Dual-Camera Thermal/Visible Imaging for Crop–Soil Temperature Separation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current crop water stress monitoring and evapotranspiration (ET) estimation rely on approximations based on single radiometer measurements, which mix crop and soil temperatures, especially under sunlit or shaded conditions, lacking accurate imagery-based methods for agricultural applications.
Innovation Solution
A dual smart camera (DSC) system integrates a miniature thermal and RGB camera with a single board computer, capturing simultaneous thermal and color images, segmenting them into surface temperature components like sunlit and shaded soil, vegetation, and snow, and using an energy balance model to estimate ET.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If single radiometer measurements are used for ET estimation, then device complexity is reduced, but measurement precision deteriorates due to mixing crop and soil temperatures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the thermal image into distinct crop and soil temperature regions using image processing algorithms. This allows separate measurement of crop canopy temperature and soil temperature, eliminating the mixing problem inherent in single radiometer measurements while maintaining a relatively simple device architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an image processing algorithm as an intermediary between the thermal imaging sensor and the ET calculation. This algorithm processes the thermal image to extract accurate crop temperature data, serving as a mediator that enables precise measurement without requiring complex hardware modifications.
2Measurement precision
If thermal images are used for crop stress monitoring, then measurement precision improves, but device complexity increases due to need for simultaneous thermal and visible imaging
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges a thermal imaging camera with a visible light camera into an integrated dual-camera system. This combination allows simultaneous capture of thermal and visible images, enabling accurate crop stress monitoring through temperature measurement while maintaining synchronized multi-spectral data acquisition.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a multi-functional imaging system that can perform both crop stress monitoring through thermal imaging and visual documentation through visible imaging. The system serves multiple purposes including ET estimation, stress detection, and general agricultural monitoring, reducing the need for separate specialized devices.
3Measurement precision
If existing combined thermal and visible imagers are used, then measurement precision improves, but cost increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs commercially available, relatively low-cost thermal and visible cameras instead of expensive specialized agricultural imaging systems. By using off-the-shelf components and processing them through custom algorithms, the system achieves high measurement precision at a fraction of the cost of dedicated agricultural imaging equipment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces complex mechanical or specialized optical systems with a software-based solution. Instead of using expensive dedicated agricultural imaging equipment, the system uses standard cameras with custom image processing algorithms to achieve accurate ET estimation and crop stress monitoring, substituting computational complexity for mechanical complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The DSC provides accurate ET estimation and crop stress monitoring by segmenting and analyzing thermal and color images, improving precision and reducing costs compared to existing systems.
Implementation Method 1
a thermal image is acquired substantially simultaneously, each capturing a target of interest associated with an agricultural crop
Implementation Method 2
a color image and a thermal image are acquired substantially simultaneously, each capturing a target of interest
Data Source
AI summary
Method, apparatus, and computer program product are disclosed for estimating evapotranspiration (ET) using thermal and optical images. In some embodiments, a color image and a thermal image are acquired substantially simultaneously, each capturing a target of interest associated with an agricultural crop. Features, including color features and/or texture features, are extracted from the color image. The color image is segmented into surface temperature components based on the extracted features. The surface temperature components are selected from the group consisting of sunlit soil, sunlit residue, sunlit vegetation, sunlit snow, shaded soil, shaded residue, shaded vegetation, and shaded snow. The color image and the thermal image are co-registered to provide a registered thermal image. A component temperature is assigned to each of the surface temperature components by applying component masks to the registered thermal image. ET is estimated based on the component temperatures using an energy balance model or other ET model.