Method for determining the position of an object within a plant growth environment using UWB and a UWB system

Abstract

The present application relates to a method for determining the position of an object within a plant growth environment using UWB and a UWB system. The present invention relates to a method for determining the position of an object within a plant growth environment using ultra-wideband (UWB) communication, wherein the object is provided with a UWB transmitter; the plant growth environment is provided with a plurality of UWB receivers; and the receivers are connected to a processing unit, the method comprising: a) using the transmitter to broadcast a message from the object via UWB; b) receiving the message at at least some of the receivers; and c) determining an estimated position of the object by the processing unit using the least squares method and / or angle measurement. The present invention also relates to a UWB communication system for performing the method and a plant growth environment comprising such a system.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for determining the position of an object within a plant growth environment, such as a greenhouse or an indoor growing facility, using ultra-wideband (UWB) communication. Background

[0002] In the prior art, position determination is not performed in a growth environment. However, the growth environment can be quite large. Therefore, it would be advantageous if the position of a particular object were known.

[0003] There are probably several known position determination methods, but so far they are not suitable for use in a plant growth environment due to the difficulties associated with them. For example, GPS is not accurate enough for indoor use and in some cases is not considered at all due to insufficient indoor signal strength. The accuracy of position determination technology is also affected by the steel and glass prevalent in a plant growth environment. Therefore, there are significant obstacles to implementing a position determination system in these environments.

[0004] Summary

[0005] However, the applicant has found that position determination can be achieved by means of a preamble method, in which an object is provided with a UWB transmitter; a plant growth environment is provided with a plurality of UWB receivers; and the receivers are connected to a processing unit, and the method includes: a) using the transmitter to broadcast a message from the object via UWB; b) receiving the message at at least some of the receivers; and c) determining an estimated position of the object by the processing unit by means of lateration and / or angulation.

[0006] It has been found that UWB technology can be used to overcome the obstacles present in an indoor type of plant growth environment. Therefore, when the present application relates to a plant growth environment, it may refer to an indoor position.

[0007] The transmitter can be provided in a physical device, which is generally referred to as a tag, and is attached to the object. The receivers can be provided in physical devices called anchors, which can be placed at fixed positions within the plant growth environment.

[0008] The message sent from the object can include any one or more of the following items: a timestamp, information that can identify the transmitter or its associated tag, and information identifying the object to which the transmitter is provided.

[0009] Timestamps can be used for trilateration and / or triangulation. Although trilateration and triangulation are specifically mentioned, the method is not limited to exactly three measurements. More than three or less than three measurements can be used. Thus, position determination can be performed by angle measurement (especially by triangulation).

[0010] Depending on the type of object equipped with a UWB transmitter, the position estimate of the object can be used in several advantageous ways.

[0011] In any case, it may be advantageous if the processing unit associates the object with a plant or a group of plants by: comparing the position estimate with a predetermined position of the plant or group of plants; and associating the object with the plant or group of plants whose predetermined position is closest to the position estimate.

[0012] By associating the object with a plant or a group of plants, the relationship between the two can be recorded. Thus, "Associating" may mean inferring in this context that the object interacts with the plants in the particular plant or the particular group of plants. This association can be stored in a database provided therefor, for example as an entry therein. The association can also be stored together with information about the object and / or the plant or group of plants and / or the time of association.

[0013] This association can be used as information about what operations are to be performed on each plant or group of plants. The operations performed on a plant or group of plants are an important part of the plant growth process. Recording what operations have been completed on a plant or group of plants, how long the operations have lasted, and at what time points the operations were performed contributes to a significant improvement in supply chain tracking, work recording, and / or growth process research.

[0014] When the object is a worker or a robot, the method according to the invention can be used to register the work performed in a plant growth environment, including:

[0015] - recording the time when the object is associated with a plant or a group of plants; and

[0016] - recording the time when the object is no longer associated with the same plant or the same group of plants.

[0017] Then, the recorded information can be used to determine, for example, how much to pay the worker, whether the worker has devoted sufficient time during a particular period, etc.

[0018] If the object is associated with a new plant or a new group of plants, or if the object leaves the plant or group of plants, the object may no longer be associated with the same plant or the same group of plants. Thus, it may be useful to no longer associate the object with the plant or group of plants if the mutual distance exceeds a predetermined threshold, and / or if the position estimate of the object corresponds to a predetermined position other than the plant or group of plants (such as a (main) passageway in the plant growth environment). Thus, the object may no longer be associated with the plant or group of plants based on a comparison of the position estimate with a predetermined position of, for example, the main passageway.

[0019] In one embodiment of the method according to the invention, the grouped plants are distributed in the form of rows of plants, and the object is associated with the row of plants closest to the position estimate.

[0020] In this embodiment, the layout of the plant growth environment (i.e., the organization of the rows of plants) is used to simplify the association of the object with a group of plants.

[0021] The association of the object with the row of plants closest to the position estimate can be achieved by defining rectangular regions around each row such that each rectangular region contains exactly one row along the center line of each rectangle and no rectangular regions overlap. Then, it can be determined that the row closest to the position estimate is the row within the same rectangle as the position estimate. To determine in which rectangle the position estimate lies, the coordinates of the rectangle edges can be compared with the coordinates of the position estimate.

[0022] In particular, the object can be associated with two rows of plants separated by a sub-passageway, the two rows of plants being the two rows closest to the position estimate. This can be achieved by the following steps: defining rectangles having edges along the edges of each row of plants (where the rectangle ends correspond to the ends of the plant rows), and determining in which rectangle the position estimate lies by comparing the coordinates of the rectangle edges with the coordinates of the position estimate.

[0023] In a growth environment including a main passageway and sub-passageways branching off from the main passageway, where rows of plants are present along the sub-passageways, the object is associated with a row of plants by determining in which row the object enters the sub-passageway from the main passageway. This can be achieved by the following steps: comparing the coordinates of the position estimate with the predetermined coordinates of the main passageway, and if the coordinates match, inferring that the object is in the main passageway at a first point in time, and then comparing the coordinates of the position estimate with the predefined coordinates of the sub-passageway, and if the coordinates match, inferring that the object is in the sub-passageway. Then, the object can be associated with one or more rows of plants extending along the sub-passageway.

[0024] In addition, if the coordinates of the position estimate match the predetermined coordinates of the sub-channel at a first moment and the coordinates of the position estimate match the predetermined coordinates of the main channel at a later second time point, the object may no longer be associated with a row (or multiple rows) of plants along the corresponding sub-channel.

[0025] This has the following advantages: By providing sufficient signal coverage only to the end regions of the main channel and the sub-channels near the main channel, the object can be reliably associated with a row of plants along the sub-channel. Signal coverage at other end regions of the sub-channel that are located further away from the main channel is unnecessary. Thus, the growth environment can be provided with a relatively small number of anchor points concentrated around the main channel. Using fewer anchor points can reduce the overall cost of the system.

[0026] The association of the object with a single plant within the row of plants can be achieved by dividing the closest row of plants into several segments, each segment corresponding to the length of the row occupied by a single plant and associated with a single plant; and associating the object with the segment in the row that is closest to the position estimate.

[0027] Since, on average, plants occupy a similar amount of space along the length of a row of plants, the position of each plant along the row can be estimated by dividing the row of plants into multiple segments corresponding to the length of the row occupied by a single plant. Thus, each segment corresponds to a single plant, such that associating the object with the segment is equivalent to associating the object with a single plant. Therefore, information about the row and the space occupied by the plants along the length of the row is required to associate the object with a single plant, rather than with the position of each plant itself. The space occupied by the plants along the length of the row can correspond to the average width of the plants, which includes the spacing between consecutive plants in the same row.

[0028] Alternatively or additionally, multiple groups of plants can be distributed in multiple blocks, for example, in a rectangular shape in a floor plan, where the object is associated with the block closest to the position estimate.

[0029] Such blocks can be used to process plants in easily identifiable groups. In addition, multiple blocks, for example, in a rectangular shape, can be very well disposed of or processed together based on their positions. Processing plants in blocks allows growers to distinguish between plants that receive a large amount of sunlight and plants that receive relatively less sunlight, without having to distinguish on a per-plant basis. In addition, when processing plants, for example, by performing the same or similar operations on all plants within a block, such as harvesting, leaf removal, pesticide application, etc., grouping the plants into multiple blocks can achieve efficiency gains.

[0030] Alternatively, each group of plants can be placed on a platform, and the object is associated with the platform closest to the position estimate.

[0031] By associating an object with a platform, the object can be indirectly associated with the plants on the platform. Associating an object with a group of plants via the platform can provide the additional advantage that the location of each individual plant need not be known. This is particularly useful for plants that are typically relatively small in size but relatively numerous on the platform.

[0032] Since the platform can be movable, the location of the platform can be determined similar to that for an object, i.e., by the above UWB method.

[0033] In addition, a plant and / or multiple rows of plants and / or multiple blocks of plants can have a predetermined location, which can be obtained by the UWB method as described above.

[0034] In this regard, at least some of the predetermined locations can be obtained via least squares and / or triangulation performed via UWB. In particular, the above methods can be used to obtain predetermined locations, especially using any arbitrary combination of the features explained herein.

[0035] Thus, two movable objects can be associated with each other based on the current location estimates of each object. This is particularly useful, for example, when associating the location of a human operator with a plant, associating a human operator with a tool, associating a tool with a plant, etc.

[0036] In the case where the object is an agent (such as a human operator or a robot), the method can further include step e), in which the operation performed by the agent on the plant or a group of plants is determined by a processing unit.

[0037] As explained above, for reasons of supply chain tracking and work recording, it is important to know which operations are being performed. In the case of supply chain tracking, knowledge of which operations have been performed (which may include when the operation was performed and how long the operation lasted) can provide insights into how to improve the growth process. In addition, this information allows the plant grower to confirm that a particular operation has been performed on the plant. In the case of work recording, knowing which operations have been performed may help, for example, to determine the salary and / or schedule of a human operator.

[0038] The method can also include registering when the operation was performed and / or how long it lasted.

[0039] To determine the operation performed, step e) can include: retrieving a pre-planned operation to be performed from a database; and determining that the retrieved, pre-planned operation being performed on the plant or the group of plants is being executed.

[0040] Since all or almost all operations on plants can be pre-planned and registered in a database, retrieving operations from a database with pre-planned operations can provide a reliable way to determine which operation is being performed.

[0041] Depending on how the operations are planned, the pre-planned operations can be operations pre-planned to be performed by an agent. In this case, through location determination, it can be determined that the operations pre-planned for an agent provided with a UWB transmitter are performed on plants associated with that agent.

[0042] Alternatively, the pre-planned operations can be pre-planned operations to be performed on a plant or a group of plants. In this case, it can be determined that the pre-planned operations to be performed on a plant or a group of plants associated with the agent's UWB transmitter are performed by the agent.

[0043] These alternatives are useful when the method according to the present invention is implemented on an existing system including a work schedule for an agent, or when using a new scheduling system.

[0044] In addition, step e) of the method can include: comparing the estimated position of the agent with the position of the operation-specific tool; and determining that the operation specific to the tool is being performed if the positions of the agent and the tool correspond within a predetermined limit.

[0045] This method can allow determination of the operations performed without using a database with pre-planned operations. Such a database may not always be available, complete, and / or accurate, so determining operations through the position of the operation-specific tool can prove helpful.

[0046] The position of the tool can be determined in any suitable way; however, preferably, the above UWB method is used to determine the position using any arbitrary combination of the above features.

[0047] Note that the predetermined limit can be a position limit and / or a time limit. For example, when the position of the agent is within a predetermined distance from the position of the tool, it can be determined that the operation specific to the tool is being performed. If the positions of the tool and the agent sufficiently correspond within a predetermined time range around the time when the position of the agent is determined, it can also be determined that the operation specific to the tool is being performed.

[0048] As an example, if at a first time point the position of the agent is associated with a specific plant or a specific group of plants, and if at a second time point the position of the agent is within a predetermined distance from the operation-specific tool (where the time difference between the first and second time points is less than a predetermined threshold), it can be determined that the operation specific to the tool is performed on the specific plant or the specific group of plants.

[0049] In particular, the dedicated operating tool can be a transport cart or wheelbarrow for collecting the harvest, where the dedicated operation of the tool is harvesting. In this case, if the position of the actor is associated with the plant or group of plants at a first time point and with the transport cart or wheelbarrow at a second time point, it can be inferred that the actor is harvesting. Since the actor may move between the plant or group of plants and the transport cart or wheelbarrow several times, the second time point may be before or after the first time point.

[0050] In the case where the transport cart or wheelbarrow is equipped with a weighing unit, this can be particularly advantageous, the weighing unit being used to weigh the amount of the harvest transported by the transport cart or wheelbarrow, where the weight measured by the weighing unit is associated with the plant or group of plants associated with the harvesting operation. For this purpose, the weighing unit can be connected to a processing unit for providing a signal indicating the weighing result to the processing unit.

[0051] The advantage of associating the amount of the harvest with the plant or group of plants is that the relationship between the specific operation performed and the amount of the harvest produced by the plant or group of plants can be further analyzed. Additionally or alternatively, the amount of the harvest can be used to determine whether a human operator has reached his or her quota.

[0052] Alternatively or additionally, position estimation can be advantageously used to indicate the presence of a condition.

[0053] For example, if the object is an actor (such as a human operator or a robot), the method can include step f), in which the processing unit receives an input indicating the condition from the actor and the processing unit associates the condition with the position estimate of the actor.

[0054] This method can be particularly advantageous when the actor is scouting (i.e., checking for specific conditions in the plant growth environment that require attention). The association between the condition and the position can be registered and / or saved so that it can be retrieved later. If used, the planning software can schedule the operations to be performed to handle the registered condition.

[0055] The input can be provided by the actor to the processing unit, i.e., provided to the processing unit through an interface (such as a user interface or a communication channel).

[0056] The condition can include, for example, environmental conditions (such as temperature, humidity level, etc.) or conditions of the plant growth environment that need maintenance (such as a broken window, a damaged screen, etc.), plant conditions, or any other plant growth-related condition.

[0057] If the situation is a situation of a plant (such as a disease or pest) or a characteristic of a plant, it may be advantageous if step f) includes associating the situation or characteristic with a plant or a group of plants for which a location estimate is made by a processing unit.

[0058] In this way, the agent may be able to register the situation of a plant or a group of plants relatively quickly, since no input indicating to which plant or group of plants the situation applies is required. This can also reduce the amount of errors when manually entering to which plant or group of plants a situation belongs.

[0059] A plant characteristic can be any notable relevant characteristic of a plant or a group of plants, such as color, thickness of the stem, number or presence of fruits, maturity of the fruits, etc.

[0060] In the method according to the invention, the object can be one of the following: a human operator; a transport trolley or cart; a work platform; a bench or table; a robot (such as a drone); a sensor; an actuator (such as a fan); an imaging device (such as a camera) that may be carried by a human operator or a robot; a box or crate; and a plant.

[0061] If the object is an imaging device, its location estimate (which may be combined with location estimates of other objects) can be used to determine which objects are seen by the imaging device.

[0062] In an embodiment of the method according to the invention, the object is also provided with a UWB receiver; and the plant growth environment is also provided with at least one UWB transmitter connected to a processing unit, and the method further includes step g), in which a message is sent via at least one transmitter in the plant growth environment to the UWB receiver.

[0063] The additional receiver and transmitter allow two-way communication between the processing unit and the object. The two-way communication can be used in various ways. As an example, if the object is a human operator, the message can include an instruction for the human operator. In particular, the message can include information on whether the human operator is working fast enough (e.g., based on the amount harvested and a preset target), or on whether the human operator can take a break while working. The object can also be provided with one or more lights (possibly lights of different colors), and the state of the lights is changed based on the message for forwarding the content of the message to the user. As a practical example, if the human operator has harvested enough to achieve his personal goal, the light can emit green light, or if it is time for the human operator to take a break, the light can emit yellow light.

[0064] Alternatively, if the object is a robot, two-way communication can be used to instruct the robot to perform a specific task. For this purpose, the UWB receiver of the object can be connected to the robot to communicate with it.

[0065] It is foreseeable that the processing unit is connected to an existing work registration system to receive instructions from the work registration system. Alternatively, the processing unit can replace the existing work registration system.

[0066] The present invention also relates to an ultra-wideband (UWB) communication system for determining the position of an object within a plant growth environment (such as a greenhouse or an indoor growing facility), the system comprising: a tag provided with a UWB transmitter, the tag being configured to be attached to or carried by the object; a plurality of anchors provided with UWB receivers, the plurality of anchors being configured to be installed in the plant growth environment; and a processing unit to which the anchors are connected, wherein: the tag is configured to broadcast a message using the UWB transmitter; the anchors are configured to receive the message sent by the UWB transmitter via their respective UWB receivers; and the processing unit is configured to determine an estimated position of the object by least squares method and / or triangulation.

[0067] The system can be used to perform the above method and thus presents the above features in any arbitrary combination form and provides the associated advantages.

[0068] Finally, the present invention relates to a plant growth environment (such as a greenhouse or an indoor growing facility) comprising the system as described above.

[0069] In such a plant growth environment, the anchors can advantageously be installed at various spaced-apart positions. In this way, the entire plant growth environment can be covered by the UWB communication system. By properly positioning the anchors, the interference caused by, for example, the structural elements of the plant growth environment can be minimized.

[0070] To maximize the coverage and minimize the interference, it may also be beneficial to install the anchors at different heights.

[0071] When the plant growth environment is a greenhouse including a structural frame and a transparent covering, the anchors can be installed on the structural frame. In this way, the plant growth environment is hardly affected by the installation of the system.

[0072] When the processing unit of the system is arranged at a remote location, it may be advantageous for the anchors to be connected to the processing unit by a wireless connection. In this way, the installation of the system does not require additional wiring. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0073] The present invention will be further elaborated with reference to the accompanying schematic diagrams, wherein:

[0074] Figure 1Shows a floor plan of a greenhouse including a UWB system according to the present invention;

[0075] Figure 2 Shows a perspective view of a human operator harvesting in the Figure 1 greenhouse;

[0076] Figure 3 Schematically shows the steps performed by the Figure 1 UWB system in an exemplary embodiment of the method according to the present invention;

[0077] Figures 4A - 4D Schematically shows several exemplary methods of associating an object with a plant or a group of plants as required by an Figure 3 exemplary embodiment;

[0078] Figures 5A - 5B Schematically shows several exemplary methods of determining an operation to be performed on a plant or a group of plants as required by an Figure 3 exemplary embodiment;

[0079] Figure 6 Schematically shows the steps performed by the Figure 1 UWB system in another exemplary embodiment of the method according to the present invention; and

[0080] Figure 7 Schematically shows how to estimate the position of an object by the least squares method.

[0081] In all the figures, similar elements are denoted by similar reference numerals. Similar elements in different embodiments are denoted by reference numerals increased by one hundred (100). Detailed Description

[0082] Figure 1 Shows a greenhouse 1 in which there are many plants 2. The greenhouse 1 includes a main passage 3 that divides the greenhouse 1 into two halves. Branching out from the main passage 3 are several sub-passages 4. In the Figure 1 and Figure 2 illustrated example, the plants 2 are placed in plant rows 5 between the sub-passages 4. As Figure 2 shown, the plants 2 produce a crop 6, such as tomatoes. For example, the crop 6 is harvested by a human operator 7. The human operator 7 collects the harvested crop 6 into a transport cart 8.

[0083] The greenhouse 1 is provided with a UWB system for determining the position of objects within the greenhouse 1. Accordingly, the human operator 7 is provided with a first tag 9, and the transport cart 8 is provided with a second tag 10. Both tags 9, 10 include UWB transmitters. The greenhouse 1 includes a plurality of anchors 11 installed at several locations throughout the greenhouse 1. The anchors 11 are provided with UWB receivers. AsFigure 1 As shown, the anchor point 11 can be located along the wall of the greenhouse 1 or at a central position, for example, in the main passage 3. The anchor point 11 can also be located at different heights in the greenhouse 1. The position of each anchor point 11 can be selected to minimize interference caused by, for example, the structural elements of the greenhouse 1 and to maximize the coverage inside the greenhouse 1. For simplicity, Figure 2 only one anchor point 11 is shown in [FIGURE], and the anchor point 11 is installed on the side wall at a certain distance from the ground.

[0084] The system 100 includes a processing unit 12. In the illustrated embodiment, the anchor point 11 is connected to the processing unit 12 by a wired connection 13. Alternatively, a wireless connection can be used, especially when the processing unit 12 is arranged at a remote location.

[0085] Reference will be made to Figures 3 - 6 explain further Figure 1 and Figure 2 the operation of the system shown.

[0086] In Figure 3 , an exemplary embodiment of the method 50 according to the present invention is described. The method 50 is performed using a UWB system described with reference to Figure 1 and Figure 2 . The human operator 7 and the transport cart 8 are provided with tags 9, 10 including UWB transmitters. In the first step 51 of the method 50, messages from objects such as the human operator 7 or the transport cart 8 are broadcast using the UWB transmitters in the tags 9, 10 respectively. As described above, the greenhouse 1 is provided with anchor points 11 including UWB receivers. The messages sent by the UWB transmitters of the objects 7, 8 are received by the UWB receivers of at least some of the anchor points 11 connected to the processor 12 in the second step 52.

[0087] Then, in the third step 53, the processor 12 determines the position estimates of the objects 7, 8 by the least squares method and / or angle measurement. As Figure 7 shown, the processor 12 can determine the signal strengths of the messages received at each of the three anchor points 11-1, 11-2, and 11-3 respectively, and based on these signal strengths, the processor 12 can determine the distances r1, r2, r3 from the tag 9 or 10 to these anchor points. These three distances r1, r2, r3 together define the estimated positions of the tags 9, 10.

[0088] Specifically, in this exemplary method 50, after the determination of the position estimate (third step 53), a fourth step 54 is performed by the processor 12, in which the objects 7, 8 are associated with the plant 2 or a group of plants 2. More specifically, in a subsequent fifth step 55, the processor 12 determines the operation to be performed on the plant 2 or the group of plants 2.

[0089] Figures 4A - 4D Several methods 154, 254, 354, 454 for associating the objects 7, 8 with the plant 2 or a group of plants 2 are shown.

[0090] Figure 4A One of the methods 154 shown includes a first step 154-1 in which the position estimate is compared with the predetermined positions of the plant 2 or multiple groups of plants 2, followed by a second step 154-2 in which the objects 7, 8 are associated with the plant 2 or a group of plants 2 whose predetermined position is closest to the position estimate. In particular, when the object is a human operator 7, it can be determined that the human operator 7 is working on a specific plant 2 or a specific group of plants 2 that is closest to the human operator 7.

[0091] Figure 4B Another method 254 for associating the objects 7, 8 with the plant 2 or a group of plants 2 is shown. The method 254 is applied to a greenhouse 1 in which the plants are distributed in the form of rows 5 (in other words, located in rows 5). As a first step 254-1, the objects 7, 8 are associated with the row 5 of the plants 2 by selecting the row 5 that is closest to the position estimate of the objects 7, 8. In a second step 254-2, the selected row 5 is divided into several segments, each of which corresponds to the length of the row 5 occupied by a single plant 2. Each segment is associated with a single plant 2. To associate the objects 7, 8 with a single plant 2, in a third step 254-3, the objects are then associated with the segment in the selected row 5 that is closest to the position estimate of the objects 7, 8.

[0092] Alternatively, and as Figure 4C shown, by another method 354, the plants 2 can be distributed into multiple blocks, and in a first step 354-1 of the method 354, the objects 7, 8 are associated with the block that is closest to the position estimate. This is particularly advantageous when the plants 2 are distributed in rectangular blocks in a floor plan.

[0093] When the plants 2 are placed on a platform (such as a movable platform), according to Figure 4D another method 454 shown, the objects 7, 8 can be associated with a group of plants 2 on the platform, and the method 454 includes a first step 454-1 in which the objects 7, 8 are associated with the platform that is closest to the position estimate of the objects 7, 8.

[0094] Figures 4A - 4D Methods 154, 254, 354, and 454 can be used to derive how long and at what time a human operator 7 has worked on which plant 2 or group of plants 2. Specifically, when the object is a human operator 7, when the human operator 7 is associated with a plant 2 or a group of plants 2, it can be inferred that the human operator 7 has worked on the plant 2 or the group of plants 2. Therefore, the methods outlined above can be part of a labor tracking system that determines the wages paid to the human operator 7 based on the amount of work completed. When the object is, for example, a robot, labor tracking may not be necessary for calculating salaries, but it may be useful for supply chain records or growth process studies.

[0095] By Figure 5A and Figure 5B the methods 555 and 655 shown in, the determination of the operations performed on the plant 2 or the group of plants 2 as introduced in the fifth step 55 of method 50 as shown in Figure 3 can be carried out. In both methods, the object is an agent (such as a human operator 7 or a robot) that is capable of performing operations on the plant 2 or the group of plants 2.

[0096] Figure 5A shows that in the first step 555-1, the pre-planned operations to be performed are retrieved from the database. In the second step 555-2, it can be determined that the pre-planned operations are being performed on the plant 2 or the group of plants 2. The pre-planned operations can be operations that are planned to be performed by an agent (such as a human operator 7 or a robot). In this case, the database from which the pre-planned operations are retrieved can be referred to as a schedule database. Alternatively, the pre-planned operations can be operations planned to be performed on the plant 2 or the group of plants 2.

[0097] In Figure 5B another method 655 for determining the operations performed on the plant 2 or the group of plants 2 is shown. In the first step 655-1, the position estimate of the agent is compared with the position of the operation-specific tool. For example, the operation-specific tool is a transport cart 8 dedicated to the harvesting operation. In the second step 655-2, if the position estimates of the agent and the tool correspond within a predetermined limit, it is determined that the operation specific to the tool 7 is being performed, in this example, harvesting as the operation specific to the transport cart 8 is being performed. In this example, if the human operator 7 approaches the transport cart 8 at a first time point (for example, after spending time near the plant 2), it is inferred that the human operator 7 has harvested from the plant 2. The predetermined limit allows for a predetermined deviation in space and / or time.

[0098] The method further includes two optional steps 655-3 and 655-4. The first optional step 655-3 can be performed when the transport trolley 8 is equipped with a weighing unit for weighing the amount of the harvested product transported by the transport trolley 8. Accordingly, the weight measurement result of the weighing unit is associated with the plant 2 or the group of plants 2 associated with the harvesting operation in the first optional step 655-3. Since the weight measurement result indicates the amount of the crop 6 harvested by the staff from the plant 2 or the group of plants 2, it can be used for labor tracking and / or growth process research. The second optional step 655-4 can be performed when the object (in this example, the human operator 7) is provided with a UWB receiver and the greenhouse 1 has a UWB transmitter connected to the processing unit 12. According to the second optional step 655-4, a message is sent to the UWB receiver of the human operator 7 via at least one transmitter of the greenhouse 1. In this example, the message includes information about the amount of the crop 6 harvested by the human operator 7. In particular, the information included in the message can indicate whether the human operator 7 has completed his or her quota or has harvested enough to earn a bonus.

[0099] Figure 6 Another method 750 for using a UWB system to determine the position of an object in a plant growth environment is presented. The first three steps 751, 752, 753 correspond to the steps 51, 52, 53 introduced previously with reference to Figure 3 and are therefore not further explained here. Figure 6 The fourth step 756 of the method 750 includes receiving an input indicating a condition and associating the condition with the position estimate. As an example, the object can be a human operator 7 performing a reconnaissance operation. Reconnaissance includes looking for conditions in the plant growth environment that require attention. For example, the human operator 7 can notice a broken window in the greenhouse 1 at a first position. Using the user interface, the human operator 7 can indicate the condition. Then, in Figure 6 the fourth step 756 of the method 750, the condition is received by the processor 12 and associated with the position estimate of the human operator 7. The association between the condition and the position estimate can be stored. When maintenance work is scheduled at a later time point, the association can be retrieved.

[0100] Optionally, as shown in the fifth step 757, the object is associated with the plant 2 or the group of plants 2. The association with the plant 2 or the group of plants 2 can be performed according to the above method. In the case of this example, the object is the human operator 7, but a robot can also be used to perform the reconnaissance operation. Then, the condition indicated by the input received by the processor is associated with the plant 2 or the group of plants 2. For example, the condition is the condition of the plant (such as disease or pest) or the characteristics of the plant. For example, the human operator 7 can use the user interface to indicate the presence of fruits. According to Figure 6Method 750, where the presence of the fruit is associated with the plant 2 or a group of plants 2. This information can be stored and used later (e.g., in the study of the growth process or the work schedule).

[0101] Although the invention has been described above with reference to many specific examples and embodiments, the invention is not limited thereto. On the contrary, the invention also covers the subject matter defined by the claims now appended hereto.

Claims

1. A method for determining the position of an agent within a plant growth environment using Ultra-Wideband (UWB) communication, wherein: - The agent is provided with a UWB transmitter; - The plant growth environment is provided with a plurality of UWB receivers; And - The receivers are connected to a processing unit, The method includes: a) Using the transmitter to broadcast a message from the agent via UWB; b) Receiving the message at at least some of the receivers; c) Determining an estimated position of the agent by the processing unit through the least squares method and / or angle measurement; d) Associating the agent with a plant or a group of plants by the processing unit by: - Comparing the estimated position with the predetermined positions of the plant or groups of plants; and - Associating the agent with the plant or group of plants whose predetermined position is closest to the estimated position; and e) Inferring by the processing unit which operation the agent is performing on the plant or group of plants by: - Retrieving a pre-planned operation to be performed from a database; and - Based on the association in step d), inferring that the retrieved pre-planned operation is being performed on the plant or group of plants.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein, The groups of plants are distributed in the form of multiple rows of plants, and the agent is associated with the row of plants closest to the estimated position.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein, The agent is associated with an individual plant within the row of plants by: - Dividing the closest row of plants into segments, each of the segments corresponding to the length occupied by an individual plant in the row and being associated with the individual plant; and - Associating the agent with the segment in the row closest to the estimated position.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein The groups of plants are distributed in blocks of rectangular shape in a floor plan, wherein the agent is associated with the block closest to the estimated position.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein: Each group of plants is placed on a platform, and the agent is associated with the platform closest to the estimated position.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein: At least some of the predetermined positions are obtained by UWB through the least squares method and / or triangulation.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein, The pre-planned operation is an operation pre-planned to be performed by the agent.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein, The pre-planned operation is a pre-planned operation to be performed on the plant or group of plants.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein: Step e) includes: - Comparing the estimated position of the agent with the position of an operation-specific tool; and - If the positions of the agent and the tool correspond within a predetermined limit, determining that the operation specific to the tool is being performed.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein, The operation-specific tool is a transport cart or trolley for collecting the harvest, wherein the operation specific to the tool is harvesting.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein, The transport cart or trolley is equipped with a weighing unit for weighing the amount of the harvest transported by the transport cart or trolley, wherein the weight measured by the weighing unit is associated with the plant or group of plants associated with the harvest operation.

12. The method according to claim 1, the method further includes: f) The processing unit receives an input indicating a condition from the agent, and the processing unit associates the condition with the position estimate of the agent.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein: The condition is a plant condition or a plant characteristic, and wherein step f) includes: The processing unit associates the condition or the characteristic with the plant or group of plants associated with the position estimate.

14. The method according to claim 1, wherein: The agent is one of the following: - A human operator; - A robot.

15. The method according to claim 1, wherein: - The agent is further provided with a UWB receiver; And - The plant growth environment is further provided with at least one UWB transmitter connected to the processing unit, The method further includes: g) Sending a message to the UWB receiver via at least one transmitter in the plant growth environment.

16. An ultra-wideband (UWB) communication system for determining the position of an agent within a plant growth environment, the system comprising: - A tag provided with a UWB transmitter, the tag being configured to be attached to or carried by the agent; - A plurality of anchors provided with UWB receivers, the plurality of anchors being configured to be installed in the plant growth environment; and - A processing unit, the anchors being connected to the processing unit, wherein: - The tag is configured to broadcast a message using the UWB transmitter; - The anchors are configured to receive the message sent by the UWB transmitter via the respective UWB receivers of the anchors; and - The processing unit is configured to determine a position estimate of the agent by least squares method and / or triangulation; wherein the processing unit associates the agent with a plant or a group of plants by: - Comparing the position estimate with the predetermined positions of the plant or multiple groups of plants; and - Associating the agent with the plant or group of plants whose predetermined position is closest to the position estimate; and wherein the processing unit infers which operation the agent is performing on the plant or group of plants by: - Retrieving a pre-planned operation to be performed from a database; and - Based on the association, inferring that the retrieved pre-planned operation is being performed on the plant or group of plants.

17. The system according to claim 16, the system being configured to perform the method according to any one of claims 1-15.

18. A facility for plant growth, the facility comprising the system according to claim 16.

19. The facility according to claim 18, wherein, The anchors are installed at various spaced-apart positions.

20. The facility according to claim 18, wherein The anchors are installed at different heights.

21. The facility of claim 18, wherein The facility is a greenhouse including a structural framework and a transparent covering, and wherein the anchors are installed on the structural framework.

22. The facility according to claim 18, wherein, The processing unit is arranged at a remote location, and wherein the anchors are connected to the processing unit by a wireless connection.

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