WO2024228996A2 - Procédés et systèmes destinés à être utilisés dans l'attribution de ressources dans des installations de culture - Google Patents

Procédés et systèmes destinés à être utilisés dans l'attribution de ressources dans des installations de culture Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2024228996A2
WO2024228996A2 PCT/US2024/026991 US2024026991W WO2024228996A2 WO 2024228996 A2 WO2024228996 A2 WO 2024228996A2 US 2024026991 W US2024026991 W US 2024026991W WO 2024228996 A2 WO2024228996 A2 WO 2024228996A2
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Prior art keywords
facility
greenhouses
benches
growing
growing facility
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WO2024228996A3 (fr
Inventor
Ronald G. ASKIN
Dave BAITINGER
Jennifer Becker
Bradley HART
Shrikant JARUGUMILLI
Elizabeth Erin JELIC
Anirudha Kulkarni
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Monsanto Technology LLC
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Monsanto Technology LLC
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Priority to EP24800434.3A priority Critical patent/EP4705988A2/fr
Publication of WO2024228996A2 publication Critical patent/WO2024228996A2/fr
Publication of WO2024228996A3 publication Critical patent/WO2024228996A3/fr
Priority to MX2025013074A priority patent/MX2025013074A/es
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Ceased legal-status Critical Current

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    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING OR CALCULATING; COUNTING
    • G06Q—INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • G06Q50/00—Information and communication technology [ICT] specially adapted for implementation of business processes of specific business sectors, e.g. utilities or tourism
    • G06Q50/02—Agriculture; Fishing; Forestry; Mining
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING OR CALCULATING; COUNTING
    • G06Q—INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • G06Q10/00—Administration; Management
    • G06Q10/06—Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
    • G06Q10/063—Operations research, analysis or management
    • G06Q10/0631—Resource planning, allocation, distributing or scheduling for enterprises or organisations

Definitions

  • Example embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to computer- implemented methods for allocating resources in a growing facility.
  • One example method includes: in response to an instruction, accessing, by a computing device, data representative of a Attorney Docket No. 5089-000163-WO-POA growing facility and data representative of a product to be introduced into the growing facility, the growing facility including multiple greenhouses, the product including multiple growth stages; determining, by the computing device, a facility scheme, in which ones of the multiple growth stages are assigned to ones of the multiple greenhouses, based on the accessed data and an objective function; and implementing, by the computing device, the facility scheme at the growing facility.
  • Example embodiments of the present disclosure also relate to non-transitory computer-readable storage media including executable instructions for allocating resources in a growing facility.
  • a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium includes executable instructions, which when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform one or more of the above operations and/or one or more of the operations described herein.
  • the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium includes executable instructions, which when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to: in response to an instruction to the at least one processor, access data representative of a growing facility and data representative of a product to be introduced into the growing facility, the growing facility including multiple greenhouses, the product including multiple growth stages; determine a facility scheme, in which ones of the multiple growth stages are assigned to ones of the multiple greenhouses, based on the accessed data and an objective function; and implement the facility scheme at the growing facility.
  • Example embodiments of the present disclosure also relate to systems for allocating resources in a growing facility.
  • such a system includes at least one computing device configured to: (i) in response to an instruction, access data representative of a growing facility and data representative of a product to be introduced into the growing facility, the growing facility including multiple greenhouses, the product including multiple growth stages; (ii) determine a facility scheme, in which ones of the multiple growth stages are assigned to ones of the multiple greenhouses, based on the accessed data and an objective function; and (iii) implement the facility scheme at the growing facility.
  • the system may further includes the growing facility.
  • the growing facility includes at least one greenhouse.
  • FIG. 1 is an example system of the present disclosure for use in determining facility schemes for a growing facility, whereby resources of the growing facility are assigned to particular growth stages in connection with growing, developing, etc. plants at the growing facility;
  • FIG. 2 illustrates an example growing facility, which may be included in the system if FIG. 1;
  • FIGS. 3-5B illustrate example details of the growing facility of FIG. 2;
  • FIG. 1 is an example system of the present disclosure for use in determining facility schemes for a growing facility, whereby resources of the growing facility are assigned to particular growth stages in connection with growing, developing, etc. plants at the growing facility;
  • FIG. 2 illustrates an example growing facility, which may be included in the system if FIG. 1;
  • FIGS. 3-5B illustrate example details of the growing facility of FIG. 2;
  • FIG. 6 is a block diagram of an example computing device that may be used in the system of FIG. 1; and [0015] FIG. 7 is an example method, suitable for use with the system of FIG. 1, for determining a facility scheme for a growing facility in connection with growing, developing, etc. plants at the growing facility, whereby resources are assigned to particular growth stages of the plants.
  • FIG. 7 is an example method, suitable for use with the system of FIG. 1, for determining a facility scheme for a growing facility in connection with growing, developing, etc. plants at the growing facility, whereby resources are assigned to particular growth stages of the plants.
  • Corresponding reference numerals indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings. DETAILED DESCRIPTION [0017] Example embodiments will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. The description and specific examples included herein are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.
  • the complex interaction of the above variables, attributes, characteristics, etc., especially for a commercial growing facility requires evaluation, in manners that are beyond the human mind to solve, to improve throughput of the growing facility (and/or provide desired throughput for the growing facility).
  • conventional planning of growing facility schemes rely on human decisions (e.g., related to timing, etc.) without considering readily available information, which often leads to subjective schemes at the growing facility that are ultimately inconsistent with an improved and/or maximized throughput of the facility.
  • the methods and systems herein provide for an objective determination of facility schemes for growing facilities, which are consistent with physical limitations of the facilities and biological limitations of the products introduced therein.
  • physical separation of the facility into growth stages for example, relating to the products introduced therein, objectively impacts throughput of the growing facility, which may be reduced by physical limitations of the facility (e.g., limited facility size, limited workstations, limits on bench movement within the facility, bench position timing, etc.), and also the biological constraints of the products included in the growing facility (e.g., pollination intervals, environmental needs, etc.).
  • FIG. 1 illustrates an example system 100 for allocating resources within growing spaces (e.g., at a growing facility, etc.), and in which one or more aspects of the present disclosure may be implemented.
  • the system 100 generally includes a growing facility 102, which may include a variety of different types, sizes, etc., of areas for planting, growing and harvesting crops, etc., in connection with plant advancement trials or otherwise.
  • the growing facility 102 is an indoor space. Nonetheless, it should be appreciated that in other system embodiments, the growing facility may include outdoor space(s), or potentially, combinations of indoor space(s) and outdoor space(s).
  • the growing facility 102 is separated into multiple greenhouses 104a-d, or more broadly, zones.
  • the greenhouses 104a-d are climate- controlled spaces, in which environmental conditions within (and/or associated with) the greenhouses 104a-d are controlled to specific parameters, as desired or required.
  • the environmental conditions may include, for example, temperature, moisture, humidity, solar radiation, wind, etc.
  • the environmental conditions in the greenhouses 104a-d may be controlled independently, such that the temperature in one greenhouse 104a is different than the temperature in another greenhouse 104b, etc. It should be appreciated that different greenhouses may be defined, either by space or by climate-control in other embodiments, whereby different conditions may be extended, or not, to the different greenhouses.
  • one or more of the greenhouses 104a-d may be included in a same or common structure, with the particular environmental conditions for each of the one or more greenhouses 104a-d then set for the particular part of the structure associated with the one or more greenhouses 104a-d.
  • the arrangement of greenhouses may vary in the facility as well. Further, the number and/or arrangement of conveyors, workstations, etc., in the facility may vary. [0025] For example, FIGS.
  • FIG. 2-5 illustrate an example growing facility 202 that includes thirteen greenhouses 204a-m, disposed in two columns on either side of an operations area 220.
  • a first side 222 of the growing facility 202 e.g., a north Attorney Docket No. 5089-000163-WO-POA side as indicated in FIG. 2, etc.
  • a second side 224 of the growing facility e.g., a south side as indicated in FIG.
  • FIGS. 4A-4B schematically illustrate the six greenhouses 204a (GH1), 204c (GH3), 204e (GH5), 204g (GH7), 204i (GH9), and 204k (GH11) of the first side 222
  • FIGS. 5A-5B schematically illustrate the seven greenhouses 204b (GH2), 204d (GH4), 204f (GH6), 204h (GH8), 204j (GH10), 204l (GH12), and 204m (GH13) of the second side 224.
  • Each of the greenhouses 204a-m may be configured for a particular operation in the growing facility 202.
  • the greenhouses 204a, 204b may include harvesting greenhouses, while other ones of the greenhouses may be used for other operations described herein (e.g., leading up to the harvesting greenhouses whereby plants move through the other greenhouses and then to the harvesting greenhouses, etc.). That said, it should be appreciated that the growing facility 202 may include any desired number of greenhouses, as described and/or determined herein, etc.
  • each of the greenhouses 104a-d includes benches for holding one or more products in the greenhouses 104a-d. In this embodiment, the greenhouse 104a is shown in detail, as including multiple benches 106.
  • the greenhouses 104b-d may be understood to be consistent with greenhouse 104a.
  • the benches 106 are configured to support seed receptacles or plant receptacles (e.g., pots, trays, multi-well trays, etc.), in various configurations.
  • the number of benches 106 may be based on an overall capacity of the growing facility 102 and/or greenhouse 102a (or other greenhouse 102b-d), or a specific design of the growing facility 102.
  • the benches 106 may also define any suitable size and/or configuration or surface area for holding or supporting a specific number, or a threshold number, of receptacles.
  • 1 may be configured to hold a particular number (or desired number) of receptacles, for instance (and depending on the type of receptacle), about one receptacle (e.g., where the receptacle includes a tray configured to hold multiple plants (e.g., a tray configured to hold about fifty or more plants, about one-hundred or more plants, about 128 plants, etc.), about fifty or more receptacles (e.g., where the receptacle includes a pot configured to hold a plant, etc.), about one-hundred or more receptacles, etc.
  • a particular number (or desired number) of receptacles for instance (and depending on the type of receptacle), about one receptacle (e.g., where the receptacle includes a tray configured to hold multiple plants (e.g., a tray configured to hold about fifty or more plants, about one-hundred or more plants, about 128 plants, etc.
  • the number of receptacles positioned on the benches 106 may vary depending on, for example, the workflow Attorney Docket No. 5089-000163-WO-POA within the growing facility 102, etc. (e.g., a DH workflow may include about seventy or more pots positioned on a given bench 106 (e.g., seventy-two pots, 108 pots, etc.) while a TI workflow may include less than about seventy pots positioned on a given bench (e.g., about fifty-four pots, etc.), etc.). It should also be appreciated that the benches 106 are generally consistent in size through the growing facility 102 in this embodiment, but may be different in other embodiments.
  • each of the greenhouses GH1-GH13 includes at least one bay, where each bay includes two adjacent rows (identified as R1, R2, R3, etc.).
  • each of greenhouses GH1-GH11 includes two bays, and each of greenhouses GH12-GH13 includes one bay.
  • each of greenhouses GH1-GH2 includes five rows
  • each of greenhouses GH3-GH11 includes four rows
  • each of greenhouses GH12-GH13 includes two rows.
  • the first side 222 of the growing facility 202 includes twenty-five total rows and the second side 224 of the growing facility 202 includes twenty-five total rows (e.g., with row R4 in each of greenhouses GH1 and GH2 not used and/or blocked off for other use (e.g., for equipment or maintenance needs, etc.), etc.).
  • each row in the growing facility 202 includes multiple positions extending along a length of the row (e.g., forty-three positions in the illustrated embodiment for each row in greenhouses GH1-GH2 and fifty-four positions in the illustrated embodiment for each row in greenhouses GH3-GH13, etc.).
  • a bench 106 is located at each of the positions in each of the rows.
  • each of the benches 106 is moveable through the greenhouses GH1-GH13, from position to position along the rows R1-R25. That said, it should be appreciated that in other example embodiments growing facilities may include different numbers of bays, rows, and/or positions than described above.
  • the growing facility 102 includes a level of automation, whereby the benches 106 are mobile, either automatically or Attorney Docket No. 5089-000163-WO-POA manually, from position to position within the corresponding rows.
  • the benches 106 are fixed and/or coupled to one or more conveyors, which, in turn, are configured to move the benches 106 from location to location (or position to position) in the growing facility 102.
  • the four rows of benches 106 traverse the greenhouse 104a in the direction indicated by the arrows.
  • the rows A-B traverse the greenhouse 104A from right to left
  • the rows C-D traverse the greenhouse from left to right.
  • one or more conveyors are included and configured to move the benches 106 (as indicated by the arrows) from the row A to the row D, and vice-versa, and from the row B to the row C, and vice-vera.
  • the benches 106 in the greenhouse 104a are moved, by the conveyors included therein generally in a loop.
  • the benches 106 in the other greenhouses 104b-d are generally arranged in the same manner, relative to conveyors, which are configured to move the benches 106 in generally the same manner.
  • the one or more conveyors are also configured to move the benches 106, at the ends of the rows as shown in FIG. 1, between the different greenhouses 104a-d, as indicated by the dotted arrow.
  • the benches 106 in greenhouse 104a may be moved, by the conveyors into greenhouse 104b, while the benches from greenhouse 104b are moved, by the conveyors, into the greenhouse 104c, and so on.
  • products are introduced, generally, into the greenhouse 104a and move toward greenhouse 104d over time.
  • a similar description applies to the growing facility 202 and movement of the benches 106 therein (e.g., via conveyors etc.
  • each row in each greenhouse includes a conveyor line, etc.), etc.
  • movement of the benches 106 in the growing facility 102 is limited by the relative movement of the benches in the individual greenhouses 104a-d of the growing facility 102.
  • the benches 106 in greenhouse 104a are not movable to greenhouse 104d, unless first moved through the greenhouses 104b-c (and displacing the benches 106 disposed therein). It should be appreciated that the greenhouses may be configured otherwise in other system embodiments.
  • Attorney Docket No. 5089-000163-WO-POA [0032]
  • the conveyors are also associated with specific performance, such as, for example, duration, whereby movement of a bench 106 from one position (in the greenhouse 104a, for example) to another position (e.g., in the greenhouse 104a or in the greenhouse 104b, etc.) requires a number of minutes (broadly, requires an amount of time, etc.).
  • the greenhouses 104a-d also each include one or more workstations 108, which are located at the end of one or more of the rows A-D.
  • access to the benches 106 is limited to the ends of the rows a-d, generally. That is, because of the relative positions of rows (and columns) of benches 106, access to a bench in the middle of row D is limited by the benches in row A, for example.
  • human interaction with the seeds/plants disposed at a particular bench is limited to the workstations 108 at one end of the row D in the greenhouse 104a, for example.
  • a workstation 108 is located at the end of each of the rows R1-R5, R7-R15, and R18-R25, as indicated. And, irrigation stations (e.g., top flush stations TF, etc.) are located at the end of each of rows R6 and R16-R17. As the benches move through these rows, the irrigation stations operate to top flush the soil to remove accumulated minerals and sediment. [0034] While each of the work stations 108 is positioned at only one end of the rows A-D in greenhouse 104a, it should be appreciated that the work station 108 may include multiple workstations disposed at either end of the specific rows in other embodiments, or only some of the rows in the greenhouse, but not other rows.
  • the growing facility 102 is populated with workers (not shown), which are disposed within the growing space 102 to perform operations, such as, for example, re-arraying, pollination, treatments, harvest, etc. That said, the workers are generally positioned at the workstations 108, whereby the operations, tasks, etc. associated with the growing facility 102 generally take place at the workstations 108 (e.g., the workers may only enter other parts of the growing facility if/when the benches are not moving, etc.). A number of workers are also allocated an interval of time to complete operations.
  • a shift may include eight workers located at four workstations 108 in the greenhouses 104a-d, processing sixteen benches 106, for completing a pollination operation per first interval (e.g., where the first interval is associated with a particular timing for pollination activity (as such activity may be Attorney Docket No. 5089-000163-WO-POA sensitive to a time of day) where a window of pollination may be less than five hours each day (e.g., as the temperatures rises the pollen may not remain viable for pollination, etc.), etc.), a replanting operation within a second interval, etc.
  • first interval e.g., where the first interval is associated with a particular timing for pollination activity (as such activity may be Attorney Docket No. 5089-000163-WO-POA sensitive to a time of day) where a window of pollination may be less than five hours each day (e.g., as the temperatures rises the pollen may not remain viable for pollination,
  • the seeds/plants populated into the growing facility 102 may include one or multiple different types of plants.
  • the growing facility 102 may be populated with corn or maize (Zea mays).
  • the growing facility 102 may include other plants, including, but not limited to, soybean (Glycine max), cotton (Gossypium hirsutum), peanut (Arachis hypogaea), barley (Hordeum vulgare); oats (Avena sativa); orchard grass (Dactylis glomerata); rice (Oryza sativa, including indica and japonica varieties); sorghum (Sorghum bicolor); sugar cane (Saccharum sp); tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea); turfgrass species (e.g., species: Agrostis stolonifera, Poa pratensis, Stenotaphrum secundatum, etc.); wheat (Triticum aestivum), and alfalfa (Medicago sativa), members of the genus Brassica, including broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, canola, and rapeseed, carrot, Chinese cabbage,
  • the methods and systems herein may also be used in conjunction with non-crop species, especially those used as model methods and/or systems, such as Arabidopsis, etc.
  • the growing facility 102 is configured to include the products from planting to harvest, the products are present within the growing facility 102 during the different growth stages of the products.
  • products from a set are planted in trays for germination, which are then disposed on benches 106 (e.g., at an operations location of the growing facility 102 (e.g., operations location 220 of the growing facility 202, etc.), etc.), and then, thereafter, planted in individual pots, which are also disposed on benches 106, to progress through a series of growth stages (via the different greenhouses 104a-d) prior to harvesting.
  • the series of growth stages may include planting, emergence, spraying for pest control, re-arraying, pollination, post pollination and harvesting, etc.
  • the growth stages may include recovery, growth 1, growth 2, growth 3, pollination, post pollination, and harvest.
  • recovery and growth 1 may be assigned to the greenhouse 104a; growth 2 and growth 3 may be assigned to the greenhouse 104b; pollination may be assigned to the greenhouse 104c, and post pollination and harvest may be assigned to the greenhouse 104d.
  • the growth stages may be assigned differently to greenhouses depending, for example, on types of products including in the growing facility 102, a number of greenhouses included in the growing facility 102, etc.
  • the timing of one or more of the growth stages may be dependent on the availability of the products (e.g., seeds, etc.), and also the availability of capacity in the growing facility 102. For example, five or ten varieties of a product may be received at the growing facility 102 over a five week period, whereby the planting of certain products may be delayed or prioritized over other products based on the varieties available/present, etc.
  • the growth stages generally define timing of specific interaction with the products.
  • a pollination growth stage for a product may require access to the particular product at a particular maturity (e.g., about seven weeks after planting, etc.) and at a particular interval (e.g., three hours in the morning, specifically between 7 AM and 10 AM in the morning, etc.).
  • a particular maturity e.g., about seven weeks after planting, etc.
  • a particular interval e.g., three hours in the morning, specifically between 7 AM and 10 AM in the morning, etc.
  • corn carries ears and tassels. Pollen from the tassels may then be used to pollinate the ears. However, the ears often develop early. As such, to avoid the ears getting pollinated from random unknown pollen, shoot bags are placed over the ears. As tassels develop, they are covered with tassel bags. Pollen produced is therefore allowed to collect within the tassel bags.
  • a pollinator inspects the ears for maturity and pollinates the ears with pollen collected in the tassel bags. That said, corn is monoecious and has both female (shoots) and male flower (tassels) structures on the same plant, but in separate locations. Controlled hand pollinations may therefore be performed by covering the female part of the plant (prior to silk emergence) with a shoot bag, and the male part of the plant (upon flowering) with a paper tassel bag. A plant is then considered pollinated when pollen grains from the tassel are applied to the silk of the shoot, thereby causing fertilization of the ovules, which will develop into corn kernels. Attorney Docket No.
  • re-arraying the products, spaying the products, etc. may also require access to the product, for example, at the workstations 108 (in particular ones of the greenhouses 104a-d) at particular times.
  • the products may also require, without limitations, to be exposed to certain environmental conditions (which may further impact progression of products in growth stages), or separation from certain other products (e.g., in different bays, etc.) (e.g., to prevent cross-contamination at pollination, etc.).
  • the environmental conditions may include, without limitation temperature, humidity, sunlight, etc.
  • the recovery stage may utilize cool and dry environmental conditions; the growth stages may each utilize hot environmental conditions (alone or in combination with different humidities, sunlight, etc.); the pollination stage may utilize hot and humid environmental conditions; and the post pollination and harvest stages may utilize hot and dry environmental conditions.
  • the system 100 includes a computing device 110, which is configured to generate a facility scheme 114 to be implemented in the growing facility 102, which accounts for the physical features (e.g., limitations, resources, etc.) of the growing facility 102 (e.g., arrangements of benches, arrangements of workstations, arrangements of conveyors, numbers of greenhouses, etc.) and also biological limitations of the products (e.g., particular products to be included in the growing facility 102, etc.).
  • the computing device 110 is configured to receive and/or retrieve certain data from a data structure 112, where the data is related to the growing facility 102 and/or the products to be introduced therein.
  • the computing device 110 is coupled to the data structure 112, which includes data representative of the growing facility 102 (e.g., conveyor times, row data, column data, workstation data (e.g., indicating location, number, accessibility, usability, etc.), bench data, etc.).
  • the data structure 112 also includes data related to the products including, without limitation, product growth profiles (e.g., expected growing timing for growth stages (e.g., time spent at each stage and/or timing from planting to harvest, etc.) etc.), environmental condition requirements, schedule of arrival at the growing facility 102, etc. It should be understood, more generally, that data explained or described below may be available in the growing facility 102 in real time, or accessible in the data structure 112, by the computing device 110.
  • the computing device 110 is configured to assign one or more growth stages to each of the greenhouses 104a-d, in this example (e.g., to each of the available greenhouses, to particular ones of the greenhouses, etc.). That is, considering the above, the facility scheme 114 allocates the greenhouses 104a-d, or parts thereof, to specific growth stages to permit, or accommodate, or facilitate, etc.
  • the computing device 110 is configured to determine the facility scheme 114, in which greenhouses are assigned to the growth stages, to determine the medium term allocation of growth stages to the greenhouses.
  • the computing device 110 is configured to determine, based on expected seed set arrivals for the next season, the average number of benches 106 of each relative maturity to release each day.
  • the facility scheme 114 is determined to improve or maximizes total throughput of the growing facility 102 and/or to prioritize various seed sets produced subject to the available seed sets.
  • the computing device 110 is configured to express the above data (e.g., as included in the data structure 112, etc.) as variables and then to implement an objective function (e.g., model, algorithm, etc.) and associated constraints, as explained below, as indicative of physical and biological limitations or factors relating to plant growth, compatibility and greenhouse infrastructure.
  • an objective function e.g., model, algorithm, etc.
  • the computing device 110 is configured to define the facility scheme 114, in which the greenhouse 104a-d, in whole or in part, are designated for specific growth stages of the products therein.
  • a number of variables which are descriptive of the growing facility 102 and the greenhouses 104a-d are defined.
  • Table 1 provides a listing of example variables with reference to the above.
  • Attorney Docket No. 5089-000163-WO-POA Table 1 [0047]
  • a number of decision variables are also employed in defining the facility scheme 114, as indicated in Table 2 below, as well as a number of input parameters, as indicated in Table 3 below.
  • the decision variables generally represent decisions made by the objective function/model.
  • the input parameters generally represent input data needed to run the objective function/model Table 2 Variable Description Attorney Docket No. 5089-000163-WO-POA Table 3 r o > i f r d Attorney Docket No. 5089-000163-WO-POA [0048] It should be appreciated that the listing of variables and parameters included in Tables 103 are example in nature. As such, it should also be appreciated that more or less variables and/or parameters associated with, or descriptive of, the growing facility 102 may be employed in other embodiments. [0049] Further to the above, it should be understood that constraints on the objective function may include one or more assumptions made to aid in determining the facility scheme 114.
  • assumptions may include that the growth rate of each product to be included in the growing facility 102 is known and that the length of growth stages is assumed to be deterministic for each product variety but may vary between different product varieties. Additional assumptions may include, without limitation, that a number of pots per bench to be pollinated may vary by product variety; that conveyor speeds and load/unload times are known; that time standards for blocking tassels and pollinating plants are known; that distribution for the number of pots bagged and then pollinated each day during pollination is known for a given bench; that each variety has a fast and slow maturing subvariety with a known maturation rate distribution for shoots and silks; and that the average time to rotate the conveyor to the next bench is known; etc.
  • Equation (1) an example objective function is provided below as Equation (1) for use in determining the facility scheme 114.
  • the computing device 110 is configured to determine the facility scheme 114 by maximizing, or otherwise optimizing or solving, the seed throughput of the growing facility 102 over a planning horizon (e.g., via the Equation (1), etc.).
  • Equation (1) is a mixed linear form having continuous variables (B) and binary variables (X), but may alternatively be non-linear in other example embodiments of the present disclosure.
  • ⁇ ⁇ ⁇ ⁇ ⁇ ⁇ ⁇ ⁇ ⁇ ⁇ ⁇ ⁇ ⁇ ⁇ ⁇ ⁇ ⁇ ⁇ ⁇ ⁇ ⁇ ⁇ ⁇ ⁇ ⁇ ⁇ ⁇ ⁇ ⁇ ⁇ ⁇ ⁇ ⁇ ⁇ ⁇ (1)
  • the throughput of the growing facility 102 is measured, in this embodiment, by the number of corn kernels produced each period.
  • a period may include a day, or alternatively, may be a week or other desired length of time (e.g., two days, three days, two weeks, etc.).
  • the throughput is further determined by the product of the number of pots per bench (P j ), kernels per pot obtained if pollination schedule (or propagation plan) l is used on variety j (c jl ), and the number of benches of variety j with pollination schedule l released per period (Bjl). Constraints on the objective function are defined to limit a number of days of propagation, i.e., a schedule/plan l selected, based on resource capacity. Also, the second term in the Equation (1) is for computational purposes only, in that the term subtracts a small penalty for every assignment of a growth stage to a greenhouse.
  • Equation (1) the objective function (Equation (1)) may be associated with multiple constraints, including, for example, those specific constraints listed and described below.
  • Equation (2) the computing device 110 is configured to use an available pots capacity constraint as expressed in Equation (2), which generally indicates a capacity of the pots available for release to the greenhouses, or more generally, the growing facility 102. The limit is determined by the expected number of products received and germinated of each maturation Attorney Docket No. 5089-000163-WO-POA variety per period.
  • Equations (3a)-(3c) provide that each growth stage is assigned to exactly one greenhouse if any benches of variety j are released. Growth stages do not need to be assigned if the variety is not produced.
  • Equation (3c) is employed to provide that at least a certain number of variety j benches are released per day if desired.
  • Equation (3d) is provided to link or chain each variety to its prior labeled (j-1) variety as a set to provide that a stage i cannot be assigned to different physical greenhouses for both varieties.
  • Equation (3d) a total set of other varieties may be employed in lieu of Equations (3d) in various embodiments, whereby the constraint is expressed, for example, as provided in Equation (3d’).
  • Equation (3d) Attorney Docket No. 5089-000163-WO-POA [0057]
  • Equation (3e) requires certain pairs of growth stages to be in different physical ones of the greenhouses 104a-d. For each pair i, i’ of such stages, the constraint ensures that those growth stages are assigned to separate physical greenhouses for each variety.
  • Equation (3e) is only required for at least one variety that will be released, yet including constraints for all varieties is permitted in some embodiments.
  • Restrictions such as growth stage i must be in the same or immediate next greenhouse than stage i-1 (i.e., no skipping) may be imposed by restricting the range of greenhouses included in the summation to g-1 to g. It should be appreciated that the impact of forced unidirectional flow can be determined by solving the model with and without this constraint and comparing the difference in objective function values.
  • a conveyor space capacity constraint is provided in Equation (5). ⁇ ⁇ ⁇ ⁇ ⁇ ⁇ ⁇ ⁇ ⁇ ⁇ ⁇ 54 ( 2 ) ⁇ ; ⁇ ⁇ (5)
  • the benches in each greenhouse each period is less than the allowed number.
  • Equation (5) assumes there are 54 rows per column and 2 columns of benches in each Attorney Docket No. 5089-000163-WO-POA greenhouse, in a particular embodiment.
  • the factor K allows for less than full bench occupancy to facilitate storage during rotation of benches on the conveyor system.
  • the left hand side of Equation (5) accumulates all bench releases that have their growth stage assigned to this greenhouse. That is, the product of the number of days a variety spends in growth stage i times the number of benches released per period of variety j, which is summed over the variety-stage combinations assigned to greenhouse g.
  • the product of the batch release (B jl ) and binary assignment (X ijg ) variables creates a nonlinearity.
  • a conveyor time capacity constraint is provided in Equation (6). ⁇ ⁇ ⁇ ⁇ ⁇ ⁇ (2 ⁇ + ⁇ ) ⁇ ⁇ ⁇ ⁇ ⁇ ⁇ ; ⁇ ⁇ (6) [0063]
  • the conveyor time capacity constraint provides that a total time on each conveyor is limited per day. The constraint identifies the benches in each greenhouse each period and the number of moves for each bench by type (stage and variety). This is then multiplied by the average time required by the conveyor per move and compared to time available on the conveyor. It is assumed that each move includes a load/unload pair of operations, but may be modified by adjusting the 2t l term.
  • Conveyor rotation time must accommodate time to rotate to store and to retrieve.
  • the constraint is general and does not directly consider pollination. This constraint could be replicated for vertical and horizontal conveyors as needed if the limiting capacity conveyor is not known.
  • a conveyor time capacity for pollination constraint is provided in Equation (7). ⁇ ⁇ ⁇ ⁇ (2 ⁇ ⁇ + ⁇ ⁇ ) ⁇ ⁇ ⁇ ⁇ ⁇ ⁇ ⁇ ⁇ (3); ⁇ ⁇ (7)
  • the pollination moves can happen within an interval at a specific time of day (e.g., a three hour time frame each day (period), etc.) based on conveyor capacity.
  • Equation (7) accumulates the conveyor time per move for pollination multiplied by the number of benches in the greenhouse of variety j that are in the pollination stage, and finally by the probability those Attorney Docket No. 5089-000163-WO-POA benches will be pollinated on a given period (day).
  • the constraint is activated for the pollination stage [p] associated with variety j.
  • a workforce pollination capacity constraint is provided in Equation (8).
  • the workforce pollination capacity constraint provides that all pollination can happen within the above interval (e.g., a three hour window each period, etc.), given workforce pollinator capacity.
  • the left hand side of the Equation (8) accumulates worker time required and the right hand side of the Equation (8) indicates the number of worker hours available during the interval (e.g., the three hour window, etc.). It assumes workers are busy in unloading and loading the conveyor.
  • Equation (8) The format is similar to the previous constraint except time per bench pollinated is the load/unload time plus the worker pollination time for pots pollinated in a bench. There is an assumption that all pollinators assigned to a workstation are occupied during load/unload. [0068]
  • the nonlinearity induced by including the ⁇ ⁇ term on the left hand side of Equation (8) can be eliminated by estimating the time spent in load/unload versus pollination and adjusting the interval (e.g., 3 hours, etc.) available on the right hand side of Equation (8) downwards accordingly.
  • a workstation pollination time constraint is provided in Equation (9) ⁇ ⁇ ⁇ ⁇ ⁇ 2 ⁇ + ⁇ ⁇ ⁇ ⁇ ⁇ ⁇ ⁇ 3 ⁇ ; ⁇ ⁇ (9) [0070]
  • the workstation pollination time constraint provides for sufficient chronological time in available workstations to complete pollination each period.
  • the right hand side of Equation (9) represents the interval, i.e., a 3-hour daily time window, in this example, for pollination multiplied by the number of workstations in the greenhouse. It is similar to the constraint of Equation (8) except the number of workers is replaced by the number of workstations. As before, the constraint assumes the associated load/unload times occupy workstation time.
  • nonlinearity in the overall model relates to the product of the batch release variables (B) and stage-to-greenhouse assignment variables (X).
  • B batch release variables
  • X stage-to-greenhouse assignment variables
  • the model can be linearized using standard techniques as shown below.
  • the number of benches 106 released is a continuous variable.
  • the number of benches 106 could be modeled as an integer.
  • K may be K g to allow different levels of conveyor occupation in the greenhouse 104a-d.
  • different levels of occupation may be appropriate for instance in which certain conveyors are more utilized than others due to, for example, pollination.
  • the t r then becomes t rg if the different levels of occupation are used to provide the conveyor occupancy versus rotation time to an open slot tradeoff.
  • ⁇ ⁇ ⁇ is the minimum number of benches required per day for variety j. This is benches 106 are desired for a product variety that may have a low yield.
  • the workstations 108 are associated with specific conveyors, and not specific ones of the greenhouses 104a-d, whereby it may be preferable to model conveyors instead of greenhouses 104a-d.
  • growth stages may be divided into substages.
  • pollination may be pollination A and pollination B with the total time adding up to the actual time for the pollination growth stage.
  • This optional granularity may provide for additional throughput in certain embodiments.
  • Attorney Docket No. 5089-000163-WO-POA [0078]
  • the computing device 110 is configured to determine the facility scheme 114 from the above equations and constraints and parameters.
  • the output is in a form of a number of greenhouses required per stage to provide a desired throughput (e.g., to maximize throughput, etc.), given that different pots spend a different number of days in different stages.
  • the computing device 110 is configured to implement the facility scheme 114 in the growing facility 102. As shown in FIG. 1, for example, each of the greenhouses 104a-d includes a different pattern or hatching, which is indicative of the growth stage implemented for the corn crop (e.g., and assigned to a particular one of the greenhouses 104a-d or a particular part thereof, etc.).
  • no pattern of greenhouse 104a includes a planting growth stage for the corn products, and the horizontal dashes of greenhouse 104b indicate a transplanting growth stage, while the angled lines of greenhouse 104c indicate a pollination growth stage and the brick pattern of the greenhouse 104d indicates a harvest growth stage.
  • the growth stages implemented in the greenhouses 104a-d in FIG. 1 are for purposes of illustration and should not be understood to limit the facility scheme 114 determined by the computing device 110 or otherwise.
  • FIGS. 2-5 illustrate example growing facility 202.
  • the growing facility 202 includes a different number of greenhouses (and which may be implemented (e.g., designed, laid out, constructed, arranged, etc.) in the growing facility 102 of FIG. 1, for example, based on the determined facility scheme 114).
  • the example facility scheme for the growing facility 202 includes the thirteen greenhouses 204a-m, disposed in two columns on either side of operations area 220 (e.g., the first side 222, or north side; and the second side 224, or south side; etc.).
  • the first side 222 of the growing facility 202 includes six greenhouses 204a, 204c, 204e, 204g, 204i, and 204k.
  • the second side 224 of the growing facility includes seven greenhouses 204b, 204d, 204f, 204h, 204j, 204l, and 204m.
  • the operations area 220 is disposed generally between the fist side 222 and the second side 224, and includes controls for controlling operations of the greenhouses 204a-m.
  • the operations area 220 includes various automated equipment 221 including, for example, automated planting and transplanting equipment, soil mixing and distributing equipment, DH lab Attorney Docket No. 5089-000163-WO-POA equipment, and germination chambers for use in performing one or more operations on the plants in the growing facility 202.
  • the operations area 220 may be used for seed planting, DH lab treatment, germination, and transplanting plants into pots.
  • the pots then, may be placed onto benches 106 and accumulated, for example, at a stacker yard, via conveyors 227 of a transport system 228, and then transferred to the greenhouses 204a-m (e.g., via one or more cranes of the transport system 228, etc.).
  • the transport system 228 generally includes multiple conveyors and robotic equipment configured to move the pots, benches, etc. as needed.
  • seeds may be planted in germination trays in the operations area 220, and may then remain in germination rooms (in the operations area 220) until they are ready to be transplanted (re-planted) into pots and loaded onto benches 106 (also in operations area 220). Then, the benches 106, filled with the pots, are moved by cranes and conveyors of the transport system 228 to one or more of the greenhouses (e.g., to greenhouse 204k, 204m, etc.).
  • FIGS. 5A-5B schematically illustrate the six greenhouses 204a (GH1), 204c (GH3), 204e (GH5), 204g (GH7), 204i (GH9), and 204k (GH11) of the first side 222.
  • FIGS. 5A-5B schematically illustrate the seven greenhouses 204b (GH2), 204d (GH4), 204f (GH6), 204h (GH8), 204j (GH10), 204l (GH12), and 204m (GH13) of the second side 224.
  • Each of the greenhouses GH1-GH13 includes at least one bay, where each bay includes two adjacent rows (identified as R1, R2, R3, etc. in the figures).
  • each of greenhouses GH1-GH11 includes two bays, and each of greenhouses GH12-GH13 includes one bay.
  • each of greenhouses GH1-GH2 includes five rows
  • each of greenhouses GH3-GH11 includes four rows
  • each of greenhouses GH12-GH13 includes two rows.
  • the first side 222 of the growing facility 202 includes twenty-five total rows and the second side 224 of the growing facility 202 includes twenty-five total rows (e.g., with row R4 in each of greenhouses GH1 and GH2 not used and/or blocked off for other use, etc.).
  • each row in the growing facility 202 includes multiple positions extending along a length of the row (e.g., forty-three positions in the illustrated embodiment for each row in greenhouses GH1-GH2 and fifty-four positions in the illustrated embodiment for each row in greenhouses GH3-GH13, etc.) (see, FIGS. 4B and 5B).
  • a bench 106 is located at each of the positions in each of the rows.
  • Each of the benches 106 is moveable through the greenhouses GH1-GH13, from position to position along the rows R1-R25.
  • the benches 106 are fixed and/or coupled to conveyors 226, which, in turn, are each configured to move the benches 106 from location to location (or position to position) within each of the bays, rows, etc. of the given greenhouses GH1-GH13 of the growing facility 102.
  • the four rows of benches 106 therein traverse the greenhouse 204a in the direction indicated by the arrows, via corresponding conveyors 226 disposed within each of the rows.
  • the rows R1 and R2 traverse the greenhouse 104A from bottom to top, and the rows R3 and R5 traverse the greenhouse from top to bottom.
  • lateral conveyors 230 are included and configured to move the benches 106 between desired rows, for example, from the row R1 to row R5 and from the row R2 to the row R3 (and vice-versa when the benches 106 reach the end the rows R3 and R5).
  • the benches 106 in the greenhouse 204a are moved, by the conveyors 226, 230 included therein, generally in a loop.
  • the benches 106 in the other greenhouses 204b-m are generally arranged in the same manner, relative to conveyors, which are configured to move the benches 106 in generally the same manner.
  • conveyors are also configured to move the benches 106, at the ends of the rows (e.g., at the ends of the rows R1 and R2, etc.), from the greenhouse 204a to the greenhouse 204c, and so on.
  • the greenhouses 204a-m also include workstations 108, which are located at the end of rows therein.
  • the greenhouses 204a-m each include at least one workstation 108 (e.g., one workstation 108, two workstations 108, three workstations 108, four workstations 108, etc.).
  • greenhouses 204c, 204d, 204g, and 204h each include at least one specialized workstation 108 configured for use with plant growth regulator (PGR) and the top flushing (TF) activities described above.
  • the TF activities may include, for example, top flushing the soil in the benches 106, using an irrigation station, etc., as the benches move through these rows of these greenhouses in order to remove accumulated minerals and sediment.
  • the PGR activities may include overhead spraying activities (whereby the PGR may include an overhead sprayer, etc.) relating to one or more treatments (e.g., nutrient treatments, pesticides, etc.) configured to enhance, protect, feed, etc.
  • the example growing facility 202 may thus accommodate, for instance, upwards of about 75,000 or more individual products, from planting to harvest.
  • the growing facility 202 also includes multiple irrigation feeds 232 adjacent the greenhouses (see, FIG. 4B including irrigation feeds 001-014 adjacent greenhouse GH11, and FIG. 5B including irrigation feeds 001-014 adjacent greenhouse GH13).
  • each of the irrigation feeds includes an ebb and flood irrigation system configured to irrigate the plants disposed on the benches 106 (e.g., about four benches at a time, more than four benches at a time, fewer than four benches at a time, etc.) at a time. It is an ebb and flood irrigation system.
  • the computing device 110 is configured to implement environmental conditions, by control of the greenhouses 104a-d, which are consistent with the growth stages implemented in the greenhouses 104a-d. For example, the computing device 110 may impose a first temperature in the planting greenhouse 104a, and a second different temperature in the harvesting greenhouse 104d.
  • FIG. 6 illustrates an example computing device 300 that may be used in the system 100, for example, in connection with the computing device 110 and/or the data structure 112, etc., whereby each includes and/or is implemented in at least one computing device consistent with computing device 300.
  • the computing device 300 may be uniquely, or specifically, configured, by executable instructions, to implement the various algorithms and other operations described herein with regard to the computing device 110.
  • the system 100 as described herein, may include a variety of different Attorney Docket No.
  • the example computing device 300 may include, for example, one or more servers, workstations, personal computers, laptops, tablets, smartphones, other suitable computing devices, combinations thereof, etc.
  • the computing device 300 may include a single computing device, or it may include multiple computing devices located in close proximity or distributed over a geographic region, and coupled to one another via one or more networks.
  • networks may include, without limitations, the Internet, an intranet, a private or public local area network (LAN), wide area network (WAN), mobile network, telecommunication networks, combinations thereof, or other suitable network(s), etc.
  • the data structure 112 of the system 100 includes at least one server computing device, while the computing device 110 includes at least one separate computing device, which is coupled to the data structure 112, directly and/or by one or more LANs, etc.
  • the illustrated computing device 300 includes a processor 302 and a memory 304 that is coupled to (and in communication with) the processor 302.
  • the processor 302 may include, without limitation, one or more processing units (e.g., in a multi-core configuration, etc.), including a central processing unit (CPU), a microcontroller, a reduced instruction set computer (RISC) processor, an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a programmable logic device (PLD), a gate array, and/or any other circuit or processor capable of the functions described herein.
  • processing units e.g., in a multi-core configuration, etc.
  • CPU central processing unit
  • RISC reduced instruction set computer
  • ASIC application specific integrated circuit
  • PLD programmable logic device
  • gate array e.g., a gate array
  • the memory 304 may include one or more computer-readable storage media, such as, without limitation, dynamic random access memory (DRAM), static random access memory (SRAM), read only memory (ROM), erasable programmable read only memory (EPROM), solid state devices, flash drives, CD-ROMs, thumb drives, tapes, hard disks, and/or any other type of volatile or nonvolatile physical or tangible computer-readable media.
  • DRAM dynamic random access memory
  • SRAM static random access memory
  • ROM read only memory
  • EPROM erasable programmable read only memory
  • solid state devices flash drives, CD-ROMs, thumb drives, tapes, hard disks, and/or any other type of volatile or nonvolatile physical or tangible computer-readable media.
  • the memory 304 may be configured to store, without limitation, product schedules, growth stage profile per product, environmental conditions, conveyor time, and/or other types of data (and/or data structures) suitable for use as described herein, etc. In various Attorney Docket No.
  • computer-executable instructions may be stored in the memory 304 for execution by the processor 302 to cause the processor 302 to perform one or more of the functions described herein, such that the memory 304 is a physical, tangible, and non-transitory computer- readable storage media.
  • Such instructions often improve the efficiencies and/or performance of the processor 302 that is performing one or more of the various operations herein (e.g., one or more operations of method 400, etc.) whereby such performance may transform the computing device 300 into a special-purpose computing device.
  • the memory 304 may include a variety of different memories, each implemented in one or more of the functions or processes described herein.
  • the computing device 300 also includes an output device 306 that is coupled to (and is in communication with) the processor 302.
  • the output device 306 outputs, or presents, to a user of the computing device 300 (e.g., a facility operator, etc.) by, for example, displaying and/or otherwise outputting information such as, but not limited to, the facility scheme 114, etc.
  • the output device 306 may comprise a display device such that various interfaces (e.g., applications (network-based or otherwise), etc.) may be displayed at computing device 300, and in particular at the display device, to display such information and data, etc.
  • the computing device 300 may cause the interfaces to be displayed at a display device of another computing device, including, for example, a server hosting a website having multiple webpages, or interacting with a web application employed at the other computing device, etc.
  • Output device 306 may include, without limitation, a liquid crystal display (LCD), a light-emitting diode (LED) display, an organic LED (OLED) display, an “electronic ink” display, combinations thereof, etc.
  • output device 306 may include multiple units.
  • the computing device 300 further includes an input device 308 that receives input from the user (e.g., an implementation command for a facility scheme from a facility operator, etc.).
  • the input device 308 is coupled to (and is in communication with) the processor 302 and may include, for example, a keyboard, a pointing device, a mouse, a stylus, a touch sensitive panel (e.g., a touch pad or a touch screen, etc.), another computing device, and/or an audio input device. Further, in some example embodiments, a touch screen, such as that included in a tablet or similar device, may perform as both output device 306 and input device Attorney Docket No. 5089-000163-WO-POA 308. In at least one example embodiment, the output device 306 and the input device 308 may be omitted.
  • the illustrated computing device 300 includes a network interface 310 coupled to (and in communication with) the processor 302 (and, in some embodiments, to the memory 304 as well).
  • the network interface 310 may include, without limitation, a wired network adapter, a wireless network adapter, a telecommunications adapter, or other devices capable of communicating to one or more different networks.
  • the network interface 310 is employed to receive inputs to the computing device 300.
  • the computing device 300 may include the processor 302 and one or more network interfaces incorporated into or with the processor 302.
  • FIG. 7 illustrates an example method 400 of determining a facility scheme for a growing facility.
  • the example method 400 is described herein in connection with the system 100, and may be implemented, in whole or in part, in the computing device 110 of the system 100. Further, for purposes of illustration, the example method 400 is also described with reference to the computing device 110, the data structure 112, and more generally, the system 100 (and the growing facility 102 of the system 100), and also the computing device 300 of FIG. 6. However, it should be appreciated that the method 400, or other methods described herein, are not limited to the system 100, the distributions in FIG. 2, or the computing device 300. And, conversely, the systems, data structures, and computing devices described herein are not limited to the example method 400.
  • an instruction is received to determine a facility scheme 114 for the growing facility 102.
  • the instruction may be received, for example, from a facility operator or another user associated with the growing facility 102.
  • the instruction may include an indication, either directly or by reference (e.g., in the data structure 112, etc.), an indication of the products to be introduced into the growing facility 102 and a schedule of receipt of the products from a current day to a day in the future, prior to a planning horizon for the facility scheme 114.
  • the instruction may be received, from time to time, but, in general, will be Attorney Docket No. 5089-000163-WO-POA received at the beginning of a growing session, which may extend for a period of months, a year or more or less, etc.
  • the instruction may include or reference any suitable data to be used in determining the facility scheme 114.
  • the computing device 110 accesses the data relevant to the facility scheme 114 in the data structure 112 (or elsewhere as required or desired).
  • the data for example, may be consistent with the variables listed in Tables 1-3, above, and otherwise, as defined or referenced in the equations and/or constraints described above.
  • the computing device 110 determines, at 406, the facility scheme 114 for the growing facility 102, based on the accessed data, the objective function in Equation (1), and the assumptions/constraints described herein.
  • the objective function provides a score or result, per facility scheme, for which the facility scheme provides a maximum, optimum, or desired throughput, relative to the throughput of other facility schemes.
  • the computing device 110 implements the facility scheme 114, by assigning the growing facility 102 (and/or resources of the growing facility 102) consistent with the facility scheme 114.
  • the different greenhouses of the growing facility 102 (or the growing facility 202) are associated growth stages of the product(s) to be included in the growing facility.
  • the four greenhouses 104a-d may be assigned or arranged within the growing facility 102 (in order to accommodate the particular product(s) desired for the given facility scheme 114).
  • the greenhouse 104a may be assigned a planting growth stage; the greenhouse 104b may be assigned a transplanting growth stage; the greenhouse 104c may be assigned a pollination growth stage; and the greenhouse 104d may be assigned a harvest growth stage.
  • each of the greenhouses 104a-d may also be assigned (or configured with, etc.) a particular number of rows/bays, locations, benches, workstations, and conveyors, etc.
  • the methods and systems herein provide for an objective determination of facility schemes for growing facilities, a desired (e.g., optimal, maximum, etc.) output obtainable for those facilities and operational plans necessary to achieve that desired output, consistent with physical limitations (e.g., resources, characteristics, configurations, etc.) Attorney Docket No. 5089-000163-WO-POA of the facilities and biological characteristics, attributes, etc. of the products introduced and processed therein.
  • the methods and systems herein may provide for determining an optimal, maximum, desired, etc.
  • the functions described herein, in some embodiments, may be described in computer executable instructions stored on a computer readable media, and executable by one or more processors.
  • the computer readable media is a non-transitory computer readable media.
  • such computer readable media can include RAM, ROM, EEPROM, CD-ROM or other optical disk storage, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage device, or any other medium that can be used to carry or store desired program code in the form of instructions or data structures and that can be accessed by a computer.
  • the technical effect may be achieved by performing at least one of the following operations: (a) in response to an instruction, accessing data representative of a growing facility and data representative of a product to be introduced into the growing facility, the growing facility including multiple greenhouses, the product including multiple growth stages; (b) determining a facility scheme, in which ones of the multiple growth stages are assigned to ones of the multiple greenhouses, based on the accessed data and an objective function; (c) implementing the facility scheme at the growing facility; and/or (d) receiving the instruction from a facility operator of the growing facility, the instruction including an indication of the product.
  • parameter X may have a range of values from about A to about Z.
  • disclosure of two or more ranges of values for a parameter (whether such ranges Attorney Docket No. 5089-000163-WO-POA are nested, overlapping or distinct) subsume all possible combination of ranges for the value that might be claimed using endpoints of the disclosed ranges.
  • parameter X is exemplified herein to have values in the range of 1 – 10, or 2 – 9, or 3 – 8, it is also envisioned that Parameter X may have other ranges of values including 1 – 9, 1 – 8, 1 – 3, 1 - 2, 2 – 10, 2 – 8, 2 – 3, 3 – 10, and 3 – 9.
  • the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular example embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting. As used herein, the singular forms "a,” “an,” and “the” may be intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

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Abstract

La divulgation concerne des systèmes et de procédés donnés à titre d'exemple pour attribuer des ressources dans une installation de culture. Un procédé mis en œuvre par ordinateur donné à titre d'exemple consiste, en réponse à une instruction, à accéder à des données représentatives d'une installation de culture et à des données représentatives d'un produit à introduire dans l'installation de culture, l'installation de culture comprenant de multiples serres et le produit comprenant de multiples étages de croissance. Le procédé consiste également à déterminer un modèle d'installation, dans lequel des étages parmi les multiples étages de croissance sont attribués à des serres multiples parmi les multiples serres, sur la base des données ayant fait l'objet d'un accès et d'une fonction objective, ainsi qu'à mettre en œuvre le modèle d'installation au niveau de l'installation de culture.
PCT/US2024/026991 2023-05-01 2024-04-30 Procédés et systèmes destinés à être utilisés dans l'attribution de ressources dans des installations de culture Ceased WO2024228996A2 (fr)

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