US 11,744,168Active
- Issued
- September 5, 2023
- Application
- US 16/887,580
Science · Patents
Enhanced management zones for precision agriculture.
Three issued US patents share this title.
US 12,364,182Active
- Issued
- July 22, 2025
- Application
- US 18/223,620, a continuation of 16/887,580
US 12,430,697Active
- Issued
- September 30, 2025
- Application
- US 16/699,292
In plain language
What the patents describe.
The patents describe a system and method for delineating agricultural management zones over broad areas without relying on dense, field-specific data. Zones are delineated with remote sensing and artificial intelligence, combined with an existing countrywide soil survey database, and can be aggregated to a size that suits the farmer’s needs and equipment.
Paraphrased from the patents’ abstracts. Issuance describes methods; it is not evidence of field performance.
Inventors
- Jeffrey G. White, PhDNC State
- Bradley A. Miller, PhDIowa State
- Julianne BielskiCo-founder of SoilMetrix
All three patents name the same three inventors. Assignees: SoilMetrix, Inc., North Carolina State University, and Iowa State University Research Foundation, Inc.
From patent to product
Where the zone science shows up.
The patents describe how zones are delineated. The product adds a test before using them.
Prescriptions by zone
Seed, fertilizer and lime rates are written by zone when the field has zones.
Prescriptions →The held-out test
Zones are used only when they beat a single rate on held-out samples. Otherwise the field gets one rate.
Research →A worked example
Field A, Northern Iowa: zones for pH, potassium and organic matter, one rate for phosphorus.
Field A →Talk with our team.
Technical diligence is available under NDA.