Grain aeration systems and techniques

Abstract

In one embodiment, the invention is directed toward a networked grain aeration control system. For example, the system can provide centralized monitoring of the aeration of a number of grain storage facilities, thereby improving the management of stored grain. The networked grain aeration control system can allow the custodian of the system to offer an aeration service. Farmers, or other individuals, cooperatives, or companies can purchase the aeration service at a cost proportionate to the amount of stored grain to be aerated and the duration of storage. In this manner, the purchaser of the aeration service can avoid relatively high fixed costs that can be associated with various aeration hardware.

1 - 41 . (canceled) 
     
     
         42 : A computer-implemented method for determining a control policy for at least one controller of a crop storage facility, the computer-implemented method comprising:
 obtaining a crop objective on a central computer;   obtaining, on the central computer, at least one crop storage condition value associated with a crop stored in the crop storage facility that is in network communication with the central computer;   causing a processor of the central computer to determine a control policy configured to control the at least one controller of the crop storage facility to facilitate the crop objective on the crop stored in the crop storage facility, wherein the determined control policy is at least partially based on the obtained crop objective and the at least one crop storage condition value; and   causing the processor of the central computer to send the control policy to the at least one controller of the crop storage facility.   
     
     
         43 : The computer-implemented method of  claim 42 , wherein the crop objective includes a targeted crop rating. 
     
     
         44 : The computer-implemented method of  claim 43 , wherein causing the processor of the central computer to determine the control policy includes obtaining crop rating criteria for the targeted crop rating and determining the control policy to facilitate the targeted crop rating according to the crop rating criteria. 
     
     
         45 : The computer-implemented method of  claim 42 , wherein the crop objective includes at least one member of a group comprising: a targeted moisture content, a targeted temperature and a targeted weight. 
     
     
         46 : The computer-implemented method of  claim 42 , wherein the crop objective includes at least one member of a group comprising: a targeted storage time and a targeted delivery location. 
     
     
         47 : The computer-implemented method of  claim 42 , wherein the at least one crop storage condition value includes at least one member of a group comprising: a crop temperature value, a crop moisture content value, a crop type value, a crop humidity value, a crop blend value, a crop static pressure value, and a crop quantity value. 
     
     
         48 : The computer-implemented method of  claim 42 , wherein the at least one crop storage condition value includes at least one member of a group comprising: a temperature value, a humidity value, and a barometric value. 
     
     
         49 : The computer-implemented method of  claim 42 , wherein the at least one crop storage condition value includes at least one member of a group comprising: a facility capacity value, a facility dimensions value, a controller type, a fan type, a fan quantity, a fan performance, and a fan size. 
     
     
         50 : The computer-implemented method of  claim 42 , wherein causing the processor of the central computer to determine a control policy configured to control the at least one controller of the crop storage facility to facilitate the crop objective on the crop stored in the crop storage facility further includes obtaining power load information from a power supplier of the crop storage facility, wherein scheduling associated with the control policy is at least partially based on the load information from the power supplier of the crop storage facility. 
     
     
         51 : The computer-implemented method of  claim 42 , wherein causing the processor of the central computer to determine a control policy configured to control the at least one controller of the crop storage facility to facilitate the crop objective on the crop stored in the crop storage facility further includes configuring the control policy with at least one member of a group comprising: temperature band values, humidity band values, truncated temperature band values, truncated humidity band values, offsets for fan heat based on theoretical values, offsets for fan heat based on static pressure values, and offsets for fan heat based on measured values. 
     
     
         52 : A computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable instructions for determining a control policy for at least one controller of a crop storage facility, the computer-executable instructions comprising:
 obtaining a crop objective;   obtaining at least one crop storage condition value associated with a crop stored in the crop storage facility;   determining a control policy configured to control at least one controller of the crop storage facility to facilitate the crop objective on the crop stored in the crop storage facility,   wherein the determined control policy is at least partially based on the obtained crop objective and the at least one crop storage condition value; and   sending the control policy to the at least one controller of the crop storage facility.   
     
     
         53 : The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 52 , wherein the crop objective includes at least one member of a group comprising: a targeted crop rating, a targeted moisture content, a targeted temperature, a targeted weight, a targeted storage time, and a targeted delivery location. 
     
     
         54 : The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 52 , wherein the at least one crop storage condition value includes at least one member of a group comprising: a crop temperature value, a crop moisture content value, a crop type value, a crop blend value, a crop static pressure value, a crop humidity value, a crop quantity value, a temperature value, a humidity value, a barometric value, a facility capacity value, a facility dimensions value, a controller type, a fan type, a fan quantity, a fan performance, and a fan size. 
     
     
         55 : The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 52 , wherein determining a control policy configured to control the at least one controller of the crop storage facility to facilitate the crop objective on the crop stored in the crop storage facility further includes configuring the control policy according to at least one member of a group comprising: crop rating criteria values, power load information, temperature band values, humidity band values, truncated temperature band values, truncated humidity band values, offsets for controller heat based on theoretical values, offsets for controller heat based on actual values, offsets for fan heat based on theoretical values, offsets for fan heat based on static pressure values, and offsets for fan heat based on measured values. 
     
     
         56 : The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 52 , further comprising storing a history of at least one member of a group comprising: the crop objective, the at least one crop storage condition value, and the control policy. 
     
     
         57 : A system for determining a control policy for at least one controller of a crop storage facility, the system comprising:
 at least one processor; and   at least one memory having computer executable instructions stored thereon, wherein the computer executable instructions are configured for:
 obtaining a crop objective, 
 obtaining at least one crop storage condition value associated with a crop stored in the crop storage facility, 
 determining a control policy configured to control at least one controller of the crop storage facility to facilitate the crop objective on the crop stored in the crop storage facility, wherein the determined control policy is at least partially based on the obtained crop objective and the at least one crop storage condition value, and 
 sending the control policy to the at least one controller of the crop storage facility. 
   
     
     
         58 : The system of  claim 57 , wherein the crop objective includes at least one member of a group comprising: a targeted crop rating, a targeted moisture content, a targeted temperature, a targeted weight, a targeted storage time, and a targeted delivery location. 
     
     
         59 : The system of  claim 57 , wherein the at least one crop storage condition value includes at least one member of a group comprising: a crop temperature value, a crop moisture content value, a crop type value, a crop humidity value, a crop blend value, a crop static pressure value, a crop quantity value, a temperature value, a humidity value, a barometric value, a facility capacity value, a facility dimension value, a controller type, a fan type, a fan quantity, a fan performance, and a fan size. 
     
     
         60 : The system of  claim 57 , wherein determining a control policy configured to control the at least one controller of the crop storage facility to facilitate the crop objective on the crop stored in the crop storage facility further includes configuring the control policy according to at least one member of a group comprising: crop rating criteria values, electric power demand information, temperature band values, humidity band values, truncated temperature band values, truncated humidity band values, offsets for fan heat based on theoretical values, offsets for fan hat based on static pressure, and offsets for fan heat based on measured values. 
     
     
         61 : The system of  claim 57 , further comprising storing a history of at least one member of a group comprising: the crop objective, the at least one crop storage condition value, and the control policy.