WO2022118189A1

WO2022118189A1 - Electronic system for farmers and agronomists comprising a scale

Info

Publication number: WO2022118189A1
Application number: PCT/IB2021/061112
Authority: WO
Inventors: Antonio Affinito; Davide PARISI
Original assignee: Evja S.R.L.
Priority date: 2020-12-02
Filing date: 2021-11-30
Publication date: 2022-06-09
Also published as: CO2023008696A2; IT202000029414A1; MX2023006496A; CL2023001571A1

Abstract

The invention concerns an electronic system for farmers and agronomists comprising a scale. The electronic system (1000) is primarily for farmers and agronomists and comprises: a weight sensor (110) adapted to measure the weight of a container, a substrate and at least one plant placed in the container, at least one other sensor, said other sensor being selected from: a solar radiation sensor, an air temperature sensor, an air humidity sensor, a substrate temperature sensor, a substrate humidity sensor, a sensor for the leaf temperature of said plant, a sensor for the leaf wetness of said plant, and an electronic processing unit (700) connected to the sensors; the electronic processing unit (700) is adapted to determine at least one output parameter based on at least one model; the output parameter being selected from: irrigation amount, irrigation time, nutrient feeding amount, nutrient feeding time, type of stress and/ or stress level, phonological phase; the electronic processing unit (700) is adapted to receive feedback from a user (U) corresponding to the value of said at least one output parameter actually used and/ or determined by the user (U), and is adapted to automatically modify the model based on the difference between the value determined by the system and the value actually used and/or determined by the user (U).

Description

"Electronic system for farmers and agronomists comprising a scale"

DESCRIPTION

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an electronic system comprising a scale which is intended for farmers and agronomists, but which may also be useful to others.

STATE OF THE ART

The culture of plants in containers, particularly in pots or planters, is widely used for both domestic and agricultural cultivations. As for domestic cultivations, irrigation measuring systems are known to help the user meet the water needs of the plant. Some systems are based on the comparison of the container and plant weight with a reference weight; according to the weight detected compared to the reference weight, an irrigation status of the plant is defined. More advanced systems are also known for optimising irrigation and/or fertigation in agricultural cultivations, particularly for soilless cultivations.

A system for automatically watering a plant placed in a pot is known from US patent US 8,584,397; the pot with the plant are placed on a measuring plate; the amount of water provided to the plant is determined by a control module based on the weight detected by the measuring plate. The user can modify control variables of the control module via a computer interface in order to fine-tune plant care requirements.

SUMMARY

The general object of the present invention is to improve the known state of the art in order to optimise and ease the activities and decisions of farmers and agronomists.

This general object and other more specific objects are reached thanks to what is set forth in the appended claims that form an integral part of the present description. LIST OF FIGURES

The present invention shall become more readily apparent from the detailed description that follows to be considered together with the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 shows a simplified diagram of an electronic system according to the present invention,

Fig. 2 shows a simplified diagram of an example of an electronic system according to the present invention, and

Fig. 3 shows a simplified diagram of an example of an electronic processing unit according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

For the illustration of the drawings, use is made in the following description of identical numerals to indicate construction elements with the same function. Also, for illustration clarity, some numerical references may not be repeated throughout the figures.

With general reference to the various figures, a preferred, but not limiting, embodiment of an electronic system for farmers and agronomists according to the present invention is shown, referred to as a whole by the numerical reference 1000. It will be hereinafter referred to by the abbreviated notation "system 1000".

The system 1000 is adapted to be used by farmers and agronomists for growing “soilless plants”.

Typically, the term “soilless” cultivation refers to a cultivation system carried out outside the soil, in particular in a cultivation space, for example in a greenhouse, where the plant is grown in a container or, in general, in a mechanical support containing a substrate in which the plant root develops.

It has to be noted that the type of container can vary according to the type of plant cultivated or type of culture adopted; for example, the container can be a pot or a planter, or a plate or a panel, or even a blister-type support, in which there are several housings (cavities), each housing being adapted to contain a plant.

Typically, the container contains a substrate in which the plant is cultivated (the plant, at least the roots thereof, are also contained in the container); the substrate can also vary based on the type of cultivated plant or type of culture adopted, for example it can be soil or organic substrates (coconut fibres, peat...) or mineral substrates (pumice, lapillus...) or substrates derived from industrial processes (rockwool, perlite, expanded clay...).

It is useful for a grower, in particular a farmer or agronomist, to know precisely the fundamental data determining the plant physiology and phenology in order to properly define nutrition, defence and production strategies as well as optimisation thereof.

The electronic system according to the present invention allows to precisely define such data and advantageously be a support tool for a farmer or an agronomist, for example to optimally plan irrigation, fertilization and plant treatments and/or to avoid water waste and consequent stagnation and/or to avoid encouraging the onset of phytopathologies and attracting specific phytophages and/or to monitor and predict the phenological phase of the plants, the day of harvesting of the fruits, etc. With reference to the figures, the system 1000 comprises an information acquisition system 100 and an electronic processing unit 700. In particular, the system for acquiring information 100, in particular pedoclimatic/agronomic information, comprises a weight sensor (or scale) 110, adapted to measure the weight 151 of a container, a substrate and at least one plant placed in said container, placed on a measuring plate, and at least one other sensor selected from: a solar radiation sensor, an air temperature sensor, an air humidity sensor, a substrate temperature sensor, a substrate humidity sensor, a leaf temperature sensor, a leaf wetness sensor.

Preferably, the system 1000 further comprises a device for detecting the features of the substrate, for example the composition of the substrate, the structure of the substrate, the texture (or grain) of the substrate and the porosity of the substrate. As will be better explained later, the detected substrate features can be used by the electronic processing unit 700 to customise and optimise processing.

Preferably, the system 1000 further comprises a weather forecast device 150; alternatively, the weather forecast provision device may be an external system, connected directly or indirectly to the system 1000. According to a preferred embodiment, the information acquisition system 100 comprises a plurality of sensors and/or a plurality of devices connected to the electronic processing unit; in particular, this may comprise weight sensors 110 (such as dynamometers or load cells), sensors for characterising air and solar radiation 120, leaf sensors 130, weather forecast devices 150 and devices for detecting features of the substrate 140.

The pedoclimatic/agronomic information acquired by the apparatus 100 may be, in addition to the weight 151, for example:

- the air temperature of the cultivation space,

- the air relative humidity in the cultivation space,

- the evapotranspiration 152, i.e. the amount of water that passes from the substrate into the air of the cultivation space as vapor through evaporation from the substrate and transpiration of the plant,

- solar radiation, i.e. the measurement of solar energy in the cultivation space, or photosynthetically active radiation ("PAR"), i.e. the measurement of the part of solar radiation actually available for photosynthesis (solar radiation energy intercepted by chlorophyll); advantageously, the radiation sum 153, i.e. the daily sum of solar radiation measured at every determined time range, in particular every second, may be calculated from solar radiation,

- the degree day 154, i.e. the sum of the differences between the average daily temperature (Tm) of the cultivation space and the development zero (threshold temperature) of the species considered; the degree day can be calculated for the whole growth cycle of the plant or for one or more development phases of the plant in the cycle,

- the "VPD" or "humidity deficit" 155, i.e. the difference between the saturation pressure and the actual vapor pressure in the cultivation space at a given temperature,

- the dew point 156, i.e. the temperature of the air in the cultivation space necessary to make the water vapor present therein condense into dew, without any change in pressure,

- phytopathological models 157, i.e. models that determine the likelihood and/or estimation of infection and/or occurrence of a plant disease.

As shown in Fig.2, the weight sensor 110 provides the weight 151, wherein the weight 151 is the weight of the container, the substrate contained in the container and at least one plant partially growing in the substrate, the sensors characterizing the air and solar radiation 120 determine the evapotranspiration 152, the solar radiation (and thus the radiation sum 153), the "degree day" 154, the VPD 155 and the dew point 156 and are used to determine the phytopathological models 157 together with the information provided by the weather forecast device 150.

Advantageously, at least one information acquisition system 100 is present in the cultivation space.

Advantageously, the scale 110 is placed near the cultivated plants and the sensors and/or devices described above are in the immediate surroundings of the scale or integrated in the scale.

Information acquisition by the system 100 is carried out in particular by placing the container containing the plant and its substrate on top of the scale 110, in particular on a measuring plate of the scale 110; it should be noted that, in case the container contains a plurality of plants, the weight sensor 110 may be able to calculate the average weight of each plant.

For example, one or more “sample” plants (taken as a reference for the rest of the cultivation as they are cultivated in the same space, using the same techniques and with the same operations as the “sample” plant) can be selected and placed on the scale and weighed repeatedly at regular intervals, for example a few seconds or a few hours, preferably every 15 minutes.

The information acquisition system 100 is connected to the electronic processing unit 700, in particular these can be connected by means of various types of connection: either directly, e.g. via a cable and/or radio link, or indirectly, e.g. via other apparatuses, locally or remotely, e.g. via an Intranet/Internet network. The electronic processing unit 700 is suitably configured to perform specific information processing from the information acquisition system 100.

The electronic processing unit 700 may be of analogue type (e.g. electronic boards with analogue circuitry) and/or of digital type (e.g. electronic boards with logic gates, microprocessors, microcontrollers, etc.) and may for example consist of a centralised part 550 and a decentralised part 500, typically placed in the cultivation space; typically the decentralised part 500 is repeated for each different cultivation space.

According to an embodiment, the decentralised part 500 is adapted to receive pedoclimatic/agronomic information from the information acquisition system 100 and send it to the centralised part 550; the centralised part 550 is adapted to receive information from the decentralised part 500 and determine at least one output parameter according to at least one model.

In particular, the electronic processing unit 700 determines at least one output parameter among: irrigation amount 210 to be provided to a plant, irrigation time 260 to be provided to a plant, nutrient feeding amount 230 to be provided to a plant, nutrient feeding time 240 to be provided to a plant, type of stress and/or stress level 250 which a plant is experiencing, phenological phase 220 which a plant is experiencing.

As will be further explained below, the electronic processing unit is adapted to receive feedback from a user (U), in particular a farmer or agronomist, related to the determined parameter; the electronic processing unit is further adapted to modify the model used to determine the parameter based on the feedback received. The feedback received corresponds to the value of the considered output parameter actually used and/or determined by the user. The electronic processing unit is adapted to automatically modify the model based on the difference between the value determined by the system and the value actually used and/or determined by the user; the term "difference" is not to be construed in a strictly mathematical sense at least for some parameters such as type of stress, stress level and phenological phase; furthermore, even in cases where it can be intended in a mathematical sense, both the calculated value and the actual value could be subject to some preliminary mathematical calculation (e.g. calculation of a logarithm thereof or calculation of a rounding thereof or calculation of a rounding of a logarithm thereof) before being subject to a subtraction calculation.

In Fig. 2 and in Fig. 3, a block 300 is conceptually represented to indicate the “feedforward” from the unit 700 and the “feedback” to the unit 700.

With reference to Fig. 2 and 3 (embodiment with more comprehensive functionalities), the electronic processing unit 700 is adapted to determine and therefore preferably determines, while operating, all the following parameters:

- the phenological phase 220 which a plant is experiencing based on information on the weight 151, "radiation sum" 153 and "degree day" 154,

- the type of stress and/or stress level 250 a plant is experiencing based on information on the weight 151 and VPD 155,

- the irrigation amount 210 to be provided to a plant based on information on the weight 151 and evapotranspiration 152,

- the irrigation time 260 to be provided to a plant based on information on the weight 151, the type of stress and/or stress level 250 which the plant is experiencing, the phenological phase 220 which the plant is experiencing, the phytopathological model 157 of the plant and weather forecasts 150,

- the nutrient feeding amount 230 to be provided to a plant based on information on the phenological phase 220 the plant is experiencing and the type of stress and/or stress level 250 the plant is experiencing,

- the nutrient feeding time 240 to be provided to a plant based on information on the phenological phase 220 the plant is experiencing and the type of stress and/or stress level 250 the plant is experiencing.

It should be noted that the irrigation time 260 is the time period in which the irrigation amount 210 is provided and the nutrient feeding time 240 is the time period in which the nutrient amount 230 is supplied. Advantageously, the parameters determined by the electronic processing unit 700 are supplemented with information on the characteristics of the substrate obtained from a device detecting the features of the substrate 140. In particular, the information obtained from the device detecting the features of the substrate 140 is used to optimise the irrigation amount 210 and the nutrient amount 230.

Advantageously, the electronic processing unit 700 is adapted to determine a plurality of output parameters based on at least one model, in particular based on a plurality of models, where the number of output parameters may be equal to the number of models or may be different.

The output parameters processed by the electronic processing unit 700 are advantageously shown to the user U locally via user interfaces, for example displays, monitors, LEDs/lamps, directly connected to the decentralised part 500, and/or remotely (at a distance) via user interfaces connected to the net, for example included in the centralised part 550.

As already mentioned, the electronic processing unit 700 is adapted to receive feedback from a user U and feed an artificial neural network (Al) of the electronic processing unit 700.

Based on the feedback received from the system 1000, in particular the electronic processing unit 700, it modifies the model used to determine the parameter; updating the model thereby results in an optimisation of the model and in the possibility of self-calibration of the system starting from known models, for example in the case of new varieties of seeds, new types of substrate, new types of phytopathology.

The feedback from the user (U) can be of various types, in particular based on the type of parameter concerned by the feedback.

In particular, if the determined parameter is the irrigation amount 210 to be provided to the plant or irrigation time 260 to be provided to the plant or nutrient feeding amount 230 to be provided to the plant or nutrient feeding time 240 to be provided to the plant, the feedback corresponds to the amount or time actually used. For example, the user may decide to assess differently, based on his or her knowledge and experience, the irrigation amount 210 to be provided to the plant determined by the electronic processing unit 700; in particular, the user may decide to provide the plant with a greater or lesser irrigation amount by adjusting a valve and/or sending information for adjusting a valve of an irrigation system. The electronic processing unit 700 thereby receives feedback related to, for example, the actual irrigation amount provided to the plant.

If, on the other hand, the determined parameter is the type of stress and/or the stress level 250 which the plant is experiencing or the phenological phase 220 which the plant is experiencing (these parameters are associated with a certain degree of randomness), the feedback corresponds to the actual type and/or the actual level or the actual phase; this is determined by the user and duly communicated to the electronic processing unit.

For example, if by means of the information received from sensors and/or devices the electronic processing unit 700 determines that the phenological phase 220 of the analysed plant is the flowering phase, the user can verify on the spot, by checking the plant in person (or by remotely observing for example via a webcam), whether the plant is actually in the flowering phase; the user can send a positive feedback, confirming the phenological phase 220 determined by the electronic processing unit 700, or a negative feedback, possibly indicating an advance or delay in the plant's actual phenological phase (which we might call "differential feedback").

It should be noted that this type of feedback can be given by the user, in particular by the farmer or by the agronomist, to the processing unit asynchronously with respect to the determination of the parameter, i.e. the feedback can be given at any time after the parameter has been determined.

Furthermore, this type of feedback may also not be given by the user, i.e. the feedback is voluntary; for example, if the feedback is not given, the processing unit may assume that the value determined by it is correct. With reference to Fig. 1, the parameters determined by the electronic processing unit 700 are used to provide adjustment information and/or to adjust a further system 400.

Advantageously, the parameters determined by the electronic processing unit 700 are used to provide adjustment information and/or adjust a plurality of systems.

According to a preferred embodiment and with reference to Fig. 2, the electronic processing unit 700 uses at least two parameters, in particular irrigation amount 210 and/or nutrient feeding amount 230 to be provided to a plant and irrigation time 260 and/or nutrient feeding time 240 to be provided to a plant, to provide adjustment information and/or to adjust an irrigation valve and/or a feeding valve 410.

In particular, the irrigation and/or feeding valve 410 may be a valve belonging to an irrigation and/or fertigation system.

With reference to Fig.2, the electronic processing unit 700 uses at least two parameters, in particular the phenological phase 220 which a plant is experiencing and the type of stress and/or stress level 250 which a plant is experiencing, to provide adjustment information and/or to adjust a heating and/or cooling system 420 of the cultivation space.

In particular, the heating and/or cooling system 420 can be any HVAC or HVACR system.

With reference to Fig.2, the electronic processing unit 700 uses at least two parameters, in particular the phenological phase 220 which a plant is experiencing and the type of stress and/or the level of stress 250 which a plant is experiencing, to provide adjustment information and/or to adjust a lighting and/or ventilation control system 430 of the cultivation space.

In particular, the lighting and/or ventilation control system 430 may, for example, be a system that adjusts the degree of shade by means of shading panels or cloths, and/or a system that adjusts the opening/closing of ventilation windows.

Claims

1. Electronic system (1000), in particular for a farmer or an agronomist, comprising: a weight sensor (110) adapted to measure the weight (151) of a container, a substrate and at least one plant placed in said container, at least one other sensor, said other sensor being selected from: a solar radiation sensor, an air temperature sensor, an air humidity sensor, a substrate temperature sensor, a substrate humidity sensor, a sensor for the leaf temperature of said plant, a sensor for the leaf wetness of said plant, an electronic processing unit (700) connected to said sensors; wherein said electronic processing unit (700) is adapted to determine at least one output parameter based on at least one model, said output parameter being selected from: irrigation amount (210) to be provided to said plant, irrigation time (260) to be provided to said plant, nutrient feeding amount (230) to be provided to said plant, nutrient feeding time (240) to be provided to said plant, type of stress and/or stress level (250) which said plant is experiencing, phenological phase (220) which said plant is experiencing; wherein said electronic processing unit (700) is adapted to receive feedback from a user (U) related to said at least one parameter, said feedback corresponding to the value of said at least one output parameter actually used and/or determined by said user (U), and is adapted to automatically modify said model based on the difference between the value determined by the system (100) and the value actually used and/or determined by the user (U).

2. System (1000) according to claim 1, further comprising:

- a device for detecting the features of the substrate (140) in particular in said container, and/or

- a device for providing weather forecasts (150); wherein said electronic processing unit (700) is connected to said devices.

3. System (1000) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, if said at least one parameter is the irrigation amount (210) to be provided to said plant, or the irrigation time (260) to be provided to said plant, or the nutrient feeding amount (230) to be provided to said plant, or the nutrient feeding time (240) to be provided to said plant, said feedback corresponds respectively to the irrigation amount or irrigation time or feeding amount or feeding time actually used.

4. System (1000) according to claim 1 or 2 or 3, wherein if said at least one parameter is type of stress and/or stress level (250) which said plant is experiencing, said feedback received from the user (U) corresponds respectively to the actual type and/or the actual level determined by the user (U); wherein if said at least one parameter is the phenological phase (220) which said plant is experiencing, said feedback received from the user (U) corresponds to the actual phase determined by the user (U).

5. System (1000) according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising a plurality of sensors.

6. System (1000) according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising a plurality of devices.

7. System (1000) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said electronic processing unit (700) is adapted to determine a plurality of output parameters based on at least one model, in particular based on a plurality of models, the number of said output parameters and the number of said models being the same or different.

8. System (1000) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said electronic processing unit (700) is adapted to use at least two output parameters, in particular, irrigation amount (210) and/or nutrient feeding amount (230) to be provided to said plant and irrigation time (260) and/or nutrient feeding time (240) to be provided to said plant, to provide adjustment information and/or to adjust an irrigation valve and/or a feeding valve (410).

9. System (1000) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said electronic processing unit (700) is adapted to use at least two output parameters, in particular, phenological phase (220) which said plant is experiencing and type of stress and/or stress level (250) which said plant is experiencing, to provide adjustment information and/or to adjust a heating and/or cooling system (420) of a cultivation space.

10. System (1000) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said electronic processing unit (700) is adapted to use at least two output parameters, in particular, phenological phase (220) which said plant is experiencing and type of stress and/or stress level (250) which said plant is experiencing, to provide adjustment information and/or to adjust a lighting and/or ventilation control system (430) of a cultivation space.

11. System (1000) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said at least one output parameter is phenological phase (220) which said plant is experiencing; wherein said electronic processing unit (700) is adapted to: determine said phenological phase (220) based on weight (151), radiation sum (153), and degree day (154), derive said weight (151) from said weight sensor (110), derive said radiation sum (153) from a solar radiation sensor, derive said degree day (154) from an air temperature sensor.

12. System (1000) according to claim 11 , wherein said phenological phase (220) of said plant is used to provide adjustment information and/or to adjust a heating and/or cooling system (420) of a cultivation space.

13. System (1000) according to claim 12, wherein type of stress and/or stress level (250) of said plant is also used to provide adjustment information and/or to adjust said heating and/or cooling system (420).

14. System (1000) according to claim 11 or 12 or 13, wherein said phenological phase (220) of said plant is used to provide adjustment information and/or to adjust a lighting and /or ventilation control system (430) of a cultivation space.

15. System according to claim 14, wherein type of stress and/or stress level (250) of said plant is also used to provide adjustment information and/or to adjust said lighting and/or ventilation control system (430).