Realtime selection of treatment parameters to apply treatment to agricultural objects

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022117216-A1
Application number	US-202017100781-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 20, 2020
Priority date	Oct 16, 2020
Publication date	Apr 21, 2022
Grant date	—

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 may determine a first real-world geo-spatial location of the treatment system. The system can receive captured images depicting real-world agricultural objects of a geographic scene. The system can associate captured images with the determined geo-spatial location of the treatment system. The treatment system can identify, from a group of mapped and indexed images, images having a second real-word geo-spatial location that is proximate with the first real-world geo-spatial location. The treatment system can compare at least a portion of the identified images with at least a portion of the captured images. The treatment system can determine a target object and emit a fluid projectile at the target object using a treatment device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method comprising:
detecting one or more agricultural objects in a geographical scene including a first agricultural object; receiving instructions to treat the first agricultural object; receiving one or more treatment parameters for treating the first agricultural object; identifying a first chemical mixture based on the one or more treatment parameters; receiving a first chemical solution stored in a first chemical tank; generating the first chemical mixture comprising at least in part the first chemical solution; orienting a treatment unit to target the first agricultural object of the one or more agricultural objects in the geographical scene; and activating the treatment unit to emit a fluid comprising the first chemical mixture onto a surface of the first agricultural object.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein generating the first chemical mixture is performed with a chemical selection unit configured to receive the one or more chemical solutions, including the first chemical solution and transmit a chemical mixture, including the first chemical mixture, to the treatment unit.

3 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
receiving a second chemical solution stored in a second chemical tank.

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the first chemical mixture includes at least a portion of the first chemical solution and at least a portion of the second chemical solution.

5 . The method of claim 3 , further comprising:
mixing the first chemical solution with the second chemical solution with the chemical selection unit; and generating a first mixed solution.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first chemical solution is comprised of herbicides, fungicides, insecticides, adjuvants, growth enhancers, growth agents, artificial pollinators, or a combination thereof.

7 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the second chemical solution is comprised of water.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the treatment unit is supported on a moving vehicle.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the treatment unit comprises a treatment head, with a nozzle, supported by a gimbal assembly configured to position and orient the nozzle towards a target in the geographical scene.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the fluid can be a pressurized liquid projectile, gas, vapor, aerosol, mist, fog, powder, gel, foam, coating, liquid droplets, or a combination thereof, such that the fluid comes into contact with the first agricultural object.

11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein detecting the one or more agricultural objects in geographical scene includes detecting objects in one or more images captured by one or more image capture devices, wherein the objects detected are associated with the one or more agricultural objects in the geographical scene.

12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the instructions are based on objects detected in one or more images captured by one or more image capture devices, the objects localized in the geographical scene, wherein at least one object detected and localized in the geographical scene is associated with the first agricultural object.

13 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more treatment parameters comprises identifying a chemical mixture composition, concentration, volume, or a combination thereof, of the first chemical mixture.

14 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the one or more treatment parameters comprises determining a speed of the liquid projectile as the pressurized liquid projectile is emitted from the nozzle of the treatment unit.

15 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving instructions to treat a second agricultural object.

16 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
identifying a second chemical mixture and generating the second chemical mixture comprising at least in part a second chemical solution.

17 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising:
orienting the treatment unit to target the second agricultural object of the one or more agricultural objects in the geographical scene; and activating the treatment unit to emit a second fluid comprising the second chemical mixture onto a surface of the second agricultural object.

18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein targeting the second agriculture object is performed in real time, based on identifying the second chemical mixture to treat the second agricultural object, after emitting the fluid comprising the first chemical mixture onto the surface of the first agricultural object.

19 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the second agricultural object is a different type of object as that of the first agricultural object.

20 . A system comprising:
a treatment unit configured to emit a pressurized fluid projectile; a series of components configured to generate the pressurized fluid, the components comprising:
a fluid storage tank;
one or more tubes operably connecting the fluid storage tank with the treatment unit to send pressurized fluid from the storage tank to the treatment unit;
a pump configured to pressurize fluid from the storage tank and transmit the pressurized fluid from the storage tank through the series of components to the treatment unit;
an accumulator; and
a regulator configured to control a pressure of the pressurized fluid as the pressurized fluid travels in the series of components to the treatment unit.
one or more microcontrollers configured receive instruction to position and orient the treatment unit.

21 . The system of claim 20 , further comprising:
a chemical selection unit configured to receive one or more liquid solutions, mix the one or more liquid solution to generate a mixed liquid solution, and transmit the mixed liquid solution to the treatment unit.

Assignees

• Verdant Robotics Inc

Inventors

• Sibley Gabriel Thurston
• Ibarria Lorenzo
• Garner Curtis Dale
• Leger Patrick Christopher
• Michelin Andre Robert Daniel
• Hurliman Ii John Phillip
• Jirattigalochote Wisit
• Tafish Hasan

Classifications

• G06F18/2413

  based on distances to training or reference patterns · CPC title

• G06V10/764 Primary

  using classification, e.g. of video objects · CPC title

• G06V20/188 Primary

  Vegetation · CPC title

• G06T7/70

  Determining position or orientation of objects or cameras (camera calibration G06T7/80) · CPC title

• A01M7/0042

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