Patent classifications
A01D46/24
Individual plant location positioning
A vehicle including a body, a plurality of wheels movably coupled to the body, a guidance control system. The plurality of wheels can be configured to roll through rows between plant beds such that at least a portion of the body moves above the plant beds. The guidance control system can be configured to guide the vehicle along the rows. The guidance control system can be configured to track a different individual plant location of each individual plant of plants that are either planned for growth or growing in the plant beds. Other embodiments are provided.
Maturity determination device and maturity determination method
A maturity determination device includes an image capturing device to capture a image including a plurality of first and second pixels; and a signal processing circuit configured to find an area size ratio of an intensity distribution of light of a first wavelength band on the basis of a predetermined reference value based on pixel values obtained from the plurality of first and second pixels, and to generate maturity determination information in accordance with the area size ratio. The first pixel includes a first light transmission filter, and the second pixel includes a second light transmission filter. The intensity of the light of the first wavelength band reflected by the fruits and vegetables varies in accordance with the maturity level, and the intensity of the light of the second wavelength band reflected by the fruits and vegetables is substantially the same regardless of the maturity level.
Maturity determination device and maturity determination method
A maturity determination device includes an image capturing device to capture a image including a plurality of first and second pixels; and a signal processing circuit configured to find an area size ratio of an intensity distribution of light of a first wavelength band on the basis of a predetermined reference value based on pixel values obtained from the plurality of first and second pixels, and to generate maturity determination information in accordance with the area size ratio. The first pixel includes a first light transmission filter, and the second pixel includes a second light transmission filter. The intensity of the light of the first wavelength band reflected by the fruits and vegetables varies in accordance with the maturity level, and the intensity of the light of the second wavelength band reflected by the fruits and vegetables is substantially the same regardless of the maturity level.
BERRY IMPACT RECORDING DEVICE
Disclosed are various embodiments for a berry impact recording device. The berry impact recording device comprises a shell. Within the shell are at least a sensor and an integrated circuit. The sensor may be configured to detect an acceleration of the berry impact recording device. The integrated circuit may be configured to record the acceleration of the berry impact recording device and a timestamp corresponding to the acceleration.
BERRY IMPACT RECORDING DEVICE
Disclosed are various embodiments for a berry impact recording device. The berry impact recording device comprises a shell. Within the shell are at least a sensor and an integrated circuit. The sensor may be configured to detect an acceleration of the berry impact recording device. The integrated circuit may be configured to record the acceleration of the berry impact recording device and a timestamp corresponding to the acceleration.
AUTOMATED SELECTIVE HARVESTING OF CROPS
A system including a picking apparatus including at least two grippers. Each of the at least two grippers can extend radially from a central axis of the picking apparatus. Each of the at least two grippers can be configured to pick a different individual crop of crops of a plant. The system can be configured to rotate the at least two grippers of the picking apparatus around the central axis in a rotational path. The system can be configured to stop rotation of the picking apparatus when a first gripper of the at least two grippers is rotated to a picking position along the rotational path. The system can be configured to adjust an opening width of the first gripper at the picking position to pick a first individual crop of the crops of the plant. The opening width of the first gripper can be adjusted based on a size of the first individual crop to fit the first gripper around the first individual crop. Other embodiments are provided.
Harvester suspension
A harvesting vehicle including a body including a plurality of picking systems configured to be carried over plants growing in one or more plant beds to harvest crops of the plants. Each picking system can include an imaging system and can be configured to (a) determine a height of the picking system over one of the one or more plant beds as the picking system is carried over the plants and (b) provide distance measurement data based on the height. The harvesting vehicle also can include a plurality of wheels each having a vertical position with respect to the body. The harvesting vehicle also can include a suspension control system configured to perform: receiving the distance measurement data from the plurality of picking systems; determining adjustment information for an adjustment of the vertical position of one or more of the plurality of wheels with respect to the body based at least in part on the distance measurement data provided by at least one of the plurality of picking systems; and controlling the adjustment of the vertical position of the one or more of the plurality of wheels with respect to the body based on the adjustment information. Other embodiments are provided.
Robot positioning with station-keeping
A system including one or more first carriers each configured to carry two or more robotic systems. The system also can include one or more second carriers configured to be coupled to a vehicle that is movable across a surface. Each of the one or more first carriers each can be movably coupled to and carried by one of the one or more second carriers. The system can be configured to automatically hold each of the one or more first carriers in a first carrier position and stationary with respect to the surface for a first time period while the vehicle moves the one or more second carriers in a first direction with respect to the surface, such that at least a portion of each of the two or more robotic systems carried by each of the one or more first carriers is carried in a stationary manner with respect to the surface for the first time period by each of the one or more first carriers. Other embodiments are provided.
Foliage holding
A system including a foliage displacement system. The foliage displacement system can include a support structure and two or more surfaces movably coupled to the support structure and configured to move between an open configuration of the foliage displacement system and a closed configuration of the foliage displacement system. The two or more surfaces can be configured to move foliage of a plant toward a center of the plant such that crops of the plant that underlie the foliage are exposed when the foliage displacement system moves from the open configuration to the closed configuration. Other embodiments are provided.
Foliage holding
A system including a foliage displacement system. The foliage displacement system can include a support structure and two or more surfaces movably coupled to the support structure and configured to move between an open configuration of the foliage displacement system and a closed configuration of the foliage displacement system. The two or more surfaces can be configured to move foliage of a plant toward a center of the plant such that crops of the plant that underlie the foliage are exposed when the foliage displacement system moves from the open configuration to the closed configuration. Other embodiments are provided.