Automated seed package identification apparatus, system, and method

A method of identifying a plurality of seed packages, the method comprising:

• positioning one or more seeds within each respective seed package of a plurality of seed packages;
• retaining the plurality of seed packages in a seed tray assembly;
• positioning a sensor device proximate to the seed packages using a sensor positioning mechanism;
• reading the machine-readable package identifiers of each of the seed packages with the sensor device;
• recording a positional layout of the seed packages;
• comparing the recorded positional layout of the seed packages to a desired positional layout of the seed packages;
• and
• indicating which of the seed packages do not match the desired positional layout.

An automated seed package identification system, the system comprising:

• a seed tray assembly configured to retain a plurality of seed packages, wherein the seed tray assembly is configured for operative coupling to a seed planter;
• a sensor device configured to read a plurality of machine-readable package identifiers from the plurality of packages retained in the seed tray assembly;
• a sensor positioning mechanism configured to effect selective translation of the sensor device relative to the seed tray assembly to thereby adjust a position the sensor device with respect to the seed tray assembly;
• and
• a control unit configured to instruct the sensor positioning mechanism to adjust the position of the sensor device with respect to the seed tray assembly and configured to instruct the sensor device to read the machine-readable package identifiers of the seed packages to thereby record a positional layout of the seed packages.

An automated seed package identification system, the system comprising:

• a plurality of seed packages, wherein each seed package of the plurality of seed packages comprises one or more machine-readable package identifiers and is configured to receive one or more seeds;
• a seed tray assembly configured to retain the plurality of seed packages, wherein the seed tray assembly is configured for operative coupling to a seed planter, and wherein the seed planter is configured to selectively release the seeds from the plurality of seed packages;
• and
• an automated package identification apparatus comprising:
• one or more cameras configured to capture one or more images of the plurality of seed packages retained in the seed tray assembly;
• and
• an image processing system configured to process the one or more images and to generate a positional layout of the seed packages in the seed tray assembly.

A method of identifying a plurality of seed packages, the method comprising:

• positioning one or more seeds within each respective seed package of a plurality of seed packages
• retaining the plurality of seed packages in a seed tray assembly;
• capturing one or more images of the seed tray assembly using one or more cameras;
• processing the one or more images using an image processing system;
• generating a positional layout of the seed packages in the seed tray assembly;
• and
• merging the multiple images into one image before processing by the image processing system,
• wherein the step of capturing one or more image of the seed tray assembly comprises capturing multiple images of the seed tray assembly using multiple cameras.

A method of processing an image of seed packages in a seed tray assembly the method comprising:

• capturing an image of a plurality of seed packages in a seed tray assembly, each seed package holding one or more seeds, wherein the image is captured by one or more cameras of an automated package identification system;
• identifying a plurality of areas of interest in the image;
• processing subsets of the image contained within the areas of interest;
• and
• generating a representation of the seed tray assembly using the subsets of the image contained within the areas of interest;
• and
• at least one of:
• using a predefined list of coordinates representing the areas of interest;
• and
• defining coordinates of the areas of interest from known structures in the image.