Method of diagnosing a plant automatically and device for executing method thereof

• US 5,841,883 A
• Filed: 10/27/1995
• Issued: 11/24/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
• Original Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
• Inventors: Kobayashi, Keiko, Kono, Yasushi
• Primary Examiner(s): Couso, Jose L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bella, Matthew C.
• Application Number:
  US08/549,207
• Time in Patent Office: 1,124 Days
• Field of Search: 382/110, 382/165, 382/164, 382/168, 348/143, 348/144
• US Class Current: 382/110
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 7/00 Botany in general

Abstract

An automatic plant diagnostic device and method are provided to inform disease conditions of the plant easily and early. An image memory of the device reads a color image of a plant and controls a display so as to display the image. An background color deleting unit deletes the background color from the color image on display, so that a leaf image can be obtained. A color change calculating unit detects values corresponding to hues of the leaf image and stores them in a memory on every date. After storing, the calculating unit further allows the display to display the values of hues on every date in form of a graph.

Claims

1. An automatic plant diagnostic method comprising steps of:

reading a color image of a plant to be taken and subsequently extracting a leaf image thereof from said color image of said plant;

counting numbers of colors of each of a plurality of picture elements forming said leaf image extracted in sequence and accumulating said numbers of colors;

processing said accumulated numbers of colors by total numbers of said picture elements thereby obtaining hues of said leaf and subsequently storing said hues in correspondence with a time when said extracting step is executed;

displaying both said hues stored at this time and other hues stored in the past in a first display form; and

wherein said leaf image to be extracted in said extracting step is a sick spotted portion of a whole leaf.

2. An automatic plant diagnostic method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first display form includes a graph in which said extracting time corresponds to said hues.

3. An automatic plant diagnostic method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said hues are composed of respective values of R.G.B. (Red, Green and Blue).

4. An automatic plant diagnostic method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said hues are composed of respective values of R.G.B. (Red, Green and Blue) and lightness values V.

5. An automatic plant diagnostic method comprising steps of:

reading a color image of a plant to be taken and subsequently extracting a leaf image thereof from said color image of said plant;

counting numbers of colors of each of a plurality of picture elements forming said leaf image extracted in sequence and accumulating said numbers of colors;

processing said accumulated numbers of colors by total numbers of said picture elements thereby obtaining hues of said leaf and subsequently storing said hues in correspondence with a time when said extracting step is executed;

further extracting an image of normal portions of said leaf and an image of sick spotted portions thereof when said color image is read;

calculating an area ration of said normal portions to said sick spotted portions by respective numbers of picture elements contained in said normal portions and said sick spotted portions and subsequently storing said area ratio in correspondence with said time; and

displaying both said hues stored at this time and other hues stored in the past in a second display form and displaying both said area ratio stored at this time and another area ratio stored in the past in said second display form.

6. An automatic plant diagnostic method as claimed in claim 5, wherein said second display form includes a graph in which said extracting time, said hues and said area ratio correspond to each other.

7. An automatic plant diagnostic method as claimed in claim 5, wherein said leaf image to be extracted in said extracting step is constituted by any one of respective images of a whole leaf, said sick spotted portions and said normal portions.

8. An automatic plant diagnostic method as claimed in claim 5, wherein said hues are composed of respective values of R.G.B. (Red, Green and Blue).

9. An automatic plant diagnostic method as claimed in claim 5, wherein said hues are composed of respective values of R.G.B. (Red, Green and Blue) and lightness values V.

10. An automatic plant diagnostic device comprising:

a manipulating unit manipulated by an operator;

a display;

an image memory for reading color image data of a plant and storing said color image data every taking date, said image memory subsequently reading said color image data on every taking date and converting said color image data into color video signals thereby allowing said display to display said color image;

a background color deleting unit for deleting background colors of said color image by subtracting three established primary colors from said color image displayed on said display thereby obtaining a leaf image of said plant;

a color-change calculating unit for measuring both three primary colors values and lightness values of each of a plurality of picture elements forming said leaf image when it is commanded to detect hues of said leaf image and subsequently averaging said three primary color values and said lightness values by numbers and said picture elements, said calculating unit further storing respective means of said values as parameters representing said hues on every taking date, and making graphs on a basis of said respective means thereby to output graph signals to said display;

a mode judgement unit having respective judgement data installed therein, said mode judgement unit activating said image memory, said background color deleting unit and said color-change calculating unit on a basis of said respective judgement data when said manipulating unit is operated;

wherein, in case that it is commanded to detect hues of sick spotted portions of said leaf, said color-change calculating unit subtracts values, which are within three primary colors ranges predetermined for extracting said sick spotted portions, from colors of said leaf image;

wherein said color-change calculating unit further counts total numbers of picture elements forming said sick spotted portions and respective distribution numbers in three primary colors and a lightness value for each of said picture elements; and

averages said respective distribution numbers by said total numbers of picture elements thereby obtaining respective means; and

wherein said color-change calculating unit stores said respective means of said three primary colors and lightness values as parameters representing hues of said sick spotted portions.

11. An automatic plant diagnostic device comprising:

a manipulating unit manipulated by an operator;

a display;

an image memory for reading color image data of a plant and storing said color image data every taking date, said image memory subsequently reading said color image data on every taking date and converting said color image data into color video signals thereby allowing said display to display said color image;

a background color deleting unit for deleting background colors of said color image by subtracting three established primary colors from said color image displayed on said display thereby obtaining a leaf image of said plant;

a color-change calculating unit for measuring both three primary colors values and lightness values of each of a plurality of picture elements forming said leaf image when it is commanded to detect hues of said leaf image and subsequently averaging said three primary color values and said lightness values by numbers and said picture elements, said calculating unit further storing respective means of said values as parameters representing said hues on every taking date, and making graphs on a basis of said respective means thereby to output graph signals to said display;

a mode judgement unit having respective judgement data installed therein, said mode judgement unit activating said image memory, said background color deleting unit and said color-change calculating unit on a basis of said respective judgement data when said manipulating unit is operated; and

an area ratio change calculating unit for calculating changes an area ratio of sick spotted portions;

wherein, providing that it is commanded to calculate an area ratio of said sick spotted portions to a whole leaf and that hues of said whole leaf and hues of said sick spotted portions are calculated, said area ratio change calculating unit operates to store a ratio of said hues of said whole leaf to said hues of said sick spotted portions as said area ratio of said sick spotted portions on every taking date; and

wherein said area ratio change calculating unit further makes a graph representing said area ratio of said sick spotted portions and outputs graph signals to said display when either one of said graphs is displayed.

12. An automatic plant diagnostic device comprising:

a manipulating unit manipulated by an operator;

a display;

an image memory for reading color image data of a plant and storing said color image data every taking date, said image memory subsequently reading said color image data on every taking date and converting said color image data into color video signals thereby allowing said display to display said color image;

a background color deleting unit for deleting background colors of said color image by subtracting three established primary colors from said color image displayed on said display thereby obtaining a leaf image of said plant;

a color-change calculating unit for measuring both three primary colors values and lightness values of each of a plurality of picture elements forming said leaf image when it is commanded to detect hues of said leaf image and subsequently averaging said three primary color values and said lightness values by numbers and said picture elements, said calculating unit further storing respective means of said values as parameters representing said hues on every taking date, and making graphs on a basis of said respective means thereby to output graph signals to said display;

a mode judgement unit having respective judgement data installed therein, said mode judgement unit activating said image memory, said background color deleting unit and said color-change calculating unit on a basis of said respective judgement data when said manipulating unit is operated; and

a damage-treatment judging unit for outputting messages of damage conditions and treatments for said plant to said display on a basis of either one of a combination composed of said hue graph of said whole leaf and an area ratio and another combination composed of said hue graph of sick spotted portions and said area ratio.