High intensity lighting system and method of using the same

Abstract

Described herein are high intensity lighting systems configured to illuminate a surface, the high intensity lighting systems including an array of lights, e.g., light emitting diodes. The array of lights is configured to illuminate the surface with lighting that is comparable to or several times brighter than ambient lighting, e.g., sunlight. Also described herein are methods of using high intensity lighting systems to illuminate a surface for applications including imaging, object detection, and object localization. The systems and methods described herein can be applied to many industries, including farming, agriculture, construction, and autonomous vehicles.

Description

[0001] Cross-reference

[0002] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 274,686, filed November 2, 2021, entitled “HIGH INTENSITY ILLUMINATION SYSTEMS AND METHODS OF USE THEREOF”, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety for all purposes. Background Technology

[0003] The accuracy of automatic object detection in images is highly dependent on image quality. Furthermore, training systems for automatic object detection in images collected under inconsistent imaging conditions require large amounts of training data to account for variations in imaging conditions. Therefore, systems are needed to generate consistent imaging conditions for automatic object detection in a variety of unconventional environments. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In various aspects, this disclosure provides an object aiming system comprising: an illumination array including a plurality of light emitters configured to emit light and illuminate a region of interest with an illuminance brighter than ambient light, wherein the region of interest defines a region on a surface; and a detection system comprising: a camera configured to image the region of interest, wherein the region of interest contains an object to be aimed; an object localization module configured to determine an object position based on an image of the object collected by the camera; and an apparatus configured to aim at the object at the object position.

[0005] In some aspects, when the illumination array is activated, the illuminance within the region of interest is consistent over a depth of field of not less than 8 cm. In some aspects, when the illumination array is activated, the illuminance within the region of interest is consistent within the region of interest. In some aspects, when the illumination array is activated, the illuminance within the region of interest is at least 0.1 m. 2 The ambient lighting is consistent within the area. In some aspects, the ambient lighting includes sunlight. In some aspects, the lighting array is configured to produce not less than 120,000, not less than 240,000, or not less than 360,000 lumens / m². 2 Illuminance of (lux). In some aspects, the illumination array is configured to produce an illuminance of not less than 200,000 lux and not more than 700,000 lux.

[0006] In some aspects, when the illumination array is activated, the illuminance within the region of interest varies by no more than 50% from day to night. In some aspects, when the illumination array is activated, the illuminance within the region of interest varies by no more than 20% from day to night. In some aspects, when the illumination array is activated, the illuminance within the region of interest varies by no more than 50% within the region of interest. In some aspects, when the illumination array is activated, the illuminance within the region of interest varies by no more than 20% within the region of interest.

[0007] In some aspects, the plurality of light emitters are arranged in lines, circles, ellipses, irregular patterns, or combinations thereof. In some aspects, the camera has an exposure time of no more than 1.5 ms. In some aspects, the camera has a resolution of no less than 100 pixels per inch.

[0008] In some aspects, the object targeting system is coupled to a vehicle, wherein the vehicle is configured to move relative to the surface. In some aspects, the detection system is coupled to the vehicle such that the region of interest imaged by the detection system is below the vehicle. In some aspects, the illumination array is coupled to the vehicle such that the region of interest illuminated by the illumination array is below the vehicle. In some aspects, the vehicle is capable of moving relative to the surface at a speed of not less than 2 km / hr or not less than 1.2 mph. In some aspects, the vehicle is capable of moving relative to the surface at a speed of not less than 2 km / hr and not more than 8 km / hr or not less than 1.2 mph and not more than 5.0 mph.

[0009] In some aspects, the object targeting system further includes a computer and a gating circuit module, wherein the computer is configured to control the gating circuit module, and wherein the gating circuit module is configured to enable and disable the illumination array and synchronize the camera's exposure time with the activation state of the illumination array. In some aspects, the gating circuit module is configured to enable the illumination array at the start of the camera's exposure time and deactivate the illumination array at the end of the camera's exposure time.

[0010] In some aspects, the surface is ground. In some aspects, the surface is an agricultural surface. In some aspects, the object is a plant. In some aspects, the object is weeds. In some aspects, the surface is a building surface. In some aspects, the apparatus is a laser. In some aspects, the laser is configured to burn the object. In some aspects, the apparatus is a sprayer. In some aspects, the sprayer is configured to spray the object. In some aspects, the apparatus is a gripper. In some aspects, the gripper is configured to move the object. In some aspects, the light emitter is a light-emitting diode (LED).

[0011] In various aspects, this disclosure provides a method for aiming at an object, the method comprising: (a) activating an illumination array including a plurality of light emitters to emit light and illuminating a region of interest with an illuminance brighter than ambient light, the region of interest defining a region on a surface; (b) acquiring an image of the region of interest via a camera during an exposure time corresponding to the time between the start and stop of acquiring the image; (c) stopping the acquisition of the image; (d) deactivating the illumination array; (e) determining the position of the object based on the image; and (f) aiming at the object at the position using a device.

[0012] In some aspects, the method includes using not less than 120,000, not less than 240,000, or not less than 360,000 lumens / m². 2 The region of interest is illuminated with an illuminance of (lux). In some aspects, the method includes illuminating the region of interest with an illuminance of not less than 200,000 lux and not more than 700,000 lux. In some aspects, the method includes illuminating the region of interest with an illuminance that varies from day to night by no more than 50% or no more than 20%. In some aspects, the method includes illuminating the region of interest with an illuminance that varies within the region of interest by no more than 50% or no more than 20%. In some aspects, the method includes ambient lighting comprising sunlight.

[0013] In some aspects, the method further includes repeating steps (a) to (c) at a period corresponding to the camera frame rate. In some aspects, the exposure time does not exceed 7% or 15% of the camera frame rate. In some aspects, the exposure time is not less than 2% and does not exceed 15% of the camera frame rate. In some aspects, the illumination array and the camera are coupled to the vehicle such that the region of interest illuminated by the illumination array is located below the vehicle.

[0014] In some aspects, the apparatus is coupled to the vehicle. In some aspects, the vehicle moves relative to the surface. In some aspects, the vehicle moves relative to the surface at a speed of not less than 2 km / hr and not more than 8 km / hr or not less than 1.2 mph and not more than 5.0 mph.

[0015] In some aspects, the exposure time does not exceed 1.5 ms. In some aspects, the exposure time does not exceed 500 μs. In some aspects, the resolution of the image is not less than 100 pixels per inch.

[0016] In some aspects, the method includes performing step (a) and start step (b) at intervals not exceeding 0.1 ms or 10 μs, wherein step (a) is performed before start step (b), or wherein step (b) begins before performing step (a). In some aspects, the method includes enabling the light array at intervals not exceeding 0.1 ms or 10 μs from the start of image acquisition. In some aspects, the method includes enabling the light array before the start of image acquisition. In some aspects, the method includes enabling the light array after the start of image acquisition. In some aspects, the method includes performing step (a) simultaneously with start step (b). In some aspects, the method includes simultaneously enabling the illumination array and starting image acquisition.

[0017] In some aspects, the method includes performing steps (c) and (d) at intervals not exceeding 0.1 ms or 10 μs, wherein step (c) is performed before step (d), or step (d) is performed before step (c). In some aspects, the method includes deactivating the lamp array at intervals not exceeding 0.1 ms or 10 μs from stopping image collection. In some aspects, the method includes deactivating the lamp array before stopping image collection. In some aspects, the method includes deactivating the lamp array after stopping image collection. In some aspects, the method includes performing steps (c) and (d) simultaneously. In some aspects, the method includes simultaneously deactivating the illumination array and stopping image collection.

[0018] In some aspects, aiming the object with the apparatus includes burning the object with a laser. In some aspects, aiming the object with the apparatus includes spraying the object with a sprayer. In some aspects, aiming the object with the apparatus includes moving the object with a gripper. In some aspects, the object is weeds.

[0019] In various aspects, this disclosure provides a system for illuminating a region of interest on a surface, the system comprising an illumination array including a plurality of light emitters configured to emit light toward the region of interest, the light array being configured to illuminate the region of interest with an illuminance brighter than ambient light, wherein the region of interest defines an area on the surface, and wherein the high-intensity illumination system provides consistent illumination over a depth of field of at least 8 cm.

[0020] In some aspects, the plurality of light emitters produce not less than 120,000 lumens / m². 2 Illuminance of (lux). In some aspects, the plurality of light emitters produce an illuminance of not less than 240,000 lux. In some aspects, the plurality of light emitters produce an illuminance of not less than 360,000 lux. In some aspects, the plurality of light emitters produce an illuminance of not less than 200,000 lux and not more than 700,000 lux. In some aspects, the ambient lighting includes sunlight.

[0021] In some respects, the surface is ground. In some respects, the surface is an agricultural surface. In some respects, the surface is a building surface.

[0022] In some respects, the illumination is at least 0.1m 2 The illumination of the surface is uniform within the defined area. In some aspects, the plurality of light emitters are arranged in a line, circle, ellipse, irregular pattern, or a combination thereof. In some aspects, the arrangement of the plurality of light emitters produces uniform illumination of the surface. In some aspects, one or more of the plurality of light emitters are angled relative to the other light emitters. In some aspects, the plurality of light emitters includes light-emitting diodes (LEDs).

[0023] In some aspects, the illuminance at the surface varies by no more than 50% from day to night. In some aspects, the illuminance at the surface varies by no more than 20% from day to night. In some aspects, the illuminance at the surface varies by no more than 50% within the region of interest. In some aspects, the illuminance at the surface varies by no more than 20% within the region of interest.

[0024] In some aspects, the system further includes a camera configured to image the region of interest. In some aspects, the camera images the region of interest with an exposure time of no more than 1.5 ms. In some aspects, the camera images the region of interest with a resolution of no less than 100 pixels per inch.

[0025] In various aspects, this disclosure provides a system for controlling an illumination array, the system including a computer, a gating circuit module, an illumination array having a plurality of light emitters, and a camera; wherein the computer is configured to control the gating circuit module, and wherein the gating circuit module is configured to turn the light emitters on and off and synchronize the exposure time of the camera with the on / off state of the plurality of light emitters.

[0026] In some aspects, the system further includes a capacitor configured to charge when the plurality of light emitters are in an off state. In some aspects, discharging the capacitor is configured to turn on the plurality of light emitters. In some aspects, the system further includes a heat sink configured to dissipate heat from the plurality of light emitters. In some aspects, the gating circuit module is configured to operate the plurality of light emitters with a duty cycle not exceeding 15%. In some aspects, the gating circuit module is configured to operate the plurality of light emitters with a duty cycle not exceeding 7%. In some aspects, the gating circuit module is configured to operate the plurality of light emitters with a duty cycle not less than 2% and not exceeding 15%. In some aspects, the gating circuit module is configured to expose the camera when the plurality of light emitters are turned on. In some aspects, the gating circuit module is configured to provide a voltage at least twice the recommended voltage for which the plurality of light emitters are designed to operate.

[0027] In some respects, the illumination array is configured to produce at least 120,000 lumens / m². 2 Illuminance of (lux). In some aspects, the illumination array is configured to produce an illuminance of at least 240,000 lux. In some aspects, the illumination array is configured to produce an illuminance of at least 360,000 lux. In some aspects, the illumination array is configured to produce an illuminance of 200,000 to 700,000 lux.

[0028] In some aspects, the camera is configured to operate with an exposure time of up to 1.5 ms. In other aspects, the camera is configured to operate with an exposure time of up to 500 μs.

[0029] In various aspects, this disclosure provides a method for illuminating a region of interest on a surface, the method comprising: emitting light from a high-intensity illumination system comprising an illumination array having a plurality of light emitters to emit the light; directing the light toward the region of interest, the region of interest defining a region on the surface; and using at least 120,000 lumens / m² consistently within the region of interest over a depth of field of at least 8 cm or at least 3.1 inches. 2 The region of interest is illuminated using lux illuminance.

[0030] In some aspects, the method includes at least 0.1m 2 The method involves consistently illuminating the region of interest (ROI) within a given area. In some aspects, the method includes illuminating the ROI with an illuminance that varies by no more than 50% from day to night. In some aspects, the method includes illuminating the ROI with an illuminance that varies by no more than 20% from day to night. In some aspects, the method includes illuminating the ROI with an illuminance that varies by no more than 50% within the ROI. In some aspects, the method includes illuminating the ROI with an illuminance that varies by no more than 20% within the ROI.

[0031] In some aspects, the method further includes turning the plurality of optical transmitters on and off in an on / off cycle. In some aspects, the method includes turning the plurality of optical transmitters on for no more than 15% of the on / off cycle. In some aspects, the method includes turning the plurality of optical transmitters on for no more than 7% of the on / off cycle. In some aspects, the method includes turning the plurality of optical transmitters on for no less than 2% of the on / off cycle and for no more than 15% of the on / off cycle.

[0032] In some aspects, the method further includes imaging the region of interest with a camera to collect an image. In some aspects, the exposure time of the camera is synchronized with the on / off state of the light emitters. In some aspects, the plurality of light emitters are on during the camera exposure. In some aspects, the camera exposure time does not exceed 1.5 ms. In some aspects, the camera exposure time does not exceed 500 μs. In some aspects, the image collected by the camera has a resolution of at least 100 pixels per inch. In some aspects, the image has reduced motion blur compared to an image in which the region of interest is not illuminated by the illumination array.

[0033] In some aspects, the method further includes identifying and / or locating objects in the image. In some aspects, the objects are located on, above, or below the surface.

[0034] In some aspects, the high-intensity lighting system is coupled to a vehicle. In some aspects, the method further includes moving the vehicle relative to the surface. In some aspects, the vehicle moves relative to the surface at a speed of not less than 2 km / hr and not more than 8 km / hr, or not less than 1.2 mph and not more than 5.0 mph. In some aspects, the vehicle moves relative to the surface at a speed of not less than 2 km / hr or not less than 1.2 mph.

[0035] Incorporated by reference

[0036] All publications, patents and patent applications mentioned in this specification are incorporated herein by reference as if each individual publication, patent or patent application were specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated by reference. Attached Figure Description

[0037] The novel features of the invention are specifically set forth in the appended claims. A better understanding of the features and advantages of the invention will be obtained by referring to the following detailed description and accompanying drawings, which describe illustrative embodiments utilizing the principles of the invention, in which:

[0038] Figure 1A The illustration shows a front view of an autonomous weeding vehicle, a detection system, and a lighting array according to one or more embodiments described herein;

[0039] Figure 1B An isometric view of an autonomous weeding vehicle, detection system, and lighting array according to one or more embodiments described herein is illustrated.

[0040] Figure 1C The illustration shows a top-down view of the surface beneath the autonomous weeding vehicle according to one or more embodiments described herein, illustrating the coverage area of ​​the lighting array;

[0041] Figure 2 Example images of a region of interest illuminated using a high-intensity lighting system according to one or more embodiments described herein are shown;

[0042] Figure 3 Images of the region of interest collected under conditions of no high-intensity lighting are shown;

[0043] Figure 4A Example images of a region of interest illuminated with 600,000 lux were shown, collected with an exposure time of 0.3 ms while moving at a speed of 2 mph, according to one or more embodiments described herein.

[0044] Figure 4B The illustration shows simulated motion blur when imaging a region of interest illuminated at 120,000 lux while moving at 2 mph.

[0045] Figure 4C The illustration shows simulated motion blur when imaging a region of interest illuminated at 60,000 lux while moving at 2 mph.

[0046] Figure 5A A bottom view of a lighting array for a high-intensity lighting system according to one or more embodiments herein is schematically illustrated;

[0047] Figure 5BAn isometric bottom view of a lighting array for a high-intensity lighting system according to one or more embodiments herein is schematically illustrated;

[0048] Figure 6A A bottom view of a lighting array for a high-intensity lighting system according to one or more embodiments herein is schematically illustrated;

[0049] Figure 6B A bottom view of a vehicle having multiple lighting arrays for a high-intensity lighting system, according to one or more embodiments herein, is schematically illustrated on an autonomous lawnmower vehicle.

[0050] Figure 7 A system for synchronizing a high-intensity lighting system with a detection system, according to one or more embodiments herein, is illustrated schematically.

[0051] Figure 8 A surface illuminated by high-intensity lighting according to one or more embodiments herein is schematically illustrated;

[0052] Figure 9 An electrical configuration for powering a high-intensity lighting system, according to one or more embodiments described herein, is illustrated schematically.

[0053] Figure 10 A system for identifying, locating, aiming at, and manipulating objects according to one or more embodiments described herein is described;

[0054] Figure 11A An isometric view of a portion of a detection system according to one or more embodiments herein is illustrated, indicating the laser path and the visible light path;

[0055] Figure 11B The illustration shows a top view of a portion of a detection system according to one or more embodiments of this document, indicating the laser path and the visible light path;

[0056] Figure 12 A method for aiming at an object using a high-intensity lighting system according to one or more embodiments herein is illustrated;

[0057] Figure 13A This is a block diagram illustrating a computing device according to an example implementation.

[0058] Figure 13B This is a block diagram illustrating a computing device according to an example implementation. Detailed Implementation

[0059] Various exemplary embodiments of this disclosure are discussed in detail below. While specific implementations are discussed, it should be understood that the description is for illustrative purposes only. Those skilled in the art will recognize that other components and configurations may be used without departing from the spirit and scope of this disclosure. Therefore, the following description and figures are illustrative and should not be construed as limiting. Numerous specific details are described to provide a thorough understanding of this disclosure. However, in some cases, well-known or conventional details have not been described to avoid obscuring the description. References to one or more embodiments in this disclosure may be references to the same embodiment or any of the embodiments, and such references imply at least one exemplary embodiment.

[0060] The reference to "an embodiment" or "an implementation" means that at least one embodiment of this disclosure includes a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment. The phrase "in an embodiment" appearing throughout the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor is it a separate or alternative example embodiment that is mutually exclusive with other example embodiments. Furthermore, various features are described that can be demonstrated through some example embodiments but not others. Any feature of one instance can be integrated with or used together with any other feature of any other instance.

[0061] The terms used in this specification have, generally speaking, their general meaning in the art within the context of this disclosure and in the specific context in which each term is used. Alternative languages ​​and synonyms may be used for any one or more terms discussed herein and should not be given special meaning regardless of whether the terms are elaborated or discussed herein. In some cases, synonyms for certain terms are provided. Listing one or more synonyms does not preclude the use of other synonyms. Examples used anywhere in this specification, including examples of any terms discussed herein, are illustrative only and are not intended to further limit the scope and meaning of this disclosure or any example terms. Likewise, this disclosure is not limited to the various example embodiments given in this specification.

[0062] Without limiting the scope of this disclosure, examples of instruments, apparatus, methods, and related results according to exemplary embodiments of this disclosure are given below. Note that headings or subheadings may be used in the examples for the reader's convenience, but this should in no way limit the scope of this disclosure. Unless otherwise defined, the technical and scientific terms used herein have the meanings commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure pertains. In the event of any conflict, the current document (including definitions) shall prevail.

[0063] Additional features and advantages of this disclosure will be set forth in the following description and will be apparent in part from the description, or may be learned by practicing the principles disclosed herein. The features and advantages of this disclosure may be realized and obtained by means of the means and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims. These and other features of this disclosure will become more apparent from the following description and the appended claims, or may be learned by practicing the principles set forth herein.

[0064] For clarity, in some cases, this technology may be presented as a series of functional blocks representing a device, device components, steps or routines in a method embodied in software or a combination of hardware and software.

[0065] In the drawings, certain structural or methodological features may be shown in a specific configuration and / or order. However, it should be understood that such a specific configuration and / or order may not be necessary. Instead, in some embodiments, such features may be configured in a different manner and / or order than those shown in the illustrative drawings. Furthermore, the inclusion of structural or methodological features in a particular drawing does not imply that such features are required in all embodiments, and in some embodiments, such features may not be included or may be combined with other features.

[0066] While the concepts of this disclosure are readily available in various modifications and alternatives, specific embodiments thereof have been illustrated in the drawings and described in detail herein. However, it should be understood that the concepts of this disclosure are not intended to be limited to the particular forms disclosed, but rather, are intended to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives consistent with this disclosure and the appended claims.

[0067] High-intensity lighting systems and methods

[0068] This disclosure provides systems and methods for generating consistent high-intensity illumination within regions of interest on a surface. Such systems and methods enable the acquisition of high-quality, high-resolution, and / or short-exposure images of regions of interest independently of ambient light (e.g., sunlight in an outdoor environment). Acquiring consistent high-quality, high-resolution, and / or short-exposure images can be beneficial for many applications, including automated object detection that relies on the quality and consistency of images to identify objects within them. Automated object detection typically uses machine learning software trained using a set of training images containing known objects. In these cases, the accuracy of object detection in an image depends on the consistency between the training data and the images, as well as a high level of image sharpness and clarity. For images acquired under highly variable conditions, large amounts of training data may be required to address these variations. For blurry or low-quality images (e.g., low resolution, overexposure, or underexposure), even extensive training may fail to address image variations because object features may not be discernible. Acquiring images under consistent high-intensity illumination, such as using the systems and methods described herein, substantially reduces the amount of training data required to train object recognition software. In some implementations, an automated object detection system trained using training images collected under high-intensity lighting may need to be trained using one-tenth to one-hundredth of the images collected under non-high-intensity lighting conditions. For example, an automated object detection system trained using training images collected under high-intensity lighting may require approximately 25 to 250, approximately 50 to 500, or approximately 75 to 750 training images, while an automated object detection system trained using training images collected under non-high-intensity lighting conditions may require approximately 250 to 2500, approximately 500 to 5000, or approximately 750 to 7500 training images. Furthermore, imaging of regions of interest illuminated by high-intensity lighting can be performed at higher resolution and / or shorter exposure times than imaging performed under ambient lighting conditions or lower intensity lighting conditions, because both increased resolution and shortened exposure time reduce the amount of light received per pixel.

[0069] This paper describes a high-intensity illumination system for illuminating regions of interest (ROIs) on a surface. Such high-intensity illumination can aid in surface imaging by providing bright, uniform illumination of the ROIs. A high-intensity illumination system comprising an illumination array can be configured to illuminate the surface with uniform illumination over the ROIs, such that the collected ROI images do not exhibit overexposure or underexposure in portions of the image due to shadows or uneven illumination. The surface can be a rough surface, such as a dirty surface. An example of an image with overexposed areas due to solar glare collected without using a high-intensity illumination system is shown in [example of image]. Figure 3 middle. Figure 3The images provided contain cropped areas where the light level is below the camera's detection threshold (underexposure) or saturates the camera (overexposure). Overexposure areas are indicated by shaded arrows. An example image of a region of interest 162 containing object 161, illuminated by the high-intensity lighting system described herein, is shown. Figure 2 middle.

[0070] Despite variations in ambient lighting conditions, the high-intensity lighting system of this disclosure can still provide bright, uniform illumination to the region of interest (e.g., an area on a surface beneath a vehicle). The high-intensity lighting system can illuminate the region of interest with an intensity several times brighter than ambient lighting (e.g., sunlight), ensuring that ambient lighting does not cause uneven illumination over the region of interest. For example, the high-intensity lighting system can uniformly illuminate the region of interest throughout the day, regardless of changes in the angle and intensity of sunlight. The high-intensity lighting system can provide uniform illumination within the region of interest without the need for sunshades or skirts to block ambient light from reaching it.

[0071] High-intensity illumination systems uniformly illuminate regions of interest (e.g., areas on surfaces beneath a vehicle) so that the collected images of the region of interest (e.g., images collected by a camera) are neither overexposed nor underexposed; this is also known as "cropping." In some embodiments, the light level within the region of interest is within the dynamic range of the camera used to collect the image. Conversely, images of areas not illuminated by the high-intensity illumination system may contain overexposed (e.g., saturated areas used by the camera to collect the image), underexposed (e.g., below the detection threshold of the camera used to collect the image), or both. For example, collected images of areas not illuminated by the high-intensity illumination system can be cropped so that...

[0072] High-intensity illumination systems can facilitate the acquisition of color images of areas illuminated by such systems. Two or more color channels can be used to acquire the color image, such as an RGB image acquired using red, blue, and green channels. The region of interest illuminated by the high-intensity illumination system can be illuminated such that the intensity acquired in each color channel (e.g., each of the red, green, and blue channels) is within the dynamic range of the image sensor, ensuring that no channel is cropped (e.g., overexposed or underexposed). In some implementations, the intensity acquired in each color channel (e.g., each of the red, green, and blue channels) differs from each other within a standard deviation. For example, the average intensity of the red channel differs from the average intensity of each of the green and blue channels within a standard deviation, the average intensity of the blue channel differs from the average intensity of each of the green and red channels within a standard deviation, the average intensity of the green channel differs from the average intensity of each of the red and blue channels within a standard deviation, or a combination thereof.

[0073] This document also describes methods for illuminating surfaces using high-intensity lighting systems and imaging the illuminated surfaces at high resolution (e.g., at least 100 pixels / inch or at least 200 pixels / inch) and / or short exposure times (e.g., no more than 1.5 ms or no more than 300 μs). These methods can be used to illuminate surfaces (e.g., dirty surfaces) and image the surfaces to identify and / or locate objects (e.g., plants or weeds) in the images. In some embodiments, the high-intensity lighting system may be incorporated into a vehicle (e.g., an autonomous vehicle) to illuminate areas beneath, in front of, behind, or around the vehicle. In some embodiments, the high-intensity lighting methods described herein can be used to aid in object identification and / or location in cultivated, agricultural, or built environments.

[0074] The high-intensity lighting system disclosed herein may include multiple light emitters, such as light-emitting diodes (LEDs), arranged in an illumination array. The light emitters may be configured to emit light toward a surface and illuminate a region of the surface (e.g., a region of interest on the surface). The light emitters may provide uniform illumination across the entire region and within a depth of field of at least 5 cm, at least 8 cm, at least 12 cm, or at least 12.7 cm. The illumination extends at least 0.1 m beyond the surface. 2 At least 0.15m 2 At least 0.2m 2 Or at least 0.25m 2 The area can be substantially uniform. In some embodiments, the variation in illumination luminance within the area of ​​the surface may not exceed 5%, 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, or 50%.

[0075] High-intensity lighting systems can be configured to illuminate the surface with an illuminance equivalent to or brighter than ambient light conditions (e.g., sunlight, internal lighting, or external lighting). The illuminance can be two, three, four, or five times brighter than ambient light conditions. For example, under daylight conditions where most ambient light is sunlight, high-intensity lighting can provide consistent illumination to areas of the surface (e.g., the ground) even if the sun changes position relative to the surface throughout the day. In some embodiments, the high-intensity lighting system can illuminate areas of the surface with an illumination equivalent to that provided by the sun on a sunny day. In some embodiments, the high-intensity lighting system can illuminate areas of the surface with an illumination two, three, four, five, six, eight, or ten times brighter than that provided by the sun on a sunny day. In some embodiments, the high-intensity lighting system can use at least 120,000 lumens / m². 2(lux), at least 240,000 lux, at least 360,000 lux, at least 600,000 lux, 800,000 lux, 1,000,000 lux, or 1,200,000 lux. In some embodiments, the high-intensity lighting system can illuminate an area of ​​the surface with illuminance of 200,000 to 700,000 lux, 240,000 to 800,000 lux, 300,000 to 1,000,000 lux, or 400,000 to 1,200,000 lux.

[0076] High-intensity illumination, comparable to or brighter than ambient light conditions, allows imaging throughout the day or night without variation due to the presence, absence, or angle of the sun. For example, even when the sun encounters a surface at a low angle, the high-intensity illumination system can provide uniform illumination without producing glare or shadows within areas of the surface. For instance, the variation in illumination intensity from day to night may not exceed 20%, 30%, 40%, or 50%.

[0077] In some implementations, the high-intensity lighting system may be located on or part of the device (e.g., a vehicle). An example of a vehicle 100 equipped with a high-intensity lighting system including a lighting array 150 is illustrated in [illustration missing]. Figure 1A , Figure 1B and Figure 1C The illumination array may include one or more light emitters 151, such as light-emitting diodes (LEDs), configured to emit light 152 toward surface 160. Figure 1A , Figure 1B and Figure 1C As shown, an illumination array 150 may be located on the underside of the vehicle 100, such that light 152 emitted from the illumination array illuminates a region of interest 162 on a surface beneath the vehicle. The vehicle is capable of moving along the surface 160 using one or more wheels 110. The region of interest 162 may contain an object 161 to be targeted by the detection system 101. The surface may be ground, for example, in an agricultural or built environment. For example, an agricultural surface may be farmland or a greenhouse. In some embodiments, the vehicle may be further equipped with a detection system 101 that includes a camera for imaging areas of the surface illuminated by the high-intensity illumination system. For example, an autonomous vehicle configured to image, detect, identify, locate, and / or remove weeds in a farmland may be equipped with a high-intensity illumination system to image, detect, identify, and / or locate weeds.

[0078] Illumination Array

[0079] The high-intensity lighting system described herein may include one or more lighting arrays, said lighting arrays comprising an array of light emitters configured to uniformly illuminate a surface. An example of a lighting array 150 including one or more light emitters 151 (e.g., LEDs) is shown in Figure 5A , Figure 5B , Figure 6A and Figure 6B middle. Figure 6B Further explanation is given of the multiple lighting arrays 150 arranged on the vehicle 100. Figure 5A A bottom view of the illumination array 150 is shown, and Figure 1B An isometric bottom view of the lighting array is shown, for example, from below the vehicle 100. Figure 6A A bottom view shows different LED configurations of the illumination array 150. Figure 6B A view of a vehicle 100 equipped with multiple lighting arrays 150 for illuminating surfaces beneath the vehicle is shown. The lighting arrays may also include heat sinks 155 to dissipate heat generated due to the operation of the light emitters 151 and power levels exceeding the manufacturer's recommended voltage or safety rating. In some embodiments, the light emitters 151 of the lighting arrays 150 may be arranged to define enclosed areas, such as rectangular areas, as... Figure 5A and Figure 6A As seen in the diagram. In some embodiments, the light emitter 151 of the illumination array 150 may be arranged to define other enclosed regions, such as circular, elliptical, polygonal, or other shaped regions. The light emitter 151 of the illumination array 150 may be arranged in the region of interest (e.g., the region imaged by a camera, such as...). Figure 1C Uniform illumination is provided within region 162, such that the sum of illumination from the multiple light emitters 151 of the illumination array 150 is uniform within the region of interest, as shown below. Figure 8 As shown. The light emitter 151 of the illumination array 150 may be surrounded by or located near the reflector 157, such that multiple portions of the light 152 emitted by the light emitter that would otherwise not reach the surface are reflected toward the surface 160. In some embodiments, the reflector 157 may be configured to increase the amount of light 152 from the light emitter 151 reaching the surface 160, such that the light 152 is dispersed across the surface 160, thereby illuminating the surface more uniformly, or a combination thereof. The reflector 157 may have various shapes, including parabolic, hemispherical, elliptical, conical, cylindrical, curved, or a portion or combination thereof.

[0080] Multiple light emitters 151 of the illumination array can be arranged in a region of surface 160 (e.g., Figure 1CUniform illumination 165 is generated within region 162 of the illumination array 160. For example, a first light emitter 151(a) may emit a first light 152(a) to illuminate surface 160 with the first illumination 165(a), and a second light emitter 151(b) may emit a second light 152(b) to illuminate surface 160 with the second illumination 165(b), such that the total illumination 165 is uniform within region 160. In some embodiments, computer modeling or experimental testing may be used to determine the arrangement of the light emitters 151. Computer simulations used to determine the arrangement of the light emitters can identify the arrangement of light emitters that generates uniform illumination within the region of interest, while considering multiple parameters, including the geometric constraints of the placement of the light emitters on the illumination array 150, light scattering from the light emitters, the presence and / or type of reflectors, the distance of the illumination array from the surface, the size and / or shape of the region of interest, and combinations thereof. In some implementations, parameters that may vary include the location, number, and / or angle of the light emitters, the presence and / or type of reflectors, the intensity of the light emitters, or combinations thereof. Illumination can be the sum of illumination from the individual light emitters, such as... Figure 8 As shown. In some embodiments, computer simulations can position the light emitter 151 to minimize intensity variations within the region of interest on surface 160. In some embodiments, the light emitter configuration may include a straight, circular, rectangular, or irregular placement of the light emitters, or a combination thereof. In some embodiments, the placement of the light emitters may be limited by the size or shape of the device on which the array is located (e.g., a vehicle). In some embodiments, the placement of the light emitters may be limited by the location of additional components of the device, such that the light emitters do not interfere with the additional components.

[0081] control system

[0082] The high-intensity lighting system described herein can be controlled by a control system. The control system can control the power supply to the light emitters (e.g., LEDs) of the lighting array and synchronize the on / off state of the LEDs with the camera shutter or exposure. Figure 7An example of a control system 700 is provided. The control system 700 may include a computer 701 configured to control a gating circuit system 710, which includes a gating control printed circuit board (PCB) 702. The gating PCB may provide a gating signal (e.g., a pulsed voltage) to an illumination array 703 (e.g., an LED array). The gating control PCB 702 may further provide a camera trigger signal to one or more cameras 704. The one or more cameras may be part of a detection system 101. Optionally, the control system may also include a gating driver PCB 705 and an illumination array 703, the gating driver PCB including one or more capacitors 706 connected to the gating control PCB 702. The capacitors 706 of the PCB may accumulate charge when the light emitters of the illumination array 150 are in an off state and may discharge to turn on the light emitters. Since providing high-wattage pulses to the light emitters of the illumination array 150 to turn them on and off may overwhelm the power generation system, including capacitors 706 allows for pulsed power when a more uniform load is applied to the power generation system. For example, capacitor 706 can provide pulsed power to the light emitter of illumination array 150, while power generation provides continuous power by charging and discharging the capacitor over time to turn the light emitter back on when the light emitter is off. Including a gating driver PCB reduces the peak power output of the power generation system compared to a system without a gating driver PCB.

[0083] Figure 9 An example circuit configuration for controlling the lighting array 150 is provided. A power supply unit (PSU) 720 provides power to the gating driver PCB 705. A gating signal 702 controls the charging and discharging of the capacitors on the gating driver PCB 705, and capacitor 706 supplies power to the light emitter 151 when discharging. Individual lighting modules 750 can be linked together to form the lighting array 150.

[0084] Control systems, such as Figure 7 The illustrated control system 700 can be configured to supply voltage to an illumination array sufficient to power the light emitters of the array to illuminate a surface with an illuminance equivalent to or greater than that of the sun (e.g., at least 120,000 lux, at least 240,000 lux, at least 400,000 lux, or at least 600,000 lux). The voltage supplied to the light emitters by the gating PCB may be higher than the manufacturer's recommended voltage or higher than the safety rated voltage of the light emitters. In some embodiments, the voltage supplied to the light emitters may be at least 1.2 times, at least 1.5 times, or at least 2 times the voltage at which the light emitters are designed to operate.

[0085] To compensate for high voltage, the optical emitter can operate with a low duty cycle. Operating with a low duty cycle reduces overheating caused by high voltage and / or extends the lifespan of the optical emitter, which might otherwise be shortened due to high voltage. In some embodiments, the optical emitter can operate with a duty cycle not exceeding 20%, not exceeding 15%, not exceeding 10%, not exceeding 7%, or 2% to 15%. For example, an illumination array receiving double the recommended voltage can operate with a duty cycle not exceeding 10%. In some embodiments, the illumination array may also include a heat sink to dissipate excess heat and extend the lifespan of the optical emitter.

[0086] The duty cycle of the illumination array can be synchronized with the camera's frame rate, shutter trigger, or exposure time. The camera can be configured to image the area illuminated by the illumination array. A gating PCB allows the illumination array to be synchronized with the camera, such that the illumination array is turned on when the camera is acquiring an image (e.g., when the camera shutter is open or when the camera exposes the sensor chip). The camera can operate at a fast frame rate (e.g., exposure time not exceeding 1.5 ms or 300 μs). The gating PCB allows the illumination array to be cyclically turned on and off to produce a gating effect synchronized with the camera's frame rate and / or exposure time.

[0087] Object targeting systems and methods

[0088] The high-intensity lighting system of this disclosure can be part of an object targeting system (e.g., a weeding system). A weeding system including a high-intensity lighting system can be configured to autonomously locate, target, and kill weeds in an agricultural environment (e.g., a farmland or greenhouse). In some embodiments, the high-intensity lighting system can improve the accuracy of the weeding system, increase the weed detection rate of the weeding system, increase the travel speed of the weeding system, or a combination thereof. A weeding system including the high-intensity lighting system of this disclosure can detect weeds in images collected at higher resolution and / or shorter exposure times than a weeding system lacking a high-intensity lighting system (e.g., a weeding system operating under ambient light conditions).

[0089] In some embodiments, the detection system of this disclosure, including a prediction system and an aiming system, can be configured to identify an object and aim at the object using a point-to-point aiming method. The prediction system may include a prediction sensor configured to image a region of interest (ROI), and the aiming system may include an aiming sensor configured to image a portion of the ROI. Imaging may include collecting a representation (e.g., an image) of the ROI or a portion thereof.

[0090] Figure 10 A detection system 101 is schematically depicted, which can be used in conjunction with a high-intensity illumination system to locate and precisely target an object of interest 161. In some embodiments, the detection system may include... Figure 11A and Figure 11BThe optical configuration depicted is as described herein. Figure 10 As shown, the detection system 101 may be a multi-camera system including a prediction module 1010 and an aiming module 1050. The detection system 101 may use a first sensor (e.g., prediction sensor 1020) to image a region of interest (e.g., prediction region of interest 1091). The prediction region of interest 1091 may be a region of surface 160 (e.g., ground, floor, or farmland). The image may be a visible light image, an infrared image, an ultraviolet image, a light detection and ranging (LIDAR) image, an X-ray image, or any other electromagnetic image. The prediction sensor 1020 may be a camera, such as a charge-coupled device (CCD) camera or a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) camera, a LIDAR detector, an infrared sensor, an ultraviolet sensor, an X-ray detector, or any other sensor capable of detecting electromagnetic waves.

[0091] Object recognition module 1030 receives images from prediction sensor 1020. Prediction module 1010 can use object recognition module 1030 to determine the presence or absence of object 161 in an image of a region of interest (e.g., prediction region of interest 1091) collected by prediction sensor 1020. Object recognition module 1030 can identify objects of interest in an image and can distinguish objects of interest from other objects in the image. In some embodiments, object recognition module 1030 includes a recognition machine learning model trained to identify objects of interest based on features extracted from labeled images used to train the recognition machine learning model. The machine learning model can be a deep learning model, such as a deep learning neural network. In some embodiments, object recognition module 1030 can implement heuristic models, thresholding, or classical detection algorithms to identify objects. In some embodiments, object recognition module uses spectral data to identify objects.

[0092] The object recognition module can be configured to, for example, use a machine learning model to identify plants and distinguish different plants, such as crops from weeds. In some embodiments, the machine learning model can be a deep learning model, such as a deep learning neural network. In some embodiments, the object recognition module can utilize a recognition machine learning model, such as a convolutional neural network. The recognition machine learning model can be trained using numerous images of surfaces with or without objects of interest. For example, the machine learning model can be trained using images of fields with or without weeds. Once trained, the machine learning model can be configured to identify regions in an image containing objects of interest. The regions can be defined by, for example, rectangular polygons. In some embodiments, the regions are bounding boxes. In some embodiments, the regions are polygonal masks covering the identified regions. In some embodiments, the recognition machine learning model can be trained to determine the location of the objects of interest, for example, by predicting pixel locations within an image.

[0093] The location of the identified object can be transmitted to the object localization module 1040. The object localization module 1040 can then transmit the location of the object 161 to the aiming module 1050. In some embodiments, the detection system may lack the prediction module 1010 and the location of the object 161 may be determined directly from the image collected by the aiming sensor. In some embodiments, the aiming module 1050 is one of multiple aiming modules, and the aiming module 1050 may be selected based on the availability of the aiming module or the proximity of the aiming module to the object location.

[0094] The aiming module 1050's aiming control module 1055 can control the position, orientation, or direction of the aiming sensor 1060. In some embodiments, the aiming control module 1055 can control the position, orientation, or direction of the aiming sensor 1060 by moving an actuator that adjusts the position or orientation of the aiming sensor 1060. In some embodiments, the aiming control module 1055 can control the position, orientation, or direction of the aiming sensor 1060 by moving an actuator that adjusts the position or orientation of a reflective surface that guides electromagnetic waves transmitted into or out of the aiming sensor 1060.

[0095] Aiming sensor 1060 can collect additional images of a region of interest (e.g., aiming region of interest 1093) containing object 161. The position, orientation, or direction of the aiming sensor can be adjusted by aiming control module 1055 to point towards the object's location. Aiming region of interest 1093 may encompass a portion of prediction region of interest 1091 imaged by prediction sensor 1020. The additional images can be used to confirm or update the position of object 161. Where appropriate, aiming control module 1055 can adjust the position, orientation, or direction of instrument 1080 based on the position of object 161 in the additional images collected by the aiming sensor. In some embodiments, aiming control module 1055 can adjust the position, orientation, or direction of instrument 1080 by moving an actuator that adjusts the position or orientation of instrument 1080. In some embodiments, the aiming module can start or stop selecting instruments within an instrument array, thereby selectively aiming at objects.

[0096] The instrument 1080 can perform actions on the object 161 by guiding the instrument toward the object location. For example, the instrument 1080 may be a laser that emits a laser beam toward the object 161. In another example, the instrument 1080 may be a grasping tool that grasps the object 161. In another example, the instrument 1080 may be a spraying instrument that sprays fluid onto the object 161. In some embodiments, the instrument 1080 may be a planting tool that plants plants at a identified location. In some embodiments, the instrument 1080 may be a harvesting tool that harvests the object 161. In some embodiments, the instrument 1080 may be a pollination tool that pollinates the object 161. In some embodiments, the instrument guiding the object location may include starting or stopping selection of instruments within an array of instruments, such that the object is selectively targeted.

[0097] A detection system, including a high-intensity illumination system, can be configured to locate and aim at an object of interest. In some embodiments, the detection system can be used to aim at an object of interest identified in an image or representation collected by a sensor (e.g., a camera). The location of the object can be determined based on the image, and the object at the determined location can be aimed at. Aiming at the object may include using an aiming sensor to precisely locate the object and aiming the object with a tool. For example, the detection system may include a laser optics system to guide laser illumination toward the targeted object at the location determined by the object detection system.

[0098] An object targeting system can be configured to direct a beam (e.g., a light beam) toward a target location on a surface (e.g., the location of an object of interest). Reference Figure 11A and Figure 11B An exemplary object targeting system including a detection system will now be described. In the illustrated embodiment, the instrument is a laser. However, other instruments are within the scope of this disclosure, including but not limited to gripping instruments, spraying instruments, planting instruments, harvesting instruments, pollinating instruments, marking instruments, blowing instruments, or storage instruments. In some embodiments, the instrument may include an array of instruments that can be selectively enabled or disabled to target the location of an object of interest. For example, the instrument may include an array of sprayers, and each sprayer in the array may be enabled or disabled depending on the location of the object of interest, such that the location of the object of interest is selectively sprayed.

[0099] Figure 11AAn isometric view of an embodiment of the detection system 101 disclosed herein is illustrated. For example, a laser emitter 1101 is configured to guide a beam along an optical path (e.g., laser path 1102). In some embodiments, the beam comprises electromagnetic radiation, such as light, radio waves, microwaves, or X-rays. In some embodiments, the light is visible, infrared, or ultraviolet. The beam may be coherent. In one embodiment, the emitter is a laser, such as an infrared laser.

[0100] One or more optical elements may be located in the path of the beam. The optical elements may include one or more of a beam combiner 1103, a first reflective element 1105, and a second reflective element 1106. The elements may be arranged along the direction of the beam path in the order of beam combiner 1103, then the first reflective element 1105, and then the second reflective element 1106.

[0101] In another example, one or both of the first reflective element 1105 or the second reflective element 1106 may be arranged before the beam combiner 1103 along the direction of the beam path. In another example, optical elements may be arranged along the direction of the beam path in the order of beam combiner 1103, followed by the first reflective element 1105. In yet another example, one or both of the first reflective element 1105 or the second reflective element 1106 may be arranged before the beam combiner 1103 along the direction of the beam path. Any number of additional reflective elements may be located in the beam path. The beam may pass through the laser escape window 1107. The laser escape window 1107 may be transparent and may protect other optical elements from dust.

[0102] The beam combiner 1103 may also be referred to as a beam combining element. In some embodiments, the beam combiner 1103 may be a zinc selenide (ZnSe), zinc sulfide (ZnS), or germanium (Ge) beam combiner. For example, the beam combiner 1103 may be configured to transmit infrared light and reflect visible light. In some embodiments, the beam combiner 1103 may be dichroic. In some embodiments, the beam combiner 1103 may be configured to transmit electromagnetic radiation with wavelengths longer than the cutoff wavelength and reflect electromagnetic radiation with wavelengths shorter than the cutoff wavelength. In some embodiments, the beam combiner may be configured to transmit electromagnetic radiation with wavelengths shorter than the cutoff wavelength and reflect electromagnetic radiation with wavelengths longer than the cutoff wavelength. In some embodiments, the beam combiner may be a polarization beam splitter, a long-pass filter, a short-pass filter, or a band-pass filter.

[0103] The optical control system disclosed herein may also include lenses located in the optical path. In some embodiments, the lens may be a focusing lens positioned such that it focuses the beam, scattered light, or both. For example, the focusing lens may be located in the visible light path to focus scattered light onto a targeting camera. In some embodiments, the lens may be a defocusing lens positioned such that it defocuses the beam, scattered light, or both. In some embodiments, the lens may be a collimating lens positioned such that it collimates the beam, scattered light, or both. In some embodiments, two or more lenses may be located in the optical path. For example, two lenses may be located consecutively in the optical path to broaden or narrow the beam.

[0104] The position and orientation of one or both of the first reflective element 1105 and the second reflective element 1106 can be controlled by an actuator. In some embodiments, the actuator may be an electric motor, a solenoid, a galvanometer, or a servo system. For example, the position of the first reflective element 1105 may be controlled by a first actuator, and the position and orientation of the second reflective element 1106 may be controlled by a second actuator. In some embodiments, a single reflective element may be controlled by multiple actuators. For example, the first reflective element 1105 may be controlled by a first actuator along a first axis and a second actuator along a second axis. In some embodiments, a single actuator may control reflective elements along multiple axes.

[0105] An actuator can change the position of a reflecting element by rotating it, thereby altering the angle of incidence of the beam encountering the reflecting element. Changing the angle of incidence causes a translation of the beam's position when it encounters the surface. In some embodiments, the angle of incidence can be adjusted such that the beam's position when encountering the surface is maintained as the optical system moves relative to the surface. The actuator can be servo-controlled, piezoelectric-actuated, piezoelectric-inertial-actuated, stepper motor-controlled, galvanometer-driven, linear actuator-controlled, or any combination thereof. The reflecting element can be a mirror; for example, a dichroic mirror or dielectric mirror; a prism; a beam splitter; or any combination thereof. In some embodiments, the reflecting element can be any element capable of deflecting the beam.

[0106] Figure 11B As shown Figure 11A A top view of an embodiment of the detection system 101 shown. (See attached image.) Figure 11AAs seen, camera 1104 can be positioned to capture light, such as visible light, traveling along a visible light path 1152 in a direction opposite to the beam path (e.g., laser path 1102). The light can be scattered by a surface (e.g., a surface with an object of interest) or an object (e.g., the object of interest) and travels along the visible light path 1152 toward aiming camera 1104. In some embodiments, camera 1104 is positioned such that it captures light reflected from beam combiner 1103. In other embodiments, camera 1104 is positioned such that it captures light transmitted through beam combiner 1103. By capturing such light, camera 1104 can be configured to image a region of interest on a surface. Camera 1104 can be coupled to beam combiner 1103, or camera 1104 can be coupled to a support structure supporting beam combiner 1103. In one embodiment, camera 1104 does not move relative to beam combiner 1103, such that aiming camera 1104 maintains a fixed position relative to beam combiner 1103.

[0107] The high-intensity lighting system or the object targeting system described herein can be part of an autonomous weeding system for targeting and removing weeds. For example, an autonomous weeding system can be used to target weeds of interest identified and / or located in an image or representation collected by a sensor (e.g., a sensor array). Targeting weeds may include precisely locating weeds using a sensor, targeting weeds with a laser, and eradicating weeds by burning them with a laser (e.g., infrared light). High-intensity lighting systems can improve the accuracy of weed targeting by enabling shorter camera frame rates, shorter image exposure times, higher resolution imaging, or combinations thereof.

[0108] exist Figure 12 The figure illustrates a method 1200 for aiming at an object using the high-intensity lighting system of this disclosure. This method can utilize lighting arrays as described herein (e.g., Figure 5A , Figure 5B , Figure 6A or Figure 6B The illumination array 150 shown is used for implementation. A detection system as described herein (e.g., [example]) can be used. Figure 10 The detection system 101 shown is used to detect objects. In some embodiments, both the lighting array and the object detection system can be coupled to a vehicle, such as an autonomous lawnmower. Figure 1A , Figure 1B and Figure 1CAs shown, an object 161 (e.g., weeds) located on a surface 160 (e.g., ground) is detected. In step 1210 of method 1200, an illumination array may be activated. Once activated, the illumination array can illuminate the region of interest on the surface with high-intensity illumination. In step 1220, the detection system may begin collecting images of the region of interest illuminated by the illumination array. The start of image collection and the activation of the illumination array may occur substantially simultaneously. In some embodiments, the activation of the illumination array and the start of image collection may be separated by no more than about 0.1 μs, about 1 μs, about 10 μs, or about 0.1 ms. In some embodiments, the activation of the illumination array may occur before the start of image collection. The activation of the illumination array may occur no more than about 0.1 μs, about 1 μs, about 10 μs, or about 0.1 ms before the start of image collection. In some embodiments, the start of image collection may occur before the activation of the illumination array. The start of image collection may occur no more than about 0.1 μs, about 1 μs, about 10 μs, or about 0.1 ms before the activation of the illumination array.

[0109] In step 1230, an image of the region of interest (ROI) can be collected to generate an image of the ROI. Image collection may correspond to the time period between the start and end of image collection, which may be referred to as the image exposure time. In step 1240, the detection system may end the image collection of the ROI, and in step 1250, the illumination array may be deactivated. The end of image collection and the deactivation of the illumination array may occur substantially simultaneously. In some embodiments, the time interval between the deactivation of the illumination array and the end of image collection may not exceed approximately 0.1 μs, approximately 1 μs, approximately 10 μs, or approximately 0.1 ms. In some embodiments, the deactivation of the illumination array may occur before the end of image collection. The deactivation of the illumination array may occur no more than approximately 0.1 μs, approximately 1 μs, approximately 10 μs, or approximately 0.1 ms before the end of image collection. In some embodiments, the end of image collection may occur before the deactivation of the illumination array. The end of image collection may occur no more than approximately 0.1 μs, approximately 1 μs, approximately 10 μs, or approximately 0.1 ms before the deactivation of the illumination array.

[0110] The steps of repeatedly enabling the illumination array (step 1210), starting image collection (step 1220), collecting images (step 1230), ending image collection (step 1240), and deactivating the illumination array (step 1250) can be repeated to collect a series of images (e.g., video). These steps may correspond to a rate of repetition of the frame rate (also referred to as the camera frame rate or video frame rate). In some embodiments, the frame rate can be measured as the time between the start of collecting consecutive image frames, i.e., the time between the start of collecting the first image frame and the start of collecting the subsequent second image frame.

[0111] In step 1260, the object (e.g.) Figure 1CThe object 161 in the image may be located in the image collected in step 1230 or in a series of images collected by repeating steps 1210, 1220, 1230, 1240, and 1250. Using a high-intensity illumination system can improve the accuracy of object location in an image by enhancing image quality, for example, by providing more uniform illumination within the region of interest captured in the image, achieving a faster frame rate, achieving a shorter frame time, achieving a higher image resolution, or a combination thereof. In step 1270, the object may be aimed at with an instrument based on the location determined in step 1260. For example, the object may be weeds, which are burned by aiming a laser instrument at them. In another instance, the object may be plants (e.g., crops or weeds) sprayed with a spraying instrument. In yet another instance, a grasping instrument may be used to move the object. In some embodiments, the instrument may include an array of instruments, and aiming at the object may include selectively enabling or disabling individual instruments within the array to aim at the object of interest. For example, the apparatus may include an array of sprayers, and each sprayer in the array may be enabled or disabled depending on the location of the object of interest, thereby selectively spraying the location of the object of interest.

[0112] Figure 13AThe illustration shows the system bus architecture of a computing system 400 according to an example embodiment. System 400 may represent at least a portion of a detection system 101 or a control system 700. For example, system 400 may represent at least a portion of a computer 701 controlling the control system 700. One or more components of system 400 may communicate electrically with each other using bus 405. System 400 may include a processing unit (CPU or processor) 410 and a system bus 405 that connects various system components, including system memory 415, such as read-only memory (ROM) 420 and random access memory (RAM) 425, to processor 410. System 400 may include a cache of high-speed memory that is directly connected to, adjacent to, or integrated into processor 410. System 400 may copy data from memory 415 and / or storage device 430 to cache 412 for fast access by processor 410. In this way, cache 412 can provide a performance improvement by avoiding delays for processor 410 while waiting for data. These and other modules can control or be configured to control processor 410 to perform various actions. Other system memory 415 may also be available. Memory 415 may include various different types of memory with different performance characteristics. Processor 410 may include any general-purpose processor and hardware or software modules configured to control processor 410 (e.g., services 1432, 2434, and 3436 stored in storage device 430), as well as dedicated processors whose software instructions are incorporated into the actual processor design. Processor 410 may essentially be a fully self-contained computing system containing multiple cores or processors, buses, memory controllers, caches, etc. Multi-core processors may be symmetric or asymmetric.

[0113] To enable users to interact with the computing system 400, input device 445 can represent any number of input mechanisms, such as a microphone for voice, a touch-sensitive screen for gesture or graphical input, a keyboard, a mouse, motion input, voice input, etc. Output device 435 can also be one or more of many output mechanisms known to those skilled in the art. In some examples, a multi-mode system allows users to provide multiple types of input to communicate with the computing system 400. Communication interface 440 can typically control and manage user input and system output. There are no limitations on operation for any particular hardware arrangement, so the basic features here can be easily substituted during development to improve the hardware or firmware arrangement.

[0114] Storage device 430 may be a non-volatile memory and may be a hard disk or other type of computer-readable medium that can store data accessible by a computer, such as a magnetic tape cassette, flash memory card, solid-state storage device, digital multifunction disk, cartridge, random access memory (RAM) 425, read-only memory (ROM) 420, and combinations thereof.

[0115] Storage device 430 may include services 432, 434, and 436 for controlling processor 410. This encompasses other hardware or software modules. Storage device 430 may be connected to system bus 405. In one aspect, a hardware module performing a specific function may include software components stored in a computer-readable medium combined with necessary hardware components (e.g., processor 410, bus 405, output device 435 (e.g., display), etc.) to implement the function.

[0116] Figure 13B A computer system 450 with a chipset architecture is illustrated, which may represent at least a portion of a detection system 140 or a control system 700. For example, system 400 may represent at least a portion of a computer 701 controlling system 700. Computer system 450 may be an example of computer hardware, software, and firmware available for implementing the disclosed techniques. System 450 may include a processor 455, which represents any number of physically and / or logically dissimilar resources capable of executing software, firmware, and hardware configured to perform identified calculations. Processor 455 may communicate with chipset 460, which may control inputs and outputs to and from processor 455. In this example, chipset 460 outputs information to output terminal 465 (e.g., a display) and may read information and write information to storage device 470, which may include, for example, magnetic media and solid-state media. Chipset 460 may also read data from storage device 475 (e.g., RAM) and write data to said storage device. A bridge 480 may be provided to interface with a chipset 460 for various user interface components 485. Such user interface components 485 may include a keyboard, microphone, touch detection and processing circuitry, pointing device (e.g., mouse), etc. Typically, input to system 450 may come from any of a variety of machine-generated and / or human-generated sources.

[0117] Chipset 460 may also interface with one or more communication interfaces 490 that may have different physical interfaces. Such communication interfaces may include interfaces for wired and wireless local area networks, broadband wireless networks, and personal area networks. Some applications of the methods disclosed herein for generating, displaying, and using a GUI may include receiving an ordered dataset via a physical interface or receiving a dataset generated by the machine itself by analyzing data stored in storage device 470 or storage device 475 via processor 455. Furthermore, the machine may receive input from a user via user interface component 485 and perform appropriate functions, such as browsing functions, by interpreting this input using processor 455.

[0118] It is understood that the example systems 400 and 450 may have more than one processor 410 or be part of a group or cluster of computing devices networked together to provide more powerful processing capabilities.

[0119] In the foregoing description, various aspects of this application have been described with reference to specific embodiments thereof; however, those skilled in the art will recognize that this application is not limited thereto. Therefore, while illustrative embodiments of this application have been described in detail herein, it will be understood that the concepts of the invention may be embodied and employed in other ways, and the appended claims are intended to be construed as including such variations, unless limited by prior art. Various features and aspects of the foregoing application may be used alone or in combination. Furthermore, embodiments may be used in any number of environments and applications other than those described herein without departing from the broader spirit and scope of this specification. Therefore, the specification and drawings are to be regarded as illustrative rather than restrictive. For illustrative purposes, the methods are described in a particular order. It should be understood that in alternative embodiments, the methods may be performed in a different order than described.

[0120] Those skilled in the art will understand that the less than (“<”) and greater than (“>”) symbols or terms used herein may be replaced by the less than or equal to (“≤”) and greater than or equal to (“≥”) symbols, respectively, without departing from the scope of this specification.

[0121] When a component is described as being “configured” to perform certain operations, such configuration may be accomplished, for example, by designing electronic circuits or other hardware to perform operations, by programming programmable electronic circuits (e.g., microprocessors or other suitable electronic circuits) to perform operations, or any combination thereof.

[0122] The phrase “connected to” refers to any component that is physically connected directly or indirectly to another component, and / or any component that communicates directly or indirectly with another component (e.g., via a wired or wireless connection and / or other suitable communication interface).

[0123] The use of the language of "at least one" and / or "one or more" in a group, or other languages, indicates that one or more members of the group (in any combination) satisfy the claim. For example, the claim language of "at least one of A and B" means A, B, or A and B. In another instance, the claim language of "at least one of A, B, and C" means A, B, C, or A and B, or A and C, or B and C, or A and B and C. The use of the language of "at least one" and / or "one or more" in a group does not limit the group to the items listed in the group. For example, the claim language of "at least one of A and B" may mean A, B, or A and B, and may additionally include items not listed in the group of A and B.

[0124] As used herein, the terms “about” and “approximately” with respect to numbers are used to include numbers that differ from the number in any direction (greater than or less than) by a range of 10%, 5%, or 1%, unless otherwise stated or obvious from the context (except that the number would exceed 100% of the possible value).

[0125] Example

[0126] The invention will be further illustrated by the following non-limiting examples.

[0127] Example 1

[0128] High-intensity lighting in farmland

[0129] This example illustrates high-intensity lighting in farmland used for autonomous weed detection. For example... Figure 1A and Figure 1B An autonomous vehicle equipped with a high-intensity lighting system and a detection system is shown positioned in a farmland. The vehicle travels through rows of crops while the high-intensity lighting system illuminates the region of interest (ROI) beneath the vehicle, and the detection system images the ROI. The high-intensity lighting system illuminates the ROI using an array of light emitters, such as light-emitting diodes (LEDs), arranged to provide uniform brightness within the ROI. A voltage of 92V is applied to each LED, resulting in a high-intensity lighting system producing approximately 600,000 lumens / m². 2 (Lux) is used to illuminate the region of interest. The applied voltage is much higher than the maximum voltage of 69.4V that the LED is designed to operate at. To avoid overheating due to the high voltage, the LED operates with a 7% duty cycle. The on / off state of the LED is synchronized with the camera exposure of the detection system, so that the LED is turned on when the camera is exposed and turned off when the camera is not exposed. The camera is focused at a resolution of 200 pixels / inch (78.7 pixels / cm), an exposure time of 300μs, and a depth of field of approximately 5 inches (12.7cm) at a depth of field of approximately 0.58m.2 Imaging of farmland areas. The vehicle was traveling at 0.5 mph (0.224 m / s) during imaging. (As shown...) Figure 2 As seen in the example images provided, the plants are clearly discernible in the captured images, with no oversaturated or undersaturated areas. The images were collected at different times of day and at night, under conditions of no significant change in lighting.

[0130] Conversely, similar autonomous vehicles without high-intensity lighting systems were used to image regions of interest in farmland. These vehicles included a protective shield surrounding the imaging system to block stray light from the sun. Figure 3 The image shown is an example image collected without the use of a high-intensity lighting system when the autonomous vehicle is stationary. Even with a light shield, stray light still reaches the surface within the region of interest, resulting in uneven illumination and oversaturation in various parts of the image. The oversaturated portion caused by stray light glare is shown in... Figure 3 The arrow indicates this. When the sun is at a low angle (e.g., shortly after sunrise or shortly before sunset), glare from stray light is particularly problematic for autonomous vehicles without high-intensity lighting systems.

[0131] Example 2

[0132] Use high-intensity lighting systems to reduce motion blur.

[0133] This example illustrates the use of a high-intensity illumination system to reduce motion blur. Illuminating the region of interest (ROI) with high-intensity illumination reduces motion blur caused by camera movement relative to the ROI during the frame exposure time. A camera positioned on a vehicle moving along a surface at 2 mph (0.894 m / s) images multiple areas of the surface. Under standard illumination conditions (approximately 60,000 lux), the camera exposure time was set to 3 ms to capture sufficient light for high-resolution (200 pixels per inch) imaging. The resulting image contains substantial motion blur due to vehicle movement during the relatively long 3 ms exposure time. Figure 4C The image shown simulates a 3ms exposure time under 60,000 lux illumination. During the 3ms exposure, the vehicle moves approximately 2.68mm relative to the surface. Figure 4C As seen in the image, motion blur hinders the detection of objects (such as weeds) within the image.

[0134] Images were collected from a vehicle equipped with a lighting system moving at 2 mph. Under illumination comparable to bright daylight conditions (approximately 120,000 lux), the camera exposure time was set to 1.5 ms to capture enough light for high-resolution (200 pixels per inch) imaging. The resulting images contained some motion blur, but far less than images captured with a 3 ms exposure at 60,000 lux. Figure 4B The image shown simulates a 1.5 ms exposure time under 120,000 lux illumination. During the 1.5 ms exposure, the vehicle moves approximately 1.34 mm relative to the surface. Figure 4B Some blurring is still visible, but objects, such as weeds, can be detected within the image.

[0135] Finally, images were collected from a vehicle moving at 2 mph equipped with a high-intensity lighting system. Under illumination five times brighter than the sun (approximately 600,000 lux), the camera exposure time was set to 0.3 ms (300 μs) to capture enough light for high-resolution (200 pixels per inch) imaging. The resulting images contain virtually imperceptible motion blur. Figure 4A The image shown was acquired under 600,000 lux illumination with an exposure time of 0.3 ms. During the 0.3 ms exposure, the vehicle moved only 0.27 mm relative to the surface. Figure 4A As seen in the image, objects such as weeds can be detected and identified within the image.

[0136] Example 3

[0137] LED array

[0138] This example describes an array of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) configured to produce uniform illumination within a region of interest on a surface. The LEDs are arranged on the underside of an autonomous vehicle, as shown below. Figure 5B and Figure 6B As shown, it is configured to illuminate the surface beneath the vehicle and collect images of the region of interest as the vehicle drives over it. Figure 5A and Figure 6AAn example of an LED array configured to produce uniform illumination on a surface is shown. A vehicle may be equipped with multiple LED arrays. The LED arrangement is tailored to produce uniform illumination of a surface of interest (e.g., a field with rows of crops). Computer simulations are used to determine the LED arrangement to minimize variations in the sum of intensities from multiple LEDs within the region of interest on the surface. The computer simulations consider several parameters, including the number of LEDs, the presence and type of reflectors, the geometric constraints of the device housing the illumination array, its distance from the surface, and the field of view of the camera positioned to image the region of interest. The computer simulations vary several parameters, including the position of the LEDs, the number of LEDs, the angle of the LEDs, the inclusion of reflectors, and the type of reflectors.

[0139] Example 4

[0140] Electrical configuration of high intensity lighting system

[0141] This example describes the electrical configuration of a high-intensity lighting system. The high-intensity lighting system includes an array of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and one or more cameras. The LED array and the cameras are controlled by a gating printed circuit board (PCB), such as... Figure 7 As shown, the gating printed circuit board is computer-operated. The gating PCB provides gating signals to the LED array to turn the LEDs on and off. The on / off state of the LEDs is synchronized with camera triggering, so that the LEDs are turned on when the camera is collecting data and / or exposing an image. The gating PCB is designed to supply voltage to the LEDs, approximately twice the design operating voltage of the LEDs. This higher-than-recommended voltage enables the LED array to produce 600,000 lumens / m². 2 The illuminance at (lux) is approximately five times that of the sun during peak sunlight on a clear day. To prevent overheating due to high voltage, the LED operates at a 7% duty cycle. Heat sinks are added to the LED to further prevent overheating.

[0142] While preferred embodiments of the invention have been shown and described herein, those skilled in the art will understand that such embodiments are provided by way of example only. Many variations, modifications, and substitutions will now occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the invention. It should be understood that the invention can be practiced in various alternative forms to the embodiments described herein. It is intended that the following claims define the scope of the invention and thereby cover the methods and structures within the scope of these claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A system for illuminating and targeting plants, the system comprising: An illumination array comprising multiple light emitters, wherein the illumination array is configured to illuminate a region of interest on a surface to reduce or eliminate shadows in the region of interest, and wherein the region of interest includes the plant; as well as The detection system includes: A camera, configured to acquire an image of the region of interest, wherein the image depicts the plant. One or more processors are configured to determine the target location of plants within the region of interest based on images of the region of interest acquired by the camera, and A tool configured to aim at the plant at the target location.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a computer and a gating circuit, wherein the computer is configured to control the gating circuit, and wherein the gating circuit is configured to enable and disable the illumination array and synchronize the exposure time of the camera with the enabled state of the illumination array.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the gating circuit is configured to enable the illumination array at the start of the camera's exposure time and deactivate the illumination array at the end of the camera's exposure time.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the gating circuit further includes a capacitor configured to charge when the illumination array is deactivated.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein discharging the capacitor is configured to enable the illumination array.

6. The system of claim 2, wherein the gating circuit is configured to enable and disable the illumination array with a duty cycle of no more than 15%.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising a heat sink configured to dissipate heat from the illumination array.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein when the illumination array is enabled, the illuminance within the region of interest varies by no more than 50% within the region of interest.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the light emitter is a light-emitting diode.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the illumination array is configured to produce an illuminance of not less than 120,000 lux.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the illumination array is configured to produce an illuminance of not less than 200,000 lux and not more than 700,000 lux.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the system is coupled to a vehicle, and wherein the vehicle is configured to move relative to the surface.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the detection system is coupled to the vehicle such that the region of interest imaged by the camera is below the vehicle.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the illumination array is coupled to the vehicle such that the region of interest illuminated by the illumination array is below the vehicle.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the surface is the ground.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the plant is a weed.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is a laser, a sprayer, or a gripper.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the laser is configured to burn the plant.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the sprayer is configured to spray the plant.

20. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are configured to determine the target location of the plant by inputting an image of the region of interest into a deep learning neural network.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the deep learning neural network is trained to distinguish between crops and weeds.

22. The system of claim 1, wherein illumination from the illumination array is directed downward toward the region of interest to reduce or eliminate shadows in the region of interest.

23. The system of claim 12, wherein the vehicle is configured to move relative to the surface as the camera acquires an image of the region of interest, and wherein illumination from the illumination array is configured to reduce or eliminate motion that blurs the image.

24. The system of claim 1, wherein the surface is an agricultural surface.

25. The system of claim 1, wherein the surface is a building surface.

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