# US 2019/0170718 A1 · Multi-sensor platform for crop health monitoring > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0170718 A1 - Document ID: US20190170718A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/268,744 - Filed: 2019-02-06 - Published: 2019-06-06 - Earliest claimed: 2015-07-30 - Assignees: Ecoation Innovative Solutions Inc. - Applicants: Ecoation Innovative Solutions Inc. - Inventors: Saber MIRESMAILLI; Murray B. ISMAN; Maryam ANTIKCHI - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190170718A1 ## CPC - G01N 33/0098: {Plants or trees (wood G01N33/46)} - A01G 7/00: Botany in general - A01G 9/26: Electric devices {(A01G9/249 takes precedence)} - A01G 13/06: Devices for generating heat, smoke or fog in gardens, orchards or forests, e.g. to prevent damage by frost - A01G 25/16: Control of watering - A01M 21/043: {by chemicals} - G01D 11/30: Supports specially adapted for an instrument; Supports specially adapted for a set of instruments - G05B 15/02: electric - G06N 5/04: Inference or reasoning models - G06N 20/00: Machine learning - G08C 17/02: using a radio link - G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q) - A01G: HORTICULTURE; CULTIVATION OF VEGETABLES, FLOWERS, RICE, FRUIT, VINES, HOPS OR SEAWEED; FORESTRY; WATERING (picking of fruits, vegetables, hops or the like A01D46/00; propagating unicellular algae C12N1/12) - A01M: CATCHING, TRAPPING OR SCARING OF ANIMALS (appliances for catching swarms or drone-catching A01K57/00; fishing A01K69/00 - {A01K99/00}; biocides, pest repellants or attractants A01N); APPARATUS FOR THE DESTRUCTION OF NOXIOUS ANIMALS OR NOXIOUS PLANTS - G01D: MEASURING NOT SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR A SPECIFIC VARIABLE; ARRANGEMENTS FOR MEASURING TWO OR MORE VARIABLES NOT COVERED IN A SINGLE OTHER SUBCLASS; TARIFF METERING APPARATUS; MEASURING OR TESTING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - G05B: CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS (systems for controlling or regulating non-electric variables G05D; systems for regulating electric or magnetic variables G05F; control devices or systems insofar as characterised by mechanical features only G05G) - G06N: COMPUTING ARRANGEMENTS BASED ON SPECIFIC COMPUTATIONAL MODELS - G08C: TRANSMISSION SYSTEMS FOR MEASURED VALUES, CONTROL OR SIMILAR SIGNALS (fluid pressure transmitting systems F15B; mechanical means for transferring the output of a sensing member into a different variable G01D5/00; mechanical control systems G05G) ## Abstract A multi-sensor device comprises a housing containing multiple sensor modules for capturing and transmitting sensor data for plants in a crop. A control unit within the housing is operable to control the sensor modules, and a communications interface is connected to the control unit for transmitting data from said plurality of sensor modules. The sensor modules can include a physiological sensor, a surface analysis sensor, and chemical sensor. The multi-sensor device can be used as a hand-held device or mounted to a mobile platform for use in an automated crop monitoring system. ## Claims ### Claim 21 A mobile sensory platform for capturing and transmitting sensor data for plants in a crop, said mobile sensory platform comprising: a) a propulsion system; b) a plurality of sensors mounted to a support structure, each of said plurality of sensors for capturing data pertaining to at least one plant-related parameter when said sensor is positioned proximate to a plant; c) a communications interface for two-way communication over a wireless network; d) an electrical power supply; and e) a control system for controlling movement of said mobile sensory platform and operation of said plurality of sensors; wherein said plurality of sensors comprises an optical probe for stimulating a plant with excitation light, and a tunable detector for receiving light reflected and/or emitted from said plant in response to said excitation light. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The mobile sensory platform of claim 21 wherein said optical probe is operable to transmit excitation light selectively in one or more spectral bands. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The mobile sensory platform of claim 22 wherein said optical probe comprises a plurality of light-emitting diodes (LEDs), and wherein a first subset of said plurality of LEDs is operable to transmit light in a first spectral band, and a second subset of said plurality of LEDs is operable to transmit light in a second spectral band. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The mobile sensory platform of claim 23 wherein, in operation of said mobile sensory platform, said control system controls operation of said optical probe by causing at least some of said plurality of LEDs to emit a sequence of pulses of excitation light. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The mobile sensory platform of claim 24 wherein, in operation of said mobile sensory platform, said control system further controls operation of said optical probe by controlling the spacing of said pulses, the duration of said pulses, the intensity of said pulses, and the number of said pulses, within said sequence of pulses of excitation light. ### Claim 26 (depends on 24) The mobile sensory platform of claim 24 wherein, in operation of said mobile sensory platform, said control system further controls operation of said optical probe by varying the spacing of said pulses, the duration of said pulses, and the intensity of said pulses, within said sequence of pulses of excitation light. ### Claim 27 (depends on 24) The mobile sensory platform of claim 24 wherein said tunable detector is tunable to be responsive to a spectral band that corresponds to light reflected and/or emitted from said plant in response to said excitation light. ### Claim 28 (depends on 24) The mobile sensory platform of claim 24 wherein said tunable detector comprises multiple-wavelength optical detectors. ### Claim 29 (depends on 24) The mobile sensory platform of claim 24 wherein, in operation of said mobile sensory platform, said control system tunes said tunable detector based on signals from at least one of said plurality of sensors. ### Claim 30 (depends on 24) The mobile sensory platform of claim 24 wherein said tunable detector is configured to generate a low-level electrical current output signal in response to receiving said light reflected and/or emitted from said plant in response to said excitation light, and wherein said mobile sensory platform further comprises an amplifier for amplifying said output signal, a filter for filtering said amplified output signal, and an analog-to-digital converter for digitizing said amplified output signal. ### Claim 31 (depends on 21) The mobile sensory platform of claim 21 wherein said plurality of sensors comprises a physiological sensor comprising said optical probe and tunable detector, a surface analysis sensor comprising a full spectrum light source and spectroscopic detectors, and a chemical analysis sensor selected from the group consisting of a photo-ionization detector, a surface acoustic wave sensor and a quartz crystal microbalance sensor. ### Claim 32 (depends on 21) The mobile sensory platform of claim 21 wherein said mobile sensory platform is a ground-based platform. ### Claim 33 (depends on 21) The mobile sensory platform of claim 21 wherein said mobile sensory platform is an air-borne platform. ### Claim 34 A multi-sensor device for capturing and transmitting sensor data for plants in a crop, said multi-sensor device comprising: a) a housing comprising a plurality of interior cavities; b) a plurality of sensor modules, each sensor module occupying one of said plurality of cavities, and each sensor module for sensing at least one plant-related parameter when said multi-sensor device is positioned proximate to a plant; c) a control unit, said control unit operable to control operation of said plurality of sensor modules; d) a communications interface, said communications interface connected to said control unit for transmitting and receiving information, said communication interface operable to transmit data from said plurality of sensor modules; e) a user-interface connected to said control unit; and f) an electrical power connector for connecting said multi-sensor device to a power source; wherein said plurality of sensor modules comprises a sensor module comprising an optical probe and a tunable detector. ### Claim 35 (depends on 34) The multi-sensor device of claim 34 wherein said device further comprises a handle, and said multi-sensor device is a portable hand-held device. ### Claim 36 (depends on 34) The multi-sensor device of claim 34 wherein said optical probe is operable to transmit excitation light selectively in one or more spectral bands, said optical probe comprising a plurality of light-emitting diodes (LEDs), wherein a first subset of said plurality of LEDs is operable to transmit light in a first spectral band, and a second subset of said plurality of LEDs is operable to transmit light in a second spectral band. ### Claim 37 (depends on 36) The multi-sensor device of claim 36 wherein, in operation of said multi-sensor device, said control system controls operation of said optical probe by causing at least some of said plurality of LEDs to emit a sequence of pulses of excitation light. ### Claim 38 (depends on 37) The multi-sensor device of claim 37 wherein, in operation of said multi-sensor device, said control system further controls operation of said optical probe by controlling the spacing of said pulses, the duration of said pulses, the intensity of said pulses, and the number of said pulses, within said sequence of pulses of excitation light. ### Claim 39 (depends on 37) The multi-sensor device of claim 37 wherein, in operation of said multi-sensor device, said control system further controls operation of said optical probe by varying the spacing of said pulses, the duration of said pulses, and the intensity of said pulses, within said sequence of pulses of excitation light. ### Claim 40 (depends on 34) The multi-sensor device of claim 34 wherein said tunable detector is tunable to be responsive to a spectral band that corresponds to light reflected and/or emitted from said plant in response to said excitation light. ### Claim 41 (depends on 34) The multi-sensor device of claim 34 wherein, in operation of said multi-sensor device, said control system tunes said tunable detector based on signals from at least one of said plurality of sensors.