Modular Farm Control System for Urban Agriculture

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Solution Overview

Problem

Traditional farming methods face challenges in sustainability, especially in urban areas where space and resources are limited, and existing hydroponic systems are not easily transportable or adaptable for urban use, leading to high start-up and operational costs.

Innovation Solution

A control and monitoring system for a network of modular farms that aggregates data from multiple farms to optimize crop yield, equipment maintenance, and resource management, allowing for centralized control of lighting, irrigation, and climate systems, and provides notifications for optimal growing conditions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If traditional farming methods are used, then large acreage and upfront costs are required, but this makes the system economically unsustainable and environmentally damaging

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecrop production efficiencyVSAvoidacreage required

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The farming system is divided into modular container units that can be independently deployed and scaled. Each container is a self-contained growing environment with its own climate control, irrigation, and lighting systems, allowing urban agriculture to be implemented in distributed locations rather than requiring large continuous acreage.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system transitions from two-dimensional horizontal farming to three-dimensional vertical farming within containers. Multiple growing racks are stacked vertically, maximizing crop production per unit of ground space and enabling high-density agriculture in urban environments where land is premium.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Productivity

If hydroponic systems are designed for agricultural settings, then high yield is achieved, but the systems are not easily transportable or adaptable for urban use

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecrop yieldVSAvoidadaptability to urban environments

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The hydroponic system is segmented into standardized modular components including container frames, growing racks, reservoirs, and control systems. This modular design allows the system to be transported as discrete units and assembled in various urban configurations, adapting to different space constraints and infrastructure conditions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The container system is designed as a universal platform that can be deployed in multiple urban settings (rooftops, vacant lots, indoor spaces) and configured for different crop types. The standardized interface and modular components enable the same basic system to serve diverse urban agriculture needs across different locations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Ease of operation

If greenhouses are built in urban areas, then local crop production is enabled, but start-up and operating costs become prohibitively high

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelocal crop production capabilityVSAvoidstart-up and operating costs

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses commercially available standardized containers (such as shipping containers or modular storage containers) rather than custom-built greenhouse structures. These off-the-shelf containers significantly reduce start-up costs and can be deployed quickly, making urban agriculture economically accessible to smaller operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Solution Approach 2:

Multiple functional systems (climate control, irrigation, lighting, monitoring) are integrated into a single unified container platform with shared infrastructure. This consolidation reduces overall system complexity and operating costs compared to separate greenhouse systems, while maintaining full local production capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

4Area of stationary object

If rooftop greenhouses are installed, then urban space is utilized, but structural engineering evaluation and additional bracing are required

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverooftop space utilizationVSAvoidstructural engineering requirements

Core Design Contradiction:

Area of stationary objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The heavy structural support functions are extracted from the container system itself and placed onto the existing rooftop infrastructure. The standardized container design allows the building structure to bear the load, while the container provides only the growing environment, simplifying the overall structural requirements compared to self-supported greenhouse structures.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentUS20190133026A1Modular Farm Control and Monitoring System

Publication Date: 2019.05.09 GROWCER CORP

AI summary

A system and method for monitoring and controlling a modular farm are provided. The system includes a farm networking service that provides monitoring and control of farm operations for farms that are part of the network. The farm networking service can transmit controlling instructions and notifications to the farms in the network. Users can upload data associated with a farm and farm operations to the farm networking service. The farm networking service can learn from aggregated data to enable best practices, crop recipes, and other information for all of the farms in the network.