Adaptive Crop Growing System for Consumer Quality Requirements

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing crop growing methods fail to consider various variables such as crop type, soil characteristics, weather influences, and consumer requirements for specific quality characteristics, limiting the ability to produce crops that meet predetermined objectives for different uses.

Innovation Solution

A system comprising input means, a database, and processing means that receives growing objectives and crop/state data to determine instructions for achieving specific growth criteria, including fertilizer application, irrigation, and harvesting schedules, based on historic data and real-time measurements.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If a predetermined temperature and air humidity profile is used for growing crops, then the growing process can be standardized, but the system cannot adapt to various crop types, soil characteristics, weather influences, and consumer requirements

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestandardization of growing processVSAvoidadaptability to crop types and consumer requirements
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adapts the growing profile by processing consumer requirements and crop-specific data to generate customized temperature, humidity, and care instructions. The system transitions from static predetermined profiles to dynamic adaptive profiles that respond to varying conditions and requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes multiple growing parameters simultaneously (temperature, humidity, care instructions) based on processed input data about consumer requirements and crop characteristics. This allows customization of the growing environment to match specific needs while maintaining systematic control.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Ease of operation

If generic growing methods are used, then the system is simple to operate, but the produce cannot meet specific quality characteristics and consumer requirements

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesimplicity of system operationVSAvoidquality characteristics of produce
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system creates customized growing profiles that copy and adapt proven growing patterns for specific crop types and consumer requirements. Instead of requiring users to design growing conditions from scratch, the system replicates successful patterns and customizes them based on input data.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The system serves multiple functions: it processes consumer requirements, determines crop-specific criteria, generates customized growing profiles, and provides care instructions. This multi-functionality allows a single simple interface to handle diverse growing needs while maintaining high precision.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Manufacturing precision

If customized growing profiles are generated for each consumer requirement, then the produce quality is optimized, but the system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveproduce quality optimizationVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system automatically processes consumer requirements and generates customized growing profiles without requiring user expertise. The complexity of determining optimal growing conditions is handled by the system itself through automated data processing and profile generation, keeping the user interface simple.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system acts as an intermediary between consumer requirements and the actual growing process. It processes complex requirements and translates them into actionable growing profiles and care instructions, mediating between the diverse needs of consumers and the specific requirements of crop cultivation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP1872651B1System and method for growing crops
Publication Date: 2012.11.14 T T W SYST BV
  • EP1872651B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP1872651B1 patent drawingFigure 2

AI summary

A system for growing a crop comprises input means for inputting data relating to the growing of the crop. The system also comprises a database in which to store input data, processing means for generating an instruction on the basis of at least a part of the stored data and/or the input data. The system furthermore comprises output means for providing the instruction to a user of the system. The processing means are equipped to: a) receive a growing objective for the crop input by the user by means of the input means; b) determine a criterion for growing the crop on the basis of at least the growing objective input in step a) and data stored in the database; c) receive data input by means of the input means relating to the state of the crop and/or the piece of land on which the crop is to be grown; d) determine an instruction for achieving the criterion on the basis of the data stored in the database and the datum input in step c); and e) provide the instruction by means of the output means.