Apparatus and Method for Plant Regulation in a Cultivated Plant Stock

Abstract

An apparatus for controlling plants in a crop stand with a) at least one liquid reservoir for receiving liquid, b) at least one first liquid line system connected to the at least one liquid reservoir and provided with at least one controllable outlet opening controllable, c) a recognition device for recognizing plants and communicating the position data of the plants to the control device, d) a control device for controlling the at least one valve of the liquid line system,

wherein the recognition device distinguishes plants in the crop stand between wanted plants and unwanted plants, and the control device opens the valves of the at least one first line system so as to exclusively spray the unwanted plants in the crop stand with liquid, i.e., omit the wanted plants. Unwanted plants are damaged or killed by the action of the kinetic and/or thermal energy of the liquid.

Claims

1.-26. (canceled)

27. An apparatus for controlling plants in a crop stand, said apparatus being movable over said crop stand, comprising a) at least one liquid reservoir (S) for receiving liquid, b) at least one first liquid line system (1) connected to the at least one liquid reservoir (S) and provided with at least one outlet opening (5) controllable via a valve (3), c) a recognition device (12) for recognizing plants (7, 7′) and communicating the position data of the plants (7, 7′) to a control device (13), d) the control device (13) for controlling the at least one valve (3) of the first liquid line system (1), wherein the recognition device is configured to distinguish plants in the crop stand between wanted plants (7) and unwanted plants (7′), and the control device (13) is configured to open the valves (3) of the at least one first line system (1) so as to exclusively spray the unwanted plants (7′) in the crop stand with liquid, i.e., omit the wanted plants (7), characterized in that unwanted plants (7′) are damaged or killed by the action of the kinetic and/or thermal energy of the liquid, the damage by the kinetic energy preferably being effected by flushing or sweeping the plant (7′) into the soil and the thermal damage being effected by application of hot liquid and/or liquid vapor having a temperature above 333 K to the unwanted plants (7′).

28. The apparatus according to claim 27, wherein the recognition device (12) is configured to detect at least one particularly vulnerable point or area per plant (7′), preferably to detect the growth center and/or the root point (20), i.e., the point at which the plant (7′) emerges from the soil.

29. The apparatus according to claim 27, wherein at least one second liquid line system (2) is provided which is connected to the at least one liquid reservoir (S) and which is provided with at least one outlet opening (6) which can be controlled via a valve (4) controlled via a control device (12), wherein a heater (10) for heating liquid conveyed from the liquid reservoir (S) into the at least one first line system (1) is arranged in the at least one first line system (1), said heater preferably being controlled via a temperature controller.

30. The apparatus according to claim 27, wherein the at least one first line system (1) with the heater (10) is configured as a circulation system (11), wherein a circulation pump (9) is preferably arranged in the circulation system (11) and the lines between the heater (10) and the valves (3) are preferably thermally insulated.

31. The apparatus according to claim 27, wherein at least one liquid-carrying component (21) between the valve (3) and the outlet opening (5) is preheated by the hot liquid in the at least first line system (1), preferably by this component (21) being connected to a part of the first line system (1) in a heat-conducting manner, and particularly preferably by hot liquid flowing directly through or around the component (21).

32. The apparatus according to claim 27, wherein the recognition device (12) for recognizing different plants (7, 7′) has at least one camera (15) for detecting electromagnetic waves.

33. The apparatus according to claim 27, wherein the recognition device detects the distance from the soil surface (8) and/or the plants (7, 7′), preferably by at least one camera (15) being configured as a 3D camera.

34. The apparatus according to claim 27, wherein the control device (13) detects the motion or speed of the apparatus, preferably by determining the motion from the overlapping images of at least one camera (15) and/or by having a sensor, preferably a GPS sensor, in communication with the control device (13).

35. The apparatus according to claim 27, wherein the recognition device (12) includes at least one artificial neural network which has preferably been trained with the aid of an image database.

36. The apparatus according to claim 27, wherein motions or vibrations of the apparatus transverse to the main direction of motion are minimized by at least one wheel with positive soil contact, preferably a cutting wheel or cutting disc (22) partially immersed in the soil.

37. The apparatus according to claim 27, wherein motions or vibrations of the apparatus transverse to the main direction of motion are minimized by at least one element cutting through the soil, preferably a vertically arranged blade partially immersed in the soil.

38. The apparatus according to claim 27, wherein the liquid emerges as a circular jet.

39. The apparatus according to claim 27, wherein the at least one outlet opening (5, 6) is moved over the soil surface (8) at a distance of up to 50 cm, preferably at a distance of 3 cm to 30 cm.

40. A method for plant control in a crop stand, comprising the following method steps: i capturing a portion of the plants (7, 7′) in a crop stand, wherein ii distinguishing the captured plants (7, 7′) between wanted crop plants (7) and other, unwanted plants (7′), and subsequently iii spraying the other, unwanted plants (7′) with liquid, preferably having a high thermal and/or kinetic energy, and/or liquid vapor, and subsequently iv capturing a further portion of the plants (7, 7′) in a crop stand and repeating method steps i to iv, characterized in that unwanted plants (7′) are damaged or killed by the action of the thermal and/or kinetic energy of the liquid, the damage by the action of kinetic energy preferably being effected by flushing or sweeping the plant (7′) into the soil and the thermal damage being effected by hot liquid and/or liquid vapor having a temperature above 333 K.

41. The method according to claim 40, wherein spraying of the wanted crop plants (7) with cold liquid having a low kinetic energy and/or with cold liquid mist is performed simultaneously with or promptly upon spraying of the other, unwanted plants (7′) with liquid having a high thermal and/or kinetic energy and/or with liquid vapor.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0060] In the drawings:

[0061] FIG. 1: is a schematic representation of an example embodiment of an apparatus according to the invention,

[0062] FIG. 2: is a schematic detailed view of the apparatus according to FIG. 1,

[0063] FIG. 3: is a perspective representation of a detail of an apparatus according to the invention, and

[0064] FIG. 4: is a schematic representation of a further embodiment example of an apparatus according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0065] FIG. 1 shows an embodiment example of the entire fluid system of an apparatus according to the invention for plant control in a crop stand, said apparatus being movable over the crop stand. In the embodiment example of FIG. 1, the apparatus is configured for application of hot liquid and cold liquid. For this purpose, the apparatus has a liquid reservoir S in which the liquid to be applied to the plants—in the simplest case water—is stored. A first liquid line system 1 is connected to the liquid reservoir S, which is provided with outlet openings 5 that can be controlled via valves 3. Via this first line system 1, liquid at ambient temperature is conveyed from the liquid reservoir S to a circulation system 11 of the first line system 1 by means of a feed pump 14. In the circulation system 11, a heater 10 in the form of a propane gas-powered continuous-flow gas heater is arranged, downstream of which a circulation pump 9 is connected. In the heater 10, the liquid conveyed by means of the feed pump 14 is heated to a temperature of 371 K+/−2 K and is conveyed to the valves 3 of the line system 1 via the circulation pump 9. When these valves 3 are in their closed position, the heated liquid circulates continuously in the circulation system 11 of the first line system 1, being reheated in the heater 10—if necessary—to the desired temperature if the liquid in the circulation system 11 has cooled down in the meantime.

[0066] A second line system 2 is also connected to the liquid reservoir S, which is also provided with a feed pump 14 that conveys the liquid in the liquid reservoir S, which is at ambient temperature, to valves 4 of the second line system 2. If the valves 4 are closed, no liquid is conveyed by the feed pump 14 of the second line system 2. However, if at least one valve 4 of the second line system 2 is open, the liquid having ambient temperature is discharged via an outlet opening 6 of the respective open valve 4.

[0067] Said opening and closing of the valves 3 and 4, which are preferably configured as solenoid valves, are in this case performed by a control device not shown in FIG. 1. The control device in this case receives data from a recognition device for recognizing plants, which is also not shown in FIG. 1. The recognition device is configured such that it can distinguish between different plants. In particular, it can distinguish between a plant that is wanted in the crop stand and plants that are not wanted, and can preferably recognize particularly vulnerable points such as a growth center and/or a root point 20. If an unwanted plant is detected, the position of the unwanted plant is communicated to the control device, which then opens the corresponding valve 3 of the first line system 1 as the apparatus is moved over this unwanted plant, and thus applies hot liquid, in particular hot water, to this unwanted plant via the outlet opening 5. By applying or spraying the liquid at about 371 K onto this unwanted plant, the plant is damaged in such a way that it dies or develops much more slowly as a result of the application of this thermal energy. If the recognition device has detected plants in the vicinity of the plant being sprayed with hot liquid that are wanted in the crop stand, the respective valve 4 of the line system 2 is also opened by the control device, so that cold liquid, in particular water at ambient temperature, can be applied over this plant. Through this application of cold water or cold liquid, the respective wanted plant is protected from thermal damage that can occur due to running and/or splashing hot water or hot liquid.

[0068] FIG. 2 shows a detailed view of the apparatus according to FIG. 1, with a valve 3 and an outlet opening 5 of the first line system 1 for hot liquid application and a valve 4 with an outlet opening 6 of the second line system for cold liquid application. The apparatus is moved over a soil surface 8 provided with plants 7, 7′, in the direction of arrow 16. If one of the plants 7 is detected as an unwanted plant 7′ in the crop stand, the valve 3 of the liquid system 1 opens and applies hot liquid to this plant 7′ or preferably to its root point 20 via the outlet opening 5. If, at the same time, the recognition device detects a wanted plant 7 in the vicinity of this unwanted plant 7′ to which hot liquid is applied, the control device, which is also not shown in FIG. 2, opens the valve 4 of the line system 2, so that cold liquid can be applied to this plant 7 via the outlet opening 6, thus protecting it from thermal stress caused by splashing or running hot liquid, which was applied to the unwanted plant 7′ by the first line system 1. The preheating of the liquid-carrying component 21 between the valve 3 and the outlet opening 5 by the liquid in the first line system 1, which is achieved by passing the latter through the component 21, can also be seen here. This minimizes cooling of the liquid before it exits the apparatus.

[0069] In FIG. 3, the situation according to FIG. 2 is shown again in perspective. In this case, multiple valves 3 and 4 with corresponding outlet openings 5 and 6 are arranged both in the first line system 1 for hot liquid and in the line system 2 for cold liquid. The outlet openings 5 and 6 can also be swiveled, if necessary, by means of the control unit, which is again not shown here, so that a very precise application, i.e., in the millimeter range, of both the hot and the cold liquid to the plant 7, 7′ selected by the control unit can be performed.

[0070] FIG. 4 schematically shows an embodiment example of an apparatus according to the invention as an overall system in the form of an attachment or trailed implement that can be coupled to a tractor 17. By means of the tractor 17, the entire apparatus is moved over a crop stand. During this process, a recognition device 12 recognizes the plants 7 growing on the soil surface 8. The recognition is preferably performed by a camera 15, which may be configured as a 3D camera, and, if necessary, also by an infrared camera. For better detection of the plants located on the soil surface 8, the embodiment example of FIG. 4 also has lighting devices 18 by means of which the soil surface 8 captured by the camera 15 is illuminated, as well as a shading device 19 which shields the area captured by the camera 15 from incident sunlight. The camera data is then communicated to a recognition device 12, which uses an integrated artificial neural network to distinguish the plants between wanted plants 7 and unwanted plants 7′ in the crop stand on the soil surface 8 and detect the position of their root points 20. If the recognition device 12 identifies an unwanted plant 7′ on the soil surface 8, the control device 13 opens the corresponding valve 3 when it is above or near the unwanted plant 7′. The position data is in this case communicated from the recognition device 12 to the control device 13. At the same time, speed data is calculated from the overlap of successive images from the camera 15 and matched with data from a GPS or other sensor for motion, speed and/or position detection for even greater accuracy. The control device 13 determines the time to open (and close) one or more corresponding valves 3 of the first line system 1 from the combination of the position data of the plant 7′ with motion or speed data of the apparatus, taking into account the switching times of the valves 3 and the time required for the liquid from the outlet opening 5 until hitting the plant 7′ or the surface. The valves 3 of the first line system are opened via corresponding control signals of the control device 13. If the recognition device 12 has identified wanted plants 7 in the crop stand in the immediate vicinity of the unwanted plant 7′ being damaged or destroyed with hot water, the control device opens corresponding valves 4 of the second line system 2 in order to protect these plants 7 from running or splashing hot liquid of the hot liquid application and thus from thermal damage. The determination of the times for opening and closing the valves 4, i.e., the cold water valves, is done in a similar manner as for those of the hot water system.

[0071] A cutting disc 22 running in the soil minimizes vibrations and motions transverse to the direction of motion of the apparatus. For a particularly uniform, low-vibration motion at a constant distance above the surface, the part of the apparatus including the camera 15 and the outlet openings 5, 6 is further mounted in a height-adjustable and vibration-damped manner (not shown). The height adjustment is in this case performed automatically based on the distance from the soil surface 8 as determined by the 3D camera.

[0072] It can be clearly seen in FIG. 4 that both the first line system 1 and the second line system 2 are fed from the same liquid reservoir S. The second line system 2 is supplied directly with liquid at ambient temperature, while in the first line system 1 a heater 10 in the form of a propane gas-powered continuous-flow gas heater is arranged between the liquid reservoir S and the valves 3, which heats the liquid stored in the liquid reservoir S to a temperature of approx. 371 K+/−2 K. As can also be clearly seen in the illustration of FIG. 4, the first line system for application of hot liquid has a circulation system 11. Said system serves to ensure that when the valves 3 of the first line system 1 are closed, the heated liquid does not need to be returned to the large liquid reservoir S, but the hot liquid in the circulation system only needs to be minimally reheated by the flow heater repeatedly in order to maintain the temperature required for application. If the liquid were returned to the large liquid reservoir S, this would result in a significant loss of energy, as the heated liquid would then be cooled back down to near ambient temperature.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0073] S liquid reservoir

[0074] 1 first line system

[0075] 2 second line system

[0076] 3 valve

[0077] 4 valve

[0078] 5 outlet opening

[0079] 6 outlet opening

[0080] 7 wanted plant, crop plant

[0081] 7′ unwanted plant

[0082] 8 soil surface

[0083] 9 circulation pump

[0084] 10 heater

[0085] 11 circulation system

[0086] 12 recognition device

[0087] 13 control device

[0088] 14 feed pump

[0089] 15 camera

[0090] 16 arrow

[0091] 17 tractor

[0092] 18 lighting device

[0093] 19 shading device

[0094] 20 root point

[0095] 21 liquid-carrying component

[0096] 22 cutting disc