Dual-Wavelength Pest Control Lighting for Beneficial Insect Retention

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing pest control systems using beneficial insects to eliminate harmful insects are ineffective when the number of harmful insects decreases, as the beneficial insects tend to leave the area, and they require frequent release to maintain effectiveness.

Innovation Solution

A pest control system utilizing a combination of first and second light sources emitting specific wavelengths to different regions within a cultivation area, where the first wavelength suppresses harmful insects and the second wavelength attracts and retains beneficial insects, maintaining a stable insect balance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If beneficial insects are released to eliminate harmful insects, then pest control effectiveness is improved, but the beneficial insects leave the area when harmful insects decrease, requiring frequent re-release

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepest control effectivenessVSAvoidduration beneficial insects stay in area

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDuration of action of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The cultivation region is divided into a first region (larger area) and a second region (smaller area). The first light source is positioned in the first region to suppress harmful insects across a broad area, while the second light source is positioned in the second region to specifically attract and retain beneficial insects. This spatial segmentation allows beneficial insects to be concentrated in a controlled zone where they can effectively prey on harmful insects without dispersing throughout the entire cultivation area.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different regions are assigned different functions through selective lighting. The first region receives light from the first light source optimized for suppressing harmful insects, while the second region receives light from the second light source optimized for attracting beneficial insects. This creates localized zones with different ecological characteristics, allowing beneficial insects to be retained in a specific high-quality zone rather than being dispersed throughout the entire area.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Reliability

If beneficial insects are frequently released to maintain pest control, then pest elimination effectiveness is improved, but operational complexity and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveharmful insect elimination effectivenessVSAvoidfrequency of release operations

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system enables beneficial insects to self-retain and self-sustain in the second region through the selective lighting mechanism. By providing a controlled environment with the second light source, beneficial insects are attracted to and remain in the second region, where they continuously prey on harmful insects. This self-retaining mechanism eliminates the need for frequent external intervention to re-release beneficial insects, reducing operational complexity while maintaining pest control effectiveness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Object-affected harmful factors

If light is emitted to suppress harmful insects, then crop protection is improved, but harmful insects may be attracted to specific areas, creating uneven distribution

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecrop damage from harmful insectsVSAvoiduniformity of harmful insect distribution

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments the lighting function into two distinct light sources with different purposes. The first light source emits light to suppress harmful insects across the first region, while the second light source emits light to attract beneficial insects to the second region. This segmentation prevents harmful insects from being uniformly attracted throughout the entire cultivation area, as the first region's lighting specifically targets harmful insects while the second region's lighting targets beneficial insects, creating a balanced ecological dynamic.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

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 system effectively maintains a predetermined number of beneficial insects for a prolonged period, continuously eliminating harmful insects and reducing the need for frequent releases, thereby enhancing pest control efficiency and crop protection.

Implementation Method 1

a plurality of first light sources configured to emit light with a first wavelength to a first region of a cultivation region in which crops are cultivated, to suppress damage to the crops caused by harmful insects

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectLight suppression:

Implementation Method 2

one or more second light sources configured to emit light with a second wavelength to gather the harmful insects in a second region that is a part of the cultivation region

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectLight attraction:

Implementation Method 3

allowing the predetermined number or more of beneficial insects in the second region to eliminate a certain number of harmful insects among harmful insects entering or generated in the cultivation region

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPredation:

Data Source

PatentUS20260013446A1Pest control system and crop production method

Publication Date: 2026.01.15 NICHIA CORP

AI summary

A pest control system includes a plurality of first light sources configured to emit light with a first wavelength to a first region of a cultivation region in which crops are cultivated, to suppress damage to the crops caused by harmful insects, and one or more second light sources configured to emit light with a second wavelength to gather the harmful insects in a second region that is a part of the cultivation region and smaller than the first region.