Measuring spatial variability in soil characteristics

Patent · Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2002

OSTI ID:874952

Hoskinson, Reed L ^[1]; Svoboda, John M ^[2]; Sawyer, J Wayne ^[3]; Hess, John R ^[4]; Hess, J Richard ^[2]

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1. Rigby, ID
2. Idaho Falls, ID
3. Hampton, VA
4. Ashton, ID

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.

• Research Organization: Idaho National Laboratory (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC07-94ID13223
• Assignee: Bechtel BWXT Idaho, LLC (Idaho Falls, ID)
• Patent Number(s): US 6497153
• OSTI ID: 874952
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

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
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