Patent ID: 9609858
Date: 2017-04-04
CPC Classifications: A01D,A01M,G01N,G06K

Claim:
1. A method of removing unwanted plants comprising: capturing plant images using a three-dimensional imager; distinguishing between a wanted plant and an unwanted plant after capturing plant images; locating a target on the unwanted plant; guiding, with a non-mechanical phased array beam steering module, at least one laser device configured to emit at least one laser beam to the target of the unwanted plant, the non-mechanical phased array beam steering module is coupled to a cylindrical-shaped MEMS mirror adaptive optical element; modulating a phase of the at least one laser beam; redirecting, the phase modulated, at least one laser beam to the unwanted plant using a phase grating; adjusting at least one of a depth of field, a width of field, or a focal length of the at least one laser beam; directing the adjusted at least one laser beam to the target on the unwanted plant; and damaging the target on the unwanted plant with the at least one laser beam.