System and method for detecting and analyzing features in an agricultural field

• US 20040264762A1
• Filed: 04/06/2004
• Published: 12/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Deere & Company, University of Illinois
• Original Assignee: Deere & Company
• Inventors: Mas, Francisco Rovira, Reid, John Franklin, Zhang, Qin
• Granted Patent: US 8,737,720 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/154
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30128 Food products
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/593 from stereo images
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/97 Determining parameters from multiple pictures depth or shape recovery from multiple images G06T7/55; stereo camera calibration G06T7/85
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/147 Details of sensors, e.g. sensor lenses fingerprint or palmprint sensors G06V40/13; vascular sensors G06V40/145; eye sensors G06V40/19
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/10 Terrestrial scenes scenes under surveillance with static cameras G06V20/52; scenes perceived from the exterior of a vehicle G06V20/56; scenes perceived from the interior of a vehicle G06V20/59

Abstract

A system and method for creating 3-dimensional agricultural field scene maps are disclosed comprising producing a pair of images using a stereo camera and creating a disparity images based on the pair of images, the disparity image being a 3-dimensional representation of the stereo images. Coordinate arrays can be produced from the disparity image and the coordinate arrays can be used to render a 3-dimensional local map of the agricultural field scene. Global maps can also be made by using geographic location information associated with various local maps to fuse together multiple local maps into a 3-dimensional global representation of the field scene. The disparity images can be used to analyze a variety of agricultural features.

Claims

1. An apparatus for creating and analyzing a 3-dimensional field scene map, comprising:

at least one camera for producing a pair of images of a field scene; and

means for creating a disparity image from the pair of images and analyzing features within the disparity image;

wherein the disparity image comprises a 3-dimensional image encoded with coordinates relative to the at least one camera.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one camera comprises a stereo camera.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the field scene is an agricultural field scene of a plurality of rows of individual plants.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the disparity image is analyzed to determine a distance between individual rows of plants.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the disparity image is analyzed to determine a distance between individual plants within the same row of plants.

6. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the disparity image is analyzed to determine the height of individual plants.

7. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein multiple disparity images are created and analyzed over time to determine the rate of growth of individual plants.

8. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein multiple disparity images are created and analyzed over time to determine a relative level of crop growth uniformity.

9. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the disparity image is analyzed to estimate a crop yield.

10. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the disparity images is analyzed to identify agricultural infrastructure other than individual plants.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the means for creating a disparity image comprises a computer running a software program.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising means for transforming the disparity image into a 3-dimensional local map of the field scene.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein multiple 3-dimensional local maps of the field scene from generated disparity images, and further comprising means for fusing the multiple 3-dimensional local maps into a 3-dimensional global image.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a location tracking device configured for providing geographic location information.

15. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a filter for filtering errors from the disparity image.

26. The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of filtering the 3-dimensional coordinates to remove noise.

16. A method for making and analyzing a 3-dimensional map of a field scene, the method comprising the steps of:

acquiring at least one set of images of the field scene;

creating a disparity image based on the at least one set of images, the disparity image including depth information for objects captured in the at least one set of images;

creating a coordinate array of 3-dimensional coordinates for the objects captured in the at least one set of images; and

analyzing at least feature captured in the at least one set of images.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the at least one camera comprises a stereo camera.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the field scene is an agricultural field scene of a plurality of rows of individual plants.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the disparity image is analyzed to determine a distance between individual rows of plants.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the disparity image is analyzed to determine a distance between individual plants within the same row of plants.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein the disparity image is analyzed to determine the height of individual plants.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein multiple disparity images are created and analyzed over time to determine the rate of growth of individual plants.

23. The method of claim 18, wherein multiple disparity images are created and analyzed over time to determine a relative level of crop growth uniformity.

24. The method of claim 18, wherein the disparity image is analyzed to estimate a crop yield.

25. The method of claim 18 wherein the disparity images is analyzed to identify agricultural infrastructure other than individual plants.

27. The method of claim 18, wherein the step of filtering the 3-dimensional coordinates comprises ignoring 3-dimensional coordinates above a predetermined threshold.

28. The method of claim 18 wherein the step of filtering the 3-dimensional coordinates comprises ignoring 3-dimensional coordinates below a predetermined threshold.

29. A system for creating and analyzing a 3-dimensional agricultural field scene map, comprising:

a stereo camera for producing a pair of stereo images of an agricultural field scene;

means for creating a disparity image from the pair of stereo images and analyzing features in the disparity image;

the disparity image including a three-dimensional image encoded with x, y and z coordinates relative to the stereo camera.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the disparity image is analyzed to determine a distance between individual rows of plants.

31. The system of claim 29, wherein the disparity image is analyzed to determine a distance between individual plants.

32. The system of claim 29, wherein the disparity image is analyzed to determine the height of individual plants.

33. The system of claim 29, wherein multiple disparity images are created and analyzed over time to determine the rate of growth of individual plants.

34. The system of claim 29, wherein multiple disparity images are created and analyzed over time to determine a relative level of crop growth uniformity.

35. The system of claim 29, wherein the disparity image is analyzed to estimate a crop yield.

36. The system of claim 29 wherein the disparity image is analyzed to identify agricultural infrastructure other than individual plants.

37. The system of claim 29, wherein the means for creating a disparity image and analyzing features in the disparity image comprises a computer running a software program.