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US 2014/0180549 A1Published application
Automated machine for selective in situ manipulation of plants
AssigneeArizona Board of Regents on Behalf of the University of Arizona
InventorsMark C. Siemens, Ronald R. Gayler, Kurt D. Nolte, Ryan Herbon
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Disclosed herein are systems for identifying a plant in a field with pixel-level precision and taking an action on the identified plant, also with pixel level precision. The disclosed systems can include multiple implements, enabling the performance of multiple tasks on an identified plant or associated area of soil. Methods of using the described systems for automated thinning, weeding and spot spraying crops are also disclosed.
Claims24
An agricultural system, comprising:
- a support movable in a trajectory along an array of plants;
- an image sensor comprising a camera, mounted to the support, the image sensor camera producing real-time images on an electronic image-capture device containing an array of pixels;
- a distance-measuring device that produces, in real time, data regarding position of the support in the trajectory relative to a positional reference;
- a first controller connected to the image sensor and to the distance-measuring device, the first controller being programmed or otherwise configured (a) from the data obtained from the distance-measuring device and at each of selected discrete distances in the trajectory from the reference, to generate an activate signal triggering the image sensor to obtain an image of a respective region of interest (ROI) of the array situated at the respective selected distance from the reference, (b) to receive pixelated image data of the ROI image from the image sensor, (c) at pixels of the image, determine whether light received at the pixels is indicative of plant versus non-plant, (d) to determine a data distribution of plant-indicating pixels and non-plant-indicating pixels as a function of distance in the ROI and hence relative to the reference, and (e) in the distribution, determine respective positions of leading and trailing edges of plant-indicating pixels and correlating these positions with desired action or non-action to be taken with respect to selected plants in the ROI.
1 more element
An agricultural system, comprising:
- support means movable in a trajectory along an array of plants;
- means, coupled to the support means, comprising a camera, for producing pixelated electronic images of respective portions of the array, each image consisting of an array of pixels;
- means for measuring distance of the support means in the trajectory relative to a positional reference;
- means for actuating the camera to take respective images of respective regions of interest (ROIs) of the plant array along the trajectory at respective selected distances from the reference;
- means for determining, in each image, whether light received at each pixel thereof is indicative of plant versus non-plant;
- and
- means for determining, in each image, respective positions of leading and trailing edges of plant-indicating pixels and for correlating these positions, with desired action or non-action to be taken with respect to selected plants in the ROI.
4 more elements
A method for manipulating plants in situ, comprising:
- while moving at least one implement in a trajectory along an array of plants, determining the position of the implement in real time relative to a positional reference;
- while moving the implement, obtaining in real time, a series of pixelated images of respective portions of the array located in respective regions of interest (ROI) situated at discrete respective distances from the reference;
- in each pixelated image, determining whether respective image light received at each of the pixels is indicative of plant versus non-plant;
- in each pixelated image, determining respective leading and trailing edges of plant-indicating pixels and correlating these positions, with desired action or nonaction to be taken with respect to selected plants in the respective ROI;
- and
- actuating the implement to take action with respect to a plant in the ROI determined to be at a position correlated with the action.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.