Method for cultivating agricultural domain

Abstract

To provide a method for managing an agricultural area.SOLUTION: A method is performed fully automatically, includes a crop management processing step, and mechanically places a prescribed amount of harvested crops in a crate provided for this purpose in a harvesting step, different plants in the same agricultural area are sown or harvested in a form of mixed management. Plant management and harvest processing are mapped as pick and place processing, and the pick and place processing of all plants, that are, vegetable plants different in kind and size, is performed. When harvesting is performed, harvested crops from different plants are disposed by a field management device (18) in a shared crate all together, and spot farming is performed in the agricultural area. Management of the agricultural area pays attention only to a target planting point where plants are introduced in the ground, and the target planting point is used for sowing plants, irrigating and / or harvesting mature plants.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The invention relates to a corresponding method, which can be used with an assembly for the management of agricultural fields according to the preamble of claim 1. [Background technology]

[0002] According to current technology, it is known that agricultural fields can be managed with the aid of self-propelled machines. These machines are autonomous mobile field robots equipped with their own chassis or underbody and can have relatively small dimensions. Although such field robots can already be used with high precision, they have the disadvantage of being relatively expensive, which makes their cost-effective use difficult. A further disadvantage arises from the fact that such autonomous or self-propelled field robots are considered vehicles, and in this regard, there are strict legislative restrictions on their use in Germany.

[0003] Gantry systems in the form of trusses are sometimes equipped on self-propelled machines. A chassis with rollers is usually attached to both ends of the truss so that the truss can be moved longitudinally over the ground or agricultural area. For example, from US Pat. No. 5,629,999 an assembly for managing agricultural areas is known that has such a gantry system in the form of a bridge, which is moved perpendicular to its longitudinal extension by wheels running on rails. A carriage is movable along the bridge in the longitudinal direction of the bridge and acts as a tool carrier for field cultivation devices (e.g. for planting or weeding). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Austrian Patent Invention No. 364659 Summary of the Invention

[0005] The object of the present invention is to optimize the management of agricultural fields by simple means and make it more efficient.

[0006] This object is achieved by a method having the features of claim 1. Advantageous further developments of the invention are defined in the dependent claims.

[0007] The assembly according to the invention is used for managing agricultural areas and comprises at least one elongated truss and an associated chassis with at least one wheel, by means of which the truss can be moved circularly or linearly over the agricultural area, as well as at least one field management device that can be moved or displaced along the truss. The assembly should also include at least one crate, preferably a plurality of such crates, and a conveyor system mounted on the truss along its longitudinal extension. The at least one crate can be moved by the conveyor system in a specific direction along the longitudinal extension of the truss, to a predetermined position, in particular adjacent to the field management device. This is also possible for a plurality of crates that can be moved along the longitudinal extension of the truss by the conveyor system, as appropriate.

[0008] For the purposes of the present invention, the term "crate" refers to any container suitable for holding crops or fruit. Such a crate may be designed as a harvest crate, a plant crate, a greenhouse crate, etc. Conventionally, handles or the like may be provided on two opposite sides of such a crate, by means of which the crate can be grasped. Optionally and advantageously, such a crate may be made from plastic or wood, or alternatively from a (lightweight) metal, for example aluminum. In any case, the material from which the crate is constructed or formed according to the present invention is sufficiently stable to ensure that both the crate can be lifted by hand when filled with crops and that multiple adjacent crates can come into contact on a roller conveyor or the like without causing bulging or even cracking of the side walls of the crate.

[0009] It is further noted that for the purposes of the present invention, the terms "crate" and "container" are to be understood as synonymous herein. Still further, a crate or container may be rounded or even rounded in corner areas.

[0010] The "pizza" of the assembly of the present invention is that at least one crate can be positioned or moved to a predetermined location along the truss by a conveyor system. To this end, the conveyor system can have either a circular conveyor belt and / or a roller table on which the crate can rest. In particular, the predetermined location to which the crate can be moved by the conveyor system is adjacent to a field management device attached to or mounted on the truss. When the crate is positioned along the truss in a location adjacent to the field management device, seeds, seedlings, etc. can be removed from the crate by the field management device for use in further management of the agricultural area, or harvested crops, etc. can be returned to the crate at harvest.

[0011] The invention likewise provides for a method for managing an agricultural field in which the above-described assembly of the invention can be employed. In either case, the method is characterized in that it is carried out fully automatically and involves work steps or crop management treatment steps from sowing or planting the plants to their harvesting, during which a predetermined amount of the harvested crop, and possibly even different plants, is mechanically introduced into a crate provided for this purpose. The method is also characterized in that different crops are planted or harvested on the same agricultural field and that, when harvesting the crops by the field management device, the crops from the different plants are placed together in a common crate.

[0012] As mentioned above, the conveyor system may comprise a circulating conveyor belt on which at least one crate, preferably a plurality of crates, may be placed. Advantageously, the conveyor belt is made of or has a rubber material on its surface, which prevents the crates from slipping on the conveyor belt.

[0013] In addition to or as an alternative to the conveyor belt, the conveyor system may be provided to include a roller table having a plurality of carrier rollers, each having a horizontal axis of rotation. In this case, at least one crate may be placed on top of the rollers of the roller table. Optionally, the roller table may have a plurality of guide rollers, each having a vertical axis of rotation, which are laterally arranged on the roller table to limit the roller table. With the aid of the rollers, the conveyor system in the form of a roller table can move at least one crate along the longitudinal extension of the truss with low rolling resistance.

[0014] The present invention focuses on a method for managing agricultural fields and / or an assembly designed for this purpose, which comprises a truss of very large longitudinal extent. In terms of its longitudinal extent, this truss is preferably of lightweight construction, for example, with structural elements made from aluminum. In principle, the truss can be of any length, for example at least 10 meters or more, up to about 25 meters. Alternatively, a truss of more than 30 meters is also possible.

[0015] Due to the above design of the truss, which has a very large longitudinal extension and can be designed as a gantry system, the advantageous effect is that large areas of land or agricultural fields can be scanned and managed as the truss is moved, which significantly reduces soil compaction in the land or agricultural field. Thus, less energy is needed to level the land after harvest and more CO2 can be stored in the soil than in conventional management.

[0016] According to the invention, the truss can be equipped with at least one field management device or application that can be moved or displaced along the truss, this mobility being possible for example with the aid of a so-called carriage attached to an associated guide rail of the truss.

[0017] According to the invention, it is provided that the truss is used to manage agricultural areas in the open, i.e. in so-called open spaces. Against this background, it is reiterated that the assembly of the invention with its truss can be displaced or moved over this agricultural area with the aid of an associated chassis with at least one wheel.

[0018] With the aid of the present invention, and thanks to its effects, a highly automated management system for agricultural areas where different vegetable crops can be planted is advantageously realized, where the truss can be moved in a circular path around a fixed central column to which it is articulated, or along a linear track over the arable or field area, in the latter case a chassis is provided at each end of the truss with wheels for rolling on the arable ground.

[0019] The present invention also provides a system for managing an agricultural field, comprising the above-described assembly and serving as a base station on the agricultural field. The system also includes at least one platform movable relative to the agricultural field, with at least one field management device capable of performing crop management treatment steps mounted on the platform or a part of its chassis, and a conveyor system mounted on the platform or a part of its chassis. In this case, the platform is provided separately from the above-described assembly and is therefore not part of it. At least one crate, preferably multiple crates, can be moved by the conveyor system in the longitudinal or transverse direction of the chassis to a predetermined position, particularly adjacent to the field management device. The at least one platform or multiple platforms can be positioned adjacent to the truss so that they can take over crates from the truss or so that crates filled with plant crops and placed on the platform can be returned to or onto the truss.

[0020] In an advantageous development of the system according to the invention, the platform is part of a mobile site robot or can be attached or coupled to a tractor or the like.

[0021] According to the first variant mentioned above, the platform is part of a mobile land robot and has a plurality of wheels mounted on its chassis, allowing the chassis to move over the agricultural area, at least one of the wheels being equipped with a drive. Furthermore, it is preferable that the mobile land robot has at least one wheel mounted on the chassis that can swivel or rotate about a vertical axis to allow it to change its direction of travel.

[0022] In a further advantageous development of the inventive system according to the first variant, all wheels of the platform or of the land-site robot are swivelable about a vertical axis of rotation, so that the mobile land-site robot can move in all directions on the ground of the agricultural area to be managed. In the following, it will be explained separately how the feature "omnidirectional" is understood within the meaning of the present invention.

[0023] In an advantageous development of the inventive system according to the second variant, the chassis of the platform is equipped with a coupling device, by means of which the chassis can be attached or coupled to a tractor or the like. In this case, this coupling device is expediently adapted to a three-point hitch of the tractor and can thereby be attached to such a three-point hitch.

[0024] In an advantageous development of the inventive system, the chassis of the platform is modular and comprises a plurality of elongated, particularly tubular, plug-in elements. In particular, these plug-in elements can be attached to and detached from one another without special tools, so that at least one dimension of the chassis is variable. This variable dimension of the chassis is preferably the size or length of the chassis extending perpendicular to the direction of travel of the tractor. Furthermore, it is also possible to change the dimensions of the chassis in the direction of travel of the tractor or parallel to the direction of travel of the tractor and / or even perpendicularly.

[0025] In a further advantageous development of the system of the invention, a control or regulating device is provided, by means of which the movement of the mobile field robot or platform over the usable area and / or the operation of the at least one field management device is controlled or regulated, preferably the control or regulating device is connectable to, part of or adjacent to the chassis.

[0026] In a further advantageous development of the inventive system, the control or regulating device is programmably configured so that an average cycle time and / or energy requirement can be determined and, based on this, an agriculturally specific process reliability can be ascertained. Further advantageous effects are achieved if the control or regulating device is programmably configured so as to allow a calculation of at least an approximate profitability for the use or operation of the assembly, the mobile field robot and / or the at least one field management device attached thereto.

[0027] An advantageous development of the system of the invention comprises a transmitter / receiver unit signal-connected to the control or regulating device, by means of which information or data packets can be received and / or transmitted to the chassis and / or to a remote location mounted thereon or remotely located for monitoring and / or controlling the operation of the field management device, in particular provided as a control unit. Advantageously, the transmitter / receiver unit can also be mounted on or adjacent to the chassis or part thereof.

[0028] According to a further advantageous development of the inventive system, for the platform, at least one carriage can be attached to an associated guide rail of the chassis, which can be moved along the longitudinal extension of the platform. In this case, at least one field management device is attached to the carriage, which acts as a tool carrier for the field management device. As with the assembly according to the invention, an advantageous effect here is that, due to the effect of the movement of the carriage on or along the guide rail, the field management device attached or mounted on the carriage can be accurately aligned with a position in the agricultural field or with plants planted therein.

[0029] According to an advantageous development of the inventive system, at least one field management device can be mounted on the carriage with respect to the platform, for example by means of a robotic arm. This robotic arm has arm elements with multiple degrees of freedom and / or with multiple pivot joints resulting in multiple degrees of freedom, and may be designed as an industrial robot with at least two degrees of freedom, each having two or more articulated arms, each of which can pivot about a vertical or horizontal axis of rotation. Thus, with the aid of this robotic arm, the field management device mounted thereon can be transported with high precision in the direction of plants on the agricultural field or aligned with respect to the same.

[0030] According to an advantageous development of the inventive system, with respect to the platform, the conveyor system may have a support capable of interacting with the crate in order to move the crate in a specific direction along the longitudinal extension of the platform, on the associated guide rail of which at least one carriage movable by the guide rail is attached to it and on which the support is provided.

[0031] According to an advantageous development, the system of the present invention is provided for in that the platform has a height adjustment mechanism that interacts with the conveyor system so that the vertical distance, and therefore the vertical height, between the conveyor system and the agricultural area can be adjusted to a predetermined value by the height adjustment mechanism. This has the advantageous effect that when the platform is moved to a position adjacent to the truss of the assembly and, as a result, there is a potential height difference between the conveyor system of the platform and the conveyor system or truss of the assembly, these height differences can be compensated for by operating the height adjustment mechanism of the platform, thereby bringing the conveyor system of the platform to the same vertical height as the conveyor system of the assembly. In this respect, the predetermined value to which the height adjustment mechanism adjusts the vertical distance between the conveyor system of the platform and the agricultural area can correspond to the vertical distance or vertical height between the truss of the assembly at one end of the platform and the agricultural area. In this way, operationally safe transfer of crates from the truss of the assembly to the platform or vice versa is guaranteed.

[0032] According to an advantageous development of the invention, the conveyor system of the assembly and / or the conveyor system of the platform may comprise supports capable of interacting with the crate in order to move the crate in a specific direction along the longitudinal extension of the truss or platform. The supports may be provided on or attached to at least one carriage, which is attached to an associated guide rail of the truss or platform and is thereby attached thereto in a manner that allows it to move along the longitudinal extension of the truss or platform. This means that when the carriage is moved, the supports provided thereon allow the crate located on the conveyor system to be moved in a specific direction along the truss or platform.

[0033] The field management devices provided on the trusses or platforms of the assemblies of the system according to the invention allow any of the crop management treatment steps according to the invention to be carried out on the agricultural area, such as sowing and / or harvesting of plants, weeding, intentional watering and / or fertilizing of plants, pruning of plants, and / or intentional management and / or loosening of arable land, etc. In this case, crates transported along the trusses of the assemblies with the aid of a conveyor system or movable along the platform may serve for example to transport or load seeds or harvested plants.

[0034] Further advantageous developments of the invention are constituted by the following features, which, where applicable, apply equally to both the assembly of the system of the invention and its truss, and to the platform.

[0035] - the truss may be connected at one end to a fixed central column, preferably articulated by a tilt-and-turn joint or a corresponding articulated fork, while the other end of the truss has a chassis that rolls on the ground or agricultural area, meaning that it can move in a circular fashion around a central or middle pivot point formed by the fixed central column. As mentioned above, alternatively, the truss can be equipped with a chassis at both ends, allowing it to move linearly or translationally on the ground; and / or:

[0036] - a plurality of "carriages" with attached field management devices are provided on the truss or on the platform, which are movable along the longitudinal extension of the truss or platform. Such a plurality of "carriages" may be movably mounted on the same and / or different sides of the truss, i.e., on opposite sides (i.e., left and right sides) of the truss. In particular, when a plurality of such carriages are provided with field management devices attached to opposite sides of the truss, it is possible for any of the carriages or field management devices to be moved on one side of the truss independently of the carriages or field management devices mounted on the other side of the truss, i.e., the opposite side; and / or

[0037] The field management device may be connected to the truss or platform or to the carriage by a robotic arm. Preferably, such a robotic arm has multiple arm elements with multiple degrees of freedom and / or multiple pivot joints providing the degrees of freedom. This advantageously provides a large radius of flexible mobility for the field management device that can be attached to the free end of the robotic arm. This makes it possible to manage or reach crops in agricultural areas that are not close to or directly below the truss or platform. And / or:

[0038] The robot arm can be designed as a SCARA robot, which is known to have four axes and four degrees of freedom, which advantageously provides a large radius of motion for field management devices that can be mounted at the bottom end of the z-axis; and / or

[0039] - various field management devices can be mounted on the carriages. For example, different types of field management devices can be mounted on the carriages at the same time. Additionally or alternatively, the present invention allows for a field management device to be exchanged for another field management device on at least one carriage, as needed. To this end, the present invention provides a tool exchange system on the truss or platform, whereby a number of different types of field management devices are provided on the truss or platform, and the field management device can be exchanged for another field management device on at least one carriage, as needed. Such an exchange can take place, for example, when other crops are to be managed and / or other management procedures are to be carried out. and / or:

[0040] - the tool change system constitutes a kind of "storage container" for various field management devices. In order to equip at least one carriage with a given type of field management device, the tool change system is also suitably designed to be movable along the longitudinal extension of the truss, so that, if necessary, the field management device can be exchanged more quickly and with greater flexibility for a selected carriage and the robot arm attached thereto, to which a planned replacement field management device can also be mounted; and / or

[0041] The said field management device mountable on the carriage (or alternatively directly on the truss) may be, for example, an irrigation spreader, a fertilizer spreader, a teleoperated machine or spreader with at least one vertical rotation or manipulation axis and other peripheral assemblies attached thereto, and / or an industrial robot (= teleoperated machine) with at least two degrees of freedom (DOF, SCARA or delta robot). If such a spreader or teleoperated machine is equipped with two or more vertical rotation axes, this means, for example, that it has two or more articulated arms, each of which can pivot about a vertical rotation axis. Alternatively, such articulated arms can also pivot about a horizontal axis. And / or:

[0042] - On the truss of the assembly, in the function of the main truss, at least one secondary truss may be movably or telescopically mounted on top of a spherical plain bearing or hinged in any arrangement (horizontally, vertically, inclined).Such a secondary truss may be provided with at least one carriage on which a field management device is attached, which is movable in the longitudinal direction of the secondary truss, just like the main truss.Alternatively, at least one field management device may be attached directly to such a secondary truss.Thus, the working radius for the management system according to the invention is advantageously expandable without further compression of the managed agricultural area.And / or:

[0043] - by means of the truss or platform according to the invention and the tools or field management devices attached thereto, which can be guided movably along the longitudinal extension of the truss or platform, loosening of the ground can also be achieved only locally in the arable area or in the area of ​​the plants to be introduced into the agricultural area. The movement of the field management device relative to the agricultural area is achieved with respect to the platform in that the platform itself is moved in the available area as part of a mobile field robot or by a hitch or attachment to a tractor. and / or:

[0044] The different types of field management devices that can be mounted on the carriage as described (or alternatively directly on the crossbar) encompass or enable all the processes of managing an agricultural area, such as managing the ground (for example, plowing, root removal), sowing plants, protecting the crops, irrigating, fertilizing, harvesting and, if necessary, logistics for the "pick and place" method; and / or

[0045] As mentioned above, each carriage is advantageously equipped with a tool changing system that allows different types of field care devices to be mounted on its associated carriage, and / or

[0046] - in the case of a carriage movably mounted along the longitudinal extension of the truss, as explained, it is understood that the carriage, together with the field management device attached to it, is subsequently moved or displaced along the truss during the movement of the truss, which may be circular around a center or linearly or translationally along the agricultural area, thereby enabling the plants to reach any position, in other words any position of the agricultural area, by means of the field management device, in order to carry out the desired management or harvesting operation; and / or

[0047] The conveyor system of the assembly or platform is designed to be operable or effective in both directions of the longitudinal extension of the truss of the assembly or the chassis of the platform. At least one crate is movable in both directions along the truss. The same naturally applies to multiple crates placed on the conveyor belt or roller table of the conveyor system.

[0048] With regard to the conveyor systems provided for the assemblies or platforms of the system according to the invention, several conveyor systems may be provided on the chassis of the truss or platform of the assembly, whereby these conveyor systems may be arranged vertically on top of each other and / or horizontally next to each other, with appropriate mechanical precautions being taken for this purpose on the chassis of the truss or platform of the assembly to allow the construction of such several conveyor systems.

[0049] The field management device and / or associated carriage may be provided with at least one sensor or equivalent sensor package movably mounted along a truss or platform as described above, to enable monitoring of the workspace and proper identification of plants being treated or harvested by the field management device; and / or

[0050] The truss and / or platform as part of the mobile site robot is equipped or mounted with a plurality of solar panels, and the truss and / or platform has at least one battery storage electrically connected to the solar panels. Therefore, during the day, this battery storage can be powered or charged by electricity generated by the solar panels, thereby covering the energy needs of the truss or mobile site robot and associated equipment. This means that the battery storage can also act as a night storage unit at night to ensure the continuous operation of the truss or mobile site robot of the present invention and its attached attachments. In this way, an independent power supply is ensured for the truss or site robot of the present invention and its associated equipment. For example, a total of 75 solar panels can be mounted in two rows along the entire length of the truss. This makes it possible to ensure an independent power supply for the truss of the present invention with its attached equipment, covering 100% of its energy needs. And / or:

[0051] - the solar panels are preferably mounted above the truss or in its upper region, whereby they act as weather protection for the truss. The same applies to mobile site robots, where such solar panels may be mounted above the chassis of the platform; and / or

[0052] - At least one crate is movable along the truss or platform, which crate can be used to move seeds from the center of the truss to a desired location in order to carry out sowing of plants in the field. Additionally or alternatively, the crate can be used - as the name suggests - to extract crops removed from the ground of the agricultural area by a tool during harvesting and then transport them back along the truss to the center. The crate can be a conventional standard vegetable crate, and / or:

[0053] - With regard to the use of at least one crate, a conveyor system, preferably integrated in the upper area of ​​the truss or platform, ensures that the crate or even crates are moved in the intended manner along the longitudinal extension of the truss or platform, preferably in both directions. If the invention is designed as a circular management system, the conveyor system can be used to transport the crate from the center, i.e. radially outwards on the truss from the central fixed column. The same applies to the opposite direction, i.e. transporting the crate radially inwards, i.e. towards the central fixed column. and / or:

[0054] In a further advantageous development of the invention, the truss and / or conveyor system of the assembly and / or platform may be equipped with a storage or roll magazine capable of storing a plurality of crates, such a magazine being capable of holding more than 10 crates, for example 10, 20, 30, 40 or 50 crates, or even more crates; and / or

[0055] - the invention allows, for example, the economical cultivation of more than 25,000 vegetable plants on an agricultural area of ​​1 / 4 hectare in size, which is 25% more than in conventional management. If the invention is designed as a circular management system in which the trusses are moved in a circle around a fixed central column, 600 seedlings per day can be used and a corresponding number of plants can be harvested. At the same time, selective harvesting allows an additional efficiency increase of, for example, 10% compared to conventional management. and / or:

[0056] - a device with at least one nozzle may be attached to the truss and / or the platform, by means of which a liquid can be injected at a specific point on the ground of the agricultural area. In this case, it is advantageous if this device is movable along the longitudinal extension of the truss. After the nozzle device has reached a predetermined point on the truss, the intended insertion of the at least one nozzle into the ground of the agricultural area can be achieved, for example, by means of a height adjustment device. The liquid can be water for the intended irrigation of plants planted in the ground and / or an aqueous solution of fertilizer for the intended fertilization of plants. and / or:

[0057] - if, according to the invention, the nozzle device injects water into the ground, for example adjacent to or in the vicinity of the plants to be irrigated, this corresponds to a minimum amount of irrigation, thereby achieving a water saving of about 80% compared to conventional management; and / or

[0058] The present invention achieves chemical-free, environmentally friendly crop protection and spot leveling or crop residue incorporation with maximum land conservation and energy efficiency when using suitable tools or field management devices that can be mounted on a carriage, as described, and / or:

[0059] According to the invention, it can be provided that the management of agricultural fields is carried out fully automatically, for example, from sowing the plants to their harvesting. A feature of such a management method can consist of sowing or harvesting different crops on the same agricultural field, and in the process, for example, collecting the different plants together in a common crate at the time of delivery at harvest, for the purpose of potential direct sale to consumers. As a result, with the aid of the invention, it is possible to achieve a reasonable market price by saving at least one transaction or processing step in the process of utilizing the delivered harvest. And / or:

[0060] With the aid of the present invention, so-called spot farming can be realized in agricultural areas, where the management of the agricultural area is concentrated only on the intended planting points where the plants are introduced into the ground. At these planting points, the plants are sown, watered, fertilized if necessary, and finally the mature plants are harvested. This type of management can replace monoculture and at the same time promote biodiversity or species diversity. And / or:

[0061] According to a further advantageous development of the invention, crop management and harvesting operations can be mapped as pick-and-place operations, which allow these operations to be carried out across the entire crop, i.e. for vegetable plants of different species and sizes. For example, a suitable field management device can be mounted on a carriage in the form of a gripping tool that can be used to harvest lettuce, cabbage or even kohlrabi of any size; and / or:

[0062] - As mentioned above, the invention makes it possible to manage agricultural areas with different varieties of plants or vegetables. The crops proposed can be: iceberg, head and romaine lettuce, red and white cabbage (mini), broccoli, kohlrabi, celery, cucumber, zucchini and pumpkin. In other words, the invention makes it possible and prescribes a "mixed management" of plants or vegetables in agricultural areas. And / or:

[0063] According to the invention, the harvesting and processing steps for the plants are preferably automated and preferably carried out at night. This may be prescribed in particular when, as mentioned above, the agricultural area is planted with different varieties of plants and vegetables. During the harvesting process, these different varieties of plants can be harvested from the field into crates, which can be transported along trusses or platforms as mentioned above. There is the possibility of permanently adding crates of potatoes, onions and carrots, thereby completing the offer to the end customer. And / or:

[0064] The invention allows the management of a large number of different vegetable crops in the sense of individual microspot farming, using an integrated field management device or planting tool or several such devices or tools that can also be mounted on a carriage at the same time. To some extent, this can be done at least partially automated, or preferably even fully automated, preferably according to the specification of corresponding target data regarding the individual processing steps and their time sequence with respect to the management of the agricultural area, and / or:

[0065] In an advantageous development of the invention, the truss may be equipped with a control or adjustment device, by means of which the movement of the truss can be controlled accordingly, either circularly around a center or linearly or longitudinally along the agricultural area under management, and / or the movement or movement of a field management device attached to the truss can be controlled accordingly; and / or

[0066] Optionally and advantageously, the control or regulation system may be programmable so that the various controls of the truss and / or the field management devices attached thereto and / or the various controls of the transport of the crates along the truss can be carried out in a control loop, i.e. in a controlled manner. The same applies to the platform according to the system of the invention. And / or:

[0067] In a further advantageous development of the invention, the control or regulating device can also ascertain the calculated average cycle time, the estimated energy demand and / or the agriculturally specific process reliability; and / or

[0068] In an advantageous development of the invention, said control or regulating device must be programmably configured so as to also be able to calculate at least an approximate profitability for the use or operation of the truss or platform according to the invention. The same applies to corresponding further developments of the method of the invention. and / or:

[0069] In a further advantageous development of the invention, the truss or platform as part of the mobile site robot may be equipped with a transmitter / receiver unit connected in terms of signals to a control or regulating device, which makes it possible to receive information or data packets from a remote location (for example in the form of a control station for monitoring and / or controlling the operation of the truss of the invention) and / or to transmit information or data packets to such a remote location. Optionally and advantageously, when the invention is designed as a circular management system, such a transmitter / receiver unit may be connected to a fixed central mast, preferably in its upper part, so as to achieve good transmitter or receiver power for data to be transmitted from and / or to the remote location; and / or:

[0070] According to a further advantageous development of the invention, the field management device mounted on a carriage or a truss or a platform allows for direct treatment of the cultivated plants. Such treatment may consist in the plants being cut by the field management device or an appropriately designed tool and / or in the non-edible biomass being separated from the plants. The term "non-edible biomass" within the meaning of the invention should be understood to mean the dying biomass of the plants under management, which may result from decay, insect damage or a lack of nutrients and / or water. and / or:

[0071] - To improve crop quality, the present invention provides for the separation of non-edible biomass from harvested plants. Such separation of non-edible biomass can be carried out at some stage of the plant (e.g., broccoli) while it is still attached to the agricultural field. Additionally or alternatively, this can be done during a processing step when the plant is uprooted from the ground at harvest. In any case, such cutting of the plant and / or separation of non-edible biomass is preferably assisted by an optical sensor, which may be mounted on the field management device or an associated carriage as described above and which can be used to detect the plant and its position and / or size. and / or:

[0072] - As mentioned above, the separation of non-edible biomass can also be carried out according to the invention in the context of active plant protection by protecting remaining healthy plants or plant parts, in the same way promoting growth by affecting foliage and encouraging new germination in remaining healthy plants or plant parts, and / or:

[0073] In the control or regulating device, algorithms for new processes or process steps can be implemented on the software side. The invention thus allows the generation of highly reliable, in particular weather-independent, training data for neural networks. If the same plants are recorded every day in the same position using sensors or cameras provided for this purpose, the time-consuming masking of the plants is shortened. Another advantageous effect is that monitoring is possible even after the end of an advanced growth stage of the plants being managed. This aspect equally applies to the operation of the truss according to the invention, as well as to a suitably developed method according to the invention. and / or:

[0074] According to an advantageous development of the invention, the trusses (i.e. the main trusses and / or the secondary trusses) are equipped with one or more drag chains, which are realized in addition to receptacles for routing electrical wiring, irrigation pipes and / or pipes for fertilizers (e.g. organic fertilizers), and / or:

[0075] In addition to advantageous developments of the invention, it is also possible to use the field management device to remove weeds from the cultivated areas of agricultural areas. In this case, it may be provided that such weeds are pulled out of the ground by suitable gripper arms and then introduced into a crate adjacent to the gripper arms on a truss or platform. Following this, the removed weeds can then be transported away by the crate via the truss or platform so that they do not multiply in the agricultural area or are left lying around. And / or

[0076] - Due to the high degree of automation in the management of agricultural fields according to the present invention and the associated precision through visual servoing, there is also the significant advantage that synthetic chemical pesticides can be completely replaced. This has the additional advantage that a large amount of water can be saved through selective and precise irrigation. Water savings of approximately 80% compared to traditional vegetable management. And / or:

[0077] - it may be provided that the wheels of the chassis mounted on at least one end of the truss are at least slightly compressed in the sense of a management system, or that only equivalent fastenings are provided, so that the lanes on the surface of the agricultural area are at least slightly compressed, or that the wheels roll when the truss moves along these lanes (circular or linear), so that the use of the truss according to the invention is not hindered or interrupted even in rainy weather. The invention therefore advantageously also achieves weather independence for the management of the agricultural area. and / or:

[0078] - a movable carriage attached to the truss allows the preferably triangular foil to be rolled out or unrolled radially on the agricultural area, from outside to inside, comparable to a roller blind, thereby making it possible to improve the weather conditions on the agricultural area for the crops on the agricultural area, if required; and / or

[0079] The truss may be equipped with a telescopic mechanism that allows the length of the truss to be varied in the direction of its longitudinal extension, thereby making it possible to individually adapt the length of the device to the conditions of the agricultural area to be managed. This also applies to the operation or use of the device according to the invention; and / or:

[0080] When the truss is designed as part of a circular management system by being fixed to the ends of a fixed central column, further advantageous effects of the invention result from the following aspects: In connection with the telescopic mechanism, the change in length of the truss that can be achieved thereby can also be achieved in the course of or during the rotation of the truss around the fixed central column, so that rectangular agricultural areas or agricultural areas with any number of corners (for example trapezoids and polygons) can be scanned and managed by the truss according to the invention; and / or: At least one sensor may be provided on the fixed central pillar for detecting the movements of the truss and the carriage(s) attached thereto by the associated field management device. Preferably, such a sensor is designed as a sensor package and includes several individual sensors, thereby allowing, for example, "omnidirectional monitoring", i.e., over an angular range of 360° around the fixed central pillar. Additionally or alternatively, it may be provided that the sensor is pivotally mounted on the fixed central pillar and can be oriented in the direction of the truss in order to detect the position of the truss and in particular the carriage(s) attached thereto in the associated field management device; and / or: A base terminal may be provided on the fixed central pillar or in the area adjacent to it, allowing the necessary logistics in the field to be realized, for example, by means of which seeds can be provided or delivered and / or harvested crops can be picked up or received, preferably through the use of the crates described above. The crates, which can be transported in both directions along the truss, can be used, on the one hand, to transport seeds from the base terminal to the respective carriages by means of the field management devices attached to them, and / or, on the other hand, to transport back the crops taken from or to the base terminal. The invention thus allows a high degree of integration of systems for the management of agricultural fields, combining for the first time the advantages of conventional small and large field robots; and / or: The central support from one end of the truss at the fixed center column has at least two degrees of freedom, allowing the truss to be installed on sloping terrain.

[0081] In view of the very large longitudinal extension of the truss mentioned above, the present invention should be understood as a bridging technique - literally or in a dual sense - because the very large longitudinal extension of the truss and the use of sprayers or tools attached thereto for management related to the characteristic movement of the truss over the agricultural area to be managed provide the above-mentioned advantageous effects of the present invention compared to the current technology.

[0082] For the purposes of the present invention, the terms or features "field management device" and "field cultivation device" are to be understood interchangeably.

[0083] When carrying out the method and / or using the device or system of the present invention, it may be specified that the crop management treatment steps are performed when the device or platform is stationary, or that these crop management treatment steps are performed during horizontal movement of the device or platform relative to the agricultural area, and that this horizontal movement is at a speed of 10 m / s or less. In the latter case, it is advantageous if this speed is significantly less than 10 m / s, for example, only 5 m / s, preferably 1.5 m / s or less, which corresponds to the walking speed of a person. The stationary state of the device or platform, as described above, or its horizontal movement relative to the agricultural area at a very slow speed, as described above, is advantageous for the implementation of crop management treatment steps in that the device or platform is located in a specific zone of the agricultural area to be managed. This has the advantageous effect that, in said specific zone of the useful area, selected crop management treatment steps can be selectively performed with very high precision on single plants, individual plant components, or single planting positions by the device or platform to which at least one field management device is attached. Only after at least one selected treatment step or a plurality of such treatment steps have been performed or completed in a given zone of the usable area is the device or platform moved on its own wheels or, in the case of the platform of the second variant described below, by a tractor or the like provided for that purpose, to a preferably adjacent next zone of the agricultural area to be managed, and the selected crop management treatment step is then performed again by the device on at least one plant.

[0084] It is understood that the features mentioned above and those described below can be used not only in the combination specified in each case, but also in other combinations or alone, without departing from the scope of the invention. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0085] [Figure 1] 1 shows a perspective view of a device of the present invention having a truss moving in a circular fashion around a center, and an enlarged view of a portion thereof. [Figure 2] 2 shows another perspective view of the device in FIG. 1. [Figure 3] 2 shows a top view of the device in FIG. 1. [Figure 4] 3 shows a side view of the device of FIG. 1 or FIG. 2. [Figure 5] 2 shows another perspective view of the device of FIG. 1. [Figure 6] 2 shows a perspective view of a field management device that is part of the apparatus of FIG. 1; [Figure 7] 7 shows a perspective view of the field management device of FIG. 6 when mounted on the truss of the apparatus of FIG. 1; [Figure 8] 8 shows a side view of the field management device of FIG. 7. [Figure 9] 2 shows a perspective view of a portion of the truss of FIG. 1 with a crate held thereon and an associated conveyor system. [Figure 10] 2 shows a perspective view of a portion of the truss of FIG. 1 with multiple crates held thereon. [Figure 11] 8 shows another perspective view of the farm management device of FIG. 7. [Figure 12] 1 shows a schematic, greatly simplified side view of a truss to which a conveyor system is attached, the truss having a roller table whose inclination relative to the horizontal is adjustable. [Figure 13] 1 shows a schematic, greatly simplified side view of a truss to which a conveyor system is attached, the truss having a roller table whose inclination relative to the horizontal is adjustable. [Figure 14] 2 is a portion of the apparatus of FIG. 1 showing the upper portion of the fixed central column to which the trusses are articulated; [Figure 15] 15 shows a side view of the central pillar of FIG. 14. [Figure 16] 15 shows a side view of the central pillar of FIG. 14. [Figure 17] Shown is a chassis mounted on one end of a truss. [Figure 18] 10 shows a perspective view of an apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention in which the truss is movable linearly along or over an agricultural area. [Figure 19]10 shows a perspective view of an apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention in which the truss is movable linearly along or over an agricultural area. [Figure 20] 1 shows a perspective view of a platform as part of a mobile field robot that is part of the system of the invention for the management of agricultural areas. [Figure 21] 21 shows an enlarged view of a portion of the field robot in FIG. 20. [Figure 22] 1 shows a perspective view of a tractor-mountable platform that is part of the system of the present invention for managing agricultural areas. [Figure 23] 23 shows a side view of the platform of FIG. 22. [Figure 24] 21 shows a perspective view of the field robot of FIG. 20 and part of the apparatus of FIGS. 1 to 19 as part of a system of the invention for the management of agricultural areas. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0086] The invention is illustrated diagrammatically below on the basis of preferred embodiments in the drawings and will be explained in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0087] In the following, with reference to Figures 1 to 24, preferred embodiments of assemblies 10, 10' according to the invention and corresponding methods and systems for managing an agricultural field N (see Figures 11, 19) will be described. Identical components in the figures are respectively provided with identical reference numerals. In this respect, it should be noted that the figures are merely simplified and are presented without any particular scale.

[0088] 1 shows a perspective view of an assembly 10 of the present invention according to a first embodiment, in which a truss 12 is hinged at one end to a fixed central post 14. At the other end of the truss 12, i.e., opposite the central post 14, is a chassis 16 having wheels for rolling on a floor surface.

[0089] Certain areas of the assembly 10 according to the present invention are shown in enlarged form adjacent to and circled in Figure 1. Details of these enlarged areas are described below in further figures.

[0090] The truss 12 is articulated to a fixed central post 14 such that the truss 12 can be moved along a circular path around the central post 14 .

[0091] The connection of the truss 12 to the fixed central column 14 may have a rotation-tilt joint 17 (see FIG. 8) with a horizontal axis of rotation. In this case, the end of the truss 12 opposite the central column 14 to which the chassis 16 is attached can be rotated relative to the central column 14. This makes it possible to compensate for uneven ground or the use of the assembly 10 of the present invention on or within uneven terrain. In other words, the effect of the rotation-tilt joint 17 in the operation of the assembly 10 of the present invention is to drive on an inclined plane or to use the truss 12 of the assembly 10 on such terrain.

[0092] Figure 2 shows the assembly 10 of Figure 1 in another perspective view. From here on, a secondary truss 13 is attached to the free end of the truss 12 in its function as the main truss. This secondary truss 13 is telescopically adjustable relative to the main truss 12. This means that the main truss 12 is provided with a guide device (not shown), preferably with motorized means, by which the length of the secondary truss 13 is adjustable relative to the main truss 12. Such telescopic adjustment of the side beams 13 is also shown in Figure 4 (at the far right of the figure) and is symbolized by the corresponding double-headed arrows.

[0093] At least one field management device 18 is attached to the truss 12 and is movable along the truss 12. For this purpose, a carriage 20 (FIG. 6) is provided, which is attached to the truss 12 by guide rails 22 (FIG. 7) and thereby can be displaced longitudinally along the truss 12.

[0094] Adjustment or displacement of carriage 20 along truss 12 can be accomplished by suitable motorized means.

[0095] A number of field management devices 18 are attached to the truss 12. This should be understood to mean that the field management devices 18 are installed on both sides of the truss 12 (see FIG. 16) and / or that each of the plurality of field management devices 18 is mounted on the same side of the truss 12, for example, as shown by FIG. 2. In this regard, it is separately pointed out that a carriage 20 may be associated with each individual field management device 18, thereby realizing longitudinal displacement of the field management device 18 along the truss 12.

[0096] The field management device 18 may be attached to the truss 12 or associated carriage 20 by a preferably articulated robotic arm 23. This is shown in Figures 6 and 7. Such a robotic arm 23 has multiple degrees of freedom and preferably has multiple arm elements articulated to one another, allowing flexible movement in space of the field management device 18 attached to the free end of the robotic arm 23. This includes vertical adjustability of the robotic arm 23 so that the working height of the field management device 18 or its distance to the ground can be changed as needed.

[0097] This vertical adjustability is symbolized, for example, in FIG. 6 by a corresponding double-headed arrow.

[0098] The assembly 10 includes a tool change system that allows different field management devices to be mounted on the robotic arm 23 depending on the purpose or type of management of the agricultural area N.

[0099] 6 shows a simplified version of the tool change system W described above. The tool change system W here consists of a holding plate 50 attached to the carriage 20, on which at least one other field management device 19 can be stored. For example, if it is desired to replace a field management device 18 already mounted on the free end of the robotic arm 23 with a field management device 19, the field management device 18 on the holding plate 50 is "dropped off" in its free position. The other field management device 19 is then mounted on the free end of the robotic arm 23. This other field management device 19 is then used to perform another crop management processing step.

[0100] When one or more field management devices are placed or positioned on the retaining plate 50, the retaining plate 50 acts as a "parking area."

[0101] It is further noted that the field management device 18 may be mounted to the secondary truss 13. This may be done with or without the use of a carriage 20 or a robotic arm 23.

[0102] Said exchange of the field management devices 18, 19 at the free end of the robotic arm 23 is preferably fully automatic. In any case, such an exchange from one field management device to another typically serves to provide for a change of crop management treatment step, used to manage the plants P grown on the usable area N.

[0103] The assembly 10 according to the invention comprises a crate 24 (see FIG. 9), preferably several crates 24, and a conveyor system 25 arranged along the longitudinal extension of the truss 12 (see FIGS. 10 and 11). With the aid of the conveyor system 25, at least one crate 24 can be moved along the truss 12. Advantageously, the conveyor system 25 accommodates several crates 24, as shown by the perspective view of the truss 12 according to FIG.

[0104] The conveyor system 25 is advantageously provided on the upper surface of the truss 12 or integrated into the lower region of the truss 12 .

[0105] The conveyor system 25 may be designed as a conveyor belt system, in which case a circulating conveyor belt (not shown) is provided on which the crates 24 can be placed. As the conveyor belt circulates, the crates 24 are moved or transported to a predetermined position adjacent to the field management device 18, which is preferably attached to the truss 12.

[0106] Additionally or alternatively, the conveyor system 25 may be equipped with a roller table 26 having a plurality of carrier rollers 27, each having a horizontal axis of rotation. The conveyor system 25 shown in Figure 9 includes a roller table 26 on which two carrier rollers 27 are visible.

[0107] Optionally, roller table 26 may have a plurality of guide rollers (not shown), each having a vertical axis of rotation, positioned on either side of roller table 26 to laterally limit roller table 26.

[0108] In either case, the crate 24 can be placed on top of the carrier rollers 27 of the roller table 26, and movement of the crate 24 is possible with very low rolling resistance due to contact with the individual rollers of the roller table 26 along the longitudinal extension of the truss 12.

[0109] 10 and 11 show that the roller tables 26 of the conveyor system 25 are arranged along the longitudinal extension of the truss 12. In this regard, it can be provided that at least some of these rollers of the roller table 26, preferably one or more of the carrier rollers 27, are motor-driven in order to achieve the intended transport of the crates 24 on the roller table 26 along the truss 12 in the desired direction.

[0110] With regard to said roller table 26 of the conveyor system 25, it may be pointed out separately at this point that this roller table 26 performs the function of a storage or roller magazine within the meaning of the present invention. In any case, this roller table 26 serves the purpose of storing by or in it a number of crates 24, i.e. along the longitudinal extension of the truss 12, in the sense of its function as a storage or roller magazine.

[0111] 12 and 13 show below that the roller table 26 of the conveyor system 25 is adjustable in its positioning or inclination relative to the horizontal H.

[0112] The roller table 26 of the conveyor system 25 is mounted in a swivel bracket (not shown), the position of which can be varied or adjusted relative to the horizontal H. To adjust the inclination of the roller table 26, the assembly 10 includes separate means, whereby the support for the roller table 26 can be correspondingly controlled to achieve a change in position for the desired inclination of the roller table 26. This makes it possible to set a position for the roller table 26 that extends "inclined" by varying the angle of its longitudinal extension relative to the horizontal H. As a result, when a crate 24 is placed on this inclined roller table 26, gravity automatically moves it toward the lower end of the roller table 26 without a separate drive. This also applies to multiple crates 24.

[0113] The description of FIGS. 12 and 13 each refers to FIG. 1, and a fixed central post 14 (not shown here) is located at the left end of the truss 12.

[0114] Figure 12 also shows that the field management device 18 is attached to the truss 12 by a robotic arm 23. For ease of illustration, the associated carriage is not shown.

[0115] 12, it is noted that the roller table 26 is now adjusted so that its longitudinal axis forms an angle "α" with the horizontal H, thereby lowering the end of the roller table 26 shown in the image area on the right. In this way, the crate 24 placed on the roller table 26 automatically moves from left to right due to the force of gravity on the carrier rollers 27, as also symbolized by the arrows in FIG. 12. This allows the crate 24 to move from the fixed central post 14 to the opposite end of the roller table 26.

[0116] The roller table 26 is equipped with an actuatable stopping element 28, which is conveniently located adjacent to the position of the field management device 18. The function of this stopping element 28 is that the stopping element 28 is activated when the crate 24 moves downwards (from left to right in FIG. 12 ) on the roller table 26 due to gravity, or when the crate 24 reaches the position of the field management device 18. As a result, the crate 24 is subsequently blocked on the roller table 26 and "stopped" at the position of the field management device 18. In this way, even in the case of a passive roller table 26 in which the roller elements do not have separate drives, the crate 24 can be moved to a predetermined position that may correspond to the position of the field management device 18, for example, as described above.

[0117] With regard to the stopping elements 28, it will be understood that the roller table 26 may be equipped with multiple stopping elements 28 along its longitudinal extension. These individual stopping elements 28 may be positioned adjacent to the field management devices 18. This ensures that when the roller table 26 is tilted by the angle of its longitudinal axis relative to the horizontal H, as described above, an individual crate 24 on the roller table 26 can be stopped by activating the stopping element 28 adjacent to a selected field management device 18.

[0118] FIG. 13 shows another possible position for the roller table 26. Its longitudinal axis is inclined obliquely downward toward the fixed central column 14 (not shown here), with the horizontal H at an angle "β." This ensures that the crate 24 placed on the roller table 26 automatically moves from right to left as a result of gravity. Such movement can occur, for example, when the field management device 18 attached to the robotic arm harvests crops from the usable area N into the crate 24, completing the harvesting process, after which the crate 24 is transported back toward the fixed central column 14. As already described in FIG. 12 , for tilting the roller table 26 in the opposite direction, the crate 24 positioned on the roller table 26 in the intended manner can be stopped by activating the stop element 28, as shown in FIG. 13 . For example, such a stop element 28 can be located adjacent to a storage area or roller magazine into which the crate 24 is transferred for further distribution of the harvested crops received therein.

[0119] In this respect, it is further indicated that the pivoting design of the roller table 26, as described above, in which the roller table 26 is "tilted" by its longitudinal axis being able to interpose a predetermined angle with the horizontal, may be combined with the feature that at least one carrier roller 27 of the roller table 26 is equipped with a motorized drive.

[0120] According to another variant of the conveyor system 25, it comprises a support 21 which may be provided on the carriage 20. Such a support 21 is shown in a very simplified manner in FIG. 6, namely in the form of a rod 21 which may be attached to the side of the carriage 20.

[0121] The purpose of the support 21 is to interact with a crate 24 located on the conveyor system 25. For example, the rod 21 of the support shown in FIG. 6 can be telescopically extended vertically upward to specifically interact with a crate located on the conveyor system 25. In this case, due to the effect of the interaction with the support 21, the crate 24 is then moved or "carried" "along" the truss 12 by the movement of the carriage 20, as well as the carriage 20 to which the support 21 is attached.

[0122] In Figure 8, the support part 21 in the form of a rod, which can be telescopically extended vertically and thereby be able to interact with the crate 24, is also shown symbolically and in a greatly simplified manner on the side of the carriage 20.

[0123] By retracting the telescopic rods in the intended manner, the interaction between the support 21 and the at least one crate 24 can be eliminated again, if desired. In this case, the carriage 20 to which the support 21 is attached can then move along the longitudinal extension of the truss 12 without the support 21 displacing or "dragging" the crate 24.

[0124] When the present invention is equipped with a support 21 as described above, this has the advantageous effect that an additional drive for the roller table 26 of the conveyor system 25 can be omitted in order to move the crates 24 along the longitudinal extension of the truss 12. This means, for example, that all rollers of the roller table can be "passive", i.e. without a drive, since the desired movement of at least one crate 24, preferably several crates 24, can be realized by the support 21 alone.

[0125] Thus, the conveyor system 25 described above, whether in the form of a conveyor belt system (not shown) or a roller table 26, ensures that at least one crate 24, and preferably multiple crates 24, are always movable to a predetermined position on the truss 12 where they can then interact with the field management devices 18, 19 attached to the robotic arm 23.

[0126] A first sensor 30 may be attached to the fixed central post 14 at its upper end.

[0127] For example, the assembly 10 may have a reservoir (not shown) for water, fertilizer, etc. adjacent the fixed center post 14. In this regard, the water tank may be connected to an external pump to replenish the water reservoir and ensure continuous operation of the assembly 10.

[0128] The reservoir is mountable to the truss 12 so that it can be moved with the truss 12 around the fixed central column 14 .

[0129] The assembly 10 may be equipped with its own pump (not shown) by means of which water or liquid fertilizer can be conveyed from the water reservoir towards a field management device in the form of a nozzle which can be used for the intended irrigation and / or fertilization of plants.

[0130] The first sensor 30 makes it possible to monitor selected areas of the agricultural area N and / or the position of the truss 12 relative to the fixed central pillar 14. In this respect, the first sensor 30 within the meaning of the present invention is also called a "global sensor".

[0131] At least one field management device 18 may be provided with a second sensor 32 (see Figures 6, 16), the purpose of which is to detect an area or space of an agricultural field N close to or directly below this field management device 18 in order to obtain information about plants planted in the agricultural field N. In this respect, the second sensor in the sense of the present invention is also called a "local sensor".

[0132] The area captured by the first sensor 30 and the second sensor 32, respectively, is illustrated in the drawings with "R" (see Figures 2, 3, 5, 6, 11, 14-16, 19) and is understood according to the present invention as a "monitoring space". This means that the sensors 30, 32 can be used to detect not only a flat surface (e.g., the ground of the agricultural area N) but also the space above it, and correspondingly detect the position of the truss 12, the respective field management devices 18 attached thereto, and the position of the plants P and, for example, their growth and / or formation.

[0133] A transmitter / receiver unit 36 ​​and / or weather station 34 may be mounted to the upper region of the fixed center mast 14. This is shown in the perspective view of Figure 2 and in the side views shown in Figures 14 and 15.

[0134] Additionally, the assembly 10 of the present invention also includes a control or regulation device 38, which is also mountable to the fixed central post 14 and is shown greatly simplified in rectangular form in Figures 14 and 15, respectively. This control and regulation device 38 is signal connected to the sensors 30, 32 and the transmitter / receiver unit 36.

[0135] The control and coordination system 38 makes it possible to control the circular movement of the truss 12 around the fixed central post 14 and / or the operation or movement of the individual field management devices 18. This may be done in the form of a control loop, i.e. in a coordinated manner.

[0136] The transmitter / receiver unit 36 ​​allows information to be transmitted or received by the inventive assembly 10 to a remote control station (not shown). This information provides data for operation of the inventive assembly 10 or for carrying out the inventive methods. For example, in accordance with the present invention, this information includes target data for operation of the assembly 10 and the equipment attached thereto. Control of individual equipment and / or circular movement of the truss 12 about the fixed center column 14 may also be coordinated.

[0137] Similarly, information obtained from the sensors 30, 32 regarding the monitoring area R captured by the sensors 30, 32 by the transmitter / receiver unit 36 ​​can then be transmitted to a remote control station for further evaluation of the operation of the assembly 10 according to the present invention.

[0138] 11 illustrates the use of the present invention in point management, also known as "spot farming," of an agricultural area N. As mentioned above, the monitoring area detected by the second sensor 32 is illustrated as "R." Thus, plants P located in this monitoring area R can be captured or detected by the sensor 32, and this information can then be transmitted to the control and adjustment device 38.

[0139] Figure 17 shows a chassis 16 mounted at one end of the truss 12. Such a chassis 16 may be equipped with an engine that drives at least one wheel of the chassis 16. Due to contact of the driven wheel with the ground below, a torque is generated about the fixed center post 14 relative to the truss 12 such that the truss 12 is set in a circular motion about the tripod 14 in a desired direction. In Figure 17, the motor is designated "M" and is symbolized by a rectangle only for simplicity.

[0140] The resulting circular orbit resulting from the movement of the truss 12 about the fixed center post 14 is shown in FIG.

[0141] Contrary to the illustration shown in FIG. 17, the chassis 16 may be designed as a truck chassis instead of a chassis with wheels.

[0142] According to another alternative (not shown), it may be provided for to design the chassis 16 as a tracked or rail system, in which the wheels do not roll on the natural agricultural area, but instead roll on tracks arranged on the agricultural area.

[0143] Both of the above variants of the chassis 16 have in common that the assembly 10 of the invention is less susceptible to rainfall when used in outdoor agricultural areas N, thereby improving weather independence.

[0144] The assembly 10 of the present invention comprises at least one base terminal 29 (see FIG. 4) located adjacent to the fixed central post 14. The purpose of this base terminal 29 is to provide the necessary logistics of the field, meaning that this base terminal 29 makes it possible to provide or distribute seeds and / or receive or extract harvested crops, for example, preferably through the use of the crates 24 already described.

[0145] The base terminal 29 is shown in a highly simplified side view in Figure 4. In order not to impede the complete and permanent rotation of the truss 12 around the fixed central column 14 in the same direction, it may be provided that the base terminal 29 is effectively connected to the truss 12 and located on the opposite side of the tripod 14. This is shown by a dashed line in Figure 4. This means that when the truss 12 is rotated around the fixed central column 14, the base terminal 29 is also rotated. Depending on the size and weight of the base terminal 29, the base terminal 29 may be equipped with casters or wheels on its underside that come into contact with the ground surface and roll on them.

[0146] As an alternative to the meaning of base terminal, the reference numeral "29" in Figure 4 may refer to a logistics vehicle used, for example, to deliver the seeds to the truss 12 and / or sell them directly to customers (shippers). In the latter case, this means that the crates 24 filled with crops are loaded onto this logistics vehicle 29 and transported to the end customer without further interruption.

[0147] 18 and 19 show a second embodiment of the assembly 10' of the present invention. This embodiment includes a truss 12 with a chassis 16 having wheels attached to each end. This means that the assembly 10' and the associated truss 12 can be moved longitudinally or linearly over the agricultural area N.

[0148] At least one wheel of the chassis 16 may be equipped with or at least coupled to a motor. Preferably, a plurality of wheels of the chassis 16 are suitably equipped with motorized drives on either side of the elongated truss 12.

[0149] According to a variant (not shown), in the second embodiment of the inventive assembly 10' according to Figures 18 and 19, respectively, the chassis at each end of the truss 12 are each equipped with wheels that can pivot about a vertical axis of rotation, making the truss 12 of this embodiment movable in all directions on the ground of the agricultural area to be managed.

[0150] For purposes of the present invention, the characteristic "omnidirectional" refers to mobility or mobility in any desired direction. This means that in addition to purely linear or translational movement, there may also be "diagonal," i.e., diagonal, actuation, and / or spot turns and / or circular actuation. This applies equally to the assembly 10' described above and to the platform 101 of the system of the present invention, described separately below.

[0151] A cable reel 40 may be attached to one side of the truss 12. This cable reel 40 may be used to connect respective supply lines for electricity and / or media (e.g., water, fertilizer) for the management of the useful area N. This allows the truss 12 of the assembly 10' to be supplied with electricity, water and / or fertilizer by the cable reel 40 and associated supply lines.

[0152] In the inventive assembly 10' of the second embodiment, a plurality of field management devices 18 are also provided on the truss 12, preferably on both sides thereof. The operation of these field management devices 18 and any possible control by the control or adjustment device 38 is carried out in the same way as in the inventive assembly 10 of the first embodiment, so reference may be made to the above description to avoid repetition.

[0153] It may further be pointed out that the inventive assembly 10' of the second embodiment according to Figures 18 and 19 is also equipped with a conveyor system 25 in the form of a roller table 26. The intended movement of at least one crate 24, preferably several crates 24, on the roller table 26 and thereby along the truss 12 can be achieved by equipping at least one carrier roller 27 of the roller table 26 with a motorized drive and / or by setting an inclination of the roller table 26 with respect to the horizontal H. To avoid repetition, reference is made in this regard to the explanations of Figures 12 and 13, which are also applicable mutatis mutandis to the second embodiment according to Figures 18 and 19.

[0154] For the supply of electrical energy, the assembly 10, 10' of the invention can be equipped with at least one battery storage B. According to the illustration of Fig. 8, this battery storage B can be installed in the lower area of ​​the fixed central mast 14. In any case, this battery storage B serves the purpose of supplying energy or electricity to the various devices of the system. The supply lines required for this purpose from the battery storage B to the individual consumers are not shown for the sake of simplicity of illustration.

[0155] In both of the assemblies 10 and 10' of the present invention in the above embodiments, a plurality of solar panels S are arranged on the top of the truss 12 (see Figures 2, 18 and 19). These solar panels S are electrically connected to a battery storage B and are used to charge the battery storage B with electrical energy obtained from solar irradiation. In this way, an independent power supply is ensured for the present invention.

[0156] The solar panels S may be appropriately dimensioned so that the conveyor system 25 and the crates 24 extracted or transported thereon are shielded from above, for example, against the ingress of precipitation or dust and dirt. This is shown, for example, in the illustrations of Figures 2, 3, 5, 18 and 19.

[0157] 20-24, various embodiments of the system 100 of the present invention and its associated components by which an agricultural area N can be managed are shown and described below.

[0158] Such a system 100 (see Figure 24) uses the assembly 10, 10' shown and described above with reference to Figures 1 to 19. With respect to the system 100 of the present invention, this assembly 10, 10' serves as a base station in the agricultural area N, as will be described in more detail below.

[0159] The system 100 of the present invention comprises at least one platform 101, 101' having at least one field management device 18, 19 connected to a chassis 111 of the platform 101, 101' or part thereof, which can be used to perform at least one crop management treatment step.

[0160] It may also be pointed out that with respect to the above-mentioned platforms 101, 101', the field management devices 18, 19 may be mounted on corresponding chassis 111 in the carriage 20, if necessary by means of the robotic arm 23. In this respect, such attachment of the field management devices 18, 19 corresponds to that of Figure 6, and to avoid repetition, reference is made to the description therefor.

[0161] A conveyor system 125 (see Figure 21) is mounted on the chassis 111 of the platform 101, 101' or part thereof, which allows at least one crate 24 to move longitudinally and / or transversely relative to the chassis 111, in particular to a predetermined position adjacent to the field management devices 18, 19.

[0162] In the context of the system 100 according to the present invention, an essential feature is that the platform 101, 101' can be placed adjacent to the truss 12 of the assembly 10; 10' such that the platform 101, 101' can take over the crates 24 from the truss 12 or such crates 24, filled with produce from the plants P and located on the platform, can then be returned to or onto the truss 12.

[0163] 20 and 21 show the platform 101 according to a first variant.

[0164] In a first variant, as shown in Figure 20, the platform 101 is part of a mobile site robot, and a number of wheels 112 are attached to its chassis 111, which enable the site robot 101 to move over the usable area N. For the purposes of the following description, the platform 101 according to this first variant will also be referred to as the "mobile site robot 101".

[0165] At least one wheel 112 of the mobile land robot 101 is mounted to pivot or rotate about a vertical axis on the chassis 111 to enable the mobile land robot 101 to change direction of travel.

[0166] The chassis 111 of the site robot 101 has a modular design. In particular, the chassis 111 consists of a number of elongated, in particular tubular, plug-in elements 114 that are connected or attached to L-shaped bodies 115 in the corner regions of the chassis 111.

[0167] As mentioned above, the plug-in elements 114 that are part of the chassis 111 of the local robot 101 are known, for example, from event technology and can be designed as single-point or multi-point trusses. In the embodiment shown in Figures 20 and 21, these plug-in elements 114 are each designed as a two-point truss.

[0168] The plug-in elements 114 of the chassis 111 are characterized in that they can be connected to and reconnected from one another without the use of special tools, so that at least one dimension of the chassis can be quickly and easily changed. Such variable dimensions of the chassis 111 can be adjusted transversely and / or longitudinally relative to its longitudinal axis and / or in its vertical axis, i.e., vertically.

[0169] A total of four wheels 112 are attached to the chassis 111 of the worksite robot 101. The L-shaped bodies 115 mentioned above are used to support the wheels 112. Thus, each of these L-shaped bodies 115 acts as a wheel suspension element.

[0170] Thus, in the assembled state of the site robot 101, the chassis 111 comprises a number of plug-in elements 114 attached to individual bodies 115 used to support the respective wheels 112.

[0171] With regard to the wheels 112 of the land robot 101, it should be pointed out that it may be provided that at least two such wheels are capable of pivoting about a vertical axis of rotation, thereby allowing these wheels 112 to pivot relative to the body 115 in order to effectuate changes of direction for the mobile land robot 101 as it moves over a substrate or base layer.

[0172] If all four wheels 112 of the site robot 101 can be swiveled around a vertical axis of rotation, the site robot 101 will also be able to move in any direction from a particular position, in particular in the agricultural area N, without limiting its mobility in the form of a minimum turning radius. This ensures omnidirectional mobility of the site robot 101. With regard to the feature "omnidirectional", reference should be made to the explanations already given above to avoid repetition.

[0173] At least one wheel 112 of the mobile land robot 101 may be equipped with a (unspecified) motor, such as a wheel hub motor. Preferably, multiple wheels 112 of the land robot 101 are equipped with such motor drives.

[0174] 20 and 21, two crate elements 124 are attached to each long side of the chassis 111 of the site robot 101. In this regard, it may be provided that such crate elements 124 are connected to the plug-in elements 114 by suitable fasteners.

[0175] For the illustrated site robot 101, the crate element 124 is used to receive or mount equipment elements critical to the operation of the site robot 101. These equipment elements include: - one battery or several batteries, a sensor, for example in the form of a camera, electric and / or electronic components, for example in the form of control or regulating devices, - a sprayer or field management device 18, 19 by means of which the crop management treatment step can be carried out, and / or -GPS sensor It could be.

[0176] In the illustration of FIG. 20, it is indicated by corresponding symbols that a transmitter / receiver unit 140, a weather station 141, a control or regulation device 142 and / or a battery 143 may be included in the crate element 124.

[0177] With regard to the characteristics of the battery 143, it may be pointed out that for the present invention, a battery that is rechargeable in a known manner is also meant here.

[0178] With respect to the assembled state of the chassis 111, the attachment of the crate element 124 to the plug-in element 114 is preferably performed externally thereof, which allows good accessibility to the crate element 124, for example for maintenance or repair purposes.

[0179] In the case of a mobile site robot 101, a field management device 18, 19 may be mounted thereon as previously shown and described in Figures 6 and 7. Figures 20 and 21 show the site robot 101 as a representation where the field management device 18 is attached to the chassis 111 of the site robot 101 by the robot arm 23 and associated carriage 20.

[0180] 20 and 21, it may be pointed out at this point that the field management devices 18, 19 may be mounted externally to the chassis 111. Multiple field management devices 18, 19 may be mounted, in particular by means of carriages 20, to multiple sides of the chassis 111, for example, on opposite sides of the chassis 111.

[0181] It may also be pointed out at this point that in the context of the field management devices 18, 19, as shown and described with respect to Figures 6 and 7, the field management devices 18, 19 may be mounted to the truss 12 of the assemblies 10, 10' according to Figures 1 to 19, similarly to the manner in which they are mounted to the mobile field robot 101 according to Figures 20 and 21. Against this background, an advantageous effect of the field management devices 18, 19 of the invention is that it is possible to use the same parts, and, if necessary, the same spare parts for this purpose, for the assemblies 10, 10' on the one hand and the field robot 101 on the other hand.

[0182] 21 illustrates that the site robot 101 is also equipped with a conveyor system 125 attached to or part of the chassis 111. In the embodiment shown, this conveyor system 25 is mounted on top of the two bodies 115.

[0183] The conveyor system 125 may equip the mobile landfill robot 101 with a circulating conveyor belt 152 for moving at least one crate 24 or multiple crates 24 along the length or transverse direction of the chassis 111, in particular to a predetermined position adjacent the field management device 18, 19 mounted on the landfill robot 101. In this context, it will be appreciated that multiple crates 24 may be placed on top of the conveyor belt 152.

[0184] The conveyor belt 152 is suitably made of or has a rubberized material on its surface, which has the advantageous effect of preventing the crates 24 from slipping on the conveyor belt 152.

[0185] The direction of movement achievable for crates 24 by conveyor system 125 and its conveyor belts 152 is symbolized in FIG. 21 by a double-headed arrow and designated "154."

[0186] As an alternative to the conveyor belt 152 shown, the conveyor system 125 in the site robot 101 can also be equipped with a roller table (not shown) having a plurality of carrier rollers, each with a horizontal axis of rotation, as is also the case in the truss 12 of the assemblies 10, 10' in Figures 1 to 19. For this purpose, one or more crates 24 can be placed on top of the roller table, similarly to the conveyor belt 152. With regard to such a roller table, for example with regard to its drive, reference should be made to the description given for the assemblies 10, 10' of the invention, to avoid repetition.

[0187] 22 and 23 show said platform 101' which is part of the system 100 of the invention according to a second variant, namely in a perspective view in FIG. 22 and in a side view thereof in FIG.

[0188] According to the second variant platform 101', its chassis 111 is equipped with a coupling device 153, by means of which the chassis 111 can be attached or coupled to a tractor (not shown) or equivalent towing machine. This coupling device 153 is suitably adapted to the three-point hitch of the tractor and can therefore be attached to such a three-point hitch.

[0189] Like the first variant according to Figures 20 and 21, the platform 101' of the second variant according to Figures 22 and 23 is modular by means of its chassis 111, in particular comprising a plurality of elongated, in particular tubular, plug-in elements 114 which can be connected to and removed from one another without the use of special tools. This allows at least one dimension of the chassis 111 to be variable. Preferably, this variable dimension of the chassis 111 is its length, which is perpendicular to the direction of travel of the tractor. Additionally or alternatively, the variable dimension of the chassis may be the width of the chassis 111 extending in the direction of travel of the tractor and / or the height of the chassis 111 in the vertical direction.

[0190] As mentioned above, in the case of the second variant of the platform 101', which can be attached or coupled to a tractor or the like, the four plug-in elements 114 are mounted next to each other, i.e. in series, as shown in Figure 22. In the central area of ​​the resulting chassis 111, i.e. between the second and third plug-in elements 114, this platform 101' is provided with a coupling device 153 adapted to a three-point hitch such as those used by tractors or similar machines (see Figure 23). With the aid of this coupling device 153, the platform 101' can therefore be mounted, for example, to the three-point hitch of a tractor (not shown).

[0191] Furthermore, in the case of the platform 101' according to the second variant described above, in the central region of the chassis 111, two carriages 20 are provided in association with the associated robotic arms 23 and the field management devices 18 attached to each of them.

[0192] In the upper part of the platform 101' according to the second variant, i.e. above the chassis 111 and the associated plug-in elements 114, a conveyor system 125 with a circulating conveyor belt 152 is arranged, as well as the assemblies 10, 10' and the mobile site robot 101. Thus, when a crate 24 is placed on the conveyor belt 152, it moves in two directions, symbolized in FIG. 22 by double-headed arrows 154.

[0193] With regard to the functionality of the field management device 18 and the conveyor system 125 included in the platform 101' according to the second variant described above, it is emphasized here that their operation and advantageous effects are similar to those of the assemblies 10, 10' and the mobile field robot 101, respectively, and in this respect, reference may be made to the previous description in order to avoid repetition.

[0194] 24 shows a perspective view of the system 100 of the present invention, in which the assembly 10 (or assembly 10′) and the mobile site robot 101 interact. For simplicity, in the description of FIG. 24, the assemblies 10, 10′, which may be embodiments according to FIGS. 1 to 19, are generally simplified and shown only in part.

[0195] In the context of the system 100 of the invention, the assembly 10, 10' serves as a base station in the agricultural field N. In the sense of the invention, this means, on the one hand, that the assembly 10 is capable of transferring crates 24 to the mobile site robot 101 in the intended manner. For this purpose, as shown in Figure 24, the mobile site robot 101 can be positioned at one end face of the truss 12 so that the operation of the conveyor system 25 can be used to transfer a crate 24, preferably at least one of a plurality of crates 24, from the truss 12 to the site robot 101. These crates 24 can be provided from a storage compartment or a roller magazine of the assembly 10 (or from the roller table 26 of the conveyor system 25).

[0196] For example, as described, the crate 24 received by the field robot 101 by the truss 12 of the assembly 10 may be an empty crate 24 or a crate 24 containing seeds that are then transported or planted in the agricultural area N by the mobile field robot 101 and its mounted field management devices 18, 19.

[0197] As explained, after the site robot 101 has received at least one crate 24, and preferably multiple crates 24, from the truss 12 of the assembly 10, it may again leave the assembly 10 and proceed with its work "independently" or autonomously. In this context, it is pointed out that the method of the present invention may be performed not only by the assembly 10, 10', but also by the mobile site robot 101 described herein.

[0198] It is further noted that with the system 100 of the present invention, when, after the crop care processing steps have been carried out, the crops from the plants P have been placed in the crates 24 located on the field robot 101, the mobile field robot 101 moves again to a position adjacent to the end face of the truss 12 of the assembly 10, as shown in Figure 24. This is then done with the aim of returning the crates 24 filled with crops by the field robot 101 to the truss 12 of the assembly 10, so that they can reach the storage or roller magazine (or roller table 26) of the assembly 10 via the conveyor system 25 of the assembly 10. This is followed by further handling of these crates 24 filled with crops, for example loading them into a transport vehicle, as already explained in relation to Figure 4.

[0199] As explained above, at least one conveyor system may be provided on both the assembly 10, 10' and the mobile site robot 101. If necessary, according to a second variant thereof, the assembly 10, 10' and / or the mobile site robot 101 or platform 101' may each be equipped with several such conveyor systems, which may then be arranged vertically on top of each other and / or horizontally next to each other. In any case, such a conveyor system 25, 125 ensures that at least one crate 24, and preferably several crates 24, are always placed in a predetermined position on the truss 12 of the assembly 10, 10' or on the chassis 111 of the site robot 101, where they can then interact with the field management devices 18, 19 attached to the robotic arm 23. For the purposes of the present invention, such interaction should be understood as either the intentional removal of something, e.g., seeds, seedlings, young plants, etc., from the crate 24 by the field management devices 18, 19, or the field management devices 18, 19 being used to intentionally place the harvested crop in the crate 24 during a harvest processing step. As explained elsewhere, this crop may come from different plants or varieties, as explained above, i.e., when a "mixed cultivation" of plants or vegetables is carried out in the agricultural area N. The present invention therefore makes it possible to place crops of different plants P in a common crate 24 provided for this purpose.

[0200] If, during the harvesting process, the crates 24 located on the conveyor system 25 of the assembly 10, 10' or the platform 101, 101' are completely filled with crops, the invention may provide that this level is detected by an appropriate sensor. In this case, in relation to the assembly 10, these full crates 24 can be moved by the conveyor system 25 to a storage or roller magazine (or roller table 26) position, where the filled crates 24 can be transferred, for example, to a transport vehicle for further processing or logistics. In relation to the mobile site robot 101, in this case (i.e., when recognizing a filled crate 24), the site robot 101 retreats to the end face of the truss 12 of the assembly 10, 10', as explained, so that the filled return crate 24 located on the site robot 101 can be returned to the truss 12 of the assembly 10, 10'. The assembly 10, 10' thus performs or takes over the function of a base station. The same applies to the platform 101' according to the second variant, which is attached to a tractor.

[0201] Following this, the empty crate 24 can then be (again) presented to the roller table 26 of the conveyor system 25 and / or re-transferred from the storage section or roller magazine (or roller table 26) of the conveyor system 25 to the mobile field robot 101 so that further crop management processing steps can be performed by the assembly 10, 10' and / or by the platform (e.g., as the mobile field robot 101).

[0202] The above description of the system 100 of the invention, given for the example of the use of the first variant platform in the form of a mobile site robot 101, also applies mutatis mutandis to the second variant platform 101', which is mounted on a tractor or the like. With regard to the fact that this platform 101' is movable to a position adjacent to the truss 12 so as to be able to transfer crates 24 from the truss 12 to or onto the platform 101' or to receive crates filled with crops from the truss 12 from the direction of the platform 101', it should be understood that with regard to the second variant platform 101', this is achieved by moving the tractor, to which the second variant platform 101' is attached or coupled, to said position adjacent to the truss 12 of the assembly 10, 10'.

[0203] Finally, it is also emphasized in relation to the system 100 of the invention that it can be equipped with several platforms 101, 101'. This means that several mobile site robots 101 can then be used, each of which can move, preferably alternately, to a position adjacent to the truss 12 in order to receive crates 24 from or deliver them to the truss 12 there. The same applies to several different platforms 101' according to a second variant which can be attached to different tractors or the like. [Explanation of symbols]

[0204] 10, 10' Assembly 12 (Main) Truss 13 Secondary truss (side beam) 14 Fixed center column (tripod part) 16 Chassis (with wheels) 17 Swivel joint (rotating tilt joint) 18, 19 Field management devices 20 carriages 21 Support part (rod) 22 Guide rail 23 Robot Arm 24 Crate 25 Conveyor System 26 Roller Table 27 Carrier Roller 28 Restraining Elements 29 Base Terminal (Logistics Vehicles) 30 First Sensor 32 Second Sensor 34 Weather Station 36 Transmitter / Receiver Unit 38 Control or regulating devices 40 Cable Reel 50 Retaining Plate 100 systems 101 Platform (as part of a mobile field robot) 101' Platform (for coupling or mounting to tractor) 111 chassis 112 Wheels 114 Plugin Elements 115 L-shaped body 124 Crate Elements 125 Conveyor system (platforms 101 and 101') 133 Retaining Plate or "Parking Area" 140 Transmitter / Receiver Unit 141 Weather Station 142 Control or regulating devices 143 Battery 152 Circulating Conveyor Belt 153 Coupling Device 154 Movement direction (for crate 24) B Battery Storage F Lane H horizontal Medium motor N Agriculture area (usable area) P plant R monitored space (of the first or second sensor 30, 32) S solar panel W Tool Change System

Claims

1. A method for the management of an agricultural field (N), which method is carried out fully automatically and includes an associated crop management treatment step of planting or sowing plants until they are harvested, wherein a predetermined amount of the harvested crop is mechanically placed in a crate (24) provided for this purpose during the harvesting process; in the same agricultural area (N) different plants (P) are sown or harvested in a mixed management manner, the plant management and harvesting process is mapped as a pick-and-place process, said pick-and-place process being carried out across the whole crop, i.e. for different species and sizes of vegetable plants, and when said harvesting is carried out, the harvested crops from the different plants (P) are placed together in a common crate (24) by a field management device (18, 19), 1. A method in which spot farming is carried out in said agricultural area (N), and the management of said agricultural area (N) focuses only on target planting points where plants are introduced into the ground, said target planting points being used to sow said plants, irrigate said plants and / or harvest said mature plants.

2. 10. The method of claim 1, wherein the non-edible biomass is separated from the plant to be harvested.

3. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the agricultural area (N) is managed with different varieties of plants and vegetables from the group consisting of iceberg, butterhead and romaine lettuce, red and white cabbage, broccoli, kohlrabi, celery, cucumber, zucchini and / or pumpkin, so that a mixed management of plants or vegetables is carried out in said agricultural area (N).

4. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the method is carried out using at least one platform (101, 101') movable relative to the agricultural area (N), wherein at least one field management device (18; 19) is attached to a chassis (111) of the platform (101, 101') or part thereof, whereby at least one crop management treatment step is carried out, and wherein a conveyor system (125) is attached to the chassis (111) of the platform (101, 101') or part thereof, and wherein at least one crate (24) is moved by the conveyor system in a longitudinal and / or transverse direction of the chassis (111) of the platform (101, 101') to be placed in a predetermined position adjacent to a field management device (30, 31a, 31b).

5. A method carried out using an assembly (10; 10') for the management of an agricultural area (N), said assembly (10; 10') comprising at least one elongated truss (12) and an associated chassis with at least one wheel, by means of which the truss (12) can be moved in a circular or linear manner over the available ground (N), 5. The method of claim 4, wherein the platform (101, 101') adjacent to the truss (12) of the assembly (10; 10') is positioned so that a crate (24) can be transported from the truss (12) to the platform (101, 101') or back from the platform (101, 101') to the truss (12).

Images