SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR REMOTELY CONTROLLING INDOOR CROPS AND USER INTERFACE FOR THE SAME.

Abstract

A method for receiving, via a computer network, from a plurality of devices installed in an indoor growing module, a plurality of data associated with at least one of: a water level in a water tank, a pH level in an irrigation system, a temperature in the indoor growing module, a humidity level in the indoor growing module, a carbon dioxide level in the indoor growing module, and a power relay status, filtering the plurality of received data on a remote computer based on a filter field, displaying, on a plurality of panels, the filtered data received from the plurality of devices;configure a plurality of programs for a plurality of devices, wherein the plurality of programs comprises at least one of a watering program, one lighting program, and one data collection program, and send the plurality of configured programs to one or more indoor growing module controllers.

Description

The invention relates to systems and methods for remotely controlling operational and environmental parameters of indoor crops. Global food production systems must address significant challenges in the coming decades. Finding ways to feed a growing global population while reducing the environmental impact of agricultural activities is of vital importance. Controlled environmental agriculture (CEA), also known as vertical indoor farming, offers a realistic alternative to conventional production for some crops. Vertical indoor farming allows for faster and more controlled production, regardless of the season. Furthermore, vertical indoor farming is not vulnerable to other environmental variables such as pests, pollution, heavy metals, and pathogens. Vertical indoor farming can also reduce environmental impact by minimizing nutrient loss, requiring less land, improving waste management, reducing production losses, lowering transportation costs, and decreasing clean water usage.Therefore, vertical indoor growing can help address significant challenges. / / nczn / zznza / v The exemplary embodiments described herein are intended to solve problems related to one or more issues presented in the prior art, as well as to provide additional features that will be readily apparent by reference to the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. According to various embodiments, exemplary computer program systems, methods, and products are described herein. It is understood, however, that these embodiments are presented by way of example and not as a limitation, and it will be evident to those skilled in the art who read the invention that various modifications may be made to the described embodiments while remaining within the scope of the invention. In some configurations, a user interface (UI) is provided on a remote computer, allowing a user at a remote location to monitor and control various operations of an indoor grow setup. Examples of such operations include: removing or inserting trays containing crops into an indoor grow module; starting or stopping watering of crops within an indoor grow module; adjusting the temperature, humidity, and / or lighting within an indoor grow module, etc. j / nczn / zznza / v BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The features of the invention are best understood from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying figures. It should be noted that several features are not necessarily drawn to scale. In fact, the dimensions and geometries of the various features may be arbitrarily enlarged or reduced for the sake of clarity. FIGURE 1A illustrates a block diagram of a system for monitoring and controlling operational and environmental parameters of one or more indoor growing modules from a remote location, according to some embodiments of the invention. FIGURE IB illustrates an exemplary user interface of an entry page of a facility management system, according to some embodiments of the invention. FIGURE 2 illustrates an exemplary user interface of a device page of a facility management system, according to some embodiments of the invention. FIGURE 3A illustrates an exemplary user interface for controlling and monitoring a power relay in a facility management system, according to some embodiments of the invention. j / nczn / zznza / v FIGURE 3B illustrates an exemplary user interface for controlling and monitoring the temperature / humidity sensor in a facility management system, according to some embodiments of the invention. FIGURE 4A illustrates an exemplary user interface for reports in a facility management system, according to some embodiments of the invention. FIGURE 4B illustrates an exemplary user interface for reports in a facility management system, according to some embodiments of the invention. FIGURES 5A-5D illustrate an exemplary user interface for programs in a facility management system, according to some embodiments of the invention. FIGURE 6 illustrates an exemplary user interface of an order management system entry page, according to some embodiments of the invention. FIGURES 7A-7E illustrate an exemplary user interface for creating a manufacturing order (MO) using an order management system, according to some embodiments of the invention. FIGURE 8 illustrates an exemplary user interface of a manufacturing order (MO) status page of an order management system, according to some embodiments of the invention. y / nczn / zznza / v FIGURES 9A-9B illustrate an exemplary user interface for creating a harvest order (HO) using an order management system, according to some embodiments of the invention. FIGURE 10 illustrates an exemplary user interface of an input page for packaging orders (PO) in an order management system, according to some embodiments of the invention. FIGURES 11A-11C illustrate an exemplary user interface for creating a packaging order (PO) using an order management system, according to some embodiments of the invention. FIGURE 12A illustrates an exemplary user interface for creating a product in a packaging order (PO) in an order management system, according to some embodiments of the invention. FIGURE 12B illustrates an exemplary user interface for completing a product in a packaging order (PO) in an order management system, according to some embodiments of the invention. FIGURE 12C illustrates an exemplary user interface for completing a product in a packaging order (PO) in an order management system, according to some embodiments of the invention. FIGURE 13 illustrates an exemplary user interface for creating at least one label in an order management system, according to some embodiments of the invention. FIGURE 14A illustrates an exemplary user interface of an input page for tracking the production of the cultivation area in an order management system, according to some embodiments of the invention. FIGURE 14B illustrates an exemplary user interface of a processing order (MO) in a plot of an area in an order management system, according to some embodiments of the invention. FIGURE 15 illustrates an exemplary block diagram of a controller in an indoor growing facility, according to some embodiments of the invention. FIGURE 16 illustrates an exemplary diagram of an automated indoor growing method. FIGURE 17 illustrates an exemplary user interface of a management panel for setting operational and environmental parameters for indoor cultivation, according to some embodiments of the invention. FIGURE 18A illustrates an exemplary user interface for parcel management, according to some embodiments of the invention. FIGURE 18B illustrates a novel parcel registration feature of an exemplary user interface, according to some embodiments of the invention. y / nczn / zznza / Y / / nczn / zznza / v FIGURE 19A illustrates an exemplary user interface for defining crops sown in an indoor crop, according to some embodiments of the invention. FIGURE 19B illustrates a novel recipe registration feature of an exemplary user interface, according to some embodiments of the invention. FIGURE 19C illustrates an exemplary user interface configured to display details of a new crop, according to some embodiments of the invention. FIGURE 19D illustrates a novel recipe registration feature of an exemplary user interface, according to some embodiments of the invention. FIGURE 19E illustrates a list of harvestable product registration features of an exemplary user interface, according to some embodiments of the invention. FIGURE 20A illustrates an exemplary user interface for visualizing and specifying materials used in the production of articles according to some embodiments of the invention. FIGURE 20B illustrates a novel recipe registration feature of an exemplary user interface, according to some embodiments of the invention. Several exemplary embodiments of the invention are described below with reference to the accompanying figures to enable a person of ordinary skill in the art to carry out and use the invention. As will be evident to those skilled in the art after reading the invention, various changes or modifications can be made to the examples described herein without departing from the scope of the invention. Therefore, the present invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiments and applications described or illustrated herein. Furthermore, the specific order or hierarchy of steps in the methods described herein are merely exemplary approaches. Based on design preferences, the specific order or hierarchy of steps in the methods or processes described can be rearranged while remaining within the scope of the present invention.Therefore, those with ordinary experience in the art will understand that the methods and techniques described herein involve several steps or actions in a sample order, and the invention is not limited to the specific order or hierarchy presented unless expressly stated otherwise. The embodiments of the present invention are described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The same or similar components may be designated by the same or similar reference numbers, even if illustrated in different drawings. Detailed descriptions of constructions or processes well known in the art may be omitted to avoid obscuring the object of the present invention. Furthermore, terms are defined with regard to their functionality in the embodiment of the present invention and may vary depending on the intention of a user or operator, use, etc. Therefore, the definition should be made on the basis of the general content of this specification. Figure 1A illustrates a block diagram of a System 100 for monitoring and controlling the operational and environmental parameters of one or more indoor growing modules from a remote location, according to certain embodiments of the invention. It should be noted that System 100 is merely an example and is not intended to limit the invention. Accordingly, it is understood that additional functional blocks may be provided or coupled to System 100 of Figure 1A, and that some other functional blocks may be omitted or described only briefly herein. It should also be noted that the functionalities provided in each of the components and modules of System 100 may be combined or separated into one or more modules. In some embodiments, system 100 comprises a plurality of indoor growing installations 102, namely, a first indoor growing installation 102-1, a second indoor growing installation 102-2, a third indoor growing installation 102-3, a fourth indoor growing installation 102-4, and a fifth indoor growing installation 102-5. In some embodiments, each of the plurality of indoor growing installations 102 comprises a tray handling system 104 and at least one indoor growing module 106. In the illustrated embodiments, the fifth indoor growing installation 102-5 comprises eight indoor growing modules 106 arranged in four columns, and each column comprises two stacked indoor growing modules 106.In some embodiments, each of the multiple indoor growing installations is further connected to a remote computer 132 via a communications network 130 (e.g., the Internet). In some embodiments, the remote computer 132 is a mobile device. In alternative embodiments, the remote computer 132 comprises at least one server computer connected to a database for storing environmental parameters and other data and instructions for analyzing the data information provided by each of the subsystems in each of the indoor growing modules 106 and subsequently providing further instructions for automatically monitoring and controlling the operation of the indoor growing module 106 described above. In the illustrated embodiments, the tray handling system 104 is designed to automatically load and unload carts through a first end of the indoor growing module 106. In the illustrated embodiment, the tray handling system 104 comprises an articulated robot, a linear transfer system, and a robot controller. In some embodiments, the tray handling system 104 is configured to transfer a predetermined cart from the chassis in the indoor growing module 106 to a predetermined position (e.g., a storage shelf). In some embodiments, when new crops are inserted into the indoor growing module 106, the tray handling system 104 is configured to transfer a predetermined cart from the storage shelf to the chassis of the indoor growing module 106. In some embodiments, the indoor growing module 106 comprises at least one of the following subsystems: an air circulation system 110, a lighting system 112, an irrigation system 114, a liquid circulation system 118, a controller 120, and a local computer 122. In some embodiments, the liquid circulation system 118 is configured outside the indoor growing module 106. In some embodiments, the liquid circulation system 118 may be shared by two stacked indoor growing modules 106 and controlled by one of the controllers 120 of the indoor growing modules 106. In some embodiments, the 110 air circulation system comprises an air blower unit, an air conditioning unit, and an air dehumidification unit. In some embodiments, the 110 air circulation system further comprises a suspended ceiling for regulating airflow. In some embodiments, the air blower unit, the air conditioning unit, the air dehumidification unit, and the suspended ceiling are configured to provide effective regulation of humidity, CO2 level, airflow, and temperature for a plurality of plants on each of a plurality of trolleys at different levels of the chassis in a growing area of ​​the 106 indoor growing module. In some embodiments, the irrigation system 114 comprises a plurality of liquid supply pipes, a plurality of liquid return pipes, a plurality of drainage pipes, and a plurality of liquid distribution pipe assemblies. In some embodiments, the irrigation system 114 further comprises variable-speed valves and motors for controlling the position of the plurality of liquid distribution pipe assemblies. In some embodiments, the irrigation system 114 is directly coupled to the liquid circulation system 118. In additional embodiments, the liquid circulation system 118 may include a drainage water tank, at least one filter, at least one water tank, at least one nutrient tank, pumps, a plurality of sensors, and a plurality of control units. In some embodiments, the plurality of sensors comprises a temperature sensor, a conductivity sensor, and an O2 level sensor. In some embodiments, the plurality of control units comprises at least one of the following: a temperature control unit, a pH control unit, and an oxygen level control unit, each operatively coupled to the plurality of liquid supply lines and / or the plurality of liquid return lines to control the content and characteristics (e.g., temperature, pH, etc.) of the liquid flowing through the irrigation system 114.In some configurations, the 118 liquid circulation system regulates a nutrient level, an oxygen level, a pH level, a temperature, and a particle level in the irrigation liquid to support plant growth in the trays of the 106 indoor growing module. In the illustrated embodiment, the lighting system 112 comprises a plurality of lighting modules, each of which includes at least one of the following photon sources: an incandescent light, a fluorescent light, a halogen light, a high-pressure sodium light, a plasma light, and a light-emitting diode (LED) light, to provide photons for photosynthetic reactions in the plants. In some embodiments, the photon sources are selected according to a desired light spectrum for the plants. In some embodiments, the lighting system 112 further includes at least one power supply to power the plurality of lighting modules. In some embodiments, at least one power supply can be controlled to regulate the light intensity, uniformity, and light spectrum to provide desired illumination to the plants in the indoor growing module 106.In some configurations, the 112 lighting system may also include a plurality of optical sensors to measure light intensity, uniformity, and light spectrum. In some configurations, the indoor growing module 106 also includes a vision system 116. In some configurations, the vision system 116 comprises at least one camera and at least one light source. In some configurations, the vision system 116 is configured outside the indoor growing module 106 for safety reasons. In some configurations, the vision system 116 can also be configured within the indoor growing module 106 to monitor plant growth. Figure IB illustrates an exemplary user interface 140 of a facility management system login page, according to some embodiments of the invention. In the embodiment illustrated in Figure IB, the user interface 140 lists all facilities accessible to an authorized user on a local computer j / nczn / zznza / Y or via a remote device, such as a remote computer 132. In some embodiments, the authorized user is logged into this facility management system. The system has access to a plurality of facilities displayed in the corresponding panels 142. In the illustrated embodiment, there are six panels 142 corresponding to six facilities.In some configurations, each of the six panels 142 comprises an image 144 of the installation, a name and address 146 of the installation, and a plurality of icons 148 for quick navigation to programs, devices, and reports for the corresponding installation. In some configurations, a first icon is configured to access the device programs in the installation. For example, the programs comprise at least one of the following: an irrigation program, a lighting program, and a sensor data collection program. In some configurations, a second icon is configured to access the devices for device readings and / or controlling the operation of certain devices.For example, the devices in a facility comprise at least one of the following: a water level sensor in a water tank, a pH sensor in the irrigation system, a conductivity sensor in the irrigation system, a temperature sensor in an indoor growing module of a facility, a CO2 sensor in an indoor growing module, a humidity sensor, and a Y power relay. In some configurations, a third icon is configured to access the irrigation system in a facility. In some configurations, a fourth icon is configured to access a report from a particular facility and / or a particular device within a facility. In some configurations, the user interface 140 of the facility management system login page further comprises a search field 152 to quickly locate a specific facility and / or a specific module within the facility.In some modes, the user interface 140 also includes an authorized user information icon 152. In some modes, the user interface 140 also allows the authorized user to add a new installation via icon 154. Figure 2 illustrates an exemplary user interface 200 of a device page of a facility management system, according to some embodiments of the invention. In the illustrated embodiment, the user interface 200 comprises a plurality of devices associated with a corresponding facility. An authorized user can access the interface 200 on a local computer at the facility or via a remote device such as the remote computer 132 of Figure 1A. In some embodiments, the user interface 200 comprises a plurality of panels 202, and each of the plurality of panels 202 comprises a device name 204 and a device information list 206. In some embodiments, the information list 206 comprises at least one of the following: a device type, status, an IP address, recent activity, and a device tag.In some configurations, each of the plurality of panels 202 includes a link 208 to device details. In some configurations, the user interface 200 also includes a filter field 210, which is configured to filter the plurality of devices according to a function. In some configurations, the user interface 100 also allows an authorized user to add a new device via an icon 212. Figure 3A illustrates an exemplary user interface 300 of a power relay in a facility management system, according to some embodiments of the invention. In some embodiments, the power relay is a physical device configured to control a plurality of power supplies to a plurality of corresponding devices, including a water pump, a valve, a light source, a sensor, and an air dehumidifier. An authorized user can access the interface 300 on a local computer or via a remote device such as the remote computer 132 in Figure 1A. In the illustrated embodiments, the user interface 300 of a power relay comprises a name 302 of the power relay, a list of information 304 of the power relay, and a plurality of devices 306 controlled by the power relay.In the illustrated configuration, the user interface 300 further comprises six panels 306. Each of the six panels 306 comprises a device name 308 and a button 310 for turning the device on or off. In the illustrated configurations, the power relay is configured to control six irrigation valves in six different rows to water plants in a plurality of carts in an indoor growing module of a facility. In some configurations, each of the six panels 306 further comprises a lock button 312 that locks the current relay's on / off state and ignores the next program until the relay is unlocked. In some configurations, the user interface 300 further comprises a system lock button 314, which locks the entire page and prevents manual changes to the relay state, converting the interface 300 into a view-only page. Figure 3B illustrates an exemplary user interface 300 for the temperature / humidity sensor in a facility management system, according to certain embodiments of the invention. In some embodiments, the user interface 300 for the temperature / humidity sensor comprises a name 302, a list of information about the temperature / humidity sensor, and a graph 320 of temperature and humidity data over a predefined period of time. In the illustrated embodiment, the graph 320 displays a first curve of recorded temperatures and a second curve of recorded humidity levels from the temperature / humidity sensor. In some embodiments, the graph 320 further comprises a control panel 322 with a plurality of function buttons. Figure 4A illustrates an exemplary user interface 400 for reports in a facility management system, according to some embodiments of the invention. In some embodiments, the user interface 400 comprises a plurality of panels 402, and each of the plurality of panels 402 comprises a device name 404 and a list of device information 406. In some embodiments, the user interface 400 is configured to allow an authorized user to compile measurement data from at least one selected device in a facility. In some embodiments, the measurement data from a first device and a second device are selected in a report as indicated in a check box 408.In some modes, the authorized user, after selecting the corresponding devices by highlighting the 408 check boxes of the corresponding devices in the 402 panels, can also use a 412 button to generate the report. Figure 4B illustrates an exemplary user interface for reports in a facility management system, according to certain embodiments of the invention. In the illustrated embodiment, a report comprises two diagrams, 422 and 424, where the first diagram 422 comprises two temperature and humidity curves measured from the first device in a facility, and the second diagram 424 plots the transpiration level in a growing area in a facility. The transpiration level is an indication of plant health, and diagram 424 uses temperature and humidity data to track environmental conditions and compare them with target environmental conditions. In certain embodiments, the measurement data from the first and second devices can be compared.In some modes, the user interface 420 also includes a filter box 426 that allows the authorized user to change a date range, for example, from hours to years. Figure 5A illustrates an exemplary interface 500 for programs in a facility management system, according to some embodiments of the invention. An authorized user can access the exemplary interface 500 on a local computer or via a remote device, such as the remote computer 132 of Figure 1A. In the illustrated embodiments, the user interface 500 allows an authorized user to configure a program for at least one device that can be controlled by an associated power relay. In the illustrated embodiment, the user interface 500 comprises six panels 502, each comprising a program name 504, program details 506, and several devices 508 that are assigned to the program. For example, two devices can be assigned to a first program, e.g., Light Set 1, and one device can be assigned to a second program, e.g., Light Experiment.In some configurations, a program can be linked to at least one device, modified by editing the program details, and also deleted. In some configurations, the 500 user interface also includes a 510 button for adding new programs. Consequently, the 500 interface can be used to create programs to control any of the subsystems of an indoor grow operation, including, but not limited to, the air circulation system, the lighting system, the irrigation system, the liquid circulation system, the vision system, and the tray handling system. Figure 5B illustrates the novel scheduling feature of the exemplary user interface 500 in a facility management system, according to some embodiments of the invention. In the illustrated embodiment, the user interface 500 comprises a pop-up window 522 that allows an authorized user to configure a new scheduled event, such as a new program to turn on the lights. In this example, the user can edit the name and description of a program, select a facility location, a device function, and a recurring interval. In some embodiments, the recurring interval comprises a week, a day, and an hour. In some additional embodiments, the recurring interval can be customized. In some embodiments, this allows each facility to develop programs that work best for its physical configurations and in accordance with plant recipes. The FIGURE 5C illustrates an example of a programming detail of the user interface 500 for scheduling in a facility management system, according to some embodiments of the invention. FIGURE 5C shows the six panels 502 of FIGURE 5A with enlarged programming details 506. For example, a first schedule (i.e., Light Experiment), a second schedule (i.e., Light Set 1), and a third schedule (i.e., Light Set 2) are configured to turn on around 4:00 PM every day and to turn off around 10:00 AM every day. In some embodiments, the second and third schedules are linked to two relay devices. Figure 5D illustrates how devices are assigned to a program in an exemplary user interface 500 of programs in a facility management system, according to some embodiments of the invention. In some embodiments, the user interface 500 comprises a pop-up window 542, which allows an authorized user to configure a schedule for a relay device in a facility. Figure 6 illustrates an exemplary user interface 600 of an order management system entry page, according to some embodiments of the invention. In the illustrated embodiments, the user interface 600 comprises six panels 602 for six manufacturing orders. In the illustrated embodiments, the manufacturing orders (MOs) are used to track plant production in indoor growing facilities. The MOs can also be used to instruct growers on when and where to plant certain crops, as well as the current growth status of a plant. The MOs can also be used to track the materials or ingredients used in the plants being grown in the agricultural facilities. In the illustrated embodiment, each of the six manufacturing orders comprises a manufacturing order (MO) number 604, a facility 606, a MO stage 608, an MO detail 610, and an authorized grower 612.In some versions, the user interface 600 also includes a button 614 for creating a new MO. In some versions, the user interface 600 also includes a first link 620, a second link 622, a third link 624, a fourth link 626, and a fifth link 628. In some versions, the first link 620 allows the authorized user to directly access all MOs in all facilities accessible to the authorized user. In some versions, the second link 622 allows the authorized user to access package information. In some versions, the third link 624 allows the authorized user to access and print multiple labels. In some versions, the fourth link 626 allows for the organization of MOs according to growing areas. In some versions, the fifth link 628 allows the authorized user to navigate back to the home page.In some configurations, the user interface 600 also includes a filter 630 that allows the authorized user to access the MOs according to one of the following: installation, stage, and orders. The MOs can be filtered or searched by plant type, germination status, MO number, or any data related to a production order. Figure 7A illustrates an exemplary user interface 700 for creating a processing order (MO) using an order management system, according to some embodiments of the invention. In some embodiments, the user interface 700 allows the collection of at least one of the following: germination information 702, information y / nczn / zznza / Y / / nczn / zznza / Y Location information (704), plant information (706), and other information (708). In some modes, the user interface (700) is configured to enter the germination information for the MO. In some modes, a germination type can be selected from a drop-down list (710), where the germination type drop-down list (710) comprises at least one of the following: seed, seedling / plant, cutting, graft, and division. In some modes, when the germination type is selected, a button (712) can be used to navigate to the next step. Figure 7B illustrates the location information feature of the exemplary user interface 700 for creating a processing order (MO) using an order management system, according to certain embodiments of the invention. In some embodiments, a facility 722 and a location 724 can be selected from corresponding drop-down lists. In some embodiments, each of the corresponding drop-down lists comprises names of facilities accessible to the authorized user. In some embodiments, location 724 further comprises detailed location information, including room, plot, and plot type, where the plant is located and which can be selected from the corresponding drop-down lists. In some embodiments, location 724 indicates a physical location within a facility (i.e., a plot) where the plants are located in the MO during a growth cycle.In some modes, the user interface 700 also includes a button 726 to add a new location within the same facility as the existing location or a different facility that the authorized user can access for the new MO. In some modes, when the germination type is selected, a button 712 can be used to navigate to the next step. In some modes, the user interface 700 also includes a button 714, which allows the authorized user to navigate back to a previous step when creating the MO. Figure 70 illustrates the plant information feature of the exemplary user interface 700 for creating a processing order (MO) using an order management system, according to some embodiments of the invention. In some embodiments, the MO plant information comprises a plant type 732 and a seed date 734. In some embodiments, the plant type 732 can be selected from a drop-down list 736, wherein the drop-down list 736 comprises a list of all plant types grown at the facility or plant types added by any authorized system user. In some embodiments, when the plant information is completed, a button 712 can be used to navigate to the next step. z / nczn / zznz / 3 / γ y / nczn / zznza / Y Figure 7D illustrates an exemplary user interface 740 for creating a production order (PO) using an order management system, according to some embodiments of the invention. In some embodiments, the user interface 740 is configured to input PO information material. In some embodiments, when a plant type is selected (e.g., in a user interface 700), the PO management system receives a recipe instruction from an inventory database (i.e., Odoo), wherein the recipe instruction includes whether seeds 742 are required to complete the PO and at least one carrier 744 of medium that can be used to grow the plant. Figure 7E illustrates an exemplary user interface 750 for creating a manufacturing order (MO) using an MO management system, according to some embodiments of the invention. In some embodiments, the user interface 750 is configured to input detailed material information for the MO. For example, when seeds are selected by checking a first box 752, a total weight of seeds 756 required for the MO can be entered; and when the media material is selected by checking a second box 754, a number 758 of bio-stratum rolls can be entered. In some embodiments, a total weight 760 of plant seeds and a total number 762 of media carriers are also indicated in the user interface 750. In some embodiments, when the information is complete in the user interface 750, a button 764 is enabled to allow an authorized user to add materials to the MO.In some modalities, the 750 user interface also includes seed and media carrier information (e.g., lot numbers) to allow MO tracking. Figure 8 illustrates an exemplary user interface 800 of a processing order (MO) status page of an order management system, according to some embodiments of the invention. In some embodiments, the user interface 800 of an MO status page comprises an MO history that includes information on the creation of an MO 802, information on the germination process of the MO 804, and information on a planned harvest 806. In some embodiments, the information on the creation of the MO comprises at least one of the following: a date on which the MO was created, an authorized user who created the MO, information on the seeds used, and information on the media carriers used. In some embodiments, the information on the germination process comprises at least one of the following: location, date of sowing, and type of germination.In some modes, the expected harvest information includes at least one of the following: an expected harvest date and an expected harvest yield based on previous plant and facility statistics. In some modes, the user interface also allows the authorized user to change a crop's status (e.g., germination, production, harvest, and completion). In some modes, the user interface also allows the authorized user to track the current and historical locations of the crop. In some modes, the user interface also includes general crop information, which includes a crop name, a crop number, and the current crop facility. In some modes, the user interface includes an action button that allows a user to quickly access certain actions related to the crop.These actions can include one of the following: create harvest order, relocate the harvest, move to production, and cancel. The action of creating a harvest order is shown in FIGURE 9A below. The FIGURE 9A illustrates an exemplary user interface 900 for creating a Harvest Order (HO) using an order management system, according to some embodiments of the invention. An authorized user can access an exemplary user interface 900 on a local computer or via a remote device, such as the remote computer 132 in FIGURE 1. In some embodiments, the HO is used to track harvest-related information, such as the type of crop harvested, the quantity, and the harvest location. In some embodiments, the user interface 900 comprises at least one of the following: basic information 902, yield information 904, and other information 906. In some embodiments, the user interface 900 is configured to input the basic information of the HO. In some embodiments, the basic information 902 comprises a harvest space name, a harvest type, harvest channels, and a number of plants. In some systems, the harvest type can be whole plant or multi-cut. A whole plant harvest refers to harvesting the entire plant and removing all the growing medium from the corresponding plot or tray, either as viable product or as waste. A multi-cut harvest indicates that viable product is being harvested from a plot or tray, but the plot is not left vacant. This is done by allowing the remaining plant material to stay and regrow for future harvesting. Basil is an example of a plant that is typically harvested whole, while tomatoes are an example of a plant that is usually harvested in multiple cuts. In some systems, the harvest channel field is used to record the location of the harvested plant, for example, the specific plot or tray from which it was harvested.In some modes, when the plant information is completed, a 908 button can be used to navigate to enter the 904 information of / / nczn / zznza / Y performance. Figure 9B illustrates the performance feature of the exemplary user interface 900 for creating a Harvest Order (HO) using an order management system, according to some embodiments of the invention. In some embodiments, the performance information 904 comprises a performance quantity 912. In some embodiments, when the performance information 904 is completed, a button 908 can be used to navigate to enter the other HO information. In some embodiments, the user interface 900 further comprises a button 914, which allows the authorized user to navigate back to enter / modify the basic information. In some embodiments, the performance information 904 is transmitted to an inventory database (i.e., Odoo) for a packing order, and a corresponding batch number is created for the HO. Figure 10 illustrates an exemplary user interface for a packaging order (PO) input page in an order management system, according to some embodiments of the invention. An authorized user can access an exemplary user interface on a local computer or via a remote device such as a remote computer in Figure 1A. In some embodiments, POs can be used to provide instructions for creating a final product in an indoor growing facility. In some embodiments, POs can also be used to track the creation status of a final product and the inventory of materials used in creating the final product. In some configurations, the user interface 1000 comprises four 1002 panels for four POs. In some configurations, each of the four 1002 panels contains information for each of the four corresponding POs, including facility information, a PO date, and a PO summary. In some configurations, an authorized user can access the details of a PO by clicking a 1006 button. In some configurations, the user interface 1000 further comprises a first 620 link, a second 622 link, a third 624 link, a fourth 626 link, and a fifth 628 link. In some configurations, the first 620 link allows the authorized user to directly access all MOs in all facilities accessible to the authorized user. In some configurations, the second 622 link allows the authorized user to access package information.In some versions, the third link 624 allows the authorized user to access and print multiple labels. In some versions, the fourth link 626 allows the organization of MOs according to cultivation zones. In some versions, the fifth link 628 allows the authorized user to navigate back to the home page. In some versions, an authorized user can access the user interface 1000 of the home page for POs by clicking the second link 622. In some versions, the user interface 1000 also includes a button 1004 for adding a new PO. Figure 11A illustrates an exemplary user interface 1100 for creating a packaging order (PO) using an order management system, according to some embodiments of the invention. An authorized user can access the user interface 1100 on a local computer or via a remote device, such as the remote computer 132 in Figure 1A. In some embodiments, the user interface 1100 comprises at least one of the following: location information 1102, selection of finished products 1104, name / revision 1106, and other information 1108. In some embodiments, the user interface 1100 is configured to enter the PO's location information. In some embodiments, the location information 1102 is a facility and can be selected from a drop-down list of facilities accessible to the authorized user.In some modes, when location information 1102 is completed, a button 1110 on the user interface 1100 can be used to navigate to enter the selected finished products from the PO. y / nczn / zznza / Y Figure 11B illustrates the finished product selection feature / / nczn / zznza / Y of the exemplary user interface 1100 for creating a packaging order (PO) using an order management system, according to some embodiments of the invention. In some embodiments, the finished product selection 1104 comprises at least one of the following: a PO customer name, a PO creation date, a plant type, and a quantity of plants. In some embodiments, the information for the finished product selection 1104 is determined by the inventory database (i.e., Odoo) according to a predetermined threshold. In some embodiments, the predetermined threshold is a number of days until the plant is ready for harvest.In some configurations, information about the number of days until completion equal to or less than the predetermined threshold is included in the finished goods selection 1104 of the user interface 1100. In some configurations, at least one plant can be selected from the plant list and added to the purchase order by the authorized user. In some configurations, when the finished goods selection 1104 is completed, a button 1110 in the user interface 1100 can be used to navigate to the name / revision 1106. In some configurations, the user interface 1100 also includes a button 1112 to navigate back to enter or modify the location information 1102. j / nczn / zznza / Y Figure 11C illustrates the name and revision feature of the exemplary user interface 1100 for creating a packaging order (PO) using an order management system, according to some embodiments of the invention. In some embodiments, the name / revision 1106 comprises a PO name 1132. In some embodiments, when the name / revision 1106 is completed, a button 1110 in the user interface 1100 can be used to navigate to other information 1108. In some embodiments, the user interface 1100 further comprises a button 1112 for navigating back to enter or modify the selection of finished products 1104. Figure 12A illustrates an exemplary user interface for creating a product in a packaging order (PO) in an order management system, according to some embodiments of the invention. As described above, a PO is used to guide and track the creation of a finished product in an indoor growing facility. In some embodiments, the finished product comprises the packaging and the harvested crop. The packaging may include printed labels or separate packaging material and labels, such that the labels are placed on the packaging material. The PO may include details about the packaging material, labeling, and crop used to create a finished product. In addition to guiding the creation of the finished product, the PO may be used to manage the inventory of materials and crops used to complete the finished product.An authorized user can access an exemplary user interface 1200 on a local computer or via a remote device such as the remote computer 132 in FIGURE 1A. In the illustrated format, the 1200 user interface of a PO named i ¡ i ¡ i THURSDAY !!!!!! PACKAGING 2 / 22 / 2019 consists of three 1202 panels for three products. For example, the three exemplary products shown on the 1202 panels are a 1-pound package of Local Artisan Green Leafy Vegetables, a 113g (4-ounce) package of Local Artisan Green Leafy Vegetables, and a 255g (9-ounce) package of Local Artisan Green Leafy Vegetables. In some modalities, each of the 3 panels 1202 comprises at least one of the following fields to comply with production in the PO: create a batch ID 1204, create a label 1206, package 1208, summary 1210 and a quantity of product 1212. In some modalities, the user interface 1200 further comprises a first link 620, a second link 622, a third link 624, a fourth link 626 and a fifth link 628.In some configurations, the first link 620 allows the authorized user to directly access all MOs in all facilities accessible to them. In some configurations, the second link 622 allows the authorized user to access package information. In some configurations, the third link 624 allows the authorized user to access and print multiple labels. In some configurations, the fourth link 626 allows MOs to be organized by growing area. In some configurations, the fifth link 628 allows the authorized user to navigate back to the home page. In some configurations, the user interface 1200 also includes a button 1214 that allows the authorized user to print the PO. Figure 12B illustrates an exemplary user interface 1220 for completing a product in a packaging order (PO) in an order management system, according to some embodiments of the invention. In Figure 12B, the user interface 1220 displays the labeling and packaging information used to complete the PO 1202 of Figure 12A. In some embodiments, the user interface 1220 comprises two panels, namely, a first panel 1222 for selecting a number of labels and a second panel 1224 for selecting a number of packages to fulfill the product in the PO. In some embodiments, each of the two panels of the user interface 1220 further comprises a total number of labels and packages in inventory. The label information in panel 1222 identifies the label material that can be used to create the product.In the illustrated example in FIGURE 12B, the user can select v / nczn / zznza / Y 3.75 x 4 green leafy vegetable labels from either Lot 0000279 or Lot 0004724. The PO records the materials used to prepare the final product, and in the example shown in FIGURE 12B, the user records the use of 6 units of labels from Lot 0004724. The second panel, 1224, of the sample interface 1220 can be used to guide the selection of packaging material used in the final product and to track the packaging material used to complete the final product. In the example in FIGURE 12B, the user is instructed to use a 14x20-2mil resealable bag for the leafy green vegetable product. To enable inventory management, the user records the quantity of packaging material actually used and the inventory source of that material in panel 1224 (partially shown) in interface 1220 of FIGURE 12B.Figure 12C illustrates an exemplary user interface 1230 for completing a product in a packaging order (PO) in an order management system, according to some embodiments of the invention. In Figure 12C, the user interface 1230 displays the crop or plant information used to complete the PO 1202 of Figure 12A. In some embodiments, the user interface 1230 is configured to select plants from a Harvest Order (HO) that can be used as the product of the PO. In some embodiments, a product can be selected from different HOs, each with a different batch number. In the illustrated forms, Artisan Lettuce WIP can be selected from 3 HO, namely, a first HO 1232-1 with a batch number of 0008433, a second HO 1232-2 with a batch number of 0010256 and a third HO 1232-3 with a batch number of 0010390.In some configurations, the 1230 user interface also includes a total quantity of plants in a PO in the inventory received from an inventory database (i.e., Odoo). The user can also record the actual quantity of plants used to complete the PO. In this example, the user used 1445g (51 oz) of Artisan Lettuce from Batch 0010256 to complete PO 1202 (FIGURE 12A) and recorded that information in panel 1232-2 of the 1230 interface. Figure 13 illustrates an exemplary user interface 1300 for creating at least one label in an order management system, according to certain embodiments of the invention. In some embodiments, the user interface 1300 comprises a plurality of label options 1302, including Stock Labels, PTI Labels, Retail Box Labels, and US Food Labels. In some embodiments, the user interface 1300 further comprises a first link 620, a second link 622, a third link 624, a fourth link 626, and a fifth link 628. In some embodiments, the first link 620 allows the authorized user to directly access all MOs in all facilities accessible to the authorized user. In some embodiments, the second link 622 allows the authorized user to access package information. In some embodiments, the third link 624 allows the authorized user to access and print a plurality of labels.In some versions, the fourth link 626 allows the MO to be organized according to cultivation zones. In some versions, the fifth link 628 allows the authorized user to navigate back to the home page. Figure 14A illustrates an exemplary user interface 1400 for an input page for tracking the production of the growing zone in an order management system, according to certain embodiments of the invention. In the illustrated embodiment, the user interface 1400 of the growing zone input page comprises four panels 1402 corresponding to four zones in an indoor growing module of a facility. In some embodiments, a facility may comprise a plurality of indoor growing modules or growing zones. In some embodiments, each of the four panels 1402 further comprises a plurality of sub-panels 1404 corresponding to a plurality of physical plots (e.g., A1, A2, A3, A4, and A5) in a first zone A. In some embodiments, each of the plurality of sub-panels 1404 further comprises a processing order number (MO) and a plant type.In some modes, when a physical plot in a zone within an indoor growing module of a facility is unoccupied, the physical plot is indicated as open. In some modes, the user interface 1400 further comprises a first link 620, a second link 622, a third link 624, a fourth link 626, and a fifth link 628. In some modes, the first link 620 allows the authorized user to directly access all MOs in all facilities accessible to the authorized user. In some modes, the second link 622 allows the authorized user to access package information. In some modes, the third link 624 allows the authorized user to access and print multiple labels. In some modes, the fourth link 626 allows for the organization of MOs according to growing zones.In some versions, the fifth link 628 allows the authorized user to navigate back to the home page. Manufacturing information associated with a growing area or sub-panel 1404 can be accessed from the user interface 1400. Figure 14B shows a pop-up window 1412 in the user interface 1400, which lists a manufacturing history for the plants in a plot. In some modes, the manufacturing history includes information on the creation of the manufacturing process, information on a germination order, information on a production order, and the expected harvest date and yield, which are discussed in detail in Figure 8 above. Figure 15 illustrates an exemplary block diagram of a 1500 controller in an indoor growing installation, according to certain embodiments of the invention. It should be noted that the 1500 controller is merely an example and is not intended to limit the invention. Accordingly, it is understood that additional functional blocks may be provided in or coupled to the 1500 controller of Figure 15, and that some other functional blocks may be omitted or described only briefly herein. It should also be noted that the functionalities provided in each of the components and modules of the 1500 controller may be combined or separated into one or more modules. In the illustrated embodiment, the controller 1500 comprises a processor 1502, a memory 1504, an input / output interface 1506, a communications interface 1508, and a system bus 1510, according to certain embodiments. The processor 1502 may comprise any operational processing circuitry for controlling the operations and performance of the indoor growing modules in the indoor growing facility and the tray handling system.In several respects, the 1502 processor can be implemented as a general-purpose processor, a chip multiprocessor (CMP), a dedicated processor, an embedded processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), a network processor, an input / output (I / O) processor, a media access control (MAC) processor, a radio baseband processor, a coprocessor, a microprocessor such as a complex instruction set computer (CISC) microprocessor, a reduced instruction set computer (RISC) microprocessor, and / or a very long instruction word (VLIW) microprocessor, or another processing device. The 1502 processor can also be implemented using a controller, a microcontroller, an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), a programmable logic device (PLD), and so on. In several respects, the 1502 processor can be configured to run an operating system (OS) and various applications. Examples of an operating system include, for example, operating systems commonly known by the trade names Apple OS, Microsoft Windows OS, Android OS, and any other proprietary or open-source OS. Examples of applications include, for example, a phone application, a camera application (e.g., digital camera, video camera), a web browser application, a media player application, a game application, a messaging application (e.g., email, SMS, multimedia), a viewer application, and so on. In some embodiments, at least one non-transient, computer-readable storage medium is provided, having computer-executable instructions embedded therein, wherein, when executed by at least one processor, the computer-executable instructions cause at least one processor to perform embodiments of the methods described herein. This computer-readable storage medium may be incorporated into memory 1504. In some embodiments, memory 1504 may comprise any machine-readable or computer-readable medium capable of storing data, including both volatile / non-volatile and removable / non-removable memory. Memory 1504 may comprise at least one non-volatile memory unit. The non-volatile memory unit is capable of storing one or more software programs. The software programs may contain, for example, applications, user data, device data, and / or configuration data, or combinations thereof. The software programs may contain instructions executable by the various components of the 912 robot controller of the 900 tray handling system. For example, memory may comprise read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), dynamic RAM (DRAM), double data rate DRAM (DDR-RAM), synchronous DRAM (SDRAM), static RAM (SRAM), programmable ROM (PROM), erasable programmable ROM (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable ROM (EEPROM), flash memory (e.g., NOR or NAND flash memory), content-addressable memory (CAM), polymer memory (e.g., ferroelectric polymer memory), phase-change memory (e.g., ovon memory), ferroelectric memory, silicon-oxide-nitride-oxide-silicon (SONOS) memory, disk memory (e.g., floppy disk, hard disk, optical disk, magnetic disk), or card (e.g., magnetic card, optical card) or any other type of media suitable for storing information. In one embodiment, memory 1504 may contain an instruction set, in the form of a file, for executing a method to generate one or more timing libraries as described herein. The instruction set may be stored in any acceptable form of machine-readable instruction, including source code or various appropriate programming languages. Examples of programming languages ​​that may be used to store the instruction set include, but are not limited to, Java, C, C++, C#, Python, Objective-C, Visual Basic, or .NET. In some embodiments, a compiler or interpreter is included to convert the instruction set into executable machine code for execution by the processor. In some embodiments, the 1506 I / O interface may comprise any suitable mechanism or component to allow a user to provide input to the indoor growing modules in the indoor growing facility to provide output to the user. For example, the 1506 I / O interface may comprise any suitable input mechanism, including, but not limited to, a button, numeric keypad, keyboard, ratchet wheel, touchscreen, or motion sensor. In some embodiments, the 1506 I / O interface may comprise a capacitive sensing mechanism or a multi-touch capacitive sensing mechanism (e.g., a touchscreen). In some embodiments, the 1506 I / O interface may comprise a visual peripheral output device to provide a display visible to the user. For example, the visual peripheral output device may comprise a screen, such as a liquid crystal display (LCD) built into the indoor growing modules. As another example, the visual peripheral output device may comprise a mobile display or a projection system to provide a content display on a surface remote from the indoor growing facility. In some embodiments, the visual peripheral output device may comprise an encoder / decoder, also known as a codec, to convert digital media data into analog signals. For example, the visual peripheral output device may comprise video codecs, audio codecs, or any other suitable type of codec. The visual peripheral output device may also include display controllers, circuitry for controlling display controllers, or both. The visual peripheral output device may be operational for displaying content under the direction of the processor. For example, the visual peripheral output device may display media playback information, application screens for applications implemented in indoor growing modules, information about ongoing communication operations, information about incoming communication requests, or device operation screens, to name just a few. In some embodiments, the 1508 communications interface may comprise any suitable hardware, software, or combination of hardware and software capable of coupling the indoor growing modules of a plurality of indoor growing facilities to one or more networks and / or devices. The 1508 communications interface may be configured to operate with any suitable technique for controlling information signals using a desired set of communication protocols, services, or operating procedures. The 1508 communications interface may comprise appropriate physical connectors for connecting to a corresponding communication medium, whether wired or wireless. Communication systems and methods comprise a network, according to several modalities. In various respects, a network can include local area networks (LANs) as well as wide area networks (WANs), including, but not limited to, the Internet, wired channels, wireless channels, communication devices such as telephones, computers, cables, radio, optical or other electromagnetic channels and combinations thereof, and other devices and / or components capable of or associated with data communication. For example, communication environments encompass in-body communication, various devices, and various communication modes such as wireless communication, wired communication, and combinations thereof. Wireless communication modes comprise any point-to-point (e.g., node) communication mode that utilizes, at least in part, wireless technology, including various protocols and combinations of protocols associated with wireless transmission, data, and devices. Points include, for example, wireless devices such as wireless headsets, audio and multimedia devices and equipment such as audio and media players, telephones (including mobile and cordless phones), and computers and computer-related devices and components such as printers, network-connected machinery such as a circuit-generating system, and / or any other suitable device or third-party device. Wired communication modes encompass any communication method between points using wired technology, including various protocols and protocol combinations associated with wired transmission, data, and devices. Points include, for example, devices such as audio and multimedia equipment, such as audio and media players, telephones (including mobile and cordless phones), and computers and computer-related devices and components, such as printers, networked machinery, and / or any other suitable or third-party devices. In various implementations, wired communication modules may communicate according to several different wired protocols.Examples of wired protocols may include Universal Serial Bus (USB) communication, RS-232, RS-422, RS-423, RS-485 serial protocols, FireWire, Ethernet, Fibre Channel, MIDI, ATA, and / nczn / zznza / Y / / nczn / zznza / Y. Serial ATA, PCI Express, T1 (and variants), Industry Standard Architecture (ISA) parallel communication, Small Computer System Interface (SCSI) communication, or Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) communication, to name just a few examples. Consequently, in several respects, the 1508 communications interface may comprise one or more interfaces, such as, for example, a wireless communications interface, a wired communications interface, a network interface, a transmit interface, a receive interface, a media interface, a system interface, a component interface, a switching interface, a chip interface, a controller, etc. When implemented by a wireless device or within a wireless system, for example, the communications interface may comprise a wireless interface consisting of one or more antennas, transmitters, receivers, transceivers, amplifiers, filters, control logic, etc. In various configurations, the 1508 communications interface can provide voice and / or data communication functionality in accordance with several wireless protocols. Examples of wireless protocols include various wireless local area network (WLAN) protocols, including the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) protocol series. 802.xx, such as IEEE 802.1la / b / g / n, IEEE 802.16, IEEE 802.20, and so on. Other examples of wireless protocols may include various wireless wide area network (WWAN) protocols, such as GSM cellular radio system protocols with GPRS, CDMA cellular radio communication systems with IxRTT, EDGE systems, EV-DO systems, EV-DV systems, HSDPA systems, and so forth. Other examples of wireless protocols may include wireless personal area network (PAN) protocols, such as an infrared protocol, a protocol from the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) protocol suite, including Bluetooth specification versions v1.0, v1.1, v1.2, v2.0, v2.0 with Enhanced Data Rate (EDR), as well as one or more Bluetooth profiles, and so forth. Another example of wireless protocols can include near-field communication techniques and protocols, such as electromagnetic induction (EMI) techniques.An example of EMI techniques might include passive or active radio frequency identification (RFID) protocols and devices. Other suitable protocols might include Ultra Wideband (UWB), Digital Office (DO), Digital Home, Trusted Platform Module (TPM), ZigBee, etc. The 1510 system bus couples the 1502 processor, 1504 memory, 1506 I / O interface, and 1508 communication interface to each other as required. The 1510 system bus can be any of several types of bus structures, including a memory bus or memory controller, a peripheral or external bus, and / or a local bus using any variety of available bus architectures, including, but not limited to, 9-bit bus, Industry Standard Architecture (ISA), Micro Channel Architecture (MCA), Extended ISA (EISA), Intelligent Drive Electronics (IDE), VESA Local Bus (VLB), Personal Computer Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA) bus, Small Computer Systems Interface (SCSI), or other proprietary bus, or any custom bus suitable for computing device applications. Figure 16 illustrates an exemplary diagram of an automated indoor cultivation method. In step 1601, according to some embodiments of the invention, a plurality of plants are placed in a plot located in an initial position (e.g., 1-1). Then, in step 1602, the indoor cultivation method identifies the plants within the plot. In some embodiments, a vision system can be used to identify the plants within the plot. For example, the vision system can classify the species and variety of plants within the plot. In step 1603, environmental variables are received from a plurality of sensors located near the plot. In several embodiments, the plurality of sensors includes temperature sensors, conductivity sensors, and water level sensors. 02. In step 1604, the indoor growing method determines whether the received environmental variables are within predefined limits. If at least one of the received environmental variables is outside the predefined limits, the indoor growing method sends a change request to the environmental controller to determine if automatic control is enabled. If automatic control is disabled, it sends notifications to the growers indicating that the environmental variables are not within the predefined limits. If all the received environmental variables are within the predefined limits, the indoor growing method, in step 1605, determines whether the plants in the current plot are ready to be moved to a subsequent growing plot.In some systems, the determination in step 1605 is based on the growth conditions of the plants in the current plot. Therefore, if the plants are not ready to be moved to the next plot, the indoor growing method continues to monitor the environmental variables. If the plants are ready, in step 1606 the indoor growing method sends a signal to the tray handling system, which contains instructions to transport the plants from their current plot to the next one. In step 1608, the indoor growing method determines whether the plants' current plot is a final location. If the determination in step 1608 is true, the plants are then moved to a harvester in step 1609.On the other hand, if the result of the determination in step 1608 is false, the indoor growing method continuously monitors the environmental variables. FIGURE 17 illustrates an exemplary user interface of a management panel for setting operational and environmental parameters for indoor cultivation, according to some embodiments of the invention.For example, the management panel 1700 comprises at least one of the following fields configured to establish operational and environmental parameters for indoor cultivation, as well as its operations: a Plots field 1701, to specify physical spaces used for growing plants; Crops field 1702, to define the crops sown in the indoor cultivation; Item field 1703, to specify a list of definitions for each item used in production; Labels field 1704, to define a list of distinct terms; Units field 1705, to specify units of measure; Locations field 1706, to define the storage locations that exist in each indoor cultivation; and Recipes field 1707, to specify a list of ingredients or instructions for creating an item.In some modes, the 1700 management panel includes a 1708 navigation menu configured to include options for the user to select a destination tab. In other configurations, the operational and environmental parameters of indoor crops can be dynamically configured based on external reports indicating the projected demand for each product grown indoors. This forecasted demand can then be used to determine the necessary inventory levels to meet it. The system can utilize past plant production and yield data to create a plan for fulfilling the projected demand. It can calculate the number of plots required for planting the desired crops and develop a seeding plan, including determining the location, timing, and quantity of seeds needed for planting. Figure 18A illustrates an exemplary user interface for plot management, according to some embodiments of the invention. As shown in Figure 18A, the user interface allows users to divide the physical space of an indoor grow area into plots of various sizes. In some embodiments, the user interface provides a human-readable name for each plot, a zone identifier to specify an area of ​​the building where each plot is located, and a size to specify the square footage of each plot. In this example, the user interface also provides a button in the lower right configured to open a new plot registration box. Figure 18B illustrates a novel parcel registration feature of the exemplary 1800 user interface, according to some embodiments of the invention. In the illustrated embodiment, the 1800 user interface comprises a pop-up window that allows an authorized user to configure a new parcel. In this example, the user can provide the name, zone identifier, and size in square feet of the new parcel. In some embodiments, the registered parcels are subsequently used by the order management system as available spaces for growing plants. Furthermore, each MO is assigned to at least one parcel. The registered parcels can also be used by the order management system to track inventory and crop growth status as described above. Figure 19A illustrates an exemplary user interface 1900 for defining crops planted in the indoor growing module, according to some embodiments of the invention. For example, the exemplary user interface 1900 may display a unique identifier 1901 associated with the displayed crop. In some embodiments, the exemplary user interface 1900 may display species 1902 and varieties 1903 of planted crops. Furthermore, the exemplary user interface 1900 may display a button or a user interface (UI) element 1904 configured to allow users to specify new crops. Additionally, a button or a user interface (UI) element 1904 may also be configured to allow users to edit predefined crops. Figure 19B illustrates a novel recipe registration feature of the exemplary 1900 user interface, according to some embodiments of the invention. In the illustrated embodiment, the 1900 user interface comprises a pop-up window that allows an authorized user to specify a new 1904 crop. In this example, the user can select a species and a variety name for the new crop. The user can also provide a description of the new 1904 crop. Figure 19C illustrates an exemplary user interface 1900C configured to display details of the new crop specified in the exemplary user interface 1900, according to some embodiments of the invention. In some embodiments, the exemplary user interface 1900C can be displayed automatically after the user specifies the new crop in the user interface 1900, shown in Figure 19B. In other embodiments, the user can manually navigate to the user interface 1900C. As shown in Figure 19C, the exemplary user interface 1900C can display a unique identifier 1905 associated with the new crop, as well as its species and variety names 1905 and 1907, respectively. In additional embodiments, the exemplary user interface 1900C can display environmental limitations associated with the crop.For example, the displayed environmental constraints might include a desired temperature, humidity, and / or airflow. Additionally, the sample user interface (1900C) might provide a button or UI element configured to edit or create a recipe of materials needed to grow the crop displayed in the user interface. Furthermore, the button or UI element might also be configured to allow the user to edit or define a list of harvestable products from the crop specified in the sample user interface (1900C). Figure 19D illustrates a novel recipe registration feature of the exemplary user interface 1900C, according to some embodiments of the invention. In the illustrated embodiment, the user interface 1900C comprises a pop-up window that allows an authorized user to specify a new recipe 1908 that specifies the materials required to sow the crop specified in the exemplary user interface 1900. In this example, the user can select one or more materials from a drop-down menu 1909 j / nczn / zznza / Y along with quantities 1911 of at least one or more materials used in growing the crop. Furthermore, in some embodiments, the user can specify one or more substitute materials 1910 in the event that one or more primary materials 1909 are unavailable.In the sample mode, to sow arugula, you can use one ounce of arugula seeds and one unit of Horticube (a growing medium in which the seeds are placed). Additionally, as illustrated in the sample mode, if the "Allow Substitutions" checkbox is selected, the user can choose from a list of substitute materials labeled with tags. Unlike a typical bill of materials in a standard material requirements planning system, which are fixed and rigid, the new recipe feature in the sample user interface allows the user to create a new recipe to select any material in the system. Furthermore, by using the tag identifiers, the user can filter the list of available materials to only the most relevant ones, instead of having to browse through the entire list of all available materials in the system. This results in a much better material requirements planning system. FIGURE 19E illustrates a list of harvestable product registration features of the exemplary 1900C user interface, according to some embodiments of the invention. In the illustrated embodiment, the 1900C user interface comprises a pop-up window 1912 that allows an authorized user to define a list of harvestable products from a plant. Figure 20A illustrates an exemplary user interface 2000 for displaying and specifying materials used in the production of articles 2001, according to some embodiments of the invention. For example, the exemplary user interface 2000 may specify a recipe comprising a plurality of materials 2003 used in the production of articles 2001. In some embodiments, the plurality of materials 2003 may be referred to as a Bill of Materials (BoM). In other embodiments, the user interface 2000 may include a button or a configured element to enable users to create a new recipe. Figure 20B illustrates a novel recipe registration feature of the exemplary user interface 2000, according to some embodiments of the invention. In the illustrated embodiment, the user interface 1800 comprises a pop-up window that allows an authorized user to create a new recipe 2003. In this example, the user can select an item from a drop-down menu 2005 for which the new recipe is created. As shown in Figure 20B, the user can specify one or more materials 2004 and their quantity while creating the new recipe 2003. Furthermore, in some embodiments, the user can specify substitute materials in the event that one or more primary materials 2004 are unavailable. Additionally, by using tag identifiers, the user can filter the list of available materials to show only the most relevant ones, instead of having to browse the entire list of all materials available in the system.As described above, the exemplary order management system results in a much better material requirements planning system. Although several embodiments of the invention have been described above, it should be understood that they have been presented only by way of example, and not by way of limitation. Likewise, the various diagrams may represent an example architecture or configuration, which are provided to enable those of ordinary skill in the art to understand exemplary features and functions of the invention. Such persons would understand, however, that the invention is not limited to the example architectures or configurations illustrated, but may be implemented using a variety of alternative architectures and configurations. Furthermore, as those of ordinary skill in the art will understand, one or more features of one embodiment may be combined with one or more features of another embodiment described herein.Therefore, the breadth and scope of the invention should not be limited by any of the exemplary forms described above. It is also understood that any reference to an element herein using a designation such as first, second, etc., generally does not limit the quantity or order of those elements. On the contrary, such designations may be used here as a convenient means of distinguishing between two or more elements or instances of an element. Thus, a reference to the first and second element does not mean that only two elements may be used, or that the first element must precede the second element in any way. Furthermore, a person with ordinary technical experience will understand that information and signals can be represented using any of a variety of different technologies and techniques. For example, data, instructions, commands, information, signals, bits, and symbols, for instance, which may be referenced in the description above, can be represented by voltages, currents, electromagnetic waves, magnetic fields or particles, optical fields or particles, or any combination thereof. A person skilled in the art would further appreciate that any of the various illustrative logic blocks, modules, processors, media, circuits, methods, and functions described in connection with the aspects discussed herein may be implemented by electronic hardware (e.g., a digital implementation, an analog implementation, or a combination of the two, which may be designed using coding fonts or some other technique), various forms of program or design code incorporating instructions (which may be referred to here, for convenience, as Software or a software module), or combinations of both. To clearly illustrate this interchangeability of hardware and software, several illustrative components, blocks, modules, circuits, and steps have been described above in general terms of their functionality.Whether this functionality is implemented as hardware, firmware, or software, or a combination of these techniques, depends on the specific application and the overall design constraints imposed on the system. Skilled craftspeople may implement the described functionality in various ways for each specific application, but such implementation choices should not be interpreted as a departure from the scope of the invention. Furthermore, a person with ordinary technical knowledge would understand that the various illustrative logic blocks, modules, devices, components, and circuits described herein can be implemented within or realized by means of an integrated circuit (IC) that may include a general-purpose processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), or other programmable logic device, or any combination thereof. The logic blocks, modules, and circuits may further include antennas and / or transceivers for communicating with various components within the network or within the device. A general-purpose processor may be a microprocessor, but alternatively, the processor may be any conventional processor, controller, or state machine.A processor can also be implemented as a combination of computing devices, for example, a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor, a plurality of microprocessors, one or more microprocessors together with a DSP core, or any other configuration suitable for performing the functions described herein. If implemented in software, functions can be stored as one or more instructions or code on a computer-readable medium. Therefore, the steps of a method or algorithm described here can be implemented as software stored on a computer-readable medium. Computer-readable media includes both computer storage media and communication media, including any means that can be used to transfer a computer program or code from one location to another. A storage medium can be any available medium that can be accessed from a computer.By way of example, and not as a limitation, such computer-readable media may include RAM, ROM, EEPROM, CD-ROM or other optical disk storage, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium that can be used to store desired program code in the form of instructions or data structures and that can be accessed by a computer. In this document, the term "module," as used herein, refers to software, firmware, hardware, and any combination thereof for performing the associated functions described herein. Furthermore, for descriptive purposes, the various modules are described as discrete modules; however, as will be evident to a person skilled in the art, two or more modules may be combined to form a single module that performs the associated functions according to the embodiments of the invention. Furthermore, memory or other storage, as well as communication components, may be employed in embodiments of the invention. It will be appreciated that, for the sake of clarity, the preceding description has described embodiments of the invention with reference to different functional units and processors. However, it will be evident that any suitable distribution of functionality among different functional units, processing logic elements, or domains may be used without misrepresenting the invention. For example, the functionality illustrated to be performed by separate processing logic elements, or controllers, may be performed by the same processing logic element, or controller. Therefore, references to specific functional units are merely references to a suitable means of providing the described functionality, rather than indicative of a strict logical or physical structure or organization. Several modifications to the implementations described herein will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be applied to other implementations without departing from the scope of this description. Therefore, the description is not intended to be limited to the implementations shown herein, but is to be given the broadest possible scope in accordance with the novel features and principles described herein, as enumerated in the following claims.

Claims

1. A method for remotely controlling a plurality of indoor growing installations characterized in that it comprises: receiving, via a computer network, from a plurality of devices installed in an indoor growing module, a plurality of data associated with at least one of: a water level in a water tank, a pH level in an irrigation system, a temperature in the indoor growing module, a humidity level in the indoor growing module, a carbon dioxide (CO2) level in the indoor growing module, and a power relay status; filtering the plurality of data received on a remote computer based on a filter field; displaying, on a plurality of panels, the filtered data received from the plurality of devices;configure a plurality of programs for a plurality of devices, wherein the plurality of programs comprises at least one of the following: a watering program, a lighting program, and a data collection program; and send the configured plurality of programs to one or more indoor growing module controllers.

2. The method according to claim 1, 68 characterized in that the data received comprises temperature and humidity records over a predefined period of time.

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises: configuring a recurring interval for the plurality of programs.

4. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the plurality of programs are configured to control a plurality of associated power relays.

5. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises: visualizing a first curve of recorded temperatures and a second curve of recorded humidity levels.

6. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises: displaying a list of information for each of the plurality of devices.

7. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the information list comprises at least one of a type, one status, one IP address, one recent activity, and one label from at least one of the plurality of devices.

8. A system for remotely controlling a plurality of indoor growing installations via a computer network, characterized in that it comprises: a network communication interface configured to couple one or more indoor growing modules of the plurality of indoor growing installations to the computer network; a tray handling system coupled to the network communication interface and configured to receive instructions from a remote server to autonomously load and unload a plurality of trolleys in one or more indoor growing modules;and a plurality of devices configured to detect water level, pH levels, temperatures, humidity levels, and carbon dioxide (CO2) levels in each of one or more indoor growing modules, wherein the remote server is coupled to the computer network and further includes a database for storing environmental parameters and instructions for analyzing data information provided by the plurality of devices in each of one or more indoor growing modules.

9. The system according to claim 8, characterized in that the plurality of devices comprises at least one of a water level sensor, a pH sensor, a conductivity sensor, a temperature sensor, a CO2 sensor, a humidity sensor, and a power relay.

10. The system according to claim 8, characterized in that the tray handling system further comprises an articulated robot, a linear transfer system, and a robot controller.

11. The system according to claim 8, characterized in that the tray handling system is further configured to transfer a predetermined trolley from a chassis in at least one of one or more indoor growing modules to a predetermined position.

12. The system according to claim 8, characterized in that the power relay is configured to control a plurality of power supplies to at least one of a water pump, a valve, a light source, a sensor, and an air dehumidifying unit.

13. The system according to claim 8, characterized in that the plurality of devices are further configured to record temperature and humidity readings over a predefined period of time.

14. The system according to claim 8, characterized in that the plurality of devices are controlled based on a plurality of programs received through the computer network.

15. The system according to claim 8, characterized in that it further comprises a v / nczn / zznza / Y display configured to display a first curve of recorded temperatures and a second curve of recorded humidity levels.

16. A non-transient, computer-readable medium that stores computer-executable instructions which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to execute a method characterized in that it comprises: receiving, via a computer network, from a plurality of devices installed in an indoor growing module, a plurality of data associated with at least one of the following: a water level in an irrigation reservoir, a pH level in an irrigation system, a temperature in the indoor growing module, a humidity level in the indoor growing module, a carbon dioxide (CO2) level in the indoor growing module, and a power relay status; filtering, using one or more hardware processors, the plurality of data received on a remote computer based on a filter field; and displaying, on a plurality of panels, the filtered data received from the plurality of devices.72 configure a plurality of programs for a plurality of devices, wherein the plurality of programs comprises at least one of the following: a watering program, a lighting program, and a data collection program; and 72 send the configured plurality of programs to one or more indoor growing module controllers.

17. The non-transient computer-readable medium according to claim 16, characterized in that the data received comprises temperature and humidity records over a predefined period of time.

18. The non-transient computer-readable medium according to claim 16, characterized in that the instructions further comprise: configuring a recurring interval for the plurality of programs.

19. The non-transient computer-readable medium according to claim 16, characterized in that the plurality of programs are configured to control a plurality of associated power relays.

20. The non-transient computer-readable medium according to claim 16, characterized in that the instructions further comprise: displaying a first curve of recorded temperatures and a second curve of recorded humidity levels.

21. An automated indoor cultivation system characterized in that it comprises: placing a plurality of plants in a plot located in an initial position; identifying a plurality of plant species within the plot using a vision system; receiving one or more environmental variables from a plurality of sensors located in a cultivation area; determining whether one or more of the received environmental variables are within predetermined limitations; transmitting a change request to an environmental controller based on the determination that at least one of the environmental variables is not within the predetermined limitations;and transmitting a movement signal to a tray handling system based on the determination of the growth conditions of the plurality of plants, wherein the movement signal comprises 15 instructions to transport the plurality of plants from a current location to a subsequent location within or outside the growing area.

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