Products And Processes For Measuring The Surface Profile Of A Crop Or Pasture
AssigneeFarmote Limited
InventorRichard Athol Barton
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Products and processes for measuring crop and pasture surface profile which may be used to measure the average surface profile of crop and pasture foliage around stationary measurement devices.
Claims27
Device for measuring the surface profile of the canopy of a crop or pasture growing on a substrate, the device including a sensor member coupled to a support member that is configured to detachably mount to the substrate, wherein the support member is configured to:
- i) space the sensor member above the substrate by a first distance;
- and
- ii) space the sensor member above the canopy of the crop or pasture by a second distance;
- and wherein the sensor member:
- i) includes a light transmission member that is configured to transmit light which is reflected by the canopy of the crop or pasture;
- and
- ii) includes a light detection sensor that is configured to detect at least a portion of the light transmitted from the light transmission member that is reflected by the canopy of the crop or pasture so as to enable the measurement of the surface profile of the canopy of the crop or pasture.
4-6. (canceled)
9-16. (canceled)
18-19. (canceled)
System for measuring the surface profile of the canopy of a crop or pasture growing on a substrate, the system including:
- a) a device for measuring the surface profile of the canopy of a crop or pasture growing on a substrate, the device including a sensor member coupled to a support member that is configured to detachably mount to the substrate, wherein the support member is configured to:
- i) space the sensor member above the substrate by a first distance;
- and
- ii) space the sensor member above the canopy of the crop or pasture by a second distance;
- and wherein the sensor member:
- i) includes a light transmission member that is configured to transmit light which is reflected by the canopy of the crop or pasture;
- and
- ii) includes a light detection sensor that is configured to detect at least a portion of the light transmitted from the light transmission member that is reflected by the canopy of the crop or pasture so as to enable the measurement of the surface profile of the canopy of the crop or pasture;
- and
- b) a processing means separate from the device.
22-24. (canceled)
(canceled)
28-30. (canceled)
An array of devices for measuring the surface profile of the canopy of the crop or pasture over a multitude of areas, the array including a multitude of devices for measuring the surface profile of the canopy of a crop or pasture growing on a substrate, each of the multitude of devices independently including a sensor member coupled to a support member that is configured to detachably mount to the substrate, wherein the support member is configured to:
- i) space the sensor member above the substrate by a first distance;
- and
- ii) space the sensor member above the canopy of the crop or pasture by a second distance;
- and where the sensor member includes a sensor configured to detect light transmitted from the sensor member so as to enable the measurement of the surface profile of the canopy of the crop or pasture.
A method of measuring the surface profile of the canopy of a crop or pasture growing on a substrate, the method including the steps of:
- i) providing a sensor member including:
- a) a light transmission member that is configured to transmit light;
- and
- b) a light detection sensor;
- ii) transmitting light from the light transmission member so that the light is reflected by the canopy of the crop or pasture;
- iii) detecting at least a portion of the transmitted light that is reflected by the canopy of the crop or pasture using the light detection sensor;
- and
- iv) calculating the spatial relationship between the sensor member and the canopy of the crop or pasture.
35-38. (canceled)
A method of measuring the surface profile of the canopy of a crop or pasture growing on a substrate, the method including the steps of:
- i) providing a sensor member including:
- a) a light transmission member that is configured to transmit light;
- and
- b) a light detection sensor;
- ii) transmitting light from the light transmission member so that the light is reflected by the substrate;
- iii) detecting at least a portion of the transmitted light that is reflected by the substrate using the light detection sensor;
- iv) calculating the spatial relationship between the sensor member and the substrate;
- v) transmitting light from the light transmission member so that the light is reflected by the canopy of the crop or pasture;
- vi) detecting at least a portion of the transmitted light that is reflected by the canopy of the crop or pasture using the light detection sensor;
- and
- vii) calculating the spatial relationship between the sensor member and the canopy of the crop or pasture.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.