Field of the Invention The invention pertains to agricultural planters and in particular to an improved sensor system for determining seed count and seed spacing.

Background of the Invention It is well known in the agricutture to use a monitor on planters to monitor the seed at each row unit. When first employed, monitors were used to alert the operator of a plugged row unit or a unit without any seed to avoid continued operation of the planter without actually planting seed. More recently, studies have quantified the importance of accurate seed spacing in producing enhanced crop yields. As a result, monitor technology has advanced in efforts to determine seed spacing. Cuσent monitors use the time interval between seeds to determine skips or multiples of seed. These monitors also predict seed spacing in the furrow based on the timing of seed passing the monitor in the seed tube.

A paper entitled Opto-electronic Sensor System for Rapid Evaluation of Planter Seed Spacing Uniformity, Transactions of the ASAE 41(1):237-245 describes using the seed trajectory, speed of the planter and timing of seed release events to determine seed spacing. The goal of the study was to evaluate a sensor located just above the soil surface at the seed drop zone in measuring the seed location relative to the planter. The sensor was then used to determine seed spacing instead of dropping seed onto a grease belt and manually evaluating seed spacing. The sensor had two arrays of 12 pairs of LEDs and photo-transistors to sense and locate the seed along one axis.

Summary of the Invention

The present invention provides a sensor system with higher sensitivity to seed counting, reduced errors for skips, doubles (intentional double, triples or unintentional); better dust immunity that enables the sensor to be moved closer to the ground, which is desired for closer to true in ground information; improved capability for higher rate seed monitoring, etc. The present invention provides a sensor system that uses the seed location relative to the planter as the seed passes through the seed tube, along with other parameters, to determine the seed spacing in the furrow. The sensor system of the present invention uses a sensor that not only counts the seed but determines the position of the seed relative to the seed tube in the direction of travel of the planter. From the position information, a trajectory is determined of the seed falling through the seed tube. Travel speed of the planter and the timing of the seed passing the monitor are other necessary factors in determining the seed trajectory. The trajectory then enables the seed spacing to be predicted with a higher degree of accuracy then is possible with sensors that only determine the interval of time between seed drop events. Other parameters that further improve the accuracy of determining the seed spacing include acceleration of the planter row unit and the down force applied to the row unit. The acceleration of the row unit effects the initial direction of travel of the seed as the seed is released from the meter. The down force on the row unit effects the location of the seed tube exit relative to the furrow.

Brief Description of the Drawings FIG. 1 is a side view of a planting unit;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the seed tube of the planting unit show in Fig. 1 ; FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the seed tube as seen from substantially the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is another a sectional view of the seed tube as seen from substantially the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5A is an example of the output signal from prior sensor showing background dust noise; Fig. 5B is an example of the output signal from prior sensor showing, like Fig.

5A with a seed passing the sensor;

Fig. 6A is an example of the output signal form the current sensor showing background dust noise;

Fig. 6B is an example of the output signal from the current sensor showing, like Fig. 6A with a seeds passing the sensor;

Fig. 7 is an example of the output signal from the current sensor showing a seed passing and being detected in both the X and Y directions;

Fig. 8 is similar to Fig. 7 with two seeds being detected in both the X and Y directions;

Fig. 9 is an example of the output signal from the current sensor showing a seed passing and being detected by two adjacent radiation detectors in the X direction;

Fig. 10 is similar to Fig. 9 showing a seed passing and being detected by two adjacent radiation detectors in the X direction and a second seed being detected solely by a third radiation detector in the X direction; Fig. 11 A is similar to Rg. 9 showing a seed passing and being detected by two adjacent radiation detectors in the Y direction;

Fig. 11 B is like Fig. 11 A but shows two seeds passing in the same position in the Y direction;

Fig. 12 is a plan view of a tractor and a planter with multiple planting units of Fig. 1;

Fig. 13 is a side view of the planter as seen along the line 13-13 of Fig. 12; and

Fig. 14 is a side view of an alternative seed tube of the planting unit with two vertically spaced seed sensors of the present invention.

Description of the Preferred Embodiment

FIG. 1 is a side view of a planting unit 10 equipped with the sensor system of the present invention. The planting unit 10 is mounted to rectangular toolbar 12 by U- bolts 14. The planting unit 10 is provided with a frame 16 having a parallelogram linkage 18 for coupling the planting unit 10 to the toolbar 12 to allow up and down relative movement between the unit 10 and toolbar 12. Seed is stored in seed hopper 20 and provided to seed meter 22. From the seed meter 22 the seed is dropped through the seed tube 24 into a planting furrow formed in the soil by furrow openers 26. Gauge wheels 28 control the depth of the furrow and closing wheels 29 close the furrow over the seed. The gauge wheels 28 are mounted to the frame 16 by arms 31. A down force sensor 33 is coupled to one arm 31 and includes a strain gage for measuring the amount of force applied to the gauge wheel by the ground. An accelerometer 35 is mounted to the frame 16 and can be placed at any convenient location thereon. The toolbar and planting unit are designed to be move over the ground in a forward working direction X identified by the arrow 27.

Pesticides can be stored in a chemical hopper 30 which is mounted to the planting unit frame 16. This particular planting unit is provided at the front with a row cleaner attachment 34. A mechanical down force generator 48 is attached to the toolbar 12 and includes springs 50 to generate a down force applied to the linkage 18. The particular down force generator 48 shown is adjustable. Any type of down force generator can be used, fixed force, adjustable force, mechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic, etc. The planting unit 10 is shown as an example of the environment in which the present invention is used. The present invention can be used in any of a variety of planting units. The seed tube 24, shown in Figs. 1 and 2, is provided with a curved forward wall 36, a curved rear wall 38 and two sidewalls 40 joining the front and rear walls 36 and 38. The forward and rear walls are curved rearwardly and downwardly. The tube has an open top 42 and an open bottom 44. The exterior of front wall is also provided with tangs 45 for mounting the seed tube to the planting unit frame 16. With reference to Fig, 2-4, seed tube 24 is equipped with a first sensor assembly 56 mounted to the side walls 40 of the seed tube at apertures therein. The sensor assembly 56 includes a radiation emitter 58, shown as an array of light emitting diodes (LEDs) 60 on one side wall 40 of the seed tube. The LEDs are mounted to a PC board 62 with conductive strips forming electrical connections with the LEDs 60 mounted thereon.

Positioned in front of the LEDs and preferably flush with the inner edge of the seed tube side wall is a lens 64 which directs the light emitted by the LEDs into parallel beams substantially in the Y-direction as shown by the arrows 66. One type of lens can be a privacy filter such as that made by the 3M Company and of the type described in US Patent No. 6,398,370. Any number of LEDs can be used in the emitter 58 as long as the emitters and lens 64, in combination, produce beams of radiation in the Y direction across substantially the entire width of the side wall 40. The sensor assembly 56 further includes a radiation detector 68 mounted to the opposite side wall 40 of the seed tube. A lens 69 is flush with the inside surface of the seed tube side wall 40 and will transmit radiation substantially in the Y-direction as shown by arrows 70. Radiation detecting elements 72a-g are arranged in an array 76. Elements 72 can be photo-diodes or photo-transistors or other detector capable of detecting the radiation from the radiation emitter 58. The detecting elements 72 are also mounted on a PC board 78 with conductive strips forming electrical connections. The lens 69 ensures that radiation received by the radiation detecting elements 72 are traveling substantially in the Y-direction. Radiation not traveling in the Y-direction, such as shown by arrow 74, is blocked or reflected by the lens 69. Each of the detecting elements 72 are separated from one another by divider walls 80 extending between the lens 69 and the detector elements 72. The divider walls further help to ensure that the detecting elements 72 receive radiation traveling substantially in the Y-direction.

When a seed 82 falls through the seed tube between the radiation emitter 58 and the array of radiation detecting elements 72, there will be an interruption in the radiation incident upon one or more of the detectors 72. In other words, the seed will momentarily block the radiation traveling across the seed tube. As shown in Fig. 3 with the seed 82, only the detector 72e will experience the interruption in radiation incident thereon as shown by the arrows 84. This not only indicates that a seed has passed, but also indicates the location of the seed in the X-direction relative to the front and rear walls of the seed tube. The output from the detecting elements 72 is transmitted from the array to a processing unit 86 (Fig. 12) through wires (not shown). Wireless communication is also possible.

A second sensor assembly 90 is mounted to the seed tube front and rear walls 36, 38. The second sensor assembly 90 is of substantially the same construction as the first sensor assembly 56. Second sensor assembly 90 includes a radiation emitter 92 mounted to the front wall 36 of the seed tube 24. The emitter 92 is in the form of an array 94 of LEDs 96 mounted to a PC board 98. LEDs 96 are covered by a lens 100 to direct radiation in substantially the X-direction. The lens 100 is flush with the interior surface of the front wall 36. Sensor assembly 90 further includes a radiation detector 102 in the form of an array 103 of radiation detecting elements 104a-d on the rear wall 38, opposite the radiation emitter 92. The detecting elements 104a-d are similarly mounted on a PC board 106 with conductive strips forming electrical connections. The detecting elements are positioned behind a lens 108 that limits radiation passing therethrough to travel in substantially the X-direction as shown by the arrows 112. Each of the detecting elements 104 are separated from one another by divider walls 110 extending between the lens 108 and the detector elements 104. The divider walls further help to ensure that the detecting elements 72 receive radiation traveling in the X-direction. While the radiation emitter 92 is shown mounted on the front wall of the seed tube and the detector 102 is shown mounted on the rear wall, they can be reversed without effecting the functioning of the second sensor assembly 90. The second sensor assembly provides the location in the Y- direction of the seed passing through the tube. Ideally, the second sensor assembly 90 is positioned to sense along the same plane as the first sensor assembly 56. However, the two sensor assemblies 56, 90 can be located in different planes and the difference accounted for in the processing algorithm.

As shown in Fig. 4, the first and second sensor assemblies 56, 90, cooperate to divide the interior passage of the seed tube into a grid. By sensing the seed in one section of the grid or in two adjacent sections, the X and Y position of the seed is determined. By determining the seed location in both the X and Y directions, multiples of seed can be readily detected. For example, in Fig. 4 seeds 114 and 116 are both being sensed by the same radiation detecting element 72c of the detector 68 and therefore assigned the same location in the X direction. With only the first sensor assembly 56, seeds 114, 116 would be counted as a single seed. The use of both sensor assemblies 56 and 90, the X and Y positions of the seeds is determined and both radiation detectors 104b and 104d will detect a seed, indicating two seeds, not one passing the sensors. The use of two sensors thus provides improved precision in counting seeds. With continued reference to Fig. 3, when the seed 82 falls through the seed tube, it blocks a significant portion, approximately one half, of the radiation flowing across the seed tube and into the detector 72e. The portion of the normal radiation that is blocked with the sensor assembly 56 is much greater than the portion of radiation blocked in a conventional sensor that receives radiation across the entire width of the seed tube. As a result, the signal to noise ratio is much greater with the sensors in the present invention compared to prior sensors. This increased signal to noise ratio enables the sensor assemblies to better distinguish between seeds and dust. This in turn, allows the sensor assembly to be located closer to the seed tube outlet compared to other currently available seed sensors where there is more dust. The closer proximity to the furrow allows greater precision in determining seed spacing.

With reference to Figs. 5a and 5b, the dust noise signal and a passing seed is illustrated. Fig. 5a shows the signal 202 generated by dust in the seed tube. Fig. 5b shows the passing of a seed and the peak 204 in the signal generated by the seed. The peak 204 is relatively small from the dust signal 202 and can be easily missed by the signal processing algorithm. In contrast, Figs. 6a and 6b show the signals from three of the radiation detectors 72. Fig, 6a shows the signals 206, 208 and 210 generated by dust. This represents background noise. Fig. 6b shows the peaks 212, 214, 216 generated by seeds passing the detectors. Since the seed blocks a larger percentage of the radiation incident upon the detectors, the seed generated peaks in the signal are much larger than the baseline dust noise and are easier to distinguish from the noise.

Figure 7 shows a single seed passing solely by detectors 72c and 104b. Peaks 218 and 220 are generated in the detector signals while the other detectors, 72a and B and 104a have no peaks in their signals. Fig. 8 shows two seeds passing through the sensor assemblies. One seed is sensed solely by detectors 72a and 104a generating peaks 222 and 224 in their output signals. The other seed is sensed by detectors 72c and 104b, generating peaks 226 and 228 in their output signals.

Figure 9 shows one seed passing partially in front of adjacent detectors 72b and 72c but not in front of detector 72a. The signal from 72a continues to register the background noise. Signals from 72b and 72c have peaks 230 and 232 representing the seed but they are less then the peaks of Fig, 6b where the seed is sensed entirely by one detector. Fig. 10 is similar to Fig. 9 with one seed passing partial in front of detectors 72b and 72c but with another seed is passing in front of detector 72a, generating the peak 234.

Similarly, Fig. 11a shows one seed partially passing both the detectors 104a and 104b. Like Fig. 9, shorter peaks 236 and 238 are generated. Figure 11b in turn shows two seeds simultaneously passing the detectors 104a and 104b. As a result of the two seeds, the peaks 240 and 242 generated are larger than the single seed peaks of Fig. 11a.

With reference to Fig. 12, a Tractor 120 is shown towing a planter 122. The planter includes a toolbar 12 having a plurality of planting units 10 attached thereto. A number of support wheel and tire assemblies 124 are coupled to the toolbar for supporting the planter. Wheel and tire assemblies 124 are movable relative to the toolbar to raise and lower the toolbar between a working position in which the planter row units engage the ground and a raised transport position for moving the planter without engaging the ground. Pivot arms 126 (Fig. 13) carry the wheel and tire assemblies 124 and are in turn coupled to a pivot 128 mounted to the toolbar. A rotation sensor 130 at the hub 132 of one wheel and tire assembly is used to determine the speed of travel of the planter through a field. Alternatively, the tractor 120 is equipped with GPS receiver 134 and processor 136 from which the location, as well as the direction and speed of travel of the tractor and planter, can be determined. In yet another alternative, speed sensors, such as radar sensors 138 mounted to the toolbar can be used to determine the planter speed. Sensors 138 determine the speed by sensing the ground passing beneath the toolbar. While one sensor 138 is sufficient to determine the planter speed, having two sensors spaced apart along the length of the toolbar enables the speed of individual planter units 10 to be determined as the planter follows a contour path. Due to the curved path of the contour, the outside planter row unit moves at a faster speed than the inside planter row unit. Thus, the two sensors 138 are spaced as far apart as practical for greater precision in determining speed differences on a contour. Other types of speed sensors can be used as well.

A planter monitor 140 in the tractor has a processor 86 that receives input signals from the seed tube sensor assemblies56 and 90 as well as input signals from the speed sensor or sensors. A seed trajectory can be predicted based on the release point of the seed in the meter and the X location of the seed as it passes the sensor assembly 56. The trajectory, the height of the sensor assembly relative to the furrow and the ground speed of the planter unit are used to predict the seed spacing in the furrow. At a minimum, only the first sensor assembly 56 is needed to determine the X direction location of the seed and to predict the seed spacing. The use of the second sensor assembly 90 to determine the location in the Y direction can provide more accuracy to the seed spacing as it can better detect multiple seeds and predict bouncing of the seed caused by contact with the seed tube side walls 40.

Further accuracy in predicting the seed spacing is provided from use of acceleration data of the planter row unit from the accelerometer 35 at the time the seed is release from the meter. Down force data from the down force sensor 33 can also provide greater accuracy by providing a more accurate location of the seed tube relative to the furrow.

Determination of the seed trajectory can be made with even more precision with the use of two sets of sensor assemblies 56, 90 and 56', 90' as shown in Fig. 14. Here, sensor assemblies 56. 90 are vertically spaced above sensor assemblies 56', 90'. With two sets of sensor assemblies, the X and Y positions of seeds are determined at two locations along the length of the seed tube. Having X and Y location data at two points along the seed tube enables greater precision in determining the seed trajectory and thus the final seed spacing in the furrow.

While the radiation travels across the seed tube in the substantially the X and or Y directions as described above, there will likely be some radiation inclined to these axes. There is no particular threshold amount of inclined radiation that distinguishes between the sensor working and not working. There will only be a degradation in the sensor accuracy with more inclined radiation leading to the point where the sensor is no longer providing useful information.

The invention has been described in the context of a generally vertically oriented seed tube having front, rear and side walls. The designation of the walls as front, rear and side is only for convenience in describing the invention. The sensor assemblies can be used in a horizontal seed tube as well and an inclined seed tube. The labels front, rear and side applied to the walls shall be construed solely as a means of distinguishing between walls without regard to the actual orientation of the walls in physical space.

Having described the 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.