APPARATUS FOR MANAGING REFLECTING PLATE FOR FRUIT TREE AND METHOD USING THE SAME

• US 20140330451A1
• Filed: 04/09/2014
• Published: 11/06/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
• Original Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
• Inventors: LEE, Sang-Ho, BAE, Jang-Sik, KIM, Kyu-Hyung, LEE, Soo-In, LI, Song
• Application Number:
  US14/248,387
• Publication Number:
  US 20140330451A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/2
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 15/00 Devices or methods for influencing weather conditions
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 9/243 Collecting solar energy in general F24S
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 9/249 Lighting means with special arrangements for promoting growth A01G7/045
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 5/00 Manipulators mounted on wheels or on carriages B25J1/00 takes precedence; programme-controlled manipulators B25J9/00 ; vehicle aspects B60, B62, e.g. remote-controlled steering for motor vehicles B62D1/24; control of position of vehicles G05D1/00
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 23/70 with reflectors
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 30/48 with three or more rotation axes or with multiple degrees of freedom
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 50/00 Arrangements for controlling solar heat collectors
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 50/20 for tracking
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/73 for taking measurements, e.g. using sensing coils
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 40/25 Greenhouse technology, e.g. cooling systems therefor
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/47 Mountings or tracking
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 60/12 using renewable energies, e.g. solar water pumping

Abstract

An apparatus and a method for managing a reflecting plate for a fruit tree are disclosed. The apparatus for managing a reflecting plate for a fruit tree includes: a solar sensor configured to sense the amount of sunlight; a fruit-tree database configured to store therein types and locations of fruit trees grown in a growing area; a wireless communication unit configured to perform communications with a robot for moving a reflecting plate for a fruit tree and with the reflecting plate via a wireless communication network; and a central processing unit configured to control the robot so that it installs the reflecting plate in the growing area and to control a reflection angle at which the sunlight is reflected in the reflecting plate, based on at least one of the amount of sunlight, the types and locations.

Claims

1. An apparatus for managing a reflecting plate for a fruit tree, the apparatus comprising:

a solar sensor configured to sense the amount of sunlight;

a fruit-tree database configured to store therein types and locations of fruit trees grown in a growing area;

a wireless communication unit configured to perform communications with a robot for moving a reflecting plate for a fruit tree and with the reflecting plate via a wireless communication network; and

a central processing unit configured to control the robot so that it installs the reflecting plate in the growing area and to control a reflection angle at which the sunlight is reflected in the reflecting plate, based on at least one of the amount of sunlight, the types and locations.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus determines whether to install the reflecting plate based on the amount of sunlight.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the apparatus determines the number and locations of reflecting plates to be installed for each of the types, based on at least one of the amount of sunlight, the types and locations.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the robot collects location information via a GPS device and transmits to the apparatus at least one of a location where the reflecting plate is installed and a direction in which the reflecting plate heads for.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the reflecting plate has on a surface thereof a reflecting part to reflect the sunlight and has on the other surface thereof four pillars, lengths of the four pillars being adjusted by a motor, wherein the apparatus adjusts the length of at least one of the four pillars so as to adjust the reflection angle.

6. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the robot includes a terrestrial magnetism sensor so as to provide the apparatus with information on the direction in which the reflecting plate heads for.

7. A method for managing a reflecting plate for a fruit tree, the method comprising:

storing types and locations of fruit trees grown in a growing area;

sensing the amount of sunlight;

controlling a robot so that it installs a reflecting plate in the growing area based on at least one of the amount of sunlight, the types and locations; and

controlling a reflection angle at which the sunlight is reflected in the reflecting plate based on at least one of the amount of sunlight, the types and locations.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

determining whether to install the reflecting plate based on the amount of sunlight.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising determining the number and locations of reflecting plates to be installed for each of the types, based on at least one of the amount of sunlight, the types and locations.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the controlling of the reflection angle includes controlling the reflection angle based on at least one of a location at which the reflecting plate is installed and a direction in which the reflecting plate heads for, the location and the direction created by the robot using a GPS device.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the controlling of the reflection angle includes controlling the reflection angle based on a direction in which the reflecting plate heads for, the direction created by the robot using a terrestrial magnetism sensor.

12. A reflecting plate for a fruit tree, comprising:

a reflecting part disposed on a surface of the reflecting plate and configured to reflect sunlight;

four pillars disposed on the other surface of the reflecting plate, lengths of the four pillars being adjusted by a motor; and

a central processing unit configured to adjust a length of at least one of the four pillars so as to adjust a reflection angle at which sunlight is reflected, under the control of an apparatus for managing a reflecting plate for a fruit tree using wireless communications.

13. The reflecting plate of claim 12, wherein the apparatus controls a robot so that it installs the reflecting plate in a growing area and controls the reflection angle of the installed reflecting plate, based on at least one of the amount of sunlight, the types and locations of fruit tress grown in the growing area.

14. The reflecting plate of claim 13, wherein the lengths of the pillars are adjusted in a such manner that they move vertically as the motor rotates.