Dickey-john Corporation

David Kuhnel

Gregry C Miller

Ronald W Steffen

Gregory C Miller

An agricultural communication system is provided that enables sensor-to-sensor link communications of peripheral farming devices (planters, fertilizer or pesticide applicators, etc.) so as to enhance diagnostics for locating system faults and blockages. The system also provides a means to operate with single-faults present with real-time diagnostics to the operator. The point-to-point communications also facilitates simplified installation by automatically determining the sensor addressing based on the physical connection of the sensors. Since the sensor-to-sensor daisy chain bus system is self-configuring there is no dependency on the sensor manufacturing data or sequential installation procedure to define the sensor address as required in other prior art systems. A dual power supply from each end of the looped bus with independent switching provides operation in the presence of single-faults, and a diagnostic mode combined with sensor power supply voltage measurements provides fault location.

Fault-tolerant sensing and monitoring communications bus system for agricultural applications

There is disclosed a single and twin and multiple row planting system configured to be adapted to a planter including a motor drive seed dispenser that is controlled by a planting controller that deposits seeds with a predetermined seed spacing that accommodates differing individual planter row speeds and terrain. In particular, a distance-based seed tagging system and method are used to achieve the desired seed spacing and seed stagger configurations.

Growing community of inventors

Johnstown, CO, United States of America

David Kuhnel