Grow Light Color Sensing for Section-Level Harvest Time Estimation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for automatically estimating harvesting time in plant growing environments are complex and expensive, requiring individual fruit ripeness detection for each plant.
Innovation Solution
A system utilizing co-located color sensors with light sources to measure light reflection and cultivation temperature protocols to estimate harvesting time, eliminating the need for individual fruit ripeness detection, and allowing for continuous monitoring of fruit ripeness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If individual fruit ripeness detection is performed for each plant using imaging techniques, then harvesting time estimation accuracy is improved, but system complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the plant growing environment into multiple sections, with each section monitored by dedicated color sensors co-located with light sources. This segmentation allows ripeness monitoring at section level rather than requiring individual plant analysis, reducing system complexity while maintaining estimation accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
Color sensors serve as intermediary devices that indirectly measure fruit ripeness through light reflection characteristics. Instead of directly analyzing each fruit, the sensors detect changes in reflected light color, which correlates with ripeness stages. This intermediary approach simplifies measurement while preserving accuracy.
2Measurement precision
If individual fruit ripeness detection is performed for each plant, then harvesting time estimation accuracy is improved, but implementation cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses inexpensive color sensors instead of expensive imaging techniques like Time-Of-Flight cameras or LiDAR. These simple color sensors can be mass-produced at low cost and integrated with standard horticulture light sources, making the system economically viable for commercial greenhouse operations.
Solution Approach 2:
Horticulture light sources serve dual functions: providing necessary illumination for plant growth and enabling ripeness detection through integrated color sensors. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate expensive imaging systems, reducing overall implementation cost while maintaining measurement precision.
3Ease of manufacture
If manual harvesting time estimation is performed, then system cost is reduced, but productivity and accuracy decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables automatic harvesting time estimation by having the horticulture light sources and co-located color sensors continuously monitor their own section without external intervention. This self-service capability provides continuous automated data collection and analysis, improving productivity while keeping system costs low through the use of simple sensors.
4Measurement precision
If continuous monitoring of fruit ripeness is implemented, then harvesting time estimation accuracy is improved, but measurement complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Color sensors act as intermediaries that continuously monitor light reflection from fruits, translating complex ripeness changes into simple color metric variations. This intermediary measurement approach enables continuous monitoring without requiring complex analysis of each fruit's physical properties, maintaining precision while reducing measurement 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
Enables cost-effective and accurate estimation of harvesting time without requiring expensive components, suitable for plants like tomatoes, bell peppers, and orchids, with the ability to adjust environmental parameters for target harvesting.
Implementation Method 1
obtain, via said at least one sensor interface, light measurement information from one or more color sensors when said one or more color sensors are co-located with said one or more light sources
Data Source
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AI summary
A system for estimating a harvesting time in a plant growing environment is configured to determine a light setting used by one or more light sources (11) to illuminate a section (45) of the plant growing environment with horticulture grow light. The light setting comprises at least a color component associated with the section of the plant growing environment. The system is further configured to obtain light measurement information from one or more color sensors (21) when the one or more color sensors are co-located with the one or more light sources. The system is configured to estimate a harvesting time for the section of the plant growing environment based on the light measurement information, an intensity of the color component in the light setting and a cultivation temperature protocol for the section of the plant growing environment. The cultivation temperature protocol comprises one or more assumed cultivation temperatures.