Patent ID: 6164223
Filing Date: 2000-12-26
Classification: A01B,A01C,G01S,Y10S

Abstract:
A method of planting plants into a soil using an automatic planting vehicle that is drivable on a ground area, comprising:driving the planting vehicle on the ground area to move the planting vehicle;while driving the planting vehicle, scanning the ground area with a scanning device attached to the planting vehicle for determining a depth of the soil and for determining a shape, size and position of obstacles on the ground area and in the soil to produce a scanning result;evaluating the scanning result and identifying an obstacle;determining a scanning position of the scanning device relative to the planting vehicle to an obstacle position of the obstacle identified;moving a planting preparation device of an arm attached to the planting vehicle to the obstacle position;while driving the planting vehicle, moving the arm relative to the driving planting vehicle so that the planting preparation device remains stationary at the obstacle position;while driving the planting vehicle, moving a planting arm, attached to the planting vehicle, to a first planting position;moving the planting arm relative to the driving planting vehicle so that the planting arm remains stationary at the first planting position and planting a first plant at the first planting position;storing the first planting position;while driving the planting vehicle, moving the planting arm to a second planting position; andmoving the planting arm relative to the driving planting vehicle so that the planting arm remains stationary at the second planting position and planting a second plant at the second planting position, the second planting position being different than the first planting position.