algorithm
computes the gain required for the Kalman filter (Steps 940L, 940R), the
running sound power
estimate is updated (Steps 945L, 945R), and the error covariance is updated
(Steps 950L, 950R).
Finally, an updated sound power estimate is delivered and sent to the handheld
computing device
500 for processing and display.
[00167] Having described a preferred embodiment, it will become apparent
that various
modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention as
defined in the
accompanying claims. In particular, the components of the present invention,
described herein
and in the accompanying drawings, may be used in different configurations and
combinations
than described in the examples described above. The arrangement of seed tubes,
blower fans,
manifolds, and other components can vary significantly from one air seeding
system to the next.
The present invention can be easily adapted to these alternative
configurations without changing
the inventive concepts presented herein.
[00168] Also, as previously discussed, the components of the present
invention can be
adapted for use in other material flow applications. One such application
previously discussed in
this specification is a grain loss sensor, where acoustic sensors may be used
(perhaps in an array)
to detect grain falling from the back of a combine. In the grain loss
application, the air flow
restrictors of the present invention would not be used, but versions of both
the acoustic sensors
and blockage monitoring nodes would be employed. These components could be
used similarly
in any system in which an amount of material is flowing through a system.
III. Vehicle Gateway Module 1600 (Alternative Embodiment or Aspect)
[00169] Referring now to FIGS. 15 through 24B, FIG. 15 is a software
architecture
diagram showing the various layers of software resident in at least one
embodiment of a vehicle
gateway module. In this view, the physical gateway module 1600 is shown as a
dashed line to
indicate that the software layers depicted represent various pieces of
software embedded within
the gateway module 1600. Additional detail on the gateway module 1600 (the
hardware) will be
presented in FIG. 16.
CA 2995040 2018-02-13
-41 -
[00170] The software architecture of at least one embodiment of a gateway
module 1600
includes a hardware interface layer 1500, which includes routines for
interfacing to and
controlling the various physical hardware devices and components that will be
further explained
in connection with FIG. 16. The hardware interface layer 1500 is essentially
the firmware that
controls the primary functions of the physical hardware components.
[00171] The architecture also contains an ISO 11783 software layer 1400,
which is
responsible for creating proprietary messages 1420 in ISO 11783 format. The
messages 1420 can
be used to control functions on the vehicle or an attached implement, or to
receive information
from the vehicle or the attached implement. The ISO 11783 layer 1400 can also
create or receive
Virtual Terminal messages 1440 (messages that match the Virtual Terminal
protocol
specification of the ISO 11783 standard), such that it can communicate with
any attached
standard Virtual Terminal. The ISO 11783 layer 1400 is responsible for
translating messages and
data back and forth between ISO 11783 format and other forms which may be used
by the
gateway module 1600, such as information received by the gateway module 1600
from one of
the wireless networks with which it is communicating.
[00172] ISO 11783, also known as ISO BUS or ISOBUS, is a common
communication
protocol used by the agriculture industry, and is based on the J1939
Controller Area Network
(CAN) protocol published by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE). The ISO
11783
standard specifies a serial data network for control and communications on
forestry and
agricultural vehicles and implements. The ISO 11783 standard consists of
several "parts", each
of which describes a different aspect of the standard. Most notably, ISO 11783
Part 6 describes
the Virtual Terminal standard. By providing a gateway module which can convert
between the
type of messages and information typically sent over a wireless network used
by a mobile device
into a standardized protocol used by a Virtual Terminal, it is possible for
the mobile device to act
as a Virtual Terminal, or for the mobile device to provide control directives
to a vehicle in the
same way that an operator would through the use of a Virtual Terminal.
1001731 The use of ISO 11783 in FIG. 15 and in all examples throughout
this specification
is intended to be exemplary only, and is in no way limiting. Any standard
protocol may be used,
including a future protocol. Therefore, the use of ISO 11783 can be replaced
with any
CA 2995040 2018-02-13
- 42 -
appropriate standardized communication protocol without deviating from the
intent of the
invention described herein.
[00174] The software architecture of the gateway module 1600 contains a
web interface
layer 1300, which has software which can interpret internet commands such as
those written in
HTML (hypertext markup language), the language upon which most webpages are
written and
built. HTML5, the fifth revision of the HTML standard, is currently under
development and will
include many new syntactical features which allow the easier implementation of
multimedia
features. This web interface layer 1300 allows vehicle-specific and third-
party web-based
applications to be executed on the gateway module 1600.
[00175] Particularly, a vehicle control application 1100 is provided to
allow access to
certain vehicle and implement subsystems and data, as well as control of
certain subsystems.
Requests are made by the vehicle control application 1100 in the form of a web-
style request (an
HTML command) through the web interface layer 1300, which is received by the
ISO 11783
layer 1400, which translates the request into ISO 11783 format for transmittal
on one of the
vehicle's communications busses. Information is returned to the vehicle
control application 1100
via the reverse of this request path.
[00176] Similarly, applications provided by third parties (such as vendors
of seed
requesting data on seed usage from a planter, for example) can gain access to
data contained
within the gateway module 1600 by making requests through the third-party
application interface
layer 1200. These requests by third-party applications are passed down from a
cloud or interne
server as will be described in additional detail in FIG. 17.
[00177] In addition to accepting and processing requests made by third-
party applications
passed down from the cloud server, the third-party application interface layer
1200 also allows
third-party applications to be hosted directly on the gateway module 1600.
This means that an
original equipment manufacturer (OEM) using a version of the gateway module
1600 can create
variations of the control software as required to operate their vehicles and
implements and can
install them as applications directly on the gateway module 1600. The third-
party application
interface layer 1200 has knowledge of function calls available within the
vehicle control
application 1100 that allow it to access desired functions.
CA 2995040 2018-02-13
- 43 -
[00178] FIG. 16 is a high-level hardware block diagram illustrating the
physical hardware
components of at least one embodiment of a vehicle gateway module. The gateway
module 1600
contains a power supply 1640 which manages the input power to the gateway
module 1600 and
steps the power level down and conditions the power appropriately for the
various subcircuits in
the gateway module 1600. The power supply 1640 may also supply power to other,
external
systems through one or more power outputs 1680, which may, for example, be
sensors or other
modules which require a power supply with a voltage or other characteristics
not otherwise
available on the vehicle.
[00179] A processor 1620 serves as the primary control for the gateway
module 1600,
executing the embedded software and controlling the functions of the system
including the
module 1600. The gateway module 1600 has serial communications ports 1610 for
sending
messages to other parts of the vehicle system. Serial communications on the
vehicle may include,
but are not limited to, ISO 11783 messages, CAN messages, and other
proprietary messages in a
serial format.
[00180] Wireless communications circuitry 1630 is used to control the
exchange of
information with various wireless networks, which may include but are not
limited to IEEE
802.11, WiMAX, Bluetooth, Zigbee, or any other appropriate wireless
communications protocol.
One or more cellular modems 1650 are provided to allow the gateway module 1600
to
communicate via cellular networks. The gateway module 1600 can include a
global navigation
satellite system (GNSS) transceiver 1655.
[00181] The gateway module 1600 can provide control to a vehicle or
receive inputs from
a vehicle using digital and analog inputs and outputs 1660, the number of
which can vary (from
zero to several of each type) based on the needs of the system. The gateway
module 1600 may
also have a number of motor drive circuits 1670 that can be used to engage
motor drives on a
vehicle or implement.
[00182] The gateway module 1600 can comprise, for example only, an
electronic control
module with a first connection connected to the vehicle/implement subsystems
1700 and a
second connection connected to a virtual terminal 1710 (Fig. 17).
CA 2995040 2018-02-13
- 44 -
[00183] It should be noted that the block diagram shown in FIG. 16 is one
embodiment of
a gateway module, and is not meant to be limiting in any way. Variations can
be made to the
number and types of circuits included without deviating from the inventive
concept. For
example, a gateway module embodiment with no digital and analog inputs and
outputs and no
motor drive circuits would still meet the intent of the invention described
herein. There are other
variations possible which can be made, as well, while still maintaining the
concept of a module
which provides a bridge or translation pathway between hard-wired, vehicle-
based or
application-based communication busses and wireless networks.
[00184] FIG. 17 is a system architecture diagram showing one embodiment of
a vehicle
gateway module interacting with other components in the system. Central to
this system is a
gateway module 1600, such as those described in the embodiments shown in FIGS.
15 and 16
previously. This gateway module 1600 is attached to the subsystems of a
vehicle or implement
1700 via a proprietary communications bus 1425, such as the ISO 11783 bus
shown in FIG. 17
(although, as previously stated in this specification, any appropriate
communication standard
could be used in place of ISO 11783). A virtual terminal 1710 is optionally
connected to the
gateway module 1600 via a communications bus 1445, such as an ISO 11783 bus
over which
virtual terminal commands may be sent. It should be noted that, although a
virtual terminal
standard (meeting ISO 11783, Part 6, as described previously) is shown in this
example
illustration, any other appropriate type of display which can receive and send
information via a
standard, published protocol can be used in place of the virtual terminal
without deviating from
the invention.
[00185] The gateway module 1600 optionally communicates with one or more
mobile
devices 1720 (such as a smart phone, tablet computer, notebook computer, etc.)
over a wireless
communications means 1725 such as an IEEE 802.11 connection or any appropriate
wireless
connection. A user operating the mobile device 1720 can use an application
running on the
device and written specifically for the vehicle or application on which the
gateway module 1600
is mounted for accessing data and controlling the vehicle by issuing wireless
commands. The
commands can be translated into standard protocol messages for the vehicle, as
previously
described in the detailed description of FIG. 15 and FIG. 16.
CA 2995040 2018-02-13
-45 -
1001861 In this way, the mobile device 1720 can actually be used in place
of the virtual
terminal 1710 as the primary display and control interface to the vehicle
and/or the implement
attached to the vehicle. This allows the operator to replace a potentially
expensive piece of
hardware (the virtual terminal 1710) that was specifically designed for use in
the vehicle with an
inexpensive and multipurpose mobile device that the operator may already own
for another
purpose. This also has the added advantage of allowing the operator to leave
the cab of the
vehicle with the display (in the form of the mobile device 1720, instead of
the hard wired virtual
terminal 1710), which gives the operator greater freedom and enables features
that could not be
done with a permanently-mounted, single-purpose display.
1001871 In addition to enabling communication with one or more mobile
devices 1720,
the gateway module 1600 allows the vehicle to communicate with a cloud server
1730 over a
wireless communication means 1735 such as a cellular network (or any
appropriate wireless
protocol). The cloud server 1730 is an internet-based set of resources that
comprises one or
more physical servers and which can draw upon additional resources as the need
demands. The
cloud server 1730 may optionally offer a single company-hosted database which
stores
information collected from a fleet of deployed vehicles and/or implements,
each with their own
gateway modules 1600, or the cloud server 1730 can provide direct access to a
number of
external applications 1740 (shown here as 1740A through 1740N, but
collectively referred to
as 1740) over a separate communication means 1745. Communication means 1745
may be
implemented as a wireless connection (such as a cellular connection or any of
the various
wireless network protocols available) or as a wired connection to the interne
and the cloud
server 1730.
[001881 These external applications 1740 can make requests through the
cloud server
1730 to the gateway module 1600. These requests are received by the gateway
module 1600
through the third-party application interface 1200 (FIG. 15) and are
translated into machine-
specific requests as previously described in this document.
[00189] Examples of external applications 1740 may include, but are not
limited to, the
following examples:
CA 2995040 2018-02-13
- 46 -
Prognostics/Diagnostics Application: An original equipment manufacturer (OEM)
of a
vehicle such as a tractor could receive information directly from a deployed
fleet of
gateway modules that would allow them to monitor the failure rates of
components
across a fleet and eventually have enough data to predict when these
components should
be replaced and notify the customer to replace or service the parts before
they actually
fail, reducing downtime and cost.
Remote Vehicle Access: Monitoring vehicle items such as position, speed, tire
pressure,
oil pressure, engine temperature, RPM, etc., and creating a log of the use of
a vehicle.
Seed and Chemical Usage: Suppliers, such as seed companies, distributors of
fertilizers,
herbicides and pesticides, and others can receive reports directly from
machines with
gateway modules reporting the quantities of each item used per acre, and can
analyze
this data for trends.
[00190] It should be noted that some embodiments of the system of FIG. 17
will used both
a virtual terminal 1710 and one or more mobile devices 1720 in conjunction.
This system
embodiment may require an application or software to manage the handoff of
primary control
between the hard-wired virtual terminal 1710 and the mobile devices 1720.
FIGS. 17A-17E
detail possible embodiments of security and safety schemes for managing this
handoff. It should
be noted that providing security and safety schemes such as those described
enables additional
system functionality, including the handoff of control from the on-board
system to a second
system, external to the vehicle system entirely. For example, as shown in FIG.
17D, it would be
possible for an operator of a grain truck to control the unload auger on a
combine, to enable the
transfer of harvested crop from the combine to the grain truck without
requiring an operator in
the harvester. An ideal system should also protect against the inadvertent
activation or hijacking
by a non-authorized external system. We turn now to FIGS. 17A through 17E.
[00191] FIGS. 17A and 17B show a use case diagram showing possible
interactions
between a hard-wired display and one or more mobile devices, as well as the
human operator,
when the mobile device is to be used as the primary system display. FIG. 17A
shows the actors
in a system which include a virtual terminal (or, more generically, a hard-
wired display) 1710,
one or more mobile devices 1720, and a human operator 1750.
CA 2995040 2018-02-13
-47 -
[00192] In this initial state, the hard-wired display 1710 is acting as
and designated the
"primary display" 1714, and the mobile device 1720 is acting as and designated
the "secondary
display" 1716. The definition of "primary display" as used in this context is
the display through
which the operator can command changes to the vehicle system (such as turning
a subsystem on
and off, commanding state changes, etc.) A "secondary display" in this context
is a display
which cannot be used currently to command changes to the vehicle system. A
secondary display
can receive data from the vehicle system and provide readouts and data based
on that data, but a
secondary display is not allowed to command changes directly.
[00193] For additional clarity, alternate terms for "primary display" and
"secondary
display" that have been used in the past are "master display" and "slave
display," respectively.
The terms "master" and "slave" can carry negative connotations, however,
because of reminders
of and allusions to human slavery, and so these terms have fallen out of
fashion and are rarely
used today. The reference to these terms is provided for completeness and to
avoid ambiguity.
These terms will not be used again in this specification and are provided only
for additional
historic background.
[00194] The human operator 1750 decides that he or she would like to use a
mobile device
1720 as the primary display [Step 1750-1] and uses the mobile device 1720 to
initiate a request
for control. The mobile device 1720 sends a request for control [Step 1750-2]
to the hard-wired
display 1710. The hard-wired display 1710 receives the request and, assuming
the current system
state allows control by a mobile device 1720, the hard-wired display 1710
displays a message to
the operator 1750, who must then provide manual approval for the change in
primary display
status [Step 1750-3]. The hard-wired display 1710 then relinquishes control to
the mobile device
1720 [Step 1750-4].
[00195] It should be noted that the transactions shown in FIG. 17A
represent one possible
embodiment of the system, and one skilled in the art should see that it is
possible to modify the
steps shown without deviating from the intent of the current invention. For
example, it may be
possible for the change is display status could happen without requiring
approval by a human
operator 1750. That is, Step 1750-3 as shown in FIG. 17A may not be necessary
if enough
intelligence is built into the gateway module 1600 (shown in FIG. 17).
CA 2995040 2018-02-13
- 48 -
[00196] It is also important to know that the requests and messages shown
passing
between the hard-wired display 1710 and the mobile device 1720 do not
necessarily pass directly
between the displays, but are in reality passed into the gateway module 1600
as shown in FIG.
17. In the embodiment of the system shown in FIG. 17, it is actually the
gateway module 1600
that manages the interactions with the displays, using the hard-wired display
1710 and mobile
device 1720 as the interface to the human operator 1750. The arrows shown in
FIG. 17A,
therefore, should not be seen as the direct transfer of data among the actors
in the system, but as
the hand-off of control within the system.
1001971 FIG. 17B is a second use case diagram showing possible
interactions between a
hardwired display, one or more mobile devices, and the human operator. FIG.
17B is similar to
FIG. 17A except that the mobile device 1720 is now designated as the primary
display 1714, and
the hard-wired display 1710 is now designated as the secondary display 1716.
Because of this
change is designation, the interactions between the system actors are slightly
different. One
major difference in this new system configuration is that control can be
shifted from the mobile
device 1720 to the hard-wired display 1710 simply by turning off the mobile
device 1720 or
commanding it to relinquish control [Step 1750-7]. This functional difference
is based on the fact
that the hard-wired display 1710 is an installed part of the overall system
and thus is the default
point of control (the primary display 1714) when a mobile device 1720 with
control loses power
or connectivity.
1001981 Optionally, the human operator 1750 can use the hard-wired display
1710 as an
interface to demand control back from the mobile device 1720 [Step 1750-5].
The hard-wired
display 1710 then seizes control back from the mobile device and informs the
mobile device that
it is taking control [Step 1750-6]. The mobile device 1720 then relinquishes
control to the hard-
wired display 1710 [Step 1750-8].
1001991 FIG. 17C is a state transition diagram for one embodiment of an
application for
managing the handoff among a hard-wired display and one or more mobile
devices. If we look
first at FIG. 17, we see that the gateway module 1600 is connected to the
virtual terminal (hard-
wired display) 1710 by a hard-wired connection 1445, and also to one or more
mobile devices
1720. This position with a connection to all system displays allows the
gateway module 1600 to
CA 2995040 2018-02-13
- 49 -
serve as a manager for the handoff of control between displays. The gateway
module 1600 is
called the "gateway" as it controls the interface from the external world into
the internal world of
the machines subsystems 1700. Therefore, in some embodiments, the gateway
module 1600
contains an additional layer of software specific to managing the handoff of
control between
displays. The overall concept of this software for managing the handoff of the
primary display
designation is provided in the state transition diagram of FIG. 17C.
[00200] FIG. 17C shows three possible states for gateway module 1600 when
determining which display is the primary display. At system start-up 1800, the
gateway
module 1600 defaults to state 1810 (the hard-wired display 1710 takes control
immediately). In
the case when a mobile device 1720 asks for control and the hard-wired display
1710 approves
the request (transition 1812), the system moves into state 1840 (the mobile
device 1720
becomes the primary display).
[00201] When the system is in state 1840 and the mobile device 1720 drops
out (that is, it
loses power or connectivity, or is shut off) one of two things may happen in
the state transition
diagram. If the mobile device 1720 drops out and the hard-wired display is
present (transition
1814), control returns by default to the hard-wired display and the system
enters back into state
1810. If, however, the mobile device 1720 drops out and the hard-wired display
is not present
(that is, it has gone offline, lost power, or is otherwise unavailable,
transition 1818), then the
system moves into a safe state, state 1880, and stays in state 1880 until the
system is powered on
and off or otherwise reset. It should be noted that state 1880 can also be
entered from state 1810
if the hard-wired display 1710 stops functioning for some reason (transition
1820).
[00202] When the mobile device 1720 is the primary display (state 1840),
the mobile
device 1720 may also release control on purpose (transition 1816) and return
control to the hard-
wired display 1710 (returning to state 1810). Finally, it is possible that,
when the system is in
state 1840, a second mobile device 1720 may request control from the current
mobile device
1720 (transition 1822). When this happens, the system returns to state 1840,
albeit using a new
and different mobile device 1720 now.
[00203] FIG. 17D is a block diagram showing how an external device might
request and
be granted control of subsystems on a system of which it is not a part. An
external device 1900,
CA 2995040 2018-02-13
- 50 -
such as a mobile device operating from a separate vehicle (not part of the
original vehicle
system) can communicate wirelessly 1725 to the gateway module 1600. An example
of this is
when the driver of a grain truck pulls up beside a combine to unload grain
from the combine into
the truck for transport to a storage facility. Under the embodiment of the
present invention shown
in FIG. 17D, an operator in the grain truck can use the external device 1900
(such as a smart
phone or other mobile device) to operate the unload auger on the combine
remotely, without
having to exit the grain truck to enter into the combine cab. The gateway
module 1600 must now
determine whether the mobile device 1720, the virtual terminal 1710, or the
newly introduced
external device 1900 should be the primary display. The state transition
diagram of FIG. 17C
could be used to perform this determination, where the external device 1900 of
FIG. 17D would
be treated as one of the mobile devices 1720 present, as if it were part of
the original system
hosting the present invention.
[00204] If the gateway module 1600 determines that the external device
1900 should be
designated as the primary display, then the gateway module 1600 may decide to
limit the
accessibility to the vehicle/implement subsystems 1700. For instance, maybe
the gateway
module 1600 would only grant access to the subsystem for controlling the
auger, and not to any
other subsystem.
[00205] This selective, limited access granting suggests that multiple
"security schemes"
can be put in place for the sharing of system privileges, or limiting access
based on role or need.
FIG. 17E shows a table describing possible security modes in which the system
of the present
invention might operate, granting certain privileges to system actors based on
pre-defined
conditions or scenarios.
[00206] The first entry in the table of FIG. 17E is a control scheme
called "role-based
security." Under this scheme, the gateway module 1600 will grant access to
only the vehicle or
implement subsystems 1700 need to fulfill a certain role. As described in the
previous two
paragraphs, for example, perhaps the gateway module 1600 would only give
access to the auger
control functions because it knows that the requesting device is filling the
role of "grain truck."
[00207] The second entry in FIG. 17E is "conditional security," so named
because access
to certain subsystems will only be granted to a requesting device when a
certain condition exists.
CA 2995040 2018-02-13
-51 -
For example, the gateway module 1600 may decide not to give access to
dangerous subsystems
(such as the ability to spin the shaft of a power take off, or PTO, shaft) to
a mobile device 1720
when the operator is not in the seat of the vehicle. This can be used as a
safety feature to limit
control of the vehicle when the location of the operator is in question.
[00208] The third entry is "pre-approval security" whereby the operator
can put the
current primary display into a mode where it knows to expect a request to
relinquish control,
thereby granting pre-approval to the display. In this mode, for example, an
operator in the cab of
the vehicle can use the hard-wired display 1710 to pre-approve this own mobile
device 1720.
Then when the operator leaves the cab with the mobile device 1720, he or she
can use the mobile
device 1720 to request control, knowing the request will be approved (and that
no other device
can "jump in front" of the operator's device before the operator makes the
request).
[00209] The fourth type of control scheme is "manual approval security."
Under this
scheme, the hard-wired display 1710 stays in control as the primary display,
but allows the
secondary displays to request the ability to do things, each of these requests
requiring approval
by someone at the primary display in the cab. This mode might be useful for
allowing two people
(one in the cab and one external with a mobile device) to work in conjunction
while preventing
dangerous situations in which two displays are trying to control the same
subsystem.
[00210] Finally, the fifth example of a control scheme or security mode is
"shared
operations security," in which two or more separate displays share access
simultaneously to the
vehicle subsystems, but each separate display has access to and control of a
different, mutually
exclusive set of subsystems/features. That is, if two displays are used
simultaneously, display 1
may control system features A and B, and display 2 may control system features
C and D. Each
system feature would only be controlled by a single display at any given time.
[00211] It would be obvious to one skilled in the art that there are other
types of control
schemes that are enabled based on the system architecture of the present
invention, and that the
examples in FIG. 17E are not intended to be limiting.
[00212] Finally, although the examples provided in this document describe
the hand-off
between a "hard-wired display" and one or more "mobile devices", it should be
noted that this
CA 2995040 2018-02-13
- 52 -
invention could be implemented with any of the following permutations without
deviating from
the intent of the present invention. These permutations are as follows:
= All of the "primary display(s)" and the "secondary display(s)" are hard-
wired into the
vehicle.
= All of the "primary display(s)" and the "secondary display(s)" are
wireless.
= The default "primary display(s)" are hard-wired and the "secondary
display(s)" are
wireless.
= The default "primary display(s)" are wireless and the "secondary
display(s)" are hard-
wired.
[00213] Other external applications that might take advantage of the
present invention
may be suggested through the description of an example operational scenario,
which will be
done through the description of FIGS. 18-23. The remaining figures show
example
embodiments of applications or application interfaces as they might appear on
a mobile
computing device when used with the vehicle control and gateway module of the
present
invention. These images and the corresponding descriptions are not meant to be
limiting in any
way, but show only potential embodiments of application menus and screens that
the use of the
present invention would enable.
[00214] FIG. 18 is an example embodiment of an application interface for
an operations
scheduling tool for use with the vehicle control and gateway module of the
present invention. A
mobile computing device 1720 offers a display screen 1010 which may be the
primary interface
to the user, displaying graphical and textual information and providing a
touch screen input
interface. The mobile computing device 1720 has a power switch 1722. The top
of the display
screen 1010 typically has an optional information bar 1012, which is a
displayed graphical banner
which helps describe the current window or information being shown in the
display screen 1010.
This operations scheduling tool embodiment would allow an operator to access
information
related to available workers, vehicle status, and project completion
percentages. A list 1014 of
scheduled activities for the day is displayed. This list of scheduled
activities 1014 would display
items that have been accessed from the cloud server 1730 as described in FIG.
17.
CA 2995040 2018-02-13
- 53 -
[00215] Similarly, the application could remotely access weather
conditions and other
information at 1016A, 1016B, and access a schedule 1018 of available workers
to see who is
available, who is currently working on a job, and who is on vacation or
otherwise not available.
An add menu 1019 allows the user to schedule new operations to the schedule.
The add menu
1019 consists of an operations submenu 1020, a vehicle/implement submenu 1022,
and an
operational status submenu 1024. The operations submenu 1020 allows the user
to enter
information on the new operation being scheduled, such as type of seed, name
and location of
the field, and date and time of the operation. The vehicle/implement submenu
1022 allows the
user to choose the vehicle and the implements to be used. The operator assigns
the operation
using the submenu 1022. The operational status submenu 1024 accesses
information on the
vehicle and/or implements through direct communications with the vehicle and
implements (or
indirectly through the cloud server) and displays it to the user, such that
the user knows if
maintenance is required before a task can be started, or if there are any
existing issues with the
vehicle or implement.
[00216] FIG. 19 shows an exemplary embodiment of an application interface
for an
operations map tool for use with the vehicle control and gateway module of the
present
invention. A mobile computing device 1720 offers a display screen 1010 which
may be the
primary interface to the user, displaying graphical and textual information
and providing a touch
screen input interface. The mobile computing device 1720 has a power switch
1722. The top of
the display screen 1010 typically has an optional information bar 1012, which
is displayed as a
graphical banner which helps describe the current window or information being
shown in the
display screen 1010. The display screen 1010 on the operations map tool will
typically show a
map or satellite image of an area containing farm land, buildings, roads, and
other objects related
to the operations of a farm. It should be noted at this point that, although
the examples included
in this patent specification primarily describe an agricultural operations
scenario, the concepts
captured in this specification could be applied equally well to other
applications, such as the
operation of a truck fleet, or maintenance operations at a large outdoor park.
[00217] The map or image displayed on the display screen 1010 may show one
or more
active fields 1026, where agricultural or other operations may be scheduled.
These fields 1026
may be shaded in different textures or colors such as 1034A and 1034B, where a
certain texture
CA 2995040 2018-02-13
,
- 54 -
or color 1034A/1034B may indicate a status of an operation on that field 1026.
For example, a
field 1026 displayed with color 1034A may indicate that the operation
scheduled for this
particular field 1026 is completed, while a field 1026 displayed with color
1034B may indicate
the operation scheduled in that field is currently underway or partially
complete.
[00218] The image may also display real objects in or near the fields
1026, such as trees
1030 and roads 1032. Superimposed on top of the image are small location
indicators 1028
which denote the location of actual vehicles or implements that are currently
deployed in the
fields 1026. By hovering over or clicking on one of these location indicators
1028, an
information tag 1028A may be displayed, offering additional information on the
vehicle or
implement at that specific location.
[00219] FIG. 20 is an example embodiment of an application interface for
an implement
information tool for use with the vehicle control and gateway module of the
present invention. A
mobile computing device 1720 offers a display screen 1010 which may be the
primary interface
to the user, displaying graphical and textual information and providing a
touch screen input
interface. The mobile computing device 1720 has a power switch 1722. The top
of the display
screen 1010 typically has an optional information bar 1012, which is a
displayed graphical
banner which helps describe the current window or information being shown in
the display
screen 1010. The display screen 1010 on the implement information tool may
provide a job
startup checklist 1036 to allow the user to step through a series of screens
to set the vehicle for a
specific operation. The display screen 1010 for the implement information tool
may also provide
an implement information window 1040 which provides status information
obtained from a live
connection to the implement (which could also be done with a vehicle). Virtual
controls 1038
along the bottom of the screen allow a user to jump to other windows or
applications quickly.
These virtual controls 1038 can be displayed on any application to allow a
means of jumping
between application pages.
[00220] FIG. 21 is an example embodiment of an application interface for a
virtual
dashboard display for use with the vehicle control and gateway module of the
present invention.
A mobile computing device 1720 offers a display screen 1010 which may be the
primary
interface to the user, displaying graphical and textual information and
providing a touch screen
CA 2995040 2018-02-13
- 55 -
input interface. The mobile computing device 1720 has a power switch 1722. The
top of the
display screen 1010 typically has an optional information bar 1012, which is a
displayed
graphical banner which helps describe the current window or information being
shown in the
display screen 1010. The display screen 1010 on the virtual dashboard display
can be used to
display information received from the tractor, from the implement, or from an
external
application, either as standard protocol messages as described in FIG. 17 or
through a wireless or
wired interface available to the mobile device 1720. As it is a virtual
display, the information
received can be displayed in virtually any appropriate format, which may
include a vehicle
speedometer/tachometer 1042, or any of a number of possible gauge types, such
as those shown
in FIG. 21 at 1044A, 1044B, and 1044C. The application can allow an operator
to define how
their personal virtual dashboard will look by adding, deleting, and moving
gauges, readouts, and
controls to their liking. Virtual controls 1038 may be offered to allow the
user to jump to another
screen or application quickly.
1002211 FIG. 22 is an example embodiment of an application interface for a
blockage
monitor. A mobile computing device 1720 offers a display screen 1010 which may
be the
primary interface to the user, displaying graphical and textual information
and providing a touch
screen input interface. The mobile computing device 1720 has a power switch
1722. The top of
the display screen 1010 typically has an optional information bar 1012B
(similar to information
bar 1012 shown in FIGS. 18-21, but with different display and functional
aspects presented on
the screen shown in FIG. 22), which is a displayed graphical banner associated
with the current
window or information being shown in the display screen 1010. The display
screen 1010 on the
blockage monitor displays a warning icon 1046 when a blockage occurs (such as
an air seeding
machine blockage on an implement). The warning icon 1046 may indicate the
number of seed
tubes blocked and other conditions, and can display a number associated with
the graphical
warning image. In addition to the warning icon 1046, the display screen 1010
may offer icons
which link to other tools which may help with the blockage situation, such as
a meter roll tool
1048. In the main area of the display screen 1010, a graphical image
representing the manifolds
1050 of an air seeder is displayed. Additional blockage indicators 1052 show
which of the
displayed tubes on the manifolds 1050 are currently showing blockages.
CA 2995040 2018-02-13
- 56 -
[00222] When a blockage actually occurs on an air seeding machine using
the current
invention, the user can stop the vehicle, undock the mobile device 1720 from
the vehicle cab,
and carry it with them to the implement. The mobile device 1720 can then be
used to execute
diagnostic tests on the implement, access schematics of the implement or
vehicle through the
connection to the cloud server, make a request for a part or service to an
online provider, or
even have a live chat with someone who can assist in the repair. FIG. 23 shows
one example of
an application that can be used to test the functionality of the implement
attached to the vehicle
while standing next to the implement, holding the mobile device and using it
to execute a
diagnostic test on the implement.
[00223] FIG. 23 is an exemplary embodiment of an application interface for
a meter roll
application for use with the vehicle control and gateway module of the present
invention,
demonstrating the incorporation of an operator safety feature into the system.
The application
shown in FIG. 23, like those shown in the preceding figures, is one of many
similar applications
that can be executed using the mobile device to access the vehicle control and
gateway module
over a wireless connection.
[00224] A mobile computing device 1720 includes a display screen 1010
which may be the
primary interface to the user, displaying graphical and textual information
and providing a touch
screen input interface. The mobile computing device 1720 has a power switch
1722. In this
exemplary application, the operator can stand outside of an air cart (an
implement consisting of a
hopper which can drop seed and other material from the hopper down through a
"meter roll" into
an air stream for seeding or into an unloading auger), and can use the mobile
computing device
1720 to calibrate the meter roll. The application on the display screen 1010
offers a meter roll
gauge 1054 which shows the percent to which the meter roll has been engaged.
It is typical in
these systems that, in order to calibrate the meter roll, the meter must first
be "primed", which
means it must be full of seed or other material. The application shown in FIG.
23 provides an
interface to the vehicle control and gateway module that allows the meter roll
to be spun a few
times to ensure that it is filled with seed. In the application shown in FIG.
23, the meter roll is
engaged when the operator pushes the screen 1010 on the point marked 1056A and
the point
marked 1056B. By requiring the operator to engage opposite sides of the
display screen 1010 to
engage the meter roll, a safety feature is provided preventing the operator
from accidentally
CA 2995040 2018-02-13
- 57 -
engaging the meter roll. Operators are thus prevented from activating the
meter roll while
accessing the internal workings of the meter roll mechanism.
[00225] FIGS. 24A and 24B show a vehicle control system 1802 with a
gateway module
1804 embodying another aspect of the present invention, which can be installed
on a vehicle
configured as a seeder, sprayer or other liquid dispensing equipment. The
vehicle can be a self-
propelled vehicle or a towed implement.
IV. Use Case Examples
[00226] Use Case 1: Implement/attachment with ECUs that have never been
"paired" to a
Gateway.
Step 1: The operator initiates the pairing mode on the Gateway (Access Point)
from the
display terminal.
Step 2: The Gateway changes its normal SSID (for example: GW_FF21, where FF21
is
the serial number) to the specially coded SSID
GW FF21 XXXX YYYYYY where is the security
key of the network, XXXX is the implement/attachment manufacturer ID and
YYYYYY is the implement/attachment serial number.
Step 3: The Wi-Fi ECUs on the implement/attachment are actively looking for a
Gateway to pair with (since they are unpaired) find the specially code SSID
being
broadcast and request to join the Gateway using the SSID and security key.
Step 4: Once the Wi-Fi ECUs have joined the Gateway and gained network level
access they send the Gateway messages requesting application level access.
Step 5: The operator is notified that Wi-Fi ECUs would like to pair and they
can accept
or deny. The list of ECUs could be checked against what is known to be
registered on a
particular implement/attachment.
Step 6: The operator accepts the pairing request.
Step 7: The Gateway sends a notification to each ECU that its request for
application
level access has been granted.
Step 8: The Wi-Fi ECU stores the "paired" SSID into its non-volatile memory.
Step 9: The operator leaves pairing mode and returns to broadcasting its
normal SSID.
CA 2995040 2018-02-13
- 58 -
Step 10: The Wi-Fi ECU connects to the network broadcasting the stored
"paired" SSID.
[00227] Alternative Path:
Step 6: The operator denies the pairing request.
Step 7: The Gateway sends a notification to each ECU that its request for
application
level access has been denied.
Step 8: The Wi-Fi ECU will not try to pair with the SSID again until power it
is power
cycled.
[00228] Use Case 2: Implement/attachment with ECUs that have been "paired"
to a
different Gateway.
Step 1: The operator initiates the pairing mode on the Gateway from the
display
terminal.
Step 2: The Gateway changes its normal SSID (for example: GW FF21, where FF21
is
the serial number) to the specially coded SSID
GW FF21 XXXX YYYYYY where is the security
key of the network, XXXX is the implement manufacturer ID and YYYYYY is the
implement/attachment serial number.
Step 3: The Wi-Fi ECUs scan for available SSIDs.
Step 4: The Wi-Fi ECUs see the specially coded SSID being broadcast and
request to
join the AP using the SSID and security key.
Step 5: Once the Wi-Fi ECUs have joined the AP and gained network level access
they
send the gateway messages requesting application level access.
Step 6: The operator is notified that Wi-Fi ECUs would like to pair and they
can accept
or deny. The list of ECUs could be checked against what is known to be
registered on a
particular implement/attachment.
Step 7: The operator accepts the pairing request.
Step 8: The Gateway sends a notification to each ECU that its request for
application
level access has been granted.
Step 9: The Wi-Fi ECU stores the new "paired" SSID into its non-volatile
memory.
Step 10: The operator leaves pairing mode and returns to broadcasting its
normal SSID.
CA 2995040 2018-02-13
- 59 -
Step 11: The Wi-Fi ECU connects to the network broadcasting the stored
"paired"
SSID.
[00229] Alternative Path:
Step 7: The operator denies the pairing request.
Step 8: The Gateway sends a notification to each ECU that its request for
application
level access has been denied.
Step 9: The Wi-Fi ECU will not try to pair with the SSID again until power it
is power
cycled.
Step 10: The Wi-Fi ECU attempts to join the network with its previously stored
SSID
if it is being broadcast.
1002301 Use Case 3: Equipment wishes to use an implement/attachment that
it is
"paired" to.
Step 1: Gateway begins broadcasting its normal SSID.
Step 2: The Wi-Fi ECUs scan for available SSIDs.
Step 3: The Wi-Fi ECUs see the SSID of the Gateway they are paired to.
Step 4: The Wi-Fi ECUs request to join the SSID with the stored security key.
Step 5: The Gateway accepts the request.
[00231] Use Case 4: ECU needs to be re-registered (i.e. moved from one
implement to
another or installing a replacement).
Step 1: The operator installs the ECU onto the implement/attachment.
Step 2: The operator powers up the equipment and implement/attachment.
Step 3: The operator enters the implement/attachment manufacturer ID,
implement/attachment serial and ECU serial number / network ID into the re-
registration interface.
Step 4: The operator initiates re-registration mode for an ECU with serial
number or
network ID XXXX.
Step 5: The Gateway changes its normal SSID (for example: GW_FF21, where FF21
is
the serial number) to a the specially code SSID GW_FF21 XXXX_
CA 2995040 2018-02-13
- 60 -
where is the security key of the network and XXXX is the serial
number or network ID of the ECU as shown on its label, enclosure etc.
Step 6: The Wi-Fi ECUs on the implement/attachment scan for available SSIDs.
Step 7: The Wi-Fi ECU with the serial number or network ID XXXX sees the
special
re-registration SSID and joins the AP. All other Wi-Fi ECUs ignore it.
Step 8: The Wi-Fi ECU sends a request to the Gateway for the manufacturing ID
and
serial number of the implement/attachment it is being registered on.
Step 9: The Gateway sends the manufacturer ID and serial number that the
operator
entered for re-registration mode. (This information could potentially be sent
up to the
cloud).
Step 10: The Wi-Fi ECU receives the manufacturer ID and serial number and
stores
them in non-volatile memory as well as the SSID of the Gateway for pairing.
Step 11: The operator powers off the implement and tractor.
V. Alternative Embodiment Air Seeder Manifold System 2002 with Automated
Diverter
Cone Subassembly 2004
[00232] FIGS. 25-33 show an automated, flow-adjustable air seeder manifold
system 2002
embodying a modified or alternative aspect of the present invention with a
flow-adjusting
diverter cone subassembly 2004. As shown in FIG. 25, the system 2002 can be
used in
conjunction with an air seeder system as described above and including a
hopper 2006, which
feeds a primary seed tube 2008 with a proximate end 2008a connected to a
primary manifold
2011. A blower 2010 provides an airflow through the primary manifold 2011 and
is mounted
generally behind and below the hopper 2006. A primary seed tube distal end
2008b is connected
to a secondary manifold 2014.
[00233] As shown by the flow arrows 2012 (FIG. 25), seed enters the
secondary manifold
2014 from underneath for distribution (e.g., laterally and radially) to
secondary seed tubes 2016
at proximate seed tube ends 2016a. The secondary tubes include distal ends
2016b which are
connected to corresponding tertiary or final manifolds 2018. Final seed tubes
2020 with
proximate and distal ends 2020a, 2020b are connected to and distribute seeds
from the tertiary
manifolds 2018 to seed-depositing tools, such as knives 2022. Such knives are
commonly used
for tillage, and can inject liquid nutrients, herbicides, etc. into the soil,
in addition to planting
CA 2995040 2018-02-13
-61 -
seeds 2024 at spaced, subsurface locations. Alternatively, seed placement
could occur behind
other tillage tools, such as disks, etc.
[00234] The exemplary air seeder manifold system 2002 shown is configured
for
distributing seeds in four stages: 1) hopper 2006 to primary manifold 2011; 2)
primary manifold
2011 to secondary manifolds 2014; 3) secondary manifolds 2014 to tertiary
manifolds 2018; and
4) tertiary manifolds 2018 to seed-depositing tools 2022. Other numbers and
configurations of
distribution stages, manifolds and seed tubes could be accommodated with the
present invention.
Moreover, the manifolds 2011, 2014, 2018 can be configured with different
numbers of
discharge outlets. For example, the tertiary manifolds 2018 are shown with 16
discharge outlets
2026. Unused outlets 2026 can be capped or closed off. The manifolds 2011,
2014, 2018 can
have similar components and can be custom-configured as appropriate for
particular seeder
applications.
[00235] The automated system 2002 includes servo motors 2028 mounted on
respective
manifold upper panels 2035a by motor mounts 2029. Each motor 2028 is connected
to and
controlled by a manifold controller 2032, which in turn is connected to a
system controller 2030
(Fig. 26). Alternatively, the system and manifold controllers 2030, 2032 can
be combined in a
master controller, which can control various functions of the system 2002. As
shown, each auto-
adjusting manifold 2014, 2018 can include a diverter cone automated actuator
2027a with two
servo motors 2028 connected to a respective diverter cone subassembly 2004 for
affecting
movements in a generally horizontal (X-Y) plane. X-axis and Y-axis movements
are shown by
directional arrows 2047, 2049 respectively (Fig. 29). Diverter cone
subassembly 2004
movements in vertical directions (Z-axis) could be accomplished with another
servo motor,
which could operationally control a rate of seed discharge. Moreover,
continuously-adjustable
servo motors could be replaced by stepper motors configured for rotating in
predetermined
angular rotational increments, which would correspondingly move the
subassemblies 2004 in
predetermined linear increments.
VI. Diverter Cone Subassembly 2004
[00236] Each diverter cone subassembly 2004 includes a plate 2034 mounted
on an upper
panel 2035a of a respective manifold 2014, 2018 generally over an upper
opening 2036 in the
CA 2995040 2018-02-13
- 62 -
manifold upper panel 2035a. Each manifold 2014, 2018 also includes a lower
panel 2035b with
an opening 2037. A cone 2038 with an apex 2038a and a base 2038b is movably
located in the
manifold interior and is connected through the opening 2036 with an L-shaped
bracket 2040
extending upwardly from the plate 2034. The cone apex 2038a extends into the
manifold
interior. The cone 2038 includes a coaxial, internal stem 2039, which mounts a
radially-
extending flange 2041. The flange 2041 is slidably received in a flange
receiver 2033 formed in
the plate 2034. This construction enables repositioning the cone 2038 relative
to the manifold
discharge outlets 2026 with incremental movements affected by the cone
actuator 2027a, with
the flange 2041 sliding in a generally horizontal X-Y planar range of movement
and the cone
2038 maintaining a generally vertical orientation with its axis generally
aligned with the Z axis.
Other configurations and alternative material constructions of the diverter
cone subassembly
2004 and the plate 2034 could be utilized within the scope of the present
invention.
1002371 Each servo motor 2028 mounts a threaded actuating rod 2046
threadably
extending through a respective female-threaded anchor 2048 slidably received
in a respective leg
2044. The manifolds and their respective diverter cone subassemblies can be
suitably enclosed
in housings for protection from the elements and ambient conditions.
1002381 In operation, energizing a bi-directional servo (or stepper) motor
2028 rotates and
extends or retracts a respective male-threaded actuating rod 2046, thereby
pushing or pulling the
interconnected diverter cone 2038 and bracket 2040 along the top surface of
the plate 2034. The
cone 2038 is thus repositionable through a generally planar (e.g., in an X-Y
plane) range of
movement for adjusting the internal geometry and air-blown seed flow
characteristics within the
manifolds 2014, 2018. Such adjustments are commonly made for the purpose of
balancing seed
flow among multiple planting tools 2022 for uniform crop yields. However, seed
discharge rates
can be varied across the implement (e.g., a tillage planter) to accommodate
different soil
conditions, nutrient levels, etc. Such procedures are commonly referred to as
"Prescription
Farming," and utilize significant amounts of data and projections for
maximizing crop yields and
revenue.
VII. Alternative Embodiment Air Seeder Manifold System 2052 with Manually-
Adjustable
Diverter Cone Subassembly 2056
CA 2995040 2018-02-13
- 63 -
[00239] Figs. 34-38 show yet another alternative embodiment air seeder
manifold system
2052 of the present invention. The automated diverter cone actuator 2027a of
the system 2002
is replaced by an alternative embodiment manual diverter cone actuator 2027b
in the system
2052, wherein the servo motors 2028 described above are replaced by set screws
2054, which
can be turned with an Allen wrench, or with another suitable hand tool, and
threadably extend
through respective guide blocks 2042. Parts of the manual system 2052 which
are similar to the
corresponding parts of the automated system 2002 described above are
designated with the same
reference numerals.
VIII. Alternative Embodiment Air Seeder Manifold System 2062 with Elastomeric
Cone 2064
[00240] Fig. 39 shows yet another alternative embodiment air seeder
manifold system
2062 with an elastomeric (e.g., rubber) diverter member or cone 2064 with a
cone apex 2064a, a
cone base 2064b and a cone shell 2064c. The cone shell 2064c can comprise an
elastomeric or
rubber material, which is preferably chosen for its ability to resist repeated
impacts from the
seeds 2024 streaming through the manifolds 2014, 2018. Parts of the system
2062 which are
similar to the corresponding parts of the system 2002 and the system 2052
described above are
designated with the same reference numerals.
[00241] The wireless connections to the vehicle, implement, cloud server,
smart devices,
and other wireless devices and services enable the systems embodying the
present invention to
completely integrate operations with online schedule and status information,
and to provide
access to appropriate parties through external application interfaces.
[00242] While the invention has been described with reference to exemplary
embodiments, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the pertinent
art that various
changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for the elements
thereof without
departing from the scope of the disclosure. In addition, numerous
modifications may be made to
adapt the teachings of the disclosure to a particular object or situation
without departing from the
essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the claims not be
limited to the particular
embodiments disclosed as the currently preferred best modes contemplated for
carrying out the
teachings herein, but that the claims shall cover all embodiments falling
within the true scope
and spirit of the disclosure.
CA 2995040 2018-02-13
- 64 -
[00243] It
is to be understood that the invention can be embodied in various forms, and
is
not to be limited to the examples discussed above. The range of components and
configurations
which can be utilized in the practice of the present invention is virtually
unlimited.
CA 2995040 2018-02-13
