Patent Application
20150271876
Agricultural growing operations operate efficiently when, among other things, plants are provided with an optimal growing environment to allow the plant to properly germinate and grow. The local temperatures around the plants may affect the amount of growth of the plants, as well as the amount and quality of any crop (including, but not limited to, grains, fruit, vegetables, and flowers) produced.
One embodiment relates to a plant warming system, comprising a sensor configured to acquire temperature data representative of a temperature of a plant; a heating system including an antenna configured to direct microwaves toward the plant; and a control system configured to control operation of the heating system based on the temperature data.
One embodiment relates to a system for controlling the temperature of plants, comprising a control circuit configured to receive temperature data representative of a plurality of plants; and control operation of an antenna to selectively direct heat energy toward a portion of the plurality of plants based on the temperature data.
Another embodiment relates to a method of warming a plurality of plants, comprising receiving temperature data representative of the plurality of plants; and directing microwaves toward a portion of the plurality of plants based on the temperature data.
Another embodiment relates to a method of controlling the temperature of plants, comprising receiving temperature data related to temperature of a plurality of plants; and selectively warming a portion of the plurality of plants based on the temperature data.
The foregoing summary is illustrative only and is not intended to be in any way limiting. In addition to the illustrative aspects, embodiments, and features described above, further aspects, embodiments, and features will become apparent by reference to the drawings and the following detailed description.
In the following detailed description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part thereof. In the drawings, similar symbols typically identify similar components, unless context dictates otherwise. The illustrative embodiments described in the detailed description, drawings, and claims are not meant to be limiting. Other embodiments may be utilized, and other changes may be made, without departing from the spirit or scope of the subject matter presented here.
Temperatures may vary from plant to plant and between locations within a planting area. Temperatures vary due to a variety of reasons including microclimates. Further, unpredictable weather may destroy a plant or an entire crop if the temperature is too cold. Plants may also require particular temperatures during certain stages of growth, like germination. Therefore, it may be desirable to control the local temperatures around the plants to protect the plants from undesirable temperature levels and provide optimal growing environments. This may further allow the agricultural growing operation to gain a head start on crop growing by planting before the temperature is adequate and adjusting the local plant temperatures accordingly.
As such, various embodiments disclosed herein relate to altering the temperature around plants according to optimal plant temperatures and surrounding environmental temperatures. For example, the temperature of a plant may be acquired by a temperature sensor. If the temperature is lower than a desired plant temperature, a heating system (such as an antenna and a microwave source) may direct heat toward the plant to warm the area surrounding the plant and/or the plant itself. The heating system may additionally base the amount or intensity of delivered heat on the local measured temperature (or temperature data) compared to a target temperature.
Referring now to
Plant 20 may be isolated or planted with at least one other plant within planting area 22 in an agricultural growing operation. Planting area 22 may be any location capable of growing plants, such as a field (as shown in
According to one embodiment and as shown in
Sensor 50 may be any type of temperature sensor or thermometer capable of detecting or sensing plant temperature or air temperature, such as a thermocouple (locally positioned near plant 20, as shown in
According to one embodiment, temperature sensor 50 may be locally positioned near plant 20 and used to sense or acquire temperature data. For example, each plant 20 (as shown in
In one embodiment, sensor 50 may provide temperature data to control system 70 on a substantially continuous basis. Alternatively, sensor 50 may provide an initial and/or intermittent temperature readings and control system 70 will control heating system 90 accordingly in order to warm plant 20.
Heating system 90 may be used to heat or warm plant 20, planting area 22, and/or zone 24. Heating system 90 may include a heat energy source 92 and antenna 94 to direct the heat energy. Antenna 94 may be used to direct the heat toward plant 20, according to control system 70. Plant 20 (or parts of plant 20 or portions of planting area 22) may be “beamed” or pulsed with the heat energy to be warmed. The heat energy may sequentially warm specific plants 20, fruit, or zones.
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Antenna 94 may be any type of antenna capable of emitting heat energy. The heat source may be any type of heat-emitting source, such as microwave source 92, and may emit any type of heat energy, such as microwaves 96 or lasers (e.g., to provide very focused and directional heat energy). For example, as shown in
Antenna 94 may be, for example, a phased array antenna, or a metamaterial antenna, and may be used to efficiently emit microwaves. In an embodiment, a metamaterial antenna can utilize metamaterial surface antenna technology as developed by Kymeta Corporation. Although any type of heat energy-emitting antenna may be used (such as a dipole antenna), horn antenna 95 is shown in
In order to direct microwaves 96 to a desired location, antenna 94 may mechanically or electronically steer the microwaves to the desired location. Microwaves 96 may be physically steered or translated by positioning antenna 94 on motorized platform 98 (e.g., a positioning member) and pivoting, moving, and/or rotating antenna 94 according to the desired direction. Control system 70 may direct heating system 90 toward plant 20, zone 24, or plant area 22. Alternatively or additionally, microwaves 96 may be steered with a waveguide.
In one embodiment, the waves (such as microwaves 96) from antenna 94 are electronically steered by using a phased array or a metamaterial antenna. Beam steering may be utilized by switching which antenna is emitting microwaves and/or changing relative phases of the microwaves to direct the overall heat energy. For example, a patch antenna may be used to electronically steer and direct the heat energy with a series of smaller antennas by altering the frequencies and phases of the emitted heat energy in each antenna.
Control system 70 is used to control the heating of plants 20 (or planting area 22 or zone 24). Control system 70 receives data from sensor 50, and directs heating system 90 according to the temperature data from sensor 50 and, for example, the target temperature. Control system 70 may direct heating system 90 to emit heat energy or microwaves 96 from microwave source 92 through antenna 94 based on a comparison of the temperature data and the target temperature. In some embodiments, heat energy is provided at a constant rate as long as the temperature data is less than the target temperature. In other embodiments, the amount of heat energy is based on the magnitude of the difference between the target temperature and the temperature data, e.g., is proportional to the difference. Microwaves 96 will be absorbed by plant 20, thus heating or warming plant 20 and/or the surrounding area. Control system 70 may further communicate to antenna 94 additional information, such as where to direct microwaves 96 in order to accurately target and warm plant 20.
Control system 70 (e.g., a control circuit) operates according to feedback from sensor 50 and controls heating system 90 according to the temperature data from sensor 50. In some embodiments, control system 70 acquires and uses data on the delivery of microwaves to the target plant or its vicinity; for example, such data can be generated by using a remote microwave sensor to measure microwave reflections from the target, or by using microwave sensors positioned near the target to measure incident microwave energy. For example, if the acquired temperature is already in the desired temperature range of plant 20 (or after heating system 90 has already warmed plant 20), control system 70 may obtain temperature data from a different plant and/or adjust heating system 90 accordingly. If the acquired temperature is less than a desired or target temperature of plant 20, control system 70 may activate and control heating system 90 to warm plant 20 with heat energy. Optionally, control system 70 may obtain temperature data for a plurality of plants 20 from sensor 50, and sequentially control heating system 90 to direct heat energy only toward the portions (i.e., subset) of plants 20 that need heat energy based on the temperature data. Control system 70 may control heating of a portion (or zone) of plants based on a representative temperature of the portion of plants, such as the mean temperature of the portion, the minimum temperature, the median temperature, etc.
Control system 70 may direct heating system 90 to heat plant 20 continuously as sensor 50 continuously provides temperature data to control system 70. Once the temperature data reaches at least the target temperature, control system 70 may direct heating system 90 to stop emitting heat energy toward plant 20. Alternatively, control system 70 may control heating system 90 to provide a set amount of heat energy to be delivered, a set intensity of emitted heat energy, and/or a set duration of emitting heat energy based on the difference between the detected temperature and the target temperature. Alternatively, control system 70 may use time averaging based on the difference between detected and target temperatures in order direct heating system 90 to sufficiently warm plant 20 (e.g., while plant warming system 30 is directed toward a different plant). Alternatively, control system 70 can control the operation of heating system 90 in order to emit heat energy for a set amount of time if the temperature data is less than the target data. Alternatively, control system 70 can control the operation of heating system 90 in order to emit heat energy until a specified rise in temperature is achieved.
Control system 70 may use wired or wireless technology to communicate with heating system 90. Control system 70 may communicate a variety of information to heating system 90. For example, control system 70 may indicate to heating system 90 where to direct the heat from heating system 90, a duration for which to emit heat, or an intensity at which to emit heat.
Referring to
Control system 70 includes a variety of different components to process and analyze the temperature data from sensor 50. For example, control system 70 can include central processing unit (CPU) or processor 72 and memory 74. Processor 72 may be implemented as a general-purpose processor, an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), one or more field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), a digital-signal-processor (DSP), a group of processing components, or other suitable electronic processing components. Memory 74 is one or more devices (e.g., RAM, ROM, Flash Memory, hard disk storage, etc.) for storing data and/or computer code for facilitating the various processes described herein. Memory 74 may be or include non-transient volatile memory or non-volatile memory. Memory 74 may include database components, object code components, script components, or any other type of information structure for supporting the various activities and information structures described herein. Memory 74 may be communicably connected to processor 72 and provide computer code or instructions to processor 72 for executing the processes described herein.
Memory 74 may store information such as the target temperature, a heating algorithm, and/or past temperatures. The heating algorithm may, for example, adjust a target temperature according to the time of year, stage of development, or specific temperature needs of each plant 20, zone 24, or planting area 22. Control system 70 may connect directly or indirectly to user input/output (I/O) device 76 to display pertinent information, allow a user to control plant warming system 30, and/or allow the user to adjust the target temperature. Control system 70 may connect with remote system 78. Remote system 78 may be used to receive information or data from an external source, such as a weather report. Remote system 78 may additionally send information externally.
Control system 70 may use a variety of different methods to control which plant 20 or zone 24 is warmed. For example, control system 70 may use an open-loop program (e.g., similar to a raster scan), in which warming is based on the current state or temperature of the plants. The control system 70 may direct sensor 50 to take temperature measurements of plants 20 (or areas surrounding plants 20) throughout plant area 22 and warm plants 20 accordingly. According to another embodiment, control system 70 may use a closed loop, such as a feedback system with sensor 50. For example, control system 70 may control heating system 90 to warm plant 20 until the temperature reaches a desired temperature.
In some embodiments, control system 70 determines which plant 20 or zone 24 may be most beneficial to warm. For example, plants 20 or zones 24 may be prioritized into a particular order according to a criteria. The prioritization may be based on one factor or multiple factors, weighted according to importance. For example, the criteria may include which plant 20 needs energy the most (e.g., which plant is coldest or which may have the greatest expected economic gain (e.g., potential crop yield, growth, or value) or which plant 20 will provide the greatest net economic payoff or gain (e.g., the amount of time or energy required to warm plant 20 versus net yield). The criteria may include the duration or the amount of heating needed for plant 20. The prioritization may also be based on an optimization between the potential net yield of plant 20 compared to the distance between the location of plant 20 and heating system 90 (also accounting for the required time and energy). According to the prioritization, plants 20 or zones 24 may be warmed sequentially in order.
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The present disclosure contemplates methods, systems, and program products on any machine-readable media for accomplishing various operations. The embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented using existing computer processors, or by a special purpose computer processor for an appropriate system, incorporated for this or another purpose, or by a hardwired system. Embodiments within the scope of the present disclosure include program products comprising machine-readable media for carrying or having machine-executable instructions or data structures stored thereon. Such machine-readable media can be any available media that can be accessed by a general purpose or special purpose computer or other machine with a processor. By way of example, such machine-readable media can comprise RAM, ROM, EPROM, EEPROM, CD-ROM or other optical disk storage, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium which can be used to carry or store desired program code in the form of machine-executable instructions or data structures and which can be accessed by a general purpose or special purpose computer or other machine with a processor. When information is transferred or provided over a network or another communications connection (either hardwired, wireless, or a combination of hardwired or wireless) to a machine, the machine properly views the connection as a machine-readable medium. Thus, any such connection is properly termed a machine-readable medium. Combinations of the above are also included within the scope of machine-readable media. Machine-executable instructions include, for example, instructions and data which cause a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, or special purpose processing machines to perform a certain function or group of functions.
Although the figures may show a specific order of method steps, the order of the steps may differ from what is depicted. Also two or more steps may be performed concurrently or with partial concurrence. Such variation will depend on the software and hardware systems chosen and on designer choice. All such variations are within the scope of the disclosure. Likewise, software implementations could be accomplished with standard programming techniques with rule based logic and other logic to accomplish the various connection steps, processing steps, comparison steps and decision steps.
While various aspects and embodiments have been disclosed herein, other aspects and embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art. The various aspects and embodiments disclosed herein are for purposes of illustration and are not intended to be limiting, with the true scope and spirit being indicated by the following claims.
