# US 9,775,301 B2 · Cultivation system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,775,301 B2 - Document ID: US9775301B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/375,149 - Filed: 2012-12-07 - Published: 2015-01-01 - Granted: 2017-10-03 - Earliest claimed: 2012-02-02 - Assignees: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Panasonic Corporation - Inventors: Ryuji Nagadome; Hiroshi Haji - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9775301B2 ## CPC - A01G 7/045: {with electric lighting} - A01G 7/00: Botany in general - A01G 9/00: Cultivation in receptacles, forcing-frames or greenhouses (of mushrooms A01G18/00; soilless cultivation A01G31/00); Edging for beds, lawn or the like - A01G 9/143: {Equipment for handling produce in greenhouses} - Y02A 40/25: Greenhouse technology, e.g. cooling systems therefor - 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) - Y02A: TECHNOLOGIES FOR ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE ## Abstract A cultivation system moves containers between a growing area and a monitoring area. The containers hold cultivation beds for cultivating plants, and the cultivation system includes: a grow light emitting unit emitting grow light for growing the cultivated plants in the containers located in the growing area; an imaging unit capturing the cultivated plants in the containers located in the monitoring area; and a control unit causing the grow light emitting unit to stop emitting the grow light when the imaging unit captures the plants. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A cultivation system which moves containers between a growing area holding the containers and a monitoring area, the containers holding cultivation beds for cultivating plants, the monitoring area being for monitoring the plants and arranged separately from the growing area, the cultivation system comprising: a grow light emitting unit configured to emit grow light which is light for growing the cultivated plants in the containers located in the growing area; an imaging unit configured to capture the cultivated plants in the containers located in the monitoring area; an imaging light emitting unit configured to emit imaging light to the cultivated plants in the containers located in the monitoring area, the imaging light having a first spectrum which differs from a second spectrum output by the grow light; a control unit configured to cause the grow light emitting unit to stop emitting a portion of the grow light when the imaging unit captures the cultivated plants, wherein the grow light emitting unit includes: a first grow light emitting unit configured to emit the grow light to a part of the growing area which is close to the monitoring area; and a second grow light emitting unit configured to emit the grow light to a part of the growing area which is more distant from the monitoring area than from the first grow light emitting unit, wherein the first grow light emitting unit is capable of emitting and stopping the grow light independently of the second grow light emitting unit, and wherein the control unit is configured to cause the first grow light emitting unit to stop emitting the grow light when the imaging unit captures the cultivated plants, and to cause the second grow light emitting unit to emit the grow light when the imaging unit captures the cultivated plants. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The cultivation system according to claim 1, wherein the monitoring area is located fixedly relative to the growing area. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The cultivation system according to claim 1, wherein the grow light emitting unit includes a light emitting diode (LED) as a light source of the grow light. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The cultivation system according to claim 1, further comprising: a growth conveyor which is located in the growing area, the growth conveyor being capable of carrying and horizontally moving the containers; and a work conveyor which is located in the monitoring area and connected with an end of the growth conveyor, the work conveyor capable of carrying the containers. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The cultivation system according to claim 1, further comprising: a light blocking unit configured to block the grow light to a part of the growing area which is close to the monitoring area when the imaging unit captures one of the cultivated plants. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The cultivation system according to claim 5, wherein the light blocking unit includes: a light blocking shield which blocks the grow light to the part of the growing area which is close to the monitoring area; and a moving unit configured to move the light blocking shield; wherein the control unit is further configured to cause the moving unit to move the light blocking shield to (i) a first position where the light blocking shield blocks the grow light to the part of the growing area which is close to the monitoring area when the imaging unit captures the plant, and (ii) a second position out of a pathway for transporting the containers when the containers are moved. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The cultivation system according to claim 5, wherein the light blocking unit includes a light blocking shield which is fixed between the growing area and a light blocking area to block the grow light, the cultivation system further comprising a transporting unit configured to transport the containers to positions where the light blocking shield blocks the grow light, when the imaging unit captures the cultivated plants. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The cultivation system according to claim 5, further comprising: a growth conveyor which is located in the growing area, the growth conveyor being capable of carrying and horizontally moving the containers; and a work conveyor which is located in the monitoring area and connected with an end of the growth conveyor, the work conveyor carrying the containers. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The cultivation system according to claim 1, wherein: the second spectrum of the grow light is that of natural sunlight with a specific color component missing or deteriorating. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The cultivation system according to claim 1, wherein: the first spectrum of the imaging light is artificial light close to that of natural sunlight.