Systems and Methods for Cultivating and Distributing Aquatic Organisms

• US 20160135397A1
• Filed: 01/27/2016
• Published: 05/19/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GreenOnyx Ltd.
• Original Assignee: GreenOnyx Ltd.
• Inventors: SHOHAM, Tsipi, Shoham, Benjamin
• Granted Patent: US 10,524,432 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 27/003 Controls for self-acting watering devices
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 33/00 Cultivation of seaweed or algae
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 61/00 Culture of aquatic animals receptacles for live fish, e.g. aquaria, A01K63/00
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 63/00 Receptacles for live fish, e.g. aquaria keepnets or other containers for keeping captured fish A01K97/20; Terraria
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 46/00 Filters or filtering processes specially modified for separating dispersed particles from gases or vapours filtering elements B01D24/00-B01D35/00; filtering material B01D39/00; their regeneration outside the filters B01D41/00
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 1/34 Measuring or testing with condition measuring or sensing means, e.g. colony counters
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 1/3446 Photometry, spectroscopy, laser technology
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 21/02 Photobioreactors culturing algae A01G33/00, A01H4/001, C12N1/12
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 23/18 Open ponds; Greenhouse type or underground installations
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 41/48 Automatic or computerized control automatic analysis G01N35/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10016 Video; Image sequence
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10024 Color image
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10152 Varying illumination
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30004 Biomedical image processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30128 Food products
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/0016 involving temporal comparison
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/90 Determination of colour characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 40/81 Aquaculture, e.g. of fish
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 60/21 Dinitrogen oxide [N2O], e.g. using aquaponics, hydroponics or efficiency measures
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 60/60 Fishing; Aquaculture; Aquafarming

Abstract

System and methods for monitoring the growth of an aquatic plant culture and detecting real-time characteristics associated with the aquatic plant culture aquatic plants. The systems and methods may include a control unit configured to perform an analysis of at least one image of an aquatic plant culture. The analysis may include processing at least one collected image to determine at least one physical characteristic or state of an aquatic plant culture. Systems and methods for distributing aquatic plant cultures are also provided. The distribution systems and methods may track and control the distribution of an aquatic plant culture based on information received from various sources. Systems and methods for growing and harvesting aquatic plants in a controlled and compact environment are also provided. The systems may include a bioreactor having a plurality of vertically stacked modules designed to contain the aquatic plants and a liquid growth medium.

Claims

1. A bioreactor, comprising:

an input unit configured to receive a cartridge containing an aquatic plant culture, the input unit comprising an extractor configured to remove the aquatic plant culture from the cartridge;

an incubation unit for receiving the aquatic plant culture from the input unit;

a growing unit for growing the aquatic plant culture;

a harvesting unit for harvesting the aquatic plant culture; and

a control unit configured to;

read an identification label associated with the cartridge received at the input unit to obtain cartridge identification information; and

send the cartridge identification information to a server.

2. The bioreactor of claim 1, wherein the bioreactor further includes a memory;

and wherein the control unit is further configured to store the cartridge identification information in the memory.

3. The bioreactor of claim 1, wherein the server comprises a database for storing the cartridge identification information.

4. The bioreactor of claim 1, wherein the control unit is further configured to:

record a time stamp of when the aquatic plant culture is removed from the cartridge and;

send the time stamp to the server.

5. The bioreactor of claim 4, wherein the server is configured to track the distribution of the cartridge based on the cartridge identification information and the time stamp.

6. The bioreactor of claim 4, wherein the server is configured to perform at least one of the following actions based on the cartridge identification information and the recorded time stamp:

(a) request a new cartridge shipment for the bioreactor;

(b) adjust a shipment date for a subsequent cartridge shipment;

(c) adjust the aquatic plant culture in a cartridge for a subsequent cartridge shipment;

(d) customize the contents of a cartridge to be sent to a specific location;

(e) send a status report for the bioreactor to a central processing location;

(f) adjust the growth conditions in another bioreactor;

(g) adjust a preservation medium for a subsequent cartridge shipment;

(h) adjust a fertilizer stock solution for a subsequent cartridge shipment; and

(i) adjust the harvesting schedule in another bioreactor; and

(j) adjust one or more substances housed within a cartridge for a subsequent cartridge shipment.

7. The bioreactor of claim 6, wherein adjusting the harvesting schedule in the another bioreactor changes a life stage at which another aquatic plant culture is harvested and packaged into another cartridge.

8. The bioreactor of claim 6, wherein adjusting the harvesting schedule in the another bioreactor changes the time within a life stage at which another aquatic plant culture is harvested and packaged into another cartridge.

9. The bioreactor of claim 1, wherein the control unit is further configured to:

receive an image from an imaging system disposed in the bioreactor, the imaging system comprising at least one image sensor configured to image the aquatic plant culture in at least one of the cartridge and the incubation unit;

determine at least one characteristic related to the aquatic plant culture; and

send the at least one characteristic related to the aquatic plant culture to the server.

10. The bioreactor of claim 9, wherein the server is configured to perform at least one of the following actions based on the determination of a characteristic of the aquatic plant culture:

(a) request a new cartridge shipment for the bioreactor;

(b) adjust a shipment date for a subsequent cartridge shipment;

(c) adjust the aquatic plant culture in a cartridge for a subsequent cartridge shipment;

(d) customize the contents of a cartridge to be sent to a specific location;

(e) send a status report for the bioreactor to a central processing location;

(f) adjust the growth conditions in another bioreactor;

(g) adjust a preservation medium for a subsequent cartridge shipment;

(h) adjust a fertilizer stock solution for a subsequent cartridge shipment;

(i) adjust the harvesting schedule in another bioreactor;

(j) adjust one or more substances housed within a cartridge for a subsequent cartridge shipment;

(k) accept the aquatic plant culture and transfer the aquatic plant culture to the growing unit; and

(l) reject the aquatic plant culture.

11. The bioreactor of claim 10, wherein adjusting the harvesting schedule in the another bioreactor changes a life stage at which another aquatic plant culture is harvested and packaged into another cartridge.

12. The bioreactor of claim 10, wherein adjusting the harvesting schedule in the another bioreactor changes the time within a life stage at which another aquatic plant culture is harvested and packaged into another cartridge.

13. A system for growing an aquatic plant culture, comprising:

a server; and

a bioreactor in communication with the server, the bioreactor comprising;

an input unit configured to receive a cartridge containing an aquatic plant culture, the input unit comprising an extractor configured to remove the aquatic plant culture from the cartridge;

an incubation unit for receiving the aquatic plant culture from the input unit;

a growing unit for growing the aquatic plant culture;

a harvesting unit for harvesting the aquatic plant culture; and

a control unit configured to;

read an identification label associated with the cartridge received at the input unit to obtain cartridge identification information; and

send the cartridge identification information to the server.

14. The system of claim of claim 13, wherein the server is configured to coordinate the distribution of the cartridge to the bioreactor based on one or more of:

a need for the aquatic plant culture in the cartridge, a distribution time required to send the cartridge to the bioreactor, and a life stage of the aquatic plant culture in the cartridge.

15. A method of distributing an aquatic plant culture, the method comprising:

growing an aquatic plant culture;

harvesting a portion of the aquatic plant culture when the aquatic plant culture is in a predetermined life stage;

packaging the portion of the aquatic plant culture and a preservation medium in a sealed capsule of a cartridge; and

distributing the cartridge to a remote location, the remote location determined based on one or more of;

a need for the portion of the aquatic plant culture, a distribution time required to send the cartridge to the remote location, and the predetermined life stage of the portion of the aquatic plant culture.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the growing comprises maturing the aquatic plant culture through subsequent different life stages before harvesting.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising packaging at least one fertilizer stock solution in another sealed capsule of the cartridge.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the type of the fertilizer stock solution is determined based on the species of the aquatic plant culture.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the type of preservation medium is determined based on at least one of the species of the aquatic plant culture and the predetermined life stage of the portion of the aquatic plant culture.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the aquatic plant culture is grown in a bioreactor.