Intelligent selection and remapping of ellepots

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9357710-B2
Application number	US-201113637513-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 17, 2011
Priority date	Mar 26, 2010
Publication date	Jun 7, 2016
Grant date	Jun 7, 2016

Abstract

In various embodiments, a method for removing selected ellepots from a plurality of germination ellepot trays and remapping the selected ellepots to a planting ellepot tray is provided. The method can include placing one of a plurality of germination ellepot trays onto an ellepot ejection dock of an ellepot workstation. Each germination ellepot tray comprises an array of ellepot receptacles having an ellepot disposed in each receptacle, wherein each ellepot is populated with a plant germinating therein. The method can additionally include, acquiring tray information identifying the respective germination ellepot tray, and automatically dislodging one or more selected populated ellepots from the respective germination ellepot tray utilizing the acquired germination ellepot tray information. Subsequently, each dislodged populated ellepot is sequentially transferred from the respective germination ellepot tray to one of a plurality of receptacles of a planting ellepot tray.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for removing selected ellepots from a plurality of germination ellepot trays and remapping the selected ellepots to a planting ellepot tray, said method comprising:
placing one of a plurality of germination ellepot trays onto an ellepot ejection dock of an automated ellepot remapping system, each germination ellepot tray comprising an array of ellepot receptacles, each ellepot receptacle comprising an aperture in the bottom thereof and having an ellepot disposed therein, each ellepot populated with a plant germinating therein;
acquiring tray information identifying the respective germination ellepot tray;
automatically, via operation of an ejection assembly of the ellepot remapping system, dislodging upward and retaining one or more selected populated ellepots within the respective germination ellepot receptacle utilizing the acquired germination ellepot tray information, wherein automatically dislodging comprises:
actuating one or more of a plurality of ejection devices of the ejection assembly such that a dislodging ram head of each respective ejection device is extended upward through the respective ellepot receptacle aperture, whereby the respective populated ellepot is pushed upward and dislodged and retained within the respective ellepot receptacle; and

removing each dislodged populated ellepot from the respective populated ellepot receptacle and transferring each populated ellepot from the respective germination ellepot tray to one of a plurality of receptacles of a planting ellepot tray.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein acquiring the tray information comprises reading a germination ellepot tray information device disposed on the germination ellepot tray, the tray information device providing the tray information identifying the respective germination ellepot tray.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein automatically dislodging one or more selected populated ellepots from the respective germination ellepot tray utilizing the acquired germination ellepot tray information comprises cross referencing the read tray information with predetermined selection data to identify the location within the array of the respective germination ellepot tray of the one or more populated ellepots selected to be removed from the respective germination ellepot tray.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein reading the germination ellepot tray information device comprises electronically reading the germination ellepot tray information device and communicating the read tray information to a computer-based ellepot remapping control system.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein cross referencing the read tray information with the predetermined selection data comprises:
accessing the selection data, the selection data including:
information identifying which plants within each germination ellepot tray are selected to be transferred to the planting ellepot tray; and
information identifying the location of each selected plant within the array of each respective germination ellepot tray; and

cross referencing, via the ellepot remapping control system, the read tray information with the selection data to identify selected populated ellepots disposed within the respective germination ellepot tray that are to be transferred to the planting ellepot tray, and to identify the location of each selected populated ellepot within the array of the respective germination ellepot tray.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein automatically dislodging further comprises actuating an actuator of each respective ejection device in accordance with the identified location of the selected populated ellepots, thereby extending a respective dislodging ram head upward through the respective ellepot receptacle aperture such that the respective populated ellepot is pushed upward and dislodged and retained with the respective ellepot receptacle.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising associating an ellepot identification tag with each selected populated ellepot as the respective selected populated ellepot is transferred to the planting ellepot tray, each ellepot identification tag providing information identifying the plant germinating within the respective ellepot.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein associating an ellepot identification tag with each selected populated ellepot as the respective selected populated ellepot is transferred to the planting ellepot tray comprises:
automatically printing each ellepot identification tag as the respective selected populated ellepot is being dislodged from the respective germination ellepot tray; and
combining each printed ellepot identification tag with the corresponding selected populated ellepot within the respective receptacle of the planting ellepot tray in which the respective selected populated ellepot is placed.

Assignees

• Deppermann Kevin L
• Bernacchi Dario
• Weis Matthew J
• Frey Travis J
• Monsanto Technology Llc

Inventors

• Deppermann Kevin L
• Bernacchi Dario
• Weis Matthew J
• Frey Travis J

Classifications

• A01G9/108

  Human Necessities · mapped topic

• A01G9/088

  Handling or transferring pots · CPC title

• A01G1/001 Primary

  Human Necessities · mapped topic

• A01G9/0299 Primary

  Handling or transporting of soil blocks or seedlings · CPC title