System and method for control and audit of chemical products application made by vehicles

Abstract

The present invention relates to a system for control and audit of chemical products application made by vehicles for the agriculture, pestilence, plague, or insects control, or other chemical applications in determined areas to receive these chemical products such the agrochemical application made by manned or unmanned vehicles, being these vehicles aerial, land or watercraft with the aim of treating soil and/or seeds and/or plants characterized by the system comprises a web server running an application; a database application; an internet communication method between the application cloud environment and its end users; desktop computers running web browsers; mobile devices to access the application through the internet; and a GPS device from where GPS files are collected by a device, being the GPS embedded in a vehicle where these files are used as input data for generating the final application reports which contains all detailed information about how much and in which areas (plots) the product was applied.

1 . SYSTEM FOR CONTROL AND AUDIT OF CHEMICAL PRODUCTS APPLICATION MADE BY VEHICLES characterized by the system comprises
 a web server running an application ( 1 ), this web server also provides file system storage for this application;   a database application ( 2 ) responsible for all the information used in the application ( 1 ), where this database server ( 2 ) can be running inside the same physical server or in another one;   an internet communication method ( 3 ) between the application ( 1 ) cloud environment and its end users;   desktop computers ( 4 ) running web browsers where it is possible to upload the GPS collected files ( 6 ) containing all the information necessary to generate the final application report ( 7 );   mobile devices ( 5 ) to access the application ( 1 ) through the internet ( 3 ) where the user is able to view previously generated reports as well as other related information; and a   GPS device from where GPS files ( 6 ) are collected by a device, being the GPS embedded in a vehicle where these files are used as input data for generating the final application reports ( 7 ) which contains all detailed information about how much and in which areas (plots) the product was applied, financial information about the relation between products/dosage/costs, success rate for the application, property name, pilot, aircraft, total costs, success costs, application's beginning/ending date and time, average application speed, application spray width, total traveled distance, total plots area, total application area, external application costs, application rate, overlap area, success area, external area, not covered area and success rate;   wherein the system process starts, step ( 101 ), by a pre-processing routine to initialize the application variables;   then, step ( 102 ), the user is prompted to inform which plots the chemical product application was supposed to be done; next, the system will load, from the desktop web application ( 4 ) to the application ( 1 ) through the internet ( 3 ), each plot polygon area, based on previously georeferenced imported files;   the application's sprays polygons are loaded from the GPS input files ( 6 ), step ( 103 ), the raw GPS log files, of the embedded GPS in the vehicle, is acquired from the GPS device by using a flash drive directly connected to the device's USB port and the user must use the export function of the GPS embed system to copy the files to the flash drive and after that the user upload the GPS input files ( 6 ) to the application ( 1 ) from the desktop web application ( 4 );   the chemical product application, step ( 104 ), traveled path is also loaded from the GPS input files ( 6 );   the information, step ( 105 ), about company, pilot/driver information are also collected by the user;   the list, step ( 106 ), provided by the user containing each applied product, dosage and costs is also loaded into memory for the financial report;   with all needed information, step ( 107 ), collected from the desktop web application ( 4 ) by the user and loaded into memory at the application ( 1 ), the system can now start processing the application report ( 7 );   the application, step ( 108 ), beginning/ending date and time are read from the GPS input files ( 6 );   the application's average spray width, step ( 109 ), is loaded from the GPS input files ( 6 );   the vehicle traveled distance, step ( 110 ), is calculated by the traveled path from the GPS input file ( 6 );   the chemical product application's average speed, step ( 111 ), is calculated based on the GPS input file ( 6 );   the system generates, step ( 112 ), a new polygon based on the union between all the applied plots informed by the user, this is the supposed goal target area for the application and all next calculations are done based on this resulting polygon;   the area in hectares, step ( 113 ), is calculated for this resulting polygon;   the system also generates, step ( 114 ), a new polygon resulting by the union between all chemical product application sprays;   the area, step ( 115 ), of the resulting application spray polygon is calculated;   calculate, step ( 116 ), the resulting polygon for the overlap application spray areas, the overlap area id caused when the application is done more than twice in the same region, causing waste of applied products;   calculate, step ( 117 ), the resulting polygon of no application area, this indicates areas that were not covered by any spray application;   the system, step ( 118 ), can now calculate the successfully applied polygon, this indicates areas inside the plots informed by the user that actually were covered by the application;   the external application polygon, step ( 119 ), is calculated and indicates areas outside the plots indicated by the user, it also represents waste of applied products;   based on all the calculated area information, step ( 120 ), the system can now generate the financial report, which indicates the total cost of this application and the cost represented by the success and wasted areas, as well as the cost per applied hectare;   the final report ( 7 ), step ( 121 ), is now processed and ready to be delivered to the end user, even by desktop ( 4 ) or mobile ( 5 ) access;   the system, step ( 122 ), save this report into the application database ( 2 ) in order to reduce loading time the next time the user tries to review this report, this is important, since the processing of the report involves heavy calculation;   a new identification hash code, step ( 123 ), is generated for the report ( 7 ) and a QRCode is also created based on this hash code, the QRCode is displayed in the print form of the report ( 7 ), it is used to easily reopen the application report ( 7 ) in the computer ( 4 ) or mobile ( 5 ) device by simply reading the printed QRCode on the paper report ( 7 ), reports can also be exported as PDF (Portable Document File) files for offline access outside the system;   all the resulting calculated polygons, step ( 124 ), during the generation process are saved into application database ( 2 ) files in the server's file system, these files could be opened for later reviewing of the report ( 7 );   finally, the final calculated information, step ( 125 ), is saved in the application database ( 2 ) which provides fast access to the most important information of the report ( 7 ) and also provides ease for the end user to find and filter generated reports.   
     
     
         2 . METHOD FOR CONTROL AND AUDIT OF CHEMICAL PRODUCTS APPLICATION MADE BY VEHICLES characterized by comprising the following steps
 step ( 101 ), starts by a pre-processing routine to initialize the application variables;   step ( 102 ), inform which plots the chemical product application was supposed to be done; next, the system will load, from the desktop web application ( 4 ) to the application ( 1 ) through the internet ( 3 ), each plot polygon area, based on previously georeferenced imported files;   step ( 103 ), load the application's sprays polygons from the GPS input files ( 6 ), the raw GPS log files, of the embedded GPS in the vehicle, is acquired from the GPS device by using a flash drive directly connected to the device's USB port and the user must use the export function of the GPS embed system to copy the files to the flash drive and after that the user upload the GPS input files ( 6 ) to the application ( 1 ) from the desktop web application ( 4 );   step ( 104 ), load from the GPS input files ( 6 ) the chemical product application and traveled path;   step ( 105 ), collect the information about company, pilot/driver information;   step ( 106 ), load, into memory for the financial report, the list provided by the user containing each applied product, dosage and costs;   step ( 107 ), start processing the application report ( 7 ) with all needed information collected from the desktop web application ( 4 ) by the user and loaded into memory at the application ( 1 );   step ( 108 ), read, from the GPS input files ( 6 ), the application beginning/ending date and time;   step ( 109 ), load, from the GPS input files ( 6 ), the application's average spray width;   step ( 110 ), calculate the vehicle traveled distance by the traveled path from the GPS input file ( 6 );   step ( 111 ), calculate the chemical product application's average speed based on the GPS input file ( 6 );   step ( 112 ), generates, a new polygon based on the union between all the applied plots informed by the user that is the supposed goal target area for the application and all next calculations are done based on this resulting polygon;   step ( 113 ), calculate the area in hectares for the resulting polygon from step ( 112 );   step ( 114 ), generates a new polygon resulting by the union between all chemical product application sprays;   step ( 115 ), calculate the area of the resulting application spray polygon;   step ( 116 ), calculate the resulting polygon for the overlap application spray areas;   step ( 117 ), calculate the resulting polygon of no application area;   step ( 118 ), calculate the successfully applied polygon;   step ( 119 ), calculate the external application polygon;   step ( 120 ), generate the financial report;   step ( 121 ), process the final report ( 7 );   step ( 122 ), save the final report ( 7 ) into the application database ( 2 );   step ( 123 ), generate a new identification hash code and a QRCode based on this hash code for the report ( 7 );   step ( 124 ), save all the resulting calculated polygons into application database ( 2 ) files in the server's file system; and finally   step ( 125 ), save the final calculated information in the application database ( 2 ).   
     
     
         3 . SYSTEM FOR CONTROL AND AUDIT OF CHEMICAL PRODUCTS APPLICATION MADE BY VEHICLES characterized by the system comprises
 a web server running an application ( 1 ), this web server also provides file system storage for the application;   a database application ( 2 ) responsible for all the information used in this application, this database server can be running inside the same physical server ( 1 ) or in another one;   an internet ( 3 ) communication method between the application ( 1 ) cloud environment and its end users;   desktop computers ( 4 ) or mobile devices ( 5 ) running web browsers to access the application ( 1 ), in this desktop ( 4 ) or mobile devices ( 5 ) access it is possible to upload the GPS collected ( 6 ) files containing all the information necessary to control the vehicle ( 9 - 12 ) and generate the final application report ( 7 ) through the vehicle control unit ( 8 ) that connects with the desktop ( 4 ) or mobile devices ( 5 ) by a remote communication system protocol;   a vehicle control unit ( 8 ) embedded in the vehicle ( 9 - 12 ) responsible by the navigation of this vehicle and the control of the chemical product application, and uses the GPS device information to guarantee its geolocation and pathway that is real time informed to the application ( 1 ) that monitor and adjust the vehicle position and pathway and the chemical product application procedure based in the data provided by the user;   GPS device from where GPS files ( 6 ) are collected by the vehicle control unit ( 8 ), it may be generated by GPS embedded into agricultural aircrafts ( 9 ), boats ( 10 ), tractors ( 11 ) or drones ( 12 ), these files are used as input data for generating the final application reports ( 7 ) and to guide the vehicle control unit in the vehicle pathway;   where the final product of this system is the final application report ( 7 ), which contains all detailed information about how much product was applied and in which areas (plots) on the ground, the financial information about the relation between products/dosage/costs for this application, the success rate for the application, and the report information's are: property name, pilot, aircraft, total costs, success costs, application's beginning/ending date and time, average application speed, application spray width, total traveled distance, total plots area, total application area, external application costs, application rate, overlap area, success area, external area, not covered area and success rate;   wherein the system process starts at step ( 301 ), the user, from desktop computers ( 4 ) or mobile devices ( 5 ), must access the application ( 1 ) URL of the web system and provide his credentials (e-mail address and password) to login to the system;   the system will then check, step ( 302 ), for the credentials and provide access in case it has been successfully validated or deny access backing to the previous step;   inside the web system, step ( 303 ), the user must register his chemical product application provider companies and its pilots/drivers;   the user, step ( 304 ), must register the georeferenced parameters of his farm properties or area where the chemical product will be applied detailing which plots the chemical product application have to be done, the system will load, from the desktop web application ( 4 ) to the application ( 1 ) through the internet ( 3 ), each plot polygon area, based on previously georeferenced imported files;   the user, step ( 305 ), must register the list of each chemical product to be applied, dosage, spray width and rate, and costs;   the application ( 1 ), step ( 306 ), calculates the chemical product application vehicle ( 9 - 12 ) pathway and its average speed;   the application ( 1 ), step ( 307 ), sets the vehicle control unit ( 8 ) with the chemical product application parameters such application pathway, average speed, dosage, spray width and rate;   after all the chemical product application parameters be set the vehicle ( 9 - 12 ) is ready to begin the application, step ( 308 );   once initiated the product application, step ( 309 ), the application ( 1 ) monitor the GPS ( 6 ) information, by a pre-configured time, and, with this information, compare the vehicle ( 9 - 12 ) position with the application pathway calculated in the step ( 306 );   if, step ( 310 ), the vehicle is going in the correct pathway, the vehicle ( 9 - 12 ) maintain its way, otherwise, the application ( 1 ), step ( 311 ), send a command to the vehicle control unit ( 8 ) to correct the application pathway;   based on the GPS ( 6 ) information, in the step ( 312 ), the application ( 1 ) compare the chemical product application parameters that are being sprayed with the pre-set parameters from step ( 307 );   if, step ( 313 ), the applications parameters that are being sprayed are not in accordance with the parameters established on step ( 307 ), the application ( 1 ), in the step ( 314 ), will correct the application parameters to the parameters from step ( 307 ), otherwise, will continue with the application;   finally, in the step ( 315 ), the application ( 1 ) compare the GPS ( 6 ) position information and check if the application pathway arrived to the end position;   if, step ( 316 ), the end position was achieved, the chemical product application is stopped and the vehicle ( 9 - 12 ) returns to the base, step ( 317 ), and the application ( 1 ) process the steps ( 101 ) to ( 126 ) to generates the application report ( 7 ), otherwise, continue with the chemical product application.   
     
     
         4 . METHOD FOR CONTROL AND AUDIT OF CHEMICAL PRODUCTS APPLICATION MADE BY VEHICLES characterized by comprising the following steps
 step ( 301 ), access the application ( 1 ) URL of the web system and provide user credentials (e-mail address and password) to login to the system from desktop computers ( 4 ) or mobile devices ( 5 );   step ( 302 ), check for the user credentials and provide access in case it has been successfully validated or deny access backing to the previous step;   step ( 303 ), register the chemical product application provider companies and its pilots/drivers;   step ( 304 ), register the georeferenced parameters of user farm properties or area where the chemical product will be applied detailing which plots the chemical product application have to be done, the system will load, from the desktop web application ( 4 ) to the application ( 1 ) through the internet ( 3 ), each plot polygon area, based on previously georeferenced imported files;   step ( 305 ), register the user list of each chemical product to be applied, dosage, spray width and rate, and costs;   step ( 306 ), calculates the chemical product application vehicle ( 9 - 12 ) pathway and its average speed;   step ( 307 ), sets the vehicle control unit ( 8 ) with the chemical product application parameters such application pathway, average speed, dosage, spray width and rate;   step ( 308 ), begin the chemical product application;   step ( 309 ), monitor the GPS ( 6 ) information, by a pre-configured time, and, with this information, compare the vehicle ( 9 - 12 ) position with the application pathway calculated in the step ( 306 );   step ( 310 ), if the vehicle is going in the correct pathway, the vehicle ( 9 - 12 ) maintain its way, otherwise, the application ( 1 ), step ( 311 ), send a command to the vehicle control unit ( 8 ) to correct the application pathway;   step ( 312 ), compare the chemical product application parameters that are being sprayed with the pre-set parameters based on the GPS ( 6 ) information from step ( 307 );   step ( 313 ), if the applications parameters that are being sprayed are not in accordance with the parameters established on step ( 307 ), the application ( 1 ), in the step ( 314 ), will correct the application parameters to the parameters from step ( 307 ), otherwise, will continue with the chemical product application;   step ( 315 ), compare the GPS ( 6 ) position information and check if the application pathway arrived to the end position;   step ( 316 ), if the end position was not achieved, continue with the chemical product application backing to step ( 309 ); otherwise   step ( 317 ), stop the chemical product application and returns the vehicle ( 9 - 12 ) to the base, and process the steps ( 101 ) to ( 126 ) to generate the application report ( 7 ).