Agricultural unmanning support system, growth management device, agricultural unmanning support method, and program

Abstract

The present invention supports unmanning of agriculture by determining a growth stage of an agricultural crop and realizing device control for appropriate cultivation management corresponding to the growth stage. In this agricultural unmanning support system, a field device transmits, to a growth management device, sensor data and image data obtained by measuring and imaging a predetermined target in a field. The growth management device comprises: a storage unit that stores a growth recipe, which is recipe information relating to a cultivation method corresponding to a growth stage of an agricultural crop, and field data including the sensor data and the image data; a growth stage determination unit that determines the growth stage of the agricultural crop using the field data; a cultivation management unit that generates a control instruction for the field device for performing cultivation management of the agricultural crop on the basis of the growth recipe corresponding to the determined growth stage; and a communication unit that transmits the control instruction to the field device.

Description

Agricultural unmanned support system, growth management device, agricultural unmanned support method, and program

[0004]

[0001] The present invention relates to an agricultural unmanned support system, a growth management device, an agricultural unmanned support method, and a program. The present invention claims the priority of Japanese Patent Application No. 2025-025084 filed on February 19, 2025, and for designated countries where incorporation by reference is permitted, the contents described in that application are incorporated into this application by reference.

[0002] In recent years, various technologies for automating agricultural work have been spreading. For example, there are technologies for spraying agricultural chemicals using drones and technologies for controlling sluice gates to perform automatic water supply and drainage.

[0003] Also, Patent Document 1 discloses a technology for measuring the water temperature and water level of a paddy field with sensors, collecting measurement data, and controlling the water supply and drainage taps of the sluice gate.

[0004] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-275146

[0005] Generally, in the cultivation of agricultural crops typified by rice cultivation, finely managing the water level and the like for each growth stage is an important factor that affects the quality and yield. Therefore, there is a demand for a technology to realize the automation of appropriate cultivation management according to the growth stage of agricultural crops.

[0006] Although Patent Document 1 discloses a technology for controlling the opening and closing of the valve of the water supply and drainage tap of a paddy field based on data obtained from various sensors, it does not consider the automation of cultivation management according to the growth stage. Therefore, it is considered difficult to solve the above problems with the technology of Patent Document 1.

[0007] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to support the unmanned operation of agriculture by determining the growth stage of agricultural crops and realizing device control for appropriate cultivation management according to the growth stage.

[0008] The present invention includes several means for solving at least some of the above problems, but an example is as follows. An agricultural automation support system according to one aspect of the present invention that solves the above problems is an agricultural automation support system having a field device and a growth management device, wherein the field device transmits sensor data and image data obtained by measuring and imaging a predetermined object in the field to the growth management device, the growth management device includes a storage unit that stores a growth recipe which is recipe information on a cultivation method according to the growth stage of the crop, and field data including the sensor data and the image data, a growth stage determination unit that determines the growth stage of the crop using the field data, a cultivation management unit that generates control instructions to the field device for performing cultivation management of the crop based on the growth recipe according to the determined growth stage, and a communication unit that transmits the control instructions to the field device.

[0009] Furthermore, the growth stage determination unit may calculate the cumulative temperature near the field from the temperature data included in the field data, and determine the growth stage of the rice in the field based on the calculated cumulative temperature.

[0010] Furthermore, the system may also include a field edge computer that analyzes the image data to determine the number of rice stalks, and the growth stage determination unit may use the accumulated temperature and the determination result regarding the number of rice stalks obtained from the field edge computer to determine a predetermined growth stage corresponding to the start of the mid-season drainage period.

[0011] Furthermore, the growth stage determination unit may use the cumulative day length, which is the cumulative value of sunshine hours near the field included in the field data, and the cumulative temperature to determine a predetermined growth stage corresponding to the start time of top dressing.

[0012] Furthermore, the growth recipe includes registered upper and lower water levels in the field according to the growth stage of the rice plant, and the cultivation management unit may determine whether or not adjustment of the field water level is necessary based on a comparison between the field water level data included in the field data and the upper and lower water levels in the growth recipe.

[0013] Furthermore, the cultivation management unit may determine that watering the field is necessary if the growth stage falls within a first period other than the intermittent irrigation period, and the water level in the field is below the intermediate water level between the upper water level and the lower water level in the growth recipe, or below a predetermined water level between the intermediate water level and the lower water level. It may also determine that drainage of the field is necessary if the water level in the field is at or above the upper water level in the growth recipe plus a predetermined margin.

[0014] Furthermore, the cultivation management unit may determine that watering the field is necessary if the growth stage falls within the second period, which is an intermittent irrigation period, and the water level in the field is below the lower limit water level in the growth recipe. It may also determine that drainage of the field is necessary if the water level in the field is at or above the upper limit water level in the growth recipe plus a predetermined margin.

[0015] The system may also include a sluice gate control device that controls the opening and closing of sluice gates in the field. When the cultivation management unit determines that water supply to the field is necessary, it may generate a control instruction to open the sluice gates, and the communication unit may transmit the control instruction to the sluice gate control device.

[0016] Furthermore, when the cultivation management unit receives an instruction from a user terminal regarding the control of the field device, it may generate a control instruction corresponding to that instruction, and the communication unit may transmit the control instruction generated based on the instruction from the user terminal to the field device.

[0017] Furthermore, the growth management device may further include a growth log generation unit that generates screen information for a growth log that aggregates the field data and information calculated from the field data according to a predetermined format, and the communication unit may transmit the screen information to a user terminal.

[0018] Furthermore, the growth log may include at least one of the following: the sensor data, the image data, the growth stage, the accumulated temperature of the field, the water level changes in the field, a summary including the accumulated temperature and the image data, the open / closed state of the sluice gates in the field, and the status of the sluice gate control device included in the field device.

[0019] Furthermore, the system may further include a gateway device positioned between the field device and the growth management device, and a communication network using LoRaWAN® (Long Range Wide Area Network) may be established between the field device and the gateway device.

[0020] Furthermore, a growth management device according to one embodiment of the present invention includes: a storage unit that stores field data including sensor data or image data measured or captured by a field device, and a growth recipe which is recipe information on a cultivation method according to the growth stage of a crop; a growth stage determination unit that determines the growth stage of the crop using the field data; a cultivation management unit that generates control instructions for the field device for cultivation management of the crop based on the growth recipe according to the determined growth stage; and a communication unit that transmits the control instructions to the field device.

[0021] Furthermore, an agricultural automation support method according to one embodiment of the present invention is an agricultural automation support method performed in an agricultural automation support system having a field device and a growth management device, wherein the field device performs a step of transmitting sensor data and image data obtained by measuring and imaging a predetermined object in the field to the growth management device, the growth management device performs a storage step of storing a growth recipe which is recipe information on a cultivation method according to the growth stage of the crop, and field data including the sensor data and the image data, a growth stage determination step of determining the growth stage of the crop using the field data, a cultivation management step of generating control instructions for the field device for cultivation management of the crop based on the growth recipe according to the determined growth stage, and a communication step of transmitting the control instructions to the field device.

[0022] Furthermore, a program according to one embodiment of the present invention is a program that causes a computer to function as a growth management device, wherein the computer functions as: a storage unit that stores field data including sensor data or image data measured or captured by a field device and a growth recipe which is recipe information on a cultivation method according to the growth stage of a crop; a growth stage determination unit that determines the growth stage of the crop using the field data; a cultivation management unit that generates control instructions for the field device for cultivation management of the crop based on the growth recipe according to the determined growth stage; and a communication unit that transmits the control instructions to the field device.

[0023] According to the present invention, it is possible to support the automation of agriculture by determining the growth stage of crops and realizing device control for appropriate cultivation management according to the growth stage.

[0024] Other issues, configurations, and effects will be clarified in the following description of the embodiments.

[0025] This diagram shows an example of the general configuration of an automated agricultural support system. This block diagram includes an example of the functional configuration of a field edge computer and a growth management device. This diagram shows an example of growth stage control data. This diagram shows an example of a rice growth recipe. This diagram shows an example of the relationship between accumulated temperature and growth stage, and an example of water level changes for each growth stage. This sequence diagram shows an example of data exchange between devices related to growth support processing. This flowchart shows the flow of growth support processing. This flowchart shows the flow of growth stage determination processing. This sequence diagram shows an example of data exchange between devices related to growth log generation processing. This diagram shows an example of a growth log screen. This diagram shows an example of a growth log screen. This diagram shows an example of the hardware configuration of a field edge computer. This diagram shows an example of the hardware configuration of a growth management device.

[0026] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

[0027] <First Embodiment> <Overview of Agricultural Automation Support System 1000> Figure 1 is a diagram showing an example of the schematic configuration of the Agricultural Automation Support System 1000. The Agricultural Automation Support System 1000 is a system that supports the automation of agriculture (automation of cultivation) by determining the growth stage of crops based on data acquired from various sensors installed in fields where crops such as rice are being cultivated, and by using growth recipes, which are recipe information related to cultivation methods, to perform appropriate cultivation management processing according to the growth stage.

[0028] Specifically, the agricultural automation support system 1000 acquires sensor data such as temperature and water level, as well as image data of crops, from various sensors and imaging devices installed in the field.

[0029] Furthermore, the agricultural automation support system 1000 uses image data to obtain a determination result that assesses the growth status of crops.

[0030] Furthermore, the agricultural automation support system 1000 uses sensor data and growth status determination results to determine the growth stage of crops in the field.

[0031] Furthermore, the agricultural automation support system 1000 generates control instructions based on a growth recipe in order to perform appropriate cultivation management (for example, managing the water level in the field) according to the growth stage of the crop, and transmits them, for example, to a control device for a sluice gate installed in the field.

[0032] Furthermore, the agricultural automation support system 1000 generates a growth log that includes image data showing the condition of crops in the field, as well as sensor data such as temperature and water level, and provides a website for viewing the growth log to users of the system (for example, field managers).

[0033] According to this agricultural automation support system 1000, it is possible to support the automation of agriculture by determining the growth stage of crops and realizing device control for appropriate cultivation management according to the growth stage.

[0034] The following explanation will use the application of the Agricultural Automation Support System 1000 to rice cultivation as an example.

[0035] <Overall Configuration of the Agricultural Automation Support System 1000> As shown in Figure 1, the agricultural automation support system 1000 (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "this system 1000") includes a growth management device 100, sensors 200, an imaging device 220, a field edge computer 300, a sluice gate control device 400, a gateway device 500, and a user terminal 600. Details of each device will be described below.

[0036] <Sensors 200> Sensors 200 are sensors that perform measurements in or near the field, and include, for example, temperature sensors (soil temperature sensors, air temperature sensors), humidity sensors, water level sensors, water temperature sensors, soil EC (electrical conductivity) sensors, soil moisture content sensors, and solar radiation sensors. In this embodiment, the temperature sensor and humidity sensor are assumed to be an integrated temperature and humidity sensor 210. The water level sensor and water temperature sensor are assumed to be an integrated water level and water temperature sensor 211. However, each sensor is not limited to these forms, and each may be a separate, independent sensor. In addition, it is sufficient that at least one temperature and humidity sensor 210 and one water level and water temperature sensor 211 are installed in or near the field, and multiple units of each may be installed.

[0037] As shown in the diagram, these sensors are all installed in or near the field (for example, in an open space next to the field). The temperature and humidity sensor 210 measures the temperature and humidity around the field, and the water level and temperature sensor 211 measures the water level and temperature inside the field. In addition, the solar radiation sensor 212 measures the amount of solar radiation around the field.

[0038] Specifically, these sensors 200 periodically (for example, once every hour) measure temperature, water level, etc., and transmit data indicating the measured values ​​(hereinafter sometimes referred to as sensor data) to the growth management device 100 via the gateway device 500.

[0039] The solar radiation sensor 212 measures the amount of solar radiation (solar radiation intensity) around the field and calculates the total time (sunshine duration) during which the solar radiation intensity exceeds a threshold within a day (24 hours). The sunshine duration is calculated at a fixed time, for example, once a day at midnight. The solar radiation sensor 212 also transmits the daily sunshine duration as sensor data to the growth management device 100 periodically (for example, at a fixed time such as 1 a.m.) via the gateway device 500.

[0040] <Imaging Device 220> The imaging device 220 is a device that images rice being cultivated in a field. Specifically, the imaging device 220 is installed near the field and, regardless of whether it is sunny or rainy, captures images of multiple rice plants included in the field of view with an accuracy (number of pixels) that can be determined by image analysis, at least during daylight hours, and outputs image data.

[0041] The imaging device 220 periodically (for example, once a day at a fixed time such as 12:00 p.m.) captures images of the rice plants (growth status) and transmits the image data to the growth management device 100 via the gateway device 500. The imaging device 220 divides the image data into multiple data sets and transmits them to the growth management device 100 over a period of several hours to 24 hours.

[0042] As will be described later, a LoRaWAN (Long Range Wide Area Network) communication network is established between the devices installed near the field, including the imaging device 220 (sensors 200, field edge computer 300, and sluice gate control device 400), and the gateway device 500. Therefore, there are limitations on the data transmission speed and the amount of data that can be transmitted at once. For this reason, the imaging device 220 divides the image data into multiple parts and transmits them to the growth management device 100 over time.

[0043] In addition, the imaging device 220 also transmits the image data to the field edge computer 300. It is assumed that the imaging device 220 and the field edge computer 300 are, for example, wired-connected by a communication cable. In this case, since there are no restrictions on the transmission speed of the data transmitted from the imaging device 220 to the field edge computer 300 or the data capacity that can be transmitted at one time, the imaging device 220 can transmit the image data 311 to the field edge computer 300 in a batch.

[0044] <Field Edge Computer 300> The field edge computer 300 is, for example, a low-power and small single-board computer equipped with a Raspberry Pi. The field edge computer 300 is installed, for example, in an enclosure (for example, a box that protects the contents from direct sunlight, outside air, rain, wind, dust, etc.) installed beside the field.

[0045] FIG. 2 is a block diagram including an example of the functional configuration of the field edge computer 300 and the growth management device 100. As shown in the figure, the field edge computer 300 has a storage unit 310, a processing unit 320, and a communication unit 330.

[0046] The storage unit 310 is a functional unit for storing various types of information used for the processing of the field edge computer 300. Specifically, in the storage unit 310, the image data 311 obtained by imaging rice is stored in association with the imaging date and time.

[0047] The processing unit 320 is a functional unit that performs various types of processing executed by the field edge computer 300. Specifically, the processing unit 320 has a data acquisition unit 321 and a growth state determination unit 322 as individual functional units for executing each processing.

[0048] The data acquisition unit 321 is a functional unit that acquires data from an external device. Specifically, the data acquisition unit 321 acquires the image data 311 obtained by imaging rice from the imaging device 220.

[0049] The growth status determination unit 322 is a functional unit that determines the growth status of rice using image data 311. Specifically, the growth status determination unit 322 determines the number of stems for each of the multiple rice plants shown in the image data 311 and calculates, for example, the average value. Similarly, regarding plant height, the growth status determination unit 322 determines the plant height of each of the multiple rice plants based on the image data 311 and calculates the average value. The growth status determination unit 322 performs these calculation processes periodically (for example, once a day at a fixed time such as 13:00).

[0050] Furthermore, the growth status determination unit 322 transmits the calculated number of stems and plant height as determination results to the growth management device 100. Specifically, the growth status determination unit 322 transmits the determination results to the growth management device 100 via the communication unit 330 and the gateway device 500.

[0051] The growth status determination unit 322 is implemented, for example, by Artificial Intelligence (AI) that can determine the number of rice stems and the height of the rice plants by analyzing the image data 311, or by an information model that has been trained on the image data 311 of the rice plants.

[0052] The communication unit 330 is a functional unit that performs data communication with external devices. Specifically, the communication unit 330 periodically (for example, once a day after the judgment process is performed) transmits the judgment results regarding the growth status of the rice (data indicating the number of rice stems and plant height) to the growth management device 100 via the gateway device 500.

[0053] <Sluice Gate Control Device 400> The sluice gate control device 400 is a device for controlling the sluice gates that connect the field to the agricultural irrigation channel. The sluice gate control device 400 includes a sluice gate control device 410 for supplying water to the field and a sluice gate control device 420 for discharging water from the field. The sluice gate control device 400 controls the opening and closing of the sluice gates by receiving control instructions from the growth management device 100 via the gateway device 500.

[0054] Specifically, the sluice gate control device 400 comes in two types: a valve type that is installed in high-pressure pipeline facilities to control the opening and closing of valves, and a vertical-movement type that controls the vertical movement of plate-shaped sluice gates that seal the boundary between agricultural waterways and fields. In this system, either the valve type or the vertical-movement type sluice gate control device 400 is used depending on the type of sluice gate.

[0055] Furthermore, the sluice gate control device 400 periodically (for example, once every hour) transmits information indicating the open / closed state of the sluice gate to the growth management device 100 via the gateway device 500.

[0056] <Gateway device 500> The gateway device 500 is a relay device that enables the transmission and reception of data between different communication protocols or network architectures. Specifically, the gateway device 500 is placed between the sensors 200, the imaging device 220, the sluice gate control device 400, and the field edge computer 300, and the growth management device 100, and relays data communication between the communication protocol from the field to the gateway device 500 (LoRaWAN) and the communication protocol from the gateway device 500 to the growth management device 100 (for example, Internet Protocol (IP) or TCP / IP).

[0057] The gateway device 500 is installed, for example, on a hill with a good view, and communicates data with various field devices (sensors 200, imaging devices 220, field edge computers 300, and sluice gate control devices 400, sometimes collectively referred to as field devices) located within a range of approximately 10 to 20 km. The gateway device 500 can be installed independently, and since data communication with the field devices is conducted via LoRaWAN, no communication costs are incurred for the section in question.

[0058] Furthermore, data communication from the gateway device 500 to the growth management device 100 utilizes a communication network N such as the internet or a LAN. Therefore, the gateway device 500 is equipped with a data SIM (Subscriber Identity Module), allowing for data communication for a monthly fee of approximately 1000 yen. By deploying the gateway device 500, which relays data communication between the field device's communication network and the growth management device 100's communication network N, the user's communication costs during the introduction of this system 1000 can be kept low.

[0059] <Power Sources for Each Device> The sensors 200, imaging device 220, and sluice gate control device 400 are powered by lithium-ion batteries (lithium-ion secondary batteries) or lithium batteries (primary batteries). Specifically, the sensors 200 consume power when taking periodic measurements (for example, once every hour) and when transmitting sensor data to the growth management device 100. The imaging device 220 consumes power when performing scheduled imaging processing and when transmitting image data 311 to the growth management device 100 and the field edge computer 300. The sluice gate control device 400 consumes power when opening and closing the sluice gate based on control instructions from the growth management device 100 and when transmitting information indicating the open / closed state of the sluice gate to the growth management device 100. As power sources for these devices, each device is equipped with a secondary or primary battery of any capacity (for example, about 1000mAh to 5000mAh) that can continue to operate without charging or replacing at least during one rice cultivation season.

[0060] The field edge computer 300 operates continuously by receiving power from a battery 302 that stores electrical energy generated by the solar panel 301.

[0061] The gateway device 500 operates continuously by power supply from the power source at the installation location (for example, the facility where it is installed).

[0062] <Growth Management Device 100> The growth management device 100 is a device that performs growth management of crops such as rice, and is implemented by a computer such as a server (including a cloud server) or a personal computer. Specifically, the growth management device 100 determines the growth stage of the rice (hereinafter sometimes referred to as the growth stage) based on sensor data, and performs appropriate cultivation management processing according to the growth stage based on the growth recipe.

[0063] Furthermore, the growth management device 100 also functions as a SaaS (Software as a Service) platform that displays a growth log viewing site on the user terminal 600.

[0064] As shown in Figure 2, the growth management device 100 includes a storage unit 110, a processing unit 120, and a communication unit 130.

[0065] The memory unit 110 is a functional unit for storing various types of information used in the processing performed by the growth management device 100. Specifically, the memory unit 110 stores field data 111, growth stage comparison data 112, and growth recipes 113.

[0066] The field data 111 includes sensor data and image data acquired from sensors 200 and imaging device 220, determination results of the number of rice stems and plant height acquired from field edge computer 300, and information indicating the open / closed state of the sluice gate acquired from sluice gate control device 400. The field data 111 is stored in the storage unit 110, with, for example, the date and time each data was measured or imaged, the date and time the determination result was transmitted, the date and time the open / closed state of the sluice gate was transmitted, and the corresponding field identification information (e.g., field management number) associated with it.

[0067] The growth stage control data 112 is data used to determine the growth stage of crops. Specifically, the growth stage control data 112 is registered with a predetermined reference value and the corresponding growth stage of the crop determined according to each reference value.

[0068] Figure 3 shows an example of growth stage control data 112. As shown in the figure, the rice growth stage control data 112 has records where the growth stage is associated with each accumulated temperature, which is a reference value. Accumulated temperature is temperature information calculated by accumulating the temperature (air temperature) near the field measured by a temperature and humidity sensor. For example, the accumulated temperature is the value obtained by accumulating the daily average temperature, which is the average of the maximum and minimum temperatures for one day, with the day of rice planting as the reference day. For example, if we assume that there were five consecutive days with a maximum temperature of 20°C and a minimum temperature of 15°C, the accumulated temperature would be 17.5°C (daily average temperature) × 5 days = 87.5°C.

[0069] Furthermore, growth stages refer to information indicating each stage in the growth process of agricultural crops. As shown in the diagram, in the case of rice, the growth process of rice from planting (planting period) to harvest (ripening period / maturity period) is divided into stages based on accumulated temperature, and there are growth stages such as the planting period, the establishment period (1), and the tillering period (3).

[0070] Cultivation recipe 113 is recipe information regarding the cultivation method of the target crop. Cultivation recipe 113 contains various types of recipe information necessary for properly cultivating crops, such as cultivation procedures, various setting values ​​(e.g., temperature and water level settings, fertilizer amount, etc.), rules, and know-how (secrets). In particular, cultivation recipe 113 for rice includes appropriate upper and lower water levels for each growth stage, in relation to water level management in the field.

[0071] Figure 4 shows an example of a rice growth recipe 113. As shown in the figure, the rice growth recipe 113 has X1 to X7 registered as upper and lower water levels for each growth stage. X1 represents an arbitrary water level within the range of 40 mm to 60 mm. X2 represents an arbitrary water level within the range of 20 mm to 40 mm. X3 represents an arbitrary water level within the range of 10 mm to 30 mm. X4 represents an arbitrary water level within the range of 0 mm to 20 mm. X5 represents an arbitrary water level within the range of 0 mm to 10 mm. X7 represents a water level below 0 mm, i.e., draining the water from the field (paddy field) and drying out the ground.

[0072] Figure 5 shows the relationship between accumulated temperature and growth stage, and an example of water level changes for each growth stage. As shown in Figures 3 and 4, rice cultivation includes periods such as mid-season drainage and intermittent irrigation to promote rice growth. During the mid-season drainage period, water is drained from the field (paddy field) to dry out the ground. This mid-season drainage period promotes the development of rice roots and improves soil aeration. During the intermittent irrigation period, water is supplied up to the upper water level corresponding to the growth stage, and then water is withheld until it falls below the lower water level. When the water level falls below the lower water level, water is supplied up to the upper water level. This intermittent irrigation period allows the rice roots to grow deeper, preventing lodging and root rot. In addition to these periods, as shown in Figure 4, a specific growth stage (panicle emergence stage) is considered the appropriate timing for applying top dressing to rice.

[0073] Thus, in rice cultivation, there are important timings for implementing cultivation management, such as the start of the mid-season drainage period. To properly determine these timings, it is crucial not to judge the growth stage solely from accumulated temperature, but to consider other factors and determine whether the rice growth process (growth stage) coincides with the timing of each important cultivation management. The growth management device 100 in this system 1000 can accurately determine the timing of such important cultivation management. Details of the specific processing will be described later.

[0074] Next, the processing unit 120 will be described. The processing unit 120 is a functional unit that performs various processes executed by the growth management device 100. Specifically, the processing unit 120 has the following individual functional units that perform each process: a growth stage determination unit 121, a cultivation management unit 122, a growth log generation unit 123, a user instruction reception unit 124, and a growth recipe generation unit 125. The growth recipe generation unit 125 will be described in detail in the second embodiment.

[0075] The growth stage determination unit 121 is a functional unit that determines the growth stage of crops. Specifically, the growth stage determination unit 121 determines the growth stage of rice based on a comparison between sensor data or image data and growth stage control data 112.

[0076] The cultivation management unit 122 is a functional unit that uses the growth recipe 113 to perform appropriate cultivation management processes according to the growth stage of the crop. Specifically, the cultivation management unit 122 identifies a cultivation method corresponding to the specified growth stage from the growth recipe 113. More specifically, the cultivation management unit 122 identifies the upper and lower water levels corresponding to the growth stage from the growth recipe 113, and determines whether or not water level adjustment is necessary based on comparison with the latest water level data in the field and whether or not it falls within the intermittent irrigation period. Furthermore, if the cultivation management unit 122 determines that water level adjustment is necessary, it generates a control instruction regarding the opening and closing of the sluice gate and transmits it to the sluice gate control device 400 via the communication unit 130.

[0077] The growth log generation unit 123 is a functional unit that generates a growth log. The growth log is a daily record of crop cultivation, including sensor data such as field conditions and temperature. For example, when the growth log generation unit 123 receives a viewing request from a user, it acquires image data 311 and sensor data such as water level from the field data 111, and generates screen information for the growth log that aggregates this data along with data such as water level changes and the opening and closing status of the sluice gates. The growth log generation unit 123 also transmits the generated screen information to the user terminal 600 via the communication unit 130.

[0078] The user instruction receiving unit 124 is a functional unit that receives user instructions from the user terminal 600. For example, due to the effects of weather, the water level in the field may exceed the upper limit water level for the corresponding growth stage or fall below the lower limit water level. As will be described later, in such cases, the user can send instructions to the growth management device 100 via the user terminal 600, for example, to open or close the sluice gate. The user instruction receiving unit 124 receives such user instructions.

[0079] The communication unit 130 is a functional unit that performs data communication with external devices. Specifically, the communication unit 130 communicates data with field devices via the gateway device 500. More specifically, the communication unit 130 acquires sensor data and image data from the sensors 200 and the imaging device 220. The communication unit 130 also acquires the results of the growth status determination from the field edge computer 300. Furthermore, the communication unit 130 acquires information indicating the open / closed state of the sluice gate from the sluice gate control device 400. The communication unit 130 also transmits control instructions for the sluice gate to the sluice gate control device 400.

[0080] <User Terminal 600> The user terminal 600 is a device used by a user, such as a field manager, and is, for example, a smartphone, tablet, or personal computer. The user terminal 600 receives instructions and information input from the user via its input device (e.g., touch panel, keyboard, mouse, etc.). The user terminal 600 also displays a website for viewing the growth log on its display.

[0081] The above describes each device of the agricultural automation support system 1000.

[0082] <Growth Support Processing> Figure 6 is a sequence diagram showing an example of data exchange between devices related to growth support processing. As shown in the figure, the sensors 200 periodically measure the temperature near the field and the water level in the field (step S10), and transmit the sensor data, which is the measurement result, to the growth management device 100 (step S11). Specifically, the sensors 200 measure temperature, humidity, water level, water temperature, and sunshine duration, and transmit this as sensor data to the growth management device 100.

[0083] The imaging device 220 periodically captures images of the field (step S20) and transmits the image data to the growth management device 100 (step S21). Specifically, the imaging device 220 transmits image data capturing the number of rice stems and the height of the plants to the growth management device 100.

[0084] The field edge computer 300 uses the image data 311 acquired from the imaging device 220 to determine the number of rice stems and the height of the rice plants (step S30), and transmits the determination result to the growth management device 100 (step S31).

[0085] Next, the growth management device 100 performs growth support processing using various data acquired from these devices (step S40). Details of the growth support processing will be described later.

[0086] Furthermore, when the growth management device 100 generates a control instruction for the sluice gate during the growth support process, it transmits this to the sluice gate control device 400 via the communication unit 130 (step S50). Specifically, the cultivation management unit 122 transmits the water supply control instruction to the water supply sluice gate control device 410, and the drainage control instruction to the drainage sluice gate control device 420.

[0087] The sluice gate control device 400 controls the opening and closing of the sluice gate based on control instructions received from the growth management device 100. Specifically, the water supply sluice gate control device 410 and the drainage sluice gate control device 420 each control the opening and closing of the sluice gate based on the control instructions received (step S60).

[0088] Furthermore, when the sluice gate control device 400 controls the opening and closing of the sluice gate, it transmits the open / closed state to the growth management device 100 each time (step S61). In other words, the sluice gate control device 400 periodically transmits the open / closed state to the growth management device 100 (for example, once every hour), but when the sluice gate is opened or closed based on a control instruction, it transmits information indicating the open / closed state to the growth management device 100 at that time.

[0089] Next, the growth management device 100 acquires information indicating the open / closed state of the sluice gate from the sluice gate control device 400, and stores this information in the field data 111 within the storage unit 110 (step S70).

[0090] <<Growth Support Processing>> The growth support processing in step S40 is a process that determines the growth stage and supports appropriate cultivation management according to the determination result. Specifically, the growth support processing is executed by the growth management device 100 at the timing when the growth management device 100 acquires predetermined sensor data such as temperature data and water level data (for example, once every hour) or at arbitrary time intervals (for example, once every few hours).

[0091] Figure 7 is a flowchart showing the flow of the growth support process. As shown in the figure, once the process starts, the growth stage determination unit 121 determines the growth stage of the rice for each field (step S41). Here, Figure 8 will be used to explain the details of the growth stage determination process.

[0092] <<<Growth Stage Determination Process>>> Figure 8 is a flowchart showing the flow of the growth stage determination process. When the process starts, the growth stage determination unit 121 calculates the cumulative temperature by adding the latest daily average temperature (step S411). Specifically, the growth stage determination unit 121 obtains temperature data for the previous 24 hours for each field from the field data 111 and calculates the daily average temperature. The growth stage determination unit 121 also calculates the latest cumulative temperature by adding the calculated daily average temperature to the cumulative temperature from a predetermined reference day (for example, rice planting).

[0093] Next, the growth stage determination unit 121 determines the current growth stage based on the calculated accumulated temperature (step S412). Specifically, the growth stage determination unit 121 uses the growth stage reference data 112 to identify the growth stage corresponding to the calculated accumulated temperature, and determines that growth stage as the current growth stage.

[0094] Next, the growth stage determination unit 121 determines whether the accumulated temperature calculated in step S411 is within the range of the starting temperature of the growth stage corresponding to the start of the mid-season drying period ± X°C (where X is, for example, 50°C or 100°C) (step S413). Specifically, the growth stage determination unit 121 uses the growth recipe 113 to determine whether the latest accumulated temperature is within the range of the starting temperature of the establishment period (3), which is 600°C ± 50°C or 100°C (i.e., 550°C to 650°C, or 500°C to 700°C).

[0095] If the latest accumulated temperature is determined to be within the aforementioned temperature range (Yes in step S413), the growth stage determination unit 121 proceeds to step S414. On the other hand, if the latest accumulated temperature is determined to be outside the aforementioned temperature range (No in step S413), the growth stage determination unit 121 proceeds to step S417.

[0096] In step S414, the growth stage determination unit 121 determines whether the number of rice stalks is greater than or equal to a predetermined number. Specifically, the growth stage determination unit 121 determines whether the number of rice stalks is greater than or equal to a predetermined number (for example, 23 stalks) based on the latest determination result obtained from the field data 111.

[0097] If the number of stems is determined to be greater than or equal to a predetermined number (Yes in step S414), the growth stage determination unit 121 determines that the current growth stage corresponds to the start of the mid-season drainage period (establishment stage (3) in the growth recipe 113 in Figure 4) (step S415), and terminates the processing of this flow. On the other hand, if the number of stems is determined to be less than a predetermined number (No in step S414), the growth stage determination unit 121 maintains the determination result of step S412 (i.e., establishment stage (2) in the growth recipe 113 in Figure 4) (step S416), and terminates this flow.

[0098] Furthermore, in step S417, if it is determined that the latest accumulated temperature is not within the aforementioned temperature range (No in step S413), the growth stage determination unit 121 determines whether or not it is within the range of the starting temperature of the growth stage corresponding to the start of top dressing ± Y°C (where Y is, for example, 50°C or 100°C). Specifically, the growth stage determination unit 121 uses the growth recipe 113 to determine whether or not the latest accumulated temperature is within the range of the starting temperature of the panicle emergence stage, which is 1800°C ± 50°C or 100°C (i.e., 1750°C to 1850°C, or 1700°C to 1900°C).

[0099] If the latest accumulated temperature is determined not to be within the aforementioned temperature range (No in step S417), the growth stage determination unit 121 terminates this flow. On the other hand, if the latest accumulated temperature is determined to be within the aforementioned temperature range (Yes in step S417), the growth stage determination unit 121 proceeds to step S418.

[0100] In step S418, the growth stage determination unit 121 determines whether the accumulated day length is equal to or greater than a predetermined time. Specifically, the growth stage determination unit 121 obtains the sunshine hours from a predetermined reference day (for example, rice planting) to the day before from the field data 111 and calculates the latest accumulated day length by accumulating these hours. The growth stage determination unit 121 also determines whether the calculated accumulated day length is equal to or greater than a predetermined time (for example, any time within the range of 500 to 700 hours).

[0101] If the cumulative day length is determined to be greater than or equal to a predetermined time (Yes in step S418), the growth stage determination unit 121 determines that the current growth stage corresponds to the growth stage corresponding to the start of topdressing (in the growth recipe 113 in Figure 4, the panicle formation stage) (step S419), and terminates the processing of this flow. On the other hand, if the cumulative day length is determined to be less than a predetermined time (No in step S418), the growth stage determination unit 121 maintains the determination result of step S412 (i.e., the panicle formation stage (3) in the growth recipe 113 in Figure 4) (step S420), and terminates this flow.

[0102] Furthermore, when determining the panicle emergence stage, the growth stage determination unit 121 may also take into account other determination factors (for example, rice variety, field soil conditions, etc.) as parameters in addition to accumulated temperature and accumulated day length.

[0103] The details of the growth stage determination process have been explained above. Through this process, the growth management device 100 can accurately determine the timing of important cultivation management actions in rice cultivation (for example, the mid-season drainage period and the timing of starting top dressing).

[0104] Let's return to Figure 7 for explanation. Once the growth stage of the rice is determined by the growth stage determination process (step S41), the cultivation management unit 122 identifies a growth recipe 113 for cultivation methods corresponding to the growth stage (step S42). Specifically, the cultivation management unit 122 identifies the record of the growth recipe 113 associated with the identified growth stage, and identifies the upper and lower water levels registered in that record as the cultivation method for that growth stage.

[0105] Next, the cultivation management unit 122 determines whether or not water level adjustment is necessary (step S43). Specifically, the cultivation management unit 122 obtains the latest water level data from the field data 111 and determines whether or not water level adjustment is necessary based on a comparison of the upper and lower water levels identified in step S42.

[0106] More specifically, the cultivation management unit 122 uses the growth recipe 113 to determine whether the current growth stage corresponds to the intermittent irrigation period (hereinafter sometimes referred to as the second condition period) or to a period other than the intermittent irrigation period (hereinafter referred to as the first condition period).

[0107] If the conditions for the first period are met, the cultivation management unit 122 calculates an intermediate water level between the upper and lower water levels identified from the growth recipe 113. Specifically, for example, if the upper water level is 30 mm and the lower water level is 10 mm, the cultivation management unit 122 calculates 20 mm as the intermediate water level. The cultivation management unit 122 also compares the water level of the field indicated by the latest acquired water level data with the calculated water level (intermediate water level in this example), and if the latest water level is below the intermediate water level, it determines that water level adjustment (water supply) is necessary (Yes in step S43), and proceeds to step S44. This determination result will be referred to as the water supply determination (1) and explained below. Furthermore, if the latest water level is above the water level obtained by adding a predetermined margin (for example, 10 mm) to the upper water level, the cultivation management unit 122 determines that water level adjustment (drainage) is necessary (Yes in step S43), and proceeds to step S44. This determination result will be referred to as the drainage determination (1) and the following explanation will be provided.

[0108] On the other hand, if the latest water level is above the intermediate water level but below the upper limit water level plus a predetermined margin, the cultivation management unit 122 determines that no water level adjustment is necessary (No in step S43) and terminates the processing of this flow.

[0109] Furthermore, if the current growth stage corresponds to the second condition period, the cultivation management unit 122 compares the latest water level with the lower limit water level of the growth recipe 113. If the latest water level is below the lower limit water level, it determines that water level adjustment (water supply) is necessary (Yes in step S43), and proceeds to step S44. This determination result is referred to as the water supply determination (2) and is explained below. Furthermore, if the latest water level in the field is above the upper limit water level plus a predetermined margin (for example, 10 mm), it determines that water level adjustment (drainage) is necessary (Yes in step S43), and proceeds to step S44. This determination result is referred to as the drainage determination (2) and is explained below.

[0110] On the other hand, if the latest water level is above the lower limit and below the upper limit plus a margin, the cultivation management unit 122 determines that no water level adjustment is necessary (No in step S43) and terminates the processing of this flow.

[0111] Next, the cultivation management unit 122 checks the open / closed status of the sluice gates (step S44). Specifically, the cultivation management unit 122 checks the latest information from the field data 111 indicating the open / closed status of the water supply and drainage sluice gates.

[0112] Next, the cultivation management unit 122 generates control instructions regarding the opening and closing of the sluice gates (step S45). Specifically, if the water supply determination (1) or water supply determination (2) is made and the water supply sluice gate is closed, the cultivation management unit 122 generates a control instruction to open the water supply sluice gate. At this time, if the drainage sluice gate is open, the cultivation management unit 122 also generates a control instruction to close the drainage sluice gate.

[0113] Furthermore, in the case of water supply determination (1) or water supply determination (2), if the water supply gate is open (water is being supplied), the cultivation management unit 122 does not generate a control instruction. However, if the drainage gate is open at this time, the cultivation management unit 122 generates a control instruction to close the drainage gate.

[0114] Furthermore, in the case of drainage determination (1) or drainage determination (2), if the drainage gate is closed, the cultivation management unit 122 generates a control instruction to open the drainage gate. At this time, if the water supply gate is open, the cultivation management unit 122 also generates a control instruction to close the water supply gate.

[0115] Furthermore, in the case of drainage determination (1) or drainage determination (2), if the drainage gate is open, the cultivation management unit 122 does not generate a control instruction. However, if the water supply gate is open at this time, the cultivation management unit 122 generates a control instruction to close the water supply gate.

[0116] Furthermore, when the cultivation management unit 122 generates a control instruction for opening and closing the sluice gate, it terminates the processing of this flow.

[0117] The growth support process is performed, for example, at the same time the growth management device 100 acquires sensor data, i.e., about once every hour. On the other hand, the growth stage determination process in step S41 is performed once a day because it uses the determination results of the image data 311 and the amount of sunlight. Therefore, in the second and subsequent growth support processes performed on the same day, the determination process in step S41 is skipped, and the processes from step S42 onward are performed using the already determined growth stage.

[0118] Furthermore, if a control instruction for opening and closing the sluice gate was generated in the previous growth support processing (i.e., if the sluice gate control device 400 opened and closed the sluice gate based on the control instruction), the water level in the field will change, and in the latest growth support processing, steps S42 to S44 will be executed using the latest water level data that reflects this change.

[0119] By performing steps S41 (or S42) to S45 periodically (for example, once every hour), the growth management device 100 can generate control instructions for appropriate water level management according to the growth stage of the crop.

[0120] The above explains the data exchange between the devices of the agricultural automation support system 1000, focusing on growth support processing.

[0121] <Growth Diary Generation Process> Figure 9 is a sequence diagram showing an example of data exchange between devices related to the growth diary generation process. Steps S50 and S51 are the same as steps S10 and S11 described above, so a detailed explanation is omitted.

[0122] The imaging device 220 periodically takes images of the field (such as the number of rice stalks and the height of the plants) (step S60) and transmits the image data to the growth management device 100 (step S61). In addition, the sluice gate control device 400 periodically (for example, once every hour) transmits information indicating the open / closed status of the sluice gate to the growth management device 100 (step S70).

[0123] The user terminal 600 receives instructions from the user and sends a request to the growth management device 100 to display the growth log (step S80).

[0124] When the growth management device 100 receives a request to display the growth log from the user terminal 600, it executes a growth log generation process (step S90). Specifically, the growth log generation unit 123 of the growth management device 100 executes a growth log generation process using various data acquired from the sensors 200, the imaging device 220, and the sluice gate control device 400. More specifically, the growth log generation unit 123 generates screen information of the growth log, displaying each data in a predetermined position according to a predetermined format. The growth log generation unit 123 also graphs each data or performs calculations such as cumulative temperature according to the format, and displays them in the corresponding position in the format.

[0125] Figure 10 shows an example of a growth log screen displayed according to a predetermined format. As shown in the figure, the growth log display screen 700 displays various data acquired from field devices such as sensors 200, aggregated according to a predetermined format. The format, including what data is displayed and where it is placed, can be set by the user via the user terminal 600 from the settings screen of the growth log viewing site (portal site).

[0126] The format of the illustrated growth log display screen 700 includes a basic data display area 710 that displays image data 711 of the rice plants and detailed field information (for example, area information related to the prefecture and region, cultivation (rice planting) start date, number of days elapsed, planned harvest date, etc.) 712; a growth status display area 720 that shows the number of stems and plant height in a graph and displays the determined growth stage (tillering stage in the illustrated example); a sensor data display area 730 that displays sensor data such as temperature and water level at each date and time; an accumulated temperature display area 740 that displays the accumulated temperature in the field (including a pie chart) and the accumulated temperature until the next growth stage; a weather display area 750 that displays the current weather in the field; a water level change display area 760 that displays the changes in the water level in the field in a graph; and a daily summary display area 770 that displays a summary of the daily accumulated temperature and field image data 311.

[0127] Furthermore, since the format of the growth log can be freely set by the user, it is not limited to the format shown in Figure 10, and an example of a different format is shown in Figure 11.

[0128] Figure 11 shows an example of a growth log screen displayed according to a different format than that shown in Figure 10. As shown in the illustrated growth log display screen 800, in this format, the growth log includes the aforementioned growth status display area 720, daily summary display area 770, and sensor data display area 730, as well as a sluice gate control display area 810 that displays information on control tasks related to opening and closing the sluice gate, and a sluice gate control device status display area 820 that displays the battery level status of the sluice gate control device 400.

[0129] Furthermore, the growth log screen only needs to include at least one of the display areas shown in Figures 10 and 11. In addition, if the field data 111 contains sensor data or image data, it is possible to graph them or process them into other forms and display them in the growth log format.

[0130] Let's return to Figure 9 for explanation. When the growth log generation unit 123 generates screen information for the growth log, it transmits the generated screen information to the requesting user terminal 600 via the communication unit 130 (step S91).

[0131] Furthermore, when the user terminal 600 obtains screen information of the growth log from the growth management device 100, it displays it on its display (step S100).

[0132] The above explains the data exchange between the devices of the agricultural automation support system 1000, focusing on the growth log generation process.

[0133] Such an agricultural automation support system can help automate agriculture by determining the growth stage of crops and enabling device control for appropriate cultivation management according to the growth stage.

[0134] Furthermore, the automated agricultural support system takes into account factors other than accumulated temperature, allowing for accurate determination of the timing of important cultivation management tasks, such as the start of the mid-season drainage period for rice plants. This enables improvements in crop quality and yield.

[0135] Furthermore, the automated agricultural support system allows for appropriate water level adjustments based on growth recipes, and can also handle water level adjustments that differ from the usual, such as during intermittent irrigation periods. Therefore, the automated agricultural support system enables cultivation management (water management) according to the growth stage in rice cultivation, and can also be used to adjust water levels appropriately for various crop varieties other than rice.

[0136] Furthermore, the agricultural automation support system can provide users with a website to view image data showing the condition of the fields and a growth log that aggregates various sensor data. This allows users to check the condition of the fields remotely, enabling them to manage their crops without having to visit the fields in person.

[0137] Furthermore, since the field devices of the agricultural automation support system operate on secondary or primary batteries, they can be used even near fields without power supply facilities. Therefore, users can introduce this system without incurring the cost of constructing power supply facilities, thus reducing costs.

[0138] Furthermore, because the agricultural automation support system establishes a communication network using LoRaWAN between the field device and the gateway device, it can reduce communication costs between the field device and the growth management device.

[0139] <First Modification> In the above-described embodiment, when adjusting the water level in cultivation management, the intermediate water level was set to the midpoint between the upper and lower water levels (for example, if the upper water level is 30 mm and the lower water level is 10 mm, the midpoint = 20 mm) when the first condition period was met. However, the intermediate water level may be set between the midpoint and the lower water level, i.e., closer to the lower water level. Specifically, in the case of an upper water level of 30 mm and a lower water level of 10 mm, the intermediate water level may be set closer to the lower water level than the midpoint = 20 mm (for example, in the range of 15 mm to 11 mm).

[0140] It is generally known that rice contains trace amounts of arsenic and cadmium. It is also known that cultivating rice with less water reduces the amount of arsenic and cadmium. In this system 1000, since the growth management device 100 allows for fine adjustment of the water level in the field, by setting the water supply timing judgment value, which is calculated from the upper and lower water levels of each growth stage in the growth recipe 113, closer to the lower water level, it is possible to cultivate rice with less water than usual, thereby reducing the amount of arsenic and cadmium.

[0141] <Second Modification> The growth management device 100 of this system 1000 can determine the growth stage and the start timing of a predetermined period using accumulated temperature and other field data 111, and adjust the water level in the corresponding growth stage based on the corresponding growth recipe 113. In other words, the growth management device 100 can adjust the length of each growth stage based on the growth recipe 113. For example, in rice cultivation, it is known that if the mid-season drainage period is set longer than usual (for example, setting the mid-season drainage period, which is usually around 10 days, to be about 1 to 10 days longer), the amount of methane produced is reduced. According to this system, since the mid-season drainage period can be made longer than usual based on the information registered in the growth recipe 113 (for example, the relationship between accumulated temperature and growth stage), it becomes possible to automate (unmanned) rice cultivation with suppressed methane production.

[0142] <Third Modification> In the above-described embodiment, control instructions for opening and closing the sluice gate were generated based on growth support processing performed by the growth management device 100. However, in the modified agricultural unmanned support system 1000, the growth management device 100 also generates control instructions when it receives instructions regarding the opening and closing of the sluice gate from the user terminal 600.

[0143] The growth management device 100 of this system 1000 operates as a SaaS platform. Therefore, when the growth management device receives a request via the user terminal 600, it can execute various corresponding processes. Specifically, when the user instruction receiving unit 124 of the growth management device receives an instruction regarding the opening and closing of a sluice gate from the user terminal 600, it generates a control instruction for the sluice gate and transmits it to the sluice gate control device 400.

[0144] More specifically, if the user instructs to supply water, the cultivation management unit 122 generates a control instruction to open the water supply gate. If the user instructs to drain water, the cultivation management unit 122 generates a control instruction to open the drainage gate. The cultivation management unit 122 also transmits the generated control instruction to the corresponding gate control device 400 via the communication unit 130.

[0145] The function of the growth management device 100 to generate control instructions for the sluice gates based on user instructions is particularly effective in situations requiring urgent action, such as when heavy rain falls during a typhoon. Since the growth management device 100 periodically acquires sensor data from field sensors 200, there is a possibility that the water level may exceed the upper limit of the growth recipe 113 when heavy rain falls in a short period, such as during a typhoon. Therefore, the growth management device 100 receives instructions regarding the opening and closing of the sluice gates from the user terminal 600 and generates control instructions to open and close the field's sluice gates based on those instructions, enabling quick and appropriate cultivation management (water level management) according to the weather conditions in the field.

[0146] Furthermore, the growth management device 100 may periodically check the field data 111 and, for example, if the water level in the field exceeds the appropriate water level range set in the growth recipe 113 of the growth stage, display an error message on the growth log viewing site to alert the user to the field abnormality. For example, if debris clogs the sluice gate, the sluice gate may not operate normally, and as a result, it may not be possible to maintain the appropriate water level set in the growth recipe 113. In such cases, the growth management device 100 may display an error message on the growth log viewing site along with the type of abnormality (for example, an abnormal water level) so that the user can notice the abnormality occurring in the field. With such error notifications, users viewing the growth log can notice the field abnormality and take some kind of action.

[0147] Furthermore, the growth management device 100 may output an error message to the growth log viewing site and, for example, send an error notification to the telephone number or email address of a pre-registered user terminal 600. Such error notifications are particularly effective when the user is not viewing the growth log site.

[0148] Furthermore, in the embodiment described above, the cultivation management unit 122 of the growth management device 100 mainly performed processes to manage, adjust, and control the water level of the field. However, it is not limited to this, and may also manage, adjust, and control other things necessary for cultivation, such as the supply of fertilizer (including top dressing). Specifically, the cultivation management unit 122 may, for example, manage, adjust, and control the amount of fertilizer supplied by a fertilizer supply device (for example, a device that automatically supplies fertilizer and also performs top dressing).

[0149] <Second Embodiment> In the second embodiment of the agricultural automation support system 1000, the growth management device 100 generates a growth recipe 113, and the generated growth recipe 113 is used to perform processing for appropriate cultivation management according to the growth stage of the crop.

[0150] Specifically, the growth recipe generation unit 125 of the growth management device 100 is constructed using an AI (generative AI) or information model that has learned past performance data on various elements. More specifically, the growth recipe generation unit 125 is constructed using a predetermined machine learning method (for example, deep learning or supervised learning) with past performance data on field characteristics (for example, soil characteristics that differ depending on the region, such as soil temperature and moisture content), climate around the field (for example, annual precipitation, average temperature, seasonal temperature differences, etc.), varieties of crops to be cultivated, past water level change data, and harvest results (yield and quality).

[0151] Furthermore, the growth recipe generation unit 125 acquires data on various elements related to the field where cultivation takes place and the variety of crop (such as the field characteristics mentioned above), and uses this data to calculate the appropriate accumulated temperature range for each growth stage, as well as the appropriate upper and lower water levels for each growth stage, for each field and crop variety. The growth recipe generation unit 125 also calculates the appropriate number of stems and plant height for determining the start timing of the mid-season drainage period, and the appropriate accumulated temperature and sunshine hours for determining the start timing of the panicle emergence stage.

[0152] Because the growth recipe generation unit 125 learns from a large amount of past performance data on field characteristics and variety characteristics that differ from region to region, it can generate a growth recipe 113 for more optimal cultivation management for the field and crop variety in which cultivation is performed. Therefore, by using the growth recipe 113 generated by the growth recipe generation unit 125, the agricultural automation support system 1000 can implement superior cultivation management.

[0153] Furthermore, since the growth management device 100 acquires new performance data for each harvest cycle, the accuracy of the growth recipe generation unit 125's generation of the growth recipe 113 can be continuously improved. As a result, the agricultural automation support system 1000 can continuously implement excellent cultivation management.

[0154] <Target Crops> The crops to which this system 1000 can be applied are not limited to rice, but can be applied to various types of crops. In particular, this system 1000 determines the growth stage of the crop and, based on the growth recipe 113, performs processing for appropriate cultivation management according to the growth stage. Therefore, as long as the growth stage of the crop can be appropriately determined and a growth recipe 113 is used that enables appropriate cultivation management of the target crop according to factors such as the characteristics of the field, the climate around the field, and the type and variety of crop, the type of crop to which this system 1000 can be applied is not limited.

[0155] For example, in the aforementioned growth recipe 113 for rice, the accumulated temperature was associated with the growth stage, and appropriate water level settings were registered for each growth stage. However, depending on the type of crop, for example, the size of the leaves or fruit could be associated with the growth stage, and appropriate temperature settings for each growth stage could be registered in the growth recipe 113.

[0156] In this way, the agricultural automation support system 1000 can support the automated cultivation (unmanned operation) of various types of crops by using growth recipes 113 that are appropriate for the crop being cultivated.

[0157] <Hardware Configuration> Next, we will explain the hardware configuration of the field edge computer 300 and the growth management device 100.

[0158] Figure 12 shows an example of the hardware configuration of the field edge computer 300. As mentioned above, the field edge computer 300 is implemented using a single-board computer equipped with a Raspberry Pi. However, the field edge computer 300 is not limited to a single-board computer; it may also be a regular personal computer or other type of computer.

[0159] As shown in the figure, the field edge computer 300 includes an input device 351, an output device 352, a processing device 353, a storage device 354, a communication device 355, and a bus 356 that electrically interconnects these devices.

[0160] The input device 351 is an input device such as a touch panel or a keyboard. The output device 352 is a display device such as a display or an audio output device such as a speaker.

[0161] The processing unit 353 is a processor, such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit). The storage device 354 is a memory device, such as a microSD card.

[0162] The communication device 355 is a communication unit that performs wireless or wired communication with an external device.

[0163] Figure 13 shows an example of the hardware configuration of the growth management device 100. As mentioned above, the growth management device 100 is implemented using computers such as servers (including cloud servers) and personal computers.

[0164] As shown in the figure, the growth management device 100 includes a processing device 151, a main memory 152, an auxiliary memory 153, a communication device 154, and a bus 155 that electrically interconnects these devices.

[0165] The processing unit 151 is a processor, such as a CPU. The main memory 152 is a memory device such as RAM (Random Access Memory) or ROM (Read Only Memory). The auxiliary storage device 153 is a non-volatile storage device such as a hard disk, SSD, or flash memory that can store digital information.

[0166] The communication device 154 is a communication unit that performs wireless or wired communication with an external device.

[0167] The hardware configuration of the field edge computer 300 and the growth management device 100 has been described above.

[0168] The processing unit 320 of such a field edge computer 300 is implemented by a program that causes the processing unit 353 to perform processing. This program is stored in the storage device 354, loaded when the program is executed, and executed by the processing unit 353. In addition, the AI ​​and information models implemented as individual functional units of the processing unit 320 are also stored in the storage device 354, loaded when the program is executed, and executed by the processing unit 353.

[0169] The memory unit 310 is implemented by the storage device 354. The communication unit 330 is implemented by the communication device 355.

[0170] Furthermore, the processing unit 120 of the growth management device 100 is implemented by a program that causes the processing unit 151 to perform processing. This program is stored in the main memory 152 or auxiliary memory 153, loaded onto the main memory 152 for execution, and executed by the processing unit 151. Similarly, the AI ​​and information models implemented as individual functional units (growth recipe generation unit 125) of the processing unit 120 are also stored in the main memory 152 or auxiliary memory 153, loaded onto the main memory 152 for execution, and executed by the processing unit 151.

[0171] The storage unit 110 is implemented by the main memory 152, the auxiliary memory 153, or a combination thereof. The communication unit 130 is implemented by the communication device 154.

[0172] Furthermore, some or all of the above-mentioned configurations, functions, processing units, and processing means of the field edge computer 300 and the growth management device 100 may be implemented in hardware, for example, by designing them as integrated circuits.

[0173] Furthermore, the functional blocks of the field edge computer 300 and the growth management device 100 are classified according to their main processing content in order to facilitate understanding of the functions realized in each embodiment. Therefore, the present invention is not limited by the way each function is classified or its name. Moreover, the components of the field edge computer 300 and the growth management device 100 can be further classified into many more components according to the processing content. Alternatively, they can be classified so that a single component performs even more processing.

[0174] Furthermore, the processing of each functional unit may be executed on a single piece of hardware, or it may be executed on multiple pieces of hardware.

[0175] Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments and modifications described above, but includes a variety of other embodiments and modifications. For example, the embodiments described above are described in detail to make the present invention easier to understand, and are not necessarily limited to those having all the configurations described. Also, it is possible to replace parts of the configuration of one embodiment with the configurations of other embodiments or modifications, and it is also possible to add configurations from other embodiments to the configuration of one embodiment. In addition, it is possible to add, delete, or replace parts of the configuration of each embodiment with other configurations.

[0176] 1000... Agricultural automation support system, 100... Growth management device, 110... Memory unit, 111... Field data, 112... Growth stage comparison data, 113... Growth recipe, 120... Processing unit, 121... Growth stage determination unit, 122... Cultivation management unit, 123... Growth log generation unit, 124... User instruction reception unit, 125... Growth recipe generation unit, 130... Communication unit, 200... Sensors, 300... Field edge computer, 310... Memory unit, 311... Image Image data, 320... Processing unit, 321... Data acquisition unit, 322... Growth status determination unit, 330... Communication unit, 400... Sluice gate control device, 500... Gateway device, 600... User terminal, N... Network, 151... Processing unit, 152... Main memory, 153... Auxiliary memory, 154... Communication device, 155... Bus, 351... Input device, 352... Output device, 353... Processing unit, 354... Memory device, 355... Communication device, 356... Bus

Claims

1. An agricultural automation support system comprising a field device and a growth management device, wherein the field device transmits sensor data and image data obtained by measuring and imaging a predetermined object in the field to the growth management device, and the growth management device comprises a storage unit that stores growth recipes which are recipe information on cultivation methods according to the growth stage of a crop, and field data including the sensor data and the image data, a growth stage determination unit that determines the growth stage of the crop using the field data, a cultivation management unit that generates control instructions for the field device for cultivation management of the crop based on the growth recipe according to the determined growth stage, and a communication unit that transmits the control instructions to the field device.

2. An agricultural automation support system according to claim 1, wherein the growth stage determination unit calculates the cumulative temperature near the field from the temperature data included in the field data, and determines the growth stage of the rice in the field based on the calculated cumulative temperature.

3. An agricultural automation support system according to claim 2, further comprising a field edge computer that determines the number of rice stems by analyzing the image data, wherein the growth stage determination unit determines a predetermined growth stage corresponding to the start of the mid-season drainage period using the accumulated temperature and the determination result regarding the number of rice stems obtained from the field edge computer.

4. An agricultural automation support system according to claim 2, wherein the growth stage determination unit determines a predetermined growth stage corresponding to the start time of top dressing using the cumulative day length, which is the cumulative value of sunshine hours near the field included in the field data, and the cumulative temperature.

5. An agricultural automation support system according to claim 2, wherein the growth recipe includes registered upper and lower water levels in the field corresponding to the growth stage of the rice, and the cultivation management unit determines whether or not it is necessary to adjust the water level in the field based on a comparison between the field water level data included in the field data and the upper and lower water levels in the growth recipe.

6. An agricultural automation support system according to claim 5, wherein the cultivation management unit determines that watering the field is necessary when the growth stage is in a first period other than the intermittent irrigation period, and the water level in the field is below an intermediate water level between the upper water level and the lower water level in the growth recipe, or below a predetermined water level between the intermediate water level and the lower water level; and determines that drainage of the field is necessary when the water level in the field is at or above a water level obtained by adding a predetermined margin to the upper water level in the growth recipe.

7. An agricultural automation support system according to claim 5, wherein the cultivation management unit determines that watering the field is necessary when the growth stage is in a second period which is an intermittent irrigation period and the water level in the field is below the lower limit water level in the growth recipe, and determines that drainage of the field is necessary when the water level in the field is at or above the upper limit water level in the growth recipe plus a predetermined margin.

8. An agricultural automation support system according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the field device includes a sluice gate control device for controlling the opening and closing of a sluice gate in the field, the cultivation management unit generates a control instruction to open the sluice gate when it determines that water supply to the field is necessary, and the communication unit transmits the control instruction to the sluice gate control device.

9. An agricultural automation support system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the cultivation management unit generates a control instruction corresponding to the instruction when it receives an instruction from a user terminal regarding the control of the field device, and the communication unit transmits the control instruction generated based on the instruction from the user terminal to the field device.

10. An agricultural automation support system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the growth management device further comprises a growth log generation unit that generates screen information of a growth log that aggregates the field data and information calculated from the field data in accordance with a predetermined format, and the communication unit transmits the screen information to a user terminal.

11. An agricultural automation support system according to claim 10, characterized in that the growth log includes at least one of the following: the sensor data, the image data, the growth stage, the accumulated temperature of the field, the water level changes in the field, a summary including the accumulated temperature and the image data, the open / closed state of the sluice gate in the field, and the status of the sluice gate control device included in the field device.

12. An agricultural automation support system according to claim 1, further comprising a gateway device disposed between the field device and the growth management device, wherein a communication network using LoRaWAN (Long Range Wide Area Network) is established between the field device and the gateway device.

13. A growth management device comprising: a storage unit that stores field data including sensor data or image data measured or captured by a field device, and a growth recipe which is recipe information on a cultivation method according to the growth stage of a crop; a growth stage determination unit that determines the growth stage of the crop using the field data; a cultivation management unit that generates control instructions for the field device for cultivation management of the crop based on the growth recipe according to the determined growth stage; and a communication unit that transmits the control instructions to the field device.

14. An agricultural automation support method performed in an agricultural automation support system having a field device and a growth management device, wherein the field device performs a step of transmitting sensor data and image data obtained by measuring and imaging a predetermined object in the field to the growth management device, the growth management device performs a storage step of storing a growth recipe which is recipe information on a cultivation method according to the growth stage of a crop, and field data including the sensor data and the image data, the growth management device performs a growth stage determination step of determining the growth stage of the crop using the field data, the cultivation management step of generating control instructions for the field device for cultivation management of the crop based on the growth recipe according to the determined growth stage, and the communication step of transmitting the control instructions to the field device.

15. A program that causes a computer to function as a growth management device, characterized in that the computer functions as: a storage unit that stores field data including sensor data or image data measured or captured by a field device, and a growth recipe which is recipe information on a cultivation method according to the growth stage of a crop; a growth stage determination unit that determines the growth stage of the crop using the field data; a cultivation management unit that generates control instructions for the field device for performing cultivation management of the crop based on the growth recipe according to the determined growth stage; and a communication unit that transmits the control instructions to the field device.

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