Appareo Systems, LLC

Intelligent Agricultural Solutions LLC

Deere + Company

Agco Corporation

Nicholas Lloyd Butts

Marshall T Bremer

Barry Douglas Batcheller

Jeffrey Lee Johnson

Bradley Richard Thurow

Bradley K Schleusner

Kristofer Garberg

Paul Nystuen

Jonathan Louis Tolstedt

Matt Dondoneau

Flemming Schøler

Robert Michael Allen

Joshua N Gelinske

Robert Vincent Weinmann

Adam Reich

David Batcheller

Jesse Scott Trana

Daniel R Wood, Jr

Jacob Andrew Halvorson

Noel Wayne Anderson

Tyler Chris Ohlsen

Joseph A Heilman

John M Zietz

Seth Jamin Schubert

Josh Gelinske

Robert J Volesky

Jaden C Young

Derek B Aslakson

Jordan M Dahl

Greg M Middlestead

Greg S Middlestead

Dakota M Smith

Todd A Meidinger

Benjamin J Wolbaum

Michael D Schmidt

David C Batcheller

Daniel Wood Jr

An aviation integrated optics and lighting unit for securing to a light receptacle of an aircraft. The aviation integrated optics and lighting unit comprises a housing, a light-emitting device, and an optical sensor. The light-emitting device is secured to the housing. The optical sensor is positioned in the housing and is configured to capture optical data.

Aviation integrated optics and lighting unit

A continuously variable nozzle system includes a nozzle body () with an inlet and an outlet. A conduit is defined between the inlet and the outlet by a series connection of components which includes a flow meter (). The flow meter () has a chamber () with internal helical splines () that are configured to interact with a spray liquid passing through the chamber () and create a cyclone-like effect. A sphere () is located inside the chamber () for free movement along a circular path (). A sensor is located outside of the chamber () and configured to detect motion of the sphere () and generate an output () signal in response to detected motion.

Continuously-variable nozzle system with integrated flow meter

Aviation camera data collection device

A spray pattern monitoring system includes a spray sensor disposed proximate an outlet of a spray nozzle. The spray sensor has one or more optical sensors configured to emit directional light, such as laser pulses, towards the expected position of a liquid spray emitted from the nozzle. The spray sensor can detect the absence or presence of the liquid spray based on returns of the directional light to the optical sensor.

Spray pattern monitoring

A wireless communication system includes a smart device configured for transcribing text-to-speech (STT) for display. The smart device interfaces with a radio communications device, for example, in an aircraft (AC). The system includes a filter for optimizing STT functions. Such functions are further optimized by restricting the databases of information, including geographic locations, aircraft identifications and carrier information, whereby the database search functions are optimized. Methods for wireless communications using smart devices and STT functionality are disclosed.

Wireless communications system and method

An RF communications (COMM) system includes a COMM antenna connected to a signal processing unit including a multi-channel analog navigation/communications (NAV/COMM) transceiver and an analog COMM transmitter. The system is configured for switching between the transceiver and the transmitter, based on preprogrammed parameters including prioritizing signals based on keywords, system location and other parameters. An aircraft application is disclosed. A global navigation satellite subsystem (GNSS) subsystem can be connected to the signal processing unit for locating the telecommunications system. A method includes the steps of providing an RF communications system for aircraft and other applications.

RF communications system and method

An ADS-B transponder system is associated with a vehicle including a transponder. The system includes a universal access transceiver (UAT) subsystem configured for detecting and responding to an interrogation signal by broadcasting a signal representing a vehicle parameter. The interrogation signal can be detected by monitoring current fluctuations in a power bus on the vehicle. The UAT subsystem is connected to a smart antenna configured for transmitting and receiving ADS-B signals. In an aircraft (A/C) application the vehicle parameter can comprise squawk code, altitude, heading vector, airspeed and other flight data.

ADS-B transponder system and method

An innovative spraying system, comprising features such as a weather station that senses environmental factors that may affect spraying operations, a system for creating and distributing droplets of a uniform and appropriate size, a flow management system that would allow the sprayer to control nozzle rate and direction individually, a high-rate flow system capable of filling the sprayer at rates of up to at least 400 gallons per minute, a modular chemical cartridge system, in which various chemicals are stored in pre-loaded, easy to install cartridges, a direct injection system, mixing chemicals and water as needed, optionally based on sensed changing conditions, electrostatic application of chemical to optimize the amount of chemical applied to plant matter.

Innovative spraying system

A harvesting machine capable of automatic adjustment, comprising a plurality of acoustic material flow sensors, a control system, a processor, and application software, wherein the plurality of acoustic material flow sensors are mounted internal to the harvesting machine at points of crop material flow and are capable of sensing an amount of crop material passing by them. The control system operates in a cause-and-affect mode for interactively enabling manual or automatic responses to Mass Material Distribution (MMD) information and equipment-related performance parameters. An interactive combine control method is also provided.

Harvesting machine capable of automatic adjustment

A grain quality sensor comprising a photosite array, an illumination source, a filter, and an electronics module, wherein the illumination source directs light onto a crop sample, wherein the filter limits passage of light into different parts of the photosite array such that certain locations on the photosite array only receive certain wavelengths of light reflected or fluoresced by the crop sample, wherein an electronics module is electrically connected to the photosite array and capable of determining which parts of the photosite array received light and the wavelengths of the light received, wherein the electronics module can analyze the optical data received by the photosite array, and wherein the analysis of the optical data is used to determine the composition of the crop sample.

Grain quality sensor

A crop mass predictive sensor, comprising an imaging device, a laser-based device such as a LIDAR, a first radar emitting a frequency of energy that is absorbed by plant mass, and a second radar emitting a frequency of energy that passes through plant mass without being absorbed, wherein the imaging device, laser-based device, first radar, and second radar are focused on the crop material in front of an agricultural vehicle, and the information gathered from the imaging device, laser-based device, first radar, and second radar is used to calculate an estimated mass for the crop material that is about to enter the agricultural vehicle.

Look-ahead crop mass predictive sensor

A grain quality sensor comprising a lens, a filter, a photosite array, an illumination source, and an electronics module, wherein the illumination source directs light containing a known set of wavelengths onto a crop sample, wherein the lens picks up light reflected by the crop sample and directs it into the filter, which allows light to pass into different parts of the photosite array such that certain locations on the photosite array only get certain frequencies of the reflected light, wherein the electronics module is electrically connected to the photosite array and capable of determining which parts of the photosite array received light and what frequency the light received was, wherein the electronics module can analyze the optical data received by the photosite array, and wherein the analysis of the optical data is used to determine the composition of different parts of the crop sample.

A crop quality sensor, comprising an illumination source, an imaging device, and a processor executing application software. The illumination source is shone onto a crop sample, and an image is taken with the imaging device of the illuminated crop sample. The software executing on the processor is used to analyze the image to identify the outlines of individual kernels and to identify which of those outlines contain a specular highlight, indicative that the kernel is whole and unbroken, while the absence of such a specular highlight is indicative of a broken kernel.

Crop quality sensor based on specular reflectance

Growing community of inventors

West Fargo, ND, United States of America

Nicholas Lloyd Butts