公开(公告)号：US5831539A

公开(公告)日：1998-11-03

申请号：US956053

申请日：1997-10-22

申请人： John C. Thomas ,  Douglas L. Hauck ,  Christopher J. Skarie ,  Jon T. Jacobson ,  John D. Paulson ,  Trevor D. Fuss ,  Daryl N. Roehrich ,  Jeffrey G. Hopman

发明人： John C. Thomas ,  Douglas L. Hauck ,  Christopher J. Skarie ,  Jon T. Jacobson ,  John D. Paulson ,  Trevor D. Fuss ,  Daryl N. Roehrich ,  Jeffrey G. Hopman

IPC分类号： G08B21/00

CPC分类号： A01C7/105 ,  Y02P60/16

摘要： A particle blockage monitoring system employs a flexible piezoelectric particle sensor element in a portion of a particle flow path so that a number of particles traveling in the particle flow path strike the flexible particle sensor element while preventing damage to the particles and maintaining the forward momentum of all the particles in the particle flow path. In order to provide flexibility in monitoring particles of different types and to increase the information rate, the use of a one-shot multivibrator to temporarily store a particle detection signal as in the prior art is avoided. Also, serial sampling of the particle sensor data is avoided to increase the information rate. Instead, a comparator that includes a diode in a feedback loop so as to function as a latch is used in conjunction with a serial shift register that has parallel data input lines. This enables a microprocessor to monitor the output from a multiple-bit memory element which stores a digital representation of the outputs of plural sensor elements at a higher rate than attainable in the prior art. As a result of the increased rate at which information can be obtained from the particle sensor elements, the microprocessor can not only provide particle flow blockage status data but can also provide particle flow rates for the monitored particle flow paths.

摘要翻译： 颗粒堵塞监测系统在颗粒流动路径的一部分中使用柔性压电颗粒传感器元件，使得在颗粒流动路径中行进的颗粒数量抵抗柔性颗粒传感器元件，同时防止对颗粒的损害并保持向前的动量 粒子流动路径中的所有粒子。 为了提供监视不同类型的颗粒的灵活性并增加信息速率，避免了像现有技术一样使用单次多谐振荡器临时存储颗粒检测信号。 此外，避免了粒子传感器数据的串行采样以增加信息速率。 相反，在具有并行数据输入线的串行移位寄存器中使用包括反馈回路中的二极管以用作锁存器的比较器。 这使得微处理器能够监测来自存储多个传感器元件的输出的数字表示的多位存储器元件的输出以比现有技术中可获得的更高的速率。 作为从颗粒传感器元件获得信息的速率增加的结果，微处理器不仅可以提供粒子流阻塞状态数据，而且还可以为监测的粒子流动路径提供粒子流速。

公开(公告)号：US5831542A

公开(公告)日：1998-11-03

申请号：US883853

申请日：1997-06-27

申请人： John C. Thomas ,  Douglas L. Hauck ,  Christopher J. Skarie ,  Jon T. Jacobson ,  John D. Paulson ,  Trevor D. Fuss ,  Daryl N. Roehrich

发明人： John C. Thomas ,  Douglas L. Hauck ,  Christopher J. Skarie ,  Jon T. Jacobson ,  John D. Paulson ,  Trevor D. Fuss ,  Daryl N. Roehrich

IPC分类号： G08B21/00

CPC分类号： A01C7/105 ,  Y02P60/16

摘要： A seed blockage monitoring system employs a flexible, generally flat piezoelectric seed sensor element inserted at an acute angle of about 13 degrees into a seed flow path so that a portion of seeds traveling in the seed flow path strike the seed sensor element, preventing damage to the seeds and maintaining forward momentum of all seeds in the seed flow path. In order to provide flexibility in monitoring seeds of different types and to increase the data rate that information can be obtained from numerous multiple seed sensor elements, the use of a one-shot to temporarily store a seed detection signal and serial sampling of the temporarily stored signals from the sensors as in the prior art is avoided. Instead, a comparator that includes a diode in a feedback loop so as to function as a latch is used in conjunction with a serial shift register that has parallel data input lines. This enables the microprocessor to monitor outputs from one or more sensor elements, or a digital representation thereof, at a higher rate than attainable in the prior art seed blockage monitors. As a result of the increased rate at which information can be obtained from the seed sensor elements, the microprocessor can not only provide seed blockage data but can also provide relative flow data for the various monitored seed flow paths and compute an overall seeding rate.

摘要翻译： 种子堵塞监测系统使用以约13度的锐角插入种子流动路径中的柔性的，基本平坦的压电种子传感器元件，使得在种子流动路径中行进的一部分种子撞击种子传感器元件，防止损害 种子和种子流动路径中所有种子的前进势头。 为了提供监视不同类型的种子的灵活性并且增加可以从多个种子传感器元件获得信息的数据速率，使用一次性来临时存储种子检测信号和暂时存储的种子检测信号的串行采样 避免了像现有技术那样来自传感器的信号。 相反，在具有并行数据输入线的串行移位寄存器中使用包括反馈回路中的二极管以用作锁存器的比较器。 这使得微处理器以比现有技术的种子阻塞监视器中可获得的更高的速率来监视来自一个或多个传感器元件的输出或其数字表示。 作为可以从种子传感器元件获得信息的速率增加的结果，微处理器不仅可以提供种子阻塞数据，而且还可以为各种监视的种子流动路径提供相对流动数据，并计算整体播种速率。

公开(公告)号：US5831541A

公开(公告)日：1998-11-03

申请号：US855625

申请日：1997-05-14

申请人： John D. Paulson ,  Trevor D. Fuss ,  Jeffrey G. Hopman ,  John C. Thomas

发明人： John D. Paulson ,  Trevor D. Fuss ,  Jeffrey G. Hopman ,  John C. Thomas

IPC分类号： G08B21/00

CPC分类号： A01C7/105

摘要： A method and circuit for determining whether a sensor 2 is attached to a connection point 5 of a sensor interface circuit 1 of a seed monitoring system. When it is desired to determine whether a sensor is attached to a connection point, the method applies a time varying detection signal at terminal 3 to the connection point 5 via a reactive element, such as capacitor 4. The connection point 5 is connected to a first input of a comparator 9 having its other input set at a first reference voltage which maintains the comparator in a first state in the absence of a detection signal being applied. Even when a detection signal is applied, the comparator is not driven into a second state if an operable sensor is connected to the connection point 5. When the sensor is not connected to the connection point, or is inoperable, the voltage produced by the detection signal at the first input of the comparator is high enough to trip the comparator into a second state, which may be latched. Thus, the interface output 7 following a detection signal provides an indication whether an operable sensor is connected to the seed monitoring system at the connection point 5. In a preferred embodiment, the comparator may be selectively switched to a second reference voltage. In this condition, the interface output 7 is indicative of a seed being sensed by a sensor connected to the connection point 5.

摘要翻译： 一种用于确定传感器2是否连接到种子监视系统的传感器接口电路1的连接点5的方法和电路。 当希望确定传感器是否连接到连接点时，该方法通过诸如电容器4的电抗元件在端子3处向连接点5施加时变检测信号。连接点5连接到 比较器9的第一输入，其另一个输入设置在第一参考电压，其在不施加检测信号的情况下将比较器保持在第一状态。 即使施加了检测信号，如果可操作的传感器连接到连接点5，则比较器也不会被驱动到第二状态。当传感器未连接到连接点或不可操作时，由检测产生的电压 在比较器的第一输入处的信号足够高以使比较器跳到第二状态，这可以被锁存。 因此，跟随检测信号的接口输出7提供在连接点5处可操作传感器是否连接到种子监视系统的指示。在优选实施例中，可以将比较器选择性地切换到第二参考电压。 在这种情况下，接口输出7指示由连接到连接点5的传感器感测到的种子。

公开(公告)号：US5923262A

公开(公告)日：1999-07-13

申请号：US946673

申请日：1997-10-07

申请人： Trevor D. Fuss ,  Paul R. Bramel ,  Jason J. Wanner

发明人： Trevor D. Fuss ,  Paul R. Bramel ,  Jason J. Wanner

IPC分类号： A01C7/08 ,  G08B21/00

CPC分类号： A01C7/081 ,  Y02P60/16 ,  Y10S111/903 ,  Y10S56/15

摘要： Computer implemented methods for determining blocked and partially blocked conditions in the flow of particulate matter in an agricultural air seeding system are disclosed which automatically adapt for changes in seed type, seed density, fan rate or seed rate. In a first embodiment, the number of samples that are taken before making a determination of the blockage condition is varied depending on the number of seed events that have been detected in a given time interval. In a second embodiment, one or more criteria such as the maximum number of samples to wait for an event, the value a sensor filter must reach before the method determines a blockage sensor to be BLOCKED, or the value a sensor filter must reach when in the blocked state before the method determines the sensor is no longer blocked is varied depending on a smoothed value of the number of seed events that are detected per sampling period.

摘要翻译： 公开了用于确定农业空气播种系统中的颗粒物质流动中阻塞和部分阻塞状态的计算机实施方法，其自动适应种子种类，种子密度，风扇速率或种子速率的变化。 在第一实施例中，根据在给定时间间隔内检测到的种子事件的数量，改变在确定阻塞状态之前所采样的样本数。 在第二实施例中，一个或多个标准，例如等待事件的最大采样数量，传感器滤波器在该方法确定要阻塞的阻塞传感器之前必须达到的值，或者当传感器滤波器在 该方法确定传感器不再阻塞的阻塞状态根据每采样周期检测到的种子事件数量的平滑值而变化。