Automated Plant Group Tracking Using Natural Visual Features
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Solution Overview
Problem
Tracking objects like plants, animals, or groups thereof without explicit visual identifier devices such as RFID tags or visual tracking tags incurs significant human resource overhead and reduces operational efficiency.
Innovation Solution
Utilizing image feature data to automatically group and track plants by generating unique plant identifier (UPI) feature sets from image sensors, eliminating the need for physical tags through machine learning and computer vision algorithms.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If explicit visual identifier devices such as RFID tags or visual tracking tags are used to track plants, then tracking reliability is improved, but device complexity and human resource overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the identification function from physical tags and embeds it directly into the plant's visual characteristics. By using the plant's natural appearance features (shape, color, texture) as identifiers, the system removes the need for separate RFID tags or visual tracking tags, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining tracking reliability through consistent visual feature recognition across multiple images
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a digital copy of the plant's visual characteristics through image capture and processing. Instead of attaching physical tags, the system captures visual information through cameras and creates digital representations (feature vectors) that serve as unique identifiers. This digital copying approach eliminates physical tags while preserving the ability to reliably identify and track individual plants throughout the grow facility
2Measurement precision
If explicit visual identifier devices are deployed for tracking plants, then tracking precision is improved, but human resource overhead and operational cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a self-service tracking system where plants are automatically identified and tracked through their inherent visual characteristics without requiring human intervention for tag placement or maintenance. The image capture system automatically detects, extracts features from, and tracks plants based on their natural appearance, eliminating the need for workers to manually handle tags or update tracking information, thereby reducing human resource overhead while maintaining precise tracking
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical system of physical tag attachment and manual tracking with an optical and computational system. Cameras capture images, and computer vision algorithms automatically extract visual features and track plants based on these features. This substitution eliminates the manual labor required for tag management while achieving precise tracking through automated image analysis and feature matching across multiple time points
3Measurement precision
If visual identifier devices are used to track plants, then plant identification accuracy is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to manual placement and maintenance requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the identification function from external tags and integrates it into the plant's own visual characteristics. By using the plant's natural features (leaf patterns, stem color, overall shape) as identifiers, the system eliminates the need for separate visual identifier devices that would require manual placement and maintenance. This approach maintains high identification accuracy while dramatically improving ease of operation, as the system automatically captures and processes visual data without human intervention
Data Source
AI summary
A plant or a group of plants in a grow facility may be registered for tracking based on a corresponding unique plant identifier (UPI) feature set as extracted from one or more images captured by a plurality of image sensors monitoring the grow facility. One or more locations of the plant or the group of plants in the grow facility at one or more dates and times may be identified based on the corresponding UPI feature set as the plant or the group of plants grow in the grow facility. The plant or the group of plants may be de-registered from being tracked based on the corresponding UPI feature set when the plant or the group of plants reaches an end of a growth cycle in the grow facility. Alternatively, visual identifier devices and/or regions of interest (ROIs) may be used with or without UPI feature sets for such tracking.