Plant cultivation system, controller, and plant cultivation method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11310971-B2
Application number	US-202117177738-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 17, 2021
Priority date	Feb 18, 2020
Publication date	Apr 26, 2022
Grant date	Apr 26, 2022

Abstract

A plant cultivation system includes: a first sensor configured to output a sensor signal corresponding to an amount of water in a plant; a second sensor configured to output a sensor signal corresponding to a measurement value of an environment condition; and a controller, wherein the controller is configured to, by using a sensor signal from the first sensor obtained by the first sensor measuring a plant to be cultivated and a sensor signal from the second sensor obtained by the second sensor measuring an environment for cultivating the plant to be cultivated, control a specific environment parameter corresponding to the environment condition and measured by the second sensor, in a cultivation environment for the plant to be cultivated.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A plant cultivation system comprising:
a first sensor configured to output a sensor signal corresponding to an amount of water in a plant;
wherein the first sensor includes a first electrode and a second electrode, and
wherein the outputting of the sensor signal corresponding to the amount of water in the plant includes outputting the sensor signal at a time interval corresponding to an amount of electric energy generated due to an electrolyte in water present between the first electrode and the second electrode;
a second sensor configured to output a sensor signal corresponding to a measurement value of an environment condition; and
a controller, wherein
the controller is configured to, by using the sensor signal from the first sensor obtained by the first sensor measuring the plant, wherein the plant is to be cultivated, and the sensor signal from the second sensor obtained by the second sensor measuring an environment for cultivating the plant to be cultivated, control a specific environment parameter corresponding to the environment condition and measured by the second sensor, in the environment for cultivating the plant to be cultivated.

2. The plant cultivation system according to claim 1 , wherein
at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode is configured to be mounted to the plant to be cultivated.

3. The plant cultivation system according to claim 2 , wherein
the at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode is configured to be mounted to the plant to be cultivated, and another of the first electrode and the second electrode is configured to be installed in a culture medium with which the plant is cultivated.

4. The plant cultivation system according to claim 1 , wherein
the controller is configured to, with respect to the specific environment parameter, by using a first threshold for the sensor signal from the first sensor and a second threshold for the sensor signal from the second sensor, control the specific environment parameter on the basis of comparison between the sensor signal from the first sensor with the first threshold and comparison between the sensor signal from the second sensor with the second threshold.

5. The plant cultivation system according to claim 1 , wherein
the controller is configured to:
by using the sensor signal from the first sensor and the sensor signal from the second sensor, control a first environment parameter of the specific environment parameter; and
by using a sensor signal from the first sensor obtained after the control of the first environment parameter and a sensor signal from the second sensor obtained after the control of the first environment parameter, control a second environment parameter of the specific environment parameter.

6. The plant cultivation system according to claim 5 , wherein
the first environment parameter and the second environment parameter are each a parameter having a correlation of a predetermined level or higher with an output of the sensor signal from the first sensor, and
the correlation of the first environment parameter is higher than that of the second environment parameter.

7. The plant cultivation system according to claim 5 , wherein
the first environment parameter is saturation deficit of air around the plant to be cultivated.

8. A controller comprising:
a first input unit configured to receive an input of a sensor signal from a first sensor configured to output the sensor signal, the sensor signal from the first sensor corresponding to an amount of water in a plant;
wherein the first sensor includes a first electrode and a second electrode, and
wherein the outputting of the sensor signal corresponding to the amount of water in the plant includes outputting the sensor signal at a time interval corresponding to an amount of electric energy generated due to an electrolyte in water present between the first electrode and the second electrode;
a second input unit configured to receive an input of a sensor signal from a second sensor configured to output the sensor signal, the sensor signal from the second sensor corresponding to a measurement value of an environment condition; and
a processor, wherein
the processor is configured to, by using the sensor signal from the first sensor obtained by the first sensor measuring the plant, wherein the plant is to be cultivated, and the sensor signal from the second sensor obtained by the second sensor measuring an environment for cultivating the plant to be cultivated, control a specific environment parameter corresponding to the environment condition and measured by the second sensor, in the environment for cultivating the plant to be cultivated.

9. A plant cultivation method comprising:
obtaining, by using a first sensor configured to output a sensor signal corresponding to an amount of water, data indicating an amount of water in a plant to be cultivated;
wherein the first sensor includes a first electrode and a second electrode, and
wherein the outputting of the sensor signal corresponding to the amount of water in the plant includes outputting the sensor signal at a time interval corresponding to an amount of electric energy generated due to an electrolyte in water present between the first electrode and the second electrode;
obtaining, by using a second sensor configured to output a sensor signal corresponding to a measurement value of an environment condition, data indicating an environment condition around the plant to be cultivated; and
controlling, by using the sensor signal from the first sensor and the sensor signal from the second sensor, a specific environment parameter corresponding to the environment condition and measured by the second sensor, in the environment for cultivating the plant to be cultivated.

Assignees

• Ritsumeikan Trust
• Ablic Inc

Inventors

• Douseki Takakuni
• Tanaka Ami
• Okamoto Syuuichi
• Furumori Ryoma
• Utsunomiya Fumiyasu

Classifications

• A01G22/05

  Fruit crops, e.g. strawberries, tomatoes or cucumbers · CPC title

• A01G9/14 Primary

  Greenhouses · CPC title

• A01G27/008

  Component parts, e.g. dispensing fittings, level indicators · CPC title

• A01G27/003 Primary

  Control of self-acting watering devices (Hydroponic system controls A01G31/008) · CPC title

• Y02A40/25

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