5,673,637 : Soil constituent sensor and precision agrichemical
delivery system and method
| INVENTORS: |
Colburn, Jr.; John W., Houston, TX
Colburn; Sylvia A. M., Houston, TX |
| ASSIGNEES: |
Crop Technology, Inc., Houston, TX |
| ISSUED: |
Oct. 7 , 1997 |
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FILED: |
Oct. 29, 1993 |
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| SERIAL NUMBER: |
144786 |
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MAINT. STATUS: |
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| INTL. CLASS (Ed. 6): |
A01C 23/00; |
| U.S. CLASS: |
111-118; 111-903; 111-200; 324-347; 204-400; 047-001.3; |
| FIELD OF SEARCH: |
111-118,200,900,903,904 ; 172-1;2 ; 047-1.01,1.3,58,DIG.
10 ; 073-151,153 ; 175-050 ; 204-400 ; 364-420
; 324-347,354 ; |
| AGENTS: |
Groves and Glover, L.L.P.; |
ABSTRACT: A real time
soil constituent sensor and precision agricultural chemical delivery system
may measure simple in situ soil constituents without the aid of externally
applied solvents, or such solvents may be utilized intermittently to calibrate
the measurements for greater accuracy. A real time complex in situ soil
resistivity sensor and prescription agricultural chemical delivery system
includes a plurality of ground-engaging tools in association with individual
soil electrode arrays which measure complex solute and matrix resistivity
levels. Conventional ground-engaging tools may serve as electrodes for impressing
a voltage source and serve as a current sink for the purposes of determining
complex resistivity values and components thereof in in situ soils. Alternatively,
local resistivity measurements in a single tool can also be employed for
separation of resistivity contributions of the soil solute and the matrix.
For calibration, to enhance the accuracy of in situ measurements of matrix
resistivity, a plurality of reference fluids of known conductivity are periodically
injected at the interface between electrodes on a single tool and the in
situ soil. A real-time soil solute and matrix sensor and controller senses
and separates the resistivity contributions of the solute and matrix and
compares these components against target levels or schedules and adjusts
a servo-controlled delivery system to apply the appropriate amount of agricultural
chemical substantially in the location from which a calibrated complex soil
resistivity measurement was taken.
| U.S. REFERENCES: |
(No patents reference this one) |
| Patent No. |
Inventor |
Issued |
Title |
| 2454952 * |
Starkey et al. |
11 /1948 |
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| 3921159 |
Steffen |
11 /1975 |
Seed planter herbicide and insecticide monitor system |
| 5033397 |
Colburn, Jr. |
7 /1991 |
Soil chemical sensor and precision agricultural chemical delivery system
and method |
| * some details unavailable |
EXEMPLARY CLAIM(s): Show
all 18 claims
What is claimed is:
- 15. A system for sensing substantially instantaneously at least one
chemical or physical constituent of a soil while traversing a field of
said soil and determining substantially simultaneously therewith an amount
of chemical to be applied, comprising:
- means for penetrating the soil of a first soil sample while traversing
said sample;
- means for applying a voltage differential across said sample and determining
at least the complex component of the complex resistivity of said sample;
and
- means for determining a parameter related to said soil constituent
from at least said resistivity component while traversing said sample.
RELATED U.S. APPLICATIONS:
| Patent No. |
Appl No. |
Issue Date |
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733442 |
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FOREIGN APPLICATION PRIORITY DATA:
none
FOREIGN REFERENCES:
| Document No. |
Country |
Date |
Intl. Class |
| 0893150 |
Union of Soviet Socialist Republics |
1 /1982 |
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| 1055372 |
Union of Soviet Socialist Republics |
11 /1983 |
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| 1139380 |
Union of Soviet Socialist Republics |
2 /1985 |
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| 1386077 |
Union of Soviet Socialist Republics |
4 /1988 |
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| 1505461 |
Union of Soviet Socialist Republics |
9 /1989 |
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OTHER REFERENCES: none
PRIMARY/ASSISTANT EXAMINERS: Reese;
Randolph A.; Batson; Victor
ADDED TO DATABASE: Oct. 7
, 1997
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