Lighting control system and control method

Abstract

To provide a lighting control system that can more appropriately irradiate plants with ultraviolet light. [Solution] The lighting control system 10 includes an irradiation unit 22 that irradiates light onto a target plant, the irradiation unit 22 which includes a first light having a light intensity peak in the range of 300 to 340 nm and a full width at half maximum of 20 nm or less, and a second light having a light intensity peak in the range of 260 to 300 nm and a full width at half maximum of 20 nm or less; an elapsed time acquisition unit 24 which acquires the elapsed time from the start of irradiation of the first and second lights by the irradiation unit 22; and a control unit 23 which controls the irradiation of the first and second lights. The control unit 23 stops the irradiation of the first and second lights or reduces the light intensity when the acquired elapsed time exceeds a predetermined time.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a lighting control system and a control method. [Background Art]

[0002] It is known that irradiation with ultraviolet light is effective for suppressing the onset of viral diseases in plants (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior Art Documents] [Patent Documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2016-7185 [Brief Summary of the Invention] [Problem to be Solved by the Invention]

[0004] However, conventional ultraviolet irradiation to plants has not been appropriate in some cases. Accordingly, the present invention provides a lighting control system or the like that can more appropriately irradiate plants with ultraviolet light. [Means for Solving the Problem]

[0005] A lighting control system according to one aspect of the present invention includes: an irradiation unit configured to irradiate light onto a target plant, the light including a first light having a light intensity peak within a range of 300 to 340 nm and a half-value width of 20 nm or less, and a second light having a light intensity peak within a range of 260 to 300 nm and a half-value width of 20 nm or less; an elapsed time acquisition unit configured to acquire an elapsed time from the start of irradiation of the first light and the second light by the irradiation unit; and a control unit configured to control the irradiation of the first light and the second light, wherein when the acquired elapsed time exceeds a predetermined time, the control unit stops the irradiation of the first light and the second light to be irradiated, or reduces the light intensity thereof.

[0006] A control method according to one aspect of the present invention is a control method for an irradiation unit that irradiates a target plant with light, wherein the light includes a first light having a light intensity peak in the range of 300 to 340 nm and a full width at half maximum of 20 nm or less, and a second light having a light intensity peak in the range of 260 to 300 nm and a full width at half maximum of 20 nm or less, and the control method includes the steps of: obtaining the elapsed time from the start of irradiation of the first light and the second light by the irradiation unit; controlling the irradiation of the first light and the second light; and stopping the irradiation of the first light and the second light or reducing the light intensity when the obtained elapsed time exceeds a predetermined time. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] The lighting control system of the present invention can more appropriately irradiate plants with ultraviolet light. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a lighting control system according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a diagram illustrating the light irradiation posture by the lighting control system according to the embodiment. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a diagram illustrating the light emitted in the lighting control system according to the embodiment. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a flowchart showing the control method by the lighting control system according to the embodiment. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is a diagram illustrating the operation of the lighting control system according to the embodiment when a person is detected. [Figure 6] Figure 6 is a diagram illustrating other controls for the irradiation unit by the lighting control system according to the embodiment. [Figure 7] Figure 7 is a diagram illustrating other controls for the irradiation unit by the lighting control system according to the embodiment. [Figure 8]Figure 8 is a diagram illustrating the light irradiation effect of the lighting control system according to the embodiment. [Figure 9] Figure 9 is a diagram illustrating the light irradiation effect of the lighting control system according to the embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] The embodiments will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. Note that the embodiments described below are all comprehensive or specific examples. The numerical values, shapes, materials, components, arrangement positions and connection configurations of components, steps, and the order of steps shown in the following embodiments are examples only and are not intended to limit the present invention. Furthermore, components in the following embodiments that are not described in an independent claim will be described as optional components.

[0010] Please note that each figure is a schematic diagram and not necessarily a strictly accurate representation. Furthermore, in each figure, substantially identical components are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant explanations may be omitted or simplified.

[0011] (Embodiment) [composition] First, the configuration of the lighting control system according to the embodiment will be described. Figure 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the lighting control system according to the embodiment. As shown in Figure 1, the lighting control system 10 comprises a plurality of lighting fixtures 20, terminal equipment 90, and a detector 80. Furthermore, the number of plurality of lighting fixtures 20 provided by the lighting control system 10 is not particularly limited; it may be one (or not multiple), or it may be four or more.

[0012] The lighting fixture 20 is a light for illuminating plants, and is a base light installed on the ceiling of the space where the plants are placed to illuminate the space. The form of the lighting fixture 20 is not particularly limited and may be a ceiling light, downlight, or spotlight. Specifically, the lighting fixture 20 comprises a wireless communication unit 21, an illumination unit 22, a control unit 23, an elapsed time acquisition unit 24, and a detection result acquisition unit 25.

[0013] The wireless communication unit 21 is a wireless communication circuit that enables the lighting fixture 20 to communicate wirelessly (more specifically, via radio waves) with the terminal equipment 90 and the detector 80. Specifically, the wireless communication unit 21 communicates wirelessly according to a communication standard such as BLE (Bluetooth® Low Energy) or Bluetooth® mesh, but is not particularly limited to any communication standard.

[0014] The illumination unit 22 emits light into the space for the lighting fixture 20 to illuminate the target plant. Here, the light emitted by the lighting fixture 20 is light corresponding to the light source provided by the illumination unit 22. As shown in the figure, the illumination unit 22 has a first light source 22a that can emit first light in the range of 300 to 340 nm and a second light source 22b that can emit second light in the range of 260 to 300 nm. The illumination unit 22 also has a light source that emits growth light (not shown). Growth light is light necessary for plant growth and mainly consists of visible light. Therefore, the light source that emits growth light may include a visible light source that emits visible light. The illumination unit 22 may also be realized by a single light source that can emit the first light, the second light, and the growth light.

[0015] Here, the light irradiation attitudes from each light source will be described. FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining the light irradiation attitude achieved by the lighting control system according to the embodiment. As shown in FIG. 2, the first light is irradiated downward from an upper position toward the target plant. Therefore, the first light source 22a is arranged at an upper position relative to the target plant in an attitude where the optical axis faces downward. The term "downward" used herein refers to any direction that includes a vertically downward vector component. This allows the first light to irradiate the upper surface side of the leaves (the front surface side in common plants) when it is assumed, for example, that the leaves of the target plant spread along a horizontal plane.

[0016] Further, the second light is irradiated upward from a lower position toward the target plant. Therefore, the second light source 22b is arranged at a lower position relative to the target plant in an attitude where the optical axis faces upward. The term "upward" used herein refers to any direction that includes a vertically upward vector component. This allows the second light to irradiate the lower surface side of the leaves (the back surface side in common plants) when it is assumed, for example, that the leaves of the target plant spread along a horizontal plane.

[0017] Note that the growing light is irradiated downward from an upper position relative to the target plant. Therefore, the light source that emits the growing light is arranged at an upper position relative to the target plant in an attitude where the optical axis faces downward. The arrangement and attitude of these light sources are intended to obtain the pest damage suppressing effect described later, and may be appropriately selected according to the required degree of the pest damage suppressing effect. As long as the conditions allow a sufficient pest damage suppressing effect, the first light source 22a, the second light source 22b, and the light source that emits the growing light may all be arranged at a lower position relative to the target plant in an attitude where the optical axis faces upward, or all of them may be arranged at an upper position relative to the target plant in an attitude where the optical axis faces downward. Further, among the plurality of lighting fixtures 20, the above arrangement may be realized by combining lighting fixtures 20 including the first light source 22a, the second light source 22b, and the growing light emitting light source arranged above or below the target plant.

[0018] The irradiation unit 22 is a socket bulb-type light including three or more light sources, but may be a straight tube-type light including three or more light sources. Each light source included in the irradiation unit 22 is implemented by, for example, an LED (Light Emitting Diode) element, but may also be implemented by other light-emitting elements such as a semiconductor laser, organic EL (Electro-Luminescence), or inorganic EL. For example, among the respective light sources, the first light source 22a and the second light source 22b are preferably implemented by LED elements. This will be described with reference to FIG. 3. FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining light irradiated in the lighting control system according to the embodiment.

[0019] FIG. 3 shows a combined spectrum of light irradiated by each light source, that is, a spectrum of light with which a target plant is irradiated. As shown in FIG. 3, the light from each light source irradiates the target plant with first light of 300 to 340 nm, second light of 260 to 300 nm, and growing light. Here, in both the first light and the second light, the light intensity becomes substantially zero within a predetermined wavelength range from the peak wavelength of the light intensity. That is, the spectra of the first light and the second light exhibit sharp peak waveforms. By providing such sharp peak waveforms, there is obtained an advantage that it is easy to suppress the influence of light in a wavelength region other than the peak wavelength (for example, a valley region around 280 nm in the figure) on the target plant.

[0020] For example, when the first light source 22a and the second light source 22b are implemented by LED elements, both the first light and the second light exhibit sharp peak waveforms such as those having a half width of 20 nm or less. As a result, as described above, the effect of easily suppressing the influence of light in a wavelength region other than the peak wavelength on the target plant can be obtained. Note that, for a light source that emits growing light, since it is used for the purpose of appreciation and growth of the target plant, a light source that exhibits a light spectrum suitable for appreciation and growth of the target plant may be selected.

[0021] Returning to Figure 1, the control unit 23 controls the light emission of the lighting fixture 20 (irradiation unit 22). Light emission control includes turning on the light, turning off the light, dimming control, color temperature control, and light distribution control. The control unit 23 is implemented by, for example, a microcomputer, but it may also be implemented by a processor or a dedicated circuit. The functions of the control unit 23 are realized by the execution of a computer program (software) stored in memory by the hardware, such as the microcomputer or processor that constitutes the control unit 23.

[0022] The elapsed time acquisition unit 24, in conjunction with the control unit 23's control of the irradiation unit 22, measures and acquires the period during which light is being emitted from the irradiation unit 22. For example, the elapsed time acquisition unit 24 constantly generates the elapsed time relative to the current time by measuring the elapsed time since the first light was emitted from the first light source 22a of the irradiation unit 22. The elapsed time acquisition unit 24 also constantly generates the elapsed time relative to the current time by measuring the elapsed time since the second light was emitted from the second light source 22b of the irradiation unit 22. Alternatively, the elapsed time acquisition unit 24 may acquire the elapsed time as a measurement result from an external device that measures the period during which light is being emitted, instead of measuring and acquiring the elapsed time itself. This elapsed time is used by the control unit 23 to control the irradiation unit 22.

[0023] The detection result acquisition unit 25 is a functional unit that acquires detection results from the detector 80 via the wireless communication unit 21. The detection results include the detection of abnormalities in the target plant and the detection of the presence or absence of people in the vicinity of the target plant (for example, within the irradiation range reached by the light from the first light source 22a and the second light source 22b). These detection results are used in the control unit 23 to control the irradiation unit 22.

[0024] Detector 80 includes an anomaly detector 81 and a human detector 82. Here, an example is shown in which the anomaly detector 81 and the human detector 82 are included in one detector 80, but the anomaly detector 81 and the human detector 82 may each be included in separate detectors.

[0025] The anomaly detector 81 is a sensor that includes a camera for acquiring images of a target plant and an analysis unit for analyzing the acquired images, and detects the occurrence of an anomaly in the target plant through image analysis. In the anomaly detector 81, the anomaly in the target plant to be detected is the occurrence of at least one of disease and insect infestation in the target plant. Therefore, the analysis unit performs the above detection using an algorithm (for example, a trained model) that detects the presence or absence of at least one of disease and insect infestation in the target plant from the acquired images.

[0026] The anomaly detector 81 may detect not only whether there is an abnormality in the target plant, but also whether the abnormality is a disease, an insect infestation, or both. The anomaly detector 81 does not have to be a sensor consisting of a camera and a processing unit as described above. For example, the anomaly detector 81 may be a sensor that detects chemical substances secreted by the target plant when it is diseased or infested with insects, and any other sensor that can detect an abnormality may be used. Furthermore, although the anomaly detector 81 is a sensor that detects the occurrence of an abnormality in the target plant without contact, it may also be a sensor that detects by contacting the target plant.

[0027] The human detector 82 is a sensor that has a camera that acquires images of the area around the target plant and an analysis unit that analyzes the acquired images, and detects the presence or absence of a person around the target plant by image analysis. The analysis unit performs the above detection using an algorithm (for example, a trained model) that detects the presence or absence of a person around the target plant from the acquired images. Alternatively, the human detector 82 may simply consist of a pyroelectric sensor that detects infrared radiation from the area around the target plant, and output a detection result indicating the presence of a person when infrared radiation is detected.

[0028] The terminal device 90 is a general-purpose device with information processing capabilities, such as a smartphone, tablet, or PC owned by the user. The terminal device 90 is used as the user interface in the lighting control system 10. The terminal device 90 has the following functional configuration by executing a predetermined program using a processor and memory. Specifically, the terminal device 90 comprises a reception unit 91, a database 92, a wireless communication unit 93, and a presentation unit 94.

[0029] The reception unit 91 is a function that receives input from the user. For example, the reception unit 91 receives input for selecting a target plant or input for manually controlling the lighting fixture 20.

[0030] Database 92 is a collection of information that associates plants with a list of diseases and pests known to occur in those plants, pathogenic substances in diseases (fungi such as filamentous fungi and viruses, etc.), and the cumulative daily irradiation dose required for pests. Database 92 contains lists of multiple plants (lists of multiple candidate target plants), and the above information linked to each plant is summarized. For example, if a user selects a plant as a target plant from the list, the cumulative daily irradiation dose required for that plant will be extracted as information about the target plant. Alternatively, instead of the user referring to the list of plants in Database 92, the user may input a photograph of the target plant they have taken, and the system may automatically search for a plant corresponding to the target plant based on the features of that image.

[0031] The wireless communication unit 93 is a wireless communication circuit for the terminal device 90 to communicate wirelessly (more specifically, via radio waves) with the lighting fixture 20. Specifically, the wireless communication unit 21 performs wireless communication according to a communication standard such as BLE or Bluetooth mesh, but is not particularly limited to the communication standard.

[0032] The display unit 94 is an image processing function that displays images to the user by driving a display module such as a display from the terminal device 90. The display unit 94 can also be considered as an input / output function for a touch display together with the reception unit 91.

[0033] [Operation of the lighting control system] The lighting control system 10 configured as described above operates as shown in Figures 4 and later. Figure 4 is a flowchart illustrating the control method by the lighting control system according to the embodiment. Figure 5 is a diagram illustrating the operation of the lighting control system according to the embodiment when a person is detected.

[0034] First, the user selects the target plant in the lighting control system 10. Specifically, in the terminal device 90, the display unit 94 presents a list of candidate target plants on the display module. The user then inputs a plant that is actually placed in the space from the presented list. The input is received by the reception unit 91.

[0035] The reception unit 91, upon receiving a candidate for the target plant, refers to the database 92 to read a list of known diseases and pests associated with that target plant, as well as the required cumulative irradiation amount per day, and transmits this information to the lighting fixture 20. The lighting fixture 20 uses this information in the control unit 23 to control the irradiation unit 22.

[0036] Next, the anomaly detector 81 determines whether or not an anomaly has been detected in the target plant (S11). If no anomaly is detected (No in S11), step S11 is repeated until an anomaly is detected. For example, the anomaly detector 81 continuously acquires images of the target plant and continues acquiring images until an image considered to be an anomaly is found among the acquired images.

[0037] When an abnormality is detected in the abnormality detector 81 (Yes in S11), the detection result acquisition unit 25 acquires a detection result indicating that an abnormality has been detected, and the control unit 23 controls the irradiation unit 22 to start irradiating the target plant with at least one of the first light and the second light to suppress the abnormality (S12). For example, if the abnormality indicated in the detection result is the occurrence of a disease, the control unit 23 controls the irradiation unit 22 to start irradiating the target plant with the first light. The first light can suppress the transfer of pathogenic substances that cause disease to other parts of the target plant where no abnormality has occurred. Alternatively, the first light can suppress the transfer of pathogenic substances that cause disease to other individuals of the target plant where no abnormality has occurred.

[0038] Furthermore, if the detection result indicates an abnormality, such as an insect infestation, the control unit 23 controls the irradiation unit 22 to begin irradiating the target plant with the second light. The second light can suppress the migration of pests that cause insect damage to other parts of the target plant where no abnormality is present. Alternatively, the second light can suppress the migration of pests that cause insect damage to other individuals of the target plant where no abnormality is present. Some pests have the habit of hiding by circling around to the underside of leaves, but in this embodiment, since the second light is irradiated from below and upward, it is also effective against pests with such habituation.

[0039] Furthermore, if the abnormality indicated in the detection results is the occurrence of both disease and insect infestation, the control unit 23 controls the irradiation unit 22 to start irradiating the target plant with the first and second lights.

[0040] Here, while the first and second lights are effective in suppressing diseases and insect infestations in the target plants as described above, prolonged irradiation may also affect the target plants. Therefore, the lighting control system 10 acquires the elapsed time since the start of irradiation with the first and second lights (S13), and if the elapsed time exceeds a predetermined time (Yes in S14), it stops the irradiation of the first and second lights or reduces the light intensity to reduce the effect (S15). The predetermined time here is set based on a list of diseases and insect infestations known to occur in the target plants, which has been acquired in advance, and the cumulative irradiation amount required per day. In other words, after the irradiation of the first and second lights to the cumulative irradiation amount required per day to suppress diseases and insect infestations has been achieved, the first and second lights are stopped or reduced. This prevents the target plants from being affected by irradiation with more first and second lights than necessary.

[0041] Furthermore, if a person is present around the target plant before a predetermined time has elapsed since the start of irradiation with the first and second lights (No in S14), that person may also be irradiated with the first and second lights. Therefore, if the person detector 82 detects the presence of a person around the target plant, the detection result acquisition unit 25 acquires the detection result related to this, and the control unit 23 controls the irradiation unit 22. Specifically, after acquiring the detection result, if a person is present in the vicinity (Yes in S16), the first and second lights are stopped or dimmed (S17).

[0042] This allows the first and second lights to be stopped or dimmed when a person is present, such as when a person passes around the target plant, as shown in Figure 5. Note that the growth light does not need to be controlled in conjunction with the stopping or dimming of the first and second lights. In this embodiment, the first and second lights and the growth light can be controlled independently.

[0043] Returning to Figure 4, the predetermined time is adjusted according to the duration of the cessation or dimming of the first and second lights (S18). This adjustment means recalculating the predetermined time so that it equals the cumulative irradiation amount required per day. This makes it less likely for people around the target plant to be exposed to the first and second lights, while still making it easier for the first and second lights to provide the cumulative irradiation amount required per day. After step S18, the process returns to step S16, and the first and second lights are kept closed or dimmed until there are no people around the target plant (S17), and the predetermined time is adjusted accordingly (S18). Once there are no people around the target plant (No in S16), the process returns to step S13, the elapsed time at that point is obtained again, and a determination is made as to whether the elapsed time exceeds the predetermined time after the adjustment (S14).

[0044] As described above, the lighting control system 10 in this embodiment can suppress the effects of disease and insect infestation, such as the spread of disease and insect infestation, by irradiating light with a wavelength range that is effective against both diseases and insect infestations, and with a sharp peak waveform (for example, a full width at half maximum of 20 nm or less) that does not easily include other wavelength ranges. Furthermore, by stopping or dimming the light when the elapsed time from the start of irradiation exceeds a predetermined time, the effects of light on the target plant can be suppressed. Therefore, the lighting control system 10 can irradiate plants with ultraviolet light more appropriately.

[0045] Furthermore, for example, if the target plant has a large volume or if multiple target plants are arranged side by side, the illumination from a single first light source 22a and second light source 22b may not be able to illuminate the areas where disease and insect damage have occurred. Therefore, the illumination unit 22 in this embodiment is capable of switching the light distribution of the illumination light. Figures 6 and 7 are diagrams illustrating other controls of the illumination unit by the lighting control system according to this embodiment.

[0046] For example, as shown in Figure 6, the positions of the first light source 22a and the second light source 22b are movable, and the control unit 23 can control the positions of the first light source 22a and the second light source 22b. As an example, if the detection result from the anomaly detector 81 includes information on the location of the target plant in which an anomaly was detected, the control unit 23 can also control the positions of the first light source 22a and the second light source 22b according to that location.

[0047] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 7, for example, the first light source 22a and the second light source 22b are movable in their positioning, and the control unit 23 can control the positions of the first light source 22a and the second light source 22b. For example, if the detection result from the anomaly detector 81 includes information on the location of the target plant in which an anomaly was detected, the control unit 23 can also control the positions of the first light source 22a and the second light source 22b according to that location.

[0048] Furthermore, for example, the first light source 22a and the second light source 22b are designed to allow adjustment of the focusing and diffusion of the light they emit, and the control unit 23 can control the adjustment of the focusing and diffusion of the light emitted by the first light source 22a and the second light source 22b. As an example, if the detection result from the anomaly detector 81 includes information on the location of the target plant in which an anomaly was detected, the control unit 23 can also control the adjustment of the focusing and diffusion of the light emitted by the first light source 22a and the second light source 22b according to that location.

[0049] Even if the target plant is moved by the user or others, as described above, by adjusting the position and orientation of the first light source 22a and the second light source 22b, as well as the focusing and diffusion of the irradiated light, it is possible to appropriately irradiate the plant with ultraviolet light while following the moved target plant.

[0050] [Examples] Hereinafter, an example based on the above embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 8 and 9. Figures 8 and 9 are diagrams illustrating the light irradiation effect of the lighting control system according to the embodiment. Figure 8 shows the effect of suppressing powdery mildew, a disease known to occur in Ficus umbellata, when irradiated with first light with peak wavelengths of 310 nm and 330 nm, respectively, using Ficus umbellata as the target plant.

[0051] In this example, one pot of Ficus umbellata infected with powdery mildew was prepared, and 10 pots of healthy Ficus umbellata were placed around it. The extent of the powdery mildew spread was then observed after one month.

[0052] For evaluating the number of pots newly infected with powdery mildew, a cross mark was used for 40% or more of the total number of leaves, a triangle mark for 40-20%, a circle mark for 20-10%, and a double circle mark for 10% or less, with a circle mark or higher being considered acceptable. For evaluating leaf damage, a cross mark was used for 30% or more of the total number of leaves with abnormal leaves such as discoloration, pattern development, or wilting, a triangle mark was used for 30-10%, and a circle mark for 10% or less, with a circle mark or higher being considered acceptable.

[0053] As shown in the figure, in Example 1, where the UV integrated dose was 0.5 kJ / day when the peak wavelength was 310 nm, and in Example 2, where the UV integrated dose was 0.7 kJ / day when the peak wavelength was 330 nm, the number of pots newly infected with powdery mildew was suppressed to two or fewer, and no leaf damage was observed in either Example 1 or Example 2, thus confirming the effect of the first light irradiation.

[0054] On the other hand, in Comparative Example 4, where the UV cumulative amount was 1.6 kJ / day when the peak wavelength was 310 nm, and in Comparative Example 5, where the UV cumulative amount was 1.6 kJ / day when the peak wavelength was 330 nm, although the number of pots newly infected with powdery mildew was suppressed to two or fewer, leaf damage was observed in both Comparative Examples 4 and 5. This confirmed that the target plants are affected when the elapsed time of the first light irradiation is too long.

[0055] Furthermore, in Comparative Example 2, where the UV integrated amount was 0.3 kJ / day when the peak wavelength was 310 nm, and in Comparative Example 3, where the UV integrated amount was 0.4 kJ / day when the peak wavelength was 330 nm, more than 6 pots (60%) were newly infected with powdery mildew, indicating that the spread of the disease could not be suppressed. Since leaf damage was also observed in both Comparative Examples 2 and 3, it was confirmed that the spread of the disease could not be suppressed when the elapsed time of the first light irradiation was too short.

[0056] In contrast, in Comparative Example 1, where the first light was not irradiated, nine pots newly contracted powdery mildew, and leaf damage was also observed.

[0057] Next, Figure 9 shows the disease suppression effect when Ficus umbellata, used as the target plant, is irradiated with second light with peak wavelengths of 275 nm and 295 nm, respectively, against spider mites, which are known to be a pest that occurs on Ficus umbellata.

[0058] In this example, 10 Ficus umbellata plants were placed with 3 spider mites each, and the extent of the spider mite infestation was observed after one month.

[0059] For evaluating the number of pots newly infested with spider mites, a cross mark was used for 30% or more of the total number of leaves, a triangle mark for 30-10%, a circle mark for 10-5%, and a double circle mark for 5% or less, with a circle mark or higher being considered acceptable. For evaluating leaf damage, a cross mark was used for 30% or more of the total number of leaves exhibiting abnormalities such as discoloration, pattern development, or wilting, a triangle mark was used for 30-10%, and a circle mark for 10% or less, with a circle mark or higher being considered acceptable.

[0060] As shown in the figure, in Example 1, where the UV integrated amount was 0.4 kJ / day when the peak wavelength was 275 nm, and in Example 2, where the UV integrated amount was 0.45 kJ / day when the peak wavelength was 295 nm, the number of pots in which spider mites were newly observed was suppressed to two or fewer, and no leaf damage was observed in either Example 1 or Example 2, thus confirming the effect of secondary light irradiation.

[0061] On the other hand, in Comparative Example 4, where the UV cumulative amount was 1.6 kJ / day when the peak wavelength was 275 nm, and in Comparative Example 5, where the UV cumulative amount was 1.6 kJ / day when the peak wavelength was 295 nm, although the number of pots in which spider mites newly appeared was suppressed to two or fewer, leaf damage was observed in both Comparative Examples 4 and 5, confirming that the target plants are affected when the elapsed time of secondary light irradiation is too long.

[0062] Furthermore, in Comparative Example 2, where the UV cumulative amount was 0.3 kJ / day when the peak wavelength was 275 nm, and in Comparative Example 3, where the UV cumulative amount was 0.35 kJ / day when the peak wavelength was 295 nm, the number of pots in which spider mites newly appeared was 4 or more, indicating that the spread of insect damage could not be suppressed. Since leaf damage was also observed in both Comparative Examples 2 and 3, it was confirmed that the spread of insect damage could not be suppressed when the elapsed time of the second light irradiation was too short.

[0063] In Comparative Example 1, where the second light was not applied, 9.5 pots showed new spider mite infestations, and leaf damage was also observed. The 9.5 pots figure here is the result of standardizing the results of the trial with 20 pots (19 pots) to match the 10 pots in the other example.

[0064] In the above examples, Ficus umbellata was used as an example of a target plant, powdery mildew as an example of a disease, and spider mites as an example of a pest. However, the combinations of target plants, diseases, and pests are not limited to these. Any combination of target plants, diseases, and pests in which both the first and second lights are effective can be envisioned.

[0065] [Effects, etc.] The following describes examples of inventions that can be obtained from the disclosures in this specification, and explains the effects and other benefits that can be obtained from such inventions.

[0066] Invention 1 is an illumination control system 10 comprising: an illumination unit 22 for irradiating a target plant with light, the illumination unit 22 including a first light having a light intensity peak in the range of 300 to 340 nm and a full width at half maximum of 20 nm or less, and a second light having a light intensity peak in the range of 260 to 300 nm and a full width at half maximum of 20 nm or less; an elapsed time acquisition unit 24 for acquiring the elapsed time from the start of irradiation of the first and second lights by the illumination unit 22; and a control unit 23 for controlling the irradiation of the first and second lights, wherein the control unit 23 stops the irradiation of the first and second lights or reduces the light intensity when the acquired elapsed time exceeds a predetermined time.

[0067] In such a lighting control system 10, diseases and insect infestations can be efficiently suppressed by using a first light source with a peak waveform of 300-340 nm and a second light source with a peak waveform of 260-300 nm, both having a half-width of 20 nm or less. Furthermore, the effects on the target plants themselves from prolonged irradiation with the first and second lights can be suppressed by limiting the irradiation time to within a predetermined period. Therefore, ultraviolet light (first and second lights) can be irradiated to plants more appropriately.

[0068] Invention 2 is a lighting control system 10 as described in Invention 1, wherein the control unit 23 controls the light intensity of the first light and the second light during the period until the acquired elapsed time exceeds a predetermined time, adjusts the predetermined time based on the cumulative irradiation amount required per day, and stops the irradiation of the first light and the second light or reduces the light intensity when the acquired elapsed time exceeds the adjusted predetermined time.

[0069] In such a lighting control system 10, the light intensity of the first and second lights can be controlled even during the period until the acquired elapsed time exceeds a predetermined time. Then, by adjusting the predetermined time so that the required cumulative irradiation amount per day is maintained, the target plant can be irradiated with the necessary light.

[0070] Invention 3 is a lighting control system 10 according to Invention 1 or 2, wherein the control unit 23 individually controls the light intensity of the first light and the second light during the period until the acquired elapsed time exceeds a predetermined time.

[0071] In such a lighting control system 10, the light intensity of the first light and the second light can be controlled individually during the period until the acquired elapsed time exceeds a predetermined time. For example, during that period, only the first light can be irradiated, only the second light can be irradiated, or the first and second lights can be irradiated in any ratio.

[0072] Invention 4 is a lighting control system 10 according to any one of Inventions 1 to 3, further comprising an anomaly detector 81 for detecting at least one of disease occurrence and insect infestation occurrence in a target plant, wherein the control unit 23 controls the light intensity of the first light and the second light for a period until the acquired elapsed time exceeds a predetermined time, based on the detected disease occurrence and insect infestation occurrence.

[0073] In such a lighting control system 10, the light intensity can be controlled so that the necessary light from the first light and the second light is irradiated, based on at least one of the detected disease outbreaks and insect infestations.

[0074] Invention 5 is a lighting control system 10 described in any one of Inventions 1 to 4, wherein the irradiation unit 22 irradiates a second light from the vertically downward side of the target plant upward.

[0075] In such a lighting control system 10, the irradiation of the second light can be mainly directed vertically downwards from the target plant. Since the second light is effective against insect damage, it can be effectively used when the pests and diseases that cause insect damage have the characteristic of moving to the underside of the leaves of the target plant.

[0076] Invention 6 is a lighting control system 10 according to any one of Inventions 1 to 5, further comprising a human detector 82 for detecting the presence or absence of a person around a target plant, wherein the control unit 23 controls the light intensity of the first light and the second light for a period until the acquired elapsed time exceeds a predetermined time, based on the presence or absence of a person detected.

[0077] In such a lighting control system 10, the light intensity of the first and second lights can be controlled based on the presence or absence of a detected person. For example, if a person is present around a target plant, the system can be controlled so that neither the first nor the second light is shone on it (i.e., both light intensities are set to zero).

[0078] Invention 7 is a lighting control system 10 according to any one of Inventions 1 to 6, further comprising a changing means for changing the range of an object to which light is irradiated.

[0079] In such a lighting control system 10, by changing the range to which light is irradiated, it is possible to appropriately adjust the light irradiation posture according to the target plant, such as irradiating a more appropriate part of the target plant, sequentially irradiating each of multiple target plants, or following the target plant when it moves and irradiating it accordingly.

[0080] Invention 8 is a control method for an irradiation unit 22 that irradiates a target plant with light, wherein the light includes a first light having a light intensity peak in the range of 300 to 340 nm and a full width at half maximum of 20 nm or less, and a second light having a light intensity peak in the range of 260 to 300 nm and a full width at half maximum of 20 nm or less, and the control method includes the steps of acquiring the elapsed time from the start of irradiation of the first and second lights by the irradiation unit 22 (S13), controlling the irradiation of the first and second lights (S12), and stopping the irradiation of the first and second lights or reducing the light intensity when the acquired elapsed time exceeds a predetermined time (S15).

[0081] Such a control method can achieve the same effects as the lighting control system 10 described above.

[0082] (Other embodiments) Although embodiments have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above.

[0083] For example, in the above embodiment, a process performed by a specific processing unit may be performed by another processing unit. Furthermore, the order of multiple processes may be changed, or multiple processes may be executed in parallel.

[0084] Furthermore, although the above embodiment illustrates a lighting control system including lighting fixtures and terminal equipment, a lighting control device that achieves the same effect as a lighting control system in which components distributed among lighting fixtures and terminal equipment are housed in a single housing may also be realized.

[0085] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, each component may be realized by executing a software program suitable for each component. Each component may also be realized by a program execution unit such as a CPU or processor reading and executing a software program recorded on a recording medium such as a hard disk or semiconductor memory.

[0086] Furthermore, each component may be implemented by hardware. For example, each component may be a circuit (or integrated circuit). These circuits may form a single circuit as a whole, or they may be separate circuits. Also, each of these circuits may be a general-purpose circuit or a dedicated circuit.

[0087] Furthermore, general or specific embodiments of the present invention may be implemented as a system, apparatus, method, integrated circuit, computer program, or recording medium such as a computer-readable CD-ROM. Alternatively, they may be implemented as any combination of a system, apparatus, method, integrated circuit, computer program, and recording medium.

[0088] For example, the present invention may be implemented as a lighting control system as described above, or as a method executed by a computer such as a lighting control system. The present invention may be implemented as a program (computer program product) for causing a computer to execute such a method, or as a computer-readable non-temporary recording medium on which such a program is recorded.

[0089] Furthermore, the present invention also includes forms obtained by applying various modifications to each embodiment that a person skilled in the art could conceive, or forms realized by arbitrarily combining the components and functions of each embodiment without departing from the spirit of the present invention. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0090] 10 Lighting control system 20 Lighting fixtures 21, 93 Wireless Communication Section 22 Irradiation section 22a 1st light source 22b 2nd light source 23 Control Unit 24. Elapsed Time Acquisition Unit 25 Detection result acquisition unit 80 detectors 81 Anomaly Detector 82 people detector 90 Terminal devices 91 Reception Department 92 Databases 94 Presentation section

Claims

1. An irradiation unit for irradiating a target plant with light, wherein the light includes a first light having a light intensity peak in the range of 300 to 340 nm and a full width at half maximum of 20 nm or less, and a second light having a light intensity peak in the range of 260 to 300 nm and a full width at half maximum of 20 nm or less, An elapsed time acquisition unit acquires the elapsed time from the start of irradiation of the first light and the second light by the irradiation unit, The system comprises a control unit that controls the irradiation of the first light and the second light, The control unit stops irradiating the first and second lights, or reduces the light intensity, when the acquired elapsed time exceeds a predetermined time. Lighting control system.

2. The control unit, During the period until the acquired elapsed time exceeds a predetermined time, the light intensity of the first light and the second light are controlled. The aforementioned predetermined time is adjusted based on the cumulative irradiation dose required per day. If the acquired elapsed time exceeds the predetermined time after adjustment, the irradiation of the first and second lights is stopped, or the light intensity is reduced. The lighting control system according to claim 1.

3. The control unit individually controls the light intensity of the first light and the second light during the period until the acquired elapsed time exceeds a predetermined time. The lighting control system according to claim 1.

4. Furthermore, it is equipped with an anomaly detector for detecting at least one of disease occurrence and insect infestation occurrence in the target plant, The control unit controls the light intensity of the first and second lights for a period of time until the acquired elapsed time exceeds a predetermined time, based on at least one of the detected disease occurrence and insect infestation occurrence. The lighting control system according to claim 1.

5. The irradiation unit irradiates the target plant with the second light from the vertically downward side upward. The lighting control system according to claim 1.

6. Furthermore, it is equipped with a human detector for detecting the presence or absence of people around the target plant, The control unit controls the light intensity of the first and second lights based on whether or not a person has been detected, for a period of time until the acquired elapsed time exceeds a predetermined time. The lighting control system according to claim 1.

7. Furthermore, the system includes means for changing the target area to which the light is irradiated. The lighting control system according to claim 1.

8. A method for controlling an irradiation unit that irradiates a target plant with light, The aforementioned light includes a first light having a light intensity peak in the range of 300 to 340 nm and a full width at half maximum of 20 nm or less, and a second light having a light intensity peak in the range of 260 to 300 nm and a full width at half maximum of 20 nm or less. The control method described above is A step of obtaining the elapsed time from the start of irradiation of the first light and the second light by the irradiation unit, A step of controlling the irradiation of the first light and the second light, The process includes the step of stopping the irradiation of the first and second lights, or reducing the light intensity, when the acquired elapsed time exceeds a predetermined time. Control method.

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