Crop thinning systems
OwnerMichael W. SCHWARZinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A thinning or weeding apparatus includes an image processing apparatus. The image processing apparatus includes an automated visual detection system which includes a visual sensor system and an image processing system capable of receiving an image from the visual sensor system. The image processing apparatus then processes the image in the image processing system to determine where plants are located and to determine which plants will be thinned or weeded and which will not.
Claims20
A thinning or weeding apparatus including image processing apparatus, which image processing apparatus includes an automated visual detection system which comprises a visual sensor system and an image processing system capable of receiving an image from the visual sensor system and processing said image in the image processing system to determine where plants are located and to determine which plants will be thinned or weeded and which will not.
A method of thinning or weeding crop plants by using thinning or weeding apparatus, said thinning or weeding apparatus including, a thinning or weeding assembly carriage, and a thinning or weeding assembly, the method characterised by the steps of:
- a) moving the thinning or weeding assembly carriage over a predetermined number of rows of plants, and
- b) determining, by use of image processing apparatus the plants to be retained and the plants to be removed, and
- c) lowering the thinning or weeding assembly over a plant to be removed and relative to the ground by means of positioning means and sensing means, and
- d) activating thinning or weeding means, such that the plant determined to be thinned or weeded out is destroyed;
- and
- e) returning the thinning or weeding assembly to a pre-thinning position until the next plant to be thinned or weeded is determined by the image processing means.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.