Spraying device, spraying program, spraying method, and ejection control module

Abstract

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a spraying device, a spraying program, a spraying method, and an ejection control module that enable efficient pollination work. Provided is a spraying device comprising: a traveling vehicle body; an ejection device capable of ejecting liquid or powder onto agricultural crops; a control device; and a first obstacle detection sensor, wherein the control device controls the ejection device in accordance with the detection result from the first obstacle detection sensor.

Description

Spraying device, spraying program, spraying method, and spray control module

[0001] The present invention relates to a spraying device, a spraying program, a spraying method, and an injection control module.

[0002] As a smart agriculture system, the use of parameters obtained by image processing for operating agricultural equipment is being considered. For example, Patent Literature 1 discloses a system in which predetermined parameters of a predetermined location on a target crop are estimated based on a trained model and an image of the target crop, and an operating mechanism performs a predetermined operation, such as pollinating that location from a predetermined direction, based on the estimated predetermined parameters.

[0003] Patent No. 7090953

[0004] Pollination, which involves applying pollen one by one to the many flowers in a field, is one of the most labor-intensive agricultural tasks. Furthermore, the time available for pollination after each flower blooms is limited, typically 48 hours. Pollination must be timed appropriately within this limited flowering period, taking into account the plant's ever-changing condition. Delays in pollination can lead to reduced yields. Pollinating flowers that bloom randomly in various locations in a field becomes particularly difficult the larger the field. Therefore, pollination requires a concentrated workforce to be secured in advance for a specific period, but securing sufficient personnel is not easy because the timing and number of workers vary from year to year.

[0005] Therefore, it is conceivable to use a pollen spraying device to perform the pollination work instead of humans. However, the height of the flowers that will receive the pollen varies from the ground, and the ground in the field is also uneven. Therefore, in order to spray pollen while maintaining an appropriate distance between the flower and the spraying device, the height of the spraying device must be adjusted, which sacrifices the running speed of the spraying device. However, running speed is also required for the spraying device to travel around a large field while performing pollination work.

[0006] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above problems, and aims to provide a spraying device, a spraying program, a spraying method, and an injection control module that enable efficient pollination work.

[0007] A spraying device according to one aspect of the present invention comprises a running vehicle body, a spraying device capable of spraying liquid or powder onto agricultural crops, a control device, and a first obstacle detection sensor, and the control device controls the spraying device in accordance with the detection result of the first obstacle detection sensor.

[0008] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a spraying device, a spraying program, a spraying method, and an injection control module that enable efficient pollination work.

[0009] 1 is a conceptual diagram of a smart agriculture system. FIG. 2 is a schematic side view of the configuration of the spraying device of this embodiment. FIG. 3 is a schematic top view of the configuration of the spraying device of this embodiment. FIG. 4 is a schematic rear view of the configuration of the spraying device of this embodiment. FIG. 5 is an example of image information of agricultural crops acquired in advance by an imaging device. FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of the hardware configuration and functional configuration of a control device. FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing the data structure of travel data. FIG. 8 is a flowchart of spray control of the spraying device of this embodiment. FIG. 9 is a flowchart of extension and retraction control of the nozzle of the spraying device of this embodiment. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an image of a height map constructed from travel data.

[0010] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention (hereinafter referred to as "the present embodiment") will be described in detail with reference to the drawings as necessary. However, the present invention is not limited to this embodiment, and various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the present invention. In the drawings, the same elements are given the same reference numerals, and redundant explanations will be omitted. Furthermore, positional relationships such as up, down, left, and right are based on the positional relationships shown in the drawings unless otherwise specified. Furthermore, the dimensional ratios of the drawings are not limited to those shown in the drawings.

[0011] 1. System FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a smart agriculture system 1 according to this embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, in one example of the smart agriculture system 1 according to this embodiment, a user terminal 100, a server 200, a measurement device 300, and a spraying device 400 are connected via a network N. The measurement device 300 acquires information about agricultural crops in a farm field 500, which is then stored by an agricultural support device (hereinafter referred to as the "server 200"). The server 200 may then formulate plans for each agricultural task, such as a pollination work plan, and transmit the plans to the user terminal 100 used by a farm worker, for example. Furthermore, the server 200 may instruct the spraying device 400 to perform various tasks, such as pollination, based on the pollination work plan, and the spraying device 400 may then execute the plans.

[0012] In this embodiment, a "field" is a cultivation area where agricultural products are grown, and is not limited to an outdoor cultivation area, but may also be a facility with a roof, such as a greenhouse or agricultural product factory.

[0013] The user terminal 100 is a tablet terminal or smartphone carried by a worker who performs agricultural work in the field 500 or a manager who manages the field. The user terminal 100 issues work instructions and provides requested information to the spraying device 400, the measuring device 300, and the server 200 via the network N. Similarly, the user terminal 100 may also acquire information about the field, crops, and environment from the server 200, the measuring device 300, or the spraying device 400.

[0014] The server 200 functions as a management device for comprehensively managing the entire farm field. Specifically, it issues work instructions and provides requested information to the user terminal 100, the measurement device 300, or the spraying device 400 via the communication I / F 220 and the network N. Similarly, the server 200 also acquires information about the farm field, crops, and environment from the user terminal 100, the measurement device 300, or the spraying device 400. Furthermore, the server 200 not only controls and calculates the entire system, but may also function as an instruction unit that executes instructions to the spraying device 400, etc., a processing unit that performs various processes on the acquired information, and a prediction unit that predicts the crop yield and workload.

[0015] The measuring device 300 is a device that acquires information about environmental parameters such as the temperature and humidity of the field and about the crops, and may be a device equipped with a sensor for observing the condition of the field and the crops, or a device that measures the crops 520 in the field 500 and acquires image information and other information about the crops 520.

[0016] The measuring device 300 is not particularly limited, and may be, for example, various fixed sensors 310 installed at any position in the field 500, a drone equipped with various sensors and flying within the field 500, an unmanned aerial vehicle 320 that propels itself within the field, a smartphone equipped with various sensors, a handheld computing device, a wearable terminal, or other terminal operated by a person (not shown). Here, the sensor is not particularly limited, and may further include at least one of an image sensor, a component sensor, and an environmental sensor.

[0017] The measuring device 300 may be linked to the spraying device 400. In addition, although the spraying device 400 and the measuring device 300 are shown as separate devices in Fig. 1, the spraying device 400 may have the functions of the measuring device 300, and the spraying device 400 and the measuring device 300 may be an integrated device.

[0018] By adopting a system constructed in this way, producers can achieve more productive farm operations. Specifically, they can formulate an appropriate pollination operation plan and have the spraying device 400 carry out pollination operations based on that plan.

[0019] Each component of the spraying device 400 of this embodiment will be described in detail below.

[0020] 2A shows a schematic side view of the configuration of the spraying device 400 of this embodiment. As shown in Fig. 2A, the spraying device 400 of this embodiment includes a traveling vehicle body 410, a spraying device 420 capable of spraying liquid or powder onto crops 520, a control device 430, and a first obstacle detection sensor 441.

[0021] The spraying device 400 sprays a liquid or powder onto the crops 520 while the traveling vehicle body 410 is traveling. For example, if the sprayed substance is liquid pollen or powder pollen, pollination work can be performed, and if the sprayed substance is a pesticide or the like, pesticide spraying work can be performed. Note that liquid pollen is pollen dispersed in a liquid such as water. Furthermore, powder pollen may be pollen itself, or may be pollen with a bulking agent added.

[0022] In this embodiment, "agricultural crops" refers to plants that are cultivated and harvested in agriculture. When simply referring to "agricultural crops" in this embodiment, it simply means plants that are cultivated in agriculture, without distinguishing between the trunks, branches, flowers, buds, leaves, stems, shoots, fruits, etc. of the plants. Therefore, in this embodiment, "agricultural crops" does not refer only to the fruits, etc. that are ultimately obtained.

[0023] The traveling vehicle body 410 is not particularly limited as long as it is a vehicle body that can travel within a field. For example, it may be a self-propelled spraying device that recognizes the environment using various sensors and control algorithms and can travel within a field autonomously, or it may be an operable spraying device that can travel within a field by being ridden by a person or remotely operated.

[0024] The traveling vehicle body 410 is not particularly limited, but may include, for example, a vehicle having a traveling mechanism 411 such as wheels or caterpillars that can travel, and a power unit (not shown) that drives the traveling mechanism 411. The traveling vehicle body 410 may also have various sensors such as a GPS, a speed sensor, an acceleration sensor, a distance sensor, and a geomagnetic sensor so that it can determine its own position and avoid obstacles when traveling on its own.

[0025] The traveling vehicle body 410 may be capable of autonomously traveling within the field, or may be capable of traveling within the field according to a traveling route instruction received from the user terminal 100 or the server 200. Furthermore, the control related to the traveling of the traveling vehicle body 410, such as the traveling speed, traveling direction, and traveling route, may be performed by a control device 430, which will be described later.

[0026] Furthermore, the various sensors of the traveling vehicle body 410 may cooperate with the control device 430 (described later) to realize SLAM (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping). Specifically, the various sensors may sense the surrounding environment while the traveling vehicle body 410 is traveling, thereby creating a two-dimensional or three-dimensional environmental map, and simultaneously estimating the vehicle's own position on the environmental map.

[0027] 1.1.2 Sprayer The sprayer 420 is not particularly limited as long as it has a configuration capable of spraying a liquid or powder onto the crops 520. Specifically, the sprayer 420 may have one or more spray nozzles 423 and a nozzle drive mechanism 424 that controls the extension and retraction of the spray nozzles 423, and may also have a tank 425 containing the liquid or powder as needed. In this way, the liquid or powder sucked up from the tank 425 may be sprayed from the spray nozzles 423 brought close to the crops 520 by the nozzle drive mechanism 424. The control device 430, described below, may be responsible for controlling the spray timing and amount, as well as the extension and retraction of the spray nozzles 423 while the traveling vehicle body 410 is traveling under its own power.

[0028] 2B shows a schematic top view of the configuration of spraying device 400 of this embodiment, and FIG. 2C shows a schematic rear view of the configuration of spraying device 400 of this embodiment. Spray nozzle 423 is not particularly limited as long as it is a nozzle that sprays liquid or powder onto crop 520 in response to instructions from control device 430 (described below) or the like. In particular, a nozzle that sprays vertically from below to above is preferred.

[0029] The spray nozzle 423 is not particularly limited as long as it is a known spray nozzle, but examples include a one-fluid nozzle that mainly sprays one liquid, a two-fluid nozzle that sprays two fluids such as a gas and a liquid, and a nozzle that sprays powder together with a gas. Specifically, a one-fluid nozzle may spray liquid pollen, or a two-fluid nozzle may spray a mixture of air and liquid pollen.

[0030] 2B , among the jet nozzles 423, one having a first obstacle detection sensor 441 is referred to as a first jet nozzle 421, and one not having a first obstacle detection sensor 441 is referred to as a second jet nozzle 422. Furthermore, when there is no particular distinction between the first jet nozzle 421 and the second jet nozzle 422, they are simply referred to as jet nozzles 423. Note that the nozzle drive mechanism 424 may extend and retract the first jet nozzle 421 and / or the second jet nozzle 422 independently, or may extend and retract them in conjunction with each other.

[0031] The detection range of the first obstacle detection sensor 441 in this embodiment is not particularly limited, and may be, for example, the traveling direction of the traveling vehicle body 410, a direction different from the traveling direction of the traveling vehicle body 410, or both. In the following, the embodiment will be described on the premise that the detection range of the first obstacle detection sensor 441 is for detecting obstacles 540 in the traveling direction of the traveling vehicle body 410, but the embodiment is not limited to this.

[0032] The first obstacle detection sensor 441 may be provided at any position on the traveling vehicle body 410 within a range where it can detect obstacles in the traveling direction. Among these, it is preferable that the first obstacle detection sensor 441 be provided at the tip portion of the first injection nozzle 421, as shown in Figures 2A and 2B.

[0033] Since spray nozzle 423 is extended and retracted by nozzle drive mechanism 424, it is prone to come into contact with obstacles 540 during self-propelled movement. Here, obstacles 540 include crops 520 and cultivation structures 530. Therefore, contact between spray nozzle 423 and obstacles 540 may damage crops 520, or contact with cultivation structures 530 may cause damage to spray nozzle 423.

[0034] In this regard, by providing first obstacle detection sensor 441 at the tip of first spray nozzle 421, it becomes possible to detect whether the tip of the extendable first spray nozzle 421 is approaching obstacle 540, and based on the detection result, nozzle drive mechanism 424 can retract first spray nozzle 421 to avoid contact with obstacle 540. Furthermore, by providing first obstacle detection sensor 441 at the tip of first spray nozzle 421, it is ensured that the tip of the spray nozzle will not come into contact with obstacle 540 during self-propelled movement, and therefore it is possible to extend the spray nozzle and bring it as close as possible to crop 520 before carrying out a pollen spraying process or the like.

[0035] The cultivation structure 530 is not particularly limited, but examples thereof include shelves or cultivation racks for supporting or separating crops, and other structures for supporting the crops 520.

[0036] Furthermore, the first obstacle detection sensor 441 may be provided at any position on the traveling vehicle body 410 within a range where it can detect obstacles in the traveling direction, other than at the tip of the first injection nozzle 421. Furthermore, the first obstacle detection sensor 441 may be located in front of the injection device 420, more specifically, the injection nozzle 423, in the traveling direction. This makes it possible to more effectively avoid contact between an obstacle 540 in the traveling direction and the injection device 420 or the injection nozzle 423.

[0037] The extension and retraction control of the second jet nozzle 422 that does not have the first obstacle detection sensor 441 may be linked to the extension and retraction control of the first jet nozzle 421. For example, as shown in Fig. 2C, the second jet nozzle 422 can avoid contact with the obstacle 540 by extending and retracting in the same way as the adjacent first jet nozzle 421. This eliminates the need to attach the first obstacle detection sensor 441 to all jet nozzles 423, thereby reducing device costs.

[0038] Furthermore, the first obstacle detection sensor 441 may detect objects located in a direction different from the traveling direction of the jet nozzle, in addition to the traveling direction of the jet nozzle. Specifically, by using an image sensor or a three-dimensional radar capable of capturing images and measuring distances as the first obstacle detection sensor 441, it is possible to detect obstacles in multiple directions.

[0039] This makes it possible to detect crops 520 that are positioned in a direction different from the traveling direction, for example, and to prevent spray nozzle 423, which is extended and contracted in a direction different from the traveling direction by nozzle drive mechanism 424, from coming into contact with crops 520. Therefore, damage to crops 520 due to contact with spray nozzle 423 can be avoided.

[0040] Furthermore, instead of or in addition to enabling the first obstacle detection sensor 441 to detect objects located in a direction different from the traveling direction, the spraying device 400 of this embodiment may further include a second obstacle detection sensor 442 that detects crops 520 located in a direction different from the traveling direction, separate from the first obstacle detection sensor 441. The second obstacle detection sensor 442 may be provided at any position on the traveling vehicle body 410 as long as it is a location where crops 520 located in a direction different from the traveling direction can be detected. For example, the second obstacle detection sensor 442 may be provided at the tip of the first spray nozzle 421 as shown in FIG. 2A , or may be provided at a position closer to the traveling direction than the spray device 420, such as the position of the imaging device 450 or the tank 425.

[0041] Since spray nozzle 423 is extended and retracted by nozzle drive mechanism 424, it is likely to come into contact with crop 520 that is present in the extension and retraction direction. Therefore, by providing second obstacle detection sensor 442 that detects crop 520 that is present in a direction different from the traveling direction, it is possible to avoid damage to crop 520 due to contact between spray nozzle 423 and crop 520.

[0042] Examples of "different directions" include a vertically upward direction and a horizontal direction other than the direction of travel. Specifically, as shown in Figures 2A, 2B, and 2C, when spraying device 400 moves vertically below crop 520, crop 520 is located vertically above spraying device 400, so vertically upward is a "different direction." Furthermore, when spraying device 400 moves self-propelled between stalks of crop 520, crop 520 is located horizontally other than the direction of travel, so the horizontal direction is a "different direction." Furthermore, the "different direction" may also be the extension direction of spray nozzle 423.

[0043] The first obstacle detection sensor 441 and the second obstacle detection sensor 442 are not particularly limited, and examples thereof include an image sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, an infrared sensor, a laser sensor, and a touch sensor that detects an obstacle by contacting it. Note that the image sensor is a sensor that is premised on measuring distance using a known method such as stereo matching based on an image obtained by the image sensor. The first obstacle detection sensor 441 and the second obstacle detection sensor 442 may be, for example, a sensor that uses a camera to distinguish plants, structures, or metals.

[0044] The spraying device 400 of this embodiment may have only the first spray nozzle 421, may have only the second spray nozzle 422, or may have a combination of the first spray nozzle 421 and the second spray nozzle 422. When only the second spray nozzle 422 is provided, the first obstacle detection sensor 441 is provided at any position on the traveling vehicle body 410.

[0045] 2B shows an example of the arrangement of the jet nozzles 423. As an example, the first jet nozzles 421 and the second jet nozzles 422 may be arranged alternately in the width direction of the traveling vehicle body. The first jet nozzles 421 and the second jet nozzles 422 may be arranged in a single row in the width direction of the traveling vehicle body, or in multiple rows as shown in FIG. 2B. Furthermore, when arranged in multiple rows, the second jet nozzles 422 may be arranged behind the first jet nozzles 421 in the traveling direction. This makes it easier to avoid an obstacle 540 when the extension and retraction control of the second jet nozzles 422 is linked to the extension and retraction control of the first jet nozzles 421, as shown in FIG. 2C.

[0046] Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 2B , the spray ranges S21, S22 of adjacent spray nozzles 423 may partially overlap. A time lag occurs between the time a spray nozzle 423 sprays and the time it takes to refill the spray material. In other words, pollen, etc., is not sprayed onto the crops 520 in the area through which the traveling vehicle 410 passes between the time a spray is made and the time a spray is made. If there is a flower in an area where pollen, etc., is not sprayed, it means that pollination has not occurred on that flower. By partially overlapping the spray ranges S21, S22 of adjacent spray nozzles 423, even if one spray nozzle 423 is unable to immediately spray pollen, etc., due to the time lag described above, the adjacent spray nozzle 423 can still spray pollen, etc., thereby avoiding a decrease in pollination efficiency.

[0047] 2B, some spray nozzles 423 may be positioned further back in the running direction than other spray nozzles 423. By providing spray nozzles 423 at different positions in the running direction in this way, as with the above, even if one spray nozzle 423 cannot immediately spray pollen or the like due to the time lag described above, the adjacent spray nozzle 423 can still spray pollen or the like, thereby avoiding a decrease in pollination efficiency.

[0048] 1.1.2.2. Nozzle Drive Mechanism The nozzle drive mechanism 424 is a mechanism that changes the length of the nozzle using the control device 430 (described later), and is not particularly limited as long as it is a known mechanism that can extend or retract the length of the injection nozzle 423. For example, the nozzle drive mechanism 424 may be extendable by having a multi-layer sleeve structure. Furthermore, the nozzle drive mechanism 424 may be capable of adjusting the inclination of the injection nozzle 423 and the direction of the nozzle opening. This allows the liquid or powder to be effectively sprayed in directions other than the extension direction of the nozzle.

[0049] 1.1.3 Imaging Device The spraying device 400 of this embodiment has an imaging device 450 that faces the direction of the crops 520 and captures image information of the crops 520. As shown in Figure 2A, of the imaging devices 450, the one that is provided ahead of the spraying device 420 in the traveling direction is referred to as a first imaging device 451, and the one that is provided behind the spraying device 420 in the traveling direction is referred to as a second imaging device 452.

[0050] As traveling vehicle body 410 moves in the traveling direction, first imaging device 451 passes directly below crop 520 before spray nozzle 423, and second imaging device 452 passes directly below crop 520 after spray nozzle 423. Therefore, first imaging device 451 acquires image information of crop 520 in advance, control device 430 calculates the spray timing based on the image information, and spray nozzle 423 can spray the liquid or powder at the calculated appropriate timing. Furthermore, second imaging device 452 acquires image information of crop 520 onto which the liquid or powder has been sprayed, and control device 430 can confirm, based on the image information, whether the sprayed liquid or powder has adhered to crop 520 and the extent of adhesion.

[0051] The imaging device 450 is not particularly limited as long as it is capable of capturing still images or videos. Furthermore, a plurality of first imaging devices 451 and second imaging devices 452 may be arranged in the width direction of the traveling vehicle body. As shown in FIG. 2B , when a plurality of imaging devices 450 are provided, image information acquired by the plurality of imaging devices 450 may be combined into a single image. In this case, the fields of view S11 and S12 of the plurality of imaging devices 450 may partially overlap.

[0052] 2D shows an example of image information of crop 520 acquired by first imaging device 451 by combining fields of view S11 and S12. Areas S21 and S22 in FIG. 2D correspond to the spray range of the spray nozzle. In this way, control device 430 may identify the spray range based on the image information, calculate the spray timing based on the identified spray range, and spray nozzle 423 may spray liquid or powder at the calculated appropriate timing.

[0053] 1.1.4. Distance Measurement Sensor The spraying device 400 of this embodiment may further include a distance measurement sensor 460 facing the direction of the crops 520. The distance measurement sensor 460 is not particularly limited, but examples thereof include an image sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, an infrared sensor, and a laser sensor.

[0054] 2A and 2B, distance measurement sensor 460 may be provided ahead of spray device 420 in the direction of travel. This allows distance measurement sensor 460 to pass directly below crop 520 before spray nozzle 423 when traveling vehicle body 410 moves in the direction of travel. Therefore, distance measurement sensor 460 can obtain information about the distance to crop 520 in advance, and spray nozzle 423 may be extended or retracted by nozzle drive mechanism 424 or the spray speed may be adjusted according to the distance information.

[0055] 1.1.5. Blower The spraying device 400 of this embodiment may have a blower 470. As shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B , the blower 470 may be provided further forward in the traveling direction than the spraying device 420, or further rearward in the traveling direction than the spraying device 420. Since the liquid or powder is sprayed while the traveling vehicle body 410 is traveling, the sprayed liquid or powder is located rearward in the traveling direction. Therefore, by providing the blower 470 further rearward in the traveling direction than the spraying device 420, the liquid or powder can be more efficiently dispersed by blowing air. Note that the number of blowers 470 may be one or more.

[0056] 1.1.6. Control Device The control device 430 performs various controls of the spraying device 400 of this embodiment, and may, for example, control the self-propelled movement of the traveling vehicle body 410 and the injection device 420. The control device 430 may, for example, be a general-purpose computer such as a desktop, laptop, or tablet mounted on the spraying device 400, or a programmable logic controller (PLC). In the following description, each process is performed by the control device 430 mounted on the spraying device 400. However, the processes performed by the control device 430 may alternatively be performed by another computer, such as the server 200, connected to the spraying device 400 via the network N.

[0057] Hereinafter, the hardware configuration and functional configuration of the control device 430 will be described with reference to FIG. 3A, and then each control will be described in detail in association with the functional configuration of the control device 430.

[0058] As shown in FIG. 3A, the control device 430 includes, for example, a processor 431, a communication interface 432, an input / output interface 433, a memory 434, a storage 435, and one or more communication buses 436 for interconnecting these components.

[0059] The processor 431 executes processes, functions, or methods implemented by codes or instructions included in a program stored in the storage 435. The processor 431 may include, for example and without limitation, one or more central processing units (CPUs), MPUs, GPUs, etc., and may implement the processes, functions, or methods disclosed in each embodiment by a logic circuit (hardware) formed in an integrated circuit or the like, or a dedicated circuit.

[0060] As shown in FIG. 3A , the processor 431 of this embodiment may be configured to function as a transceiver unit 4311 , a controller 4312 , and an estimator unit 4313 .

[0061] The communication interface 432 transmits and receives various data to and from other devices via the network N. The communication may be performed either wired or wirelessly, and any communication protocol may be used as long as mutual communication is possible. For example, the communication interface 432 is implemented as hardware such as a network adapter, various types of communication software, or a combination of these.

[0062] The network N may be, by way of example and not limitation, an ad hoc network, an intranet, an extranet, a virtual private network (VPN), a local area network (LAN), a wireless LAN (WLAN), a wide area network (WAN), a wireless WAN (WWAN), a metropolitan area network (MAN), a portion of the Internet, a portion of the public switched telephone network (PSTN), a cellular network, integrated service digital networks (ISDNs), wireless LANs, long term evolution (LTE), code division multiple access (CDMA), Bluetooth, satellite communications, or the like, or any combination thereof. A network may include one or more networks.

[0063] The input / output interface 433 includes an input device for inputting various operations to the control device 430, and an output device for outputting processing results processed by the control device 430. For example, the input / output interface 433 includes information input devices such as a keyboard, a mouse, and a touch panel, and information output devices such as a display. Note that the control device 430 may receive a predetermined input or execute a predetermined output by connecting an external input / output interface 433.

[0064] The memory 434 temporarily stores programs loaded from the storage 435 and provides a working area for the processor 431. The memory 434 also temporarily stores various data generated while the processor 431 is executing the programs. The memory 434 may be, for example, a high-speed random access memory such as a DRAM, an SRAM, a DDR RAM, or other random access solid-state storage device, or a combination of these.

[0065] The storage 435 stores programs, each functional unit, and various data. The storage 435 may be, for example, one or more magnetic disk storage devices, optical disk storage devices, flash memory devices, or nonvolatile memories such as other nonvolatile solid-state storage devices, or a combination thereof. Another example of the storage 435 may be one or more storage devices installed remotely from the processor 431.

[0066] The control device 430 may record the travel of the spraying device 400 and various data acquired during travel as travel data 4351. As the spraying device 400 travels within the field, it can accumulate information such as acquired image information, detected flower pollination status, and pollen spray conditions in association with location information. Therefore, the information recorded in the travel data 4351 is map information such as image information within the field, flower pollination status, and spray conditions.

[0067] Furthermore, the spraying device 400 patrols the field and can acquire various image information, the pollination status of flowers, etc. at the same point at different times. Therefore, the information recorded in the travel data 4351 is data showing changes over time at specific points in the field, or map information recording changes over time.

[0068] 3B shows an example of the data structure of the driving data 4351. In the driving data 4351, a "driving ID" that uniquely identifies the autonomous driving data, a "driving log," "image information," an "obstacle detection log," and a "nozzle control log" acquired during driving may be recorded in association with each other. In particular, the "image information," "obstacle detection log," and "nozzle control log" may be recorded in association with the driving route of the driving log. This makes it possible to record locations on the driving route and obstacle detection, etc. in association with each other.

[0069] The "driving log" may store records of driving such as the driving location, driving route, driving speed, and time spent driving autonomously, as well as information regarding driving schedules or spraying locations received from the server 200, etc.

[0070] Furthermore, the "image information" may store image information of crop 520 captured by first imaging device 451 before the liquid or powder is sprayed, and / or image information of crop 520 captured by second imaging device 452 after the liquid or powder is sprayed. Here, image information of crop 520 before the liquid or powder is sprayed may be used as information for timing the spraying. Furthermore, image information of crop 520 after the liquid or powder is sprayed may be used as the result of the spraying work.

[0071] The "obstacle detection log" may record the results of obstacle detection by the first obstacle detection sensor 441 and / or the second obstacle detection sensor 442 in association with the time of detection and the travel route.

[0072] The "nozzle control log" may include control information about the extension / retraction position of the injection nozzle 423 by the nozzle drive mechanism 424, as well as control information about the injection timing and injection amount. This information may be recorded in association with the time when the extension / retraction or injection was performed and the travel route.

[0073] Furthermore, the "nozzle control log" may be a height map that records the height from the ground to the flower in association with position information. An image of the height map is shown in Figure 5. By referring to such a height map the next time the robot travels, the robot can determine in advance the approximate height required to approach the flower without encountering any obstacles, allowing the control device 430 to improve the travel speed and the nozzle extension / retraction speed.

[0074] More specifically, the control device 430 may extend or retract the jet nozzle while traveling based on information about the height at which no obstacles were detected, based on the traveling data 4351 or a height map constructed therefrom, and may also correct the extension or retraction of the jet nozzle by detecting obstacles at the actual site based on the first obstacle detection sensor 441 and the second obstacle detection sensor 442. Extending or retracting the jet nozzle based on information about the height before the first obstacle detection sensor 441 and the second obstacle detection sensor 442 detect an obstacle is referred to as "main extension or retraction control," and detecting an obstacle at the actual site based on the first obstacle detection sensor 441 and the second obstacle detection sensor 442 and correcting the extension or retraction of the jet nozzle is also referred to as "corrective extension or retraction control."

[0075] As the main extension / retraction control, the control device 430 may extend or retract the jet nozzle 423 using the nozzle drive mechanism 424 before the first obstacle detection sensor 441 or the second obstacle detection sensor 442 detects an obstacle, based on information about the height at which no obstacle was detected in the previous traveling data 4351. Furthermore, as the corrective extension / retraction control, the control device 430 may detect an obstacle based on the first obstacle detection sensor 441, and correct the extension or retraction of the jet nozzle 423 that has been subjected to the main extension / retraction control using the nozzle drive mechanism 424.

[0076] In this way, by combining the main extension control and the correction extension control, the main extension control can realize relatively high-speed extension and retraction of the spray nozzle, and the correction extension control can adjust the extension and retraction of the spray nozzle at a relatively low speed. This allows the spray nozzle to be extended and retracted faster than if all extension and retraction controls were performed while detecting obstacles at the actual site based on the first obstacle detection sensor 441 and the second obstacle detection sensor 442 without performing the main extension and retraction control. This allows the spraying device 400 to travel at a higher speed.

[0077] In addition, by using a height map, it is possible to measure the size of fruits and other objects captured in image information with higher accuracy from image information captured by a camera based on height data and image data. Furthermore, when using multiple cameras, it is possible to determine the overlapping area.

[0078] In addition, the control device 430 can detect changes in tree shape from changes in height, and can detect deterioration of structures such as the need for plant training or fixing, and the state of wire attachment, which can be applied to farm maintenance. Furthermore, it is possible to assign work areas to workers based on their height according to the height map.

[0079] The transmitter / receiver 4311 may function as a transmitter that transmits various types of information to other devices such as the user terminal 100, the server 200, and the measurement device 300 via the communication interface 432 and the network N, or as a receiver that receives various types of information from other devices such as the user terminal 100, the server 200, and the measurement device 300.

[0080] For example, the transmitting / receiving unit 4311 may receive information regarding the spraying location and spraying method from the user terminal 100 or the server 200. The transmitting / receiving unit 4311 may also transmit various data such as acquired image information and information regarding the progress of the spraying work to the user terminal 100 or the server 200. This various information may be recorded in the traveling data 4351.

[0081] The transmitting / receiving unit 4311 may transmit these various types of information to the user terminal 100 or the server 200.

[0082] 1.1.6.2. Control Unit The control unit 4312 of the control device 430 performs various controls of the spraying device 400 of this embodiment, and may perform, for example, extension / retraction control of the spraying device 420, spray control of the spraying device 420, and self-propelled control of the traveling vehicle body 410.

[0083] When controlling the extension and retraction of the injection device 420 and the self-propelled movement of the traveling vehicle body 410, the control unit 4312 may refer to the traveling data 4351 and a map that records the positions of obstacles and other objects in the field, and perform control to avoid obstacles that are known in advance, thereby allowing the traveling vehicle body 410 to travel independently.

[0084] In addition, the control unit 4312 may refer to the driving data 4351 and a map that records the positions of obstacles and other objects within the field, and estimate the self-position of the driving vehicle 410 within the field from the obstacles and height data detected by various sensors during driving.

[0085] Furthermore, the control unit 4312 of the control device 430 may detect a change in tree shape from the rate of change in the height of an obstacle based on the driving data 4351, and output farm work according to the change in tree shape.

[0086] For example, the control unit 4312 may control the nozzle drive mechanism 424 of the spray device 420 based on the detection results from the first obstacle detection sensor 441 and / or the second obstacle detection sensor 442. This control will be described with reference to the flowchart of the extension and retraction control of the spray nozzle 423 of the spray device 400 of this embodiment shown in FIG. 4A.

[0087] As shown in FIG. 4A, in step 010, the transmitter / receiver 4311 receives information on the spraying location and spraying method from the server 200 and the user terminal 100, and starts self-propelled based on the information.

[0088] In step 011, the control device 430 performs primary extension / retraction control of the jet nozzle while traveling, based on information about the height at which no obstacles were detected, based on the traveling data 4351 or a height map constructed therefrom. At this time, the control device 430 may extend or retract the jet nozzle to a position equal to or lower than the height at which no obstacles were detected. The height of obstacles may change daily due to changes in tree shape, etc., but by extending or retracting the jet nozzle to a slightly lower position in this way, it is possible to prevent the jet nozzle from coming into contact with the obstacle through the primary extension / retraction control.

[0089] Then, in step 012, as corrective extension / retraction control, if the first obstacle detection sensor 441 detects an obstacle 540 while traveling in the planned spraying area, in step 015 the control unit 4312 controls the nozzle drive mechanism 424 based on the detection result to move the position of the first spray nozzle 421 away from the crop 520 or the obstacle 540 until the first obstacle detection sensor 441 no longer detects the obstacle 540. At this time, if the spraying device 400 of this embodiment has a second spray nozzle 422, the control unit 4312 of the control device 430 may control the extension / retraction position of the second spray nozzle 422 by the nozzle drive mechanism 424 in conjunction with control of the extension / retraction position of the first spray nozzle 421 adjacent to the second spray nozzle 422.

[0090] In particular, when the first obstacle detection sensor 441 that detects obstacles in the traveling direction is installed at the tip of the first spray nozzle 421, the first spray nozzle 421 is lowered according to the detection result of the first obstacle detection sensor 441 until it no longer detects the obstacle 540 in the traveling direction. Because the first obstacle detection sensor 441 installed at the tip of the first spray nozzle 421 is closest to the obstacle 540, it can be said that there is no risk of the spraying device 400 coming into contact with the obstacle 540 once the first obstacle detection sensor 441 no longer detects the obstacle in the traveling direction.

[0091] Next, in step 016, the control unit 4312 refers to the travel data 4351, and if travel through the planned spraying location has not been completed, the process returns to step 012. Then, in step 012, if the first obstacle detection sensor 441 has not detected an obstacle 540 while traveling through the planned spraying location, the process proceeds to step 013.

[0092] If second obstacle detection sensor 442 detects crop 520 in step 013, similarly to the above, in step 015, control unit 4312 controls nozzle drive mechanism 424 based on the detection result to move first spray nozzle 421 away from crop 520 or obstacle 540 until first obstacle detection sensor 441 no longer detects obstacle 540. Furthermore, even after first obstacle detection sensor 441 no longer detects obstacle 540, first spray nozzle 421 may be further retracted to a certain extent to ensure safety by preventing spraying device 400 from coming into contact with obstacle 540.

[0093] Furthermore, when the spraying device 400 of this embodiment has a second injection nozzle 422, the control unit 4312 of the control device 430 may control the extension / retraction position of the second injection nozzle 422 using the nozzle driving mechanism 424 in conjunction with control of the extension / retraction position of the first injection nozzle 421 adjacent to the second injection nozzle 422.

[0094] Also, if the second obstacle detection sensor 442 does not detect the crop 520 in step 013, the control unit 4312 controls the nozzle driving mechanism 424 in step 014 based on the detection result to move the position of the first spray nozzle 421 closer to the crop 520 until the second obstacle detection sensor 442 detects the crop 520.

[0095] Then, in step 016, the control unit 4312 refers to the travel data 4351, and if travel to the location where spraying is planned has been completed, ends the processing.

[0096] As described above, the control unit 4312 of the control device 430 may control the extension / retraction position of the first injection nozzle 421 using the nozzle drive mechanism 424 in accordance with the detection results of the first obstacle detection sensor 441 and the second obstacle detection sensor 442.

[0097] In the extension / retraction process of the above-mentioned injection nozzle 423, an example has been shown in which the second obstacle detection sensor 442 is used to bring the injection nozzle 423 closer to the crops 520, but instead of or in addition to this, the control unit 4312 of the control device 430 may control the extension / retraction position of the first injection nozzle 421 and / or the second injection nozzle 422 using the nozzle driving mechanism 424 in accordance with the detection results of the imaging device 450 and / or the ranging sensor 460.

[0098] Specifically, by processing image information of crop 520 before spraying acquired by first imaging device 451, control unit 4312 can estimate the distance between first imaging device 451 and crop 520. Therefore, using the estimation result and the positional relationship between first imaging device 451 and spray nozzle 423 in spraying device 400, nozzle drive mechanism 424 can control the extension / retraction position of spray nozzle 423.

[0099] Similarly, distance measurement sensor 460 can measure the distance between distance measurement sensor 460 and crop 520. Therefore, the extension / retraction position of spray nozzle 423 can be controlled by nozzle drive mechanism 424 using the measurement result and the positional relationship between distance measurement sensor 460 and spray nozzle 423 in spraying device 400.

[0100] For example, the control unit 4312 may control the spraying of the spray device 420 based on image information acquired by the first imaging device 451, or may control the spraying of the spray device 420 based on the detection results of the first obstacle detection sensor 441 and the second obstacle detection sensor 442. This control will be described with reference to the flowchart of spraying control of the spray nozzle 423 of the spraying device 400 of this embodiment shown in FIG. 4B.

[0101] As shown in FIG. 4B, in step 021, the transmitter / receiver 4311 receives information on the spraying location and spraying method from the server 200 and the user terminal 100, and starts self-propelled based on the information.

[0102] Then, in step 022, while traveling through the planned spraying area, the first imaging device 451 acquires image information of the crops 520 before spraying, and the first obstacle detection sensor 441 and the second obstacle detection sensor 442 detect obstacles.

[0103] In step 023, the control unit 4312 of the control device 430 calculates the injection timing based on the image information, the extension and contraction of the injection nozzle, and information regarding the traveling direction and traveling speed of the traveling vehicle body. Specifically, the control unit 4312 identifies the position of the target, such as a flower, from the image information by image processing, and identifies the injection nozzles 423 that can inject into the ranges S21 and S22 of the image information, as shown in Fig. 2D. For example, in Fig. 2D, when the traveling vehicle body 410 moves in the traveling direction, nozzles X and Y are identified as injection nozzles 423 that can inject into the ranges S21 and S22 of the image information.

[0104] At this time, the spray nozzle may be extended or retracted using the above-mentioned extension / retraction control, and the distance to the obstacle or the flower to be sprayed may be adjusted using the first obstacle detection sensor 441 or the second obstacle detection sensor 442, and the pollen may be sprayed.

[0105] The distance between the position of the flower and the spray nozzle 423 is then calculated, and based on that distance and the traveling direction and traveling speed of the traveling vehicle body 410, the timing of how many seconds it will take for the target flower to be directly above the spray nozzle 423 is calculated. For example, Figure 2D shows an example in which, when the traveling vehicle body 410 moves in the traveling direction, nozzle X sprays after 5 seconds and nozzle Y sprays after 8 seconds, thereby depositing pollen on flowers in ranges S21 and S22. In this way, the control unit 4312 of the control device 430 can identify the timing for spraying pollen onto each of the target positions S21 and S22.

[0106] Furthermore, the control unit 4312 of the control device 430 may control at least one of the spray angle, spray intensity, or spray timing of the spray nozzle 423 depending on the external environment such as wind direction, the distance between the spray nozzle 423 and the crop 520, or the range into which the pollen identified by the control unit 4312 should be sprayed.

[0107] At this time, control unit 4312 of control device 430 may control blower 470 according to the distance between spray nozzle 423 and crop 520, and the difference between the range over which pollen should be sprayed as specified by control unit 4312 and the range over which spray nozzle 423 can spray mechanically. Specifically, the wind speed of blower 470 may be controlled so that the sprayed pollen reaches crop 520, or so that the sprayed pollen reaches a range over which pollen should be sprayed as specified by control unit 4312, which is wider than the range over which spray nozzle 423 can spray mechanically.

[0108] Then, in step 024, the second image capturing device 452 captures image information of the crop 520 after spraying. At this time, the control unit 4312 of the control device 430 may determine whether pollen is present at the target location based on the captured image information and record this information as a pollination operation record. Note that the second image capturing device 452 used here may be a regular camera, or an image capturing device that captures IR, fluorescent light, etc.

[0109] Finally, in step 025, the control unit 4312 refers to the driving data 4351, and if driving to the location where spraying is scheduled has not been completed, returns to step 022 and repeats the processing, and if driving to the location where spraying is scheduled has been completed, completes the processing.

[0110] The control unit 4312 can perform known control to enable the traveling vehicle body 410 to travel independently within the field 500. Specifically, the control unit 4312 can grasp the absolute or relative position within the field 500, detect obstacles to travel based on the detection results of the first obstacle detection sensor 441 and the second obstacle detection sensor 442, and control the traveling of the traveling vehicle body 410 based on this information.

[0111] Furthermore, when the height of the spray nozzle is extended or retracted by the main extension / retraction control, if the first obstacle detection sensor 441 or the second obstacle detection sensor 442 does not detect an obstacle, the control unit 4312 may control the traveling vehicle body 410 to increase the traveling speed. If the obstacle detection sensors do not detect an obstacle during the main extension / retraction control, it is possible to determine that there is a high possibility of safe traveling based on the past traveling data 4351 or a height map constructed therefrom. This allows for faster traveling and more efficient pollination work.

[0112] In contrast, the control unit 4312 may control the traveling vehicle body 410 to slow down the traveling speed if the first obstacle detection sensor 441 or the second obstacle detection sensor 442 detects an obstacle when the height of the spray nozzle is extended or retracted by the main extension / retraction control. When the obstacle detection sensor detects an obstacle during the main extension / retraction control, it becomes possible to determine that the field conditions have changed from the past traveling data 4351 or the height map constructed therefrom, and that more careful traveling is required to avoid contact between the spraying device 400 and the crops 520. Therefore, it is possible to prioritize safer traveling and perform stable pollination work, while also making it possible to utilize the traveling data 4351 acquired thereby or the height map constructed therefrom for the next travel.

[0113] Separately, the control unit 4312 may calibrate the traveling speed based on the image information of the first imaging device 451 and the second imaging device 452. Specifically, by comparing the imaging information of the crops 520 and the cultivation structure 530 acquired by the first imaging device 451 and the time of acquisition thereof with the imaging information of the crops 520 and the cultivation structure 530 acquired by the second imaging device 452 and the time of acquisition thereof, the control unit 4312 can calculate the time required for the second imaging device 452 to acquire imaging information similar to the imaging information acquired by the first imaging device 451.

[0114] 2A , since the distance between the first imaging device 451 and the second imaging device 452 in the spraying device 400 is fixed, the actual running speed can be calculated from the calculated time and the distance between the first imaging device 451 and the second imaging device 452. The control unit 4312 may then adjust the drive control of the running mechanism 411 by comparing the actual running speed calculated from the imaging information with the running speed that is assumed to be achieved by driving the running mechanism 411.

[0115] Furthermore, instead of or in addition to controlling the drive of the traveling mechanism 411, the control unit 4312 may use the actual traveling speed calculated from the image capturing information as the speed when calculating the injection timing in step 023. This can further improve the accuracy of the injection timing.

[0116] Similarly, the control unit 4312 can evaluate whether the actual traveling direction is straight or curved by evaluating the rotation of the imaging information acquired by the second imaging device 452 relative to the imaging information acquired by the first imaging device 451. Then, the control unit 4312 may adjust the drive control of the traveling mechanism 411 by comparing the actual traveling direction with the assumed traveling direction.

[0117] Estimation unit 4313 estimates obstacle 540 based on the detection results of multiple first obstacle detection sensors 441 provided in multiple first spray nozzles 421. For example, based on the detection results of multiple first obstacle detection sensors 441, it may determine whether obstacle 540 is crop 520 or cultivation structure 530.

[0118] Based on the detection result of the estimation unit 4313, the control unit 4312 may control the extension and retraction of the spray nozzles 423 using the nozzle driving mechanism 424. Specifically, when it is determined that the obstacle 540 is the cultivation structure 530, the control unit 4312 may control the extension and retraction of all of the multiple spray nozzles 423 so that they avoid the obstacle 540.

[0119] Furthermore, the control unit 4312 may perform different extension / retraction control depending on whether the obstacle 540 is the crop 520 or the cultivation structure 530. For example, assume that in step 012, the spray nozzle 423 is further retracted to a certain extent even if the first obstacle detection sensor 441 no longer detects the obstacle 540. In this case, if the obstacle 540 is the cultivation structure 530, the spray nozzle 423 may be retracted more than if the obstacle 540 is the crop 520. While slight contact between the crop 520 and the spraying device 400 is expected to cause relatively little damage to either the crop 520 or the spraying device 400, contact between the cultivation structure 530 and the spraying device 400 may cause serious damage to each other. Therefore, as described above, if the obstacle 540 is the cultivation structure 530, the spray nozzle 423 may be retracted with a margin even if the obstacle 540 is the crop 520.

[0120] Furthermore, the control unit 4312 may perform different spray control depending on whether the obstacle 540 is the crop 520 or the cultivation structure 530. For example, when spraying pollen or the like onto the crop 520 near the cultivation structure 530, the spray nozzle 423 may be significantly reduced as described above, or the target crop 520 may be located at the back of the cultivation structure 530 when viewed from the spray nozzle 423, and it is expected that the distance between the spray nozzle 423 and the crop 520 will be large. Therefore, when the obstacle 540 is the cultivation structure 530, the control unit 4312 may control the spray speed of the spray nozzle or the blower 470 so that the sprayed pollen or the like reaches a greater distance.

[0121] 1.2. Spraying Device (Modification) Next, a modification of the spraying device will be described. In the following description, the same functional components as those in the above embodiment will be assigned the same reference numerals and will not be described again. Furthermore, the same processes and effects as those in the above embodiment will not be described again.

[0122] In the above embodiment, the detection range of the first obstacle detection sensor 441 was based on the assumption that it would detect obstacles in the direction of travel of the running vehicle body 410. However, the following modified example of the spraying device does not assume this, and the explanation will focus on the fact that the detection range of the first obstacle detection sensor 441 is in a direction different from the direction of travel of the running vehicle body 410.

[0123] In the spraying device 400 of the modified example, the detection range of the first obstacle detection sensor 441 is in a direction different from the traveling direction of the traveling vehicle body 410, and specifically, the first imaging device 451, the distance measurement sensor 460, or the second obstacle detection sensor 442 that detects crops, shown in Fig. 2A, may function as the first obstacle detection sensor 441. Note that the configuration of the spraying device 400 of the modified example can be the same as that of the spraying device 400 of the above embodiment, except that the detection range of the first obstacle detection sensor 441 is in a direction different from the traveling direction of the traveling vehicle body 410.

[0124] When first imaging device 451 functions as first obstacle detection sensor 441, first imaging device 451 may acquire image information of crop 520 in advance and process the image information to measure the distance to crop 520 shown in the image. Then, control device 430 may control the spray range, spray pressure, or spray amount of spray nozzle 423 based on the image information and the distance.

[0125] In addition, when the distance measurement sensor 460 functions as the first obstacle detection sensor 441 or when the second obstacle detection sensor 442 functions as the first obstacle detection sensor 441, the control device 430 may control the spray range, spray pressure, or spray amount of the spray nozzle 423 depending on the distance to the crop 520.

[0126] Furthermore, the control device 430 may control the spray mode by controlling the spray range, spray pressure, or spray amount of the spray nozzle 423. The spray mode may be, for example, the angle and height of the apex when the range sprayed from the spray nozzle 423 is considered to be a cone, or may be a mode in which the spray is densely sprayed around the circumference at the bottom of the cone, densely sprayed at the center, or uniformly sprayed within the circle.

[0127] For example, the control device 430 may control the spray pressure and spray amount of the spray device 420 to spray over a longer distance while keeping the spray range constant. Alternatively, the control device 430 may control the spray range and spray pressure of the spray device 420 to spray pollen more linearly onto the flowers rather than spraying it.

[0128] 2. Spray Control Module The spray control module of this embodiment is a spray control module attached to the traveling vehicle body 410 of the spraying device 400 having a spray device 420 capable of spraying liquid or powder onto the crops 520, and the spray control module includes a control device 430 and a first obstacle detection sensor 441, and the control device 430 controls the spray device 420 in accordance with the detection result of the first obstacle detection sensor 441.

[0129] Since the elements constituting the injection control module of this embodiment have been described above, detailed description thereof will be omitted here.

[0130] 3. Spraying Method In the spraying method of the present embodiment, spraying device 400 includes traveling vehicle body 410, spraying device 420 capable of spraying liquid or powder onto crops 520, control device 430, and first obstacle detection sensor 441. Control device 430 in spraying device 400 executes a step of controlling spraying device 420 in accordance with the detection result of first obstacle detection sensor 441.

[0131] Note that the specific aspects of the method of this embodiment have been described above in the control process, so a detailed description thereof will be omitted here.

[0132] 4. Spraying Program The spraying program of this embodiment causes control device 430 in spraying device 400, which includes traveling vehicle body 410, spraying device 420 capable of spraying liquid or powder onto crops 520, control device 430, and first obstacle detection sensor 441, to execute a step of controlling spraying device 420 in accordance with the detection result of first obstacle detection sensor 441.

[0133] The program may be recorded on a readable recording medium. Note that the specific aspects of the processing executed by the program of this embodiment have been described in the control processing section above, and therefore will not be described in detail here.

[0134] The present invention has industrial applicability as a component technology that can be used in smart agriculture systems.

[0135] 1...Smart agriculture system, 100...User terminal, 200...Server, 300...Measuring device, 310...Fixed sensor, 320...Unmanned aerial vehicle, 340...Control device, 400...Spraying device, 410...Traveling vehicle body, 411...Traveling mechanism, 420...Injection device, 421...First injection nozzle, 422...Second injection nozzle, 423...Injection nozzle, 424...Nozzle driving mechanism, 425...Tank, 430...Control device, 431...Processor, 4311...Transceiver unit, 4312... Control unit, 4313...estimation unit, 432...communication interface, 433...input / output interface, 434...memory, 435...storage, 4351...traveling data, 436...communication bus, 441...first obstacle detection sensor, 442...second obstacle detection sensor, 450...imaging device, 451...first imaging device, 452...second imaging device, 460...distance measurement sensor, 470...blower, 500...field, 520...crops, 530...cultivation structure, 540...obstacle

Claims

1. A spraying device comprising a traveling vehicle body, a spraying device capable of spraying liquid or powder onto agricultural crops, a control device, and a first obstacle detection sensor, wherein the control device controls the spraying device in response to the detection result of the first obstacle detection sensor.

2. The spraying device according to claim 1, wherein the first obstacle detection sensor detects an obstacle in the traveling direction.

3. The spraying device according to claim 1, wherein the first obstacle detection sensor is located forward of the spraying device in the traveling direction.

4. The spraying device described in claim 1, wherein the spraying device has one or more first spray nozzles and a nozzle driving mechanism for independently extending and retracting the first spray nozzles, the first obstacle detection sensor is provided at the tip of the first spray nozzle, and the control device controls the extension and retraction position of the first spray nozzle by the nozzle driving mechanism in accordance with the detection result of the first obstacle detection sensor.

5. The spraying device as described in claim 1, further comprising a second obstacle detection sensor that detects the crops located in a direction different from the traveling direction, and the control device controls the spraying device according to the detection results of the first obstacle detection sensor and the second obstacle detection sensor.

6. The spraying device described in claim 5, wherein the control device controls the nozzle drive mechanism to extend the first spray nozzle until the second obstacle detection sensor detects the crop when the second obstacle detection sensor does not detect the crop within a predetermined distance, and controls the nozzle drive mechanism to retract the first spray nozzle until the first obstacle detection sensor does not detect the obstacle when the first obstacle detection sensor detects an obstacle within the predetermined distance.

7. The spraying device according to claim 1, further comprising an imaging device and / or a distance measuring sensor oriented in the direction of the agricultural crops, and the control device controls the spraying device according to the detection results of the imaging device and / or the distance measuring sensor.

8. A spraying device as described in claim 4, further comprising: an estimation unit that estimates an obstacle based on detection results of a plurality of said first obstacle detection sensors provided on a plurality of said first injection nozzles.

9. A spraying device as described in claim 4, wherein the spraying device has one or more second spray nozzles not equipped with the first obstacle detection sensor, the nozzle drive mechanism independently extends and retracts the second spray nozzle, and the control device controls the extension and retraction position of the second spray nozzle by the nozzle drive mechanism in conjunction with control of the extension and retraction position of the first spray nozzle adjacent to the second spray nozzle.

10. The spraying device according to claim 1, wherein the liquid or the powder is sprayed onto the crops while the traveling vehicle body is traveling.

11. The spraying device according to claim 1, further comprising a blower provided rearward of the spray device in the traveling direction of the traveling vehicle body.

12. The spraying device according to claim 1, wherein the spraying device has one or more first spray nozzles and a nozzle driving mechanism for independently extending and retracting the first spray nozzle, and the control device performs main extension / retraction control in which the nozzle driving mechanism extends and retracts the spray nozzle before the first obstacle detection sensor detects an obstacle based on information contained in previous driving data about the height at which an obstacle was not detected, and corrective extension / retraction control in which the nozzle driving mechanism detects the obstacle based on the first obstacle detection sensor and corrects the extension / retraction of the spray nozzle that has been subjected to the main extension / retraction control.

13. A spraying program that causes a control device in a spraying device that includes a traveling vehicle body, a spraying device capable of spraying liquid or powder onto agricultural crops, a control device, and a first obstacle detection sensor to execute a step of controlling the spraying device in accordance with the detection result of the first obstacle detection sensor.

14. A spraying method in a spraying device comprising a traveling vehicle body, a spraying device capable of spraying liquid or powder onto agricultural crops, a control device, and a first obstacle detection sensor, the control device executing a step of controlling the spraying device in accordance with the detection result of the first obstacle detection sensor.

15. A spraying control module that is attached to a running vehicle of a spraying device equipped with a spraying device capable of spraying liquid or powder onto agricultural crops, the spraying control module comprising a control device and a first obstacle detection sensor, the control device controlling the spraying device according to the detection result of the first obstacle detection sensor.

Images