Patent ID: 8942896
Filing Date: 2015-01-27
Classification: A01C

Abstract:
1. A method of controlling a seed meter while row-crop planting, the method comprising: opening a furrow in an agricultural field with a furrow-opening mechanism mounted to a planter and arranged for engaging the agricultural field; delivering seeds from a hopper for bulk storage of seeds to a seed meter arranged on the planter; singulating seeds in the seed meter for individually releasing the seeds out of the seed meter; delivering seeds sequentially into the furrow during delivery events collectively defining a seeding session, wherein each delivery event defines a period of time for releasing an individual seed from the seed meter and directing the individual seed from the seed meter into the furrow; defining a target seeding session performance value corresponding to a predetermined target spacing characteristic of seeds delivered from the seed meter; defining an observed seeding session performance value based on a performance characteristic of the seed meter during the seeding session; identifying a delivery anomaly corresponding to a failure to deliver an individual seed during at least one delivery event and defining a corresponding delivery anomaly value, the delivery anomaly includes a first delivery anomaly component that is defined by the at least one of sensing a presence of a seed or absence of a seed during each of the delivery events and a second delivery anomaly component that is determined by evaluating the first delivery anomaly component with respect to the observed seeding session performance value and corresponds to a frequency of double occurrences during the seeding session; determining the frequency of double occurrences during the seeding session by evaluating the frequency of skip occurrences during the seeding session with an average delivery rate of seeds from the seed meter during the seeding session; determining to make a corrective action based on an evaluation of the target seeding session performance value, the observed seeding session performance value, and the delivery anomaly value; and controlling the seed meter to make the corrective action for reducing the delivery anomaly value.