Louis J Meyer

US Patent:

20190195788, Jun 27, 2019

Filed:

Dec 21, 2017

Appl. No.:

15/851209

Inventors:

- San Francisco CA, US
LOUIS JOHN MEYER - Creve Coeur MO, US

International Classification:

G01N 21/3563
G01N 21/33
G05B 19/418
G06F 17/50
G06Q 50/02
H04L 29/08

Abstract:

In an embodiment, an apparatus for sensing soil characteristics comprises a circular wheel frame that is capable of rotation in an agricultural field; at least one first arcuate tread segment that is affixed to an outer rim of the wheel frame and constitutes a soil contacting bearing surface when the apparatus is in contact with soil; at least one recess in the outer rim of the wheel frame; a circuit board within the wheel frame and having at least a first receptacle that is radially aligned with the at least one recesses; at least one removable sensor comprising one or more first sensing elements, a first plug that mates to the first receptacle of the circuit board, and a second arcuate tread segment and configured to mount in the at least one recess with the second arcuate tread segment aligned with the first arcuate tread segment to form a continuous tread; a power supply coupled to the at least one removable sensor through the connector; means coupled to the power supply for wirelessly transmitting data obtained from the at least one removable sensor to a host computer that is separate from the apparatus.