Systems and methods for molecular air control in a grow pod

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11019773-B2
Application number	US-201815984951-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 21, 2018
Priority date	Jun 14, 2017
Publication date	Jun 1, 2021
Grant date	Jun 1, 2021

Abstract

A molecular air control system includes a shell including an enclosed area, a cart moving on a track within the enclosed area, an air supplier configured to output air into the enclosed area, and a controller. The controller includes one or more processors, one or more memory modules, and machine readable instructions stored in the one or more memory modules that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the controller to: identify a plant on the cart; determine a target carbon dioxide concentration level for the identified plant based on a molecular recipe for the identified plant; receive a current carbon dioxide concentration level from a carbon dioxide sensor; compare the target carbon dioxide concentration level with the current carbon dioxide concentration level; and adjust carbon dioxide concentration level of the air output from the air supplier based on the comparison.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A molecular air control system comprising:
a shell including an enclosed area;
a plurality of carts moving on a track within the enclosed area;
an air supplier configured to output air into the enclosed area; and
a controller comprising:
one or more processors;
one or more memory modules; and
machine readable instructions stored in the one or more memory modules that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the controller to:
identify a plant on a selected one of the carts;
determine a target carbon dioxide concentration level for the identified plant based on a molecular recipe for the identified plant;
receive a current carbon dioxide concentration level from a carbon dioxide sensor located on the selected cart;
compare the target carbon dioxide concentration level with the current carbon dioxide concentration level; and
adjust carbon dioxide concentration level of the air being output from the air supplier based on the comparison.

2. The molecular air control system of claim 1 , wherein the machine readable instructions stored in the one or more memory modules, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the controller to:
determine whether the plant on the selected cart is in a day cycle or a night cycle; and
adjust the carbon dioxide concentration level of the air being output from the air supplier based on the determination on whether the plant on the selected cart is in a day cycle or a night cycle.

3. The molecular air control system of claim 2 , wherein the machine readable instructions stored in the one or more memory modules, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the controller to:
determine whether a lighting device above the selected cart is off; and
determine that the plant on the selected cart is in a night cycle in response to determination that the lighting device above the selected cart is off.

4. The molecular air control system of claim 1 , further comprising a camera configured to capture an image of the plant in one or more of the carts and transmit the captured image to the controller.

5. The molecular air control system of claim 4 , wherein the machine readable instructions stored in the one or more memory modules, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the controller to update the molecular recipe based on the captured image of the plant.

6. The molecular air control system of claim 1 , further comprising:
an airflow lines connected to the air supplier; and
a plurality of vents connected to the airflow lines.

7. The molecular air control system of claim 6 , wherein:
each of the plurality of vents includes a valve configured to rotate, and
the machine readable instructions stored in the one or more memory modules, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the controller to rotate the valve based on the comparison.

8. The molecular air control system of claim 1 , wherein the machine readable instructions stored in the one or more memory modules, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the controller to:
receive an image of the plant;
process the image to determine a level of chlorophyll of the plant; and
adjust the carbon dioxide concentration level of the air being output from the air supplier based on the level of chlorophyll.

9. The molecular air control system of claim 1 , wherein the enclosed area includes a plurality of sub-enclosed areas, and
the machine readable instructions stored in the one or more memory modules, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the controller to control the carbon dioxide concentration level in the plurality of sub-enclosed areas independently.

10. A controller for controlling molecular air in an assembly line grow pod, the controller comprising:
one or more processors;
one or more memory modules; and
machine readable instructions stored in the one or more memory modules that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the controller to:
identify a plant in a selected cart of a plurality of carts moving on a track in the assembly line grow pod;
determine a target carbon dioxide concentration level for the identified plant based on a molecular recipe for the identified plant;
receive a current carbon dioxide concentration level from a carbon dioxide sensor located on the selected cart;
compare the target carbon dioxide concentration level with the current carbon dioxide concentration level; and
adjust carbon dioxide concentration level of air output from an air supplier of the assembly line grow pod based on the comparison.

11. The controller of claim 10 , wherein the machine readable instructions stored in the one or more memory modules, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the controller to:
determine whether the plant on the selected cart is in a day cycle or a night cycle; and
adjust the carbon dioxide concentration level of air output from the air supplier based on the determination.

12. The controller of claim 10 , wherein the machine readable instructions stored in the one or more memory modules, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the controller to:
determine whether a lighting device above the selected cart is off; and
determine that the plant on the selected cart is in a night cycle in response to determination that the lighting device above the selected cart is off.

13. The controller of claim 10 , wherein the machine readable instructions stored in the one or more memory modules, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the controller to:
receive an image of the plant in one or more of the carts; and
update the molecular recipe based on the image of the plant.

14. The controller of claim 10 , wherein the machine readable instructions stored in the one or more memory modules, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the controller to transmit an instruction for rotating a valve based on the comparison, and
the valve is rotatably coupled to a vent connected to the air supplier.

15. The controller of claim 10 , wherein the machine readable instructions stored in the one or more memory modules, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the controller to:
receive an image of the plant;
process the image to determine a level of chlorophyll of the plant; and
adjust the carbon dioxide concentration level of the air being output from the air supplier based on the level of chlorophyll.

16. A method for controlling molecular air for a plant in an assembly line grow pod, the method comprising:
identifying, by a controller of the assembly line grow pod, a plant in a selected cart of a plurality of carts moving on a track in the assembly line grow pod;
determining, by the controller of the assembly line grow pod, a target carbon dioxide concentration level for the identified plant based on a molecular recipe for the identified plant;
receiving, by the controller of the assembly line grow pod, a current carbon dioxide concentration level from a carbon dioxide sensor located on the selected cart;
comparing, by the controller of the assembly line grow pod, the target carbon dioxide concentration level with the current carbon dioxide concentration level; and
adjusting, by the controller of the assembly line grow pod, carbon dioxide concentration level of air being output from an air supplier of the assembly line grow pod based on the comparison.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising:
determining whether the plant on the selected cart is in a day cycle or a night cycle; and
a

Assignees

• Grow Solutions Tech Llc

Inventors

• Millar Gary Bret
• Stott Mark Gerald
• Tueller Todd Garrett
• Hurst Michael Stephen
• Bentley Alan Ray
• Woodbury Taylor John

Classifications

• Y02A40/25

  Greenhouse technology, e.g. cooling systems therefor · CPC title

• A01G9/246

  Air-conditioning systems · CPC title

• G05B19/0426

  Programming the control sequence · CPC title

• G05B2219/2614

  HVAC, heating, ventillation, climate control · CPC title

• A01G9/18 Primary

  Greenhouses for treating plants with carbon dioxide or the like · CPC title