Treating a target via a modular precision delivery system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11951570-B2
Application number	US-202217737000-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 4, 2022
Priority date	Oct 16, 2020
Publication date	Apr 9, 2024
Grant date	Apr 9, 2024

Abstract

Various embodiments of an apparatus, methods, systems and computer program products described herein are directed to an agricultural observation and treatment system and method of operation. The agricultural treatment system uses a treatment unit for spraying fluid at agricultural objects. The treatment unit is configured with a treatment head assembly that includes a moveable treatment head with one or more spraying tips. A first and second motor assembly are operated by the treatment unit to control the movement of the treatment head. The first motor assembly includes a first motor rotatable in a first rotational axis. A first linkage assembly is connected to the first motor and the treatment head assembly. The first linkage assembly is rotatable by the first motor. The second linkage assembly is rotatable by the second motor.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of treating a target object, the method comprising:
providing a spraying apparatus, the spraying apparatus comprising:
a spraying head assembly comprising one or more spraying tips, and a body member connected to one or more fluid sources;
a first motor assembly comprising a first motor interconnected with the spraying head assembly; and
a second motor assembly comprising a second motor interconnected with the spraying head assembly;
determining a first target object to be sprayed with a first fluid emitted from the one or more spraying tips;
adjusting a position of the spraying head assembly via rotation of the first and/or second motors;
emitting the first fluid at the first target object, the first fluid obtained from a first fluid source;
obtaining, via one or more video cameras attached to a vehicle, video imagery of the emitted fluid while being dispensed at the first target object;
determining whether the emitted first fluid is hitting the first target object; and
determining an offset to the spraying head assembly;
wherein the rotation of the first motor pivots the spraying head assembly about a first axis via a first linkage assembly connected from the first motor to the spraying head assembly at a first joint, and the rotation of the second motor pivots the spraying head assembly about a second axis via a second linkage assembly connected from the second motor to the spraying head assembly at a second joint, and wherein each of the one or more spraying tips move together with the spraying head assembly when either the first motor rotates or the second motor rotates.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
regulating the flow of the first fluid by controlling a regulator to open and close causing a flow of the first fluid to start and stop.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
reading from a first encoder coupled to the first motor, one or more positions of the first motor; and
reading from a second encoder coupled with the second motor, one or more positions of the second motor; and
ceasing movement of the spraying head assembly based on the one or more positions of the first and second motor.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining a pose of a moving vehicle, the spraying apparatus being attached to the moving vehicle; and
based on the determined pose, adjusting the first and second motors such that the body member adjusts its position to emit the first fluid at the target object.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining an amount of the first fluid to dispense at the first target object;
releasing the determined amount of the first fluid at the first target object;
determining an amount of the first fluid to dispense at a second target object; and
releasing the determined amount of the first fluid at the second target object.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the emitted first fluid is projected in a short pulse of less than 10 bursts per second, a volume of fluid ranging from 1 milliliter to 1 liter, a continuous volume of sprayed fluid over a period of 5 milliseconds to 300 seconds.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
emitting a second fluid at the first target object, the second fluid obtained from a second fluid source, via the body member.

8. The method of claim 1 , the first motor assembly further comprising:
a first linkage assembly coupled to the first motor and the spraying head assembly.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
wherein the first linkage assembly comprises a first leg and a second leg, the first and second legs rotatable by the motor; and
rotating first motor until the first or second leg stops against a post, thereby causing the body member to stop moving along the first axis.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the first linkage assembly comprises a surface portion, wherein the surface portion limits a degree of rotation of the first motor.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the treatment head assembly is rotatably coupled to the first linkage assembly.

12. The method of claim 1 , the second motor assembly further comprising:
a second linkage assembly coupled to the first motor and the spraying head assembly.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the emitted fluid is emitted as a fluid projectile.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the emitted fluid is emitted as a spray, mist, fog or aerosol.

15. A method of treating a target object, the method comprising:
providing a spraying apparatus, the spraying apparatus comprising:
a spraying head assembly comprising one or more spraying tips, and a body member connected to one or more fluid sources;
a first motor assembly comprising a first motor interconnected with the spraying head assembly; and
a second motor assembly comprising a second motor interconnected with the spraying head assembly;
determining a first target object to be sprayed with a first fluid emitted from the one or more spraying tips;
rotating the first motor to adjust the body member to move along a first axis;
rotating the second motor to adjust the body member to move along a second axis;
emitting the first fluid at the first target object, the first fluid obtained from a first fluid source;
regulating the flow of the first fluid by controlling a regulator to open and close causing a flow of the first fluid to start and stop;
obtaining, via one or more video cameras attached to a vehicle, video imagery of the emitted fluid while being dispensed at the first target object;
determining whether the emitted first fluid is hitting the first target object; and
determining an offset to the spraying head assembly;
wherein the rotation of the first motor pivots the body member about a first axis via a first linkage assembly connected from the first motor to the body member, and the rotation of the second motor pivots the body member about a second axis via a second linkage assembly connected from the second motor to the body member, and wherein each of the one or more spraying tips are configured to move together via the body member by the rotation of the first motor and/or the rotation of the second motor.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
reading from a first encoder coupled to the first motor, one or more positions of the first motor; and
reading from a second encoder coupled with the second motor, one or more positions of the second motor; and
ceasing movement of the spraying head assembly based on the one or more positions of the first and second motor.

17. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
determining a pose of a moving vehicle, the spraying apparatus being attached to the moving vehicle; and
based on the determined pose, adjusting the first and second motors such that the body member adjusts its position to emit the first fluid at the target object.

18. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
determining an amount of the first fluid to dispense at the first target object;
releasing the determined amount of the first fluid at the first target object;
determining an amount of the first fluid to dispense at a second target object; and
releasing the determined amount of the first fluid at the second target object.

19. The method of claim 15 , wherein the emitted first fluid is projected in a short pulse of less than 10 bursts per second, a volume of fluid ranging from 1 milliliter to 1 liter, a continuous volume of sprayed fluid over a period of 5 milliseconds to 300 seconds.

Assignees

• Verdant Robotics Inc

Inventors

• Sibley Gabriel Thurston
• Leger Patrick Christopher
• Garner Curtis Dale
• Jirattigalochote Wisit

Classifications

• B23K26/38 Primary

  by boring or cutting · CPC title

• A01B79/005

  Precision agriculture · CPC title

• A01C23/007

  Metering or regulating systems · CPC title

• A01C23/047

  Spraying of liquid fertilisers · CPC title

• A01M7/0042

  Field sprayers, e.g. self-propelled, drawn or tractor-mounted · CPC title