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Title: Measuring spatial variability in soil characteristics

Abstract

The present invention provides systems and methods for measuring a load force associated with pulling a farm implement through soil that is used to generate a spatially variable map that represents the spatial variability of the physical characteristics of the soil. An instrumented hitch pin configured to measure a load force is provided that measures the load force generated by a farm implement when the farm implement is connected with a tractor and pulled through or across soil. Each time a load force is measured, a global positioning system identifies the location of the measurement. This data is stored and analyzed to generate a spatially variable map of the soil. This map is representative of the physical characteristics of the soil, which are inferred from the magnitude of the load force.

Inventors:
 [1];  [2];  [3];  [4];  [2]
  1. Rigby, ID
  2. Idaho Falls, ID
  3. Hampton, VA
  4. Ashton, ID
Issue Date:
Research Org.:
Idaho National Laboratory (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)
OSTI Identifier:
874952
Patent Number(s):
6497153
Assignee:
Bechtel BWXT Idaho, LLC (Idaho Falls, ID)
Patent Classifications (CPCs):
A - HUMAN NECESSITIES A01 - AGRICULTURE A01B - SOIL WORKING IN AGRICULTURE OR FORESTRY
G - PHYSICS G01 - MEASURING G01N - INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
DOE Contract Number:  
AC07-94ID13223
Resource Type:
Patent
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
measuring; spatial; variability; soil; characteristics; provides; systems; methods; load; force; associated; pulling; farm; implement; generate; spatially; variable; map; represents; physical; instrumented; hitch; configured; measure; provided; measures; generated; connected; tractor; pulled; time; measured; global; positioning; identifies; location; measurement; data; stored; analyzed; representative; inferred; magnitude; /73/

Citation Formats

Hoskinson, Reed L, Svoboda, John M, Sawyer, J Wayne, Hess, John R, and Hess, J Richard. Measuring spatial variability in soil characteristics. United States: N. p., 2002. Web.
Hoskinson, Reed L, Svoboda, John M, Sawyer, J Wayne, Hess, John R, & Hess, J Richard. Measuring spatial variability in soil characteristics. United States.
Hoskinson, Reed L, Svoboda, John M, Sawyer, J Wayne, Hess, John R, and Hess, J Richard. Tue . "Measuring spatial variability in soil characteristics". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/874952.
@article{osti_874952,
title = {Measuring spatial variability in soil characteristics},
author = {Hoskinson, Reed L and Svoboda, John M and Sawyer, J Wayne and Hess, John R and Hess, J Richard},
abstractNote = {The present invention provides systems and methods for measuring a load force associated with pulling a farm implement through soil that is used to generate a spatially variable map that represents the spatial variability of the physical characteristics of the soil. An instrumented hitch pin configured to measure a load force is provided that measures the load force generated by a farm implement when the farm implement is connected with a tractor and pulled through or across soil. Each time a load force is measured, a global positioning system identifies the location of the measurement. This data is stored and analyzed to generate a spatially variable map of the soil. This map is representative of the physical characteristics of the soil, which are inferred from the magnitude of the load force.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {2002},
month = {1}
}