Robot mechanical picker system and method

• US 20050126144A1
• Filed: 12/09/2004
• Published: 06/16/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vision Robotics Corporation
• Original Assignee: Vision Robotics Corporation
• Inventors: Wallach, Bret, Koselka, Harvey
• Granted Patent: US 7,765,780 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 56/10.20R
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 46/30 Robotic devices for individually picking crops

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention comprise a system and method that enable robotic harvesting of agricultural crops. One approach for automating the harvesting of fresh fruits and vegetables is to use a robot comprising a machine-vision system containing rugged solid-state digital cameras to identify and locate the fruit on each tree, coupled with a picking system to perform the picking. In one embodiment of the invention a robot moves through a field first to “map” the field to determine plant locations, the number and size of fruit on the plants and the approximate positions of the fruit on each plant. A robot employed in this embodiment may comprise a GPS sensor to simplify the mapping process. At least one camera on at least one arm of a robot may be mounted in appropriately shaped protective enclosure so that a camera can be physically moved into the canopy of the plant if necessary to map fruit locations from inside the canopy. Once the map of the fruit is complete for a field, the robot can plan and implement an efficient picking plan for itself or another robot. In one embodiment of the invention, a scout robot or harvest robot determines a picking plan in advance of picking a tree. This may be done if the map is finished hours, days or weeks before a robot is scheduled to harvest, or if the picking plan algorithm selected requires significant computational time and cannot be implemented in “real time” by the harvesting robot as it is picking the field. If the picking algorithm selected is less computationally intense, the harvester may calculate the plan as it is harvesting. The system harvests according to the selected picking plan. The picking plan may be generated in the scout robot, harvest robot or on a server. Each of the elements in the system may be configured to communicate with each other using wireless communications technologies.

Claims

1. An agricultural robot system comprising:

a robot further comprising

a platform;

at least one drive wheel coupled with said platform;

at least one camera coupled with said robot;

an agricultural database populated from data gathered via said robot; and

,

said robot configured to operate in an agricultural field using said at least one camera to interact with objects in said agricultural field.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising at least one arm.

3. The system of claim 1 further comprising a communications device.

4. The system of claim 1 further comprising a sensor.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein said sensor comprises a refractometer.

6. The system of claim 4 wherein said sensor comprises a hydration sensor.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein said robot is configured to scout a field and create a map of agricultural elements in said field wherein said data comprises said map.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein said robot is configured to scout a field and create a picking plan for agricultural elements in said field wherein said data comprises said picking plan.

9. The system of claim 1 further comprising at least one harvester bin.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein said robot is configured to pick a first agricultural element according to a picking plan generated from a map.

11. The system of claim 9 wherein said robot is configured to pick a first agricultural element in a first location where a field worker is unable to reach and allows for said field worker to pick a second agricultural element in a second location where said field worker is able to reach.

12. The system of claim 9 wherein said robot is configured to create a picking plan for agricultural elements in said field.

13. The system of claim 1 further comprising at least one server.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein said at least one server is configured to create a picking plan for agricultural elements in said field.

15. The system of claim 2 wherein said at least one camera is coupled with said at least one arm.

16. The system of claim 2 wherein said at least one arm comprises a light source.

17. The system of claim 1 wherein said at least one camera is coupled with said platform.

18. The system of claim 1 wherein said at least one camera produces a plurality of images that are processed by an optical flow algorithm.

19. The system of claim 1 wherein said robot is configured to scout a field before harvesting said field.

20. The system of claim 1 wherein said robot is configured to scout a field while harvesting said field.

21. The system of claim 9 wherein said robot is configured to process an agricultural element after it is picked.

22. The system of claim 21 wherein said process comprises cleaning.

23. The system of claim 21 wherein said process comprises packaging.

24. The system of claim 21 wherein said process comprises stem removal.

25. The system of claim 1 wherein a picking plan is configured as a strategy pattern functional element that may be dynamically altered.

26. The system of claim 1 wherein said picking plan altered as a result of weather.

27. The system of claim 1 wherein said map is stored in said agricultural database and comprises agricultural element health.

28. The system of claim 1 wherein said map is stored in said agricultural database and comprises environmental status of a field.

29. The system of claim 1 wherein said agricultural database is used to estimate crop yield.

30. An agricultural robot system comprising:

a scout robot further comprising

a platform;

at least one drive wheel coupled with said platform;

at least one camera coupled with said scout robot;

an agricultural database populated from data gathered via said scout robot;

a picker robot further comprising

a second platform;

at least one second drive wheel coupled with said second platform;

at least one second camera coupled with said picker robot;

at least one harvest bin; and

,

said scout robot and said picker robot configured to operate in an agricultural field using said at least one camera to interact with objects in said agricultural field.

31. The system of claim 30 wherein said at least one second camera is coupled with at least one second arm.

32. The system of claim 30 wherein said at least one second camera is coupled with said second platform.

33. The system of claim 30 wherein said scout robot is configured to scout up to 100 percent of a field and create a map of agricultural elements wherein said data comprises said map and wherein said scout robot scouts said field before said picker robot harvests up to 100 percent of said field.

34. The system of claim 33 wherein said scout robot transmits a picking plan to said picker robot.

35. The system of claim 33 wherein said scout robot transmits a map to said picker robot wherein said picker robot creates a picking plan.

36. The system of claim 30 wherein said scout robot is configured to scout a field and create a map of agricultural elements wherein said data comprises said map and wherein said scout robot scouts said field while said picker robot harvests said field.

37. The system of claim 30 wherein said scout robot is configured to scout a field and create a map of agricultural elements wherein said data comprises said map and wherein said scout robot scouts said field before said picker robot harvests said field using a picking plan derived from said map.

38. The system of claim 30 wherein said scout robot is configured to scout a field and create a map of agricultural elements wherein said data comprises said map and wherein said scout robot scouts said field while said picker robot harvests said field using a picking plan derived from said map.

39. The system of claim 30 further comprising at least one server wherein said at least one server is configured to create a picking plan for agricultural elements in said field.

40. The system of claim 30 wherein said at least one server is configured to create a picking plan for agricultural elements in said field.

41. A method for using an agricultural robot system comprising:

entering a field with a scout robot;

approaching a plant with said scout robot;

logging coordinates of said scout robot by said scout robot;

mapping at least one location of an agricultural element by said scout robot to produce a map; and

,

continuing said approaching, said logging and said mapping until a desired number of plants in said field have been mapped.

42. The method of claim 41 further comprising:

gathering environmental information from said agricultural elements.

43. The method of claim 41 further comprising:

transmitting information from said scout robot to a picker robot in creating a picking plan from said map;

moving said picker robot near said plant;

harvesting said plant by said picker robot; and

,

continuing said moving and said harvesting until said all plants in said field have been harvested.

44. The method of claim 43 wherein said transmitting information from said scout robot to a picker robot further comprises transmitting said information from said scout robot to a server to said picker robot.

45. An agricultural robot system comprising:

means for entering a field with a scout robot;

means for approaching a plant with said scout robot;

means for logging coordinates of said scout robot by said scout robot;

means for mapping at least one location of an agricultural element by said scout robot to produce a map; and

,

means for continuing said means for approaching, said means for logging and said means for mapping until all plants in said field have been mapped.

46. The system of claim 45 further comprising:

means for gathering optional information from said agricultural elements.

47. The system of claim 45 further comprising:

means for transmitting information from said scout robot to a picker robot in creating a picking plan from said map;

means for moving said picker robot near said plant;

means for harvesting said plant by said picker robot; and

,

means for continuing said means for moving and said harvesting until said all plants in said field have been harvested.