US 12,433,211 B2
Pollination system
Andres Camarena, Jersey City, NJ (US); Walter Mielarczyk, Jersey City, NJ (US); Winter Guerra, Jersey City, NJ (US); and Jonathan Sarasohn, Jersey City, NJ (US)
Assigned to Oishii Farm Corporation, Jersey City, NJ (US)
Filed by Oishii Farm Corporation, Jersey City, NJ (US)
Filed on Jun. 18, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/746,457.
Application 18/746,457 is a continuation of application No. 18/619,847, filed on Mar. 28, 2024.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/613,377, filed on Dec. 21, 2023.
Prior Publication US 2025/0204500 A1, Jun. 26, 2025
Int. Cl. A01K 47/06 (2006.01); A01G 9/24 (2006.01); A01G 9/26 (2006.01); A01G 31/04 (2006.01)
CPC A01K 47/06 (2013.01) [A01G 9/246 (2013.01); A01G 9/247 (2013.01); A01G 9/26 (2013.01); A01G 31/045 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A pollination system comprising:
(A) an enclosure configured to house an insect nest; and
(B) a gate system operatively connected to the enclosure, the gate system comprising:
(i) an exit gate assembly comprising:
a proximal portion;
a distal portion;
a middle portion disposed between the proximal and distal portions;
a first gate between the proximal and middle portions; and
a second gate between the middle and distal portions;
(ii) an entrance gate assembly;
(iii) a vision system configured to capture images of insects within the exit gate assembly and the entrance gate assembly; and
(C) a controller configured to operate the exit gate assembly and the entrance gate assembly based on the images captured by the vision system to control a number of insects within an enclosed space surrounding the pollination system,
wherein the controller is configured to operate the first and second gates in sequence so that:
in a first step of the sequence, the first gate is opened to allow one or more insects to enter the middle portion from the proximal portion;
in a second step of the sequence, the first gate is closed; and
in a third step of the sequence, the second gate is opened to allow the one or more insects to enter the enclosed space from the middle portion through the distal portion,
wherein the controller comprises a computing unit,
wherein the computing unit comprises a bee detection module configured to detect locations of insects within the exit gate assembly and the entrance gate assembly at a point in time based on image data generated by the vision system,
wherein the bee detection module is configured to output global insect location data within a horizontal and vertical reference frame at the point in time,
wherein the computing unit further comprises a middle portion bee count estimator module configured to estimate a current number of insects within the middle portion of the exit gate assembly based on the insect location data,
wherein the computing unit further comprises an insect tracker module configured to generate insect count adjustment data associated with a number of insects leaving and entering the entrance gate assembly,
wherein the insect tracker module tracks the number of insects leaving and entering the entrance gate assembly by tracking insect trajectories within the entrance gate assembly within a predetermined period of time to determine an increase or decrease in a number of insects within the enclosed space,
wherein the computing unit further comprises a command logic module configured to:
determine insect count data associated with the number of insects in the enclosure based on the insect count adjustment data, insect release data and reset data, wherein the reset data is associated with a scheduled rest period in which the nest is closed and the insect count data is reset, and wherein the insect release data is associated with a number of insects released by the exit gate assembly; and
determine, based on the insect count data, insect count limiting data and the reset data, control data for operation of the exit gate assembly.