AUTONOMOUS FEED DELIVERY PLATFORM FOR INSECTS

• US 20170360014A1
• Filed: 06/20/2016
• Published: 12/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aspire Food Group Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Aspire Food Group USA Inc.
• Inventors: Hall, Michael Todd, Mott, Gabriel, Ashour, Mohammed
• Granted Patent: US 10,881,081 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 5/02 Automatic devices automatic identification devices for stock A01K11/006
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 5/0266 with stable trolleys, e.g. suspended
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 67/033 Rearing or breeding invertebrates; New breeds of invertebrates
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/0492 with cars adapted to travel in storage aisles
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0022 characterised by the communication link data switching networks in general H04L12/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0219 ensuring the processing of the whole working surface

Abstract

An autonomous feed delivery platform configured to navigate through a facility and deliver insect feed to multiple insect habitats located within the facility. In some cases, the feed delivery platform may be configured to deliver the feed to multiple insect habitats at substantially the same time.

Claims

1. A feed delivery platform comprising:

a base having at least one conveying device for propelling the feed delivery platform through an environment;

a hopper associated with the base, the hopper to hold insect feed;

a support tower associated with the base;

a first extendable feed delivery apparatus connected to the support tower;

a second extendable feed delivery apparatus connected to the support tower, the second extendable feed delivery apparatus positioned horizontally adjacent to the first extendable feed delivery apparatus;

a third extendable feed delivery apparatus connected to the support tower and positioned above the first extendable feed delivery apparatus;

a fourth extendable feed delivery apparatus connected to the support tower and positioned above the second extendable feed delivery apparatus and horizontally adjacent to the third extendable feed delivery apparatus, and wherein the first extendable feed delivery apparatus, second extendable feed delivery apparatus, third extendable feed delivery apparatus, and fourth extendable feed delivery apparatus rotate extend in unison; and

a feed distribution tube to deliver the insect feed from the hopper to the first extendable feed delivery apparatus, the second extendable feed delivery apparatus, the third extendable feed delivery apparatus, and the fourth extendable feed delivery apparatus.

3. The feed delivery platform as recited in claim 1, wherein the first feed delivery apparatus is positioned opposite the second feed delivery apparatus with respect to the support tower.

4. The feed delivery platform as recited in claim 1, wherein the first feed delivery apparatus is at least one of:

a feed tube;

a conveyor;

a platform.

5. The feed delivery platform system as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

a first feed chute connected to the feed distribution tube, the first feed chute to at least in part limit a first amount of feed delivered to the first feed delivery apparatus; and

a second feed chute connected to the feed distribution tube, the second feed chute to at least in part limit a second amount of feed delivered to the second feed delivery apparatus.

27. The feed delivery platform system as recited in claim 1, wherein the first extendable feed delivery apparatus, the second extendable feed delivery apparatus, the third extendable feed delivery apparatus, and the fourth extendable feed delivery apparatus are configured to respectively supply the insect feed to a first habitat, a second habitat, a third habitat, and a fourth habitat substantially simultaneously.

2. (canceled)

6. A feed delivery platform comprising:

a base having a top surface, a bottom surface, and a side surface, the first surface opposite the second surface;

a tower extend upward from the top surface;

at least one conveying device mounted to the side surface of the base;

a sensor mounted to the bottom surface of the base, the sensor to collect data associated with a floor of environment surrounding the feed delivery platform;

a first feed delivery apparatus mounted to the tower;

a second feed delivery apparatus mounted to the tower;

one or more processors; and

computer-readable storage media storing computer-executable instructions, which when executed by the one or more processors cause the one or more processors to;

receive the data from the sensor;

cause the at least one conveying device to orient the feed delivery platform with a first habitat, a second habitat, and at least one of a marker or identifier;

cause the first feed delivery apparatus to dispense first feed into the first habitat; and

cause the second feed delivery apparatus to dispense second feed into the second habitat.

7. The feed delivery platform as recited in claim 6, wherein the first feed delivery apparatus dispenses the first feed into the first habitat at substantially the same time as the second feed delivery apparatus dispenses the second feed into the second habitat.

8. The feed delivery platform as recited in claim 6, further comprising:

a first feed chute to deliver the first feed to the first feed delivery apparatus, the first feed chute including a first feed sensor to collect first feed data associated with the delivery of the first feed to the first feed delivery apparatus; and

a second feed chute to deliver the second feed to the second feed delivery apparatus, the second feed chute including a second feed sensor to collect second feed data associated with the delivery of the second feed to the second feed delivery apparatus; and

wherein the computer-readable storage media stores additional computer-executable instructions, which when executed by the one or more processors cause the one or more processors to;

determine that a first amount associated with the first feed has met a first feed threshold;

cause the first chute to close in response to determining the first feed threshold has been met;

determine that a second amount associated with the second feed has met a second feed threshold, the second feed threshold different than the first feed threshold; and

cause the second chute to close in response to determining the second feed threshold has been met.

9. The feed delivery platform as recited in claim 8, further comprising a hopper accessible to the first chute and the second chute, the hopper configured to hold available feed prior to distribution to the first feed delivery apparatus and the second feed delivery apparatus.

10. The feed delivery platform as recited in claim 6, further comprising:

a first habitat sensor associated with the feed delivery platform, the first habitat sensor to collect first habitat data associated with the first habitat; and

a second habitat sensor associated with the feed delivery platform, the second habitat sensor to collect second habitat data associated with the second habitat.

11. The feed delivery platform as recited in claim 10, wherein the computer-readable storage media stores additional computer-executable instructions, which when executed by the one or more processors cause the one or more processors to determine, based at least in part on the first habitat data,

or

a developmental state of the insect population associated with the first habitat.

12. The feed delivery platform as recited in claim 10, further comprising:

a communication interface to establish a communication channel with a management system; and

wherein the computer-readable storage media stores additional computer-executable instructions, which when executed by the one or more processors cause the one or more processors to cause the communication interface to send the first habitat data and the second habitat data to the management system.

13. The feed delivery platform as recited in claim 6, wherein the computer-readable storage media stores additional computer-executable instructions, which when executed by the one or more processors cause the one or more processors to cause the at least one conveying device to follow a navigation path through the environment.

14. The feed delivery platform as recited in claim 6, further comprising:

a communication interface to establish a communication channel with a management system; and

wherein the computer-readable storage media stores additional computer-executable instructions, which when executed by the one or more processors cause the one or more processors to cause the communication interface to send the data to the management system.

15-20. -20. (canceled)

21. A delivery platform comprising:

a sensor to collect data associated with an environment surrounding the feed delivery platform;

a communication interface for receiving signals from a control system;

a feed delivery apparatus;

an image capture device;

one or more processors; and

computer-readable storage media storing computer-executable instructions, which when executed by the one or more processors cause the one or more processors to;

initiate a feed delivery to one or more habitats in response to receiving a signal at the communication interface, individual ones of the one or more habitats associated with insect populations;

identify a first habitat of the one or more habitats within an environment, based at least in part on the data associated with the environment;

identify at least one of a marker or identifier within the environment, based at least in part on the data associated with the environment;

cause the image capture device to collect habitat data associated with first habitat;

cause the communication interface to send the habitat data to the control system;

cause the feed delivery apparatus to orientate with the first habitat and the at least one of the marker or identifier; and

cause the by the feed delivery apparatus to deliver a desired amount of feed into the first habitat.

22. The delivery platform as recited in claim 21, wherein the computer-readable storage media stores additional computer-executable instructions, which when executed by the one or more processors cause the one or more processors to determine the desired amount of feed prior to delivering the desired amount of feed into the habitat.

23. The delivery platform as recited in claim 21, wherein the computer-readable storage media stores additional computer-executable instructions, which when executed by the one or more processors cause the one or more processors to:

identify a second habitat of the one or more habitats within an environment based at least in part on the data associated with the environment;

cause the feed delivery apparatus to orientate with the second habitat; and

cause the by the feed delivery apparatus to deliver a second desired amount of feed into the second habitat, the second desired amount different than the first desired amount.

24. The delivery platform as recited in claim 21, wherein the computer-readable storage media stores additional computer-executable instructions, which when executed by the one or more processors cause the one or more processors to:

determine that a power level associated with the feed delivery platform is below a first power threshold;

identify a recharge station;

cause the delivery platform to engage with the recharge station to initiate a recharge operation; and

determine that the power level associated with the feed delivery platform has met or exceeded a second power threshold.

25. The delivery platform as recited in claim 21, wherein the computer-readable storage media stores additional computer-executable instructions, which when executed by the one or more processors cause the one or more processors to:

determine that an amount of feed stored in a hopper associated with the feed delivery platform is below a first feed threshold;

identify a feed station;

cause the feed delivery platform to orientate the hopper with respect to the feed station to initiate a refill operation; and

determine the amount of feed stored in the hopper has met or exceeded a second feed threshold.

26. The delivery platform as recited in claim 21, further comprising:

a second feed delivery apparatus; and

wherein the computer-readable storage media stores additional computer-executable instructions, which when executed by the one or more processors cause the one or more processors to;

identify a second habitat of the one or more habitats within an environment at substantially the same time as the feed delivery platform identifies the first habitat;

causing the feed delivery platform to orients the feed delivery apparatus with the second habitat at substantially the same time as the feed delivery apparatus orients with the first habitat; and

cause the second feed delivery apparatus to deliver a second desired amount of feed into the second habitat at substantially the same time as the first feed delivery platform delivers the first desired amount of feed to the first habitat.