Method for detecting and treating plants, and plant treatment device

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for detecting and treating plants by means of a plant treatment device. The plant treatment device has at least one camera module (1), at least one treatment module (2), and an electronic monitoring unit (3), wherein at least one image of at least one or more individual plants (7) is captured by means of the camera module (1). On the basis of the image of the at least one individual plant (7), a distinction as to whether the plant is a crop or a weed is then made for each captured individual plant in the electronic monitoring unit (3) using stored plant information, and at least one piece of position information is assigned to said individual plant (7). For each detected weed, a liquid (5) is then applied and / or sprayed onto the weed by means of the treatment module (2) using at least one nozzle of the treatment module (2).

Description

[0001] Method for detecting and treating plants and a plant treatment device

[0002] The invention relates to a method according to the preamble of claim 1 and a plant treatment device.

[0003] The invention has for its object to propose a method for weed removal or weed suppression which is relatively environmentally friendly and / or cost-effective and / or highly automated and / or precise.

[0004] This object is achieved according to the invention by the method according to claim 1 and the plant treatment device according to claim 12.

[0005] A weed plant is preferably understood to be a weed plant.

[0006] It is preferred that the liquid comprises or is water with a temperature of at least 90°C, in particular at least 100°C. Particularly preferably, the liquid and / or water is sprayed and / or applied to the detected and assessed / detected weed plants at a pressure between 0.5 bar and 5 bar, in particular by means of one or more nozzles.

[0007] The liquid preferably additionally comprises a foam, which is in particular biodegradable and / or essentially non-toxic. The foam is particularly preferably sprayed or applied after the water.

[0008] It is preferred that the position information of each detected individual plant comprises two-dimensional position information and additional height information of the treatment module above the ground on which the plants are located or three-dimensional position information.

[0009] It is expedient for the treatment module to have a nozzle matrix. The plant treatment device preferably detects movement information relative to the ground, in particular through the camera module and / or by means of a satellite navigation system and / or an additional speed sensor and / or at least one inertial sensor. The speed sensor is particularly preferably formed on / in a support wheel of the treatment module, which supports the plant treatment device, or wherein the support wheel rolls over the ground and at which a speed of the plant treatment device over the ground is simultaneously detected by means of at least one sensor element.

[0010] It is preferred that the plant treatment device has at least one active lighting unit, particularly preferably comprising LEDs, in particular for the cameras.

[0011] It is expedient for the camera module to have two or three or more cameras, which are arranged in particular next to one another, with the cameras capturing the plants at different wavelengths and / or spectra. Particularly preferably, at least two of the cameras are aligned at different angles relative to the ground.

[0012] The treatment module preferably has additional nozzles for applying and / or spraying foam.

[0013] It is preferred that the treatment module comprises at least one hoeing device which mechanically treats the soil next to a detected row of plants, in particular hoeing and / or scratching and / or digging it.

[0014] The plant treatment device is preferably arranged on or attached to a vehicle, in particular on / at a trailer that can be towed by a tractor or attached to a tractor. The method advantageously comprises software or a computer program product, which is executed in particular on the electronic control unit (ECU).

[0015] Preferably, the position of an individual plant is detected at the root base or the root base is located two-dimensionally on the soil or field.

[0016] The assessment or differentiation of whether the recorded individual plant is a useful plant or a weed is preferably made on the basis of stored plant differentiation parameters or plant information, in particular by means of the electronic control unit, expediently on the basis of the shape and / or structure and / or color of the respective plant.

[0017] Along the direction of movement of the plant treatment device above the ground, the camera module preferably moves first over the plants to be detected and then the treatment module.

[0018] Preferably, the at least one camera is arranged more than 0.4 m or substantially 1 m above the ground and the nozzles of the treatment module are arranged more than 0.05 m, in particular between 0.08 m and 0.1 m.

[0019] The at least one nozzle of the treatment module expediently has a triangular outlet opening.

[0020] A vehicle is preferably understood to mean an independent vehicle or alternatively preferably a vehicle trailer.

[0021] The camera module is expediently designed and used to capture one or more crop rows, and in particular, the fallow strips next to and / or between the crop rows. The method is preferably further developed so that if a specific individual plant is not detected, a positive selection is performed as a crop.

[0022] Fig. 1 schematically illustrates an embodiment of a plant treatment device comprising at least one camera module 1 and at least one treatment module 2, as well as an electronic control unit 3. The plant treatment device comprises a mounting frame 4 to which the treatment module 2 and the camera module 1 are attached.

[0023] The camera module 1 has a plurality of cameras 13 and lighting units 12, for example designed as LEDs. At least two of the cameras have a different orientation relative to the ground 8, over which the plant treatment device moves in direction v. The cameras 13 capture, for example, a different spectrum / wavelength. The cameras are attached or positioned, for example, at a height c, 6, approximately 1 m above the ground 8. The cameras capture the individual plants 7. With regard to the direction of movement v, the treatment module 2 is arranged at a distance d behind the camera module 1. The nozzles of the nozzle matrix of the treatment module 2 are arranged at a height b above the ground 8, for example at a height of 8 cm. If an individual plant 7 is identified and assessed as a weed, water 5 at a temperature of more than 100°C and a pressure of more than 1 bar is sprayed onto the weed by means of the nozzles.

Claims

Patent claims 1. Method for detecting and treating plants by means of a Plant treatment device, wherein the plant treatment device has at least one camera module (1) and at least one treatment module (2) as well as an electronic control unit (3), characterized in that by means of the camera module (1) at least one image of at least one or more individual plants (7) is captured, after which in the electronic control unit (3), on the basis of the image of the at least one individual plant (7) and by means of stored plant information, a distinction is made for each captured individual plant as to whether this is a useful plant or a weed plant, and wherein at least one item of position information is assigned to this individual plant (7), after which by means of the treatment module (2) for each detected weed plant, a liquid (5) is applied and / or sprayed onto or against the weed plant by means of at least one nozzle of the treatment module (2).

2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the liquid (5) comprises water having a temperature of at least 90°C, in particular at least 100°C.

3. Method according to claim 2, characterized in that the liquid (5) additionally comprises a foam which is in particular biodegradable.

4. Method according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized characterized in that the position information of each detected individual plant (7) comprises two-dimensional position information and additional height information (b) of the treatment module (2) above the ground (8) on which the plants (7) stand or three-dimensional position information.

5. Method according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the treatment module (2) has a nozzle matrix.

6. Method according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the plant treatment device detects movement information (v) relative to the ground (8), in particular by means of the camera module (1) and / or by means of a satellite navigation system and / or an additional speed sensor and / or at least one inertial sensor.

7. Method according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the plant treatment device has at least one active lighting unit (12), in particular for the cameras.

8. Method according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the camera module (1) has two or three or more cameras (13), which are arranged in particular next to one another, wherein the cameras (13) capture the plants (7) in different wavelengths and / or spectra.

9. Method according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the treatment module (2) has additional nozzles for applying and / or spraying foam.

10. Method according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the treatment module (2) has at least one hoeing device which mechanically treats, in particular hoeing and / or scratching, the soil (8) next to a detected row of plants.

11. Method according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the plant treatment device is arranged on or at a vehicle.

12. Plant treatment device, comprising at least one camera module (1) and at least one treatment module (2) as well as an electronic control unit (3), characterized in that the plant treatment device is designed to carry out the method according to one of the preceding claims.

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