Farming data collection and exchange system

Abstract

Various embodiments provide a relay device for farming vehicles and implements, as well as an online farming data exchange, which together enable capturing, processing and sharing of the farming operation data generated during combined use of the farming vehicle and farming implement at a farming business. The farming operation data includes detailed information about individual farming operations.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A relay device for tracking farming operations for a farming business, comprising:
 a microprocessor;   a connector for connecting the relay device to a message path on a farming device, the message path carrying messages generated by the farming device according to a communications protocol, the messages generated while the farming device is used to perform a farming operation;   a global positioning system (GPS) receiver that receives a position of the relay device from space-based satellites while the farming operation is performed;   a computer program comprising programming instructions that, when executed by the microprocessor, will cause the microprocessor to:
 monitor the messages received by the connector; 
 extract content from one or more messages transmitted on the message path; 
 generate a set of operating events associated with the farming operation, the set of operating events generated using the extracted content, the position signals and the communication protocol; 
   a transmitting device for transmitting the set of operating events from the relay device to a remotely located farming data exchange system communicatively coupled to the transmitting device via a network.   
     
     
         2 . The relay device of  claim 1 , wherein the message path is a message bus. 
     
     
         3 . The relay device of  claim 1 , wherein the connector is a bus connector. 
     
     
         4 . The relay device of  claim 1 , wherein the farming device comprises at least one of a farming vehicle and a farming implement attached to farming device. 
     
     
         4 . The relay device of  claim 1 , wherein the communications protocol is the ISOBUS 11783 standard. 
     
     
         5 . The relay device of  claim 4 , where extracting the content from one or more messages transmitted on the message path comprises:
 extracting from the messages a VT object message comprising at least one VT object number each associated with an operating parameter of the farming device.   
     
     
         6 . The relay device of  claim 5 , wherein generating one of the operating events in the set comprises:
 adding information from the VT object message to the operating event in a different format from a format associated with the communication protocol.   
     
     
         7 . The relay device of  claim 6 ,
 wherein the VT object message comprises a name field identifying an electronic control unit (ECU) sending the message; and   wherein the added information includes the name of the ECU sending the message.   
     
     
         8 . The relay device of  claim 4 , wherein monitoring the messages received by the connector comprises:
 identifying the relay device on the message path as a task controller; and   receiving the a VT object pool over the message path from the farming device.   
     
     
         9 . The relay device of  claim 8 , where extracting the content from one or more messages transmitted on the message path comprises:
 comparing the content extracted from the messages against the VT object pool for the farming device to identify a farming operation associated with the message.   
     
     
         10 . The relay device of  claim 1 , wherein generating one of the operating events in the set comprises:
 adding the position of the relay device to the operating event.   
     
     
         11 . The relay device of  claim 10 , wherein the position includes at least one of a global positioning coordinate and a latitude coordinate together with a longitude coordinate. 
     
     
         12 . The relay device of  claim 1 ,
 where extracting the content from one or more messages transmitted on the message path comprises:
 assigning a timestamp to each message. 
   wherein generating one of the operating events in the set comprises:
 adding the timestamp to the operating event. 
   
     
     
         13 . A server system for collecting and processing farming operation data for a farming business, the server system comprising:
 a database configured to store:
 a user account; 
 an electronic farming record for the farming business, the electronic farming record including entries representing farming operations performed at the farming business; 
 a farming device profile for a farming device, the device profile defining a device class, a version, and a communication protocol for communicating with the farming implement over a message path; 
   a controller configured to receive and store in the database operating event messages produced by a relay device associated with the user account, each message comprising:
 an operating event indicating a parameter of the farming device carrying out a farming operation in a field, the operating event based on electronic control unit (ECU) messages received by the relay device across a message path from the farming device; 
   a computer program comprising programming instructions that, when executed by the microprocessor, will cause the microprocessor to:
 create a new entry in the electronic farming record, the new entry including an identifier for the operating event and the operating event from the message. 
   
     
     
         14 . The server system of  claim 1 , wherein the farming device comprises at least one of a farming vehicle and a farming implement attached to farming device. 
     
     
         14 . The server system of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the relay device is physically attached to the farming device;   wherein the relay device is physically remote from the server system; and   
     
     
         15 . The server system of  claim 1 , wherein each message further comprises:
 a timestamp associated with the operating event of the message; and   a position of the relay device associated with the operating event of the message.   
     
     
         16 . The server system of  claim 1 , wherein the instructions are further configured to cause the microprocessor to:
 associate the new entry with a job identifier, the job associated with the electronic farming record.   
     
     
         17 . The server system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a report generator that formats at least a portion of the entries in the electronic farming record and transmits the formatted information to be provided for display on a display device.