System for treating at least one plant including a treatment apparatus and an electronic tag interrogator

• US 20090229177A1
• Filed: 12/29/2008
• Published: 09/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Invention Science Fund I, L.L.C. (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Searete LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Ishikawa, Muriel Y., Wood, Lowell L. JR., Hyde, Roderick A., Kare, Jordin T.
• Granted Patent: US 8,258,952 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 47/1.700
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 7/00 Botany in general
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 9/006 Labels or label holders specially adapted for plant receptacles
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13095 PIN / Access code, authentication

Abstract

A system for tracking treatments for at least one plant includes an electronic tag associated with the at least one plant, an electronic tag interrogator configured to interrogate the electronic tag, and a treatment apparatus for applying treatments to the at least one plant.

Claims

1. A method for tracking treatments for at least one plant, comprising:

interrogating an electronic tag associated with at least one plant; and

applying a treatment to the at least one plant.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing in memory a record of the applied treatment.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein storing in memory includes writing to a writable memory circuit in the electronic tag.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein interrogating the electronic tag includes reading an identity code from the electronic tag;

and

wherein storing in memory includes writing to an external database location corresponding to the identity code.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

reading a record of past treatments applied to the at least one plant.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the record of past treatments are read from a memory circuit in the electronic tag.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein interrogating the electronic tag includes reading an identity code from the electronic tag, and

wherein the record of past treatments are read from an external database location corresponding to the identity code.

8. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

determining if the treatment is needed; and

wherein applying the treatment is performed conditional to the determination.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein interrogating the electronic tag is performed by an electronic tag interrogator operatively coupled to a treatment apparatus.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the electronic tag interrogator is physically coupled to the treatment apparatus.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

controlling the treatment apparatus responsive to a data value corresponding to the interrogation.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the data value includes an elapsed time since a previously recorded treatment time.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the treatment includes a measurement made by a treatment apparatus.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the treatment is applied by at least one treatment apparatus including a moisture meter, a pH tester, an alkalinity tester, a thermometer, or a light meter.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein interrogating the electronic tag includes writing to the electronic tag a value received from the treatment apparatus.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein interrogating the electronic tag includes reading an identification;

and further comprising;

writing a value received from the treatment apparatus to a database location corresponding to the identification.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the treatment includes a physical modification of the at least one plant or a modification of the environment of the at least one plant.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the treatment is applied by at least one of a water source, a watering wand, a fertilizer source, a bulb planter, a lawn mower, a pruner, a trimmer, an aerator, a cultivator, a shovel, a spade, or a harvester.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

reading from the electronic tag a value corresponding to an environment of the at least one plant; and

wherein the application of the treatment is made responsive to the value.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

automatically controlling a treatment apparatus responsive to the value corresponding to the environment.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the application of the treatment is operatively coupled to the interrogation of the electronic tag.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

providing an indication of a need for treatment to a gardener, farmer, nurseryperson, harvester, planter, propagator, maintenance worker, or administrator responsive to data received responsive to the interrogation of the electronic tag.

23. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

automatically controlling a treatment apparatus responsive to data received responsive to the interrogation of the electronic tag.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein interrogating the electronic tag includes at least one of performing radio frequency interrogation, performing touch memory interrogation, performing proximity card interrogation, performing photonic tag interrogation, or performing smart card interrogation.

25. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one plant includes at least one of at least one seed, cutting, rhizome, bulb, corm, tuber, annual, biennial, cut flower, perennial, grass, creeper, climber, vine, fern, shrub, bush, or tree.

26. The method of claim 1, wherein applying the treatment includes at least one of physically modifying the at least one plant, pruning the at least one plant, trimming the at least one plant, mowing the at least one plant, harvesting the at least one plant, modifying the environment of the at least one plant, watering the at least one plant, fertilizing the at least one plant, modifying the soil pH in the environment of the at least one plant, cultivating the soil in the environment of the at least one plant, aerating the soil in the environment of the at least one plant, planting the at least one plant, transplanting the at least one plant, heating the soil near the at least one plant, heating the air in the vicinity of the at least one plant, illuminating the at least one plant, measuring the environment of the at least one plant, measuring moisture in the vicinity of the at least one plant, measuring pH in the environment of the at least one plant, measuring alkalinity in the environment of the at least one plant, measuring the temperature in the environment of the at least one plant, or measuring illumination in the vicinity of the at least one plant.

27. A system for applying a treatment to at least one plant, comprising:

a treatment apparatus configured for applying a treatment to at least one plant; and

at least a portion of an electronic tag interrogator operatively coupled to the treatment apparatus.

28. The system for applying a treatment to at least one plant of claim 27, wherein the treatment apparatus includes at least one of:

a water source, a watering wand, a fertilizer source, a bulb planter, a lawn mower, a pruner, a trimmer, an aerator, a cultivator, a shovel, a spade, a harvester, a moisture meter, a pH tester, an alkalinity tester, a thermometer, or a light meter.

29. The system for applying a treatment to at least one plant of claim 27, wherein the electronic tag interrogator includes a radio frequency interrogator;

a touch memory interrogator, a proximity card interrogator, a photonic tag interrogator, or a smart card interrogator.

30. The system for applying a treatment to at least one plant of claim 27, wherein the treatment apparatus is configured to apply a treatment to at least one plant including at least one seed, a cutting, a rhizome, a bulb, a corm, a tuber, an annual, a biennial, a cut flower, a perennial, a grass, a creeper, a climber, a vine, a fern, a shrub, a bush, or a tree.

31. The system for applying a treatment to at least one plant of claim 27, wherein the electronic tag interrogator is configured to interrogate an electronic tag corresponding to at least one plant when the first apparatus portion is brought into the vicinity of the at least one plant and the electronic tag.

32. The system for applying a treatment to at least one plant of claim 27, wherein the electronic tag interrogator is configured to transmit to the treatment apparatus a signal indicative of a need for application of the treatment;

and

wherein the treatment apparatus is configured to receive the signal from the electronic tag interrogator.

33. The system for applying a treatment to at least one plant of claim 32, wherein the treatment apparatus further includes a treatment actuator operatively coupled to receive the signal and responsively actuate.

34. The system for applying a treatment to at least one plant of claim 27, wherein the electronic tag interrogator includes a processor configured to compare data corresponding to the electronic tag to a treatment condition, and set a treatment flag when the treatment is indicated.

35. The system for applying a treatment to at least one plant of claim 34, wherein setting the treatment flag includes presenting a visible or audible treatment indicator to a user.

36. The system for applying a treatment to at least one plant of claim 34, wherein the treatment apparatus includes a treatment actuator;

and

wherein setting the treatment flag includes providing an enable signal to the treatment actuator.

37. The system for applying a treatment to at least one plant of claim 34, wherein the data corresponding to the electronic tag includes a sensed value of an environmental parameter that is modified by the treatment.

38. The system for applying a treatment to at least one plant of claim 34, wherein the data corresponding to the electronic tag includes a time or date corresponding to a previous application of the treatment;

and

wherein the treatment condition includes an allowable elapsed duration between treatments.

39. The system for applying a treatment to at least one plant of claim 27, wherein the at least a portion of the electronic tag interrogator includes substantially the entire electronic tag interrogator.

40. The system for applying a treatment to at least one plant of claim 27, wherein the at least a portion of the electronic tag interrogator includes a probe or antenna;

and

wherein a second portion of the electronic tag interrogator is disposed separately from the portion of the treatment apparatus.

41. A system for determining the need for the application of at least one treatment to at least one plant, comprising:

a treatment apparatus configured to apply at least one treatment to at least one plant; and

an electronic tag interrogator operatively coupled to the treatment apparatus and configured to read a value from at least one electronic tag associated with the at least one plant, the value corresponding to the receipt of previously-applied treatments.

42. The system of claim 41, wherein the electronic tag interrogator is further configured to perform computer processing to determine if the receipt of previously-applied treatments corresponds to a need for a new treatment.

43. The system of claim 41, further comprising:

a computing resource operatively coupled to the electronic tag interrogator and configured to compute a need for a new treatment.

44. A system for automatically applying at least one treatment to at least one plant, comprising:

a treatment apparatus configured to apply at least one treatment to at least one plant;

an electronic tag interrogator configured to interrogate at least one electronic tag associated with the at least one plant; and

a controller operatively coupled to the interrogator and the treatment apparatus and configured to actuate the treatment apparatus responsive to a data value received through the electronic tag interrogator.

45. A system for selectively applying at least one treatment to at least one plant, comprising:

an electronic tag interrogator operable to interrogate at least one electronic tag associated with at least one plant and receive a value corresponding to a treatment;

a user interface operatively coupled to the interrogator and operable to provide an indication corresponding to the value; and

a treatment apparatus operatively coupled to the electronic tag interrogator and configured to selectively apply the at least one treatment responsive to a user actuation.

46. The system of claim 45, wherein the treatment apparatus comprises a watering apparatus.

47. A system operable to inform a user of a need for plant care, comprising:

an electronic tag interrogator configured to interrogate an electronic tag associated with at least one plant and receive a value corresponding to a treatment; and

a controller configured to initiate communication with a user when the value corresponds to a need for treatment.

48. The system of claim 47, further comprising:

a user interface operatively coupled to the controller and configured to provide communication to the user indicating the need for treatment.

49. The system of claim 48, wherein the user interface includes at least one of a visible indicator, an audible indicator, or a vibratory indicator.

50. The system of claim 48, wherein the user interface includes at least one of an LED, a video display, a voice synthesizer, a beeper, or a vibrator.

51. A method for tracking treatments for at least one plant, comprising:

applying a treatment to at least one plant; and

writing data corresponding to the application of the treatment to an electronic tag associated with the at least one plant.

52. The method for tracking treatments for at least one plant of claim 51, further comprising:

receiving a treatment application signal from a treatment actuator; and

wherein the step of writing data corresponding to the application of the treatment is performed responsive to receiving the treatment application signal.

53. The method for tracking treatments for at least one plant of claim 51, further comprising:

providing indication to a user corresponding to a status of data written to the electronic tag.

54. The method for tracking treatments for at least one plant of claim 53, wherein the indication corresponds to successful writing of data to the electronic tag.