Agricultural liquid fertilizer and chemical delivery system and method of use

Abstract

The present invention relates to a system that reliably, economically, and precisely delivers liquid fertilizer and chemicals during agricultural operations, such as during planting, tillage, and cultivating. The system includes a system of tubes delivering liquid to each row and a flow meter on each feed line to sense the flow rate and report the status of the flow to each row back to an operator's device.

1 - 3 . (canceled) 
     
     
         4 . A kit for use in an agricultural liquid delivery system comprising:
 a first wireless flow meter, the first wireless flow meter being assignable to a first planting row, wherein the first wireless flow meter is interconnectable to a tube adapted to deliver an agricultural liquid, the tube interconnectable to a pump in fluid communication with a tank adapted to contain the agricultural liquid;   wherein the first wireless flow meter comprises a flow sensor, a battery, and a wireless communication interface for connection to a wireless communication network;   wherein the first wireless flow meter is adapted to wirelessly interconnect with a controller comprising a processor, memory, wireless communication interface for connection to the wireless communication network, and a graphical user interface;   wherein the first wireless flow meter is adapted to sense a fluid flow through the tube, calculate a real-time fluid flow rate, sense a status of the battery, and to send the real-time fluid flow rate and the battery status to the controller over the wireless communication network;   wherein the controller is adapted to receive the fluid flow rate and the battery status information from the first wireless flow meter, calculate a real-time agricultural liquid flow rate, and continuously display on a single screen: a graphical representation of an arrangement of a plurality of wireless flow meters assignable to a plurality of planting rows, and the associated wireless transmission status, the associated real-time agricultural fluid flow rate, and the associated battery status thereof.   
     
     
         5 . The kit of  claim 4  wherein the first wireless flow meter further comprises a valve that is adapted to control the flow of the agricultural liquid. 
     
     
         6 . The kit of  claim 5  wherein the controller is adapted to control and adjust the valve. 
     
     
         7 . The kit of  claim 4  wherein the wireless communication network is selected from the group consisting of Bluetooth, near field communication, radio, WiFi, LTE, 4G, 5G, WirelessHD, WiGig, WiGi, 3GPP, Wireless LAN, and WiMAX. 
     
     
         8 . The kit of  claim 4  further comprising a bracket that is adapted to position the tube for delivery of the agricultural liquid to the first planting row. 
     
     
         9 . The kit of  claim 8  wherein the bracket is adapted to encase a portion of the tube. 
     
     
         10 . A kit for use in an agricultural liquid delivery system comprising:
 a first wireless flow meter, the first wireless flow meter being assignable to a first planting row, wherein the first wireless flow meter is interconnectable to a tube adapted to deliver an agricultural liquid, the tube interconnectable to a pump in fluid communication with a tank adapted to contain the agricultural liquid;   wherein the first wireless flow meter comprises a flow sensor, a battery, and a wireless communication interface for connection to a wireless communication network;   wherein the first wireless flow meter is adapted to sense a fluid flow through the tube and sense a status of the battery, and to send the fluid flow rate and the battery status over the wireless communication network;   a tangible and non-transient computer readable medium comprising microprocessor executable instructions that, when executed, perform steps comprising:
 receiving the fluid flow rate and the battery status information from the first wireless flow meter; 
 calculate a real-time agricultural liquid flow rate; 
 continuously display on a single screen of a graphical user interface a graphical representation of an arrangement of a plurality of wireless flow meters assignable to a plurality of planting rows, and the associated wireless transmission status, the real-time agricultural liquid flow rate, and the battery status thereof. 
   
     
     
         11 . The kit of  claim 10  wherein the first wireless flow meter further comprises a valve that is adapted to control the fluid flow rate through the first wireless flow meter. 
     
     
         12 . The kit of  claim 10  wherein the wireless communication network is selected from the group consisting of Bluetooth, near field communication, radio, WiFi, LTE, 4G, 5G, WirelessHD, WiGig, WiGi, 3GPP, Wireless LAN, and WiMAX. 
     
     
         13 . The kit of  claim 10  further comprising a bracket that is adapted to position the tube for delivery of the agricultural liquid to the first planting row. 
     
     
         14 . The kit of  claim 13  wherein the bracket is adapted to encase a portion of the tube. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 10  wherein the controller is adapted to control and adjust the valve.