Lighting control device and lighting control method

Abstract

The present invention provides a lighting control device that enables sufficient light to be irradiated to plants while avoiding light levels that cause growth disorders or changes in appearance in various parts of the plant. [Solution] The lighting control device comprises a lighting unit 104 for illuminating the plant 103, an imaging unit 105 capable of photographing each leaf of the plant 103, a detection unit 107 for detecting the region of each leaf from the images of each leaf of the plant 103 acquired by the imaging unit 105, a determination unit 108 for determining the illuminance of each leaf from the image information acquired by the imaging unit 105 and the region information of each leaf obtained by the detection unit 107, and a control unit 106 for controlling the amount of light from the lighting unit 108 based on the illuminance information of each leaf determined by the determination unit 108.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a lighting control device and a lighting control method.

Background Art

[0002] It is known that applying light of excessive intensity to the leaves of plants causes quality degradation such as growth disorders and leaf burn. In a plant factory, if a growth disorder due to light of excessive intensity occurs, the growth cycle of the plants is delayed and the production cost increases. Also, if a change in the appearance of the plants due to light of excessive intensity occurs, the commercial value may decrease. Therefore, it is necessary to adjust and irradiate the light amount of the light source so as not to adversely affect the plants due to light of excessive intensity and to provide a sufficient light amount for the growth of the plants.

[0003] Since plants move due to growth and internal activities, the distance between the plants and the light source changes. That is, it is necessary to adjust the light amount of the light source according to the position of the leaves of the plants. As a technique for adjusting the light amount of an optimal light source according to the growth of plants, for example, in Patent Document 1, a technique for adjusting the light amount of the light source using the ratio information of the area where the planted portion is not covered by the plants and is exposed is disclosed.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Non-Patent Documents

[0005] <00000,27>

Non-Patent Document 1

[0006] However, the prior art disclosed in Patent Document 1 and Non-Patent Document 1 mentioned above does not take into account the illuminance of each leaf of a plant, and high illuminance may cause growth disorders or changes in appearance.

[0007] This disclosure has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a lighting control device that enables sufficient light to be irradiated to plants while avoiding illuminance levels that cause growth disorders or changes in appearance in each part of the plant. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The lighting control device of this disclosure comprises a lighting unit for illuminating a plant, an imaging unit capable of photographing parts of the plant, and further comprises a detection unit, a determination unit, and a control unit. The detection unit detects the region of the plant from the image of the plant acquired by the imaging unit. The determination unit determines the illuminance of the plant from the image information of the plant acquired by the imaging unit and the region information of the plant obtained by the detection unit. The control unit controls the amount of light from the lighting unit based on the illuminance information of the plant determined by the determination unit. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to this disclosure, a lighting control device is realized that can irradiate plants with sufficient light while avoiding light levels that cause growth disorders or changes in appearance in each part of the plant. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] This is a schematic diagram illustrating the overall configuration of the lighting control device according to this embodiment. [Figure 2] This block diagram shows an example of the hardware configuration of the control unit, detection unit, and determination unit shown in Figure 1. [Figure 3] This is a flowchart illustrating the overall configuration of the lighting control method in this embodiment. [Figure 4] This is a schematic diagram showing an image of a plant taken from above. [Figure 5] This is a schematic diagram illustrating how regions are detected on each leaf of a plant. [Figure 6] This is a flowchart illustrating the details of step S304 in Figure 3. [Figure 7] This table shows data illustrating the relationship between the increased light source in the lighting section and the rate of increase in illuminance for each leaf. [Figure 8] This table shows a table of data illustrating the distance relationship between each light source and each leaf. [Figure 9] This is a flowchart illustrating the details of step S305 in Figure 3. [Figure 10] This table shows the data for which the threshold was exceeded for each leaf. [Figure 11] This is a flowchart showing the illuminance determination method in step S305 in modified example 2. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0011] -Basic configuration of the lighting control device in this embodiment- In disclosing this embodiment in detail, the basic configuration of the lighting control device in this embodiment will be described.

[0012] The lighting control device according to the present disclosure includes a lighting unit that illuminates plants, an imaging unit capable of photographing parts of plants, and further includes a detection unit, a determination unit, and a control unit. The detection unit detects the area of the plant part from the photographed image of the part acquired by the imaging unit. The determination unit determines the illuminance of the part based on the photographed image information of the part acquired by the imaging unit and the area information of the part obtained by the detection unit. The control unit controls the light amount of the lighting unit based on the illuminance information of the part determined by the determination unit. Thus, in the present disclosure, in consideration of the illuminance of the plant part, the light amount of the lighting unit is adjusted according to the illuminance information of the plant part determined by the detection unit. By adjusting the light amount based on the illuminance of the plant part, it is possible to irradiate the plant with a sufficient light amount while avoiding illuminances at which growth disorders or visual changes occur.

[0013] -Specific Description of Embodiments- Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that the following embodiments do not limit the invention according to the claims. Although a plurality of features are described in this embodiment, not all of these plurality of features are essential, and the plurality of features may be arbitrarily combined. Further, in the drawings, the same or similar configurations are given the same reference numerals, and duplicate descriptions are omitted.

[0014] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram for explaining the overall configuration of the lighting control device according to this embodiment. <000009​​​​​

[0016] As an example, the plant 103 can be an edible vegetable such as a tomato. However, the plant 103 is not limited to this, and all plants that can be cultivated by artificial light sources are applicable.

[0017] The lighting unit 104, the imaging unit 105, the server 109, and the display operation unit 110 are connected by the network 111. Inside the server 109, a control unit 106, a detection unit 107, and a determination unit 108 are provided, and data can be transmitted and received to and from each other. Also, data can be transmitted and received via the network 111.

[0018] The control unit 106 performs various controls including an imaging instruction to the imaging unit 105, reception of a shooting result, control of the lighting unit 104, control of data processing using the detection unit 107 and the determination unit 108, a display instruction to the display operation unit 110, and reception of operation information.

[0019] The detection unit 107 analyzes the shooting result from the imaging unit 105 and detects a predetermined part of the plant 103, here an area corresponding to a leaf, from the captured image information. Specifically, for example, in the detection unit 107, a learned model created by associating the captured image information of a plurality of plants as input data and the area information of each leaf in the captured image as teacher data (correct value) is used. In the detection unit 107, by inputting the captured image information of the leaf of the plant 103 as input data into the learned model, output data estimated as the area information of the leaf is obtained.

[0020] The determination unit 108 determines the illuminance of each leaf of the plant 103 using the captured image information acquired by the imaging unit 105 and the area information acquired by the detection unit 107. Also, the control unit 106, the detection unit 107, and the determination unit 108 do not necessarily have to exist in one server 109, and they may be installed as independent components.

[0021] Each light source 113 in the lighting unit 104 is a combination of artificial light sources, including LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes), and the light intensity of each can be adjusted individually. It is also possible to control the light intensity of each light source 113 in the lighting unit 104 via the network 111. The imaging unit 105 is positioned to photograph the plant 103 from, for example, above, and is a digital camera capable of setting up, starting, and transmitting shooting results via the network 111. The display and operation unit 110 is a user interface, such as a computer, that sets and controls the lighting control device and displays the results of the lighting control. The display and operation unit 110 could be an information device such as a tablet or smartphone.

[0022] Figure 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of the control unit 106, detection unit 107, and determination unit 108 shown in Figure 1. The control unit 106, detection unit 107, and determination unit 108 are configured with a CPU 21, ROM 22, RAM 23, secondary storage device 24, and input device 25. These components are interconnected via a connection bus 26. The CPU (Central Processing Unit) 21 controls the entire control unit 106, detection unit 107, and determination unit 108. The CPU 21 executes the processing of each flowchart described later by executing a control program stored in the ROM 22, etc. Note that a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) may be used instead of the CPU, or together with the CPU.

[0023] ROM22 is a non-volatile memory that stores control programs and various parameter metadata. RAM23 is a volatile memory that temporarily stores images, control programs, and their execution results. Secondary storage device 24 is a rewritable secondary storage device such as a hard disk or flash memory that stores various data used in the flowcharts described later. For example, it stores trained models, training datasets, and processing results. This information is output to RAM23 and used by the CPU21 to execute the control program. Input devices 25 include keyboards, mice, touch panel devices, etc., and are used to input various user instructions.

[0024] In this embodiment, the processing described later is implemented in software using the CPU 21, but some or all of the processing described later may be implemented in hardware. Dedicated circuits (ASICs) or processors (reconfigurable processors, DSPs, etc.) can be used as hardware. Furthermore, the control unit 106, detection unit 107, and determination unit 108 have communication units for communicating with external devices, and may acquire trained models, control programs, training datasets, etc. from external devices via the communication unit, or output processing results etc. to external devices via the communication unit.

[0025] The control unit 106, detection unit 107, and determination unit 108 perform their functions when the CPU 21 executes a control program stored in the ROM 22 or the like.

[0026] Figure 3 is a flowchart illustrating the overall configuration of the lighting control method in this embodiment. First, in step S300, the imaging unit 105 acquires a captured image of the plant 103 taken from above, as shown in Figure 4, for example. The captured image can be any image of the plant 103 taken from above, and it can also be a video. In addition, multiple images may be taken by changing the settings during shooting. This shooting method is executed by the shooting settings and shooting instructions of the control unit 106. The captured image information, along with the shooting date and time, white balance, exposure time, ISO sensitivity, camera identification information, and incidental information such as the shooting location, is transmitted to the control unit 106 via the Internet 111 as the shooting result.

[0027] In step S301, the control unit 106 transmits the shooting results to the detection unit 107. The detection unit 107 analyzes the shooting results and detects the regions corresponding to the leaves of plant 103 from the captured image information. As described above, the detection unit 107 estimates and outputs the region information of each leaf on the captured image using a pre-trained model. As shown in Figure 5, leaves 500 to 511 of plant 103 are detected individually, and the region corresponding to each leaf is detected. The leaves do not need to belong to the same plant, and regions of multiple plants can be detected. The detection unit 107 transmits the detection results to the control unit 106.

[0028] In step S302, the control unit 106 transmits the imaging results from the imaging unit 105 and the detection results from the detection unit 107 to the determination unit 108, and the determination unit 108 determines the illuminance of each leaf. Specifically, the illuminance of each leaf is determined from the brightness in the region of each leaf on the captured image and the reflectance of the leaf surface.

[0029] Assuming there is no directional reflection on the leaf surface and the leaf surface is a uniformly diffusing surface, and given luminance L, illuminance E, reflectance ρ, and pi π, the luminance L can be expressed as follows: L = (ρ / π)·E ···(1) The reflectance ρ of the leaf surface can be measured in advance, assuming that the reflectance does not differ significantly among leaves of the same type of plant. Since values ​​other than illuminance E can be obtained, it is possible to calculate illuminance E from equation (1). The determination unit 108 determines the illuminance of each leaf, and the determination result is transmitted to the control unit 106.

[0030] In step S303, the control unit 106 uses the illuminance information, which is the result of the illuminance determination of each leaf, to check whether the illuminance determination result of any given leaf exceeds the threshold. If even one leaf's illuminance determination result exceeds the threshold, the control unit 106 adjusts the light intensity of the lighting unit 104, proceeding to steps S304 and S305. If no leaves exceed the threshold in terms of illuminance determination, the process returns to step S300. At this point, any amount of time may be allowed before executing the next step S300. Alternatively, the result may be sent to the display operation unit 110, and the system may wait for an instruction to execute step S300 again.

[0031] The threshold light level at which the likelihood of adverse effects such as growth disorders and discoloration of plants 103 due to high light intensity becomes significantly higher is set in the control unit 106 in advance using the display operation unit 110. The threshold light level may be dynamically changed as it changes over time and in the cultivation environment, including the growth stage, culture medium, light source irradiation cycle, and light source wavelength.

[0032] In step S304, the control unit 106 changes the light intensity of each light source 113 of the lighting unit 104, and the determination unit 108 determines the illuminance of each leaf. Based on the determination result, the control unit 106 obtains the distance relationship between each light source 113 of the lighting unit 104 and each leaf.

[0033] In step S305, the control unit 106 uses the distance relationship information between each light source 113 of the lighting unit 104 and each leaf, acquired in step S304, to search for a combination of light source intensity that maximizes the total illuminance of all leaves within a range where no leaves exceed the threshold illuminance. The range in which no leaves exceed the threshold illuminance may be defined as a range where no leaves exceed the threshold illuminance, and where the total illuminance of all leaves necessary for plant growth is met.

[0034] Upon completion of step S305, the system returns to step S300. At this point, any amount of time may be allowed before executing the next step S300. Alternatively, the system may send the result to the display operation unit 110 and wait for an instruction to execute step S300 again.

[0035] The details of step S304 in Figure 3 will be explained below using Figure 6. Figure 6 is a flowchart showing the process of acquiring the distance relationship between each light source 113 of the illumination unit 104 and each leaf in step S304.

[0036] In step S600, the variable n is set to 0. This variable n is assumed to correspond to the numbers individually assigned to the multiple light sources 113 included in the illumination unit 104.

[0037] In step S601, the control unit 106 increases the brightness of the nth light source 113 in the illumination unit 104 by a certain amount. Subsequently, the illuminance of each leaf is determined by executing a series of steps S300, S301, and S3202.

[0038] In step S602, the control unit 106 stores data on the percentage increase in illuminance of each leaf when the nth light source 113 in the lighting unit 104 is brightened. Instead of data on the percentage increase in illuminance, data on the amount of increase in illuminance may also be used.

[0039] In step S603, the control unit 106 stops increasing the brightness of the nth light source 113 and returns the illuminance to its original state.

[0040] In step S604, the control unit 106 determines whether the series of steps S601, S300, S301, S302, S602, and S603 have been performed for all light sources 113 in the illumination unit 104. If it is determined that each of the above steps has been performed for all light sources 113, the process proceeds to step S605. If it is determined that each of the above steps has not been performed for all light sources 113, the process proceeds to step S606.

[0041] In step S606, n = n + 1. Subsequently, a series of steps S601, S300, S301, S302, S602, and S603 are executed again. In step S604, if a series of steps S601, S300, S301, S302, S602, and S603 have been performed for all light sources 113 in the lighting unit 104, the following will occur. The data accumulated sequentially in step S602 will be data showing the relationship between the increased light source 113 and the illuminance increase rate of each leaf.

[0042] As shown in Figure 7, data showing the relationship between the amplified light source 113 in the lighting unit 104 and the illuminance increase rate of each leaf is acquired as table data consisting of the amplified light source ID, amplified light amount, leaf ID, and illuminance increase rate. In step S605, the control unit 106 acquires the distance relationship between each light source 113 in the lighting unit 104 and each leaf from the above table data accumulated by repeating step S602.

[0043] Since illuminance is proportional to the inverse square of the distance from the light source, the further the leaves of plant 103 are from the light source 113 in the lighting unit 104, the smaller the rate of increase in illumination becomes. In this embodiment, this is used to obtain the distance relationship between each light source 113 and each leaf. However, if a leaf is in the shadow of another leaf, the distance relationship between each light source 113 and each leaf obtained above is not simple distance information, but rather a composite of distance information, although it can be used without problems in the subsequent steps.

[0044] The distance relationship between each light source 113 and each leaf in the lighting unit 104 is acquired as table data consisting of the light-enhancing light source ID, leaf ID, and distance relationship, as shown in Figure 8. The distance relationship is indicated by rank, with 1 representing the closest distance.

[0045] The details of step S305 in Figure 3 will be explained below using Figure 9. Figure 9 is a flowchart showing the process of searching for a combination of light source quantities that maximizes the total illuminance of all leaves within the range in which no leaves exceed the threshold illuminance in step S305.

[0046] In step S900, the control unit 106 uses the distance relationship information between each light source 113 and each leaf in the illumination unit 104, acquired in step 305, to reduce (dim) the light intensity of the light source 113 closest to the leaf whose illuminance exceeds the limit. There may be more than one light source 113 whose light intensity is reduced.

[0047] If there are multiple leaves exceeding the illuminance limit, the control unit 106 performs the same processing on all of them. For light sources 113 close to leaves exceeding the illuminance limit, the control unit 106 identifies them from the light-enhancing light source IDs with a distance relationship rank of 1 in the row corresponding to the leaf ID of the leaf exceeding the illuminance limit, based on the distance relationship information between each light source 113 and each leaf obtained in step S605 shown in Figure 6. Any light source 113 close to a leaf exceeding the illuminance limit is acceptable, and a value other than rank 1 may also be used.

[0048] Subsequently, a series of steps S300, S301, and S302 are performed to determine the illuminance of each leaf. In step S901, the control unit 106 determines whether or not any leaves have exceeded the illuminance limit. If it is determined that there are leaves with exceeded illuminance, the unit returns to step S900. If it is determined that there are no such leaves, the unit proceeds to step S902. For example, as shown in Figure 10, the unit determines whether or not the threshold is exceeded for each leaf and obtains this data as table data, which can then be used to determine whether or not any leaf has exceeded the illuminance limit.

[0049] In step S902, the control unit 106 selects a random light source 113 and increases its brightness by a certain amount. The light sources 113 can be selected in numerical order or by selecting the dimmest light source 113.

[0050] Subsequently, a series of steps S300, S301, and S302 are performed to determine the illuminance of each leaf. In step S903, the control unit 106 determines whether or not there is any leaf whose illuminance exceeds the limit. If it is determined that there is no leaf, it returns to step S902. If it is determined that there is a leaf, it proceeds to step 904. For example, as shown in Figure 10, the threshold is determined for each leaf and acquired as table data, which can then be used to determine whether or not the illuminance of any given leaf exceeds the limit.

[0051] While the control unit 106 performs the determination in step S903, a series of steps S902, S300, S301, and S302 are repeatedly executed. This allows the system to search for combinations of light intensity of each light source 113 in the lighting unit 104 that can irradiate the plant 103 with more light while maintaining a state in which no leaves exceed the illuminance limit.

[0052] Step S904 is the process for when a leaf with excessive illumination appears. In step S904, the control unit 106 cancels the most recent light-increasing operation. This returns the system to the state it was in before the leaf with excessive illumination appeared.

[0053] In step S905, the control unit 106 determines whether the conditions for completing the search for the optimal combination of light source intensity for each light source 113 in the lighting unit 104 have been met. If it is determined that the search completion conditions have been met, step S305 in Figure 3 is completed, and the process returns to step S300 in Figure 3. At this point, any amount of time may be allowed before executing the next step S300. Alternatively, the results may be sent to the display operation unit 110, and the system may wait for an instruction to execute step S300 again. The control unit 106 may also send to the display operation unit 110 the numbers of the leaves whose illuminance exceeds the pre- and post-adjustment levels as a result of adjusting the light intensity of each light source 113 in the lighting unit 104, and the sum of the illuminances of all leaves on the plant 103, so that the user can confirm them.

[0054] The search termination condition is to repeat the light source intensity combination search process consisting of a series of steps S902, S300, S301, S302, S903, or a series of steps S902, S300, S301, S302, S903, S904, S905, S906, a sufficient number of times. This is sufficient if the plant 103 is irradiated with enough light for growth without any leaves exceeding the illuminance limit. For this reason, possible search termination conditions include whether the above search process has been repeated a specified number of times or more, whether the sum of the illuminances of all leaves of plant 103 is equal to or greater than a specified value, or whether the judgment in step S903 has been true for a specified number of consecutive times, or a combination of these conditions may also be used as the search termination condition.

[0055] In step S906, the control unit 106 reduces the amount of light increase from step S902. Reducing the amount of light increase makes it possible to search for a more precise combination of light intensity for each light source 113 in the illumination unit 104. After that, the control unit 106 executes step S902.

[0056] Step S304, described with reference to Figure 6, and Step S305, described with reference to Figure 9, are examples of adjusting the light intensity of the light source 113 from the illuminance data of each leaf. The disclosure is not limited to this embodiment, and various modifications and changes are possible within the scope of its gist.

[0057] As described above, according to this embodiment, a combination of light intensity for each light source 113 in the lighting unit 104 is searched for that irradiates the plant 103 with more light intensity while keeping the illuminance within a range where the illuminance does not exceed a threshold. Therefore, it is possible to irradiate the plant 103 with sufficient light intensity while avoiding illuminance levels that cause growth disorders or changes in appearance of the plant 103.

[0058] -Various Modifications of This Embodiment- The following describes various modified versions of the lighting control device of this embodiment.

[0059] (Variation 1) Modification 1 differs from this embodiment in that the illuminance determination method described in step S302 of Figure 3 is different.

[0060] In the first modified example, the illuminance can be determined using the brightness information of the captured image obtained by the imaging unit 105, and the following method is an example. Assuming the imaging unit 105 is a digital camera, the brightness of the captured image is affected by the settings used during shooting, such as exposure time, ISO sensitivity, and white balance. Let the alpha coefficient be the factor that has such an effect. Assuming there is no directional reflection on the leaf surface and it is a uniformly diffuse surface, and given brightness L, illuminance E, reflectance ρ, and pi π, the brightness L can be expressed as follows. L = (ρ / π)αE = χE ···(2)

[0061] As shown in equation (2), if we define the term that combines α, ρ, and π as χ, Non-Patent Document 1 shows that χ correlates with the color of the subject. This indicates that illuminance can be estimated from luminance information and the color of the subject.

[0062] In the modified example 1, the control unit 106 determines the illuminance using a calculation method based on equation (2) instead of step S302 in Figure 3.

[0063] According to Modification 1, a combination of light intensity values ​​for each light source 113 in the lighting unit 104 is searched for that irradiates the plant 103 with more light intensity while keeping the illuminance within a range where the illuminance does not exceed a threshold. As a result, the plant 103 can be irradiated with sufficient light intensity while avoiding illuminance levels that cause growth disorders or changes in appearance of the plant 103.

[0064] (Modification 2) Modification 2 differs from this embodiment in that the method for determining the illuminance of each leaf of plant 103, as explained in Figure 9, is different.

[0065] In Figure 9, the optimal combination of light intensity was searched by repeatedly increasing the brightness of randomly selected light sources 113 in the lighting unit 104 by a certain amount. However, step S305 in Figure 3 can be performed using a method that obtains information based on the distance relationship between each light source 113 in the lighting unit 104 and each leaf of the plant 103. Figure 11 is a flowchart showing the illuminance determination method for step S305 in modified example 2.

[0066] In step S1101, the control unit 106 determines the light intensity ratio of each light source 113 in the lighting unit 104, based on the distance relationship information between each light source 113 and each leaf of the plant 103 obtained in step S304, so that the difference in illuminance between parts (leaves) is minimized as much as possible.

[0067] In step S901, the control unit 106 determines whether or not there are any leaves whose illuminance exceeds the limit. If it is determined that there are leaves whose illuminance exceeds the limit, the unit returns to step S1101. If it is determined that there are no such leaves, the unit proceeds to step S1102.

[0068] In step S1102, the control unit 106 increases the brightness of all light sources 113 in the illumination unit 104 by a certain amount. The subsequent steps are equivalent to steps S300 to S906 after step S901, as explained using Figure 9. Therefore, their explanation is omitted.

[0069] According to Modification 2, a combination of light intensity values ​​for each light source 113 in the lighting unit 104 is searched for that irradiates the plant 103 with more light intensity within a range where the illuminance does not exceed a threshold. As a result, the plant 103 can be irradiated with sufficient light intensity while avoiding illuminance levels that cause growth disorders or changes in appearance of the plant 103.

[0070] (Variation 3) Modification 3 differs from this embodiment in that step S303, as described in Figure 3, is different.

[0071] In the third modified example, in step S303 of Figure 3, the control unit 106 checks whether the illuminance of any leaf on the plant 103 is outside the specified range. If this condition is met, it is possible to search for a combination of light intensity of each light source 113 in the lighting unit 104 so that all leaves on the plant 103 are given the specified minimum illuminance.

[0072] According to Modification 3, a combination of light intensity values ​​for each light source 113 in the lighting unit 104 is searched for, which allows more light to be irradiated onto the plant 103 while keeping the illuminance within the specified range. As a result, sufficient light can be irradiated onto the plant 103 while avoiding illuminance levels that cause growth disorders or changes in appearance of the plant 103.

[0073] (Modification 4) In this embodiment, the illuminance of the leaves of plant 103 is determined, and it is possible to irradiate plant 103 with sufficient light while avoiding illuminance levels that cause growth disorders or changes in appearance of the leaves. However, the object to be illuminated is not limited to the leaves of plant 103.

[0074] Plants have various parts besides leaves, including fruits, seeds, stems, roots, sprouts, and flowers. This embodiment can be applied to any part of a plant as long as it can be imaged by the imaging unit 105 and the light from the illumination unit 104 reaches that part. In this embodiment, leaves were used as an example of a plant part, but the detection unit 107 can detect at least one of the following: leaves, fruits, seeds, stems, roots, sprouts, and flowers. As an example, let's describe a fruit. When applied to a fruit, the illuminance of the fruit is determined and optimized to prevent discoloration and a decrease in commercial value at high illuminance, while improving the illuminance of individual fruits that have poor coloration at low illuminance to improve coloration.

[0075] According to Modification 4, a combination of light intensity values ​​for each light source 113 in the lighting unit 104 is searched for, which allows more light to be irradiated onto the plant's fruits, etc., within a range where the illuminance does not exceed a threshold. As a result, it is possible to irradiate the plant with sufficient light while avoiding illuminance levels that cause growth disorders or changes in the appearance of the plant 103.

[0076] (Variation 5) In the lighting control device shown in Figure 1, each light source 113 of the lighting unit 104 may be configured to emit light within a predetermined wavelength range. For example, one could use a lighting unit 104 that emits only ultraviolet light (UVA / UVB) to improve the fragrance, color, taste, and disease resistance of plants by emitting an appropriate amount of light. Alternatively, an artificial light source may be added in addition to each light source 113 of the illumination unit 104.

[0077] According to Modification 5, a combination of light intensity values ​​for each light source 113 in the lighting unit 104 is searched for that irradiates the plant 103 with more light intensity within a range where the illuminance does not exceed a threshold. As a result, the plant 103 can be irradiated with sufficient light intensity while avoiding illuminance levels that cause growth disorders or changes in appearance of the plant 103.

[0078] The programs that implement the functions of the control unit 106, detection unit 107, and determination unit 108 in the above-described embodiments and various modifications are included in this disclosure. This disclosure can also be implemented by supplying the program to a system or device via a network or storage medium, and by one or more processors in the computer of that system or device reading and executing the program. It can also be implemented by a circuit (e.g., an ASIC) that implements one or more functions.

[0079] While preferred embodiments and variations of the present disclosure have been described above, the present disclosure is not limited to these embodiments and variations, and various modifications and changes are possible within the scope of its essence.

[0080] This embodiment includes the following configurations and methods. (Composition 1) The lighting unit that illuminates the plants, An imaging unit capable of photographing the parts of the aforementioned plant, A detection unit for detecting the region of the plant from the image of the part acquired by the imaging unit, A determination unit determines the illuminance of the area from the captured image information of the area acquired by the imaging unit and the area information of the area obtained by the detection unit. A control unit controls the amount of light from the lighting unit based on the illuminance information of the part determined by the determination unit, Equipped with, Lighting control device. (Configuration 2) The control unit, When the determination unit identifies a part whose illuminance exceeds a threshold, A first control that acquires information on the distance relationship between the part and the lighting unit while changing the light intensity of the lighting unit, A second control that uses the acquired distance relationship information to search for a combination of light quantities that maximizes the total illuminance in all the aforementioned parts, within a range where no part exceeds the threshold illuminance. Execute The lighting control device described in Configuration 1. (Composition 3) The illumination unit has multiple light sources, The lighting control device described in Configuration 2. (Composition 4) The first control is, The light from each of the aforementioned multiple light sources is successively increased, and information on the rate of increase in illuminance of the aforementioned parts of the plant is accumulated. From the information on the illuminance increase rate accumulated for the light source, information on the distance relationship between the light source and the part is obtained. The lighting control device described in Configuration 3. (Composition 5) The second control is, Until no part is found to have an illuminance exceeding the threshold, the light source near the part whose illuminance exceeds the threshold is dimmed using the distance relationship information acquired in the first control, and the illuminance of the part is determined. Until the search termination condition for a predetermined combination of light source intensity is met, (1) Select any of the light sources and increase the brightness until the part in which the illuminance exceeds the threshold is confirmed, and the illuminance of the part is determined. (2) If a part is found to have an illuminance exceeding the threshold, the brightening of the light source closest to that part shall be stopped. (3) Reduce the amount of light increase of the light source that is increased in (1) above, A series of controls are repeatedly executed. A lighting control device as described in configuration 3 or 4. (Composition 6) The second control is, Until no more areas exceeding the threshold in illuminance are detected, the light intensity ratio of the light sources is determined using the distance relationship information acquired in the first control so that the illuminance difference between the areas is minimized as much as possible. Until the search termination condition for a predetermined combination of light source intensity is met, (1) All light sources are selected and increased in brightness until the illuminance of the area exceeds the threshold, and the illuminance of the area is determined. (2) If a part is found to have an illuminance exceeding the threshold, the brightening of the light source closest to that part shall be stopped. (3) Reduce the amount of light increase of the light source that is increased in (1) above, A series of controls are repeatedly executed. A lighting control device as described in configuration 3 or 4. (Composition 7) The detection unit is This method uses a pre-trained model created by taking information from images of multiple plants as input data and associating it with region information of plant parts in those images as training data. A lighting control device as described in any one of configurations 1 to 6. (Composition 8) The determination unit, Based on the brightness information of the captured image acquired by the imaging unit, the illuminance of the part of the plant is determined. A lighting control device as described in any one of configurations 1 to 7. (Composition 9) The control unit, When the determination unit identifies a part whose illuminance is outside the specified range, A first control that acquires information on the distance relationship between the part and the lighting unit while changing the light intensity of the lighting unit, A second control that uses the acquired distance relationship information to search for a combination of light quantities that maximizes the total illuminance in all the aforementioned parts, within a range where no part has illuminance outside the specified range. Execute The lighting control device described in Configuration 1. (Composition 10) The detection unit is capable of detecting at least one of the following plant parts: leaves, fruits, seeds, stems, roots, sprouts, and flowers. A lighting control device as described in any one of configurations 1 to 9. (Composition 11) The imaging unit includes the settings used during shooting in the shooting result. The determination unit determines the illuminance based on at least one piece of information from the set value, color, and reflectance of the imaging unit at the time of shooting. A lighting control device as described in any one of configurations 1 to 10. (Composition 12) The illumination unit emits light only within a predetermined wavelength range. A lighting control device as described in any one of configurations 1 to 11. (Composition 13) The computer for the lighting control device A detection unit that detects the region of the plant part from an image taken of the plant part, A determination unit that determines the illuminance of the part from the captured image information and area information of the part, A control unit controls the amount of light used to illuminate the plant based on the illuminance information of the determined part. A program designed to function as such. (Method 1) The steps include detecting the region of the plant part from an image taken of the plant part, A step of determining the illuminance of the part from the captured image information and area information of the part, A step of controlling the amount of light used to illuminate the plant based on the illuminance information of the determined part, Having, Lighting control method. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0081] 100 cultivation layers 101 Culture solution 102 Planting area 103 Plants 104 Lighting Section 105 Imaging Unit 106 Control Unit 107 Detection unit 108 Judgment section 109 servers 110 Display operation section 111 Network 112 Culture medium 500-511 Region of detected leaves

Claims

1. The lighting unit that illuminates the plants, An imaging unit capable of photographing the parts of the aforementioned plant, A detection unit for detecting the region of the plant from the image of the part acquired by the imaging unit, A determination unit determines the illuminance of the area from the captured image information of the area acquired by the imaging unit and the area information of the area obtained by the detection unit. A control unit controls the amount of light from the lighting unit based on the illuminance information of the part determined by the determination unit, Equipped with, Lighting control device.

2. The control unit, When the determination unit identifies a part whose illuminance exceeds a threshold, A first control that acquires information on the distance relationship between the part and the lighting unit while changing the light intensity of the lighting unit, A second control that uses the acquired distance relationship information to search for a combination of light quantities that maximizes the total illuminance in all the aforementioned parts, within a range where no part exceeds the threshold illuminance. Execute The lighting control device according to claim 1.

3. The illumination unit has multiple light sources, The lighting control device according to claim 2.

4. The first control is, The light from each of the aforementioned multiple light sources is successively increased, and information on the rate of increase in illuminance of the aforementioned parts of the plant is accumulated. From the information on the illuminance increase rate accumulated for the light source, information on the distance relationship between the light source and the part is obtained. The lighting control device according to claim 3.

5. The second control is, Until no part is found to have an illuminance exceeding the threshold, the light source near the part whose illuminance exceeds the threshold is dimmed using the distance relationship information acquired in the first control, and the illuminance of the part is determined. Until the search termination condition for a predetermined combination of light source intensity is met, (1) Select any of the light sources and increase the brightness until the part in which the illuminance exceeds the threshold is confirmed, and the illuminance of the part is determined, (2) If a part is found to have an illuminance exceeding the threshold, the brightening of the light source closest to that part shall be stopped. (3) Reduce the amount of light increase of the light source that is increased in (1) above, A series of controls are repeatedly executed. The lighting control device according to claim 3.

6. The second control is, Until no more areas exceeding the threshold in illuminance are detected, the light intensity ratio of the light sources is determined using the distance relationship information acquired in the first control, such that the illuminance difference between the areas is minimized as much as possible. Until the search termination condition for a predetermined combination of light source intensity is met, (1) All light sources are selected and brightened until the illuminance of the area exceeds the threshold, and the illuminance of the area is determined. (2) If a part is found to have an illuminance exceeding the threshold, the brightening of the light source closest to that part shall be stopped. (3) Reduce the amount of light increase of the light source that is increased in (1) above, A series of controls are repeatedly executed. The lighting control device according to claim 3.

7. The detection unit is This method uses a pre-trained model created by taking information from images of multiple plants as input data and associating it with region information of plant parts in those images as training data. The lighting control device according to claim 1.

8. The determination unit, Based on the brightness information of the captured image acquired by the imaging unit, the illuminance of the part of the plant is determined. The lighting control device according to claim 1.

9. The control unit, When the determination unit identifies a part whose illuminance is outside the specified range, A first control that acquires information on the distance relationship between the part and the lighting unit while changing the light intensity of the lighting unit, A second control that uses the acquired distance relationship information to search for a combination of light quantities that maximizes the total illuminance in all the aforementioned parts, within a range where no part has illuminance outside the specified range. Execute The lighting control device according to claim 1.

10. The detection unit is capable of detecting at least one of the following plant parts: leaves, fruits, seeds, stems, roots, sprouts, and flowers. The lighting control device according to claim 1.

11. The imaging unit includes the settings used during shooting in the shooting result. The determination unit determines the illuminance based on at least one piece of information from the set value, color, and reflectance of the imaging unit during shooting. The lighting control device according to claim 1.

12. The illumination unit emits light only within a predetermined wavelength range. The lighting control device according to claim 1.

13. The steps include detecting the region of the plant part from an image taken of the plant part, A step of determining the illuminance of the part from the captured image information and area information of the part, A step of controlling the amount of light used to illuminate the plant based on the illuminance information of the determined part, Having, Lighting control method.

14. The computer for the lighting control device A detection unit that detects the region of the plant part from an image taken of the plant part, A determination unit that determines the illuminance of the part from the captured image information and area information of the part, A control unit controls the amount of light used to illuminate the plant based on the illuminance information of the determined part. A program designed to function as such.

Images