Joseph M Heilman

US Patent:

20230023035, Jan 26, 2023

Filed:

Jul 6, 2022

Appl. No.:

17/811044

Inventors:

- Fargo ND, US
Joseph A. Heilman - Fargo ND, US

International Classification:

B05B 12/08
G08B 21/18

Abstract:

A monitoring system for an agricultural sprayer includes a spray nozzle, a pressure sensor, a flow rate sensor, and control circuitry. The spray nozzle is configured to generate a spray of a fluid, the pressure sensor is adjacent to the spray nozzle and is configured to measure a pressure of the fluid sprayed by the spray nozzle, and the flow rate sensor is adjacent to the spray nozzle and is configured to measure a flow rate of the fluid sprayed by the spray nozzle. The control circuitry is configured to receive the measured pressure from the pressure sensor, receive the measured flow rate from the flow rate sensor, and cause a user interface to display the measured pressure and the measured flow rate. Related methods and systems are also disclosed.

US Patent:

20230025803, Jan 26, 2023

Filed:

Jul 6, 2022

Appl. No.:

17/811015

Inventors:

- Fargo ND, US
Joseph A. Heilman - Fargo ND, US

International Classification:

B05B 12/08
B05B 12/12
A01M 7/00

Abstract:

A monitoring system for an agricultural sprayer includes a spray nozzle, a pressure sensor, a flow rate sensor, and control circuitry. The spray nozzle is configured to generate a spray of a fluid, the pressure sensor is adjacent to the spray nozzle and is configured to measure a pressure of the fluid sprayed by the spray nozzle, and the flow rate sensor is adjacent to the spray nozzle and is configured to measure a flow rate of the fluid sprayed by the spray nozzle. The control circuitry is configured to receive the measured pressure from the pressure sensor, receive the measured flow rate from the flow rate sensor, and cause a user interface to display the measured pressure and the measured flow rate. Related methods and systems are also disclosed.

US Patent:

20230022504, Jan 26, 2023

Filed:

Jul 6, 2022

Appl. No.:

17/811031

Inventors:

- Fargo ND, US
Joseph A. Heilman - Fargo ND, US

International Classification:

A01M 7/00
A01B 79/00
B05B 12/00

Abstract:

A method of monitoring agricultural spray performance includes spraying a fluid from spray nozzles, sensing spray parameters (e.g., droplet size, a flow rate, an application density, or a pressure of the fluid) for the spray nozzles, receiving the spray parameters, generating an average spray parameter value, determining a minimum spray parameter value and a maximum spray parameter value, and displaying the average, minimum, and maximum spray parameter values. Other methods include spraying a fluid from a spray nozzle, sensing a spray parameter for the spray nozzle, detecting that the spray parameter has exceeded a pre-defined threshold value, displaying an alarm, and ceasing spraying the fluid from the spray nozzle. A user interface continues to display the alarm after the act of ceasing spraying the fluid. Related systems and other methods are also disclosed.

US Patent:

20180111148, Apr 26, 2018

Filed:

Mar 9, 2016

Appl. No.:

15/557444

Inventors:

- Fargo ND, US
Barry D. Batcheller - West Fargo ND, US
Marshall T. Bremer - Fargo ND, US
Bradley R. Thurow - Fargo ND, US
Nicholas L. Butts - West Fargo ND, US
Jeffrey L. Johnson - West Fargo ND, US
Paul A. Nystuen - West Fargo ND, US
Joseph A. Heilman - Fargo ND, US
Robert J. Volesky - West Fargo ND, US
Jonathan L. Tolstedt - Seattle WA, US

International Classification:

B05B 12/02
A01M 7/00
A01M 21/04
B05B 1/20
B05B 12/12
B05B 12/14
B05B 13/00
A01C 23/04

Abstract:

An innovative spraying system, comprising features such as a weather station that senses environmental factors that may affect spraying operations, a system for creating and distributing droplets of a uniform and appropriate size, a flow management system that would allow the sprayer to control nozzle rate and direction individually, a high-rate flow system capable of filling the sprayer at rates of up to at least 400 gallons per minute, a modular chemical cartridge system, in which various chemicals are stored in pre-loaded, easy to install cartridges, a direct injection system, mixing chemicals and water as needed, optionally based on sensed changing conditions, electrostatic application of chemical to optimize the amount of chemical applied to plant matter.

US Patent:

20160071419, Mar 10, 2016

Filed:

Sep 10, 2015

Appl. No.:

14/850636

Inventors:

- Fargo ND, US
Joseph A. Heilman - Fargo ND, US

International Classification:

G08G 5/00

Abstract:

A system for managing user requests for information obtained by an unmanned aerial vehicle, comprising an internet-based user input device, an internet-based information request database application, an internet-based do-not-fly database application, an internet-based flight plan notification system application in communications with an existing, external aircraft safety system, and a communications link to an unmanned aerial vehicle, wherein a user can enter a request for information into the user input device, which sends the request for information to the information request database application, which processes the request for information by evaluating the request for information against information from the do-not-fly database application and information from the flight plan notification system to create a flight profile. The flight profile is then communicated to the unmanned aerial vehicle and to the flight plan notification system, wherein the flight plan notification system communicates the flight plan to the existing, external aircraft safety system.

US Patent:

20160071420, Mar 10, 2016

Filed:

Sep 10, 2015

Appl. No.:

14/850669

Inventors:

- Fargo ND, US
Joseph A. Heilman - Fargo ND, US

International Classification:

G08G 5/00

Abstract:

An opt-out privacy management system for an unmanned aerial vehicle flight planning application, comprising an internet-based user input device, an internet-based opt-out request management application, and an internet-based do-not-fly database application in communication with an existing, external aircraft safety system, wherein a user can enter a property opt-out request into the user input device, which sends the property opt-out request to the do-not-fly database application, and the do-not-fly database application communicates the property opt-out request to the at least one existing, external aircraft safety system.

US Patent:

20140379228, Dec 25, 2014

Filed:

Jun 23, 2014

Appl. No.:

14/312475

Inventors:

- Fargo ND, US
Joseph A. Heilman - Fargo ND, US
David C. Batcheller - Fargo ND, US
Robert V. Weinmann - Wahpeton ND, US
Jeffrey L. Johnson - West Fargo ND, US
Paul D. Johnson - Fargo ND, US
Paul A. Nystuen - West Fargo ND, US

International Classification:

A01C 21/00
A01B 79/02
A01B 79/00
A01B 49/06
A01C 5/06

US Classification:

701 50, 111170, 111149, 702 2

Abstract:

An agricultural planting system and method comprising a soil sampling and analysis means, wherein soil samples are taken and analyzed in real-time during a planting operation (or, optionally, via a separate, prior operation) to determine the conditions and nutrient content of the soil, and a planting system, wherein the planting system is capable of planting seeds in any arbitrary position on an X-Y plane directly beneath the planting system, whereby the data gathered from the analyzed soil samples is used to determine the optimal placement of seeds or plants in a field in order to take advantage of the soil conditions present and to optimize crop yield.

US Patent:

20140347482, Nov 27, 2014

Filed:

Jun 9, 2014

Appl. No.:

14/299979

Inventors:

Robert V. Weinmann - Wahpeton ND, US
Joshua N. Gelinske - Fargo ND, US
Robert M. Allen - Reiles Acres ND, US
Johan A. Wiig - Paris, FR
Joseph A. Heilman - Fargo ND, US
Jeffrey L. Johnson - West Fargo ND, US
Jonathan L. Tolstedt - Fargo ND, US

Assignee:

Appareo Systems, LLC - Fargo ND

International Classification:

B64D 43/00
H04N 5/247
G06T 7/00
B64C 39/02

US Classification:

348144

Abstract:

A system and method of acquiring information from an image of a vehicle in real time wherein at least one imaging device with advanced light metering capabilities is placed aboard a unmanned aerial vehicle, a computer processor means is provided to control the imaging device and the advanced light metering capabilities, the advanced light metering capabilities are used to capture an image of at least a portion of the unmanned aerial vehicle, and image recognition algorithms are used to identify the current state or position of the corresponding portion of the unmanned aerial vehicle.