JP7526486B2 - Environmental information acquisition device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an environmental information acquisition device.

Conventionally, known techniques for acquiring environmental information such as the temperature and humidity around a plant being grown include measuring at multiple points in a field, or wirelessly connecting temperature and humidity sensors to acquire the sensor detection results via wireless communication (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2, and Non-Patent Documents 1 to 3).

JP 2020-46386 A JP 2019-118282 A

Nao Takakura, "What to measure in greenhouses and greenhouses, and for what purpose?" Agriculture and Horticulture, Vol. 91, No. 8, Page. 789-794 (2016.08.01) Toshiaki Sugihara et al., "Case study of heat and humidity distribution measurement in greenhouse horticulture - Proposal and implementation of a multi-point measurement method -", Transactions of the Society of Instrument and Control Engineers, Vol. 52, No. 3, 2016, pp. 195-204 Takahiro Masui et al., "A Study on Explicit Knowledge of Agricultural Technology Using High-Density Wireless Sensor Networks," Proceedings of the IPSJ Symposium 11, pp. 95-100, 2010

However, no consideration was given to obtaining measurement results for multiple items for the same seedling or multiple points in its vicinity. As a result, there were cases where appropriate plant environmental information could not be obtained.

The present invention has been made in consideration of these circumstances, and aims to provide an environmental information acquisition device that can acquire environmental information about plants more appropriately.

The environmental information acquisition device according to the present invention employs the following configuration.
A first aspect of the present invention is an environmental information acquisition device that includes a communication cable arranged along the main stem of a plant, one or more sensors for acquiring at least one of information on the leaf surface environment of the plant, information on the environment in the vicinity of the plant, and information on the fruit of the plant, an environmental adjustment device that is detachably connected to the communication cable and adjusts the environment surrounding the plant, and a control device that collects information acquired from the one or more sensors, wherein the communication cable has a plurality of connection ports, and the one or more sensors, the environmental adjustment device, and the control device are detachably attached to the connection ports.

In the second aspect of the environmental information acquisition device of the present invention, the control device further operates the environmental adjustment device based on the surrounding environment of the plant acquired by the one or more sensors.

The third aspect of the present invention is an environmental information acquisition device, wherein the environmental adjustment device further includes a device that adjusts at least one of the temperature, humidity, or illuminance around the plant.

The fourth aspect of the present invention is an environmental information acquisition device, wherein the environmental adjustment device further includes a device for cutting at least one of the branches, leaves, or fruits of the plant from the main stem.

In the fifth aspect of the environmental information acquisition device of the present invention, the control device further operates the environmental adjustment device so that the surrounding environment of the plant acquired by the one or more sensors satisfies a predetermined condition.

The sixth aspect of the present invention, the environmental information acquisition device, further includes a relay connector for connecting the communication cable to another communication cable.

In the seventh aspect of the present invention, the environmental information acquisition device further includes a control device that includes a supply control unit that controls the supply of power to the one or more sensors, a storage control unit that stores the results detected by the one or more sensors in a storage unit, and a communication control unit that transmits the results detected by the one or more sensors to an external device.

The eighth aspect of the present invention is an environmental information acquisition device, further comprising a position estimation unit for estimating the respective positions of the one or more sensors and the environmental adjustment device based on the installation position of the control device, based on the position of the connection port to which the control device is connected and the positions of the connection ports to which the one or more sensors and the environmental adjustment device are connected.

The ninth aspect of the present invention is an environmental information acquisition device, further comprising: the supply control unit supplies power to the one or more sensors and the environmental adjustment device at a predetermined interval or when an instruction is received from the external device by the communication control unit.

The environmental information acquisition device according to a tenth aspect of the present invention further comprises a communication control unit that transmits the detection results of the one or more sensors stored in the memory unit to the external device at a predetermined interval or when the communication control unit receives an instruction from the external device.

According to this aspect of the present invention, environmental information about plants can be obtained more appropriately.

1 is a configuration diagram of an environmental information acquisition system 1 including an environmental information acquisition device according to a first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining a nearby environment sensor 130. 4 is a diagram for explaining a fruit sensor 140. FIG. 10A to 10C are diagrams for explaining specific examples of the fruit sensor 140. FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of a control device 150 according to the first embodiment. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a schematic configuration of a communication cable 110A having address lines. 13 is a diagram for explaining the contents of sensor acquisition information 159A. FIG. 11A and 11B are diagrams for explaining the installation of communication cables and sensors according to the growth of a plant. FIG. 11 is a configuration diagram of an environmental information acquisition device 100A according to a second embodiment. 11 is a diagram showing an example in which a vibrator 182 is connected to an environmental information acquisition device 100A. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of an environmental information acquisition device 100A suspended from a beam 190 suspended above. 1 is a diagram showing an example of an environmental information acquisition device 100A including a pillar-shaped communication cable 110D. FIG. FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating an example of functions of a control device 150A according to a second embodiment.

Below, an embodiment of the environmental information acquisition device of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

First Embodiment
[overall structure]
FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of an environmental information acquisition system 1 including an environmental information acquisition device according to the first embodiment. The environmental information acquisition system 1 includes, for example, an environmental information acquisition device 100 and an information processing device 200. The environmental information acquisition device 100 and the information processing device 200 are communicably connected via, for example, a network NW. The network NW includes, for example, a Wi-Fi network, a cellular network, the Internet, a Wide Area Network (WAN), a Local Area Network (LAN), a provider device, a wireless base station, and the like. The environmental information acquisition system 1 may include one or more environmental information acquisition devices 100. The environmental information acquisition device 100 is provided for each plant seedling (individual), for example. The environmental information acquisition device 100 may also be provided for each plant stock. The information processing device 200 is an example of an "external device."

The environmental information acquisition device 100, for example, measures environmental information of a target seedling, stores the measured information, and transmits it to the information processing device 200 via the network NW at a predetermined timing. The information processing device 200 acquires environmental information measured by one or more environmental information acquisition devices 100 via the network NW, and performs an integrated analysis or interpretation of the acquired information to analyze the growth status of each seedling, analyze the environment of a predetermined area such as a field, estimate the harvest time, etc. The information processing device 200 is, for example, a general-purpose PC (Personal Computer) or a server device. The information processing device 200 may also be a cloud computing system realized by a server device or a storage device. The information processing device 200 may also be a communication terminal such as a smartphone or a tablet terminal.

[Environmental information acquisition device]
Next, the environmental information acquisition device 100 according to the first embodiment will be specifically described. The environmental information acquisition device 100 includes, for example, a communication cable 110, a leaf surface environment sensor 120, a nearby environment sensor 130, and a fruit The environmental information acquisition device 100 includes a sensor 140 and a control device 150. The leaf surface environment sensor 120, the nearby environment sensor 130, and the fruit sensor 140 are examples of the "one or more sensors." It is sufficient to include at least one of the environmental sensor 120, the nearby environmental sensor 130, and the fruit sensor 140.

The communication cable 110 is arranged, for example, along the main stem MS of the target plant PL. Along the main stem MS includes being within a predetermined distance from the main stem MS. For example, at least a portion of the communication cable 110 is fixed to the main stem MS by the fixing part 160. The fixing part 160 may be, for example, a clip-shaped part that holds the main stem MS and the communication cable 110 together, or a ring-shaped part that holds the communication cable 110 and the main stem MS within its diameter. The communication cable 110 may also be arranged along the main stem MS by wrapping it around the main stem MS. In this way, by fixing at least a portion of the communication cable 110 to the main stem MS using the fixing part 160, the position of the communication cable 110 can be moved as it grows. Note that the communication cable 110 may be bent in parts other than the part fixed by the fixing part 160. In this case, the amount of bending may be increased as the position fixed by the fixing part 160 is closer to the growth point. The growing point is, for example, near the tip of the main stem PL.

The communication cable 110 is provided with a plurality of connection ports 112 that can be detachably connected to the leaf surface environment sensor 120, the nearby environment sensor 130, the fruit sensor 140, and the control device 150, and can transmit and receive signals and supply power when connected. For example, one or more connection ports 112 are provided at predetermined intervals. The connection ports 112 have a shape determined by a communication standard or the like, and may be concave or convex, and may be provided with a connector or the like. The connection ports 112 provided at different positions may face the same direction or different directions. Each of the leaf surface environment sensor 120, the nearby environment sensor 130, and the fruit sensor 140 has, for example, a cord of a predetermined length, the end of which is connected to the connection port 112.

The communication cable 110 may also be provided with a relay connector 114 for connecting to other communication cables. The relay connector 114 has a shape determined by, for example, a communication standard. The relay connector 114 is provided, for example, at both ends or one end of the communication cable 110. The communication cable 110 can be branched by allowing other communication cables to be connected to the relay connector 114. Therefore, when the stem branches, the communication cable 110 can be arranged along each stem. The relay connector 114 may be detachably connected to, for example, the leaf surface environment sensor 120, the nearby environment sensor 130, the fruit sensor 140, and the control device 150.

The leaf surface environment sensor 120 acquires environmental information about the leaf surface of the plant PL. The leaf surface environment sensor 120 detects, for example, the illuminance (or degree of sunlight) on the surface of the leaf, the temperature and humidity (one or both of temperature and humidity) on the back surface of the leaf, the leaf color, and the concentration of carbon dioxide emitted from the leaf. The leaf surface environment sensor 120 is attached to one or more of the multiple leaves growing from the branches of the plant PL.

The nearby environment sensor 130 acquires environmental information in the vicinity of the plant PL. FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining the nearby environment sensor 130. The nearby environment sensor 130 includes, for example, a stem sensor 132 and a nearby sensor 134. The stem sensor 132 is attached so as to be in contact with the main stem MS. The stem sensor 132 detects, for example, the illuminance (or degree of sunlight), temperature, humidity, and carbon dioxide concentration at the attachment position. The stem sensor 132 may also detect the state of translocation within the main stem MS (for example, the state of transport of photosynthetic products and nutrients).

The proximity sensor 134 is attached near the main stem MS, for example, by utilizing the length of the cord CD. Near means, for example, a range where the distance D1 from the main stem MS is within a predetermined distance Dth. Near may also mean a range where the distance from a predetermined position such as the apical bud of the plant PL is within a predetermined distance Dth. The predetermined distance Dth may be changed depending on the plant species. The proximity sensor 134 detects, for example, the illuminance (or degree of sunlight), temperature, humidity, carbon dioxide concentration, etc. near the sensor. Also, the proximity environment sensor 130 does not need to include either the stem sensor 132 or the proximity sensor 134.

The fruit sensor 140 detects information about the fruit on the plant PL. Figure 3 is a diagram for explaining the fruit sensor 140. Figure 3 shows an example of three tomatoes TO1 to TO3 growing on a branch BL extending from a main stem MS. Tomatoes TO1 to TO3 are an example of fruit. The fruit sensor 140 may be attached to all the fruits on the branch BL, or to one or more fruits depending on their size, color, and position. In the example of Figure 3, fruit sensors 140-1 to 140-3 are attached to each of the tomatoes TO1 to TO3 via a cord CD connected to the connection port 112.

Figure 4 is a diagram for explaining a specific example of the fruit sensor 140. Note that the example in Figure 4 shows the fruit sensor 140-1 attached to the tomato TO1 shown in Figure 3, but the configuration of the other fruit sensors is similar. The fruit sensor 140-1 includes, for example, a sunshine sensor 141-1, a temperature and humidity sensor 142-1, a color sensor 143-1, and a thin-film actual temperature sensor 144-1. The fruit sensor 140-1 is pressed against the tomato TO1 by, for example, the stress of the overhead line section (cord CD) or gravity. The fruit sensor 140-1 may also be attached by adhesive or a mounting member, etc.

The sunshine sensor 141-1 acquires the illuminance (or degree of sunlight) at the installation position. The temperature and humidity sensor 142-1 acquires one or both of the temperature and humidity around the fruit. The color sensor 143-1 acquires, for example, color information on the surface (attached position) of the tomato TO1. The thin-film actual temperature sensor 144-1 acquires the internal temperature of the tomato TO1.

For example, one or more of the leaf surface environment sensor 120, the nearby environment sensor 130, and the fruit sensor 140 are each provided at different height positions on the plant PL. In the example of FIG. 1, leaf surface environment sensors 120A-120C, nearby environment sensors 130A-130B, and the fruit sensor 140 are provided. Each of the above-mentioned sensors operates under the control of the control device 150, and the results (sensing data) acquired (measured) by the sensors are output to the control device 150 via the communication cable 110.

The control device 150 collects information obtained from one or more of the leaf surface environment sensors 120-1 to 120-3, the nearby environment sensors 130-1 to 130-2, and the fruit sensor 140. FIG. 5 is a configuration diagram of the control device 150 according to the first embodiment. The control device 150 includes, for example, a connection unit 151, a communication device 152, a battery 153, a position acquisition device 154, a communication control unit 155, a memory control unit 156, a supply control unit 157, a sensor position estimation unit 158, and a memory unit 159. Each of the communication control unit 155, the memory control unit 156, the supply control unit 157, and the sensor position estimation unit 158 is realized by, for example, a hardware processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) executing a program (software). In addition, some or all of these components may be realized by hardware (including circuitry) such as an LSI (Large Scale Integration), an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), an FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array), or a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), or may be realized by a combination of software and hardware. The program may be stored in advance in a storage device (storage device having a non-transient storage medium) such as an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) or flash memory of the control device 150, or may be stored in a removable storage medium such as a DVD or CD-ROM, and installed in the HDD or flash memory of the control device 150 by mounting the storage medium (non-transient storage medium) in a drive device. The sensor position estimation unit 158 is an example of a "position estimation unit".

The storage unit 159 may be realized by the above-mentioned various storage devices, or a solid state drive (SSD), an electrically erasable programmable read only memory (EEPROM), a read only memory (ROM), or a random access memory (RAM). The storage unit 159 stores, for example, sensor acquisition information 159A, programs, and various other information. The sensor acquisition information 159A stores, for example, the results of measurements made by a group of sensors connected to the communication cable 110, such as the leaf surface environment sensor 120, the nearby environment sensor 130, and the fruit sensor 140. Details of the sensor acquisition information 159A will be described later.

The connection unit 151 is a connection terminal that connects to the connection port 112 or relay connector 114 of the communication cable 110 to communicate. The connection terminal has a shape that allows it to be attached to or detached from the connection port 112 or relay connector 114. The connection unit 151 acquires information detected by, for example, one or more sensors (leaf surface environment sensor 120, nearby environment sensor 130, fruit sensor 140) connected to the communication cable 110.

The communication device 152 communicates with the information processing device 200 or other devices via the network NW.

The battery 153 is an energy source, and is, for example, a battery that can be repeatedly charged and discharged, such as a nickel-metal hydride battery, a lithium-ion secondary battery, or a sodium-ion battery. The battery 153 is equipped with a battery sensor that detects the current value, voltage value, and temperature of the battery 153. The battery 153 may also be connected to, for example, an external charging facility and charged with power supplied from a charging/discharging device. In the first embodiment, an energy source such as a dry cell or a solar cell may be used instead of the battery 153.

The position acquisition device 154 acquires the position of the control device 150. The position acquisition device 154 acquires the position information of the control device 150, for example, using a GPS (Global Positioning System) device built into the control device 150. The position acquisition device 154 may also acquire the position information of the control device 150 using a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) receiver built into the control device 150. The position information may include, for example, latitude and longitude information as well as height (altitude) information.

The communication control unit 155 performs communication control in the communication device 152 (e.g., transmitting information to the information processing device 200 and receiving information from the information processing device 200). For example, the communication control unit 155 causes the sensor acquisition information 159A stored in the storage unit 159 to be transmitted to the information processing device 200 at a predetermined interval or based on an instruction from the information processing device 200. The communication control unit 155 also outputs control information from the information processing device 200 received by the communication device 152 to the supply control unit 157, etc.

The memory control unit 156 associates information from one or more sensors connected to the communication cable 110 acquired by the connection unit 151 with time information (e.g., measurement time or acquisition time) and stores it in the sensor acquisition information 159A.

The supply control unit 157 supplies power stored in the battery 153 to the leaf surface environment sensor 120, the nearby environment sensor 130, and the fruit sensor 140 (hereinafter, sometimes simply referred to as "one or more sensors") connected to the communication cable 110. For example, the supply control unit 157 may switch on and off the power supply to the sensor connected to the connection port 112 at a predetermined cycle or based on an instruction from the information processing device 200. The supply control unit 157 may also control the on and off of the power supply for each sensor. While power is being supplied to the one or more sensors, the one or more sensors measure the above-mentioned items at a predetermined cycle and output the measurement results to the control device 150 via the communication cable 110.

The supply control unit 157 may also derive the SOC (State Of Charge) of the battery 153 based on the output of a battery sensor provided in the battery 153, and when the derived SOC is less than a predetermined value, perform control to transmit information indicating that the SOC of the battery 153 is low or that charging is required to the information processing device 200, etc.

The sensor position estimation unit 158 acquires position information (estimated position information) of a sensor attached to one or more connection ports 112 of the communication cable 110. For example, when the connection ports 112 are provided at a predetermined interval on the communication cable 110, the sensor position estimation unit 158 estimates the position of the sensor based on the position information of the control device 150 provided on the communication cable 110, the position of the connection port 112 to which the control device 150 is attached, and the position of the connection port 112 to which the sensor is attached. For example, when the control device 150 is attached to the connection port A and the sensor is connected to the connection port B located a predetermined distance (for example, X [cm]) below the connection port A, the sensor position estimation unit 158 assumes the position of the connection port A to be the position acquired by the position acquisition device 154, and estimates the position of the sensor connected to the connection port B as a position X [cm] lower than the position of the connection port A. In this way, the sensor position estimation unit 158 can estimate the position of the sensor based on the position information of the control device 150 and the positional relationship of each connection port. Additionally, the sensor position estimation unit 158 may assign identification information to the sensor depending on which connection port 112 it is connected to, and estimate the position information of each sensor.

In addition, when the communication cable 110 is provided with an address line (ADDR), the sensor position estimation unit 158 may acquire the position information using information from the address line. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of a schematic configuration of a communication cable 110A having an address line. The communication cable 110A has relay connectors 114A-1 and 114A-2 provided at both ends of the cable and two connection ports 112A-1 and 112A-2. In addition, in the example of FIG. 6, a power supply line VDD, an address line ADDR, a ground line GND, a signal line SDA, and a clock line SCL are shown. The power supply line VDD is, for example, a line for supplying power from the battery 153 to a sensor connected to the connection port. The signal line SDA is a line for transmitting detection signals (detection information) from one or more sensors and identification information indicating the type of sensor to the control device 150, and transmitting control signals from the control device 150 to the sensor. The clock line SCL is a line for transmitting a clock signal from the control device 150 to the sensor connected to the communication cable 110A in order to synchronize the processing of the sensor.

6, the address line ADDR in the communication cable 110A is connected to the power supply line VDD near the top of the cable shown in FIG. 6 (near relay connector 114A-1), and is connected to the ground line GND near the bottom (near relay connector 114A-2). The address line ADDR is provided with resistors Ra and Rb for each connector of the connection ports 112A-1 and 112A-2. Here, the voltage of the address line is divided by multiple resistors and is different for each connector of the connection port 112. Therefore, the sensor position estimation unit 158 measures the voltages Va and Vb of the address line ADDR relative to the voltage of the power supply VDD, and compares the measured voltages Va and Vb with the power supply VDD, thereby being able to estimate position information from the relay connectors 114A-1 and 114A-2 to the connection ports. Therefore, if a control device 150 is attached to one of the relay connectors 114A-1, 114A-2, the position information of the sensor connected to the connection port 112 can be estimated based on the position of the attached control device 150.

The sensor position estimation unit 158 can also obtain height information in association with the unique address (identification information) of the sensor, for example, by setting an address (identification information) proportional to the resistance value of resistors Ra and Rb. The sensor position estimation unit 158 can estimate the height of the sensor connected to which connection port of which communication cable, for example, by setting identification information to the communication cable 110.

Note that although the communication cable 110 (hereinafter, including the communication cable 110A) 2 is arranged along the main stem MS, there may be some locations where the communication cable is partially bent. Therefore, the sensor position estimation unit 158 may add a predetermined adjustment amount to the spacing between the connection ports 112 to correct the height information between the connection ports. The sensor position estimation unit 158 may also correct the latitude and longitude positions in addition to the height information. Also, since the communication cable 110 is more likely to bend the farther it is from the fixed part 160, the amount of correction may be adjusted according to the distance from the fixed part 160.

As described above, by estimating the position of one or more sensors using the sensor position estimation unit 158, the position of each sensor can be changed to a more accurate position in real time according to the position of the control device 150, for example, even if the plant PL grows and the main stem MS elongates, or if the main stem MS is bent due to the influence of wind, etc.

The storage control unit 156 stores the information obtained from each of the one or more sensors and the information estimated by the sensor position estimation unit 158 in the sensor acquisition information 159A in association with time information. FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining the contents of the sensor acquisition information 159A. In the sensor acquisition information 159A, the sensor ID, which is identification information for identifying the sensor, is associated with the position information, date and time information, and sensor information. The sensor ID is identification information set by the sensor position estimation unit 158 based on the position of the connection port 112 of the communication cable 110 to which the sensor is connected. The sensor acquisition information 159A is estimated position information estimated by the sensor position estimation unit 158. The date and time information is date and time information when the sensor measured or when the control device 150 acquired the measurement result. The sensor information is information (measurement result) acquired by the sensor. The sensor acquisition information 159A may be stored, for example, for each cable ID, which is identification information for identifying the communication cable 110. In this way, it is possible to obtain multiple measurement results for the same seedling or multiple points in its vicinity, based on the communication cable 110. This makes it possible to obtain more appropriate environmental information for the plant.

[Layout of communication cables according to plant growth]
Next, a specific example of the arrangement of communication cables according to the growth of a plant in the environmental information acquisition device 100 of the first embodiment will be described. FIG. 8 is a diagram for explaining the installation of communication cables and sensors according to the growth of a plant. The example of FIG. 8 shows the installation of communication cables and sensors according to the growth of a plant PL1 over time. In the example of FIG. 8, it is assumed that time T1 is the earliest, followed by times T2 and T3 in that order. The arrangement of the communication cables and the group of sensors is performed by an operator or the like.

At time T1, the communication cable 110B is attached along the main stem of the plant PL1 in accordance with the growth of the plant PL1. The communication cable 110B is attached, for example, when the plant PL1 satisfies a predetermined growth condition. The predetermined growth condition is, for example, when the plant PL1 is estimated to have grown to a level where it can withstand the load of the environmental information acquisition device 100, specifically, when the height of the plant PL reaches a predetermined height, or when the diameter of the main stem reaches or exceeds a predetermined value, etc.

At time T1, the communication cable 110B is fixed to the main stem of the plant PL1 by the fixing part 160B. Relay connectors 114B-1 and 114B-2 are provided at both ends of the communication cable 110B, and the control device 150 is connected to the relay connector 114B-1. For example, in the case of tomatoes, they grow in a pattern of one inflorescence for approximately every three leaves. Therefore, this is treated as one stage (one set), and each sensor is attached, and the communication cable is extended every few stages using the relay connector 114. In addition, in the case of tomatoes, the three leaves grow in different directions so as not to overlap each other, leaving a space on the opposite side of the leaves. Therefore, the worker places the nearby environment sensor in that space. At time T1, the leaf surface environment sensors 120B-1 to 120B-2 and the nearby environment sensors 130B-1 to 130B-2 are connected to the respective connection ports of the communication cable 110B. The control device 150 estimates the position information for each sensor based on the position of the connection port in which it is installed, the position information estimated by the sensor position estimation unit 158, and the position of the connection port to which each sensor is connected, and collects the detection results of each sensor.

At time T2, the plant PL has grown further. In this case, the worker attaches a fruit sensor 140B-1 to the communication cable 110B in addition to the configuration at time T1, and also attaches another communication cable 110C to the relay connector 114B. The communication cable 110C is fixed to the main stem of the plant PL1 by the fixing part 160C. Relay connectors 114C-1 and 114C-2 are provided at both ends of the communication cable 110-C, and the relay connectors 114B-1 and 114C-2 are connected. The leaf surface environment sensors 120C-1 to 120C-3, the nearby environment sensors 130C-1 to 130C-2, and the control device 150 are connected to the connection ports of the communication cable 110C. Also, at time T2, the worker attaches a top sensor 145 to the relay connector 114C-1. The top sensor 145 is an example of a nearby environment sensor, and detects the illuminance (or sunlight intensity), temperature and humidity, carbon dioxide concentration, etc. near the top of the plant PL.

The control device 150 estimates the position information of not only the sensors connected to the communication cable 110C, but also the sensors connected to the communication cable 110B connected via the relay connector 114C-2, and acquires the measurement results of each sensor. In this way, even when multiple communication cables are connected, the position of each sensor can be estimated similarly based on the position information of the control device 150. Note that in the embodiment, multiple control devices 150 may be connected according to the number of sensors connected to the communication cables. In this case, each control device 150 controls the surrounding sensors. Also, when multiple control devices 150 are provided, a control device (master controller) that serves as a reference for position information among the multiple control devices 150 may be set, and the positions of the other control devices and each sensor may be estimated based on the position information of the set control device.

At time T3, the fruit at the bottom of plant PL1 has been harvested and the leaves have fallen, so the worker removes communication cable 110B from communication cable 110C. This causes the control device 150 to continue to perform measurements based only on the sensor connected to communication cable 110C.

In this way, according to the first embodiment of the environmental information acquisition device 100, the communication cables and sensors can be attached and detached according to the growth of the plant PL1, eliminating waste of communication cables and sensors and enabling environmental measurement to be performed more efficiently and at lower cost.

[Processing of the information processing device in the first embodiment]
In the first embodiment, the information processing device 200 acquires the sensor acquisition information 159A from the control device 150 based on a predetermined cycle or the timing when an instruction to transmit the sensor acquisition information is transmitted to the control device 150. The information processing device 200 performs an integrated analysis or analysis based on the sensor acquisition information 159A acquired from one or more control devices 150, to analyze the growth status of each seedling, analyze the environment of a predetermined area such as a field, estimate the harvest time, etc. For example, the information processing device 200 can analyze the temperature distribution and humidity distribution of the entire field based on the measurement results of temperature and humidity at each position obtained from one or more sensors. In addition, the information processing device 200 can analyze (estimate) the amount of light absorbed by the plant (light absorption coefficient) by comparing the amount of sunlight at the bottom and top of the seedling based on the illuminance and position information obtained from one or more sensors, for example.

The information processing device 200 can also, for example, identify sensors that are affected by radiation based on illuminance, and correct or eliminate the temperature measurement results of those sensors, thereby analyzing temperature and humidity while avoiding the effects of radiation in a pseudo manner. The information processing device 200 can also predict harvest time and yield based on the above-mentioned analysis results. For example, yield predictions are derived mainly from the amount and speed at which the light energy absorbed by the plant (amount of absorbed light) is converted into fruit, so by accurately obtaining these two for each position (horizontal and vertical directions), the accuracy of the predicted yield for the entire field can be increased. Note that the analysis content in the information processing device 200 is not limited to this.

According to the first embodiment described above, the environmental information acquisition device 100 includes a communication cable 110 arranged along the main stem of the plant, one or more sensors for acquiring at least one of information on the leaf surface environment of the plant, information on the environment near the plant, and information on the fruit of the plant, and a control device 150 for collecting information acquired from the one or more sensors. The communication cable 110 has multiple connection ports, and the one or more sensors and the control device 150 are detachable from the connection ports, so that environmental information of the plant can be acquired more appropriately.

Specifically, according to the first embodiment described above, by arranging a communication cable along the main stem of the plant, a communication and power supply path can be constructed along the main stem of the plant. In addition, the arranged communication cable is provided with multiple connection ports (attachments) to which sensors (measuring instruments) can be connected, and measurement results can be obtained from multiple measurement points for each seedling or stalk by connecting the sensors to the connection ports and acquiring measurement results. In addition, according to the embodiment, by connecting a new communication cable through a relay connector of the communication cable, communication cables and sensors can be arranged according to the shape of the plant, such as the branch stems, leaves, and fruits branching off from the main stem. This makes it possible to acquire environmental information in the vicinity of the plant at high density and with multiple items.

In addition, according to the first embodiment, by obtaining environmental information in the vicinity of the plant, it is possible to grasp the plant's growth information in detail and improve the prediction accuracy of growth and yield. In addition, according to the embodiment, in greenhouse cultivation, by grasping the spatial distribution of environmental information, it is possible to more precisely control the air conditioning in the facility such as a field.

Second Embodiment
Next, an environmental information acquisition device according to a second embodiment will be described. The environmental information acquisition device according to the second embodiment is different from the environmental information acquisition device 100 according to the first embodiment in that it includes a device for adjusting the surrounding environment of the plant (hereinafter, referred to as an "environmental adjustment device"). Therefore, the following description will mainly focus on the above-mentioned difference.

9 is a configuration diagram of an environmental information acquisition device 100A according to the second embodiment. The environmental information acquisition device 100A is provided in the environmental information acquisition system 1 in the first embodiment, and may be connected to the information processing device 200 via a communication network NW, similar to the environmental information acquisition device 100. The environmental information acquisition device 100A includes, for example, a communication cable 110, a leaf surface environment sensor 120, a nearby environment sensor 130, a fruit sensor 140, a control device 150A, a fan 172, a lighting device 174, a heater 176, a Peltier element 178, and a cutting device 180. Each of the fan 172, the lighting device 174, the heater 176, the Peltier element 178, and the cutting device 180 is an example of an "environmental adjustment device". The environmental adjustment device may also be an example of an environmental actuator. The environmental adjustment device includes, for example, a device that adjusts at least one of the temperature, humidity, or illuminance around the plant PL. Each environmental adjustment device is configured to be detachably attached to the connection port 112 of the communication cable 110, and when the connection port is attached, it receives a control signal from the control device 150A and performs a specified operation. The environmental adjustment devices are installed by workers, just like the sensors and control device 150A, and their positions may be estimated by the sensor position estimation unit 158 of the control device 150A using the same method as the sensors, or the worker may input position information.

The fan 172 is an example of an air conditioner. The fan 172 is operated under the control of the control device 150A, and causes the air around the plant PL to move. By driving the fan 172 and controlling the airflow, it is possible to circulate the air in the greenhouse, for example, and keep the temperature and humidity around the plant constant.

The lighting device 174 turns on the light source under the control of the control device 150A. By turning on the lighting device 174, the illuminance around the plant PL can be increased. In addition, if the light source is a thermal light source, turning on the light source can increase the surrounding temperature.

The heater 176 is a device that generates heat under the control of the control device 150A. By operating the heater 176, the temperature around the plant PL can be increased.

The Peltier element 178 is operated under the control of the control device 150A, and performs cooling by absorbing heat on the upper surface of the element and heating by generating heat on the lower surface. By operating the Peltier element, the temperature around the plant PL is adjusted. The Peltier element may be attached so as to be in direct contact with the plant PL or fruit, for example.

The cutting device 180 has a blade like a cutter or scissors, and the blade performs a predetermined operation under the control of the control device 150A. The cutting device 180 is installed, for example, near the base of the branch to be cut or on the branch with fruit. For example, the cutting device 180 cuts the branches, leaves, fruits, and other fruits of the plant PL from the main stem MS by rotating the blade provided inside the ring-shaped member or sliding the blade provided inside the rectangular member in a predetermined direction. In the example of FIG. 9, three cutting devices 180-1 to 180-3 that cut off the fruit from the main stem are installed. Note that the cutting device 180 may have other configurations, such as a configuration that cuts off the branches, leaves, and other fruits from the main stem MS by using high heat. This makes it possible to easily perform lower leaf pruning, which cuts off the lower branches and leaves, or harvesting by cutting off the fruits as the plant PL grows.

The environmental adjustment device in the second embodiment may also include a device that assists in the pollination of the plant PL. An example of a device that assists in the pollination of a plant is a vibrator (vibration device) that vibrates a flower to scatter pollen around it. The device that assists in the pollination of a plant may also include a fan that controls airflow to send pollen farther.

Figure 10 is a diagram showing an example in which a vibrator 182 is connected to the environmental information acquisition device 100A. In the example of Figure 10, two vibrators 182-1, 182-2 are detachably connected to a connection port 112 of a communication cable 110 fixed to a main stem ML by a fixing part 160. The vibrator 182 is attached so as to come into contact with a branch or stem on which a flower FL or a bud of a plant PL is located, for example. The vibrator 182 is operated for a predetermined time at a predetermined timing under the control of the control device 150A, thereby vibrating the flower FL and assisting in the dispersion of pollen. This makes it possible to assist in pollination between adjacent plants PL, for example, and to perform planned pollination, thereby making it possible to more appropriately manage the timing of cultivation and harvesting of the plants PL.

In addition, the environmental adjustment device in the second embodiment may include a device that emits gas such as carbon dioxide to promote photosynthesis of the plant PL, and a device that sprinkles water and fertilizer around the plant PL.

In the second embodiment, the communication cable 110 is connected to an environmental adjustment device, so the environmental information acquisition device 100A may become heavy. Therefore, if the communication cable 110 is fixed to the main stem MS by the fixing part 160, the main stem MS may bend or break, which may affect the growth of the plant PL. Therefore, the communication cable 110 of the environmental information acquisition device 100A may be suspended from a beam suspended above.

Figure 11 is a diagram showing an example of an environmental information acquisition device 100A suspended from a beam 190 suspended above. The environmental information acquisition device 100A shown in Figure 11 includes, for example, a communication cable 110, a leaf surface environment sensor 120, a nearby environment sensor 130, a fruit sensor 140, a control device 150A, a fan 172, a lighting device 174, a heater 176, a Peltier element 178, and a cutting device 180. The positions of the sensors and devices are not limited to the example in Figure 11.

The environmental information acquisition device 100A shown in FIG. 11 has an upper portion fixed to the beam portion 190 by a fixing portion 162. The fixing portion 162 may be a clip-shaped portion that holds the beam portion 190 and the communication cable 110 together, or a ring-shaped portion that holds the communication cable 110 and the beam portion 190 within its diameter. The fixing portion 162 may also be a portion that attaches the communication cable 110 to the beam portion 190. By suspending the environmental information acquisition device 100A from the beam portion 190 and arranging it along the main stem, the load on the plant PL that supports the environmental information acquisition device 100A can be reduced. Instead of (or in addition to) suspending the environmental information acquisition device 100A from the beam portion 190 suspended above, the environmental information acquisition device 100A may be suspended from the ceiling of a vinyl house or the like.

Also, instead of (or in addition to) the environmental information acquisition device 100A being suspended from a beam 190 suspended above, the communication cable 110 may be provided with a structure like a support, and the environmental information acquisition device 100A may not be supported by the plant PL. FIG. 12 is a diagram showing an example of an environmental information acquisition device 100A provided with a support-shaped communication cable 110D. The environmental information acquisition device 100A shown in FIG. 12 differs from the environmental information acquisition device 100A shown in FIG. 10 in that it has a communication cable 110D instead of the communication cable 110 of the environmental information acquisition device 100A shown in FIG. 10. The following mainly focuses on the differences. In addition to the configuration of the communication cable 110, the communication cable 110D has a member capable of holding the cable in an upright state. The above member may include, for example, resin, metal, wood, etc., or a combination of these. The above member may be provided inside the cable, or may be configured to store the cable in a cylindrical member. By forming the communication cable 110D into a pillar shape, the plant PL does not need to support the environmental information acquisition device 100A, so the load on the plant PL can be reduced. Also, by forming the communication cable 110D into a pillar shape, the communication cable 110D can be used as a splint for the plant PL.

Which of the configurations shown in Figures 9 to 12 above is used may be arbitrarily set depending on the type and growth rate of the plant, the number of branches and leaves, the number of fruits, the type and number of devices to be connected to the communication cable 110, etc.

Next, the functions of the control device 150A according to the second embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of the functions of the control device 150A according to the second embodiment. The control device 150A shown in FIG. 13 includes, for example, a connection unit 151, a communication device 152, a battery 153, a position acquisition device 154, a communication control unit 155, a memory control unit 156, a supply control unit 157, a sensor position estimation unit 158, a memory unit 159, and an environment control unit 300. The control device 150A of the second embodiment differs from the control device 150 of the first embodiment in that it includes the environment control unit 300. Therefore, the following description will be centered mainly on the functions of the environment control unit 300.

The environmental control unit 300 operates the environmental adjustment device so that the surrounding environment of the plant PL acquired by one or more sensors satisfies a predetermined condition. The predetermined condition may be, for example, a condition that suppresses environmental unevenness around the plant PL or in the field, or a condition that promotes the growth of the plant PL.

For example, the environmental control unit 300 operates an environmental adjustment device based on information from one or more sensors connected to the communication cable 110 (including 110D) acquired by the connection unit 151, and performs feedback control of the surrounding environment of the plant PL while detecting changes in the environment due to the operation of the device with the sensor. For example, when the surrounding temperature of the plant PL acquired from the sensor is higher than the target value, the environmental control unit 300 operates the fan 172 provided in the environmental information acquisition device 100A or operates the Peltier element 178 to adjust the surrounding temperature to approach the target value. In addition, when the surrounding temperature of the plant PL acquired from the sensor is lower than the target value, the environmental control unit 300 may operate the heater 176 provided in the environmental information acquisition device 100A to adjust the surrounding temperature to approach the target value. In addition, when the illuminance of the surrounding of the plant PL acquired from the sensor is lower than the illuminance reference value, the environmental control unit 300 may turn on the light source of the lighting device 174 to adjust the illuminance to be higher than the illuminance reference value. Furthermore, when the difference between the maximum and minimum temperature or humidity values obtained from multiple sensors is equal to or greater than a threshold value, the environmental control unit 300 may operate the fan 172 to circulate the surrounding air and adjust the temperature or humidity difference value to be less than the threshold value.

The environmental control unit 300 may also estimate the growth level of the plant PL and fruit from the results obtained from the sensor, and operate the cutting device 180 based on the estimated results to perform control such as cutting the leaves and dropping the fruit to the ground. The environmental control unit 300 may also control the vibrator 182 to vibrate based on the growth level of the plant PL to scatter pollen.

For example, at a predetermined period or when receiving an instruction from the information processing device 200, the environmental control unit 300 determines which environmental adjustment device to operate based on the detection results obtained from one or more sensors and the positions and types of the environmental adjustment devices connected to the communication cable 110, and controls the supply control unit 157 to supply power to the determined environmental adjustment device. The positions and types of the environmental adjustment devices are estimated by the sensor position estimation unit 158. For example, the sensor position estimation unit 158 in the second embodiment estimates the positions of the one or more sensors and one or more environmental adjustment devices based on the installation position of the control device 150 based on the position of the connection port 112 of the communication cable 110 to which the control device 150 is connected and the position of the connection port 112 to which the one or more sensors and one or more environmental adjustment devices are connected. In addition, the sensor position estimation unit 158 acquires identification information indicating the type of the environmental adjustment device from the signal line SDA of the communication cable 110. The supply control unit 157 supplies power from the battery 153 to the environmental adjustment device via the communication cable 110 under the control of the environmental control unit 300. The environmental control unit 300 also transmits control signals to the environmental adjustment device to cause it to perform a specified operation, and obtains the operating status of the environmental adjustment device from the connection unit 151. This allows the environmental control unit 300 to more appropriately adjust the surrounding environment of the plant PL using the environmental adjustment device.

[Information Processing Apparatus in the Second Embodiment]
The information processing device 200 in the second embodiment performs the same processing as in the first embodiment, and also performs part or all of the control in the above-mentioned environmental control unit 300. In that case, the information processing device 200, for example, analyzes or analyzes the temperature distribution and illuminance distribution in the entire field based on the information obtained from each environmental information acquisition device 100A, and predicts the environmental unevenness around the plant or in the entire field based on the analysis result. Then, the information processing device 200 generates control contents (guidelines) of the environmental adjustment devices connected to each environmental information acquisition device 100A based on the prediction result of the environmental unevenness, and transmits them to the control device 150A. The control contents include, for example, feedback control coefficients, dead zones, target values, upper and lower limits such as threshold values. As a result, the control device 150A can perform feedback control based on the information acquired from the sensor according to the control contents from the information processing device 200.

According to the second embodiment described above, in addition to achieving the same effects as the first embodiment, it is possible to control the environment near the plants and reduce environmental unevenness. This makes it possible to stabilize plant growth and produce crops of uniform quality.

Specifically, according to the second embodiment, as in the first embodiment, it is possible to set up sensor measurement points at many locations in the field, and therefore it is possible to more accurately predict environmental unevenness based on information acquired from the sensors. Furthermore, according to the second embodiment, in addition to the above configuration, by arranging an environmental adjustment device for each plant seedling (individual), it is possible to control the physical environment, such as temperature and illuminance, for each plant seedling according to the microclimate of the site or the surrounding area, thereby reducing environmental unevenness. Furthermore, according to the second embodiment, by installing a cutting device or the like on the plant in advance, it is possible to perform light agricultural work such as leaf raking and harvesting in response to the environment. Therefore, it is possible to perform more detailed and multi-item environmental control.

[Modification]
In the above-described embodiment, a tomato is used as an example of a plant, but instead of a tomato, a plant whose main stem extends in the height direction from the ground, such as an eggplant, paprika, green pepper, bitter melon, or cucumber, may be used. The plant may also be a plant whose trunk extends in the height direction from the ground, such as an apple or persimmon. In this case, the communication cable may be arranged along the trunk, and may be branched at the branch and arranged along the branch. The present embodiment may also be applied to a plant that extends in the horizontal direction, such as grapes or watermelon.

In addition, in the embodiment, the function of the sensor position estimation unit 158 of the control device 150 may be provided on the information processing device 200 side. In the above embodiment, the position of the sensor is estimated based on the position information of the control device 150, but instead of the control device 150, position information of the communication cable (information indicating which communication cable is placed in which position) may be registered in advance in the information processing device 200 for each cable ID, and the position of each sensor may be estimated on the information processing device 200 side based on the sensor information acquired for each cable ID and the position of the connection port to which the sensor is connected.

According to the above-described embodiment, for example, in the agricultural field, dense and multi-item environmental information or growth information can be obtained. Note that this embodiment can be used, for example, in the field of greenhouse horticulture, and can be applied by greenhouse environmental control system manufacturers, ICT (Information and Communication Technology) system manufacturers, and the like. This embodiment can also be applied to orchards, tea plantations, open fields, livestock farming, and the like, outside the field of greenhouse horticulture. This embodiment can also be widely applied to fields other than agriculture, such as health management and medical care, or entertainment.

The above describes the form for carrying out the present invention using an embodiment, but the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment, and various modifications and substitutions can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

1...Environmental information acquisition system, 100, 100A...Environmental information acquisition device, 110...Communication cable, 120...Leaf surface environment sensor, 130...Nearby environment sensor, 140...Fruit sensor, 150, 150A...Control device, 151...Connection unit, 152...Communication device, 153...Battery, 154...Position acquisition device, 155...Communication control unit, 156...Storage control unit, 157...Supply control unit, 158...Sensor position estimation unit, 159...Storage unit, 160, 162...Fixed unit, 172...Fan, 174...Lighting device, 176...Heater, 178...Peltier element 178, 180...Cutting device, 182...Vibrator, 200...Information processing device, 300...Environment control unit

Claims (10)

a communication cable disposed along a main stem of a plant;
one or more sensors for acquiring at least one of information on a leaf surface environment of the plant, information on an environment in the vicinity of the plant, and information on a fruit of the plant;
an environmental adjustment device that is detachably connected to the communication cable and adjusts the surrounding environment of the plant;
a control device that collects information obtained from the one or more sensors;
The communication cable has a plurality of connection ports,
The one or more sensors, the environmental conditioning device, and the control device are detachably attached to the connection port.
Environmental information acquisition device. The control device operates the environmental adjustment device based on the surrounding environment of the plant acquired by the one or more sensors.
The environmental information acquisition device according to claim 1 . The environmental adjustment device includes a device that adjusts at least one of the temperature, humidity, or illuminance around the plant.
The environmental information acquisition device according to claim 1 or 2. The environmental adjustment device includes a device for cutting at least one of the branches, leaves, or fruits of the plant from the main stem.
The environmental information acquisition device according to claim 1 . The control device operates the environmental adjustment device so that the surrounding environment of the plant acquired by the one or more sensors satisfies a predetermined condition.
The environmental information acquisition device according to claim 1 . Further comprising a relay connector for connecting the communication cable to another communication cable.
The environmental information acquisition device according to claim 1 . The control device includes a supply control unit that controls the supply of power to the one or more sensors, a storage control unit that stores the results detected by the one or more sensors in a storage unit, and a communication control unit that transmits the results detected by the one or more sensors to an external device.
The environmental information acquisition device according to claim 1 . The control device further includes a position estimation unit that estimates the positions of the one or more sensors and the environmental adjustment device based on an installation position of the control device based on a position of a connection port to which the control device is connected and positions of the connection ports to which the one or more sensors and the environmental adjustment device are connected.
The environmental information acquisition device according to claim 7 . the supply control unit supplies power to the one or more sensors and the environmental adjustment device at a predetermined interval or when an instruction from the external device is received by the communication control unit.
The environmental information acquisition device according to claim 7 or 8. The communication control unit transmits to the external device the detection results of the one or more sensors stored in the storage unit at a predetermined interval or when an instruction from the external device is received by the communication control unit.
The environmental information acquisition device according to claim 7 or 8.

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