Autonomous mobile platform and variable rate irrigation method for preventing frost damage
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsSergio A. Bermudez Rodriguez, Levente Klein, Alejandro G. Schrott, Theodore G. van Kessel
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A rover includes a base having wheels and a propulsion system coupled to the wheels to propel the rover around a field. A tower is coupled to the base and extends over the base. Sensors are set on the tower and the base and are configured to sense environmental conditions around the rover at different elevations. A computing system includes a processor and memory. The memory is configured to receive measured data from the sensors and determine an amount and manner of water to be dispensed on plant life in the field.
Claims20
A rover, comprising:
- a base having wheels;
- a tower coupled to the base and extending over the base;
- a plurality of sensors set at a plurality of heights on the tower and the base and configured to sense weather conditions around the rover concurrently from each of the plurality of heights;
- and
- a computing system configured to receive measured data from the plurality of sensors and determine an amount and manner of water to be dispensed on plant life in the field.
A rover system, comprising:
- a self-propelled rover including:
- a tower coupled to a base and extending over the base;
- and
- a plurality of sensors set at a plurality of heights on the tower and the base and configured to sense weather conditions around the rover concurrently from each of the plurality of heights;
- and
- a computing system configured to receive measured data from the plurality of sensors and determine an amount and manner of water to be dispensed on plant life in the field.
A method for dispensing water for crops, comprising:
- traversing a field with a self-propelled rover, the rover including a tower coupled to a base and extending over the base and a plurality of sensors set at a plurality of heights on the tower and the base;
- measuring weather conditions using the plurality of sensors on the rover at the plurality of heights at each location in the field;
- evaluating the measured weather conditions to determine an amount and manner for disbursement of water under the environmental conditions for the different elevations and at each of the locations in the field;
- and
- delivering the water until goal conditions are met.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.