Panoramic phenology monitoring system

Abstract

The panoramic phenology monitoring system comprises an image module, a sensor module, a main control module and a power supply module, the image module comprises a base and three camera shooting units which are arranged on the base and have the same model, the three camera shooting units are distributed at equal angles relative to the center, and the camera shooting ends of the camera shooting units all face the outside of the center; the sensor module comprises a plurality of plant physiological sensors and environment sensors; the main control module comprises a PLC (Programmable Logic Controller) and an upper computer communicated with the PLC; the camera unit and the sensor module are communicated with the upper computer through cables; the power supply module supplies power to the main control module. By adopting the above arrangement, the sensor can be linked to read environment and botany related data when a 360-degree panoramic image is shot, meanwhile, the continuity of the data can be ensured after the system needs to be maintained and the camera body needs to be replaced, and the visual angle difference does not occur.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention belongs to the technical field of phenological monitoring technology, and particularly relates to a panoramic phenological monitoring system. Background Art

[0002] Plant phenological monitoring refers to observing and recording plant life cycle events (such as flowering, leaf fall, and germination) through various means including manual and automated methods. Since plant phenology is one of the most sensitive indicators of climate change, phenological monitoring is crucial for understanding the responses of plants to climate change and other environmental changes, as well as the impacts of climate change on ecosystems, thereby predicting the distribution changes of species under climate change and helping to identify and protect vulnerable species affected by climate change.

[0003] Due to the extremely long time span and spatial scale of phenological monitoring, where the time span even exceeds the service life of some components in the system, and there are high requirements for data continuity, the phenological monitoring system has higher requirements for stable outdoor operation over a long time and seamless replacement of core components such as the camera body with minimal impact on image continuity compared to other types of image data acquisition systems. At the same time, the phenological monitoring system should monitor as many angles as possible in the sample plot at a limited cost to improve the richness of data, and while monitoring through images, it should also be able to synchronously collect environmental data by linking various sensors.

[0004] There are also many mature phenological monitoring systems on the market currently. However, common phenological monitoring system products have at least one of the following problems: the phenological monitoring cameras operate independently and cannot communicate and cooperate with other sensors to complete multi-dimensional monitoring; the installation cost is high, and each angle requires a phenological camera or even a set of monitoring systems for monitoring; it is very difficult to achieve stable operation on an extremely long time scale (from several years to several decades), and once a failure occurs, it is difficult to repair and update while ensuring the shooting angle remains unchanged. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In order to overcome the deficiencies of the prior art, the purpose of the present invention is to provide a panoramic phenological monitoring system that can link sensors to read environmental and plant physiological related data when shooting 360-degree panoramic images, and at the same time ensure data continuity when the camera body of the system needs to be repaired and replaced, without any perspective differences.

[0006] The purpose of the present invention is achieved through the following technical solutions:

[0007] A panoramic phenological monitoring system, comprising an imaging module, a sensor module, a main control module, and a power supply module; the imaging module includes a base and three identical camera units arranged on the base, the three camera units are equally angularly distributed about the center and the imaging ends of the camera units are all oriented outside the center; the sensor module includes a number of plant physiological sensors and environmental sensors; the main control module includes a PLC programmable controller and a host computer in communication with the PLC programmable controller, and the camera units and the sensor module are both in communication with the host computer through cables; the power supply module supplies power to the camera units, the sensor module, and the main control module.

[0008] Further, the camera unit includes a mirrorless digital camera and a fish-eye lens adapted to the mirrorless digital camera; the mirrorless digital camera uses a full-frame camera, and the focal length of the fish-eye lens is selected from 11 millimeters to 15 millimeters.

[0009] Further, a bracket is arranged on the base, the bracket has three connection positions, the three connection positions respectively correspond to the three camera units, and the housing of the fish-eye lens is detachably installed on the connection positions.

[0010] Further, the connection position uses a connection clamp.

[0011] Further, the imaging module further includes a cylindrical housing arranged on the base, the three camera units are all arranged in the cylindrical housing, and the cylindrical housing is made of a transparent material.

[0012] Further, a protective cap is arranged on the top surface of the cylindrical housing, the protective cap is in the shape of a bamboo hat, and is used to block wind, rain and sundries, and reduce the attachment of dirt on the cylindrical housing and affect the data quality.

[0013] Further, an LED warning light is arranged on the top of the protective cap, and a loudspeaker is arranged on the base; the LED warning light is used to make its warning flash visible all around, and the loudspeaker is used to emit an alarm sound.

[0014] Further, the power supply module includes a solar panel and a UPS power supply, the solar panel is electrically connected to the UPS power supply, and the UPS power supply is electrically connected to the PLC programmable controller, the host computer, the imaging unit and the sensor.

[0015] Further, the mirrorless digital camera communicates and transmits image files with the host computer through the PTP protocol; the sensor module communicates and obtains data with the host computer through the RS485 / MODBUS-RTU protocol.

[0016] The present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0017] ① The phenological monitoring mode based on 360-degree panoramic images can capture 360-degree phenological information of the entire plot through three cameras distributed at equal angles;

[0018] ② Each time a photo is taken, the plant physiological sensor and environmental sensor of the sensor module can be linked to collect the corresponding environmental and plant physiological and ecological data;

[0019] ④ Using a combination of three micro-single-lens digital cameras and a fisheye lens with a focal length of 11mm to 15mm can achieve the best balance between cost and data quality;

[0020] ③ Through the connection position of the bracket on the base, the fisheye lens can be detachably installed on the connection position, so that the camera body is suspended in the air, which can support seamless replacement of the body without affecting shooting.

[0021] ⑤ Design an audible and visual alarm system (i.e., LED lights and speakers) that can use audible and visual alarms to drive away animals that enter the image or inform maintenance personnel to prevent them from entering the image and affecting data quality;

[0022] ⑥ Design a conical hat-shaped protective cap and a cylindrical transparent shell design. While ensuring the collection of phenological information of the sample site, it can block wind, rain, dust and light pollution to prevent them from adhering to the shell and affecting data quality, and block sunlight entering the lens to avoid backlit shooting. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the present invention.

[0024] Figure 2 Schematic diagram of the overall structure of the camera module of the present invention.

[0025] Figure 3 Schematic diagram of the internal structure of the imaging module of the present invention.

[0026] Figure 4 It is a top view of the base and the camera unit of the present invention.

[0027] In the figure: 1. Imaging module; 11. Base; 12. Bracket; 121. Connection position; 13. Mirrorless digital camera; 14. Fisheye lens; 15. Cylindrical shell; 16. Protective cap; 17. LED warning light; 18. Speaker; 2. Main control module; 3. Sensor module; 4. Power supply module; 41. Solar panel; 42. UPS power supply. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0028] The present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. Terms such as "upper," "inner," "middle," "left," "right," and "one" used in this specification are for ease of description and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. Changes or adjustments to these terms, without substantially altering the technical content, are also considered within the scope of the present invention.

[0029] The present invention designs a panoramic phenological monitoring system, which can link sensors to read relevant environmental and botanical data during the process of shooting 360 panoramic images, so as to reduce the cost of phenological monitoring equipment, achieve comprehensive coverage of monitoring sites, and improve the dimension of monitoring data. When the system needs to be repaired and the camera body replaced, the continuity of the data can be guaranteed without any difference in viewing angle, so as to increase the effective monitoring life of the system and improve the time span of the data. In addition, when the image module is shooting, sound and light alarms can be used to prevent people or animals from entering the picture and affecting the data quality.

[0030] Based on this, the structure and working principle of the panoramic phenology monitoring system of the present invention are described in detail below:

[0031] A panoramic phenological monitoring system, such as Figures 1 to 4 As shown, it includes an imaging module 1, a sensor module 3, a main control module 2, and a power supply module 4.

[0032] The imaging module 1 is mainly responsible for collecting image data for phenological monitoring. The imaging module 1 includes a cylindrical base 11 and three camera units of the same model arranged on the top surface of the base 11. The three camera units are distributed at equal angles about the center of the base 11 and the camera ends of the camera units are all facing outside the center. Three camera units can be the optimal number to ensure 360-degree panoramic stitching. If two are used, a fisheye lens with a viewing angle of more than 180 degrees is required. Such fisheye lenses are difficult to obtain and expensive, and a viewing angle of more than 180 degrees also determines that its effect is a circular fisheye, resulting in a large number of sensor pixels being wasted. More than three camera units are too expensive, so the design of three sets of identical camera units can achieve the best balance in cost and data resolution.

[0033] The sensor module 3 includes a series of plant physiological sensors and environmental sensors, including but not limited to photosynthesis sensors, leaf temperature and humidity sensors, trunk sap flow sensors, breast diameter sensors, etc., and environmental sensors such as temperature and humidity sensors, light sensors, wind speed and direction sensors, CO2, O2 and other gas sensors, ultraviolet sensors, soil temperature and humidity, pH conductivity, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium sensors, etc.; the sensor module 3 can collect a series of environmental and plant physiological data while collecting phenological monitoring image data to improve the richness of the data set.

[0034] The main control module 2 includes a PLC programmable controller, a host computer, and an industrial Internet of Things gateway. The host computer communicates with the PLC programmable controller through cables. The PLC programmable controller is responsible for controlling the work of the corresponding modules. The host computer is used for equipment control, 360 panoramic image synthesis, data reception, storage, processing, and transmission to the background through the Internet of Things gateway; among them, the camera unit and the sensor module 3 both communicate with the host computer through cables.

[0035] The imaging module 1 and sensor module 3 are both connected to the main control module 2 and exchange data via corresponding communication protocols. For example, the micro-single digital camera 13 of the imaging unit communicates with the host computer and transmits image files via the PTP protocol (ISO15740-2013); the plant physiological sensors and environmental sensors of the sensor module 3 communicate with the host computer and obtain data via the RS485 / MODBUS-RTU protocol. The host computer of the main control module 2 is also connected to the remote backend via the industrial Internet of Things gateway for data transmission.

[0036] The power supply module 4 includes a solar panel 41 and a UPS power supply 42. The solar panel 41 is electrically connected to the UPS power supply 42 through a mains interface. The UPS power supply 42 is electrically connected to the imaging unit, the PLC programmable controller and the host computer to power the PLC programmable controller and the host computer.

[0037] Thus, the present invention provides three camera units of the same model, distributed at equal angles, on the bracket 12. Thus, adjacent camera units will have overlapping images, allowing the main control module 2 to stitch the images captured by the three camera units into a 360-degree panoramic image. Three camera units are the optimal number to ensure 360-degree panoramic stitching. Using two camera units would require a fisheye lens with a viewing angle exceeding 180 degrees, which is difficult to obtain and expensive. Furthermore, a viewing angle exceeding 180 degrees also results in a circular fisheye effect, resulting in a large waste of sensor pixels. Using more than three camera units is also cost-prohibitive. Therefore, the design of three identical camera units achieves the best balance between cost and data resolution. Furthermore, because a full-frame micro-single camera is used, the "full-frame" has a fixed sensor size of 36mm*24mm. Therefore, even if the system needs to repair or replace the camera body, data continuity is still guaranteed, without any differences in viewing angle. Furthermore, during the shooting process, the imaging module 1 can be linked to the plant physiological sensor and environmental sensor of the sensor module 3 to read relevant environmental and plant physiological data in the monitored environment.

[0038] Regarding the imaging module 1 of the panoramic phenological monitoring system of the present invention, it is mainly used for real-time monitoring and photographing of the phenological environment, and mainly includes a camera unit, a bracket 12, a cylindrical housing 15, a protective cap 16, an LED lamp 17, and a speaker 18.

[0039] The camera unit includes a mirrorless digital camera 13 and a fish-eye lens 14 adapted to the mirrorless digital camera 13. Among them, the focal length of the fish-eye lens 14 is selected to be 11 mm to 15 mm. On the one hand, the wide viewing angle of the fish-eye lens 14 enables only three sets of camera lens combinations to meet the angles and image overlaps required for 360-degree panoramic image synthesis. On the other hand, it also avoids the waste caused by the over-wide focal length such as 8 mm forming a circular fish-eye, where part of the sensor area cannot collect effective image information. The mirrorless digital camera 13 is used to capture phenological images and transmit them to the main control module 2 for synthesizing 360-degree panoramic images and then transmitting them to the backend for storage and analysis. The mirrorless digital camera 13 uses a full-frame camera because a full-frame camera has a standard-sized 36mm*24mm sensor, and this standard will be followed and implemented for a considerable period in the future. Therefore, when replacing the camera body in the future, it can well ensure the compatibility of the viewing angles and pictures of the old and new camera bodies, thus improving the continuity of data.

[0040] Thus, in this embodiment, by limiting the focal length of the fish-eye lens 14, it is possible to use a minimum of three sets of camera units to capture the required 360-degree panoramic image without wasting the pixels in the frame. If only two sets of camera lens combinations are used, a fish-eye lens 14 with a focal length equivalent to less than 8 mm of 35 mm film is required. Such fish-eye lenses 14 are expensive in the market, and the circular fish-eye pictures will waste a large number of sensor pixels. Using lenses with longer focal lengths requires more cameras to form an array, and the cost will rise rapidly. Therefore, using three camera units is the optimal solution considering cost and data quality.

[0041] The bracket 12 is installed on the top surface of the base 11. The bracket 12 has three connection positions 121, and the three connection positions 121 respectively correspond to the three camera units. The connection positions 121 can adopt connection clamps or other snap structures with detachable installation functions, and the housing of the fish-eye lens 14 is detachably installed on the connection positions 121. It should be noted that the housing of the fish-eye lens 14 adopts a mechanical lens housing without any electronic contacts. Therefore, when the fish-eye lens 14 is detachably installed on the connection positions 121 of the bracket 12, the reliability of the connection and installation can be improved. At the same time, the fish-eye lens 14 is installed on the connection positions 121 of the bracket 12 to leave space for replacing the body of the mirrorless digital camera 13, so as to realize the function of seamlessly replacing the body of the mirrorless digital camera 13 when the life of the camera body reaches or is damaged. Among them, when the fish-eye lens 14 is installed on the corresponding connection positions 121, the connection positions 121 can also be used to clamp multiple cables led out from the body of the mirrorless digital camera 13. The cables can be power cables, shutter cables, USB cables, HDMI cables, etc., to prevent signal interruption caused by loose cable interfaces during use.

[0042] The cylindrical housing 15 is fixedly arranged on the top surface of the base 11. The bracket 12 and the three camera units are all located inside the cylindrical housing 15. The cylindrical housing 15 is made of transparent materials such as glass, acrylic transparent plastic, etc. Therefore, by setting the transparent cylindrical housing 15, the equipment inside the cylindrical housing 15 can be protected from the external environment, and at the same time, the transparent material allows the internal camera units to collect and monitor the surrounding environment.

[0043] The protective cap 16 is arranged on the top surface of the cylindrical housing 15. The protective cap 16 is designed in the shape of a bamboo hat and is used to block wind, rain and sundries, reduce the situation that dirt adheres to the surface of the cylindrical housing 15 and affects the image data quality, and avoid sunlight from shining into the lens and causing backlight shooting. Compared with traditional 360-degree panoramic image application scenarios such as street view and VR guided tour shooting that require spherical images of the entire environment, in the application scenario of phenological monitoring, according to actual needs and protection needs, some data such as the sky and the part below the base 11 can be ignored. Since the 360-degree panoramic phenological monitoring system can capture 360-degree information of the location, its protective design should adopt a protective cap 16 with a bamboo hat shape at the top. At the same time, the solar panel 41 of the power supply module 4 can be integrated on the surface of the protective cap 16, which can also play a role in power supply and avoid problems such as the solar panel 41 being at the same height or below the imaging module 1 and causing it to enter the monitoring screen or affect lighting.

[0044] In this embodiment, the base 11 can be designed as a hollow structure, and the main control unit can be located inside the base 11. The main control unit's PLC programmable controller is electrically connected to an LED warning light 17 and a speaker 18. The LED light 17 can be mounted on the top of the base 11 or the protective cap 16, and the speaker 18 can be located inside the base 11. Both the LED light 17 and the speaker 18 serve to provide alarms and warnings. Specifically, when the imaging module 1 detects an unidentified animal or stranger in the image, the LED light 17 can emit a flashing alarm light, and the speaker 18 can emit an alarm sound to dispel the unidentified animal or stranger that has entered the image, as well as to remind maintenance personnel to avoid the animal or stranger during filming. Furthermore, the main control unit's PLC programmable controller is also electrically connected to a cooling fan and an internal temperature and humidity sensor located inside the base 11. These functions are primarily used to dissipate heat from the main control unit during operation and to monitor the temperature and humidity inside the base 11 in real time.

[0045] In summary, the panoramic phenological monitoring system of the present invention is achieved by using multiple micro-single digital cameras 13 of the same model equipped with fisheye lenses 14 of the same model, evenly aiming them in different directions (i.e., distributed at equal angles about the center), and simultaneously capturing a set of initial image data with a certain degree of overlap, which is then stitched together to form target image data covering a 360-degree spherical picture of the entire plot. Compared to traditional planar image monitoring systems, the panoramic image phenological monitoring system has the advantages of wide coverage, good image data continuity, and ease of maintenance. There is no need to worry about the replacement of camera lenses affecting data continuity, and it is a new type of phenological monitoring method.

[0046] Based on this, the following beneficial effects of the panoramic phenology monitoring system of the present invention are summarized as follows:

[0047] ① The phenological monitoring mode based on 360-degree panoramic images can cover 360-degree phenological information of the entire plot through three camera units distributed at equal angles;

[0048] ② Each time a photo is taken, the plant physiological sensor and environmental sensor of the sensor module 3 are linked to collect the corresponding environmental and plant physiological and ecological data;

[0049] ④ Using a three-camera combination of a micro single-lens digital camera 13 and a fisheye lens 14, wherein the focal length of the fisheye lens 14 is selected to be 11mm to 15mm, which can achieve an optimal balance between cost and data quality;

[0050] ③ The fisheye lens 14 is detachably mounted on the connection position 121 of the bracket 12 on the base 11, so that the camera body is suspended in the air, which can support seamless replacement of the body without affecting shooting.

[0051] ⑤Design an acoustic-optical alarm system (i.e., LED lamp 17 and speaker 18), which can disperse animals entering the picture through acoustic-optical alarm or inform maintenance personnel to avoid their entry into the picture and affecting data quality;

[0052] ⑥Design a bamboo hat-shaped protective cap 16 and a cylindrical transparent housing, which can block wind, rain, dust and other contaminants while ensuring the collection of phenological information of the sample plot, avoiding their attachment to the housing and affecting data quality, and also avoiding direct sunlight from shining into the lens and causing backlight shooting.

[0053] The implementation modes of the present invention are not limited thereto. According to the above content of the present invention, using the common technical knowledge and conventional means in the art, without departing from the above basic technical idea of the present invention, the present invention can also be modified, replaced or combined in various other forms, all of which fall within the scope of the protection of the rights of the present invention.

Claims

1. A panoramic phenological monitoring system, characterized in that, Including: An imaging module, the imaging module includes a base and three identical camera units arranged on the base. The three camera units are equally angularly distributed about the center and the imaging ends of the camera units all face outside the center; A sensor module, the sensor module includes a number of plant physiological sensors and environmental sensors; A main control module, the main control module includes a PLC programmable controller and a host computer in communication with the PLC programmable controller. The camera unit and the sensor module are both in communication with the host computer through cables; A power supply module, the power supply module supplies power to the camera unit, the sensor module and the main control module.

2. The panoramic phenological monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein The camera unit includes a mirrorless digital camera and a fish-eye lens adapted to the mirrorless digital camera; the mirrorless digital camera uses a full-frame camera, and the focal length of the fish-eye lens is selected as a diagonal fish-eye of 11 mm to 15 mm.

3. The panoramic phenological monitoring system according to claim 2, wherein A bracket is arranged on the base, the bracket has three connection positions, the three connection positions respectively correspond to the three camera units, and the housing of the fish-eye lens is detachably installed on the connection positions.

4. The panoramic phenological monitoring system according to claim 3, characterized in that, The connection position uses a connection clamp.

5. The panoramic phenological monitoring system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The imaging module further includes a cylindrical housing arranged on the base, and the three camera units are all arranged in the cylindrical housing. The cylindrical housing is made of a transparent material.

6. The panoramic phenological monitoring system according to claim 5, characterized in that A protective cap is arranged on the top surface of the cylindrical housing. The protective cap is in the shape of a bamboo hat, which is used to block wind, rain and sundries, reduce the attachment of dirt on the cylindrical housing and affect the data quality, and block direct sunlight from entering the lens to avoid backlight shooting.

7. The panoramic phenological monitoring system according to claim 6, wherein An LED warning light is arranged on the top of the protective cap, and a speaker is arranged on the base; the LED warning light is used to make its warning flash visible all around, and the speaker is used to emit an alarm sound.

8. The panoramic phenology monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein, The power supply module includes a solar panel and a UPS power supply. The solar panel is electrically connected to the UPS power supply, and the UPS power supply is electrically connected to the PLC programmable controller, the host computer, the camera unit and the sensor module.

9. The panoramic phenological monitoring system according to claim 2, wherein The mirrorless digital camera communicates and transmits image files with the host computer through the PTP protocol; the sensor module communicates and obtains data with the host computer through the RS485 / MODBUS-RTU protocol.

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