Sensor-Activated Lighting for Agricultural Growing-Table Height Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional lighting systems for indoor agricultural growing tables are expensive, difficult to adjust, and time-consuming to operate, necessitating manual overhead mechanisms for adjusting the distance between lighting and plants, which can cause harm to plants due to excessive light intensities.
Innovation Solution
A sensor-activated lighting system that automates the vertical movement of lighting elements based on sensed plant parameters, using sensors to adjust the distance between lighting elements and plants to optimize lighting efficiency while avoiding harm.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual overhead mechanisms are used to adjust the distance between lighting system and plants, then the lighting system can be positioned at optimal distance, but the system becomes expensive, hard to change and time consuming to operate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual overhead mechanical adjustment mechanisms with an automated system using sensors (optical, capacitive, or inductive) to detect plant growth and automatically adjust the vertical position of lighting elements through electric motors or actuators, eliminating the need for manual rigging and pulley systems
Solution Approach 2:
The lighting system performs self-adjustment by using integrated sensors to monitor plant parameters and automatically repositioning lighting elements to optimal distances without human intervention, making the system service itself
2Use of energy by moving object
If the distance between lighting system and plants is reduced to maximize lighting efficiency, then light intensity increases, but harm is inflicted to the indoor plants due to excessive light intensities
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs sensors (optical, capacitive, or inductive) to continuously monitor plant parameters and provides feedback to the control system, which automatically adjusts the vertical position of lighting elements to maintain optimal distance and prevent excessive light intensity from harming the plants
Solution Approach 2:
The lighting system dynamically adjusts its vertical position relative to the plants based on real-time sensor data, allowing the distance to change automatically as plants grow, thereby maintaining optimal lighting efficiency without causing harm from excessive intensity
Data Source
AI summary
A sensor-activated lighting system is provided. The sensor-activated lighting system includes a plurality of lighting elements positioned proximate to one or more plants. The lighting elements are configured to provide light spectrums and intensities suitable for the growing the plants. A plurality of sensors is mounted in proximity to the plants and is configured to sense a plant related parameter. The sensors are further configured to communicate the sensed parameter. A motive force receives the communication from the sensors actuates movement the lighting elements in a vertical direction in response to the received communication. The sensors and the motive force cooperate to automate the vertical movement of the plurality of lighting elements based on the parameter sensed by the plurality of sensors, thereby maximizing a lighting efficiency of the plurality of lighting elements while avoiding the infliction of harm to the plants due to excessive light intensities.