Pest prevention and control system and method

Abstract

The invention provides a pest prevention and control system and method.The system comprises a monitoring and capturing device, a gateway and a data processing platform, the monitoring and capturing device comprises a trap, a control device and a shooting device, the control device is in communication connection with the shooting device, and the shooting device is used for collecting an image of a pest capturing area of the trap; the control device is used for communicating with the gateway to determine whether the control device and the gateway are in a communicable state or not in response to detecting that the current state meets a preset starting rule; the control device is used for waking up and controlling the shooting device to shoot to obtain a first image when in the communicable state; the control device is used for sending the first image to the gateway according to a preset communication protocol; the gateway is used for sending the first image to the data processing platform, and the data processing platform carries out image processing on the first image so as to recognize the contained pest condition.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of pest control, and in particular to a control system and method for pest control. Background Technology

[0002] For pest control (PCO) services, most service providers do not have pest detection equipment and rely on regular on-site inspections by personnel. The disadvantages of this are obvious: pests cannot be detected in time when they are present, and the on-site inspections are ineffective when there are no pests.

[0003] Existing pest detection methods mainly include the following: (1) Infrared thermal sensors are used to detect the activity of pests such as rats. However, this method is prone to false triggering because the presence of a radiant heat source will trigger the sensor to emit a signal; (2) Trigger sensors or weight sensors are set on devices such as mousetraps. When a rat passes by, the trigger device works and uploads the status of the mousetrap to the data processing platform. This method can only detect whether the device has been triggered and cannot know the shape, type, or other information of the rat; (3) Taking pictures. After detecting signs of rat activity, a camera is used to capture the image and then transmit it to the cloud server. However, its disadvantages are: a. It may be falsely triggered, and dynamic capture may not be able to capture the image. Real-time monitoring consumes a lot of power and requires a power supply or a long-lasting battery; b. Network transmission depends on network signals. The detection point may not have WIFI or 4G signals, so the image cannot be transmitted. Moreover, using 4G is costly and requires managing SIM card traffic. WIFI is more limited by the network. Rats usually appear in ceilings or holes, and WIFI signals may not cover them. In addition, WIFI is a high-power communication method, which is not conducive to battery life. c. Due to the large variety of materials involved, the cost is relatively high.

[0004] Furthermore, existing technologies are primarily designed for monitoring larger pests like rats. However, they are not very effective against smaller pests such as cockroaches, mosquitoes, and flies. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To address the aforementioned problems, this invention provides a pest control system, comprising a monitoring and capture device, a gateway, and a data processing platform. The monitoring and capture device includes a trap, a control device, and a camera. The control device is communicatively connected to the camera, and the camera is used to capture images of the pest-capturing area of ​​the trap.

[0006] The control device is used to communicate with the gateway in response to detecting that the current state meets the preset startup rules to determine whether the control device and the gateway are in a communicable state.

[0007] The control device is used to wake up and control the camera to take a picture to obtain a first image when the control device and the gateway are in the communicable state.

[0008] The control device is used to send the first image to the gateway according to a preset communication protocol;

[0009] The gateway is used to send the first image to a data processing platform, which performs image processing on the first image to identify any harmful organisms it contains.

[0010] Furthermore, the data processing platform is deployed on a cloud platform.

[0011] or,

[0012] The data processing platform and the gateway are integrated into the same device.

[0013] or,

[0014] The data processing platform and the gateway are connected via a local area network or a network cable.

[0015] Secondly, this application provides a control method for a pest control system, the pest control system including a monitoring and trapping device, a gateway, and a data processing platform. The monitoring and trapping device includes a trap, a control device, and a camera. The control device is communicatively connected to the camera, and the camera is used to collect images of the pest-capturing area of ​​the trap. The method includes:

[0016] In response to detecting that the current state meets the preset startup rules, the control device communicates with the gateway to determine whether the control device and the gateway are in a communicable state.

[0017] When the control device and the gateway are in the communicable state, the control device wakes up and controls the camera to take a picture to obtain a first image.

[0018] According to a preset communication protocol, the control device sends the first image to the gateway;

[0019] The gateway sends the first image to the data processing platform, which performs image processing on the first image to identify any harmful organisms it contains.

[0020] Furthermore, the monitoring and capture device also includes a power storage module for supplying power to the camera and the control device. In response to detecting that the current state meets a preset activation rule, the control device communicates with the gateway to determine whether the control device and the gateway are in a communicable state, including:

[0021] In response to detecting that the current state meets the preset startup rules, the control device detects whether the remaining power of the energy storage module meets the first preset condition;

[0022] When the first preset condition is met, the control device sends a message to the gateway so that the gateway can return corresponding response information based on the message;

[0023] When the control device receives the response information, it determines that it is in the communicable state.

[0024] Furthermore, the control method further includes:

[0025] When no response is received, the control device and the camera enter a sleep state.

[0026] Furthermore, the startup rule includes a preset startup time. The step of the control device communicating with the gateway to determine whether a communicable state exists between the control device and the gateway in response to detecting that the current state meets the preset startup rule includes: the control device communicating with the gateway to determine whether a communicable state exists between the control device and the gateway when the current time is detected to be within the preset startup time; or...

[0027] The startup rule includes a user instruction. In response to detecting that the current state meets the preset startup rule, the control device communicates with the gateway to determine whether the control device and the gateway are in a communicable state, including: in response to receiving a user instruction, the control device communicates with the gateway to determine whether the communication between the control device and the gateway is in a communicable state.

[0028] Furthermore, the method also includes:

[0029] The control device determines the signal transmission power based on the relative distance between the gateway and the control device and / or the communication signal strength between the control device and the gateway;

[0030] The control device sends the first image to the gateway according to a preset communication protocol, including:

[0031] The control device sends the first image to the gateway according to the determined signal transmission power.

[0032] Furthermore, the control device also includes an image processing module, which includes an image acquisition module, an image compression module, and a storage area. The image acquisition module is communicatively connected to the camera and includes a buffer area. The data stream of the original images captured by the camera is transmitted to the buffer area in batches. The image compression module is connected to the image acquisition module and the storage area respectively. The image compression module reads the data stream in the buffer area and compresses it, storing the compressed data in the storage area to form the first image.

[0033] Furthermore, the buffer area includes a first buffer area and a second buffer area, which work alternately: when the first buffer area receives the raw image data stream captured by the camera, the image compression module extracts and compresses the data in the second buffer area, and then transmits it to the storage area; conversely, when the second buffer area receives the raw image data stream captured by the camera, the image compression module extracts and compresses the data in the first buffer area, and then transmits it to the storage area.

[0034] Further, the gateway sends the first image to a data processing platform, which performs image processing on the first image to identify harmful organisms contained therein, including:

[0035] When the gateway malfunctions in communication with the data processing platform, the gateway stores the first image locally. When the gateway communicates normally with the data processing platform, it checks whether the first image is stored locally. If it is, it sends the first image to the data processing platform.

[0036] Further, the gateway sends the first image to a data processing platform, which performs image processing on the first image to identify any harmful organisms it contains, including:

[0037] The data processing platform identifies the type and quantity of pests contained in the first image.

[0038] The data processing platform sends the identified pest type and the number of pests to the client so that the client can visually display the pest type and the number of pests to the user.

[0039] This invention detects pests using image recognition. By setting the control device to confirm a communicable state before communicating with the gateway, it minimizes the number of invalid camera starts, reduces power consumption, and improves battery life. Furthermore, the camera in this invention can start according to user-specified start rules, rather than activating only when the sensor detects a pest as in existing technologies, further reducing start-up frequency and energy consumption. By employing a communication protocol between the control device and the gateway, with the gateway forwarding images to a data processing platform for image recognition, this invention allows the monitoring and capture device to be placed anywhere pests need to be captured, regardless of whether the location supports Wi-Fi or 4G communication. This eliminates signal quality limitations and caters to a wider range of usage scenarios. Attached Figure Description

[0040] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a pest control system;

[0041] Figure 2 This is a flowchart of the control method for a pest control system;

[0042] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the interaction between the control device, the camera and gateway, the data processing platform, and the client.

[0043] Figure 4 This is a flowchart of the control device and camera's operation. Detailed Implementation

[0044] As described in the background section, in order to solve the above-mentioned technical problems, this application provides a pest control system, which realizes the control of pest control effects by collecting images of pests with a camera and a control device and uploading them to a gateway, and then uploading them to a data processing platform by the gateway.

[0045] For details, see Figure 1 The pest control system includes a monitoring and capture device, a gateway 4, a data processing platform 5, and a client 6. The monitoring and capture device includes a trap 1, a control device 7, and a camera 3. The camera 3 is used to collect images of the pest capture area of ​​the trap 1.

[0046] Among them, the aforementioned trap 1 can be a sticky rat board, sticky cockroach board, or other device that can always be in working condition, i.e., always in a state of knowing how to capture pests, or it can be an insect-catching lamp or other device that requires an external signal to control its operation in order to start capturing pests.

[0047] The trap 1 includes a pest-catching area 2, which is the area where the trap 1 is used to catch pests, such as an area for trapping rats and cockroaches, an area for attracting and catching mosquitoes, etc.

[0048] In this invention, the camera 3 and control device 7 can be detachably connected to the trap 1. A clamp can be installed on the monitoring and capture device to facilitate clamping the camera and control device onto the trap 1. The installation position of the camera 3 relative to the trap 1 can be changed; by changing the position of the camera 3, the optimal shooting angle can be adjusted and fixed.

[0049] The camera 3 can be a device with image capture capabilities, such as a camera or a CMOS sensor, to start capturing images when it receives instructions from the monitoring and capture device.

[0050] The control device 7 may include an image processing module and a command module. The image processing module includes an image acquisition module, an image compression module, and a storage area. The image acquisition module can send commands to the camera to control it to take pictures and store the images returned by the camera in a buffer. The image compression module compresses the images in the buffer and stores the compressed data in the storage area.

[0051] The instruction module may include a timing module and a communication module. The timing module can store a preset start time. When it detects that the current time belongs to the preset start time, it sends a start command to the image processing module, enabling the image acquisition module of the image processing module to control the camera to take pictures and perform subsequent tasks. The communication module is a module capable of communicating with the gateway. Upon receiving user commands from the client forwarded by the gateway, it can send a start command to the image acquisition module of the image processing module, enabling the image acquisition module to control the camera to take pictures and perform subsequent tasks. The communication module can also send images from its storage area to the gateway 4, so that the gateway 4 can send the images to the data processing platform 5.

[0052] The camera 3 and the control device 7 can be two separate devices or integrated into one device. The control device 7 can be a device used only to control the camera 3, or it can be a device responsible for controlling the entire monitoring and capture device. For example, when the control device 7 is responsible for controlling the entire monitoring and capture device, and the trap 1 is a device such as a fly trap that needs to be controlled by an external signal to start capturing pests, the control device 7 can be used to control whether the camera 3 starts to capture images, and it can also be used to control whether the trap 1 starts to capture pests. When the trap 1 is a device such as a sticky mouse trap that does not require external command control, the control device 7 can be used only to control the camera.

[0053] The monitoring and capture device may also include a power storage module, which is a module used to power the camera and control device, such as a battery. Preferably, the battery can be a lithium manganese battery, which has an extremely low self-discharge rate and high energy density, enabling the camera and control device to have a battery life of 3-5 years.

[0054] When the camera 3 and the control device 7 are integrated into the same device, the energy storage module can also be integrated into that device. When the camera 3 and the control device 7 are two separate devices, the energy storage module can also be a separate device from the camera 3 and the control device 7.

[0055] Monitoring and capture devices can be deployed at monitoring points, which can be locations prone to pests, such as in kitchens or in gaps in ceilings and various equipment. One or more monitoring points can be deployed in a single scenario, and each monitoring point can have one or more monitoring and capture devices installed.

[0056] Gateway 4 can communicate with the control device of the monitoring and capture devices. Preferably, one gateway can connect to the control device of multiple monitoring and capture devices, so that multiple monitoring and capture devices can connect to the data processing platform 5 through the same gateway 4, thereby reducing the cost of deploying gateway 4.

[0057] Data processing platform 5 is responsible for image processing of the first image, report generation, and information interaction with client 6 and gateway 4. Data processing platform 5 also has image storage capabilities; it can receive image data uploaded by gateway 4 and store it locally. Data processing platform 5 can process the uploaded image data to identify pests captured by the monitoring and capture device. The pest information can include the type and quantity of pests, and related trend reports can be generated based on the pest information. Data processing platform 5 can provide relevant image data and / or pest information and related reports obtained based on image data analysis to client 6 when needed, for user access.

[0058] Those skilled in the art will understand that the aforementioned data processing platform 5 can be deployed locally or on a cloud platform.

[0059] When deployed locally, the aforementioned data processing platform 5 can be a standalone device or integrated with gateway 4 as a single device.

[0060] That is, when deployed locally, the data processing platform 5 is a device used for image recognition and management of locally deployed surveillance and capture devices. For example, when multiple surveillance and capture devices are deployed in the same store, the data processing platform 5 can be a local server in the store, used to process the first image collected locally and identify harmful organisms present in the image. In this scenario, the gateway 4 and the data processing platform 5 can communicate via an internal local area network or directly via a network cable.

[0061] When deployed on a cloud platform, data processing platform 5 can handle images transmitted from a significantly larger number of gateways. That is, the cloud platform can process image data transmitted from a large number of gateways deployed in different stores and regions, completing the processing of massive amounts of data. In this scenario, in addition to identifying pests and their quantities from images and generating relevant reports, the data processing platform can further analyze and process the massive amounts of image data to obtain analysis data such as pest trends in different regions, further improving the data analysis capabilities of the image data.

[0062] Client 6 can be any device with communication and image display capabilities, such as a computer or mobile terminal. Users can use client 6 to send commands to the data processing platform to obtain images or pest information, or the data processing platform can periodically push relevant content to the client so that users can understand the working status of the trap. The aforementioned mobile terminal can include devices such as mobile phones and tablets.

[0063] The aforementioned client 6 is the client used by the user, allowing them to monitor the operation of the surveillance device. Users can include those who operate the device, such as restaurant owners, or maintenance personnel responsible for its upkeep. Users can understand the actual pest situation at the monitoring point and take appropriate measures to further reduce pests; maintenance personnel can understand the need for maintenance at the monitoring point based on the pest situation and provide on-site maintenance services.

[0064] See Figure 2 Based on the above-mentioned pest control system, this application provides a pest control method, the method comprising:

[0065] S110. In response to detecting that the current state meets the preset startup rules, the control device communicates with the gateway to determine whether the control device and the gateway are in a communicable state.

[0066] The startup rule can be a startup command used to instruct the control device and the camera to start working. For example, the control device may start based on a user's instruction or a preset startup time. After detecting that the current state meets the preset startup rule, the control device confirms whether the communication with the gateway is normal. Only if the communication is normal can it continue working. If communication is not normal, it will not start working to reduce energy consumption.

[0067] Therefore, by confirming whether the control device and the gateway can communicate normally before waking up the camera to take pictures, the energy loss caused by the camera being woken up to take pictures but the pictures not being able to be uploaded to the data processing platform through the gateway is avoided when communication fails.

[0068] Those skilled in the art will understand that the aforementioned activation command refers to the activation command for the camera and control device. The aforementioned activation command should not be construed as an activation command for the trap. For devices such as mousetraps that are always in working condition (i.e., in the process of capturing pests), they can operate without an activation command. For traps such as fly traps that require external commands to control their start or stop, their start or stop should be controlled by other commands, not by the aforementioned activation command.

[0069] S120. When the control device and the gateway are in the communicable state, the control device wakes up and controls the camera to take a picture to obtain a first image.

[0070] After the control device is started based on the startup rules, if the communication between the control device and the gateway is normal, that is, when the two are in the communicable state, the control device can control the camera to perform image acquisition and obtain the acquired first image; the first image can be the original image captured by the camera, or it can be the image data stream after processing (especially compression) the original image captured by the camera.

[0071] The aforementioned communication capability between the control device and the gateway means that the control device and the gateway can send and receive information normally. That is, the control device can receive messages sent by the gateway and can also send messages to the gateway; the gateway can receive information sent by the control device and can also send information to the control device.

[0072] S130. According to a preset communication protocol, the control device sends the first image to the gateway;

[0073] The control device can communicate with the gateway according to a predefined communication protocol to send images to the gateway.

[0074] The aforementioned communication protocol can be designed according to actual needs. For example, an IoT communication protocol can be used. Preferably, the aforementioned IoT communication protocol can be the LoRa (Long Range Radio) protocol. Communication based on this protocol is not limited by communication signals such as WIFI or 4G, and images can be sent to the gateway.

[0075] S140. The gateway sends the first image to the data processing platform, and the data processing platform performs image processing on the first image to identify harmful organisms contained therein.

[0076] The gateway can communicate with the data processing platform via any communication method, such as Wi-Fi or 4G signals. When the data processing platform is deployed locally, the gateway and the data processing platform can also communicate via the internal LAN or directly via a network cable connection. When the data processing platform and the gateway are integrated into the same device, the data processing platform and the gateway can communicate directly through the device's internal interfaces.

[0077] Since the gateway does not need to be placed at pest monitoring points with poor signal, it can establish normal communication with the data processing platform and upload images, thus avoiding image loss during transmission; and the data processing platform can perform image recognition on the images to identify the harmful organisms contained therein.

[0078] In some embodiments, in response to detecting that the current state meets a preset startup rule, the control device communicates with the gateway to determine whether the control device and the gateway are in a communicable state, including:

[0079] S210. In response to detecting that the current state meets the preset startup rules, the control device detects whether the remaining power of the energy storage module meets the first preset condition.

[0080] Even after the startup rules are met, the remaining power of the energy storage module may not be sufficient to complete the tasks of taking photos and uploading data. Therefore, it is necessary to first check whether the remaining power meets the first preset condition. Only after the first preset condition is met will the module start working, avoiding the situation where the module starts working when the power is insufficient, resulting in both failure to complete the task and wasted power.

[0081] The first preset condition mentioned above can be set according to actual conditions, as long as the remaining battery power is sufficient to complete the entire process from the camera capturing images to the control device uploading the data to the gateway. The actual value can be obtained through experiments.

[0082] Those skilled in the art will understand that the aforementioned remaining power does not include the power required for the trap to operate. That is, the power storage module is only used to power the camera and control device, and not the trap itself. If the trap requires power to operate, it should be powered by another source, not by the aforementioned remaining power.

[0083] S220. When the first preset condition is met, the control device sends a message to the gateway so that the gateway returns the corresponding response information according to the message;

[0084] The control device can send messages to the gateway and receive response information through the communication module of the command module.

[0085] S230. When the response information is received, it is determined that the control device and the gateway are in the communicable state.

[0086] Once the first preset condition is met, the control device can send a message to the gateway and receive a response message. When the control device receives the response message, it indicates that the gateway can normally receive the message sent by the control device, and the gateway can receive the first image sent to it. Therefore, the control device determines that the two are in a communicable state and can control the camera to take a picture and further obtain the first image.

[0087] In some embodiments, the control method further includes:

[0088] S310. When the control device does not receive the response information, the control device and the camera enter a sleep state.

[0089] When the control device does not receive a response, it determines that the communication between the control device and the gateway is abnormal, and the control device cannot determine whether the gateway can receive the messages sent by the control device. Even if the first image is captured at this time, the control device cannot determine whether the first image can be uploaded to the gateway and further uploaded by the gateway to the data processing platform. Therefore, in this situation, the control device and the camera can be put into sleep mode, and the first image cannot be captured, in order to minimize wasted power.

[0090] In some embodiments, the startup rule includes a preset startup time, and the control device, in response to detecting that the current state meets the preset startup rule, communicates with the gateway to determine whether there is a communicable state with the gateway, including:

[0091] S410. In response to detecting that the current state meets the preset startup rules, the control device communicates with the gateway to determine whether the control device and the gateway are in a communicable state.

[0092] The preset start time can be a fixed point in time or a schedule consisting of multiple points in time stored in the control device. When the current time reaches the preset start time, the control device starts the camera.

[0093] This application enables the control device and the camera to start working as soon as the target start time is reached, allowing the control device and the camera to automatically perform image acquisition and uploading operations without the need for other devices or sensors to collect relevant signals. This not only saves on equipment manufacturing costs but also avoids the problems of small pests being difficult to detect and easy to miss by sensors.

[0094] or,

[0095] The startup rule includes user instructions. In response to detecting that the current state meets the preset startup rule, the control device communicates with the gateway to determine whether the control device and the gateway are in a communicable state, including:

[0096] S420. In response to receiving a user instruction, the control device communicates with the gateway to determine whether it is in a communicable state with the gateway.

[0097] Specifically, the control device and camera can also be activated by user commands to meet personalized customer needs. These user commands can be issued by the user's client application and forwarded by the gateway to the control device's communication module, allowing the control device to receive and initiate operation.

[0098] Upon receiving a user command, the control device understands that it can receive messages from the gateway, but cannot determine whether the gateway can receive the messages. Therefore, the control device can send a message to the gateway and wait to receive a response from the gateway. When it receives a response from the gateway, the control device determines that the gateway can receive the messages it sent, and the two are in a communicable state.

[0099] In some embodiments, the control method further includes:

[0100] S510. The control device determines the signal transmission power based on the relative distance between the gateway and the control device and / or the communication signal strength between the control device and the gateway;

[0101] The control device sends the first image to the gateway according to a preset communication protocol, including:

[0102] S520, The control device sends the first image to the gateway according to the determined signal transmission power.

[0103] The control device and the gateway transmit data using an Internet of Things (IoT) communication protocol. The network layer of the control device's communication module adjusts its own signal transmission power based on the detected relative position and / or signal strength between the control device and the gateway. This adaptive transmission power ensures that data can be delivered normally while reducing power consumption by lowering the transmission power.

[0104] In some embodiments, the above method further includes:

[0105] S610. When the gateway and the data processing platform communicate abnormally, the gateway stores the first image locally. When the gateway and the data processing platform communicate normally, the gateway checks whether the first image is stored locally. If it is, the gateway uploads the first image to the data processing platform.

[0106] That is, the gateway may include an image storage unit. When the gateway is unable to communicate with the data processing platform, it can save the images in the local image storage, which further avoids the waste of power consumption of the control device and the camera caused by the inability to upload images or the loss of images.

[0107] This invention, by setting up a gateway, can be installed in a location with good signal and can be powered by an external power source. Therefore, the gateway can not only upload images to the data processing platform, but also further reduce the energy consumption of the control device and the camera, increase their battery life, and reduce the number of maintenance operations.

[0108] In some embodiments, the gateway sends the first image to a data processing platform, which performs image processing on the first image to identify any harmful organisms present, including:

[0109] S710, The data processing platform identifies the type and quantity of pests contained in the first image.

[0110] The data processing platform can perform image recognition on the first image to determine the type and quantity of pests contained therein.

[0111] The control method further includes:

[0112] S720. The data processing platform sends the identified pest type and the number of pests to the client so that the client can visually display the pest type and the number of pests to the user.

[0113] Specifically, the data processing platform can directly send the first image, the pest type and quantity in the first image to the user, or it can statistically analyze the pest type and quantity corresponding to one or more first images received and generate relevant reports, and then send the reports to the user.

[0114] The data processing platform can proactively push the above content to users, or it can send the above content to users for viewing when it receives data requests from users. The proactive push can be to push the above content to users periodically according to a preset sending cycle; or it can push to users when the number of pests exceeds a preset threshold, etc. The specific sending rules can be designed according to actual needs and are not limited here.

[0115] Furthermore, both 4G and Wi-Fi communication are affected by signal strength at their location. For example, 4G (NB-IoT) communication signals are provided by nearby operator base stations; if located in a basement or remote area, poor signal strength may prevent communication. Wi-Fi networks also require monitoring points to be covered by Wi-Fi signals for communication, thus being somewhat dependent on the deployment environment. Pest monitoring points are typically in relatively small spaces, often found in ceilings or gaps in kitchen equipment, where both 4G and Wi-Fi signals are prone to being weak. To address the issue of weak signal strength at the data processing platform's location, a self-organizing network design based on IoT protocols can be adopted to achieve independence from network constraints in the installation environment.

[0116] The self-organizing network IoT protocol of this invention operates in the SUB-1G frequency band (i.e., a radio communication technology with an operating frequency below 1GHz, typically within the frequency range of 769-935MHz, 315MHz, and 468MHz), enabling an effective communication distance of thousands of meters between the camera, control device, and gateway. Therefore, during equipment installation, it is only necessary to ensure that the image terminal and gateway can communicate with each other, and that the gateway can communicate with the data processing platform. Consequently, the image terminal and pest control device can be installed in locations with poor signal, such as ceilings or gaps in kitchen appliances, reducing constraints on the installation location of each terminal and pest control device and allowing the equipment to cover more application scenarios.

[0117] To reduce costs, the raw images captured by the camera can be compressed into a data stream to reduce data transmission costs. For this purpose, an image compression function can be added to the control device.

[0118] See Figure 3 The image processing module of the control device includes an image acquisition module, an image compression module, and a storage area.

[0119] The image acquisition module is communicatively connected to the camera and can control the camera's on / off state via the IIC communication protocol, while receiving image data captured by the camera via the SPI protocol. After triggering the capture, the camera acquires an image and transmits the image data to the image acquisition module. Upon receiving the data, the image acquisition module uses an image compression module to compress the image. After compression, the data is stored in the storage area to obtain the first image.

[0120] The SPI (Serial Peripheral interface) protocol is a synchronous serial communication interface specification, mainly used for short-distance communication in embedded systems.

[0121] The IIC (Inter-Integrated Circuit) protocol is a synchronous serial interface that operates in half-duplex mode.

[0122] To perform subsequent operations, the image acquisition module needs to obtain the raw image data transmitted from the camera. In existing technologies, the image acquisition module requires a large amount of memory to hold the raw image data, increasing its cost. In this invention, the image acquisition module includes a buffer of size A, and the size of a single raw image acquired by the camera is B, where 0.1

[0123] In other words, in this invention, the image acquisition module sequentially processes multiple batches of data streams for a complete image captured by the camera. This requires minimal memory space, making it highly practical for non-real-time monitoring applications and significantly reducing costs.

[0124] For example, assuming the camera acquires high-resolution images each time, with each image being 1MB in size, and the buffer in the image acquisition module is set to 200KB, the camera only needs to transmit 200KB of raw image data at a time. The image acquisition module controls the camera's image acquisition time according to instructions, and the interval between two image acquisition times ensures that the image compression module can process the 1MB image completely. In this way, it is not necessary to acquire images from the camera in real time, but the need for low-cost monitoring can still be met.

[0125] ​The image acquisition module's buffer includes a first buffer and a second buffer. The raw image data stream from the camera is transmitted to the image acquisition module in batches. The first and second buffers work alternately: when the first buffer receives the image data stream from the camera, the image compression module compresses the data in the second buffer and transmits it to the storage area; conversely, when the second buffer receives the image data stream, the image compression module compresses the data in the first buffer and transmits it to the storage area.

[0126] By setting up two buffers, the system can receive the raw image data stream from the camera while simultaneously compressing a portion of the data stream, thereby improving the efficiency of data compression through parallel processing.

[0127] The image data or image data stream stored in the storage area constitutes the first image, which is then transmitted to the gateway by the communication module.

[0128] In another aspect of the embodiments of this application, a pest control system is also provided, which can run a computer program to perform the steps in any of the above method embodiments.

[0129] Figure 4 The main process of image acquisition is as follows:

[0130] When the control device receives a power-on command or wake-up command, it first checks the power level of the energy storage module. If the power level is sufficient for operation, it powers on and controls the camera to take pictures. It then reports the power-on information to the gateway. If no response is received, it indicates that image acquisition will not be transmitted, and both the camera and control device enter sleep mode, waiting to be woken up. If a response is received, it determines whether the operation was due to a power-on command or a wake-up command. If it was a wake-up command, it controls the camera to work, acquires and transmits images, and then re-enters sleep mode. If it was a power-on command, it directly enters sleep mode.

[0131] Using this method, the client can freely set the sampling time, and the camera enters deep sleep during the remaining time, with the hardware also cutting off power, greatly reducing power consumption. It wakes up at the expected time to trigger image capture, data processing, and data transmission. Upon wake-up, it first checks if the gateway is responding (i.e., if the network is normal). If the network is normal, subsequent image capture operations are performed to avoid wasting power in case of gateway failure.

[0132] Those skilled in the art will understand that when there is an urgent need to collect images, the system can also accept user instructions to directly collect and upload images.

[0133] Once the images are transmitted to the data processing platform, the platform performs image recognition to determine the status of pests and generates a corresponding report, which is then sent to the client (6) for user viewing. When the pest information reaches a set threshold, the data processing platform automatically generates a work order, sending the location and status of the pests to maintenance personnel, thereby dispatching maintenance personnel to perform on-site maintenance and saving labor costs.

[0134] The above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, and are not intended to limit it. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some of the technical features. Such modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention.

Claims

1. A pest control system comprising a monitoring and capturing device, a gateway and a data processing platform, the monitoring and capturing device comprising a trap, a control device and a camera, the control device being in communication connection with the camera, the camera being configured to capture images of a pest capturing area of the trap, characterized in that the control device is configured to, in response to detecting that a current state satisfies a preset starting rule, communicate with the gateway to determine whether a communication state between the control device and the gateway is in a communicable state; the control device is configured to, when the communication state between the control device and the gateway is in the communicable state, wake up and control the camera to capture a first image; the control device is configured to send the first image to the gateway according to a preset communication protocol; the gateway is configured to send the first image to the data processing platform, and the data processing platform is configured to perform image processing on the first image to identify a contained pest situation; the data processing platform is deployed on a cloud platform, or the data processing platform is integrated with the gateway in the same device, or the data processing platform is in communication connection with the gateway through a local area network or a network cable. The method comprises: the control device, in response to detecting that a current state satisfies a preset starting rule, communicates with the gateway to determine whether a communication state between the control device and the gateway is in a communicable state; when the communication state between the control device and the gateway is in the communicable state, the control device wakes up and controls the camera to capture a first image; according to a preset communication protocol, the control device sends the first image to the gateway; the gateway sends the first image to the data processing platform, and the data processing platform performs image processing on the first image to identify a contained pest situation. The monitoring and capturing device further comprises a power storage module configured to supply power to the camera and the control device, and the control device, in response to detecting that a current state satisfies a preset starting rule, communicates with the gateway to determine whether a communication state between the control device and the gateway is in a communicable state, comprising: in response to detecting that a current state satisfies a preset starting rule, the control device detects whether a remaining power of the power storage module satisfies a first preset condition; when the first preset condition is satisfied, the control device sends a message to the gateway so that the gateway returns corresponding response information according to the message; when the control device receives the response information, it is determined that the communication state is in the communicable state.

2. The pest control system according to claim 1, characterized by, The control method further comprises: when the control device does not receive the response information, the control device and the camera enter a dormant state.

6. The control method of claim 3, characterized in that ​ ​ 3.A control method of a pest control system, the pest control system comprising a monitoring and capturing device, a gateway and a data processing platform, the monitoring and capturing device comprising a trap, a control device and a camera, the control device being communicatively connected to the camera, the camera being configured to capture images of a pest capturing area of the trap, the control method comprising: receiving, by the control device, the images captured by the camera; determining, by the control device, whether a pest is present in the pest capturing area based on the images; and transmitting, by the control device, a control signal to the gateway when the control device determines that a pest is present in the pest capturing area. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 4. The control method according to claim 3, characterized by ​ ​ ​ ​ 5. The control method according to claim 4, characterized by ​ ​ ​ The starting rule includes a preset starting time, and the control device communicates with the gateway to determine whether the control device and the gateway are in a communicable state in response to detecting that the current state meets the preset starting rule, including: in response to detecting that the current time belongs to the preset starting time, the control device communicates with the gateway to determine whether the control device and the gateway are in a communicable state; or, The starting rule includes a user instruction, and the control device communicates with the gateway to determine whether the control device and the gateway are in a communicable state in response to detecting that the current state meets the preset starting rule, including: in response to receiving a user instruction, the control device communicates with the gateway to determine whether the control device and the gateway are in a communicable state.

7. The control method according to any one of claims 3 to 6, characterized by, The method further includes: The control device determines the signal transmission power according to the relative distance between the gateway and the control device and / or the communication signal strength between the control device and the gateway; The control device sends the first image to the gateway according to the preset communication protocol, including: The control device sends the first image to the gateway according to the determined signal transmission power.

8. The control method according to any one of claims 3 to 6, characterized by, The control device further includes an image processing module, which includes an image acquisition module, an image compression module, and a storage area. The image acquisition module is in communication connection with the camera. The image acquisition module includes a cache area, and the data stream of the original picture taken by the camera is batched and delivered to the cache area. The image compression module is connected with the image acquisition module and the storage area respectively. The image compression module reads the data stream in the cache area and compresses it, and stores the compressed data in the storage area to form a first image.

9. The control method according to claim 8, characterized by, The cache area includes a first cache area and a second cache area, and the first cache area and the second cache area work alternately: when the first cache area receives the original picture data stream taken by the camera, the image compression module extracts and compresses the data in the second cache area and then transmits it to the storage area; conversely, when the second cache area receives the original picture data stream taken by the camera, the image compression module extracts and compresses the data in the first cache area and then transmits it to the storage area.

10. The control method according to any one of claims 3 to 6, characterized by, The gateway sends the first image to the data processing platform, and the data processing platform performs image processing on the first image to identify the contained harmful organisms, including: When the gateway and the data processing platform communicate abnormally, the gateway locally stores the first image, and when the gateway and the data processing platform communicate normally, it is detected whether the first image is locally stored, and if so, the first image is sent to the data processing platform.

11. The control method according to any one of claims 3 to 6, characterized by, The gateway sends the first image to the data processing platform, and the data processing platform performs image processing on the first image to identify the contained harmful organisms, including: The data processing platform identifies the type and quantity of pests in the first image; The control method further includes: The data processing platform sends the identified pest type and the pest quantity to a client so that the client visually displays the pest type and the pest quantity to a user.

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