Company: FOI GROUP LLC

Patent Number: 12696856
Title: Automatic rotating agricultural system to irrigate, plant, gather forage, and/or harvest field

Innovation in Agricultural Automation

The patented technology introduces a significant advancement in farming efficiency. Traditional agriculture requires separate machinery and multiple vehicle passes over a field for irrigating, planting, and harvesting crops. This invention consolidates these distinct operations into a single automated center pivot system. By utilizing rotating frame segments equipped with a moving feed storage bin, the system can irrigate crops, plant seeds, and autonomously gather forage or harvest the field. This multipurpose approach reduces soil compaction, minimizes the need for multiple heavy vehicles, and streamlines the entire crop production cycle.

Swanson Reed Patent of the Month for Texas (September 2026)

FOI GROUP LLC was awarded the Swanson Reed Patent of the Month for the state of Texas in September 2026 due to the profound impact this technology could have on the agricultural sector. Swanson Reed recognized the invention for its comprehensive approach to modernizing farm operations and maximizing land yield. The system directly addresses current industry challenges, including agricultural labor shortages and the rising costs of fuel and equipment maintenance. By transforming a conventional center pivot irrigation layout into a fully integrated agricultural machine, the patent demonstrates a high level of technical ingenuity and offers a practical and scalable solution for large farming operations.

Eligibility for the Research and Development Tax Credit in the USA

The practical applications of this patent present robust opportunities for claiming the Research and Development tax credit in the United States. To commercialize this rotating agricultural system, extensive engineering and testing are required to resolve technical uncertainties. Activities such as developing the software algorithms that synchronize the movement of the storage bin with the center pivot, prototyping the multifunctional harvesting attachments, and conducting field trials to evaluate system performance across different soil conditions all constitute qualified research activities. The iterative design process used to ensure seamless autonomous operation without crop damage would allow companies to claim the R&D tax credit on expenses related to engineering wages, prototyping supplies, and specialized contractor costs.