US 12,256,682 B2
System and method for automating transfer of plants within an agricultural facility
Brandon Ace Alexander, Lockhart, TX (US); Jonathan Binney, Lockhart, TX (US); Winnie Ding, Lockhart, TX (US); Bianca Homberg, Lockhart, TX (US); Warren Huffman, Lockhart, TX (US); Thomas Kendall, Lockhart, TX (US); Saqib Naveed, Lockhart, TX (US); Peter Turner, Lockhart, TX (US); Adrian Canoso, Lockhart, TX (US); and Ansgar Lorenz, Lockhart, TX (US)
Assigned to Inevitable Technology Inc., Lockhart, TX (US)
Filed by Inevitable Technology Inc., Lockhart, TX (US)
Filed on Jul. 23, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/384,560.
Application 17/384,560 is a continuation in part of application No. 17/129,130, filed on Dec. 21, 2020, granted, now 11,707,023.
Application 17/129,130 is a continuation of application No. 16/456,401, filed on Jun. 28, 2019, granted, now 10,524,425, issued on Jan. 7, 2020.
Application 16/456,401 is a continuation of application No. 16/260,042, filed on Jan. 28, 2019, granted, now 10,375,898, issued on Aug. 13, 2019.
Application 16/260,042 is a continuation of application No. 15/852,749, filed on Dec. 22, 2017, granted, now 10,225,993, issued on Mar. 12, 2019.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/437,822, filed on Dec. 22, 2016.
Prior Publication US 2022/0007590 A1, Jan. 13, 2022
Int. Cl. G06F 7/00 (2006.01); A01G 7/00 (2006.01); A01G 9/02 (2018.01); A01G 9/029 (2018.01); A01G 9/14 (2006.01); B25J 9/16 (2006.01); B25J 11/00 (2006.01); G05D 1/00 (2006.01); A01B 69/04 (2006.01); G06V 10/88 (2022.01); G06V 30/10 (2022.01)
CPC A01G 7/00 (2013.01) [A01G 9/02 (2013.01); A01G 9/0299 (2018.02); A01G 9/143 (2013.01); B25J 9/1679 (2013.01); B25J 9/1697 (2013.01); B25J 11/00 (2013.01); G05D 1/0287 (2013.01); A01B 69/008 (2013.01); G06V 10/88 (2022.01); G06V 30/10 (2022.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for automating transfer of plants within an agricultural facility, the method comprising:
transferring a sequence of trays toward a robotic plant manipulator at a transfer station within the agricultural facility, each tray in the sequence of trays containing a set of plants at a first density;
transferring a sequence of rafts toward the robotic plant manipulator, each raft in the sequence of rafts defining an array of plant slots at a second density less than the first density;
by the robotic plant manipulator: receiving a first tray in the sequence of trays;
receiving a first raft in the sequence of rafts; detecting a first set of plants in the first tray;
removing a first subset of plants, in the first set of plants, from the first tray;
loading the first subset of plants into a first array of plant slots in the first raft;
receiving a second raft in the sequence of rafts;
removing a second subset of plants, in the first set of plants, from the first tray; and
loading the second subset of plants into a second array of plant slots in the second raft;
loading the first raft into a first module, the first raft floating on a first volume of water contained in the first module; loading the second raft into a second module, the second raft floating on a second volume of water contained in the second module;
dispatching the first module to a first grow location within the agricultural facility; and
dispatching the second module to a second grow location within the agricultural facility.
 
10. A method for automating transfer of plants within an agricultural facility, the method comprising:
dispatching a vehicle to autonomously deliver a first module from a first grow location within the agricultural facility to a transfer station within the agricultural facility, the first module containing:
a first volume of water; and
a first raft floating on the first volume of water and defining a first array of plant slots at a first density and loaded with a first set of plants at a first growth stage;
extracting the first raft from the first module;
transferring the first raft to a robotic plant manipulator at the transfer station;
transferring a second raft, defining a second array of plant slots at a second density less than the first density and empty of plants, to the robotic plant manipulator;
by the robotic plant manipulator, transferring a first subset of plants, in the first set of plants, from the first array of plant slots in the first raft into the second array of plant slots in the second raft;
loading the first raft into a second module, the second raft filled with the first subset of plants and floating on a second volume of water contained in the second module; and
dispatching the vehicle to autonomously deliver the second module to a second grow location within the agricultural facility.