Leaf area index measurement system, device, method, and program

• US 9,207,072 B2
• Filed: 12/02/2011
• Issued: 12/08/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Serizawa, Masahiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Bitar, Nancy
• Application Number:
  US13/883,494
• Publication Number:
  US 20130235190A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,467 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 7/00 Botany in general
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/285 using photoelectric detection means
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/8466 Investigation of vegetal material, e.g. leaves, plants, fruits
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/84 Systems specially adapted for particular applications

Abstract

A leaf area index measurement system includes: imaging means for capturing an image of a measurement target plant and outputting the captured image; a light source placed either on a side of the measurement target plant opposite to the imaging means or at a position of the measurement target plant; intensity calculation means for calculating an intensity of light when the light source emits light, based on the captured image output from the imaging means; and leaf area index calculation means for calculating a leaf area index, based on the intensity of light calculated by the intensity calculation means.

Claims

1. A leaf area index measurement system comprising:

a processor configured to execute an imaging unit for capturing an image of a measurement target plant and outputting the captured image;

a light source placed either on a side of the measurement target plant opposite to the imaging unit or at a position of the measurement target plant;

an intensity calculation unit for calculating an intensity of light when the light source emits light, based on the captured image output from the imaging unit; and

a leaf area index calculation unit for calculating a leaf area index, based on the intensity of light calculated by the intensity calculation unit.

2. The leaf area index measurement system according to claim 1, wherein the intensity calculation unit calculates a luminance value of the captured image when the light source emits light, as the intensity of light, and

wherein the leaf area index calculation unit calculates the leaf area index, based on the luminance value calculated by the intensity calculation unit as the intensity of light.

3. The leaf area index measurement system according to claim 1, wherein the intensity calculation unit calculates illuminance based on a luminance value of the captured image when the light source emits light, as the intensity of light, and

wherein the leaf area index calculation unit calculates the leaf area index, based on the illuminance calculated by the intensity calculation unit as the intensity of light.

4. The leaf area index measurement system according to claim 1, comprising a storage unit executed by the processor for storing the leaf area index in association with the intensity of light, wherein the leaf area index calculation unit calculates the leaf area index by extracting, from the storage unit, the leaf area index corresponding to the intensity of light calculated by the intensity calculation unit.

5. The leaf area index measurement system according to claim 1, comprising

a plurality of light sources arranged in a vertical direction,

wherein the plurality of light sources are individually caused to emit light in predetermined order, and

wherein the imaging unit captures the image of the measurement target plant each time any of the plurality of light sources emits light, and outputs the captured image.

6. A leaf area index measurement device for measuring a leaf area index in a leaf area index measurement system that includes:

a processor configured to execute;

an imaging unit for capturing an image of a measurement target plant and outputting the captured image; and

a light source placed either on a side of the measurement target plant opposite to the imaging unit or at a position of the measurement target plant, the leaf area index measurement device comprising;

an intensity calculation unit for calculating an intensity of light when the light source emits light, based on the captured image output from the imaging unit; and

a leaf area index calculation unit for calculating a leaf area index, based on the intensity of light calculated by the intensity calculation unit.

7. A leaf area index measurement method comprising:

providing imaging unit implemented by a processor for capturing an image of a measurement target plant and outputting the captured image;

providing a light source placed either on a side of the measurement target plant opposite to the imaging unit or at a position of the measurement target plant;

calculating an intensity of light when the light source emits light, based on the captured image output from the imaging unit; and

calculating a leaf area index, based on the calculated intensity of light.

8. A non-transitory computer readable information recording medium storing a leaf area index measurement program for measuring a leaf area index in a leaf area index measurement system that includes:

imaging unit for capturing an image of a measurement

target plant and outputting the captured image; and

a light source placed either on a side of the measurement target plant opposite to the imaging unit or at a position of the measurement target plant, the leaf area index measurement program causing a computer to execute;

an intensity calculation process of calculating an intensity of light when the light source emits light, based on the captured image output from the imaging me-a˜

unit; and

a leaf area index calculation process of calculating a leaf area index, based on the calculated intensity of light.