METHOD AND DEVICE FOR TREATING GROUNDS AND WEED KILLING DEVICE

Abstract

In a method, during weed eradication on ground areas using high voltage and, if necessary, additional technology, data regarding the weed growth are repeatedly captured and, using a computer, a forecast concerning the weed growth is computed, and from this at least one parameter for a subsequent treatment is computed and used to optimize the treatment.

Claims

1. A method for the maintenance of ground areas (24) with a weed eradication device (62, 63, 74), in which at different points in time, data (69) concerning the weed growth is captured, a computer (70) is used to compute a forecast regarding the weed growth therefrom and at least one parameter (71) for a future treatment is computed therefrom.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the data (69) are captured during the maintenance.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein data from other sources, such as from other vehicles or other systems carrying sensors in particular, are incorporated independently of the maintenance.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a self-learning optimization method is used for the computation of the parameter (71) for the future treatment.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the computer (70) comprises a geoinformation system (72) with a time reference.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein localized and time-dated data are captured from different weed eradication devices (62, 63, 74) or mobile systems (60, 61) and transmitted to the computer (70).

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the exhaust heat from a vehicle propulsion unit (51) or from a means for producing high voltage is used for the production of hot water or steam (73).

8. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the availability of maintenance operatives and weed eradication devices (62, 63, 74) are also input into the computer (70) and can then be used for planning the operations.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein weather data and light information concerning the region of the ground area (68) to be maintained are input into the computer (70).

10. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the data (69) regarding weed growth contains values regarding the status of the weeds prior to their treatment with a weed eradication device (62, 63, 74) and this is subsequently displayed on-site via electronic systems such as screens, overlays, VR glasses, etc.

11. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the weed eradication device (62, 63, 74) is moved manually or with a vehicle (3).

12. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the weed eradication device (62, 63, 74) transmits data wirelessly or via a cable to a mobile system (61) which transmits the data to the computer (70).

13. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the ground area (68) is treated with different weed eradication devices (62, 63, 74) and the at least one parameter (71), which may also be a forecast, is overlaid in a spatially localized manner on the display of a mobile camera system such as a mobile phone, for example.

14. A weed eradication device (62, 63, 74), in particular for use in a the method as claimed in claim 1, wherein it comprises a sensor system (21, 33, 34) for identifying the weed growth and an interface (76) for the wireless or cabled transmission of data (69) to a computer (70).

15. The weed eradication device as claimed in claim 14, wherein the computer (70) comprises an interface for transmitting the data (69) or computed data to a mobile system (61) such as a mobile phone in particular.

16. The weed eradication device in particular as claimed in claim 14, wherein for the purposes of weed eradication, it comprises a high voltage means (75) for weakening and eradicating weeds and furthermore, it comprises at least one further device (73) for weed control or for weed removal from a traversed region.

Description

[0043] The invention will now be illustrated and described with the aid of the drawings. In the drawings:

[0044] FIG. 1 diagrammatically shows a device for weed eradication with a vehicle,

[0045] FIG. 2 diagrammatically shows a device for weed eradication with a sensor system and GPS,

[0046] FIG. 3 shows a vehicle with a hybrid design during operation,

[0047] FIG. 4 shows a vehicle with a hybrid design during a weed eradication operation, and

[0048] FIG. 5 shows the use of data from different sources.

[0049] FIG. 1 shows how weed eradication can be carried out on a vehicle 3 with fixed trailing applicators 1, 2 which may also be configured as brushes. Robotically moved trailing or brush applicators 4 as applicators of a high voltage production means (not shown) are disposed at the back in the exemplary embodiment. In addition, hot water jets 5 are disposed on the vehicle 3 so that the vehicle 3 can be used as a hybrid system. A detachable compact system 7 is connected to the vehicle 3 via a cable 6. The compact system 7 may also be autonomously, robotically or manually operated. It has trailing contacts 8, 9 and floats on an air cushion, or is trailed, or it rolls on wheels 10, 11. The compact system 7 may also be equipped with a battery so that it can be used independently of the vehicle. The support vehicle 1 shown here may, for example, be a tractor, a heavy goods vehicle, a pickup, a light truck, a quad bike, an autonomous vehicle or a manually operated unit.

[0050] FIG. 2 shows how a sensor system 21 can be used to identify the height and spread of plants 22 can be detected and localized by means of a GPS system 23. At the same time, data regarding the quality of the subsoil, i.e. the ground area 24, the ground clearances and the tyre guidance 25, can be captured. The sensor system delivers current data, which can be compared with historic data which is obtained via a transmitter and receiver unit 26. The transmitter and receiver unit 26 is wirelessly connected to the database 27 in order to be able to store current data in the database 27 and in order to be able to call up historical data. In this manner, applicators 28, spray jets 29, robotic units 30 and, if appropriate, the energy supply 31 as well and, for example, the steering as well, can be controlled in an optimized manner. A further sensor serves to identify the route conditions 32. The plant data in the database 27 serve for comparison and to provide a forecast of the growth model. The sensor system 33, 34 may also be located on manually operated compact tools 35 and support vehicle-based (fixed or robotically connected) compact tools (not shown). The vehicle 36 may also be provided with a sensor system alone and without weed control.

[0051] In the vehicle 40 shown in FIG. 3, the wheels 41 are optionally electrically driven. The energy 44 for this is supplied as current through a motor/generator combination 42, 43 or a fuel cell (not shown). When operated slowly, a large proportion of the energy 45 goes into weed control with the trailing contacts 46 and the hot water jet 47. When in drive mode, the energy 44 primarily goes into the propulsion units.

[0052] FIG. 5 diagrammatically shows how, in a vehicle 50, the exhaust heat from the vehicle propulsion unit 51 (onboard engine, electrically or hydraulically coupled internal combustion engine or, if appropriate, also a fuel cell to replace the engine and generator) which generally also supplies the generator 52, can heat the onboard water 53 in one or two stages with a heat exchanger 54 for cooling water and a heat exchanger 55 for exhaust gas, and the hot water from the tanks 56 and 57 in particular can be used where electrical control is not possible; jets 58 are used in order to control weeds or unwanted organisms or also to just clean a surface. The jets 58 are used in particular on metallic manhole covers and gutter gratings, or at locations which are difficult to access such as fences and steel masts. It is deployed with a spraying unit with jets 58 attached to the vehicle 50 or with a hand-held lance or other robotic means (not shown).

[0053] FIG. 6 diagrammatically shows how data which is currently being recorded using the sensor system 66, 67 and data from previous weed treatments 62, 63 which have been stored in the database 64 of the computer 70 and which are transmitted via the interface to the system, is used for controlling and parameterizing the system. In this manner, the various applicator systems 1, 2, 4, 8, 9 shown in FIG. 1 can parameterize an alternative weed control system 5, 73 and thus enable efficient and specific deployment.

[0054] FIG. 6 shows in detail how data from various sources, such as from drones 60, mobile phone sensors 61, mobile processing means 62, delivery vehicles (not shown), satellites (not shown), other street cleaning vehicles 63, etc as well as data regarding weeds, weather and microclimate, can be input into a database 64 so that routes for the weed control vehicles 65 can be planned or local weed control vehicles can be controlled. For this purpose, a growth forecast can be calculated based on the data collected in the database 64. The figure also shows how the availability of data regarding the terrain 66 and data regarding weeds 67 from previous trips and other sources can be entered into the database to allow autonomously operating robotic systems to operate much faster and more effectively by including the database-based model of the terrain and the weed forecast than was possible when the sensors of the weed control vehicle 65 initially scanned all areas and then started operations.

[0055] FIG. 6 thus shows a method for the maintenance of ground areas 68, in which data 69 regarding weed growth is repeatedly acquired over intervals of time, a forecast regarding weed growth is computed therefrom using a computer 70 and from this, at least one parameter 71 for a future treatment is computed. In this regard, it is possible for the data 69 to be captured during maintenance. Advantageously, the computation of the parameter 71 for the future treatment uses a self-learning optimization method. To this end, the computer 70 should comprise a geoinformation system 72 with a time reference.

[0056] In this manner, localized and time-dated data 69 regarding the weed growth can be captured from different weed eradication devices 62, 63 and 74 or mobile systems 60, 61 and transmitted to the computer 70.

[0057] The availability of the maintenance operatives and weed eradication devices as well as weather data and light information regarding the region of the ground areas to be maintained can also be input into the computer 70 and can then be used for planning the operations.

[0058] Advantageously, values regarding the status of the weeds prior to their treatment with a weed eradication device are contained in the data 69 regarding the weed growth and these are subsequently displayed on-site via electronic systems such as screens, overlays, VR glasses (not shown).

[0059] The weed eradication device 62, 63, 74 may be moved manually or with a vehicle 3. It can transmit data wirelessly or by cable to a mobile system 61 such as, in particular, a mobile phone, which then relays the data to the computer 70.

[0060] The ground area 68 may be treated with different weed eradication devices 62, 63, 74 and the at least one parameter 71, which may also be a forecast, can be overlaid in a spatially localized manner on the screen of a mobile camera system such as, for example, a mobile phone.

[0061] In order to produce hot water or steam 73, as can be seen in FIG. 5, the exhaust heat from a vehicle propulsion unit 51 may be used or the exhaust heat from a means for producing high voltage (exhaust gas, cooling water, process heat) may be used in order to use hot water or steam for working on the ground.

[0062] The weed eradication device 74 comprises a sensor system 21, 33, 34 for detecting the weed growth and an interface 76 so that it can transmit data 69 to a computer 70 wirelessly or via a cable. The computer 70 comprises an interface 76 so that it can transmit data 69 or computed data to a mobile system 61, such as a mobile phone in particular. For the purposes of weed eradication, it has a high voltage means 75 for weakening and eradicating the weed and furthermore, it has at least one further device such as the jets 47 for producing steam 73 for weed control or for weed removal from the region being traversed.