WO2019037994A1 - An autonomous plant cultivation cabinet - Google Patents

An autonomous plant cultivation cabinet Download PDF

Info

Publication number
WO2019037994A1
WO2019037994A1 PCT/EP2018/069879 EP2018069879W WO2019037994A1 WO 2019037994 A1 WO2019037994 A1 WO 2019037994A1 EP 2018069879 W EP2018069879 W EP 2018069879W WO 2019037994 A1 WO2019037994 A1 WO 2019037994A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
cabinet
plant cultivation
camera
images captured
cultivation cabinet
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Ceased
Application number
PCT/EP2018/069879
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Aysun TUTAK EROZEN
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Arcelik AS
Original Assignee
Arcelik AS
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Arcelik AS filed Critical Arcelik AS
Publication of WO2019037994A1 publication Critical patent/WO2019037994A1/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Ceased legal-status Critical Current

Links

Images

Classifications

    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A01—AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
    • A01G—HORTICULTURE; CULTIVATION OF VEGETABLES, FLOWERS, RICE, FRUIT, VINES, HOPS OR SEAWEED; FORESTRY; WATERING
    • A01G31/00—Soilless cultivation, e.g. hydroponics
    • A01G31/02—Special apparatus therefor
    • A01G31/06—Hydroponic culture on racks or in stacked containers
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A01—AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
    • A01G—HORTICULTURE; CULTIVATION OF VEGETABLES, FLOWERS, RICE, FRUIT, VINES, HOPS OR SEAWEED; FORESTRY; WATERING
    • A01G9/00—Cultivation in receptacles, forcing-frames or greenhouses; Edging for beds, lawn or the like
    • A01G9/24—Devices or systems for heating, ventilating, regulating temperature, illuminating, or watering, in greenhouses, forcing-frames, or the like
    • A01G9/249—Lighting means
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02P—CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS
    • Y02P60/00—Technologies relating to agriculture, livestock or agroalimentary industries
    • Y02P60/20—Reduction of greenhouse gas [GHG] emissions in agriculture, e.g. CO2
    • Y02P60/21—Dinitrogen oxide [N2O], e.g. using aquaponics, hydroponics or efficiency measures

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a plant cultivation cabinet that autonomously performs all the functions necessary for growing plants and that can be remotely controlled and monitored.
  • the growth of plants is monitored by means of cameras.
  • images of the plants can be automatically recorded at predetermined time intervals and an image can be taken when desired by means of a mobile application.
  • the user is allowed to view the growth of the plant in a video.
  • the user is allowed to view the interior of the cabin when needed by providing real-time images.
  • the quality of the images taken by the cameras does not pose any problems.
  • the need for turning on the illumination means in the plant cultivation cabinet at night adversely affects the growth of the plants in the cabinet. Turning the lights off degrades the quality of the images of the interior of the cabinet.
  • the aim of the present invention is the realization of a plant cultivation cabinet wherein the quality of the images captured at low illumination levels is improved.
  • the plant cultivation cabinet realized in order to attain the aim of the present invention, explicated in the first claim and the respective claims thereof comprises a cabinet wherein the plants are placed; one or more than one light source that is arranged in the cabinet and that illuminates the interior of the cabinet; at least one camera that monitors the interior of the cabinet, and a control unit that processes the images captured by the camera, that controls the light source, wherein the images captured by the camera are saved in the control unit if the light intensity is above a certain value and the images captured by the camera when the light intensity is below a certain level are evaluated and processed together with the images captured when the light intensity is above a certain value.
  • control unit records the images captured by the camera when the light source is turned on and evaluates and processes the images captured when the light source is turned off together with the images captured when the light source is turned on.
  • the light source is turned on during the daytime and turned off during nighttime.
  • control unit comprises a multiplier that is used for processing the images obtained when the light intensity is below a certain value.
  • the multiplier can be a coefficient specified by the produced or can be a function.
  • the multiplier defines the correlation between the images captured when the light intensity is above and below a certain value.
  • the plant cultivation cabinet comprises one or more than one rack whereon the plants are placed.
  • at least one camera is arranged between each two racks.
  • one or more than one light source may be arranged between each two racks.
  • the plant cultivation cabinet comprises the camera that can detect different wavelengths.
  • said wavelengths can be visible spectrum, infrared etc.
  • the surface texture analyses of the plants under different lighting conditions, color values in different color spaces (such as RGB, HSV, YUV, etc.) and morphological characteristics can be used as the multiplier.
  • the camera and the control unit can transmit data to the outer environment and can be remotely controlled via wired or wireless connection.
  • high quality images of the plants in the plant cultivation cabinet are enabled to be captured without adversely affecting the growth of the plants.
  • Figure 1 - is the front view of the plant cultivation cabinet of the present invention.
  • the elements in the figures are numbered as follows:
  • the plant cultivation cabinet (1) comprises a cabinet (2) wherein the plants are placed; one or more than one light source (4) that is arranged in the cabinet (2) and that illuminates the interior of the cabinet (2); at least one camera (3) that monitors the interior of the cabinet (2), and a control unit (5) that processes the images captured by the camera (3) when the light intensity is above a certain value, and evaluates and processes the images captured by the camera (3) when the light intensity is below a certain level together with the images captured when the light intensity is above a certain value.
  • the quality of the images captured by means of the cameras (3) when the light intensity in the cabinet (2) is below a certain value is enabled to be improved without adversely affecting the growth of the plants.
  • control unit (5) also controls the light source (4).
  • the images captured by the camera (3) when the light source (4) is turned on are directly processed, and the images captured by the camera (3) when the light source (4) is turned off are evaluated and processed together with the images captured when the light source (4) is turned on.
  • the light source (4) is turned on during the daytime and turned off during night time.
  • the plant cultivation cabinet (1) comprises the control unit (5) that processes data obtained by multiplying the images captured when the light intensity is below a certain value by a coefficient.
  • Said multiplier can be a coefficient specified by the producer or can be a function.
  • the coefficient defines the correlation between the images captured when the light intensity is above and below a certain value.
  • each pixel in the images captured when the light intensity is above a certain value is defined as Y (i, j) and each pixel in the images captured when the light intensity is below a certain value is defined as D (i, j)
  • the function defined for each pixel is defined as T (i, j).
  • the correlation therebetween is as given below:
  • T (i, j) can be the same function for some and all pixels or a different function for each pixel.
  • the images captured by the camera (3) when the light intensity is below a certain value are processed using a coefficient and together with the images captured when the light intensity is above a certain value and the quality of the images captured when the light intensity is below a certain value is improved to match the quality of the images taken when the light intensity is above a certain value.
  • the plant cultivation cabinet (1) comprises one or more than one rack (6) whereon the plants are placed.
  • at least one camera (3) is arranged between each two racks (6).
  • one or more than one light source (4) is arranged between each two racks (6).
  • the plant cultivation cabinet (1) comprises the camera (3) that can detect different wavelengths.
  • said wavelengths can be visible spectrum, infrared etc.
  • the surface texture analyses of the plants under different lighting conditions can be used as the coefficient.
  • color values in different color spaces such as RGB, HSV, YUV, etc.
  • morphological characteristics can be used as the coefficient.
  • the camera (3) and the control unit (5) transmit data to the outer environment and are remotely controlled via wired or wireless connection.

Landscapes

  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Environmental Sciences (AREA)
  • Cultivation Of Plants (AREA)

Abstract

The present invention relates to a plant cultivation cabinet (1) that comprises a cabinet (2) wherein the plants are placed; one or more than one light source (4) that is arranged in the cabinet (2) and that illuminates the interior of the cabinet (2); at least one camera (3) that monitors the interior of the cabinet (2), and a control unit (5) that processes the images captured by the camera (3) when the light intensity is above a certain value, and evaluates and processes the images captured by the camera (3) when the light intensity is below a certain level together with the images captured when the light intensity is above a certain value. Thereby, the quality of the images captured by means of the cameras (3) when the light intensity in the cabinet (2) is below a certain value is enabled to be improved without adversely affecting the growth of the plants.

Description

AN AUTONOMOUS PLANT CULTIVATION CABINET
The present invention relates to a plant cultivation cabinet that autonomously performs all the functions necessary for growing plants and that can be remotely controlled and monitored.
In plant cultivation cabinets, the growth of plants is monitored by means of cameras. By using cameras, images of the plants can be automatically recorded at predetermined time intervals and an image can be taken when desired by means of a mobile application. By creating a time lapse video using the images captured at predetermined time intervals, the user is allowed to view the growth of the plant in a video. Furthermore, the user is allowed to view the interior of the cabin when needed by providing real-time images. Under well-lit conditions, e.g. during daytime, the quality of the images taken by the cameras does not pose any problems. However, the need for turning on the illumination means in the plant cultivation cabinet at night adversely affects the growth of the plants in the cabinet. Turning the lights off degrades the quality of the images of the interior of the cabinet.
In the state of the art United States Patent Application No. US2016371830, an autonomous plant cultivation system is disclosed, wherein by means of the camera that captures the images of the plants, the current life cycle stage of the plants is determined and the illumination thereof is controlled accordingly.
Another state of the art embodiment is disclosed in United States Patent Application No. US2017118450. In this document, an image processing method is disclosed wherein an image is created by combining the images captured by two separate cameras.
The aim of the present invention is the realization of a plant cultivation cabinet wherein the quality of the images captured at low illumination levels is improved.
The plant cultivation cabinet realized in order to attain the aim of the present invention, explicated in the first claim and the respective claims thereof comprises a cabinet wherein the plants are placed; one or more than one light source that is arranged in the cabinet and that illuminates the interior of the cabinet; at least one camera that monitors the interior of the cabinet, and a control unit that processes the images captured by the camera, that controls the light source, wherein the images captured by the camera are saved in the control unit if the light intensity is above a certain value and the images captured by the camera when the light intensity is below a certain level are evaluated and processed together with the images captured when the light intensity is above a certain value.
In an embodiment of the present invention, the control unit records the images captured by the camera when the light source is turned on and evaluates and processes the images captured when the light source is turned off together with the images captured when the light source is turned on. In this embodiment, the light source is turned on during the daytime and turned off during nighttime.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the control unit comprises a multiplier that is used for processing the images obtained when the light intensity is below a certain value. The multiplier can be a coefficient specified by the produced or can be a function. The multiplier defines the correlation between the images captured when the light intensity is above and below a certain value.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the plant cultivation cabinet comprises one or more than one rack whereon the plants are placed. In this embodiment, at least one camera is arranged between each two racks. Furthermore, one or more than one light source may be arranged between each two racks.
In an embodiment of the present invention, the plant cultivation cabinet comprises the camera that can detect different wavelengths. For example, said wavelengths can be visible spectrum, infrared etc.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the surface texture analyses of the plants under different lighting conditions, color values in different color spaces (such as RGB, HSV, YUV, etc.) and morphological characteristics can be used as the multiplier.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the camera and the control unit can transmit data to the outer environment and can be remotely controlled via wired or wireless connection.
By means of the present invention, high quality images of the plants in the plant cultivation cabinet are enabled to be captured without adversely affecting the growth of the plants.
The model embodiments relating to a plant cultivation cabinet realized in order to attain the aim of the present invention are illustrated in the attached figures, where:
Figure 1 - is the front view of the plant cultivation cabinet of the present invention. The elements in the figures are numbered as follows:
  1. Plant cultivation cabinet
  2. Cabinet
  3. Camera
  4. Light source
  5. Control unit
  6. Rack
The plant cultivation cabinet (1) comprises a cabinet (2) wherein the plants are placed; one or more than one light source (4) that is arranged in the cabinet (2) and that illuminates the interior of the cabinet (2); at least one camera (3) that monitors the interior of the cabinet (2), and a control unit (5) that processes the images captured by the camera (3) when the light intensity is above a certain value, and evaluates and processes the images captured by the camera (3) when the light intensity is below a certain level together with the images captured when the light intensity is above a certain value. Thus, the quality of the images captured by means of the cameras (3) when the light intensity in the cabinet (2) is below a certain value is enabled to be improved without adversely affecting the growth of the plants.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the control unit (5) also controls the light source (4). In this embodiment, the images captured by the camera (3) when the light source (4) is turned on are directly processed, and the images captured by the camera (3) when the light source (4) is turned off are evaluated and processed together with the images captured when the light source (4) is turned on. In this embodiment, the light source (4) is turned on during the daytime and turned off during night time.
In an embodiment of the present invention, the plant cultivation cabinet (1) comprises the control unit (5) that processes data obtained by multiplying the images captured when the light intensity is below a certain value by a coefficient. Said multiplier can be a coefficient specified by the producer or can be a function. The coefficient defines the correlation between the images captured when the light intensity is above and below a certain value. For example, in this embodiment of the present invention, when, in the control unit (5), each pixel in the images captured when the light intensity is above a certain value is defined as Y (i, j) and each pixel in the images captured when the light intensity is below a certain value is defined as D (i, j), the function defined for each pixel is defined as T (i, j). Here, the correlation therebetween is as given below:
Y (i, j) = T (i, j) x D (i, j)
T (i, j) can be the same function for some and all pixels or a different function for each pixel. Thus, the images captured by the camera (3) when the light intensity is below a certain value are processed using a coefficient and together with the images captured when the light intensity is above a certain value and the quality of the images captured when the light intensity is below a certain value is improved to match the quality of the images taken when the light intensity is above a certain value.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the plant cultivation cabinet (1) comprises one or more than one rack (6) whereon the plants are placed. In this embodiment, at least one camera (3) is arranged between each two racks (6). Furthermore, one or more than one light source (4) is arranged between each two racks (6).
In an embodiment of the present invention, the plant cultivation cabinet (1) comprises the camera (3) that can detect different wavelengths. For example, said wavelengths can be visible spectrum, infrared etc.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the surface texture analyses of the plants under different lighting conditions, color values in different color spaces (such as RGB, HSV, YUV, etc.) and morphological characteristics can be used as the coefficient.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the camera (3) and the control unit (5) transmit data to the outer environment and are remotely controlled via wired or wireless connection.
By means of the present invention, when the light intensity is low, high quality images of the plants in the plant cultivation cabinet (1) are enabled to be captured without adversely affecting the growth of the plants.

Claims (10)

  1. A plant cultivation cabinet (1) comprising a cabinet (2) wherein the plants are placed; one or more than one light source (4) that is arranged in the cabinet (2) and that illuminates the interior of the cabinet (2), and at least one camera (3)
    that monitors the interior of the cabinet (2) characterized by a control unit (5)
    - that processes the images captured by the camera (3) when the light intensity is above a certain value, and
    - processes the images captured by the camera (3) when the light intensity is below a certain level together with the images captured when the light intensity is above a certain value.
  2. A plant cultivation cabinet (1) as in Claim 1, characterized by the control unit (5) that directly processes the images captured by the camera (3) when the light source (4) is turned on and processes the images captured by the camera (3) when the light source (4) is turned off together with the images captured when the light source (4) is turned on.
  3. A plant cultivation cabinet (1) as in Claim 1 and 2, characterized by the light source (4) that is turned on during the daytime and turned off during the nighttime.
  4. A plant cultivation cabinet (1) as in any one of the above claims, characterized by the control unit (5) that processes data obtained by multiplying the images taken when the light intensity is below a certain value by a coefficient.
  5. A plant cultivation cabinet (1) as in any one of the above claims, characterized by one or more than one rack (6) whereon the plants are placed.
  6. A plant cultivation cabinet (1) as in Claim 5, characterized by at least one camera (3) arranged between each two racks (6).
  7. A plant cultivation cabinet (1) as in Claim 5 and 6, characterized by one or more than one light source (4) arranged between each two racks (6).
  8. A plant cultivation cabinet (1) as in any one of the above claims, characterized by the camera (3) that can detect different wavelengths.
  9. A plant cultivation cabinet (1) as in Claim 4, characterized by the control unit (5) that uses the surface texture analyses of the plants under different lighting conditions, color values in different color spaces (such as RGB, HSV and YUV) and morphological characteristics as the coefficient.
  10. A plant cultivation cabinet (1) as in any one of the above claims, characterized by the camera (3) and the control unit (5) that transmit data to the outer environment and that can be remotely controlled via wired or wireless connection.
PCT/EP2018/069879 2017-08-21 2018-07-23 An autonomous plant cultivation cabinet Ceased WO2019037994A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
TRA2017/12415 2017-08-21
TR2017/12415A TR201712415A2 (en) 2017-08-21 2017-08-21 AN AUTONOMOUS PLANT GROWING CABINET

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2019037994A1 true WO2019037994A1 (en) 2019-02-28

Family

ID=63047325

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/EP2018/069879 Ceased WO2019037994A1 (en) 2017-08-21 2018-07-23 An autonomous plant cultivation cabinet

Country Status (2)

Country Link
TR (1) TR201712415A2 (en)
WO (1) WO2019037994A1 (en)

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2022069719A1 (en) * 2020-10-02 2022-04-07 &Ever Gmbh Device for observing plant growth for cultivation of plants indoors
WO2022228831A1 (en) * 2021-04-27 2022-11-03 Reinhard Bott Assembly and method for growing plants in a closed interior

Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2013002548A2 (en) * 2011-06-27 2013-01-03 Choi Won Yeong Light source control system for plant factory
US20150281593A1 (en) * 2014-03-31 2015-10-01 Google Technology Holdings LLC Adaptive low-light view modes
US20160371830A1 (en) 2015-06-16 2016-12-22 Growtonix, LLC Autonomous plant growing systems
US20170071143A1 (en) * 2015-09-14 2017-03-16 Herbert Newsam Self-Contained Plant Cloning System and Method
US20170118450A1 (en) 2015-10-21 2017-04-27 Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. Low-light image quality enhancement method for image processing device and method of operating image processing system performing the method
WO2017103922A1 (en) * 2015-12-17 2017-06-22 Eroll 15 Ltd Autonomous plant growing system

Patent Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2013002548A2 (en) * 2011-06-27 2013-01-03 Choi Won Yeong Light source control system for plant factory
US20150281593A1 (en) * 2014-03-31 2015-10-01 Google Technology Holdings LLC Adaptive low-light view modes
US20160371830A1 (en) 2015-06-16 2016-12-22 Growtonix, LLC Autonomous plant growing systems
US20170071143A1 (en) * 2015-09-14 2017-03-16 Herbert Newsam Self-Contained Plant Cloning System and Method
US20170118450A1 (en) 2015-10-21 2017-04-27 Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. Low-light image quality enhancement method for image processing device and method of operating image processing system performing the method
WO2017103922A1 (en) * 2015-12-17 2017-06-22 Eroll 15 Ltd Autonomous plant growing system

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2022069719A1 (en) * 2020-10-02 2022-04-07 &Ever Gmbh Device for observing plant growth for cultivation of plants indoors
WO2022228831A1 (en) * 2021-04-27 2022-11-03 Reinhard Bott Assembly and method for growing plants in a closed interior

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
TR201712415A2 (en) 2019-03-21

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
US10880493B2 (en) Imaging device, method and system of providing fill light, and movable object
CN110336954B (en) Automatic supplementary light adjustment method, system and storage medium
JP7447041B2 (en) A method for evaluating ambient light during night mode image acquisition
CN102164287B (en) Color correction processing device and color correction processing method
CN102271218B (en) Scene-oriented ultra-intelligent video camera and camera shooting method thereof
KR101549190B1 (en) Configuration of image capturing settings
WO2013187047A1 (en) Object detection device
DE102013211096A1 (en) Freezers System
DE102013211097A1 (en) Refrigeration unit with a camera module
CN113825281A (en) Light control method, light controller, equipment and storage medium
JP7010330B2 (en) Image processing system, image processing method, image processing device and program
DE102013211099A1 (en) Refrigeration unit with a camera module
US20160088711A1 (en) Adaptable lighting system
CN101378501A (en) Ganged monitoring apparatus for infrared panorama and control method thereof
WO2014198628A1 (en) Refrigeration appliance with a door
KR20240122309A (en) System for acquiring a colour image and an infrared image of a scene
US11558940B2 (en) Intelligent lighting control system
JP6904757B2 (en) Camera system
US20200029016A1 (en) Moving object monitoring device and moving object monitoring system
US20220108441A1 (en) Process, device and program for monitoring the state of plants
JP2021148984A (en) Imaging apparatus, imaging system, information processing apparatus, control method, program, and storage medium
DE102013211098A1 (en) Refrigeration unit with a camera module
JP7121832B2 (en) How to improve the performance of your camcorder
KR101546917B1 (en) System and method for controlling night image correction
CN111712023B (en) Illumination control method and system for night scene of building, intelligent terminal and storage medium

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
121 Ep: the epo has been informed by wipo that ep was designated in this application

Ref document number: 18746870

Country of ref document: EP

Kind code of ref document: A1

NENP Non-entry into the national phase

Ref country code: DE

122 Ep: pct application non-entry in european phase

Ref document number: 18746870

Country of ref document: EP

Kind code of ref document: A1