Ticket-Based Harvest Life Cycle Information Management: System and Method

Abstract

A system and method is presented for gathering data concerning harvests. Data tickets are generated at a point of origination (i.e., the field), local storage, processing, or a customer location. Data tickets may also be generated for supplies delivered to the field. Implements attached to a vehicle in the field (e.g., a tractor) may provide data over a vehicle communication bus about how a field processing task was performed. Data may be extracted from the bus to use in preparing a field processing ticket, possibly in combination with manual entry from field personnel. A harvest data tracking system, based on data tickets, may be used to track the complete life cycle of crop production.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A method, comprising:
 a) extracting a value from a wired communications bus on a farm vehicle performing a task, the value being indicative of a quantity of a material carried by the farm vehicle to perform the task;   b) receiving user input on a physical user interface of a computing device, the user input relating to the task;   c) at the computing device, preparing a data ticket containing data relating to the task, the data ticket containing first data derived from the value extracted from the wired-communications bus and second data derived from the user input received on the physical user interface; and   d) transmitting the data ticket onto a digital communication network.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising performing the task using the farm vehicle, the task selected from the set consisting of planting, fertilizing, harvesting, cutting, baling, applying herbicide, and applying pesticide. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the value is indicative of a change of the quantity of material. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the value is indicative of a rate of application of material. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the value is indicative of the weight of crop carried by the farm vehicle. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein step a) extracts a plurality of values over a time period. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising analyzing the plurality of values to generate the first data, wherein the analyzing is selected from a set of analysis tasks consisting of subsampling, summarizing, and combining multiple types of data. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the wired communication bus is an ISOBUS or other CAN bus. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the user input specifies a process used in performing the task. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the computing device is selected from a set consisting of a portable computer, a tablet computer, and a cell phone. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising the step of identifying discrepancies between the value and the user input. 
     
     
         13 . A method, comprising:
 a) performing, using an implement attached to a farm vehicle, a task selected from the set consisting of planting, fertilizing, harvesting, cutting, baling, applying herbicide, and applying pesticide;   b) transmitting an implement value from an implement over a wired communications bus on a farm vehicle, the implement value indicative of an amount of material related to the performed task;   c) receiving, by a data extraction device, the implement value from the wired communication bus;   d) generating a field-task ticket describing the results of the task using the implement value received by the data extraction device;   b) interpreting a received wireless signal as a triggering event; and   e) upon detection of the triggering event, transferring the field-task ticket onto a digital communication network.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the triggering event indicates proximity to another vehicle or to a structure. 
     
     
         15 . A method, comprising:
 a) at a computing device, receiving a value that was extracted from a wired communications bus on a farm vehicle performing a task, the value being indicative of a quantity of a material carried by the farm vehicle;   b) at the computing device, receiving user input on a physical user interface of the computing device, the user input relating to the task performed by the farm vehicle;   c) at the computing device, preparing a data ticket containing data relating to the task, the data ticket containing first data derived from the value extracted from the wired-communications bus and second data derived from the user input received on the physical user interface; and   d) transmitting the data ticket onto a digital communication network.