How Farm Vehicles Plant Evenly in Odd-Shaped Fields

This patent describes a smart system for farm vehicles that plans planting paths in fields with non-parallel sides, automatically turning off parts of the planter to avoid wasting seeds by replanting.

What it covers

The patent details a method for a "work vehicle" (like a tractor) to plant crops in a field that isn't a perfect rectangle, specifically one with "divergent" side boundaries. A computer in the vehicle's "control system" calculates a "swath pattern" (the path the vehicle will take) by determining the number of "swaths" (rows) and their widths (Claim 1). Crucially, it adjusts the width of "side by side individual swaths" by "disabling one or more individual rows of an implement" (the planting tool) to prevent "re-planting of a portion of an overlapped adjacent swath" (Claim 1). For example, if a field narrows, the system can turn off some planter sections to ensure seeds are only placed in unplanted areas.

What it doesn't cover

• —Does not cover fields that are not described as having at least four boundaries, including two "divergently" extending side boundaries.
• —Does not cover systems that adjust swath width without "disabling individual output controllable rows" of the implement.
• —Does not cover manual guidance systems where an operator entirely controls the vehicle's path and implement row activation.
• —Does not cover swath patterns where the "centerlines of the side by side swaths" do not "diverge uniformly" between the end boundaries.
• —Does not cover methods that do not calculate swath width as a function of "overlap of existing planted areas."

The clever bit

The novelty lies in generating a swath pattern with uniformly diverging centerlines across a non-rectangular field, combined with the dynamic ability to disable specific rows of the implement to prevent wasteful replanting in overlapped areas. This ensures efficient coverage without gaps or double-planting.

Why it matters

This technology is vital for precision agriculture, allowing farmers to maximize efficiency and minimize waste. By precisely planning paths and adjusting implements, it helps conserve expensive resources like seeds, fertilizer, and fuel. It enables farming of irregularly shaped fields with the same precision as rectangular ones, which is common in many agricultural regions.

Real-world examples

• 1.John Deere AutoTrac systems
• 2.Case IH AFS AccuGuide
• 3.Trimble Autosteer systems
• 4.Precision planting equipment with section control
• 5.Modern agricultural guidance systems