ZELISSE, Johannes Karel (Dirklangenstraat 54, HX Delft, NL-2611, NL)
HORTILUX SCHREDER B.V. (Vlotlaan 412, TV Monster, NL-2681, NL)
PRIVA B.V. (Zijlweg 3, LC De Lier, NL-2678, NL)
KLAPWIJK, Pieter Abraham Alexander (Haagweg 26, PE Monster, NL-2681, NL)
ZELISSE, Johannes Karel (Dirklangenstraat 54, HX Delft, NL-2611, NL)
Claims
1. Growing area (1) for a crop (2), provided with a sensor (12, 42) for determining a growth parameter of said crop and irnfluencing said parameter, said sensor comprising a light sensor (12, 42), characterized in that said sensor is accommodated in a sensor assembly (3, 33), said sensor assembly comprising a number of sensors lying at a distance from each other vertically.
2. Growing area according to Claim 1, comprising a crop (2), wherein the light sensor (12, 42) is fitted below the top of said crop (2).
3. Growing area according to one of the preceding claims, wherein said sensor is accommodated in a sensor assembly (3, 33), said sensor assembly comprising a number of sensors lying at a distance from each other horizontally.
4. Growing area according to one of the preceding claims, wherein said sensors (12, 42) are fitted on a support (10, 36), the shape of said support (10) corresponding to the shape of a crop (2).
5, Sensor assembly (3, 33) for measuring a growth parameter for a crop, comprising a support (10, 36), having a number of light sensors (12) fitted on it, said light sensors being fitted lying at a distance from each other horizontally and/or vertically, characterized in that said support is embodied in the shape of a plant.
6. Sensor assembly according to Claim 5, wherein said support is provided with transmitter means (14) for wirelessly transmitting a sensor signal.
7. Sensor assembly according to one of Claims 5 or 6, wherein said support is embodied in the shape of a tomato plant, cucumber plant, pepper plant or aubergine plant.
8. Lighting assembly comprising a number of lighting fittings (5), a control unit (6) for controlling said lighting and a sensor assembly according to Claim 5, wherein said sensor assembly influences said control unit.
9. Lighting assembly according to Claim 8, wherein said fittings (5) are provided with growing lighting.
10. Method for growing a crop, comprising a number of plants placed next to each other, comprising the lighting of said plants, said lighting comprising the variation of the lighting intensity, said lighting intensity being produced depending upon a measurement, characterized in that said measurement is carried out between a plant at a level below the highest level of said plants.
11. Method according to Claim 10, wherein said measurement is carried out at a number of positions lying at a distance from each other vertically.
12. Method according to Claim 10 or 11, wherein said measurement is carried out at a number of positions lying at a distance from each other horizontally. |
Sensors for controlling lighting
The present invention relates to a growing area for a crop, provided with a light sensor for determining a growth parameter of said crop and for influencing said parameter.
The use of such sensors in greenhouses, for example, is known, inter alia, from EP 1374667. Apart from light, other ambient parameters are measured and controlled.
Apart from water, there are many other factors that affect the growth of a crop in a growing area. Efforts are being made to achieve an increasingly higher yield per square metre, with the result that the conditions of the crop have to be increasingly further optimized. An important factor determining the growth of a crop is the lighting.
It is known that if artificial lighting is provided, notably in the winter, this has a positive effect on the development of the crop. The use of additional lighting is controlled by means of time switches, which switch on the lighting or do not do so, depending partly on the weather conditions.
It is the object of the present invention further to optimize the growing conditions of crops in a growing area.
This object is achieved in a growing area such as that described above with the features of Claim 1.
According to the present invention, a light-sensitive sensor is now proposed. With such sensor, the conditions of the crop as regards the amount of incident light can be determined and further steps can be taken on that basis. These further steps can comprise influencing the artificial lighting in a growing area. However, it is also possible in this way to study the development of a crop, in particular with regard to the fruits subsequently produced. The term light in this context means radiation in the range between approximately 300 nm and approximately 2800 nm.
According to an advantageous embodiment of (he invention, the light sensor is fitted
below the top of the crop. In other words, it is not so much the amount of light at the top of the area that is determined, but the amount of light in the crop between adjacent plants at a level lower than the top. Very little indeed is yet known about the development of a crop depending on the lighting at a lower level. By means of the proposal according to the invention, it is possible to carry out measurements and on the basis of the results from the crop to make predictions in the future, and on that basis to adjust certain parameters in the growing area. Examples are altering the spacing between individual plants and/or removing leaves or leaving the leaves on, and the like. The term growing area should be understood as meaning any area in which a crop can be grown, i.e. either in growing rooms, greenhouses or outside.
According to the invention, the sensor is accommodated in a sensor assembly comprising a number of sensors. These sensors can be fitted lying at a distance from each other in the vertical direction and/or in the horizontal direction. This produces both a two-dimensional and a three-dimensional picture relating to the distribution of the light in the crop.
Particularly if a three-dimensional embodiment of the sensor assembly is selected, the distribution of the incident light over the height and width of the crop can be determined accurately and, on the basis of the results obtained, adjustments can be made to the lighting in a growing area.
According to a further advantageous embodiment, the subject sensor assembly is designed so that it greatly resembles the plants between which it is fitted. In other words, the conditions in which the crop receives lighting are simulated and, on the basis of that simulation, a better insight into the development of the crop depending on the amount of light falling upon it can be obtained. The shape of the crop, or of the sensor assembly, can comprise the shape of one or more leaves with or without stems.
According to a further advantageous embodiment, one of the number of light sensors is used as a reference sensor. This is preferably the sensor fitted highest up, in other words the sensor that is closest to the top of a greenhouse.
It will be understood that the sensor assembly described above can also be provided with temperature sensors and humidity sensors, which can likewise be distributed three-dimensionally. This produces a complete picture of the conditions in which the crop develops in a growing area.
The invention also relates to a sensor assembly for measuring light, comprising a support bearing a number of light sensors fitted lying at a distance from each other horizontally and/or vertically, said support being designed in the shape of a plant.
The sensor assembly described here can be used in combination with the cultivation of any crop. In particular, the sensor assembly is important for taller crops. Examples of such crops are tomato plants, cucumber plants, peppers and aubergines. These plants are often suspended from a wire placed high up in a growing area such as a greenhouse. It is also possible to fix a sensor assembly in the same way.
The invention also relates to a lighting assembly comprising a number of lighting fittings, a control unit for controlling said lighting and a sensor assembly of the type described above, said sensor assembly influencing said control unit. The lighting is preferably a lighting system with growing light. Control of the lighting can be performed by switching on or switching off fittings. It is also possible to use dimming to provide lighting control, and another option is to fit lighting so that it can be moved and to make that movement dependent upon the incidence of light recorded by the sensor assembly. Of course, it is also possible to move the crops (roller containers). The growing conditions of crops can be further optimized in a relatively simple manner in the above way. Furthermore, this will lead to less lighting (energy consumption) because the lighting used is being used more efficiently. This leads to energy saving and also to less horizon pollution, which is currently controlled by the fitting of screens.
The invention also relates to a method for growing a crop, comprising a number of plants placed next to each other, comprising the lighting of said plants, said lighting
comprising the variation of the lighting intensity, said lighting intensity being produced depending upon a measurement, and said measurement being carried out between a plant at a level below the highest level of said plants.
The invention will be explained below with reference to an exemplary embodiment illustrated in the drawing, in which:
Fig. 1 shows diagrammatically a growing area provided with a crop; Fig.2 shows the measuring device according to the invention in side view; Fig. 3 shows the measuring device according to the invention in top view; and Figs 4a and 4b show a specific example of the measuring device according to the invention.
Fig. 1 shows a growing area such as a greenhouse generally indicated by 1. A crop such as pepper plants or tomato plants is placed in it. These plants are suspended from wires 4 extending high up in the greenhouse. They are fixed by means of so-called plant wires 8, which connect the top of the plant to the wires 4 fitted high up. Depending on the growth, the length of the wires 8 will vary.
Artificial lighting in the greenhouse 1 is possible by means of fittings 5. The switching on and off of these fittings 5 provided in the form of growing lighting is controlled by means of a control unit 6. This control unit is provided with, inter alia, a receiver 7 for receiving signals coming from a device 3 according to the present invention.
Details of the device 3 can be seen in Figures 2 and 3. It can be seen from these figures that the device consists of a support 10 provided with arms 11 on which sensors 12, 17, 18 and 53 are fitted. It can be seen from this top view of Figure 3 that the arms extend around the support 10. It can be seen from Figure 2 that said arms are uniformly distributed over the height of said support.
Reference numeral 15 indicates a fastening, and 16 indicates a wire by means of which connection to the wire 4 fitted high up is possible. It would also be possible to make the support 10 such that it can be positioned stably on the ground. However, in certain
circumstances it may be preferable to make the design of the support 10 resemble as far as possible the particular plants between which the support 10 is placed. In the case of tomatoes this would mean that the support is fitted so as to hang slightly.
The sensors 12 and 53 are light sensors or radiation sensors. They can be simple light- measuring sensors. However, it is also possible for them to analyse the entire light spectrum or only parts of it that are important for the growth of the crop. The information coming from the various sensors gives a three-dimensional picture of the incident light radiation on the crops over their height By means of the processing electronics 13, a signal that represents this three-dimensional picture of the lighting can be generated, and the signal can be transmitted to receiver 7 by means of transmitter 14. It is possible here for the light sensor 53 that is placed highest up to be in the form of a reference value sensor. In other words, the light falling upon it is set at, for example, 100%, and the incidence of light measured by the other sensors 12 is a derivative of that reference value. The highest leaf 11 with light sensor 53 is used for this purpose because this leaf is closest to the upper deck of the greenhouse.
Sensors 17 and 18 are also present in Figures 2 and 3. Sensors 18 are temperature sensors, while sensors 17 are humidity sensors.
With the lighting being determined, alone or in combination with information relating to the temperature and the humidity in the greenhouse, better control of the various parameters can be obtained. For instance, the lighting for the plants can be controlled accurately depending on their stage of growth and the yield desired from them. In the end, less energy will be required to achieve the desired effect. Furthermore, with the device according to the present invention it is possible to take into account the effects of adjacent crops.
After the above, variants will immediately spring to mind in the person skilled in the art. For instance, instead of transmitters it is possible to use cables to transmit the information concerned. It is also possible to provide a memory in device 3, which memory can subsequently be read in some way.
Device 3 is of an extremely sturdy design, so that it will not easily be damaged during any treatment of the crop.
Figs 4a and 4b show an example of a measuring device 33 according to the invention. This device consists of two transparent Perspex sheets 35 lying at a distance from each other. Accommodated between them is a printed circuit board 36, which is provided with light sensors 42 on its ends. The external appearance of the crop, and more particularly a leaf, is simulated by an illustration 38 situated between the Perspex sheets 35.
Further variants of the invention are obvious after reading the above description and lie within the scope of appended claims.
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