Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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Spraying Systems, Kits, Vehicles, and Methods of Use
Cross-Reference to Related Applications
[0001] The present application claims priority to, incorporates herein by
reference, and is
a continuation-in-part of, U.S. patent application serial number 16/274,833
filed February 13,
2019 by inventors Steven R. Booher, Gary A. Vandenbark, and Mike Hilligoss,
and entitled Kits,
Systems, and Methods for Sprayers, which published as US-2019-0246557-A1 on
August 15,
2019 (herein "the '833 Application"). The present application also claims
priority to and
incorporates herein by reference, U.S. provisional patent application serial
number 62/630,139
filed February 13, 2018 by inventors Steven R. Booher, Gary A. Vandenbark, and
Mike
Hilligoss, and entitled Kits, Systems, and Methods for Sprayers (herein "the
'139 Application"),
and U.S. provisional patent application serial number 62/713,457 filed August
1, 2018 by
inventor Gary A. Vandenbark and entitled Sprayer Systems, Kits, and Methods of
Use (herein
"the '457 Application").
Federally Sponsored Research or Development
[0002] None.
Technical Field
[0003] The present disclosure relates generally to spraying, and in particular
to
agricultural spraying with vehicle-mounted spraying equipment, as well as
kits, systems, and
methods regarding same. Such spraying includes, for example but not by way of
limitation,
horticulture and ground maintenance spraying.
Background
[0004] Sprayer vehicles, or vehicles with spraying equipment mounted to them,
are
known and the details of their typical components and functions are not
repeated here, except
where incorporated by reference.
[0005] U.S. Pat. No. 5,334,987 to Teach ("Teach"), incorporated herein by
reference,
discusses an aircraft control system for applying chemicals to an agricultural
field in connection
with certain predetermined flight patterns. A global positioning system
receiver receives radio
frequency signals from satellites and the position of the aircraft is
determined from the
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information contained in the received signals. An aircraft computer stores the
surface coordinates
of the field to be sprayed. The aircraft pilot enters into the computer the
desired orientation,
swath width and track width of the flight pattern. The computer then produces
a flight pattern
having the desired orientation, and during flight generates audible signals
representative of
amount and direction of deviation from the desired flight pattern. The
computer also
automatically activates and deactivates chemical spraying upon entering and
exiting,
respectfully, the airspace above the field. The system discussed in Teach
involves hardware and
software specific to aviation and integrated into an airplane, and, among
other drawbacks, does
not turn individual sprayer nozzles on and off independently, nor does it turn
off any of its
sprayer mechanism when the pilot overlaps previously-sprayed areas.
[0006] U.S. Pat. No. 5,704,546 to Henderson, et al. ("Henderson"),
incorporated herein
by reference, discusses a complex integrated position-responsive control
system and method for
a sprayer, purporting to provide droplet size control, drift reduction, spray
transport modeling
and gradients of application rates to avoid drift (e.g., Col. 3, lines 35-39).
The position-
responsive control system monitors the position of a spray vehicle, and
changes the spray system
operating conditions in response to the sprayer vehicle position. The control
system includes a
setpoint conversion subroutine for independently controlling the flow rate and
volume median
droplet size setpoints. The control system also includes performance envelopes
for various
nozzle tips. An independent flow rate and droplet size control method is
provided for use with
the control system. A position-responsive control system receives information
pertaining to the
boundaries of spray zones and spray conditions, such as application rates and
volume median
droplet diameters associated with the spray zones. Henderson's system is
complex and would be
expensive to implement, especially on existing sprayer vehicles that do not
already include the
specialized equipment required by Henderson.
[0007] U.S. Pat. No. 9,939,417 B2 to McPeek ("McPeek"), incorporated herein by
reference, discusses systems and methods for monitoring fruit production,
plant growth, and
plant vitality. McPeek discusses a system for detecting and geo-referencing
objects, such as trees
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or other plants, using a combination of three-dimensional laser scanning
(LiDAR), global
positioning systems (GPS), and wide-angle high-definition video and/or thermal
video, and
communicating, recording, classifying, and processing the resulting data to
determine tree trunk
diameter, height of trees, volume of trees, leaf density of trees, color of
leaves on trees, GPS
location of trees, and other data. McPeek suggests the possibility of using
the analyzed data to
guide fruit tree sprayers (e.g., to determine when to spray, how long to
spray, and what
chemicals to spray). McPeek's system includes the arduous step of applying a
unique radio
frequency identification tag (RFID tag) individually to each tree, and then
pairing the data with
the respective RFID tags.
[0008] U.S. Pat. No. 10,395,115 B2 to Kumar et al. ("Kumar"), incorporated
herein by
reference, discusses LiDAR and thermal imaging systems and deployment
modalities for close-
range sensing of critical properties (such as canopy volume, leaf area, water
stress, and crop
yield) of specialty crops, such as apples, oranges, strawberries, peaches, and
pecans, for purposes
of yield estimation and disease monitoring, and to enable more precise
fertilization, spraying,
and pruning.
[0009] Shen, Yue & Zhu, Heping & Liu, Hui & Chen, Yu & Ozkan, Erdal. (2017).
Development of a Laser-Guided, Embedded-Computer-Controlled, Air-Assisted
Precision
Sprayer. Transactions of the ASABE. 60. 1827-1838. 10.13031/trans.12455.
(available online at
https://doi.org/10.13031/trans.12455) ("Shen et al."), a copy of which was
submitted with the
present application in an Information Disclosure Statement, discussed an air-
assisted precision
sprayer system with an embedded computer and other built-in hardware that used
LiDAR and a
travel speed sensor to sense and calculate in real-time whether an object,
such as a portion of a
tree canopy, would be within a pre-defined distance from a spray nozzle, and
to turn on the
nozzle and spray the object if the object was sensed and calculated in real
time to be within the
pre-defined distance from the spray nozzle, and to turn off the nozzle and not
spray if no object
was determined in real time to be within the pre-defined distance from the
spray nozzle. Flow
rate could be adjusted, for instance based on foliage density. However, the
Shen et al. system,
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like the McPeek system if it was without its RFID tags on the trees, was
"dumb" in that it did not
know geographically where it was, or what orientation it was in, when it was
spraying. Thus the
data gained from each pass of the Shen et al. system was disembodied from the
locations and
orientations where the spraying actually took place, and as a consequence the
Shen et al. data
could not be used to accurately reproduce the same spraying of the same
objects in the future,
nor could it be used to directly compare trends in repeatedly spraying the
same objects over time.
[0010] A need remains for a "smart" sprayer control system with advanced
features that
is inexpensive and easy to implement with few component changes, including as
kits readily
adaptable to numerous existing sprayer vehicles.
Summary
[0011] The present invention elegantly overcomes various drawbacks and
limitations of
past systems and provides numerous additional benefits as will be apparent to
persons of skill in
the art. For example, provided in various example embodiments is a kit
configured to be added-
on to a vehicle having a source of electrical power and an air-assisted
agricultural spraying
system comprising a tank for holding a liquid to be sprayed and a plurality of
spaced-apart
nozzle assemblies in liquid communication with the tank, each nozzle assembly
comprising a
check valve removably installed in a port in each respective nozzle assembly.
In various example
embodiments the kit may comprise: a plurality of pulse-width-modulated
solenoids configured to
be installed in the ports upon removal of the check valves and to selectably
turn on and off and
vary flow rate of the liquid through the nozzle assemblies when the plurality
of pulse-width-
modulated solenoids are installed in the ports; one or more controllers
configured to be in
electrical communication with the plurality of pulse-width-modulated solenoids
and to
electrically actuate the solenoids to selectably turn on and off and vary flow
rate of the liquid
through the nozzle assemblies when the plurality of pulse-width-modulated
solenoids are
installed in the ports; first bracketry configured to attach the one or more
controllers with the
vehicle; a first wiring harness configured to be attached to the vehicle and
to electrically connect
the one or more controllers with the plurality of pulse-width-modulated
solenoids; a second
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wiring harness configured to be attached to the vehicle and to electrically
connect the one or
more controllers with the source of electrical power; a GPS antenna system;
second bracketry
configured to attach the GPS antenna system with the vehicle; a third wiring
harness configured
to be attached to the vehicle and to electrically connect the GPS antenna
system with the source
of electrical power; a LiDAR sensing system; third bracketry configured to
attach the LiDAR
sensing system with the vehicle; a fourth wiring harness configured to be
attached to the vehicle
and to electrically connect the LiDAR sensing system with the source of
electrical power; and a
mobile device configured to be in wireless communication with the GPS antenna
system and the
one or more controllers, and to be in data communication with the LiDAR
sensing system. In
various example embodiments the mobile device may be further configured to
receive one or
more inputs from a user defining user-selectable criteria for spraying, and to
receive geographic
location and velocity information from the GPS antenna system, and to process
the geographic
location and velocity information in view of one or more databases of
information comprising
map data defining spray regions and no-spray regions, and plant data
corresponding to one or
more of locations, heights, widths, shapes, and densities of plants located
within the spray
regions, and vehicle data defining the locations of each of the nozzle
assemblies relative to the
locations of the GPS antenna system and the LiDAR sensing system when
installed on the
vehicle, and based thereon wirelessly communicate on, off, and pulse-width
modulating signals
to the one or more controllers to individually turn on and off flow of the
liquid through each of
the individual nozzle assemblies based on whether each nozzle assembly is
within a spray region
or a no-spray region, and to turn on or off or vary flow rate of the liquid
through each of the
nozzle assemblies based on the user-selectable criteria, velocity information,
and plant data
corresponding to a portion of a plant proximate each nozzle assembly when
installed on the
vehicle.
[0012] In various example embodiments the LiDAR sensing system may comprise a
WiFi router configured to be in wireless communication with the mobile device.
In various
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example embodiments of the kit the LiDAR sensing system may comprise a fan
configured to
blow debris away from at least a sensing portion of the LiDAR sensing system.
[0013] In various example embodiments the user-selectable criteria for
spraying may
comprise a vertical boundary where the controller is configured to turn off
liquid flow through
nozzle assemblies oriented to direct spray beyond the vertical boundary when
installed on the
vehicle. In various example embodiments the vertical boundary may be
selectable to be a
function of the plant data corresponding to height of a plant. In various
example embodiments
user-selectable criteria for spraying may comprise one or more adjustments to
the flow rate of
the liquid through the nozzle assemblies as a function of the plant data
corresponding to density
of a plant. In various example embodiments user-selectable criteria for
spraying may comprise
one or more adjustments to the flow rate of the liquid through the nozzle
assemblies as a function
of changes in plant data for a given plant over time.
[0014] In various example embodiments the kit may further comprise fourth
bracketry
configured to attach the mobile device with the vehicle near a driver's
location on the vehicle. In
various example embodiments the kit may further comprise a fifth wiring
harness configured to
be attached to the vehicle and to electrically connect the mobile device with
the source of
electrical power when the mobile device is attached with the vehicle near the
driver's location on
the vehicle.
[0015] Also provided in various example embodiments is a method of installing
a kit as
described herein on a vehicle as described herein, the method comprising the
steps of: providing
such a vehicle and a kit as described herein; removing the check valves from
the ports in the
nozzle assemblies; installing the plurality of pulse-width-modulated solenoids
in the ports;
attaching with the first bracketry the one or more controllers with the
vehicle; connecting with
the first wiring harness the one or more controllers with the plurality of
pulse-width-modulated
solenoids; attaching the first wiring harness to the vehicle; connecting with
the second wiring
harness the one or more controllers with the source of electrical power;
attaching the second
wiring harness to the vehicle; attaching with the second bracketry the GPS
antenna system with
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the vehicle; connecting with the third wiring harness the GPS antenna system
with the source of
electrical power; attaching the third wiring harness to the vehicle; attaching
with the third
bracketry the LiDAR sensing system with the vehicle; connecting with the
fourth wiring harness
the LiDAR sensing system with the source of electrical power; attaching the
fourth wiring
harness to the vehicle; and entering vehicle data into the one or more
databases defining the
locations of each of the nozzle assemblies relative to the locations of the
GPS antenna system
and the LiDAR sensing system when installed on the vehicle.
[0016] In various example embodiments the method may further comprise the
steps of
entering map data into the one or more databases defining spray regions and no-
spray regions. In
various example embodiments the step of entering map data into the one or more
databases
defining spray regions and no-spray regions may comprise the steps of driving
the vehicle along
one or more edges of one or more spray regions or no-spray regions and
recording travel path
data transmitted from the GPS antenna system to the mobile device. In various
example
embodiments the step of entering map data into the one or more databases
defining spray regions
and no-spray regions may comprise the steps of directing a different vehicle,
having a second
GPS antenna system, along one or more edges of one or more spray regions or no-
spray regions
and recording travel path data transmitted from the second GPS antenna system
to the mobile
device.
[0017] In various example embodiments the step of entering map data into the
one or
more databases defining spray regions and no-spray regions may comprises the
steps of
delineating one or more edges of one or more spray regions or no-spray regions
on a GUI
overlay of a digital image of a map. In various example embodiments the step
of entering map
data into the one or more databases defining spray regions and no-spray
regions may comprise
the steps of downloading at least a portion of the map data wirelessly from
the cloud to the
mobile device.
[0018] In various example embodiments the method may further comprise the
steps of:
inputting into the mobile device user-selectable criteria for spraying; and
entering plant data into
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the one or more databases corresponding to one or more of locations, heights,
widths, shapes,
and densities of plants located within the spray regions. In various example
embodiments the
step of entering plant data into the one or more databases corresponding to
one or more of
locations, heights, widths, shapes, and densities of plants located within the
spray regions may
comprise the steps of driving the vehicle proximate plants within one of the
spray regions and
recording travel path data transmitted from the GPS antenna system to the
mobile device while
also recording plant data transmitted from the LiDAR sensing system to the
mobile device. In
various example embodiments the step of entering plant data into the one or
more databases
corresponding to one or more of locations, heights, widths, shapes, and
densities of plants
located within the spray regions may comprise the steps of directing a
different vehicle, having a
second GPS antenna system and a second LiDAR sensing system, proximate plants
within one of
the spray regions and recording travel path data transmitted from the second
GPS antenna system
to the mobile device while also recording plant data transmitted from the
second LiDAR sensing
system to the mobile device. In various example embodiments the step of
entering plant data into
the one or more databases corresponding to one or more of locations, heights,
widths, shapes,
and densities of plants located within the spray regions may comprise the
steps of delineating
plant data within a spray region on a GUI overlay of a digital image of a map.
In various
example embodiments the step of entering plant data into the one or more
databases
corresponding to one or more of locations, heights, widths, shapes, and
densities of plants
located within the spray regions may comprise the steps of downloading at
least a portion of the
plant data wirelessly from the cloud to the mobile device.
[0019] In various example embodiments the step of inputting into the mobile
device user-
selectable criteria for spraying may comprise the steps of selecting a
vertical boundary so that the
controller is configured to turn off liquid flow through nozzle assemblies
oriented to direct spray
beyond the vertical boundary. In various example embodiments the vertical
boundary may be
selected to be a function of the plant data corresponding to height of a
plant.
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[0020] In various example embodiments the step of inputting into the mobile
device user-
selectable criteria for spraying may comprise the steps of selecting one or
more adjustments to
the flow rate of the liquid through the nozzle assemblies as a function of the
plant data
corresponding to density of a plant. In various example embodiments the step
of inputting into
the mobile device user-selectable criteria for spraying may comprise the steps
of selecting one or
more adjustments to the flow rate of the liquid through the nozzle assemblies
as a function of
changes in plant data for a given plant over time.
[0021] Further provided in various example embodiments is a vehicle having a
source of
electrical power and an air-assisted agricultural spraying system comprising:
a tank for holding a
liquid to be sprayed; a plurality of spaced-apart nozzle assemblies in liquid
communication with
the tank, each nozzle assembly comprising a pulse-width-modulated solenoid
configured to
selectably turn on and off and vary flow rate of the liquid through the nozzle
assembly; one or
more controllers in electrical communication with the plurality of pulse-width-
modulated
solenoids and configured to electrically actuate the solenoids to selectably
turn on and off and
vary flow rate of the liquid through the nozzle assemblies; first bracketry
attaching the one or
more controllers with the vehicle; a first wiring harness attached to the
vehicle and electrically
connecting the one or more controllers with the plurality of pulse-width-
modulated solenoids; a
second wiring harness attached to the vehicle and electrically connecting the
one or more
controllers with the source of electrical power; a GPS antenna system; second
bracketry
attaching the GPS antenna system with the vehicle; a third wiring harness
attached to the vehicle
and electrically connecting the GPS antenna system with the source of
electrical power; a
LiDAR sensing system; third bracketry attaching the LiDAR sensing system with
the vehicle; a
fourth wiring harness attached to the vehicle and electrically connecting the
LiDAR sensing
system with the source of electrical power; and a mobile device configured to
be in wireless
communication with the GPS antenna system and the one or more controllers, and
to be in data
communication with the LiDAR sensing system. In various example embodiments
the mobile
device may be further configured to receive one or more inputs from a user
defining user-
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selectable criteria for spraying, and to receive geographic location and
velocity information from
the GPS antenna system, and to process the geographic location and velocity
information in view
of one or more databases of information comprising map data defining spray
regions and no-
spray regions, and plant data corresponding to one or more of locations,
heights, widths, shapes,
and densities of plants located within the spray regions, and vehicle data
defining the locations of
each of the nozzle assemblies relative to the locations of the GPS antenna
system and the LiDAR
sensing system when installed on the vehicle, and based thereon wirelessly
communicate on, off,
and pulse-width modulating signals to the one or more controllers to
individually turn on and off
flow of the liquid through each of the individual nozzle assemblies based on
whether each nozzle
assembly is within a spray region or a no-spray region, and to turn on or off
or vary flow rate of
the liquid through each of the nozzle assemblies based on the user-selectable
criteria, velocity
information, and plant data corresponding to a portion of a plant proximate
each nozzle assembly
when installed on the vehicle.
[0022] In various example embodiments the mobile device may be configured to
update
the plant data in real-time during use of the vehicle to update one or more of
locations, heights,
widths, shapes, and densities of plants located within the spray regions as
the spray regions are
sprayed by the vehicle.
[0023] In various example embodiments the vehicle may comprise fourth
bracketry
attaching the mobile device with the vehicle near a driver's location on the
vehicle, and a fifth
wiring harness attached to the vehicle and electrically connecting the mobile
device with the
source of electrical power. In various example embodiments of the vehicle the
LiDAR sensing
system may comprise a WiFi router configured to be in wireless communication
with the mobile
device. In various example embodiments of the vehicle the LiDAR sensing system
may comprise
a fan configured to blow debris away from at least a sensing portion of the
LiDAR sensing
system.
[0024] Additionally provided in various example embodiments is a kit
configured to be
added-on to a vehicle having a source of electrical power and an air-assisted
agricultural
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spraying system comprising a tank for holding a liquid to be sprayed and a
plurality of spaced-
apart nozzle assemblies in liquid communication with the tank, the kit
comprising: a plurality of
pulse-width-modulated solenoids configured to be installed in fluid
communication with the
nozzle assemblies and to selectably turn on and off and vary flow rate of the
liquid through the
nozzle assemblies when the plurality of pulse-width-modulated solenoids are
installed in fluid
communication with the nozzle assemblies; one or more controllers configured
to be in electrical
communication with the plurality of pulse-width-modulated solenoids and to
electrically actuate
the solenoids to selectably turn on and off and vary flow rate of the liquid
through the nozzle
assemblies when the plurality of pulse-width-modulated solenoids are installed
in the ports; first
bracketry configured to attach the one or more controllers with the vehicle; a
first wiring harness
configured to be attached to the vehicle and to electrically connect the one
or more controllers
with the plurality of pulse-width-modulated solenoids; a second wiring harness
configured to be
attached to the vehicle and to electrically connect the one or more
controllers with the source of
electrical power; a GPS antenna system; second bracketry configured to attach
the GPS antenna
system with the vehicle; a third wiring harness configured to be attached to
the vehicle and to
electrically connect the GPS antenna system with the source of electrical
power; a LiDAR
sensing system; third bracketry configured to attach the LiDAR sensing system
with the vehicle;
a fourth wiring harness configured to be attached to the vehicle and to
electrically connect the
LiDAR sensing system with the source of electrical power; and a mobile device
configured to be
in wireless communication with the GPS antenna system and the one or more
controllers, and to
be in data communication with the LiDAR sensing system. In various example
embodiments the
mobile device may be further configured to receive one or more inputs from a
user defining user-
selectable criteria for spraying, and to receive geographic location and
velocity information from
the GPS antenna system, and to process the geographic location and velocity
information in view
of one or more databases of information comprising map data defining spray
regions and no-
spray regions, and plant data corresponding to one or more of locations,
heights, widths, shapes,
and densities of plants located within the spray regions, and vehicle data
defining the locations of
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each of the nozzle assemblies relative to the locations of the GPS antenna
system and the LiDAR
sensing system when installed on the vehicle, and based thereon wirelessly
communicate on, off,
and pulse-width modulating signals to the one or more controllers to
individually turn on and off
flow of the liquid through each of the individual nozzle assemblies based on
whether each nozzle
assembly is within a spray region or a no-spray region, and to turn on or off
or vary flow rate of
the liquid through each of the nozzle assemblies based on the user-selectable
criteria, velocity
information, and plant data corresponding to a portion of a plant proximate
each nozzle assembly
when installed on the vehicle.
[0025] Also provided is a method of installing a kit as described herein on a
vehicle as
described herein, the method comprising the steps of: providing such a vehicle
and a kit as
described herein; installing the plurality of pulse-width-modulated solenoids
in fluid
communication with the nozzle assemblies; attaching with the first bracketry
the one or more
controllers with the vehicle; connecting with the first wiring harness the one
or more controllers
with the plurality of pulse-width-modulated solenoids; attaching the first
wiring harness to the
vehicle; connecting with the second wiring harness the one or more controllers
with the source of
electrical power; attaching the second wiring harness to the vehicle;
attaching with the second
bracketry the GPS antenna system with the vehicle; connecting with the third
wiring harness the
GPS antenna system with the source of electrical power; attaching the third
wiring harness to the
vehicle; attaching with the third bracketry the LiDAR sensing system with the
vehicle;
connecting with the fourth wiring harness the LiDAR sensing system with the
source of
electrical power; attaching the fourth wiring harness to the vehicle; and
entering vehicle data into
the one or more databases defining the locations of each of the nozzle
assemblies relative to the
locations of the GPS antenna system and the LiDAR sensing system when
installed on the
vehicle.
[0026] Additional aspects, alternatives and variations as would be apparent to
persons of
skill in the art are also disclosed herein and are specifically contemplated
as included as part of
the invention. The invention is set forth only in the claims as allowed by the
patent office in this
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or related applications, and the following summary descriptions of certain
examples are not in
any way to limit, define or otherwise establish the scope of legal protection.
Brief Description of the Drawings
[0027] Examples of the invention can be better understood with reference to
the
following figures. The components within the figures are not necessarily to
scale, emphasis
instead being placed on clearly illustrating example aspects of the invention.
In the figures, like
reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the different
views, which
reference numerals might or might not correspond to corresponding or analogous
parts in the
'833 Application. It will be understood that certain components and details
may not appear in the
figures to assist in more clearly describing the invention.
[0028] FIG. 1A is a top plan view of an example vehicle for use with various
example
embodiments of the invention, shown with its sprayers on.
[0029] FIG. 1B is a top plan view of the example vehicle of FIG. 1A, shown
with its
sprayers off.
[0030] FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the example vehicle of FIG. 1A,
illustrating removal
of check valves from ports in the nozzle assemblies, in accordance with
certain example
embodiments.
[0031] FIG. 3 is a diagram listing example contents of an example kit for
vehicles such
as the one shown in FIG. 2, according to various example embodiments, with the
understanding
that a kit according to the present invention may include fewer and/or
additional contents.
[0032] FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the example vehicle of FIG. 2,
illustrating installation
of pulse-width-modulated solenoids into the fluid communication with the
nozzle assemblies,
which may include installing the solenoids into the ports of the nozzle
assemblies from which the
check valves were removed in certain example embodiments.
[0033] FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the example vehicle of FIG. 4,
illustrating the pulse-
width-modulated solenoids having been installed in fluid communication with
the nozzle
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assemblies, which may have included installing the solenoids into the ports of
the nozzle
assemblies from which the check valves were removed in certain example
embodiments.
[0034] FIG. 6A is a top plan view of the example vehicle of FIG. 5,
illustrating the
addition of example first and second bracketry (which may be the same
bracketry) to a rear
portion of the vehicle, and third bracketry to a front portion of the vehicle.
[0035] FIG. 6B is a top plan view of the example vehicle of FIG. 6A,
illustrating the
addition of an example LiDAR sensing system to the third bracketry on the
front portion of the
vehicle.
[0036] FIG. 7 is a partially cut-away top plan view of the example vehicle of
FIG. 6A,
illustrating the further addition of one or more example controllers to the
first bracketry.
[0037] FIG. 8 is a partially cut-away top plan view of the example vehicle of
FIG. 7,
illustrating the addition of an example GPS antenna system to the second
bracketry, which may
be the same as, or different than, the first bracketry in various example
embodiments.
[0038] FIG. 9 is a top plan view of the example vehicle of FIG. 8,
illustrating the
addition of an example first wiring harness to connect the one or more
controllers to the pulse-
width-modulated solenoids.
[0039] FIG. 10 is a top plan view of the example vehicle of FIG. 9,
illustrating the
attachment of the first wiring harness to the vehicle.
[0040] FIG. 11 is a top plan view of the example vehicle of FIG. 10,
illustrating the
addition of an example second wiring harness to connect the example one or
more controllers to
an example source of electrical power, and illustrating the addition of an
example third wiring
harness, which may be the same as, or different than, the second wiring
harness in various
example embodiments, to connect the example GPS antenna system to an example
source of
electrical power, and also illustrating the addition of an example third
wiring harness to connect
the example LiDAR sensing system to an example source of electrical power.
[0041] FIG. 12 is a top plan view of the example vehicle of FIG. 11,
illustrating the
attachment of the second, third, and fourth wiring harnesses to the vehicle.
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[0042] FIG. 13 is a top plan view of the example vehicle of FIG. 12,
illustrating the steps
of measuring and recording vehicle data regarding the relative locations of
the nozzle assemblies
with respect to the example GPS antenna system and with respect to the example
LiDAR sensing
system.
[0043] FIG. 14 is a top plan view of the example vehicle of FIG. 13,
illustrating the
addition of example fourth bracketry to a driver seating area of the vehicle.
[0044] FIG. 15 is a partially cut-away top plan view of the example vehicle of
FIG. 14,
illustrating the addition of an example fifth wiring harness to connect
example fourth bracketry
to an example source of electrical power.
[0045] FIG. 16 is a partially cut-away top plan view of the example vehicle of
FIG. 15,
illustrating removably connecting an example mobile device to the example
fourth bracketry
such that the mobile device can receive electrical power from the fifth wiring
harness.
[0046] FIG. 17 is a top plan view of the example vehicle of FIG. 16,
illustrating the
example vehicle of FIG. 1A with an example kit according to various example
embodiments
installed and functioning on the vehicle.
[0047] FIG. 18 is a top plan view of the example vehicle of FIG. 17,
illustrating the
vehicle located in a spray region and moving toward a no-spray region, with
all nozzle
assemblies spraying.
[0048] FIG. 19 is a top plan view of the example vehicle of FIG. 18,
illustrating the
vehicle moving across a boundary from the spray region into the no-spray
region, with the nozzle
assemblies still in the spray region spraying, and the nozzle assemblies in
the no-spray region
shut off.
[0049] FIG. 20 is a top plan view of the example vehicle of FIG. 19,
illustrating the
vehicle moving further across the boundary from the spray region into the no-
spray region, with
the nozzle assemblies still in the spray region spraying, and the nozzle
assemblies in the no-spray
region shut off
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[0050] FIG. 21 is a top plan view of the example vehicle of FIG. 20,
illustrating the
vehicle having moved all the way across the boundary from the spray region
into the no-spray
region, with all the nozzle assemblies shut off since they are now all in the
no-spray region.
[0051] FIG. 22 is a top plan view of the example vehicle of FIG. 21,
illustrating the
vehicle traversing a no-spray region toward a tree or other plant(s) that the
vehicle will sense,
interpret, and record the location of, according to user-defined criteria, as
a spray region having
vertical and horizontal components, and then spray with spray nozzles that are
sufficiently
proximate the spray area as the vehicle passes the tree or other plant(s),
either in real time or
during a subsequent pass, according to various example embodiments.
[0052] FIG. 23A is a top plan view of the example vehicle of FIG. 22,
illustrating the
vehicle's example LiDAR system moving proximate a tree or other plant(s) that
the vehicle is
sensing, interpreting, and recording the location of, according to user-
defined criteria, as a spray
region having vertical and horizontal components, according to various example
embodiments.
[0053] FIG. 23B is a front elevation view of the example vehicle of FIG. 23A
taken in
the direction indicated by arrows B-B.
[0054] FIG. 24A is a top plan view of the example vehicle of FIG. 23A,
illustrating
certain example spray nozzles of the vehicle moving proximate and turning on
and spraying the
tree or other plant(s) that the vehicle has, either in real time or during a
prior pass, sensed,
interpreted, and recorded the location of, according to user-defined criteria,
as a spray region
having vertical and horizontal components, according to various example
embodiments.
[0055] FIG. 24B is a rear elevation view of the example vehicle of FIG. 24A
taken in the
direction indicated by arrows B-B.
[0056] Additionally, the figures, drawings, and photographs in the '139
Application,
which is incorporated herein by reference for all that it teaches, including
its own incorporations
by reference, illustrate certain aspects of example embodiments of the
invention, wherein: page
14 is a diagram illustrating various example components of an example
embodiment; pages
000015 and 000016 provide example details of certain components according to a
first example
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embodiment; pages 000017 and 000018 provide example details of certain
components
according to a second example embodiment; pages 000019 to 000031 provide
information
regarding an example installation of certain example components according to
an example
embodiment; pages 000032 to 000098 provide example views and information
regarding one or
more screen interfaces as viewable by a user of an example system; pages
000099 to 000147
provide example views and information regarding an example web portal for use
in connection
with example system embodiments; and pages 000148 to 000182 provide example
information
regarding software that may be used in connection with example embodiments.
[0057] The invention is not limited to what is shown in these example figures.
The
invention is broader than the examples shown in the figures and covers
anything that falls within
any of the claims.
Detailed Description of Example Embodiments
[0058] Reference is made herein to some specific examples of the present
invention,
including any best modes contemplated by the inventor for carrying out the
invention. Examples
of these specific embodiments are illustrated in the accompanying figures.
While the invention is
described in conjunction with these specific embodiments, it will be
understood that it is not
intended to limit the invention to the described or illustrated embodiments.
To the contrary, it is
intended to cover alternatives, modifications, and equivalents as may be
included within the
spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
[0059] In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth
in order to
provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. Particular example
embodiments of
the present invention may be implemented without some or all of these specific
details. In other
instances, process operations well known to persons of skill in the art have
not been described in
detail in order not to obscure unnecessarily the present invention. Various
techniques and
mechanisms of the present invention will sometimes be described in singular
form for clarity.
However, it should be noted that some embodiments include multiple iterations
of a technique or
multiple mechanisms unless noted otherwise. Similarly, various steps of the
methods shown and
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described herein are not necessarily performed in the order indicated, or
performed at all in
certain embodiments. Accordingly, some implementations of the methods
discussed herein may
include more or fewer steps than those shown or described. Further, the
techniques and
mechanisms of the present invention will sometimes describe a connection,
relationship or
communication between two or more entities. It should be noted that a
connection or relationship
between entities does not necessarily mean a direct, unimpeded connection, as
a variety of other
entities or processes may reside or occur between any two entities.
Consequently, an indicated
connection does not necessarily mean a direct, unimpeded connection unless
otherwise noted.
[0060] Turning first to FIGS. 1A and 1B, depicted is a top plan view of one
example
embodiment of a conventional vehicle 2000, shown with the sprayers on (FIG.
1A) and off (FIG.
1B). It is understood that the nature, size, type, layout, orientation, number
of wheels or tracks
and other details regarding the vehicle 2000, are generally unimportant to the
invention except
where recited in the claims. Accordingly, a single generic example vehicle
2000 is used
consistently throughout the figures as a backdrop to illustrate possible
implementations of the
invention, and the details of this example vehicle 2000 should in no way be
used to limit the
scope of the invention, except where specifically recited in the claims. For
example, vehicle
2000 includes nine (9) nozzle assemblies 2230; this is entirely arbitrary and
is not limiting, as
any suitable number of nozzle assemblies 2230 could be used.
[0061] With continuing reference to FIGS. 1A and 1B, this particular example
vehicle
2000 is shown having a front end 2010, a back end 2020, a left side 2011, and
a right side, 2012,
a source of electrical power 2100 (such as a battery, charging system, and the
wiring system
connected therewith, any of which may be located anywhere on the vehicle), a
driver's location
2300 (which may include a seat as shown), and comprising front steerable
wheels 2005 near the
front end 2010 and rear driven wheels 2015 near the rear end 2020. It is
understood that while
the wheels 2005 and 2015 appear generally rectangular from this top view, they
would appear
round in a left side or side view (not shown). This example sprayer 2000 is an
air-delivery or
air-blast sprayer and includes a spraying system 2200 comprising a tank 2210
(which while
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appearing generally rectangular from a top view, might appear round in a front
or rear view, not
shown) for holding a liquid 2220 (in the form of a fog or mist) (such as water
containing
chemicals such as fertilizers and the like) to be sprayed with the assistance
of fan-driven air
pressure by the vehicle 2000 (the vehicle 2000 may comprise a tractor or other
vehicle with a
sprayer attachment secured thereto). The spraying system 2200 also includes a
laterally-
elongated nozzle-positioning structure 2030 attached to the back end 2020 of
the example
vehicle 2000 with a mounting structure 2025, the nozzle-positioning structure
2030 extending
laterally beyond the left side 2011 and past the right side 2012. Affixed to
the nozzle-positioning
structure 2030 are a plurality (nine (9), in this case) of spaced-apart nozzle
assemblies 2230 in
liquid communication with the tank 2210 and in pressurized air communication
with one or more
fans (not shown). FIG. 1A depicts the nozzle assemblies 2230 spraying the
liquid 2220 (in the
form of a fog or mist) toward the ground, for instance when the liquid 2220
(in the form of a fog
or mist) is being pumped through the nozzle assemblies 2230 from the tank 2210
by a pump (not
shown) with air pressure assistance (not shown). In contrast, FIG. 1B depicts
the same nozzle
assemblies 2230 not spraying the liquid 2220 (in the form of a fog or mist)
toward the ground,
for instance when the liquid 2220 (in the form of a fog or mist) is not being
pumped through the
nozzle assemblies 2230 from the tank 2210 by a pump (not shown). In this type
of embodiment a
check valve 2240 may be removably installed in each nozzle assembly, for
instance to close off
the nozzle assembly 2230 and prevent back-flow into the spraying system 2200
when the liquid
2220 (in the form of a fog or mist) is not being forced through the nozzle
assembly 2230.
[0062] FIG. 2 illustrates the removal of the check valves 2240 from the ports
2250 in
each respective nozzle assembly 2230. Each port 2250 provides access to the
flow channel for
the liquid 2220 (in the form of a fog or mist) when the liquid 2220 (in the
form of a fog or mist)
flows through the nozzle assembly 2230. The vehicle 2000 is now ready for the
installation of a
kit 1000.
[0063] Alternatively, separate ports (not shown) adapted to receive the
present pulse-
width-modulated solenoids 1010 can be plumbed into liquid communication with
the nozzle
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assemblies 2230, for instance with a T-fitting, and the separate ports may
also or alternatively be
referred to as ports 2250 for purposes of the present disclosure. Such T-
fittings or other
components necessary to accomplish such plumbing changes may be provided as
part of the kit
1000 in various example embodiments.
[0064] FIG. 3 illustrates potential contents of an example kit 1000 according
to various
example embodiments. Such a kit 1000 need not be sold together in a single
package to
constitute the kit 1000. Rather, the present kits 1000 are constituted any
time the individual
contents of the kit 1000 are brought together in any way for manufacture, use,
sale, or
importation. Various aspects of the components identified in FIG. 3 are
further described herein,
as well as additional and alternative components of kits 1000. Additional
details regarding
example components of kits 1000 are provided in the '139 Application, which is
incorporated
herein by reference.
[0065] FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate installing a plurality of pulse-width-
modulated solenoids
1010 in the ports 2250, with the arrows in FIG. 4 depicting the direction of
installation, and FIG.
showing the assembly after installation. In various example embodiments, the
pulse-width-
modulated solenoids 1010 may be configured to fit where the check valves 2240
were located in
the ports 2250 and to attach with or in the ports 2250 in the same or similar
way that the check
valves 2240 were attached into the ports 2250 (for instance by threading, or
any other suitable
attachment means). When so installed, the pulse-width-modulated solenoids 1010
can selectably
turn individual nozzle assemblies 2230 on and off or varying their flow rate
by retracting and
extending, respectively, a retractable member into flow path of the liquid
2220 (in the form of a
fog or mist) in the nozzle assemblies 2230.
[0066] FIGS. 6A, 6B, 7, and 8 illustrate attaching to the vehicle 2000 with
bracketry
1050, 1051, 1052 (any or all of which may be the same or separate bracketry)
one or more
wirelessly-controllable solenoid controllers 1020, a GPS antenna system 1040
that wirelessly
communicates information identifying its position, and a LiDAR sensing system
7000 that
communicates data regarding sensed objects, either wirelessly or by wire.
Additional details
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regarding example components, structure, and assembly of bracketry 1050, 1051,
1052 to
example mounting structure 2025 on the rear area 2020 of an example vehicle
200 are provided
in Shen et al. and in the incorporated '139 Application. Also provided in the
incorporated '139
Application are details regarding example wirelessly-controllable solenoid
controllers 1020
(including versions with both one and two such controllers 1020), and example
GPS antenna
systems 1040 that wirelessly communicate information identifying their
position. Shen et al.
provides details regarding example LiDAR systems 7000. In certain example
embodiments of
kits 1000, the one or more wirelessly-controllable solenoid controllers 1020
and the wireless
GPS antenna system 1040 come pre-assembled to the bracketry 1050, 1051, which
must merely
then be attached to any suitable location on the vehicle 2000 using hardware
provided, such as a
plurality of brackets and fasteners. In certain example embodiments of kits
1000, the bracketry
1050, 1051, 1052 may be provided with adjustment means for adjusting the
height of the
components attached thereto, such as a plurality of mounting holes to choose
from, for instance
as shown in the incorporated '139 Application. Bracketry 1050, 1051, 1052 may
comprise any
suitable number of individual and varied brackets, fasteners, and related
components, for
instance to facilitate mounting the kit 1000 to a wide variety of different
vehicles 2000, and any
suitable material may be used for bracketry 1050, 1051, 1052 such as, for
example, steel. It is
understood that in alternative embodiments (not shown), the one or more
wirelessly-controllable
solenoid controllers 1020, the GPS antenna system 1040, and the LiDAR sensing
system 7000
may all be affixed to the vehicle 2000 in approximately the same location
using the same
bracketry (e.g., 1050 or 1052).
[0067] FIG. 9 illustrates connecting with the first wiring harness 1030 the
one or more
controllers 1020 with the plurality of pulse-width-modulated solenoids 1010,
while FIG. 10
illustrates attaching the first wiring harness 1030 to the vehicle 2000,
including to the nozzle-
positioning structure 2030, for instance with a plurality of zip-ties 1032 or
other similar
connection means, which may be provided as part of the kit 1000. First wiring
harness 1030 may
comprise a number of individual, separate, pig-tails or other suitable wiring
members, or may
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comprise wiring members that are joined together at least in part, or both.
The wire members of
the first wire harness 1030 may be individually tailored in length to be
suitable for a given
installation along a laterally extending nozzle-positioning structure 2030 of
known length range.
First wiring harness 1030 may comprise suitable plugs on the ends of the wire
members to
facilitate easy plugging and un-plugging of the first wiring harness 1030 from
vehicle 2000.
[0068] FIG. 11 illustrates connecting the source of electrical power 2100 with
the second
wiring harness 1060 to the one or more controllers 1020, with the third wiring
harness 1061 to
the GPS antenna system 1040, with the fourth wiring harness 1062 to the LiDAR
sensing system
7000. Where the components are to be mounted proximate one another, one or
more of the
wiring harnesses 1060, 1061, and 1062 may be part of the same wiring harness.
The source of
electrical power 2100 may be located or electrically accessible at any
location on the vehicle
2000.
[0069] FIG. 12 illustrates attaching the second wiring harness 1060, the third
wiring
harness 1061, and the fourth wiring harness 1062, to the vehicle 2000, for
instance with a
plurality of zip-ties 1032 or other similar connection means, which may be
provided as part of
the kit 1000. Second wiring harness 1060, third wiring harness 1061, and the
fourth wiring
harness 1062, may each comprise a number of individual, separate, wires, or
may comprise
wiring members that are joined together at least in part, or both. The wire
members of the second
wire harness 1060 and the third wiring harness 1061 may each be individually
tailored in length
to be suitable for mounting the GPS antenna system 1040 at various adjustable
heights above the
one or more controllers 1020. The second wiring harness 1060, third wiring
harness 1061, and
fourth wiring harness 1062, may each comprise suitable plugs or other
attachment means on or
for the ends of the wire members to facilitate easy attachment and removal of
the wiring
harnesses from vehicle 2000.
[0070] FIG. 13 illustrates a user 6000 using the screen or display 1071 of a
mobile device
1070 to enter vehicle data 1042 into one or more databases (not shown), which
may be located
partially or entirely in the mobile device 1070, or partially or entirely
remotely, such as in the
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cloud 5000 (i.e., on the Internet wirelessly accessible 1074 from the mobile
device 1070).
Vehicle data 1042 may include, for example, measurements (such as distances
fore and aft, left
and right) individually defining the dimensional locations of each of the
nozzle assemblies 1010
relative to the location of the GPS antenna system 1040 and relative to the
location of the LiDAR
system 7000 when installed on the vehicle 2000. At this stage or at another
time the user 6000
can enter user-defined criteria into the mobile device 1070 to provide various
parameters to the
software in the mobile device 1070, for instance, bringing up prior spray maps
or recording new
spray maps, or both, providing information regarding boundaries or paths where
to spray, what
type of objects to spray in spray regions (e.g., by identifying vertical
height ranges or upper or
lower limits, by plant density, by identifying individual plants by looking
for and identifying tree
trunks, for instance, and by maximum sensed horizontal distance away from the
spray nozzles
2230), what flow rate to spray, and overlap in spraying distance before and
after a sensed object.
Mobile device 1070 can be any suitable electronic device that by itself or in
conjunction with
other devices, has the capacity to receive data input, store it, process it,
and communicate data
wirelessly (this includes by way of example and not limitation, smart phones,
tablets, laptop
computers, and any other suitable wireless electronics). Regarding, among
other things, inputting
certain user-defined criteria, examples are provided in U.S. Pat. No.
9,851,718 B2 to Booher,
entitled Intelligent Control Apparatus, System, and Method of Use and issued
December 26,
2017, and in the provisional patent application to which it claims priority,
Provisional application
No. 62/056,470, filed on Sep. 26, 2014, both of which are incorporated herein
by reference in
their entireties.
[0071] FIGS. 14, 15, and 16 illustrate mounting and wiring the mobile device
1070
proximate the driver's seating location 2300 in the vehicle 2000, so that the
user 6000 can view
or interact with the mobile device 1070, or both, while seated in the seating
location 2300.
Fourth bracketry 1080 may be provided and attached with the vehicle 2000 that
is configured to
attach the mobile device 1070 with the vehicle 2000 near a driver's location
2300 on the vehicle
2000. Fourth bracketry 1080 may provide for easy removal and replacement of
the mobile device
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1070 from the bracketry 1080, or may provide a locking or other mechanism to
removably
secure or protect or both, the mobile device 1070. A fifth wiring harness 1090
may be configured
to be attached to the vehicle 2000 and to electrically connect the mobile
device 1070 with the
source of electrical power 2100, which may be located or electrically
accessible at any location
on the vehicle 2000, when the mobile device 1070 is attached with the vehicle
2000 near the
driver's location 2300 on the vehicle 2000. FIG. 15 best illustrates attaching
the fifth wiring
harness 1090 to the vehicle 2000, for instance with a plurality of zip-ties
1032 or other similar
connection means, which may be provided as part of the kit 1000. Fifth wiring
harness 1090 may
comprise a number of individual, separate, wires, or may comprise wiring
members that are
joined together at least in part, or both. Fifth wiring harness 1090 may
comprise suitable plugs or
other attachment means on or for the ends of the wire members to facilitate
easy attachment and
removal of the fifth wiring harness 1090 from vehicle 2000.
[0072] FIG. 17 illustrates various example aspects of wireless and other
communication
that may be taking place on the vehicle 2000 once an example kit 1000 has been
installed and is
in-use. LiDAR sensing system 7000 emits a laser beam 7070 radially outward
from the LiDAR
sensing system 7000, typically in a vertical plane perpendicular to the
direction of travel of the
vehicle 2000, for instance as shown in FIGS. 17 and 23B. The LiDAR system 7000
detects
reflections of the laser beam 7070 that correspond to the presence, location
(vertical and
horizontal distance from the LiDAR sensing system 7000), and density of
certain objects, such as
trees or other plants, to be sprayed according to the user-defined criteria.
This LiDAR sensed
information 7078 is then communicated wirelessly (for instance where the LiDAR
sensing
system 7000 includes a WiFi router, not separately shown), or alternatively by
wire such as a
USB cable (not shown), to the mobile device 1070. McPeek and Shen et al.
provide additional
information regarding example LiDAR systems 7000.
[0073] With continuing reference to FIG. 17, the GPS antenna system 1040
receives GPS
satellite location signals 1079, typically from satellites in space.
Optionally and absent in certain
embodiments, the GPS antenna system 1040 may also receive correction radio
frequency signals
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1105 from a stationary differential ground station 1100, which may already
exist nearly, or may
be provided as part of the kit 1000 in certain example embodiments. The
stationary differential
ground station 1100 receives GPS satellite location signals 1079, typically
from satellites in
space, and sends out a correction signal 1105 from a fixed location, which GPS
antenna systems
1040 can use to correct their position readings. Further details regarding
example GPS antenna
systems 1040 is provided in the incorporated '139 Application. Additional
information regarding
these types of GPS systems is provided in the Teach Patent, which is
incorporated herein by
reference.
[0074] Further referencing FIG. 17, the mobile device 1070 may communicate
wirelessly
1076 with the GPS antenna system 1040, and may wirelessly receive geographic
location
information 1078 from the GPS antenna system 1040. Based on a real-time
comparison of the
geographic location information 1078 received from the GPS antenna system
1040, and the
LiDAR sensed information 7078 received from the LiDAR sensing system 7000, to
user-selected
criteria and boundary mapping information, which the mobile device 1070 may
have obtained
(or be obtaining in real-time) in a number of ways, including by direct input
of the user 6000 and
wirelessly 1074 from the Internet 5000, and based on vehicle data 1042
indicating where each
nozzle assembly 2230 is located relative to the GPS antenna system 1040 and
relative to the
LiDAR sensing system 7000, the mobile device 1070 may determine whether each
nozzle
assembly 2230 is presently located sufficiently proximate a spray region 3000
or a no-spray
region 4000, and if sufficiently proximate a spray region 3000, also whether
and how much to
vary the spray output based on sensed plant density, spraying distance, or any
other user-selected
criteria. Based on the outcome of that determination, the mobile device 1070
may wirelessly
transmit on, off, and flow-rate signals 1072 to the one or more controllers
1020, which then send
signals through the first wiring harness 1030 to the corresponding pulse-width-
modulated
solenoids 1010 to turn on, turn off, or vary the flow rate of liquid 2220 (in
the form of a fog or
mist) through each individual nozzle assembly 2230. The user 6000, which may
be the driver of
the vehicle 2000, may in various example embodiments be able to view on the
display or screen
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1071 a dynamic map image depicting the real-time travel path and spraying
coverage area of the
vehicle 2000, including spray regions 3000, no-spray regions 4000, two-
dimensional or even
three-dimensional "heat maps" showing how much has been sprayed throughout the
spray
regions 3000, boundaries 3500 between those regions, and spray regions 3000
that have been
sprayed and thus have become for the rest of that project or work day (or
other period of time),
no-spray regions 4000 for purposes of controlling the pulse-width-modulated
solenoids 1010
(but not necessarily for the purposes of map display). The figures, drawings,
photographs, and
detailed written description in the incorporated '139 Application, including
its own
incorporations by reference, illustrate certain example aspects of a mobile
device 1070 and its
software and interface, wherein pages 000032 to 000098 provide example views
and information
regarding one or more screen interfaces as viewable by a user of an example
system, pages
000099 to 000147 provide example views and information regarding an example
web portal for
use in connection with example system embodiments, and pages 000148 to 000182
provide
example information regarding software that may be used in connection with
example
embodiments of the various components.
[0075] FIGS. 18-21 depict the vehicle 2000 with kit 1000 installed and in use
as
described with respect to FIG. 17. FIG. 18 shows the vehicle 2000 located in a
spray region 3000
(indicated by shading marks running lengthwise up and down the page) and
traveling in the
direction of the arrow 3100 (forward) toward a no-spray region 4000 (indicated
by shading
marks running crosswise left and right across the page), and toward a
digitally-defined border
3500 between the spray region 3000 and the no-spray region 4000. Since all of
the nozzle
assemblies 2230 on the vehicle 2000 in FIG. 18 are located within a spray
region 3000, all the
pulse-width-modulated solenoids 1010 are turned on (or otherwise actuated) to
allow the flow of
the liquid 2220 (in the form of a fog or mist) through each nozzle assembly
2230.
[0076] FIG. 19 then shows the vehicle 2000 located partially in the spray
region 3000
(indicated by shading marks running lengthwise up and down the page) and still
traveling in the
direction of the arrow toward and now partially through the no-spray region
4000 (indicated by
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shading marks running crosswise left and right across the page), and partially
through the
digitally-defined border 3500 between the spray region 3000 and the no-spray
region 4000. Since
now only seven of the nine nozzle assemblies 2230 on the vehicle 2000 in FIG.
18 are located
within the spray region 3000 (while two of the nine nozzle assemblies 2230 are
located within
the no-spray region 4000), only the seven pulse-width-modulated solenoids 1010
that are located
within the spray region 3000 are turned on (or otherwise actuated) to allow
the flow of the liquid
2220 (in the form of a fog or mist) through each of those seven nozzle
assemblies 2230. The two
pulse-width-modulated solenoids 1010 that are located within the no-spray
region 4000 are
turned off (or otherwise actuated) to stop the flow of the liquid 2220 (in the
form of a fog or
mist) through those two nozzle assemblies 2230.
[0077] Next, FIG. 20 shows the vehicle 2000 departing the spray region 3000
(indicated
by shading marks running lengthwise up and down the page) and still traveling
in the direction of
the arrow into the no-spray region 4000 (indicated by shading marks running
crosswise left and
right across the page), while crossing the digitally-defined border 3500
between the spray region
3000 and the no-spray region 4000. Since now only three of the nine nozzle
assemblies 2230 on
the vehicle 2000 in FIG. 18 are located within the spray region 3000 (while
six of the nine nozzle
assemblies 2230 are located within the no-spray region 4000), only the three
pulse-width-
modulated solenoids 1010 that are located within the spray region 3000 are
turned on (or
otherwise actuated) to allow the flow of the liquid 2220 (in the form of a fog
or mist) through
each of those three nozzle assemblies 2230. The six pulse-width-modulated
solenoids 1010 that
are located within the no-spray region 4000 are turned off (or otherwise
actuated) to stop the
flow of the liquid 2220 (in the form of a fog or mist) through those six
nozzle assemblies 2230.
[0078] FIG. 21 then shows the vehicle 2000 having fully departed the spray
region 3000
(indicated by shading marks running lengthwise up and down the page) and still
traveling in the
direction of the arrow entirely within the no-spray region 4000 (indicated by
shading marks
running crosswise left and right across the page). Since now none of the nine
nozzle assemblies
2230 on the vehicle 2000 in FIG. 18 are located within the spray region 3000
(while all of the
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nine nozzle assemblies 2230 are located within the no-spray region 4000), none
of the pulse-
width-modulated solenoids 1010 are located within the spray region 3000 so
none are turned on
(or otherwise actuated) to allow the flow of the liquid 2220 (in the form of a
fog or mist) through
their corresponding nozzle assemblies 2230. All nine pulse-width-modulated
solenoids 1010 are
located within the no-spray region 4000 and are turned off (or otherwise
actuated) to stop the
flow of the liquid 2220 (in the form of a fog or mist) through all nine nozzle
assemblies 2230.
[0079] FIG. 22 shows the vehicle 2000 traversing a no-spray region toward a
spray
region 3000 comprising a tree or other plant(s), which the vehicle 2000 with
the kit 1000
installed will sense, interpret, and record the location of, according to user-
defined criteria, as a
spray region 3000 having vertical and horizontal components, and then spray
with spray nozzles
2230 that are sufficiently proximate the spray region 3000 as the vehicle 2000
passes the tree or
other plant(s) constituting the spray region 3000, either in real time or
during a subsequent pass.
[0080] FIGS. 23A and 23B show the vehicle 2000 having begun to reach the tree
or other
plant(s) constituting the spray region 3000, illustrating the LiDAR sensing
system 7000 emitting
a laser beam 7070 radially outward from the LiDAR sensing system 7000 in a
vertical plane
perpendicular to the direction of travel of the vehicle 2000. The LiDAR system
7000 detects
reflections of the laser beam 7070 that correspond to the presence, location
(vertical and
horizontal distance from the LiDAR sensing system 7000), and density of the
tree or other
plant(s) constituting the spray region 3000, thereby defining according to the
user-defined
criteria the boundary 3500 of the spray region 3000 to be sprayed. As the
vehicle 2000 proceeds
forward 3100 such that the LiDAR sensing system 7000 moves past the tree or
other plant(s)
constituting the spray region 3000, data representing a three-dimensional
outer profile or
boundary 3500 of the spray region 3000 is generated, which may comprise plant
data
corresponding to one or more of locations, heights, widths, shapes, and
densities of plants
located within the spray regions 3000. This LiDAR sensed information 7078 is
then
communicated wirelessly (for instance where the LiDAR sensing system 7000
includes a WiFi
router, not separately shown), or alternatively by wire such as a USB cable
(not shown), to the
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mobile device 1070. In combination with the geographic location (including
orientation)
information 1078 received wirelessly from the GPS antenna system 1040, and
vehicle speed
information, the mobile device 1070 may thereafter determine whether each
nozzle assembly
2230 is presently located sufficiently proximate a spray region 3000 as the
vehicle 2000
continues moving, for instance in the forward direction 3100. The LiDAR sensed
information
7078 may simultaneously be overlaid with vehicle speed information and
geographic location
information 1078 from the GPS antenna system 1040 and recorded for future
evaluation and re-
use. Alternatively, the determination whether each nozzle assembly 2230 is
presently located
sufficiently proximate a spray region 3000 as the vehicle 2000 continues
moving, may be made
by comparing presently-sensed vehicle speed, orientation, and geographic
location information
1078 from the GPS antenna system 1040, to previously-recorded LiDAR sensed
information
7078 that is overlaid with previously-recorded vehicle speed, orientation, and
geographic
location information 1078 from the GPS antenna system 1040. In other words,
the system may
function based at least in part on previously-recorded data instead of based
on real-time sensing
of current conditions.
[0081] As depicted in FIGS. 24A and 24B, as each nozzle assembly 2230 is
determined
by the mobile device 1070 to have become sufficiently proximate a spray region
3000, the
mobile device 1070 may wirelessly transmit on signals and flow-rate signals
(collectively
depicted as 1072 in FIG. 17) to the one or more controllers 1020, which then
send signals
through the first wiring harness 1030 to the corresponding pulse-width-
modulated solenoids
1010 to turn on and vary the flow rate of liquid 2220 (in the form of a fog or
mist) through the
corresponding individual nozzle assemblies 2230, in view of, for example,
sensed plant density,
spraying distance, and any user-selected criteria. As best seen in FIG. 24B,
nozzles that are not
sufficiently proximate the spray region 3000 as determined by the mobile
device 1070, whether
by horizontal distance or vertical distance or nozzle direction or any
combination or function of
the foregoing factors, are switched off by the one or more controllers 1020 to
conserve the liquid
2220 being sprayed and optimize spraying efficiency and efficacy.
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[0082] In various example embodiments a method of using a vehicle 2000 as
described
herein may further comprise the steps of entering vehicle data 1042 into the
one or more
databases defining the locations of each of the nozzle assemblies 2230
relative to the location of
the GPS antenna system 1040 when installed on the vehicle 2000. In various
example
embodiments the steps of entering vehicle data into the one or more databases
may comprise the
steps of entering map data into the one or more databases defining spray
regions 3000 and no-
spray regions 4000. In various example embodiments the steps of entering
vehicle data into the
one or more databases may comprise the steps of driving the vehicle 2000 along
one or more
edges 3500 of one or more spray regions 3000 or no-spray regions 4000 and
recording travel
path data transmitted from the GPS antenna system 1040 to the mobile device
1070, for instance
as described in the '718 Patent, incorporated herein by reference, and
overlaying that data with
corresponding LiDAR sensed information 7078. In various example embodiments
the steps of
entering vehicle data into the one or more databases may comprise the steps of
directing a
vehicle, other than vehicle 2000, and having a second GPS antenna system (see
the '718 Patent
and the references discussed therein) and a second LiDAR sensing system 7000,
along one or
more edges 3500 of one or more spray regions 3000 or no-spray regions 4000 and
recording
travel path data 1078 transmitted from the second GPS antenna system 1040 to
the mobile device
1070. In various example embodiments the steps of entering vehicle data into
the one or more
databases may comprise the steps of delineating one or more edges of one or
more spray regions
or no-spray regions on a GUI overlay of a digital image of a map, for instance
as shown on pages
000063-000070 of the incorporated '139 Application. In various example
embodiments the steps
of entering vehicle data into the one or more databases may comprise the steps
of delineating one
or more edges of one or more spray regions or no-spray regions on a GUI
overlay of a digital
image of a map appearing on a screen 1071 of the mobile device 1070. In
various example
embodiments the steps of entering vehicle data into the one or more databases
may comprise the
steps of downloading at least a portion of the map data wirelessly 1074 from
the cloud 5000 to
the mobile device 1070.
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[0083] In various example embodiments a method of using a vehicle 2000 as
described
herein may further comprise the steps of driving the vehicle 2000 proximate
one or more edges
3500 of one or more spray regions 3000 or no-spray regions 4000 such that one
or more of the
plurality of spaced-apart nozzle assemblies 2230 are positioned sufficiently
proximate a spray
region 3000 while other of the plurality of spaced-apart nozzle assemblies
2230 are not
positioned sufficiently proximate a spray region 3000, and thereby causing the
mobile device
1070 to wirelessly communicate signals 1072 to the one or more controllers
1020 to individually
turn on or allow flow of the liquid 2220 (in the form of a fog or mist)
through each of the
individual nozzle assemblies 2230 positioned proximate the one or more spray
regions 3000, and
to individually turn off or disallow flow of the liquid 2220 (in the form of a
fog or mist) through
each of the individual nozzle assemblies 2230 not positioned sufficiently
proximate the one or
more spray regions 3000.
[0084] In various example embodiments a method of using a vehicle 2000 as
described
herein may further comprise the steps of driving at least a portion of the
vehicle 2000 over a
boundary 3500 between a spray region 3000 and a no-spray region 4000 such that
at the first
time the plurality of spaced-apart nozzle assemblies 2230 are all positioned
within a spray region
3000, and at the second time after the first time the plurality of spaced-
apart nozzle assemblies
2230 are all positioned within a no spray region 3000, and thereby causing, at
the first time, the
mobile device 1070 to wirelessly communicate signals 1072 to the one or more
controllers 1020
to individually turn on or allow flow of the liquid 2220 (in the form of a fog
or mist) through
each of the individual nozzle assemblies 2230, and causing, at the second
time, the mobile device
1070 to wirelessly communicate signals 1072 to the one or more controllers
1020 to individually
turn off or disallow flow of the liquid 2220 (in the form of a fog or mist)
through each of the
individual nozzle assemblies 2230.
[0085] In various example embodiments a method of using a vehicle 2000 as
described
herein may further comprise the steps of updating the map data in real-time
during use of the
vehicle 2000 and redefining the spray regions 3000 as no-spray regions 4000 as
the spray regions
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3000 are sprayed with the liquid 2220 (in the form of a fog or mist) by the
vehicle 2000. In
various example embodiments a method of using a vehicle 2000 as described
herein may further
comprise the steps of viewing on a display (also referred to as a screen) 1071
on the mobile
device 1070 a digital image of a map of an area where the vehicle 2000 is
located, and within
that map area, one or more boundaries 3500 between the one or more spray
regions 3000 and the
one or more no-spray regions 4000, and also dynamically depicting in real-time
those portions of
the map area which have been sprayed with the liquid 2220 (in the form of a
fog or mist) by the
spraying system 2200 and those portions of the map area which have not been
sprayed with the
liquid 2220 (in the form of a fog or mist) by the spraying system 2200 for
instance as discussed
and shown on pages 000088-000099 of the incorporated '139 Application.
[0086] Any of the suitable technologies, materials, and designs set forth and
incorporated
herein may be used to implement various example aspects of the invention as
would be apparent
to one of skill in the art. Example embodiments of the present invention may
optionally be
implemented in combination with one or more aspects of the Intelligent Control
Apparatus,
System, and Method of Use discussed in US 9851718 B2 to Steven R. Booher and
issued Dec
26, 2017 ("the '718 Patent"), the entirety of which is incorporated herein by
reference. For
example and not by way of limitation, the entering of boundary data by
directing a GPS
equipped vehicle around the desired boundaries as described in the '718
Patent, and the
description of the Example Electronics Hardware in the '718 Patent, may be
applied to the
present disclosure. Additionally, the features described in the incorporated
'457 Application may
be incorporated into a vehicle 2000 as described herein, and the corresponding
components
described in the '457 Application may be provided as part of kit 1000.
[0087] Although exemplary embodiments and applications of the invention have
been
described herein including as described above and shown in the included
example Figures, there
is no intention that the invention be limited to these exemplary embodiments
and applications or
to the manner in which the exemplary embodiments and applications operate or
are described
herein. Indeed, many variations and modifications to the exemplary embodiments
are possible as
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would be apparent to a person of ordinary skill in the art. The invention may
include any device,
structure, method, or functionality, as long as the resulting device, system
or method falls within
the scope of one of the claims that are allowed by the patent office based on
this or any related
patent application.
33
