Patent ID: 8594897
Filing Date: 2013-11-26
Classification: A01C,G05D,G06Q

Abstract:
1. Computer-readable media having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon that when executed, facilitate a method of applying fertilizer to a fertilizer application area that is made up of a plurality of discrete land units, the method comprising: determining an attribute value for each land unit that quantifies a degree to which the land unit possesses a certain characteristic, thereby resulting in a set of attribute values; delineating a first zone based on said set of attribute values, wherein said first zone is made up of land that shares substantially similar attribute values; from a set of fertilizer-application parameters, based on a subset of fertilizer-application parameters that relate to limitations of physically applying fertilizer to the land, logically partitioning said application area into a set of application cells (“application cells”); (1) wherein at least a portion of said first zone falls within at least one application cell of said set of application cells; and (2) wherein said application cell encompasses a subset of the plurality of discrete land units, thereby resulting in a subset of attribute values that are associated with said application cell; receiving at least one fertilizer-application parameter from said set of application parameters; from among a number of fertilizer types, determining a product of fertilizer to be applied to said application cell based on said subset of attribute values and at least one fertilizer-application parameter; and generating controller information that is usable by a fertilizer applicator to apply fertilizer to said application cell consistent with said determined product of fertilizer; wherein said attribute value comprises a wetness-index value; wherein said at least one fertilizer-application parameter includes a wetness-index threshold; and further comprising: comparing said wetness-index threshold to at least one attribute value of said first zone; based on said comparison, designating said first zone for receiving a certain fertilizer type; wherein said product of fertilizer to be applied to said application cell is further determined based on said first-zone designation and said portion of said first zone falling within said application cell.