Systems and methods for pruning plants

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10368496-B2
Application number	US-201615233766-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 10, 2016
Priority date	Jan 20, 2015
Publication date	Aug 6, 2019
Grant date	Aug 6, 2019

Abstract

An unmanned pruning vehicle includes a pruning device configured to prune plant material from a plant. The unmanned pruning vehicle also includes a processing circuit is configured to control operation of the pruning device to prune a plant.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An unmanned pruning vehicle, comprising:
a pruning device configured to prune plant material from a plant; and
a processing circuit configured to control operation of the pruning device based on pruning data regarding a growing envelope for the plant, the growing envelope based on a growth model for the plant, wherein the plant is identified for pruning based on a portion of the plant material extending beyond the growing envelope, the processing circuit configured to control operation of the pruning device to prune the plant such that the plant is estimated at a predetermined point in time in the future to have a size such that the plant does not extend outside of the growing envelope.

2. The pruning vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the growing envelope defines at least one of a maximum height and a maximum width for the plant.

3. The pruning vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the growing envelope is determined based on historical data regarding the plant.

4. The pruning vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the processing circuit is configured to receive plant sensor data from a sensor and control operation of the pruning device further based on the plant sensor data.

5. The pruning vehicle of claim 4 , wherein the plant sensor data includes image data for the plant, and wherein the processing circuit is configured to determine whether the plant extends beyond the growing envelope based on the image data.

6. The pruning vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the growing envelope is defined by an object in an environment surrounding the plant.

7. The pruning vehicle of claim 6 , wherein the object is a power transmission component.

8. The pruning vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the processing circuit is further configured to control application of a treatment to a newly exposed portion of the plant after pruning.

9. The pruning vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the processing circuit is configured to receive plant sensor data from a sensor, the plant sensor data comprising at least one of pre-pruning data and post-pruning data.

10. The pruning vehicle of claim 9 , wherein the plant sensor data comprises an image.

11. The pruning vehicle of claim 9 , wherein the processing circuit is configured to wirelessly transmit information associated with the plant sensor data to a remote device.

12. The pruning vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the processing circuit is configured to wirelessly receive one or more pruning instructions from a remote device.

13. A system for pruning plants, comprising:
an unmanned pruning vehicle configured to prune plant material from a plant; and
a processing circuit configured to control operation of the unmanned pruning vehicle based on pruning data regarding a growing envelope for the plant, the growing envelope based on a growth model for the plant, wherein the plant is identified for pruning based on a portion of the plant material extending beyond the growing envelope, the processing circuit configured to control operation of the unmanned pruning vehicle to prune the plant such that the plant is estimated at a predetermined point in time in the future to have a size such that the plant does not extend outside of the growing envelope.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the processing circuit is configured to receive plant sensor data regarding the plant from a sensor and control operation of the unmanned pruning vehicle based on the plant sensor data.

15. The system of claim 13 , further comprising a diagnostic device.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein:
the diagnostic device is configured to collect sensor data including at least one of plant sensor data regarding the plant and environment data regarding an environment surrounding the plant; and
the processing circuit is configured to receive the sensor data and control operation of the unmanned pruning vehicle based on the sensor data.

17. The system of claim 13 , further comprising a remote sensor device located remote from the unmanned pruning vehicle.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein:
the remote sensor device is configured to collect remote sensor data including at least one of plant sensor data regarding the plant and environment data regarding an environment surrounding the plant; and
the processing circuit is configured to receive the remote sensor data and control operation of the unmanned pruning vehicle based on the remote sensor data.

19. The system of claim 13 , wherein the processing circuit is configured to identify the plant for pruning based on a pruning schedule.

20. The system of claim 13 , wherein the processing circuit is further configured to control operation of the unmanned pruning vehicle based on environment data regarding an environment surrounding the plant.

21. The system of claim 20 , wherein the environment data includes at least one of light data regarding an amount of sunlight reaching the environment, moisture data regarding a moisture content of the environment, and obstacle data regarding an obstacle present in the environment.

22. The system of claim 13 , wherein the processing circuit is further configured to control operation of the unmanned pruning vehicle to form an attachment with the plant while pruning the plant material.

23. A system for pruning plants, comprising:
an unmanned pruning vehicle configured to prune a plant; and
a processing circuit configured to control operation of the unmanned pruning vehicle to selectively prune each of a plurality of branches of the plant based on plant data regarding the plurality of branches of the plant, the plant data including a growing envelope for at least one branch of the plurality of branches, wherein controlling operation of the unmanned pruning vehicle includes pruning the at least one branch such that the at least one branch is estimated at a predetermined point in time in the future to have a size such that the at least one branch does not extend outside of the growing envelope.

24. The system of claim 23 , wherein the plant data includes historical data regarding at least one branch of the plurality of branches.

25. The system of claim 24 , wherein the historical data includes an amount of fruit carried by the at least one branch.

26. The system of claim 23 , further comprising a remote sensor device located remote from the pruning vehicle, wherein:
the remote sensor device is configured to collect remote sensor data including at least one of branch sensor data regarding at least one branch of the plurality of branches and environment data regarding an environment surrounding at least one branch of the plurality of branches; and
the processing circuit is configured to receive the remote sensor data and control operation of the unmanned pruning vehicle based on the remote sensor data.

27. The system of claim 23 , wherein the processing circuit is further configured to control operation of the unmanned pruning vehicle based on environment data regarding an environment surrounding at least one branch of the plurality of branches, wherein the environment data includes at least one of light data regarding an amount of sunlight reaching the environment, moisture data regarding a moisture content of the environment, and obstacle data regarding an obstacle present in the environment.

28. The system of claim 23 , wherein the processing circuit is further configured to control pruning of at least one

Assignees

• Elwha Llc

Inventors

• Chan Alistair K
• Hyde Roderick A
• Pan Tony S
• Wood Jr Lowell L

Classifications

• A01G3/085 Primary

  Motor-driven saws for pruning or branching · CPC title

• A01G3/08 Primary

  Other tools for pruning, branching or delimbing standing trees · CPC title

• G05D1/0011

  associated with a remote control arrangement · CPC title

• A01G3/086 Primary

  Chain saws · CPC title

• G06K9/4671

  Physics · mapped topic