Expert system for controlling plant growth in a contained environment

• US 20070289207A1
• Filed: 12/21/2005
• Published: 12/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Institute For Technology Development
• Original Assignee: Institute For Technology Development
• Inventors: Bethel, Matthew, Lanoue, Mark, May, George, Ryan, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 7,617,057 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 47/17
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 7/00 Botany in general
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 9/16 Dismountable or portable greenhouses ; Greenhouses with sliding roofs
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 40/25 Greenhouse technology, e.g. cooling systems therefor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 47/06 Plant growth regulation by control of light thereon

Abstract

In a system for optimizing crop growth, vegetation is cultivated in a contained environment, such as a greenhouse, an underground cavern or other enclosed space. Imaging equipment is positioned within or about the contained environment, to acquire spatially distributed crop growth information, and environmental sensors are provided to acquire data regarding multiple environmental conditions that can affect crop development. Illumination within the contained environment, and the addition of essential nutrients and chemicals are in turn controlled in response to data acquired by the imaging apparatus and environmental sensors, by an “expert system” which is trained to analyze and evaluate crop conditions. The expert system controls the spatial and temporal lighting pattern within the contained area, and the timing and allocation of nutrients and chemicals to achieve optimized crop development. A user can access the “expert system” remotely, to assess activity within the growth chamber, and can override the “expert system”.

Claims

1. A system for optimizing plant growth within an enclosed growth chamber, comprising:

illumination means for controlling spatial, temporal and spectral characteristics of illumination within the growth chamber, said illumination means comprising an array of individually actuable light sources arranged in a grid cell pattern within the growth chamber, and having differing wavelengths, and means for individual control and modulation of said light sources within each cell of said cell pattern;

biomass detection means comprising at least one imaging device which can identify and map location and quantity of plants in a growth medium within the growth chamber;

plant stress detection means for acquiring spatially distributed image data which characterize plant vigor and stress within the growth chamber, according to said grid cell pattern, said plant stress detection means comprising at least one imaging device selected from the group consisting of multispectral imagers, hyperspectral imagers, RAMAN, thermal luminescence imagers and photo acoustic devices;

environmental monitoring means for monitoring a plurality of environmental parameters that affect plant growth within the growth chamber;

environmental control means for controlling each of said environmental parameters; and

an expert system coupled to receive data generated by said biomass detecting means, said plant stress detection means, said root zone imager and said environmental monitoring means, and coupled to control said illumination means and said environmental control means;

wherein

said expert system contains a knowledge base that includes heuristic information, a plant data base containing cultivation and diagnostic information for plants growing within the growth chamber, and plant biomass and stress detection algorithms; and

said expert system is trained to regulate said illumination and environmental parameters within the growth chamber, so as to achieve optimized uniform plant growth with minimized consumption of energy and materials, to diagnose deviations from optimal growth conditions, and to determine and implement remedial actions by adjustment of said illumination and environmental parameters.

2. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a root zone monitoring imager for identifying and mapping root growth of plants within the growth chamber, according to said grid all pattern;

3. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a communications link between said expert system and a remote terminal which includes a machine/human interface, whereby a remotely situated individual may communicate with and override said expert system.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein said interface includes display means for displaying data from said detection and monitoring means, and diagnostic and environmental control determinations from said expert system.

5. The system according to claim 3, wherein said environmental control means comprises delivery and control systems for each of said environmental parameters.

6. The system according to claim 5, wherein said environmental parameters include at least one parameter selected from the group consisting of temperature, humidity, bioaerosals, carbon dioxide and other gases, water and nutrients.

7. The system according to claim 6, wherein the expert system adjusts said delivery and control systems based on a comparison of data from said monitoring and detection systems with optimum conditions stored in the plant data base, using a heuristic technique.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein said expert system controls operation of said illumination means in response to said spatially distributed image data from said plant stress detection means to achieve a spatial, spectral and temporal distribution of illumination within the growth chamber that optimizes uniform plant growth, maximizes yield, and minimizes power consumption.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein:

periods of light and dark within the chamber are specific for each plant; and

the periods are controlled by the expert system.

10. The system according to claim 8, wherein said expert system controls said illumination on a cell by cell basis, such that illumination is distributed only to those cells that contain biomass.

11. The system according to claim 10, wherein said expert system controls illumination on a cell by cell basis within said grid cell pattern, such that illumination is concentrated on cells within which plant stress is detected.

12. The system according to claim 10, wherein said light sources comprise an array of light emitting diodes, which emit light at differing wavelengths, and which are distributed within each cell of the grid cell pattern according to a predetermined distribution.

13. The system according to claim 10, wherein, when light is being distributed to biomass within a particular cell, the light energy is modulated according to a predetermined temporal pattern.

14. The system according to claim 13, wherein said predetermined temporal pattern includes modulating said light energy between first and second intensity levels at a predetermined frequency.

15. The system according to claim 14, wherein said first intensity is zero and said second intensity has a fixed predetermined value.

16. The system according to claim 14, wherein said predetermined frequency is selected from a range between 100 and 1000 hertz.

35. The system according to claim 1, wherein data from said biomass detection means is used for empirical biomass estimation.

17. A system for achieving optimized crop growth, comprising:

a growth chamber which is sealed off from an ambient environment;

imaging means for acquiring and monitoring spatially distributed crop growth information within said growth chamber, said imaging means comprising at least one device selected from the group consisting of a multispectral imager, a hyperspectral imager, a RAMAN, a thermal luminescence imager and a photo acoustic imager;

environmental monitoring means for acquiring and monitoring data regarding environmental conditions within said growth chamber;

illumination and environmental control means for controlling illumination and environmental conditions in said growth chamber; and

an expert system that is coupled to said imaging means and said environmental means, said expert system being trained to analyze and evaluate crop growth conditions within the growth chamber using a heuristic method, and to control said illumination and environmental control means to achieve optimized crop growth and minimum consumption of energy and nutrients.

18. The system according to claim 17, further comprising a communications link between said expert system and a remote terminal which includes a machine/human interface, whereby a remotely situated individual may communicate with and override said expert system.

19. The system according to claim 18, wherein said interface includes display means for displaying data from said detection and monitoring means, and diagnostic and environmental control determinations from said expert system.

20. The system according to claim 17, wherein said expert system controls said illumination in response to said spatially distributed crop growth information to achieve a spatial, spectral and temporal distribution of illumination within the growth chamber that optimizes plant growth, maximizes yield and minimizes power consumption.

21. The system according to claim 20, wherein, when light is being distributed to biomass within a particular cell, the light is modulated according to a predetermined temporal pattern.

22. The system according to claim 21, wherein said predetermined pattern includes modulating said light energy between first and second intensity levels at a predetermined frequency.

23. The system according to claim 22, wherein said first intensity is zero and said second intensity has a fixed predetermined value.

24. The system according to claim 23, wherein said predetermined frequency is selected from a range between 100 and 1000 hertz.

25. A system for controlling crop growth within a growth area, said system comprising:

imaging means for monitoring spatially distributed crop growth information according to a predetermined grid cell pattern within said growth area; and

illumination means for controlling spatial, temporal and spectral distribution of illumination within individual cells of said grid cell pattern in response to said crop growth information.

26. The system according to claim 25, wherein:

said illumination means comprises a matrix of individually operable light sources that corresponds to said grid cell pattern; and

said light sources include sources that emit light at a plurality of preselected wavelengths.

27. The system according to claim 26, wherein said illumination means comprises an expert system that receives crop growth information from said imaging means, and controls illumination within each cell of said grid cell pattern in response to said crop growth information.

28. The system according to claim 27, wherein said expert system controls said illumination on a cell by cell basis, such that illumination is distributed only to those cells that contain biomass.

29. The system according to claim 28, wherein said expert system controls said illumination such that illumination is concentrated on cells within which plant stress is detected.

30. The system according to claim 28, wherein said light sources comprise an array of light emitting diodes, which emit light at differing wavelengths, and which are distributed within each cell of the grid cell pattern according to a predetermined distribution.

31. The system according to claim 28, wherein, when light is being distributed to biomass within a particular cell, the light is modulated according to a predetermined temporal pattern.

32. The system according to claim 31, wherein said predetermined pattern includes modulating said light energy between first and second intensity levels at a predetermined frequency.

33. The system according to claim 32, wherein said first intensity is zero and said second intensity has a fixed predetermined value.

34. The system according to claim 32, wherein said predetermined frequency is selected from a range nominally between 100 and 1000 hertz.