Abstract:
Provided herein is a rotary plant growing apparatus. The apparatus includes a base and a cylindrical assembly supported by the base. The cylindrical assembly has an open first end and defines an interior growing chamber. The cylindrical assembly is also selectively rotatable relative to the base. A plurality of cartridge retention members are disposed on an inner said of the cylindrical assembly. An annular retention frame is disposed at the open first end of the cylindrical assembly and is formed with an opening. A selectively movable cartridge is retained in said interior growing chamber by the first cartridge retention member and the annular retention frame. The annular retention frame is dimensioned and positioned relative to the cylindrical assembly such that the selectively movable cartridge is only movable relative to said cylindrical assembly when the cartridge and said opening are longitudinally aligned.

Description:
FIELD 
       [0001]    The present disclosure relates to horticulture, more specifically to hydroponic plant growth systems. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Hydroponics is a method of growing plants using mineral nutrient solutions, in water, without soil. Two types of hydroponics are solution culture hydroponics and medium culture hydroponics. Solution culture hydroponics does not use a solid medium to support the roots; the roots are suspended in the nutrient solution culture. The three main types of solution cultures are static solution culture, continuous-flow solution culture and aeroponics (i.e. the roots are saturated with a mist of the nutrient solution). The medium culture method uses a solid medium to support the roots such as sand, gravel, or the like. A common hydroponic irrigation technique is sub-irrigation, where a fluid such as water mixed with nutrients, is introduced from below the roots of the plant. 
         [0003]    It is known in the art that when plants are grown on a flat surface under a light source, the plants are at varying distances from the source and that greater efficiency in the use of the light may be obtained where all the plants being illuminated by a given light source are equidistant from it, reducing the number of lights needed for each productive square unit of growing area. This can be achieved by means of a rotary growing apparatus in which the plants are rotated about a light source at the axis of rotation, as is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,604,321, issued Aug. 12, 2003 to Marchildon. 
         [0004]    In some applications however, inventory control of the plants being grown is critical. For example, some states regulate the marijuana industry at least in part by implementing what is known as a “seed to sale” process, wherein the state must be able to track the production of any and all marijuana based products for sale in the state. It is therefore important that an operator of a commercial scale hydroponic growing operation be able to track where any given plant is in the operation at any given time. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0005]      FIG. 1  is an isometric perspective view a rotary plant growing apparatus with a selectively removable cartridge partially removed from the rotary plant growing apparatus in accordance with at least one embodiment. 
           [0006]      FIG. 2  is a top-down view of the rotatory plant growing apparatus shown in  FIG. 1  with a selectively removable cartridge partially removed from the rotary plant growing apparatus. 
           [0007]      FIG. 3  is a right-side view of the rotatory plant growing apparatus shown in  FIG. 1  with a selectively removable cartridge partially removed from the rotary plant growing apparatus. 
           [0008]      FIG. 4  is a front view of the rotatory plant growing apparatus shown in  FIG. 1  with a selectively removable cartridge partially removed from the rotary plant growing apparatus. 
           [0009]      FIG. 5  is a left-side view of the rotatory plant growing apparatus shown in  FIG. 1  with a selectively removable cartridge partially removed from the rotary plant growing apparatus. 
           [0010]      FIG. 6  is a rear view of the rotatory plant growing apparatus shown in  FIG. 1  with a selectively removable cartridge partially removed from the rotary plant growing apparatus. 
           [0011]      FIG. 7A  is an isometric perspective view of a selectively removable cartridge with plants disposed therein in accordance with at least one embodiment. 
           [0012]      FIG. 7B  is an isometric perspective view of a selectively removable cartridge without plants disposed therein in accordance with at least one embodiment. 
           [0013]      FIG. 7C  is a first cross-sectional view of the selectively removable cartridge illustrated in  FIG. 7B . 
           [0014]      FIG. 7D  is a first cross-sectional view of the selectively removable cartridge illustrated in  FIG. 7B . 
           [0015]      FIG. 8  illustrates several components of an exemplary rotary plant growing apparatus control unit in accordance with at least one embodiment. 
           [0016]      FIG. 9  illustrates exemplary network topology of a rotary growing control system in accordance with at least one embodiment. 
           [0017]      FIG. 10  illustrates several components of an exemplary growing system control server in accordance with at least one embodiment. 
           [0018]      FIG. 11  is a control flow diagram of an exemplary rotary plant growing apparatus control routine in accordance with at least one embodiment. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION 
       [0019]    In the detailed description that the phrases “in one embodiment,” “in various embodiments,” “in some embodiments,” and the like are used repeatedly. Such phrases do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. The terms “comprising,” “having,” and “including” are synonymous, unless the context dictates otherwise. 
         [0020]    Reference is now made in detail to the description of the embodiments as illustrated in the drawings. While embodiments are described in connection with the drawings and related descriptions, there is no intent to limit the scope to the embodiments disclosed herein. On the contrary, the intent is to cover all alternatives, modifications, and equivalents. In alternate embodiments, additional devices, or combinations of illustrated devices, may be added to, or combined, without limiting the scope to the embodiments disclosed herein. 
         [0021]      FIGS. 1-6  illustrate a rotary growing apparatus  100  in accordance with at least one embodiment. Rotary growing apparatus  100  includes a base  103 , front and rear annular retention frames  105 A-B, a light source support member  110 , a feeding bar support member  113 , a feeding control system  115 , a drive system  118 , and a control unit  800 , described below in reference to  FIG. 8 . 
         [0022]    Base  103  is formed with a drainage area  121  and supports front and rear annular retention frames  105 A-B, light source support member  110 , feeding bar support member  113 , feeding system  115 , drive system  118 , and control unit  800 . 
         [0023]    Front and rear cylindrical assemblies  123 A-B may be disposed above base  103  between front and rear annular retention frames  105 A-B. Each of front and rear cylindrical assemblies  123 A-B are rotatable relative to front and rear annular retention frames  105 A-B and include support rings  125  joined by longitudinal support bars  128 , which collectively define generally cylindrical front and rear interior growing chambers  130 A-B. Opposing pairs of cartridge retention members  131  extend radially from longitudinal support bars  128  into interior growing chambers  130 A-B. Each opposing pair of cartridge retention members  131  may define a cartridge slot  132 . As is described below, cartridges  700  are selectively disposable within cartridge slots  132 . Opposing pairs of cartridge retention members  131  constrain radial and circumferential movement of cartridges  700  relative to front and rear cylindrical assemblies  123 A-B. Front and rear annular retention frames  105 A-B constrain axial movement of cartridges  700  relative to front and rear cylindrical assemblies  123 A-B. 
         [0024]    Front and rear annular retention members  105 A-B are each formed with an opening  135 A-B, permitting axial movement of a cartridge  700  relative to front and rear cylindrical assemblies  123 A-B when the cartridge is disposed directly in front of the opening. Front and rear inventory scanning units  138 A-B are disposed adjacent tor respective openings  135 A-B. Inventory scanning units  138 A-B may, for example, be bar code scanners, QR code readers, or other optical sensing devices for reading inventory control information on cartridges  700  being placed in and/or removed from interior growing chambers  130 A-B via openings  135 A-B, respectively. 
         [0025]    As is described below, control unit  800  may be in data communication with various components of rotary growing apparatus  100 . Control unit  800  may also be in data communication with a growing control system server  1000 , described below in reference to  FIG. 10 , via a network interface  805 . The functional components of an exemplary control unit  800  are described below in reference to  FIG. 8 . As is described in more detail below, control unit  800  obtains operation instructions for rotary growing apparatus  100 , e.g. via an optional user input  810 , network  903  (see  FIG. 9 ), and/or the control unit&#39;s internal memory  808 , and controls the operation of rotary growing apparatus  100  accordingly. 
         [0026]    Optional sensors  140  may be selectively disposed within interior growing chambers  130 A-B. Optional sensors  140  may be in data communication with control unit  800 . As is described in more detail below, optional sensors  140  may collect data relating to the environment inside interior growing chambers  130 A-B during the operation of rotary growing apparatus  100 , such as data relating to temperature, humidity, light intensity and wavelength, fluid levels, rotation speed, plant growth, plant health, and the like. 
         [0027]    Drive system  118  may include a motor  143  operatively connected to front and rear cylindrical assemblies, e.g. via support rings  125 , in order to selectively rotate the front and rear cylindrical assemblies relative to front and rear annular retention members  105 A-B. The operation of drive system  118  may be selective controlled by control unit  800 , for example in response to data received from sensors  140  and/or in response to instructions received via user interface  810  and/or network interface  803 . 
         [0028]    Light source support member  110  extends upwardly from base  103 . An axial light source  143  may be supported by light source support member  110  and extend across interior growing chambers  130 A-B, e.g. coaxially with front and rear cylindrical assemblies  123 A-B. The operation of light source  143  may be selectively controlled by control unit  800 , for example in response to data received from sensors  140  and/or in response to instructions received via user interface  810  and/or network interface  803 . 
         [0029]    Feeding control system  115  may include a reservoir  145  and a pump  148 . Feeding bar support member  113  may support a feeding bar  150  disposed over an upper portion of front and rear cylindrical assemblies  123 A-B. Feeding bar  150  may be formed with ports  153  generally oriented in the direction front and rear cylindrical assemblies  123 A-B and in fluid communication with reservoir  145 . Pump  148  may selectively control the delivery of fluid from reservoir  145  to ports  153 . The operation of pump  148  may be controlled by control unit  800 , may be selectively controlled by control unit  800 , for example in response to data received from sensors  140  and/or in response to instructions received via user interface  810  and/or network interface  803 . 
         [0030]      FIGS. 7 a - d    illustrate an exemplary cartridge  700  in accordance certain aspects of at least one embodiment for selective installation in rotary growing apparatus  100 . Selectively removable cartridge may include a floor  703 , opposing longitudinal walls  705 A-B extending upwardly from the floor, opposing end walls  708 A-B extending upwardly from the floor between the opposing longitudinal walls, and a ceiling  710  opposing the floor and extending from the longitudinal walls and the end walls. Floor  703  may be formed with one or more drip holes (not shown) and ceiling  710  may be formed with a slot  713 . Floor  703 , longitudinal walls  705 A-B, end walls  708 A-B, and ceiling  710  may collectively define an interior chamber  715 . 
         [0031]    Plants  718  are selectively disposable within interior chamber  715 . Roots may form within interior chamber  715  and receive nourishment via drip holes (not shown). Stems may extend outwardly from interior chamber  715  through slot  713 . 
         [0032]    Inventory identifiers  720 , such a bar code, a QR code, or the like, may be affixed to one or more exterior sides of cartridge  700 . 
         [0033]    The operation of a rotary growing apparatus, such as rotary growing apparatus  100 , in accordance with various embodiments will now be described. 
         [0034]    Interior chamber  715  of cartridge  700  may be at least partially filled with a plant growing medium (not shown) and one or more plants  718 . Cartridge  700  may then be placed back into one of interior growing chambers  130 A-B by orienting the selected cylindrical assembly  123  such that an opposing pair of cartridge retention members  131  is disposed directly in front of opening  135 . Cartridge  700  may then be moved through opening  135  and installed between opposing pair of cartridge retention members  131 . In accordance with various inventory control schemes, inventory identifiers  720  may be scanned by inventory scanning unit  138  as cartridge  700  moves through opening  135 . This process may be selectively repeated for each opposing pair of cartridge retention members. Control unit  120  may provide information obtained from inventory identifiers  720  to growing system control server Y00. 
         [0035]    After the desired number of plants  718  have been placed in cartridges  700  and the cartridges have been secured inside interior growing chambers  130 A-B, control unit  800  may (1) selectively engage drive system  118  such that front and rear cylindrical receiving assemblies  123 A-B rotate about light source  143  at a desired rate; (2) selectively engage light source  143  such that plants  718  disposed in the interior growing chambers are exposed to a desired intensity and wavelength of light; and/or (3) selectively engage feeding control system such that a desired amount of the contents of reservoir  145  flows through ports  153  of feeding bar  150  into each cartridge  700  as the cartridge passes under the feeding bar. The rate of rotation supplied by drive system  118 , the intensity and wavelength of the light supplied by light source  143 , and the amount of fluid delivered by feeding system  115 , may all be at least partially dependent on information obtained from inventory identifiers  720 . 
         [0036]    When one or more of plants  718  in cartridge  700  have reached a desired state of growth, the cartridge may be removed from interior growing chamber  130  by orienting the selected cylindrical assembly  123  such that the cartridge is disposed directly in front of opening  135 . Cartridge  700  may then be removed from between opposing pair of cartridge retention members  131  and out through opening  135 . In accordance with various inventory control schemes, inventory identifiers  720  may be scanned by inventory scanning unit  138  as cartridge  700  moves through opening  135 . This process may be selectively repeated for one or more cartridges installed within front and rear interior growing chambers  130 A-B. Control unit  120  may provide information obtained from inventory identifiers  720  to growing system control server Y00. 
         [0037]      FIG. 8  illustrates several components of an exemplary control unit  800 , in accordance with various embodiments. In some embodiments, a control unit  800  may include many more components than those shown in  FIG. 8 . However, it is not necessary that all of these generally conventional components be shown in order to disclose an illustrative embodiment. As shown in  FIG. 8 , exemplary control unit  800  includes a network interface  803  for connecting to a network, a processing unit  805 ; and a memory  808 . Exemplary control unit  800  may also include an optional user input  810  (e.g. an alphanumeric keyboard, keypad, a touchscreen, and/or a microphone), and/or an optional display  813 . Exemplary control unit may also include drive system control  813  for providing control signals to and/or obtaining feedback from drive system  118 ; light system control  818  for providing control signals to and/or obtaining feedback from light source  143 ; feeding system control  820  for providing control signals to and/or obtaining feedback from feeding control system  115 ; and/or sensor control  823  for providing control signals to and/or obtaining feedback from optional sensors  140 . All of these components may be may be interconnected via a bus  825 . Memory  808  generally comprises a RAM, a ROM, and a permanent mass storage device, such as a disk drive, flash memory, or the like. 
         [0038]    Memory  808  of exemplary control unit  800  may store an operating system  830  as well as program code for a number of software applications, such as a rotary growing apparatus control application  833 , described below. Program code for these and other such software applications or components may be loaded from a non-transient computer readable storage medium  835  into memory  808  using a drive mechanism (not shown) associated with the non-transient computer readable storage medium, such as, but not limited to, a DVD/CD-ROM drive, memory card, or the like. Software components may also be loaded into memory  808  via the network interface  803 , rather than via a computer readable storage medium  833 . 
         [0039]    Although an exemplary control unit  800  has been described, a control unit  800  may be any of a great number of networked computing devices capable of communicating with a network and executing program code, such as the program code corresponding to rotary growing apparatus control application  833 . In some embodiments, a control unit  800  may comprise one or more replicated and/or distributed physical or logical devices. 
         [0040]      FIG. 9  illustrates an exemplary rotary growing control system  900  in accordance with various embodiments. A growing control system server  1000  (described below with reference to  FIG. 10 ) and one or more rotary growing apparatus control units  800 , such as rotary growing apparatus control units  800 A-E, may be in data communication with a network  903 . In various embodiments, network  903  may include the Internet, one or more local area networks (“LANs”), cellular data networks, and/or other data networks. Network  903  may, at various points, be wired and/or wireless networks. 
         [0041]    Growing control system server  1000  is a networked computing device generally capable of providing/obtaining requests over network  903 , and obtaining/providing responses accordingly. Growing control system server  1000  may be in data communication with a grow system database  905 . 
         [0042]    Each rotary growing apparatus control unit  800 A-E may, as is described above, be data communication with other rotary growing system components and and/or with network  103 . A rotary growing apparatus in a rotary growing control system does not need to be physically connected to, or be in physical proximity of, network and/or other rotary growing apparatuses to be considered part of the rotary growing control system. For example, rotary growing systems  100 A-D may be located in a first physical location, rotary growing system  100 E may located in a second physical location, and growing system control system Y00 may be located in a third physical location while all still being in data communication via network  103  and still considered part of the same rotary growing control system ZOO. 
         [0043]      FIG. 9  is intended to depict a simplified example of a rotary growing control system in accordance with various embodiments. In many other embodiments there may be many more rotary growing apparatuses than are depicted in  FIG. 9 . 
         [0044]      FIG. 10  illustrates several components of an exemplary growing system control server  1000 , in accordance with at least one embodiment. In some embodiments, growing system control server  1000  may include many more components than those shown in  FIG. 10 . However, it is not necessary that all of these generally conventional components be shown in order to disclose an illustrative embodiment. As shown in  FIG. 10 , growing system control server  1000  includes a network interface  1003  for connecting to a network, such as network  903 . Growing system control server  1000  also includes a processing unit  1005  and a memory  1008 , and may also include an optional user input  1010  and an optional display  1013 , all interconnected along with the network interface  1003  via a bus  1018 . Memory  1008  generally comprises a random access memory (“RAM”), a read only memory (“ROM”), and a permanent mass storage device, such as a disk drive. 
         [0045]    Memory  1008  stores an operating system  10200  and program code for various software services, such as rotary growing control service  1023 . Program code for these and other such software applications or components may be loaded from a non-transient computer readable storage medium  1028  into memory  1008  using a drive mechanism (not shown) associated with the non-transient computer readable storage medium, such as, but not limited to, a DVD/CD-ROM drive, memory card, or the like. Software components may also be loaded into memory  1008  via the network interface  1003 , rather than via a computer readable storage medium  1028 . Threat assessment server  1000  may also communicate via bus  1018  and/or network interface  1003  with a database, such as grow system database  905 , or other local or remote data stores (not shown). In some embodiments, a threat assessment server  1000  may comprise one or more replicated and/or distributed physical or logical devices. 
         [0046]      FIG. 11  illustrates a rotary growing apparatus control routine  1100 , which may be implemented by rotary growing apparatus control application  833  operating on control unit  800 . 
         [0047]    Routine  1100  initiates at beginning block  1103 . At starting loop block  1105 , routine  1000  addresses each interior growing chamber  130  in turn. At starting loop block  1109 , routine  1100  addresses each cartridge slot  134  in turn. 
         [0048]    At decision block  1110 , if the current cartridge slot  132  is occupied, i.e. with a cartridge  700 , routine  1100  proceeds to execution block  1103 ; otherwise routine  1100  proceeds to ending loop block  1118 . 
         [0049]    At execution block  1113 , routine  1100  obtains a cartridge identifier associated with the current cartridge slot  132 . For example, control unit  800  may maintain a cartridge slot table including associated cartridge identifiers in memory  808 . 
         [0050]    Routine  1100  obtains a cartridge care plan associated with the cartridge identifier at execution block  1115 . For example, control unit  800  may provide growing system control server  1000  with a cartridge care plan request including the cartridge identifier. Growing system control server  1000  may respond by providing a cartridge care plan associated with the cartridge identifier. The cartridge care plan may include information relating to the desired light exposure, nutritional intake, and the like of plants disposed within the cartridge. 
         [0051]    At ending loop block  1118 , routine  1000  loops back to starting loop block  1108  to process the next cartridge slot. At ending loop block  1123 , routine  1000  loops back to starting loop block  1105  to address the next interior growing chamber. 
         [0052]    After each interior growing chamber has been addressed, routine  1000  may engage light source  143  at execution block  1125 , engage drive system  115  at execution block  1128 , and feeding system  118  at execution block  1130 . 
         [0053]    At decision block  1133 , if routine  1100  obtains a user interrupt, e.g. via optional user input  810 , routine  1100  may engage a user interface at execution block  1135 ; otherwise routine  1100  proceeds to decision block  1138 . 
         [0054]    At decision block  1138 , if routine  1100  detects that one or more plants in one of the interior growing chambers has reached a maximum degree of plant growth, e.g. a plant is coming into proximity of light source  143 , routine  1100  may terminate at termination block  1199 ; otherwise routine  1100  may loop back to decision block  1133 . 
         [0055]    Although specific embodiments have been illustrated and described herein, a variety of alternate and/or equivalent implementations may be substituted for the specific embodiments shown and described without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. This application is intended to cover any adaptations or variations of the embodiments discussed herein.