Control and sensor systems for an environmentally controlled vertical farming system

US10973185B2 · kind B2 · utility

Inventors

• Jaremy Creechley · Laramie, US
• Jack Oslan · Henderson, US
• Nate Mazonson · Menlo Park, US
• Nathaniel R. Storey · Laramie, US
• Daniel Cook · Woodside, US
• Philip E. Beatty · Tualatin, US
• John L. Whitcher · Tualatin, US
• Christopher K. Conway · Loomis, US
• Ernest Learn · Loomis, US
• Michael Duffy · Duryea, US
• Russell Varone · Red Lion, US
• Russell Field · Portola Valley, US
• William R. George · Santa Cruz, US
• Rob Jensen · Rocklin, US
• Benjamin J. Clark · Redwood City, US
• Matthew Barnard · Woodside, US
• Matteo Melani · Menlo Park, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Sep 28, 2016
• Grant date: Apr 13, 2021
• Expiry date: Dec 8, 2036

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y02P60/21
• WIPO field: Other special machines
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

A computer implemented system for a vertical farming system comprising at least a first crop growth module and operating in an environmentally-controlled growing chamber, the control system comprising sensors for measuring environmental growing conditions in the environmentally-controlled growing chamber over time to generate environmental condition data, a device configured for measuring a crop characteristic of a crop grown in the crop growth module of the environmentally-controlled growing chamber to generate crop growth data and a processing device comprising software modules for receiving the environmental condition data and the crop growth data; applying an algorithm to the environmental condition data and the crop growth data to generate an improved environmental growing condition and generating instructions for adjustment of the environmental growing conditions in or around the growth module in the environmentally-controlled growing chamber to the improved environmental growing condition.