Digital spectral identifier-controller and related methods
First Claim
1. A high speed, low cost, wide spectrum plant identifier apparatus adapted to be mounted on a farm vehicle for selectively identifying plants within a field by species and for selectively applying chemicals thereto for the purposes of reducing the chemical costs and the excessive chemical application which may otherwise result in pollution problems, said apparatus comprising:
- a) a sensing device for receiving reflected light from a plant, said device including a diffraction element for separating the reflected light into segments of different wavelengths and a linear sensor array having elements positioned to receive the segments and to measure the relative magnitude of such segments to define a wide spectral distribution of the plant;
b) a digital identifier connected to said sensing device and having a memory for memorizing a spectral distribution of light representing a first plant species from the field, and additional memory for receiving a spectral distributions of other plants from the field and programmable logic circuitry;
c) said logic circuitry having a program to compare the reflected spectral distribution of other plants with the memorized spectral distribution of the first species and to provide an output indicating substantial similarity between the distributions for effecting selective application of chemicals to the plants of the first species as the associated farm vehicle traverses a field.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A high speed, low cost, wide spectrum light scanning and sensor unit (10) for receiving reflected light from an object and diffracting the light into segments of wavelengths and a linear sensor array (32) having elements positioned to receive the segments and to measure the relative magnitude of such segments to define a spectral distribution of the object together with a digital identifier-controller (36) connected to said sensing device and having a memory for memorizing a spectral distribution of light representing a first standard object, and additional memory for receiving a spectral distributions of other objects and programmable logic circuitry containing a program for determining the similarity between the standard object and the other objects.
56 Citations
31 Claims
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1. A high speed, low cost, wide spectrum plant identifier apparatus adapted to be mounted on a farm vehicle for selectively identifying plants within a field by species and for selectively applying chemicals thereto for the purposes of reducing the chemical costs and the excessive chemical application which may otherwise result in pollution problems, said apparatus comprising:
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a) a sensing device for receiving reflected light from a plant, said device including a diffraction element for separating the reflected light into segments of different wavelengths and a linear sensor array having elements positioned to receive the segments and to measure the relative magnitude of such segments to define a wide spectral distribution of the plant;
b) a digital identifier connected to said sensing device and having a memory for memorizing a spectral distribution of light representing a first plant species from the field, and additional memory for receiving a spectral distributions of other plants from the field and programmable logic circuitry;
c) said logic circuitry having a program to compare the reflected spectral distribution of other plants with the memorized spectral distribution of the first species and to provide an output indicating substantial similarity between the distributions for effecting selective application of chemicals to the plants of the first species as the associated farm vehicle traverses a field. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A low cost, lightweight, high speed spectral sensing method for identifying and collecting information on the physical condition of objects for remote analysis of their physical condition, comprising the steps of:
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a) sensing the spectral distribution of a plurality of segments of wave lengths of light reflected by the object;
b) electronically measuring the magnitude of the segments of the reflected wavelengths to define a wide spectrum distribution of light received from said object; and
c) transmitting the spectrum distribution to a readable electronic memory for subsequent analysis and identification of the physical condition of the object. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7)
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8. A high speed, low cost apparatus for selectively identifying objects, including fluids and tissue, and their condition, from within a population;
- said apparatus comprising;
a) a sensing device for receiving reflected light from a sample object from the population, said device including a lens diffraction device for separating the reflected light into a plurality of segments of wavelengths and for measuring the magnitude of the segments of reflected light to define a spectral distribution;
b) a digital identifier connected to said sensing device and having a memory for receiving and storing a spectral distribution of light representing the sample object from said population;
c) said digital identifier also having a memory for receiving and storing sequential spectral distributions from additional objects of the population;
d) said digital identifier having logic circuitry programmed to compare the subsequent spectral distribution with the memorized spectral distribution and to provide an output indicating similarity between the distributions.
- said apparatus comprising;
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9. An apparatus as recited in claim 9 in which the output of the digital identifier is connected to an activator for applying an action to an identified, similar object.
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10. A low cost, digital identifier apparatus for identifying similarities of spectral distributions of two objects, said apparatus comprising:
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a) a micro controller;
b) said micro controller having electronic memory elements for receiving digital signals reflecting a first wide spectral distribution of light segments reflected from an object;
c) electronic memory elements for receiving digital signals reflecting spectral distribution of light segments from other objects;
d) logic circuitry including memory containing instructions for a regression analysis program for comparing the first spectral distribution of light segments with the spectral distribution of another object and for generating an output signal reflecting the results of said comparison. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 14, 15, 17, 19, 20)
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13. A low cost, high speed method for facilitating evaluation of selected objects, said method comprising the steps of:
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a) obtaining a spectral distribution of reflected light segments from at least one sample object of a population;
b) sequentially generating a spectral distribution of additional objects of a population;
c) comparing said spectral distribution of the additional objects with the distribution of said sample object and producing an output signal when said distributions are substantially similar.
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16. An apparatus for accumulating and transmitting a wide spectral analysis of [an] objects including tissue and fluids for early analysis and detection of its condition , said apparatus comprising:
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a) a sensor array for accumulating a plurality of charges reflecting a wide spectrum color distribution of light segments reflected by an object to be analyzed;
b) a transmittal device connected to said array for transmitting said spectral distribution to a memory device for early analysis of the spectral distribution of light of said object to detect its physical condition.
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18. A lightweight, portable apparatus for sampling the condition or identity of agricultural plants and their fruit and for electronically recording the sample for identification and analysis, said device comprising:
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a) a housing having an opening for receiving light therethrough, b) a diffraction device for receiving said light and for diffracting said light into a plurality of segments having different wavelengths, c) an array carried by the housing and aligned to receive a plurality of segments having different wavelengths and to generate a voltage whose magnitude generally correlates to the intensity of said segments to define a spectral fingerprint; and
,d) a communication circuit associated with said housing for transmitting, by segment, the spectral fingerprint to an electronic memory for analysis of the condition or identify of the agricultural product.
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21. A low cost, lightweight, sensing method for obtaining spectral information on the physical condition of objects for subsequent analysis of their physical condition, comprising the steps of:
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a) sensing the spectral distribution of a plurality of segments of wave lengths of light reflected by the object;
b) electronically measuring the magnitude of the segments of the reflected wavelengths to define a spectrum distribution of light received from said object; and
c) transmitting the spectrum distribution to a readable electronic memory for subsequent analysis and identification of the physical condition of the object. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 26, 27, 29, 30, 31)
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25. A method for comparing selected objects, said method comprising the steps of:
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a) obtaining a spectral distribution of reflected light segments from at a representative of a sample species of a population;
b) sequentially generating a spectral distribution of additional species of a population;
c) comparing said spectral distribution of the additional species with the distribution of said representative and producing an output signal when said distributions are substantially similar.
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28. A low cost apparatus for selectively identifying objects, including fluids and tissue, and their condition, from within a population;
- said apparatus comprising;
a) a sensing device for receiving reflected light from objects of a population, said device including a lens diffraction device for separating the reflected light into a plurality of segments of wavelengths and for directing said segments upon an array for measuring the magnitude of the segments of reflected light to define a spectral distribution;
b) a digital identifier connected to said sensing device and having a memory for receiving and storing a spectral distribution of light representing a sample object from said population;
c) said digital identifier also having a memory for receiving and storing sequential spectral distributions from various objects of the population;
d) said digital identifier having logic circuitry programmed to compare the subsequent spectral distribution with the memorized spectral distribution and to provide an output indicating similarity between the distributions.
- said apparatus comprising;
Specification