Patent ID: 9232690
Filing Date: 2016-01-12
CPC Classification: A01C,G06F

Claim Text:
1. A method of distributing a custom blend of fertilizer to a field from an air cart using a controller in a tow vehicle, wherein the air cart has a plurality of compartments configured to hold a product for distribution to the field and wherein the controller includes a memory device, a display, and a user interface, the method comprising the steps of: providing a first configuration screen on the display to prompt an operator to provide identification of the product contained in each of the plurality of compartments; receiving from the operator identification of the product contained in each of the plurality of compartments via the user interface; storing the identification of each product in the memory device; providing a second configuration screen on the display to prompt the operator to identify amounts of each of the products to be applied to the field per unit of area, wherein the amounts of each of the products to be applied to the field per unit of area defines the custom blend of fertilizer; receiving from the operator the amounts of each of the products to be applied to the field per unit of area via the user interface; storing the amounts of each of the products to be applied to the field per unit of area in the memory device; determining in the controller a rate of distribution of each product contained in one of the compartments as a function of the product identified in the compartment in response to the amounts of each of the products to be applied to the field per unit of area; generating a signal output from the controller to a metering device for each of the compartments as a function of the rate of distribution of the corresponding product such that the metering devices distribute the custom blend of fertilizer to the field; and allowing the operator to selectively vary each of the amounts of each of the products to be applied to the field per unit of area to adjust the custom blend of fertilizer distributed to the field.