Crop classification and growth tracking with synthetic aperture radar

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11327171-B2
Application number	US-202016862739-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 30, 2020
Priority date	Dec 8, 2017
Publication date	May 10, 2022
Grant date	May 10, 2022

Abstract

A computer-implemented method executed by one or more satellites for assessing crop development by using synthetic aperture radar (SAR) is presented. The method includes generating SAR images from scanning fields including crops, monitoring grown of the crops within the fields during a predetermined time period, and estimating a height of the crops during the predetermined time period by using interferometric information from one or more of the SAR images and tracking change in height and growth rates. The method further includes differentiating between crops in different fields by monitoring changes in the height of the crops during an entire growing season.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for assessing crop development by using a synthetic aperture radar (SAR), the method comprising:
generating SAR images from scanning fields including crops;
monitoring growth of the crops within the fields during a predetermined time period;
estimating an average height of the crops during the predetermined time period by using interferometric information from one or more of the SAR images; and
identifying crop type and collecting all SAR data related to the identified crop type sharing a same growth rate, height, and texture to estimate all planted lands growing the identified crop type.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising monitoring reflected radar signals from the crops received by one or more satellites.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising extracting at least soil composition data, soil moisture data, and vegetation density data.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising supplementing the SAR images with at least topography data, optical images, surveys, and farmer assessments to verify and improve estimations of the height of the crops.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising differentiating between crops in different fields by monitoring changes in the height of the crops.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining bare land images and creating a bare land topology database for estimating the height of the crops.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining average crop height differences between crops in different fields.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising comparing crop fields in different regions growing a same crop to determine similarities and differences therebetween and to further compare growth performance therebetween by analyzing at least average temperature, dew point, and occurrence of extreme events.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining a total area having a same crop planted.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising assessing potential damage to the crops and relaying such information to one or more end-users.

11. A system for assessing crop development by using a synthetic aperture radar (SAR), the system comprising:
one or more moving aerial objects for generating SAR images from scanning fields including crops;
a SAR processing system for monitoring growth of the crops within the fields during a predetermined time period; and
crop growth models for estimating an average height of the crops during the predetermined time period,
wherein crop type is identified and SAR data related to the identified crop type sharing a same growth rate, height, and texture are collected to estimate all planted lands growing the identified crop type.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein reflected radar signals from the crops received by the one or more moving aerial objects are monitored.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein at least soil composition data, soil moisture data, and vegetation density data are extracted.

14. The system of claim 11 , wherein the SAR images are supplemented with at least topography data, optical images, surveys, and farmer assessments to verify and improve estimations of the height of the crops.

15. The system of claim 11 , wherein crops in different fields are differentiated by monitoring changes in the height of the crops.

16. The system of claim 11 , wherein bare land images are determined and a bare land topology database is created for estimating the height of the crops.

17. The system of claim 11 , wherein average crop height differences between crops in different fields are determined.

18. The system of claim 11 , wherein crop fields in different regions growing a same crop are compared to determine similarities and differences therebetween and growth performance therebetween is compared by analyzing at least average temperature, dew point, and occurrence of extreme events.

19. The system of claim 11 , wherein a total area having a same crop planted is determined.

20. A system for assessing crop development by employing a synthetic aperture radar (SAR), the system comprising:
one or more moving aerial objects for generating SAR images from scanning fields including structures where a location and a height of the structures is well-established, wherein a signal reflected from the well-established structures and a signal reflected from crops provide for a change that quantifies a height of the crops; and
a SAR processing system for measuring an absolute height of the crops at a moment the SAR images are acquired.

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Klein Levente
• Lu Siyuan
• Marianno Fernando Jimenez
• Hinds Nigel

Classifications

• G06V20/188 Primary

  Vegetation · CPC title

• G01S13/9005 Primary

  with optical processing of the SAR signals · CPC title

• G01S13/904

  SAR modes · CPC title

• G01S13/9023

  combined with interferometric techniques · CPC title

• G01S13/9047

  Doppler beam sharpening mode · CPC title