Automated vegetation removal

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11464168-B2
Application number	US-201615291649-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 12, 2016
Priority date	Oct 12, 2016
Publication date	Oct 11, 2022
Grant date	Oct 11, 2022

Abstract

A method and system for automatically removing undesirable vegetation is provided. The method includes receiving by a first vehicle, data describing a specified geographical area for scanning. The specified geographical area is divided into a plurality of sectors and a second vehicle is directed to a first sector of the plurality of sectors. First geographical coordinates associated with areas of undesirable vegetation growth located within the first sector are receiving from the second vehicle and an optimal travel path from a current location of the first vehicle to the areas of undesirable vegetation growth located within first sector are determined based on analysis of the first geographical coordinates. The first vehicle is directed to the areas of undesirable vegetation growth via the optimal travel path and a process for eliminating the areas of undesirable vegetation growth is executed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An automated vegetation removal method comprising:
receiving, by a processor of a control vehicle, data describing a specified geographical area for scanning, wherein said control vehicle comprises an autonomous or remote controlled aerial vehicle that does not require a human operator;
directing, by said processor, a vehicle, of said plurality of vehicles, to a first sector associated with a plurality of virtual sectors of said specified geographical area, wherein said vehicle comprises an autonomous or remote controlled aerial vehicle that does not require a human operator, and wherein said vehicle comprises a video device, an optical sensor, and a GPS sensor;
directing, by said processor, an additional vehicle, of said plurality of vehicles, to said first sector, wherein said additional vehicle comprises an autonomous or remote controlled aerial vehicle that does not require a human operator, and wherein said additional vehicle comprises an additional video device, an additional optical sensor, and an additional GPS sensor;
establishing, by said processor via a wireless network, wireless communications between said control vehicle, said vehicle, and said additional vehicle;
scanning, by said processor via said video device, said additional video device, said additional optical sensor, and said optical sensor, said first sector for areas of undesirable vegetation growth;
receiving, by said processor from said vehicle via said GPS sensor and based on results of said scanning, first geographical coordinates associated with said areas of undesirable vegetation growth located within said first sector;
receiving, by said processor from said additional vehicle via said additional GPS sensor and based on results of said scanning, additional geographical coordinates associated with said areas of undesirable vegetation growth located within said first sector;
determining, by said processor based on analysis of said first geographical coordinates and said additional geographical coordinates, an optimal travel path from a current location of said control vehicle to said areas of undesirable vegetation growth located within said first sector, wherein said optimal travel path comprises a combination of multiple differing travel paths through differing portions of multiple differing virtual sectors of said plurality of virtual sectors;
directing, by said processor, said control vehicle to said areas of undesirable vegetation growth via said optimal travel path;
directing, by said processor, said control vehicle to additional areas of undesirable vegetation growth of said plurality of virtual sectors via said optimal travel path;
executing upon arrival of said control vehicle to said areas of undesirable vegetation growth and said additional areas of undesirable vegetation growth, by said processor via said control vehicle, a process for eliminating said areas of undesirable vegetation growth and said additional areas of undesirable vegetation growth, wherein said process for eliminating said areas of undesirable vegetation growth and said additional areas of undesirable vegetation growth comprises spraying, from an aerial position via said control vehicle, a chemical herbicide substance over said areas of undesirable vegetation growth and said additional areas of undesirable vegetation growth, wherein said chemical herbicide substance is adapted to eliminate said areas of undesirable vegetation growth and said additional areas of undesirable vegetation growth, wherein said process for eliminating said areas of undesirable vegetation growth and said additional areas of undesirable vegetation growth further comprises mechanically removing from an aerial position, via a rake, a shovel, and a tiller of said control vehicle, said areas of undesirable vegetation growth and said additional areas of undesirable vegetation growth, and wherein said process for eliminating said areas of undesirable vegetation growth and said additional areas of undesirable vegetation growth comprises:
first proceeding to and eliminating a first area of undesirable vegetation growth;
after said first proceeding, second proceeding to and eliminating a second area of undesirable vegetation growth;
after said second proceeding, third proceeding to and eliminating a third area of undesirable vegetation growth;

directing, by said processor after said receiving said first geographical coordinates and said additional geographical coordinates, said vehicle and said additional vehicle to said current location of said control vehicle; and
recharging, by said processor via a battery charging station of said control vehicle, said vehicle and said additional vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said areas of undesirable vegetation growth located within said first sector are determined by said vehicle during a patrol and scanning process executed by said vehicle.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein patrol and scanning process comprises scanning said first sector via a video device of said vehicle.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
directing, by said processor, said vehicle to seventh sector of said plurality of virtual sectors;
receiving, by said processor from said vehicle, second geographical coordinates associated with further areas of undesirable vegetation growth located within said seventh sector, wherein said optimal travel path is determined based on said analysis of said first geographical coordinates and analysis of said second geographical coordinates, and wherein said optimal travel path further provides a path from said current location of said control vehicle to said areas of undesirable vegetation growth located within said first sector and said further areas of undesirable vegetation growth located within said seventh sector;
directing, by said processor, said control vehicle to said second areas of undesirable vegetation growth via said optimal travel path; and
executing upon arrival of said first vehicle to said further areas of undesirable vegetation growth, by said processor via said control vehicle, a process for eliminating said further areas of undesirable vegetation growth.

5. A computer program product, comprising a computer readable hardware storage device storing a computer readable program code, said computer readable program code comprising an algorithm that when executed by a processor of a control vehicle implements automated vegetation removal method, said method comprising:
receiving, by said processor, data describing a specified geographical area for scanning, wherein said control vehicle comprises an autonomous or remote controlled aerial vehicle that does not require a human operator;
directing, by said processor, a vehicle, of said plurality of vehicles, to a first sector associated with a plurality of virtual sectors of said specified geographical area, wherein said vehicle comprises an autonomous or remote controlled aerial vehicle that does not require a human operator, and wherein said vehicle comprises a video device, an optical sensor, and a GPS sensor;
directing, by said processor, an additional vehicle, of said plurality of vehicles, to said first sector, wherein said additional vehicle comprises an autonomous or remote controlled aerial vehicle that does not require a human operator, and wherein said additional vehicle comprises an additional video device, an additional optical sensor, and an additional GPS sensor;
establishing, by said processor via a wireless network, wireless communications between said control vehicle, said vehicle, and said additional vehicle;
scanning, by said processor via said video device, said additional video device, said additional optical sensor, and said optical sensor, said first sector for areas of undesirable vegetation growth;
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Assignees

• Kyndryl Inc

Inventors

• Cleaver James D
• De Vaney Christopher J
• Mcguire Louise A
• Mcguire Michael J

Classifications

• A01M21/043

  by chemicals · CPC title

• A01D91/00 Primary

  Methods for harvesting agricultural products · CPC title

• A01B69/008 Primary

  automatic · CPC title

• G01C21/20

  Instruments for performing navigational calculations (G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence) · CPC title

• G05D2201/0201

  Physics · mapped topic