Agricultural Spot-Spraying Optical Head for Shadow-Reduced Imaging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing agricultural spraying systems face challenges in achieving homogeneous and constant illumination of crop plots, leading to shadowy areas and difficulties in image processing, especially under varying lighting conditions.
Innovation Solution
A localized spraying system with variable intensity light sources for each camera, adjusting light emission based on real-time image analysis to match ambient conditions, ensuring uniform illumination and robust image processing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If spotlights are installed on the spray boom to illuminate the scene, then illumination intensity is improved, but shadowy areas appear in the images due to axial shift between light beam and camera viewing axes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the illumination source and camera into a single integrated optical unit, positioning the light source such that its optical axis is substantially aligned with the camera's viewing axis. This merging eliminates the axial shift problem that causes shadows, as the light originates from the same position as the camera viewpoint, ensuring uniform illumination without shadowy areas in the captured images.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary optical element (such as a diffuser or reflector) between the spotlight and the scene to redistribute light more uniformly. This intermediary component modifies the light path to reduce harsh shadows while maintaining adequate illumination intensity, thereby improving image quality without sacrificing illumination.
2Illumination intensity
If spotlights are installed on the spray boom, then illumination is provided for night spraying, but the lighting conditions vary over time and space due to environmental factors
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs adjustable and controllable illumination sources that can dynamically adapt their intensity and positioning. The system includes controllable LEDs or other adjustable light sources that can be regulated in real-time to compensate for varying environmental conditions such as ambient light levels, cloud cover, and shadowing from trees or structures, thereby maintaining consistent lighting conditions throughout the spraying operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes illumination sources with variable parameters (intensity, color temperature, beam angle) that can be adjusted to match different environmental conditions. By changing these parameters dynamically, the system maintains optimal and consistent lighting for image acquisition regardless of external factors like time of day, weather, or surrounding vegetation.
3Area of stationary object
If multiple cameras are distributed along the transversal axis to cover the entire plot width, then image coverage is improved, but the complexity of the image acquisition system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the spray boom into multiple sections, each equipped with its own integrated camera-illumination unit. This segmentation allows each unit to independently capture images of its specific zone, simplifying the overall system architecture while achieving complete coverage. Each segmented unit operates autonomously, reducing the complexity of data processing and control compared to a single complex camera system.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent designs universal integrated optical units that combine camera, illumination source, and image processing capabilities in a standardized module. These multi-functional units can be replicated across multiple positions on the spray boom, reducing overall system complexity through standardization while maintaining comprehensive image coverage of the entire plot width.
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 consistent and efficient image acquisition for precise localized spraying by adapting light intensity to changing environmental conditions, improving image quality and reducing shadow formation.
Implementation Method 1
an illumination source (170), arranged to emit light with a variable intensity
Data Source
AI summary
The invention belongs to the field of agricultural spot-spraying using an agricultural machine. The invention relates to a spot-spraying system. According to the invention, the spraying system comprises: # a plurality of spraying sections arranged to spray the treatment product onto areas of a plot: # an optical head comprising a camera generating a sequence of images at acquisition times (tacq) and a light source emitting a beam of light in the direction of the plot with a variable light intensity: # a spraying control unit configured to process the images of the sequence at processing times (ttrait) and to control the spraying sections individually according to the image processing; and # a light control unit arranged to determine the light intensity of the light beam to be emitted by the light source at each processing time (ttrait), said light intensity being determined according to an image of the sequence of images taken at an acquisition time preceding the processing time in question.