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US 2009/0260281 A1Published application
Method for grouping a plurality of growth-induced seeds for commercial use or sale based on testing of each individual seed
AssigneeBall Horticultural Company
InventorRobert Conrad
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and system for producing a group of growth-induced seeds for commercial use or sale, the method including monitoring a physiological indication and/or morphometric indication for a seed, automatically determining if the monitored seed has a specific characteristic, separating the monitored seed having the specific characteristic into a group of seeds for commercial use or sale so that each and every seed in the group has been monitored and determined to have the specific characteristic.
Claims77
A method in a computer system for producing a group of growth-induced seeds for commercial use or sale, the method comprising:
- subjecting a seed to a growth-inducing procedure;
- monitoring the seed for a development stage associated with a specific characteristic;
- automatically determining if the monitored seed has the specific characteristic based on information about the monitored development stage of the seed;
- and
- separating the seed having the specific characteristic into the group of growth-induced seeds for commercial use or sale so that each and every seed in the group has been monitored and determined to have the specific characteristic.
2 more elements
A method in a computer system for producing a group of growth-induced seeds for commercial use or sale, the method comprising:
- subjecting a seed to a growth-inducing procedure;
- monitoring the subjected seed for a rate of development toward a specific characteristic, indicated by one or more of a group including:
- a physiological indicator associated with the specific characteristic and a morphometric indicator associated with the specific characteristic;
- determining whether the seed has a specific rate of development toward the specific characteristic;
- stopping subjecting the seed to the growth-inducing procedure when the specific rate of development is achieved;
- preserving the seed determined as having the specific rate of development;
- and
- separating the seed determined as having the specific rate of development into the group of growth-induced seeds for commercial use or sale so that every seed of the group has been monitored and determined to have a rate of development similar to the specific rate of development.
5 more elements
A method in a computer system for producing a group of growth-induced seeds for commercial use or sale, the method comprising:
- acquiring a spectral image of the growth-induced seed growing in a location;
- comparing the spectral image with classification data;
- assigning a classification to the growth-induced seed according to one or more of a plurality of parts associated with the growth-induced seed;
- determining a part location of the one or more of the plurality of parts of the growth-induced seed based on the classification;
- measuring the one or more of the plurality of parts of the growth-induced seed;
- measuring photosynthetic activity of the growth-induced seed;
- and
- determining whether to separate the growth-induced seed into the group of growth-induced seeds for commercial use or sale based on the measurement of the one or more of the group including:
- at least the measurement of the part of the growth-induced seed and the photosynthetic activity measurement.
6 more elements
A system for producing a group of growth-induced seeds for commercial use or sale, the system comprising:
- a subjecting unit configured to subject a seed to a growth-inducing procedure;
- an monitoring unit configured to monitor the seed for a development stage associated with a specific characteristic;
- a determination unit configured to determine if the monitored seed has the specific characteristic based on information about the monitored development stage of the seed;
- and
- a separator unit configured to separate the monitored seed having the specific characteristic into the group of growth-induced seeds for commercial use or sale so that each and every seed in the group has been monitored and determined to have the specific characteristic.
2 more elements
A system for producing a group of growth-induced seeds for commercial use or sale, the system comprising:
- a subjecting unit configured to subject a seed to a growth-inducing procedure;
- a monitoring unit configured to monitor the subjected seed for a rate of development toward a specific characteristic, indicated by one or more of a group including:
- a physiological indicator associated with the specific characteristic and a morphometric indicator associated with the specific characteristic;
- a determining unit configured to determine if the rate of development toward the specific characteristic is a specific rate of development toward the specific characteristic;
- a stopping unit configured to stop the subjected seed from further growth when the specific rate of development toward the specific characteristic is achieved;
- a separator unit configured to separate the seed determined as having the specific rate of development into the group of growth-induced seeds for commercial use or sale so that each and every seed in the group has been monitored and determine to have a rate of development similar to the specific rate of development.
3 more elements
A system for producing a group of germinated seeds for commercial use or sale, the system comprising:
- a spectral image acquiring unit configured to acquire a spectral image of the seed growing in a location;
- an image comparison unit configured to compare the spectral image with classification data;
- a classification assignment unit configured to assign a classification to the growing growth-induced seed according to one or more of a plurality of parts associated with the growing growth-induced seed;
- a seed part location determination unit configured to determine a part location of one or more of a plurality of parts associated with the growing growth-induced seed;
- a measuring unit configured to measure one or more of a plurality of parts associated with the growing growth-induced seed;
- a photosynthesis measuring unit configured to measure photosynthetic activity of the growing growth-induced seed;
- and
- a determination unit configured to determine whether to separate the growth-induced seed into the group of growth-induced seeds for commercial use or sale based on the measurement of the one or more of the group including:
- at least the measurement of the part of the growth-induced seed and the photosynthetic activity measurement.
6 more elements
A system for producing a group of growth-induced seeds for commercial use or sale, the system comprising:
- means for subjecting a seed to a growth-inducing environment;
- means for monitoring the seed for a development stage associated with a specific characteristic;
- means for automatically determining if the monitored seed has a specific characteristic based on information about the monitored development stage of the seed;
- and
- means for separating the seed having the specific characteristic into the group for commercial use or sale so that each and every seed in the group has been monitored and determined to have the specific characteristic.
2 more elements
A system for producing a group of growth-induced seeds for commercial use or sale, the system comprising:
- means for subjecting a seed to a growth-inducing procedure;
- means for monitoring the subjected seed for a rate of development toward a specific characteristic, indicated by one or more of a group including:
- a physiological indicator associated with the specific characteristic and a morphometric indicator associated with the specific characteristic;
- means for determining if the rate of development is a specific rate of development toward the specific characteristic;
- means for stopping subjecting the seed from more subjecting of the growth-inducing procedure when the specific rate of development is achieved;
- means for preserving the seed determined as having the specific rate of development;
- and
- means for separating the seed determined as having the specific rate of development toward the specific characteristic into the group of growth-induced seeds for commercial use or sale so that each and every seed in the group has been monitored and determined to have a rate of development similar to the specific rate of development.
5 more elements
A system for determining whether to harvest a growth-induced seed to be part of a group of germinated seeds for commercial use or sale, the system comprising:
- means for acquiring a spectral image of the growth-induced seed growing in a location;
- means for comparing the spectral image with classification data;
- means for assigning a classification to the growth-induced seed according to one or more of a plurality of parts associated with the growing growth-induced seed;
- means for determining a part location of the one or more of the plurality of parts of the growth-induced seed based on the classification;
- means for measuring the one or more of the plurality of parts of the growth-induced seed;
- means for measuring photosynthetic activity of the growth-induced seed;
- means for determining whether to harvest the growth-induced seed based on the measurement of the one or more of the group including:
- at least the measurement of the part of the growth-induced seed and the photosynthetic activity measurement.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.