Portable devices and systems for measuring plant health

Abstract

A portable apparatus for analyzing plant specimens to determine crop characteristic as well as water content in the plant is provided. A housing assembly contains a test chamber into which a sample from the plant being tested is placed. Light from one or more halogen bulbs is projected onto the sample and light transmitted through and / or reflected from the sample is measured. This information as well as geolocation information relating to where the sample was taken is recorded and transmitted to a network where the data is processed and the content of up to, potentially more than, eleven crop characteristics and / or water content and / or other crop characteristics for the sample are determined and stored and / or transmitted to a user. The generated crop characteristic information may then be used to determine appropriate amendments to be added to a field to remedy any crop characteristic deficiencies or other action to be taken.

Description

PORTABLE DEVICES AND SYSTEMS FOR MEASURING PLANT HEALTHTECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The claimed technology relates generally to analysis of botanical samples and more specifically to devices and methods for measuring plant health by analyzing plant specimens.BACKGROUND

[0002] Farmers have traditionally been limited to visual inspections of plants to determine overall plant health. Crop characteristic deficiencies and pests may leave particular visual clues as crops grow. For example, leaves turning pale green or yellow may indicate a nitrogen deficiency. While useful, such methods of determining plant health are limited by the fact that not every deficiency results in a readily observable characteristic. Additionally, some deficiencies result in similar changes to a plant’s appearance. Both Potassium and Nitrogen deficiencies may initially cause leaves to turn pale green.

[0003] Soil tests were eventually developed for use in agriculture to measure soil crop characteristic levels so that farmers may compensate for any deficiencies by adding amendments to the soil. Over time, technologies which allowed for measuring plant health more directly by analyzing samples of the plant itself were developed. Such tests are informative, but take time as samples must be collected, sent off to a lab, analyzed, then the results communicated back to the farmer. Often by the time results were available it was too late to remedy the deficiencies for the current crop. Additionally, alimited number of samples may be sent in for testing to reduce costs and / or speed results. Limiting the sample size of such tests may reduce their utility as crop characteristic conditions may vary across a field, a fact which might be missed if samples are only drawn from a limited number of locations. There exists a need for crop characteristic analysis methods and devices which allow for the rapid determination of plant crop characteristic levels in the field.SUMMARY

[0004] In one aspect of the disclosed invention a portable device for analyzing a plant sample is provided, the device having a housing assembly adapted to be carried between locations by a user, the housing assembly having a first portion and a second portion movable between an open position and a closed position, the closed position defining a testing chamber bounded by a first test bed and a second test bed which position a plant sample within the testing chamber, and at least one pliable gasket which limits the entry of ambient light into the testing chamber when in the closed position. The device further including at least one halogen light source supported by the housing and positioned within the second housing portion to emit light within the testing chamber when the housing is in a closed configuration, an image sensor positioned within the first housing portion to sense light within the testing chamber that has been emitted from the at least one halogen light source and transmitted through the plant specimen, and a processor operably coupled with the at least one halogen light source and the image sensor to control operation of the device whereby image data captured by the image sensor is obtained to assess one or more properties of the plant sample. When in the closedconfiguration, the test chamber is positioned between the image sensor and at least one halogen light source whereby the image sensor can capture a transmittance and / or reflectance image from light transmitted through the plant sample which has been emitted from the at least one halogen light source. In some embodiments, the first test bed is clear and the second test bed acts as a diffuser of light from the at least one halogen light source, optionally the second test bed is made from one of sand blasted glass, ground glass, or etched glass. Such devices may further include one or more reflectors disposed within the second housing portion and configured to direct light from the at least one halogen light source into the test chamber. Some devices further include a first handle portion operably coupled with the first housing portion and a second handle portion operably coupled to the second housing portion, the first and second handle portions being operably coupled by a hinge such that pivoting the first handle portion towards the second handle portion moves the housing assembly into the open position. Such devices may also include a battery mounted to the second handle portion distal from the second housing portion such that the weight of the first housing portion is counterbalanced by the battery when pivoting the first handle portion towards the second handle portion.

[0005] In another aspect of the disclosed invention a method of testing plant samples using a portable device, the method including the steps of transporting a portable testing device to the plant to be tested, the testing device having a housing assembly having a first portion operably coupled to a first handle portion and a second portion operably coupled to a second handle portion, the housing assembly being movable between an open position when the first handle portion is pivoted towards the second handle portion and a closed position when the first handle portion is pivoted away from the secondhandle portion, the closed position defining a testing chamber bounded by a first test bed and a second test bed, and at least one pliable gasket which limits the entry of ambient light into the testing chamber when in the closed position, at least one halogen light source positioned within the second housing portion, an image sensor positioned within the first housing portion, and a processor operably coupled with the at least one halogen light source and the image sensor, the method continues by gripping the first handle portion and the second handle portion so as to urge the housing assembly into the open position, placing the plant sample to be tested between the first test bed and second test bed and within the testing chamber, releasing the first handle portion and the second handle portion so as to urge the housing assembly into the closed position, emitting light from the at least one halogen light source such that the emitted light is transmitted through the second test bed, the plant sample, and the first test bed to strike the image sensor, and generating an image from the light transmitted through the plant sample using the image sensor. In some examples of the method, the second test bed diffuses light from the at least one halogen light source before it enters the test chamber. In some examples of the method the plant sample being tested is a portion of a plant leaf which is still attached to the plant to be tested. In other examples the method of plant sample being tested include leaves which are detached.

[0006] In yet another aspect a portable device for determining crop characteristics of a plant sample is provided, the device having a housing assembly having a first portion including a first handle portion and a second portion including a second handle portion, the first and second handle portions being operable coupled by a hinge, the first and second housing portions being pivotably movable between an open position and a closedposition, the closed position defining a testing chamber bounded by a first test bed and a second test bed which position a plant sample within the testing chamber, and at least one pliable gasket which limits the entry of ambient light into the testing chamber when in the closed position, at least one halogen light source positioned within the second housing portion to emit light into the testing chamber when the housing is in a closed configuration, an image sensor positioned within the first housing portion to sense light within the testing chamber that has been emitted from the at least one halogen light source and transmitted through the plant sample, and a processor positioned within the first housing portion and operably coupled with the at least one halogen light source and the image sensor to control operation of the device whereby image data captured by the image sensor is obtained to assess one or more properties of the plant sample, where in response to the housing being in the closed configuration, the test chamber is positioned between the image sensor and at least one halogen light source whereby the image sensor can capture a transmittance image from light transmitted through the plant sample which has been emitted from the at least one halogen light source. In some embodiments the first test bed is clear and the second test bed acts as a diffuser of light from the at least one halogen light source, the second test bed being made from one of sand blasted glass, ground glass, or etched glass. Optionally at least one reflector is disposed within the second housing portion and configured to direct light from the at least one halogen light source into the test chamber. In other embodiments a battery mounted to the second handle portion distal from the second housing portion such that the weight of the first housing portion is counterbalanced by the battery when pivoting the first handle portion towards the second handle portion.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0007] FIG. l is a perspective view of a device according to one embodiment of the disclosed invention;

[0008] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the test bed of a device according to one embodiment of the disclosed invention;

[0009] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the test bed of a device according to one embodiment of the disclosed invention;

[0010] FIG. 4 is a top plan view of a device according to one embodiment of the disclosed invention;[Oi l] FIG. 5 is a top plan view of a cross section of the device shown in FIG. 4 along line A-A;

[0012] FIG. 6 is a top plan view of a cross section of a portion of the device shown in FIG. 4 along line A-A;

[0013] FIG. 7 is a flowchart of the operation of one embodiment of the disclosed invention;

[0014] FIG. 8 is a schematic of a method of using a device according to one aspect of the disclosed invention;

[0015] FIG. 9 is a crop characteristic result report display for a single plant sample according to one example of the disclosed invention.

[0016] FIG. 10 is a crop characteristic result report display for multiple plant samples according to one example of the disclosed invention; andDESCRIPTION

[0018] For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the claimed technology and presenting its currently understood best mode of operation, reference will now be made to the embodiments illustrated in the drawings and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the claimed technology is thereby intended, with such alterations and further modifications in the illustrated device and such further applications of the principles of the claimed technology as illustrated therein being contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the claimed technology relates.

[0019] One example of a portable device 20 for the analysis of plant samples is shown in FIG. 1-3. In this particular example, portable device 20 includes a housing assembly 22 having a first housing portion 24 and a second housing portion 26. First housing portion 24 and second housing portion 26 may be connected, as further suggested herein. Such connection may be pivotable, such that housing assembly 22 is moveable, permitting housing assembly to transition from an open position to a closed position. The portable device 20 further includes a handle portion 28 connected to the housing assembly 22. Handle portion 28 includes a second handle portion 34 and a first handle portion 30 pivotably connected by a hinge 32. The second handle portion 34 and the first handle portion 30 are operationally connected to the first housing portion 24 and a second housing portion 26 such that when second handle portion 34 and the first handle portion 30 are distal from one another (FIG. 1). First housing portion 24 and the second housing portion 26 are in contact with one another, that is in a closed housing position. Gripping the handle portion 28 so as to move the first handle portion 30 towards and / or intocontact with the second handle portion 34 urges the first housing portion 24 away from the second housing portion 26 (as shown in FIG. 2-3), that is in an open housing position. Optionally, the hinge 32 may be biased so as to urge the first handle portion 30 away from the second handle portion 34 thereby biasing the housing 22 into the closed position. It will be appreciated that the first handle portion and the second handle portion may be integrally formed with first housing portion and second housing portion respectively or may be distinct components.

[0020] The portable device 20 further includes a battery mounting portion 36 which is configured to receive a removable battery 38. Optionally, the battery is mounted internally in the housing of device 20, in which case a charging port (not shown) in the housing 22 may be provided. It will be appreciated that although the present description discusses a battery, alternative sources for power are within the scope of the present disclosure. For example, portable device 20 may alternatively include USB connections, solar power, and still others. Each of the first housing assembly 24 and second housing assembly 26 include a light-blocking gasket 40, 42 such that when the first housing assembly 24 and second housing assembly 26 are in the closed position (FIG. 1) the gaskets 40, 42 are brought into contact with one another to form a light-blocking barrier between the first housing assembly 24 and second housing assembly 26. Optionally, only one of the first and second housing assembly includes a light-blocking gasket. In one example, the first and second housing gaskets are pliant such that when brought together they conform around a portion of a leaf or stem disposed between them so as to prevent light from passing therethrough without crushing or damaging the leaf and / or stem. The first housing assembly 24 further includes a first test bed 44 and the second housingassembly 26 further includes a second test bed 46 which are visible when the housing assembly 22 is in the open position (FIG. 2-3). When in the closed position, the first test bed 44, second test bed 46, and the light-blocking gaskets 40, 42 define a test chamber which will be discussed in greater detail below with respect to FIG. 4-6.

[0021] A second example of a portable device 48 for plant analysis is shown in FIG. 4-6. In this particular example, the portable device 48 includes a housing assembly 50 having a first portion 52 and a second portion 54. The housing assembly 50 is operationally connected to a handle portion 56. In this particular example the handle portion 56 is mounted to the second housing portion 54 at a housing mount 68, but in other examples it may be mounted to the first housing portion. A battery 66 is removably mounted to a battery mount 64 which is operationally attached to the handle 56 distal from the housing mount 68. In other examples, the battery mount and / or battery may be located in other places such as on the housing mount, in or on the housing assembly, and still others.

[0022] The handle 56 further includes a first handle portion 58 and a second handle portion 60 pivotably j oined by a hinge 62. The first handle portion 58 is operationally connected to the first housing portion 52 by a housing mount 72. The second handle portion 60 is operationally connected to the second housing portion 54 by a housing mount 68. When first handle portion 58 and second handle portion 60 are distal from one another first housing portion 52 and a second housing portion 54 are in contact with one another, that is in a closed housing position. Gripping the handle 56 so as to move the second handle portion 60 towards and / or into contact with the first handle portion 58 urges the first housing portion 52 away from the second housing portion 54, that is into an open housing position. In this example, hinge 62 is biased so as to urge the secondhandle portion 60 away from the first handle portion 58 thereby biasing the housing 50 into the closed position by a biasing member 70. In this example biasing member 70 is shown as a torsion spring, but in other examples the biasing member may be another type of spring or other suitable device for biasing the first and second handle portions away from one another (that is, biasing the housing into the closed position as seen in Figs. 1 and 4) and biasing the first and second handle portions away from the second position (that is, the open position as seen in Figs. 2-3).

[0023] In this example configuration of the disclosed portable plant analysis device 48 when a user grips the first handle portion 58 and second handle portion 60 thereby urges the first handle portion 58 towards the second handle portion 60 by pivoting 102 about hinge 62 and urging the first housing portion 52 to pivot 106 away from the second housing portion 54 (that is, into the open position as shown in Figs. 2-3). The battery 66 being mounted to the first handle portion 58 acts to counterbalance the weight of the first housing portion 52 on the second handle portion 60 during this process.

[0024] Continuing with the present example, when the housing assembly 50 is in the closed position (as pictured in FIG. 4-6) a first housing gasket 74 associated with the first housing portion 52 and a second housing gasket 76 associated with the second housing portion 54 form a light-blocking barrier 78 between the first and second housing portions. Optionally the first housing portion 52 includes an attachment point 51 for a mobile device mounting bracket (not shown). The first housing portion 52 further includes a first test bed 82 and the second housing portion 54 further includes a second test bed 80. The first test bed 82 may be made from a clear material which permits high transmittance of light waves without distortion. In one example, a clear glass material may be utilized,such as B270 crown glass. The second test bed 80 is preferably made from a material which acts as a diffuser of light passing therethrough. In one example, the second test bed 80 is made from a sand blasted, ground, or etched glass material so as to assist in diffusion of light passing therethrough from the second test bed 80. When in the closed position, the first test best 82, second test bed 80, and light blocking barrier 78 define a test chamber or volume 84 which is shielded from ambient light coming from outside the test chamber 84 and in which a plant material sample 86 may be housed for analysis, the process of which will be described in greater detail below. Generally, the test chamber is sized to fit a sufficient sample and configured such that the plant material sample being analyzed is held in place between the first test bed and second test bed to prevent movement of the plant sample during testing.

[0025] The first housing portion 52 encloses a first chamber 88 and the second housing portion encloses a second chamber 90. The first chamber 88 is separated from an electronics chamber 86 by a partition wall 92. The partition wall 92 is made from an opaque material so as to prevent any light in the electronics chamber 86 from entering the first chamber 88. The walls 94 of the first housing portion 52 and the walls 96 of the second housing portion 54 are similarly made from opaque material (plastic, metal, composites, and the like) so as to prevent ambient light from entering the housing assembly.

[0026] In this particular example, two halogen bulbs 98, 100 are positioned within the second chamber 90. It will be appreciated that although the present description includes halogen bulbs, alternative light sources are contemplated, provided sufficient light waves are transmitted. The halogen bulbs 98, 100 are operationally connected to power andcontrol circuits disposed within the electronics chamber 86 but provide light into the second chamber 90. In other examples, there may be more or fewer than two halogen light sources positioned within the second chamber. Optionally, one or more reflectors 108 are positioned within the second chamber 90 so as to direct the light from the bulbs 98, 100. The exact size, shape, and configuration of the reflectors may vary contingent upon a variety of factors, such as the type of light source and / or the amount of bulbs, for example.

[0027] At least one image sensor 104 is disposed at least partially within the first chamber 88 which senses light from the halogen bulbs 98, 100 which has been transmitted through the plant material sample 86. The sensor 104 in one example is a commercially available CMOS solid state image sensor capable of producing image resolutions of 1080x1920 pixels and capable of capturing multiple wavelength bands simultaneously.

[0028] The electronics chamber may house other electrical components for the portable plant analysis device including, but not limited to, one or more processors, memory, one or more wireless communication devices which allow the portable plant analysis device to communicate with other devices (phones, tablets, computers, and the like), and optionally a device for determining the location in a field where a plant sample was taken such as GPS. Any suitable wireless communication protocol may be used such as Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, cellular / mobile phone networks, and the like.

[0029] In one example, information relating to atmospheric conditions (temperature, humidity, and the like), plant status information (plant variety, planting date, amendments (fertilizers, pesticides, and the like) applied to the crop), and / or information relating tothe location where a particular sample was taken (such as GPS information) may be integrated into or otherwise associated with a particular image captured by an image sensor and / or with information derived from such an image. Such information may be entered manually by a user, collected using additional sensing equipment (e.g., a hygrometer, a tensiometer, a penetrometer, and the like) associated with the scanning device and / or a mobile device such as a phone or tablet. In still other examples, additional information may be entered by a user and associated with a particular test sample such as crop variety information, planting date, information relating to fertilizer applications, herbicide / pesticide applications, and the like.

[0030] Operation of the portable plant analysis devices disclosed herein in one example includes associated a device such as previously described with a portable electronic device such as a phone, tablet, or laptop. Optionally, the portable electronic device such as a phone may be mounted to a mounting bracket located on the portable plant analysis device as previously described. The portable plant analysis device is then carried into a field of crops and a test subject plant is selected by the user. The portable plant analysis devices disclosed herein support both destructive testing of plan specimens (i.e., a leaf or portion thereof is removed from a plant prior to testing) and non-destructive testing of plant specimens (i.e., a leaf or portion thereof may be tested without removing it from a plant). Once a subject plant is selected additional information relating to the plant may be gathered and / or entered by the user (location, plant variety, planting date, and the like). The user grips the handle portion of the portable plant analysis device and pivots the first handle portion toward the second handle portion, thereby pivoting the first housing portion away from the second housing portion. This moves the first test bedaway from the second test bed allowing access to the testing volume. A specific leaf to be tested or portion thereof (for plants having larger leaves such as corn) is then placed within the testing volume and the grip on the handle portion relaxed such that the first handle portion is urged away from the second handle portion by the biasing member. This pivots the first housing portion back towards the second housing portion thereby containing the sample leaf within the testing volume (in the case of small leaves) or a portion of the leaf being sampled (in the case of larger leaves such as com). The light blocking gaskets on the first and second housing portions form a light blocking seal which brought into contact. In the case of non-destructive testing a portion of the leaf being tested and / or a portion of a stem will be disposed between the light blocking gaskets. The gaskets are made from sufficiently pliable material so as to still create a light-blocking seal without crushing the leaf and / or stem disposed therebetween.

[0031] Once the sample leaf or portion thereof is disposed within and the gaskets have created a light blocking seal of the testing volume the imaging process is initiated. The imaging process may be initiated using a command on a portable electronic device such as a phone associated with the portable plant analysis device or activating the portable plant analysis device directly. When the imaging process is initiated the halogen bulbs generate light which may be directed by one or more optional reflectors located in the second chamber. Light from the halogen bulbs passes through the second test bed which acts as a diffuser before entering the test volume where it passes through the test sample. After passing through the test sample the light passes through the first test bed which is a clear material selected so as to allow for consistent transmittance of light therethrough. After passing through the first test bed it strikes the image sensor which captures allwavelengths of the light transmitted through or reflected from a plant sample, and uses them to generate an image of the test sample. It will be appreciated that the wavelengths captured may include visible light and non-visible light, This image may be stored locally or immediately transmitted to another device such as a portable electronic device (phone, tablet, and the like) and / or to a remote storage (cloud service and / or remote network server).

[0032] Once the image of the test sample has been generated the handle is again gripped so as to pivot the first handle portion towards the second handle portion thereby opening the test volume so as to allow for removal of the test sample. In the case of nondestructive testing the sample leaf remains attached to the tested plant and may be sampled again at a later date for comparative purposes. In the case of destructive testing the sample leaf may simply be discarded. FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing another process by which a portable plant analysis device according to the disclosed invention may generate an image of a test sample, process that image, and transmit it and associated information to a database. Image and all other data processing as well as report generation could take place locally, on portable device 20. In other instances, the processing and report generation could take place via transmitting data to a remote database and receiving the report back on portable device 20, or on a user’s portable device such as phone, tablet, or laptop.

[0033] Following usage of portable device 20, various crop characteristics may be generated by the portable plant analysis device. In one example, the sugar content of the leaf may be calculated using information gathered by the portable plant analysis device but is not limited to such. In another example, plant test sample information may includeinformation related to nutrient content of a plant test sample. This information may be used in a variety of ways by farmers, researchers, and / or government agencies. In one example, the information may be used to determine if specific crop characteristics are lacking in a particular plant or plants for optimal growth and production. Such information may be generated and relayed in such a way to inform a user that a particular crop characteristic is below, within, or above a predetermined recommended range for a given crop, soil type, time of year, and the like. This information may then be used to determine a plan of corrective action. For example, if test results indicate that plants tested in a particular field are below the recommended range of nitrogen an application of anhydrous ammonia may be recommended.

[0034] In another example, geotagged samples taken across a particular field may be used to generate a crop characteristic profile map of the field. Such a map might indicate that certain low spots of the field are deficient in one crop characteristic whereas higher spots in the same field are deficient in another crop characteristic. A fertilizer application plan may then be generated specific not only to that particular field but to certain areas within that field (i.e., nitrogen for low areas and potassium for high areas). Additionally, once fertilizer has been applied according to the plan subsequent testing may be constructed to measure the efficacy of the plan. When coded with information in addition to crop characteristic information (time of application, weather conditions during / before / after application, and the like) fertilizer / amendment application plans may be made more efficient by tracking when and under what circumstances a particular fertilizer / amendment application may be made. Such information may also be used togenerate before and after snapshots of a particular plant or group of plants so as to gauge the efficacy of a particular fertilizer / amendment application.

[0035] Non-destructive testing of plants and plant leaves allows for several advantages over typical destructive testing techniques. For example, testing a particular plant over time (e.g., once a week) allows for the generation of data and data profiles relating to not only a particular field but to specific plants within that field. This information may be used to gauge the efficacy of fertilizing, weeding, and / or watering routines. Coding such crop characteristic data with additional information such as weather (temperature, precipitation, and the like), fertilizer / amendment treatments (time of day applied, weather when applied, and the like), and watering routines (time of day applied, weather when applied, and the like) may allow a user to determine the most effective practices for a specific field and / or specific crops in that field. Over time this type of information may be used to build a profile for a particular field or fields allowing for a more efficient use of fertilizers, water, and other resources.

[0036] In yet another example, repeated testing a particular plant or plants over time allows for the generation of data and data profiles relating plants within that field which may be useful in diagnosing and / or predicting diseases and / or infestations prior to normal predictive methods which typically involve visual inspection of plants by a person. The data and data profiles generated by repeated testing of specific plants over time may disclose trends in a particular crop characteristic or group of crop characteristics indicative of the onset of a particular plant disease, fungal or bacterial infection, or pest infestation. Such information may also be useful in determining if a particular visible condition (e.g., yellow spots on leaves) is caused by a crop characteristic such as anutrient deficiency or potentially a nutrient excess, a fungal or microbial infection, or an insect pest infestation.

[0037] FIG. 8 shows a schematic example of one method of using a device according to the disclosed invention. In this particular example, palter matter samples of a crop (for example, com) are taken from individual plants at several locations 112 in a field 110. As soil conditions may vary across a particular field, samples may be taken at several locations. When a sample, such as a plant leaf, is collected at a particular sampling location 112 the leaf is placed in the portable plant analysis device 114 as previously described and the analysis procedure is run as previously described. Data generated by the portable plant analysis device 114 is then tagged geographically to the specific sampling location and / or to the specific plant sampled and that information and data is then transmitted via a cellular / wireless network 118, a satellite 116, or some other suitable wireless communication means to a remote network 122 and / or to a cloud storage network 120. Optionally, the specific sampling location information as well as the data generated from the plant sample by the portable plant analysis device 114 is first transmitted to a local electronic device such as a cellular phone or tablet and then that local electronic device transmits the information on to a remote network 122 and / or remote cloud storage 120. In some cases, the information may be stored temporarily on the local electronic device and / or on the portable plant analysis device before transmission. For example, if the samples are scanned in a location with limited / no wireless connectivity to a remote network they may be stored until the device is within range of a reliable wireless network and / or until it can be connected to a wired network. This information is then processed by one or more off-site computer devices to generatethe crop characteristic content for the particular sample for one or more desired crop characteristics as well as water content. The crop characteristic content information may then be stored on a remote storage device and / or transmitted via a desired method (electronic mail, text message, and the like) to the user as a report. One such example of a report is shown in Fig. 9 which shows an example report for a single sample formatted for display on a mobile phone. In this example, additional information such as the crop type, sample ID number, and sample location information is associated with and included in the results display. Another example of a report is shown in Fig. 10 which is an example of a report showing results from multiple samples taken in multiple different fields. In this example, additional information such as the scan date, location information, and crop type is associated with and included in the results display.

[0038] While the claimed technology has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character. It is understood that the embodiments have been shown and described in the foregoing specification in satisfaction of the best mode and enablement requirements. It is understood that one of ordinary skill in the art could readily make a nigh-infinite number of insubstantial changes and modifications to the above-described embodiments and that it would be impractical to attempt to describe all such embodiment variations in the present specification. Accordingly, it is understood that all changes and modifications that come within the spirit of the claimed technology are desired to be protected.

Claims

CLAIMSWhat is claimed is:

1. A portable device for analyzing a plant sample, comprising: a housing assembly having a first housing portion pivotably connected a second housing portion and defining a testing chamber bounded by a first test bed and a second test bed, at least one light source supported by the housing and positioned within the second housing portion to emit light within the testing chamber; an image sensor positioned within the first housing portion to sense light within the testing chamber that has been emitted from the light source and transmitted through or reflected from the plant sample; and a processor operably coupled with the light source and the image sensor to control operation of the device whereby image data captured by the image sensor is obtained to assess one or more properties of the plant sample.

2. The portable device of claim 1 wherein the first housing portion and second housing portion are operably coupled by a hinge such that the first housing portion and the second housing portion are pivotably movable between an open position and a closed position.

3. The portable device of claim 2, further comprising a first handle portion operably coupled with the first housing portion and a second handle portion operably coupled to the second housing portion, the handle portions being operably coupled by the hinge.

4. The portable device of claim 1 wherein the light source further includes at least one halogen light bulb to emit light when in the closed position.

5. The portable device of claim 1 further including at least one pliable gasket forming a seal around the testing chamber.

6. The portable device of claim 1 wherein the first test bed is clear and the second test bed acts as a diffuser of light from the light source.

7. The portable device of claim 6 wherein the second test bed is made from one of sand blasted glass, ground glass, or etched glass.

8. The portable device of claim 7 wherein the processor is disposed within the first housing portion.

9. The portable device of claim 1 wherein the processor outputs crop characteristics based upon the plant scanned.

10. The portable device of claim 9, further comprising at least one reflector configured to direct light from the at least one halogen light bulb into the test chamber.

11. The portable device of claim 2, further comprising a battery mounted to the second handle portion distal from the second housing portion such that the weight of the first housing portion is counterbalanced by the battery when pivoting the first handle portion towards the second handle portion.

12. A portable device for determining crop characteristics of a plant sample, comprising: a housing assembly having a first housing portion connected to a first handle portion, and a second housing portion connected to a second handle portion; the first housing portion and second housing portion defining a testing chamber bounded by a first test bed and a second test bed which position a plant sample within the testing chamber, and at least one pliable gasket which limits the entry of ambient light into the testing chamber a halogen light source to emit light into the testing chamber when the housing is in a closed configuration;a sensor to sense light within the testing chamber that has been emitted from the at least one halogen light source and transmitted through or reflected by the plant sample; and a processor operably coupled with the at least one halogen light source and the sensor to control operation of the device whereby data captured by the sensor is obtained to assess one or more properties of the plant sample.

13. The portable device of claim 12, wherein the first test bed is clear and the second test bed acts as a diffuser of light from the at least one halogen light source.

14. The portable device of claim 12, wherein the second test bed is made from one of sand blasted glass, ground glass, or etched glass.

15. The portable device of claim 13, further comprising at least one reflector configured to direct light from the at least one halogen light source into the test chamber.

16. The portable device of claim 13, further comprising a battery mounted to the second handle portion distal from the second housing portion such that the weight of the first housing portion is counterbalanced by the battery when pivoting the first handle portion towards the second handle portion.

17. The portable device of claim 13 wherein the processor outputs crop characteristics based upon the plant scanned.

18. A method of testing plant samples using a portable device, comprising: emitting light from a light source such that the light is transmitted through and / or reflected from a plant test sample; capturing the light on an image sensor; generating an image of the plant test sample; processing the image;generating and transmitting plant test sample information to a database based upon the image; and receiving crop characteristics based on the test sample information.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the crop characteristics received are presented in a report format.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the plant test sample information includes crop characteristics related to nutrient content of the plant test sample.

Images