Optical Detection Unit Soiling Control for Agricultural Spraying
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Solution Overview
Problem
Camera or video-based sensors in crop protection applications face the risk of dirt deposition on the lens, leading to reduced light intensity and image quality due to contaminants like clay, silt, sand, dust, and spray drops, which affects the optical beam passage and image quality.
Innovation Solution
An agricultural spray device with an optical detection unit that determines the degree of contamination of its optical elements and adjusts the spray fluid delivery accordingly, using a control unit to manage the piping unit and ensure efficient and targeted application of the spray fluid based on the contamination level, preventing incorrect application and ensuring effective plant protection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the optical detection unit operates in crop protection applications, then the spray fluid can be applied based on image analysis, but dirt deposition on the lens reduces light intensity and image quality
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary detection of the optical element's contamination state before image-based spray application. By evaluating the optical beam passage or image quality in advance, the system can determine whether the optical element is sufficiently clean for reliable operation, and trigger cleaning operations proactively before contamination degrades performance below acceptable thresholds
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors the optical element's contamination state by detecting optical beam passage characteristics or image quality metrics. This feedback loop enables real-time assessment of lens cleanliness and automatic adjustment of cleaning operations to maintain optimal performance, creating a closed-loop control system that adapts to changing contamination conditions
2Productivity
If the optical detection unit continues to operate with contaminated lens, then the system remains functional, but incorrect spray application occurs leading to untreated or over-treated areas
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary evaluation of optical element contamination before allowing spray application to proceed. By assessing the optical beam passage or image quality in advance, the system ensures that spray decisions are based on reliable data, preventing incorrect application while maintaining productivity when conditions are acceptable
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors image quality or optical beam passage characteristics and uses this feedback to validate the reliability of spray decisions. When contamination degrades image quality below thresholds for reliable analysis, the system automatically suspends spray application until cleaning restores acceptable performance, ensuring precision without sacrificing unnecessary productivity
3Illumination intensity
If the optical element is cleaned frequently, then image quality is maintained, but spray fluid may be applied unnecessarily to already clean areas
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously monitors the optical element's contamination state and compares it against predefined thresholds. Cleaning operations are triggered only when contamination exceeds the threshold, and spray application is suspended when contamination is below the threshold, creating an efficient feedback-controlled system that eliminates unnecessary interventions and reduces waste
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses objectively measurable parameters such as optical beam passage intensity or image quality metrics to determine cleaning and spray decisions. By establishing quantitative thresholds for these parameters, the system automatically adjusts its behavior based on actual contamination levels rather than arbitrary schedules, optimizing both image quality and resource efficiency
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
The invention proposes a method (100) for dispensing a spray liquid onto an agricultural surface by means of an agricultural spraying device that has an optical detection unit for detecting (130) the agricultural surface and a spraying unit for dispensing (160) the spray liquid, the method comprising the following steps: - determining (110) a degree of soiling of an optical element of the optical detection unit; and - dispensing (160) the spray liquid onto the agricultural surface by means of the spraying unit according to the determined degree of soiling.