Patent Publication Number: US-2022217919-A1

Title: Growing systems and methods

Description:
The present invention relates to environmental control systems for growing systems and methods. More specifically but not exclusively, it relates to an environmental control system for a mechanised vertical or indoor farm. 
     A system for growing plants or other living organisms to a specific environmental recipe is described. The organisms are grown in growth chambers, the chambers having carefully controllable environmental services applied thereto. The environmental services are supplied via a computer controlled utility based on historical data. In this way plants and organisms may be grown in previously experienced environmental conditions so as to produce the required plant to a known quality or taste, for example. 
     Conventional systems and methods for growing certain crops are well known. Most require large areas of land and need to be positioned in appropriate locations for the conditions required for the crops to be grown. 
     More recently, advanced farming techniques such as hydroponics have led to the ability to grow high quality crops indoors with very high utilisation of lighting, water and fertiliser. These systems have however been less efficient in terms of land use, capital and labour. The present invention describes a method for dramatically improving these efficiencies. 
     Some commercial and industrial activities require systems that enable the storage and retrieval of a large number of different products. One known type of system for the storage and retrieval of items in multiple product lines involves arranging storage containers or containers in stacks on top of one another, the stacks being arranged in rows. The storage containers or containers are accessed from above, removing the need for aisles between the rows and allowing more containers to be stored in a given space. 
     Methods of handling containers stacked in rows have been well known for decades. In some such systems, for example as described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,701,065, to Bertel comprise free-standing stacks of containers arranged in rows in order to reduce the storage volume associated with storing such containers but yet still providing access to a specific container if required. Access to a given container is made possible by providing relatively complicated hoisting mechanisms which can be used to stack and remove given containers from stacks. The cost of such systems are, however, impractical in many situations and they have mainly been commercialised for the storage and handling of large shipping containers. 
     The concept of using freestanding stacks of containers and providing a mechanism to retrieve and store specific containers has been developed further, for example as described in EP 0 767 113 B to Cimcorp. &#39;113 discloses a mechanism for removing a plurality of stacked containers, using a robotic load handler in the form of a rectangular tube which is lowered around the stack of containers, and which is configured to be able to grip a container at any level in the stack. In this way, several containers can be lifted at once from a stack. The movable tube can be used to move several containers from the top of one stack to the top of another stack, or to move containers from a stack to an external location and vice versa. Such systems can be particularly useful where all of the containers in a single stack contain the same product (known as a single-product stack). 
     In the system described in &#39;113, the height of the tube has to be as least as high as the height of the largest stack of containers, so that that the highest stack of containers can be extracted in a single operation. Accordingly, when used in an enclosed space such as a warehouse, the maximum height of the stacks is restricted by the need to accommodate the tube of the load handler. 
     EP 1037828 B1 (Autostore) the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference, describes a system in which stacks of containers are arranged within a frame structure. A system of this type is illustrated schematically in  FIGS. 1 to 4  of the accompanying drawings. Robotic load handling devices can be controllably moved around the stack on a system of tracks on the upper most surface of the stack. 
     Other forms of robotic load handling device are further described in, for example, Norwegian patent number 317366, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.  FIGS. 3( a ) and 3( b )  are schematic perspective views of a load handling device from the rear and front, respectively, and  FIG. 3( c )  is a schematic front perspective view of a load handling device lifting a container. 
     A further development of load handling device is described in UK Patent Application No 1314313.6 (Ocado) where each robotic load handler only covers one grid space, thus allowing higher density of load handlers and thus higher throughput of a given size system. 
     In such known storage systems a large number of containers are stacked densely. The containers are conventionally used to store goods to supply online grocery orders picked by robots. 
     According to the invention there is provided a growing system for growing organisms comprising a series of growth chambers, the growth chambers comprising growth receptacles, the receptacles comprising growing medium, the system further comprising environmental control means for controlling at least one of a series of environmental services within the growth chamber, the growing system further comprising a control utility, the control utility adapted so as to recreate growing conditions from a predetermined dataset comprising at least one of the environmental services such that growing conditions for given time periods may be recreated within at least one growth chamber. 
     In one aspect of the invention, the environmental services comprise, for example but not limited to, temperature, pressure, humidity, radiation intensity, radiation wavelength, nutrient content and or air flow within the growth chamber. 
     In one aspect of the invention the growth chambers comprise containers, the containers comprising sensor means and data logging means. 
     In a further aspect of the invention the growth chambers comprise containers, the containers comprising communication means to communicate data logged to a central data logging device. 
     In a further aspect of the invention the containers comprise a reservoir containing water or food suitable for the growth of plants contained within the container. 
     In a further aspect of the invention, the containers comprise lighting means. 
     According to the invention there is further provided a method of growing organisms within a growing system comprising the steps of: providing growing means within a growth chamber; positioning the container within a storage system; providing environmental services according to a predetermined dataset based on previously existing environmental conditions. 
     In this way, it is possible to replicate specific previously experienced growing conditions to a high degree of accuracy in order to reproduce a given strain, variety or quality of said growing organism within an indoor or urban farm. 
     Furthermore, a previously known form of storage system may be used to grow organisms such as plants in individual containers, the sheer number of containers enabling such crops to be mass produced in a much smaller area of land than would be required using conventional growing techniques. 
     It will be apparent that advantageously, this form of growing system would allow, for example grapes to be grown to an environmental recipe to enable a specific quality or taste of wine to be produced that closely compares to a known good or excellent vintage of wine that was previously known to have experienced given growing conditions. 
     Depending on the services provided in individual containers, the contents may be monitored for data relating to the contents of the container to be relayed to a central processing system. The data transmitted may provide information on the condition of the container, the contents of the container or may provide information on adjacent containers to condition monitor the entire storage system. Furthermore, in this way, the containers may be heated or cooled as required by the specific contents of the container. 
     Advantageously, in accordance with one form of the invention, individual containers within the storage system may be provided with services in addition to goods. Furthermore, individual containers within the storage system may not contain goods but may contain services for provision to other containers or to monitor the condition of the system. 
     In this way, the present invention overcomes the problems of the prior art and provides a system and method of increasing the reliability and reducing the overall cost of large container handling storage systems. 
    
    
     
       The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic perspective view of a frame structure for housing a plurality of stacks of containers in a storage system; 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic plan view of part of the frame structure of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIGS. 3( a ) and 3( b )  are schematic perspective views, from the rear and front respectively, of one form of robotic load handling device for use with the frame structure of  FIGS. 1 and 2 , and  FIG. 3( c )  is a schematic perspective view of the known load handler device in use lifting a container; 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic perspective view of a known storage system comprising a plurality of load handler devices of the type shown in  FIGS. 3( a ), 3( b ) and 3( c ) , installed on the frame structure of  FIGS. 1 and 2 , together with a robotic service device in accordance with one form of the invention. 
         FIG. 5  is a schematic perspective view of a storage container in accordance with one form of the invention, the container comprising growing means such as matting or soil; 
         FIGS. 6 a , 6 b , 6 c  and 6 d    are schematic perspective views of an individual storage container in accordance with several forms of the invention, the container comprising at least lighting means; 
         FIGS. 7 a , 7 b , 7 c , 7 d    are schematic perspective views of a storage container in accordance with a further form of the invention, the container comprising fluid supply means; 
         FIGS. 8 a  and 8 b    are schematic perspective views of the growing system in accordance with at least one form of the invention, the system comprising robotic picking means for thinning plants growing in the containers stored in the growing system; 
         FIGS. 9 a  and 9 b    are schematic perspective views of a further form of container for use within the growing system, the further form of container enabling the growing system to be used for plants sized from seedlings to tall mature plants; and 
         FIG. 10  is a schematic perspective view of the uprights of the grid of the storage system, the uprights  16  carrying services  17  for onward transmission to the containers, the system comprising the containers of  FIGS. 5, 9   a , and  9   b.    
         FIG. 11  is a diagram showing historical environmental data known in relation to the growth of a specific variety of grape over a specific growing season, such data being used in accordance with one aspect of the invention in order to reproduce growing conditions so as to produce a grape of a similar quality and known characteristic. 
     
    
    
     As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , stackable containers, known as containers  10 , are stacked on top of one another to form stacks  12 . The stacks  12  are arranged in a framework structure  14  in a warehousing or manufacturing environment.  FIG. 1  is a schematic perspective view of the frame structure  14 , and  FIG. 2  is a top-down view showing a single stack  12  of containers  10  arranged within the frame structure  14 . Each container  10  typically holds a plurality of product items (not shown), and the product items within a container  10  may be identical, or may be of different product types depending on the application. 
     The framework structure  14  comprises a plurality of upright members  16  that support horizontal members  18 ,  20 . A first set of parallel horizontal members  18  is arranged perpendicularly to a second set of parallel horizontal members  20  to form a plurality of horizontal grid structures supported by the upright members  16 . The members  16 ,  18 ,  20  are typically manufactured from metal. The containers  10  are stacked between the members  16 ,  18 ,  20  of the frame structure  14 , so that the frame structure  14  guards against horizontal movement of the stacks  12  of containers  10 , and guides vertical movement of the containers  10 . 
     The top level of the frame structure  14  includes rails  22  arranged in a grid pattern across the top of the stacks  12 . Referring additionally to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the rails  22  support a plurality of robotic load handling devices  30 . A first set  22   a  of parallel rails  22  guide movement of the load handling devices  30  in a first direction (X) across the top of the frame structure  14 , and a second set  22   b  of parallel rails  22 , arranged perpendicular to the first set  22   a , guide movement of the load handling devices  30  in a second direction (Y), perpendicular to the first direction. In this way, the rails  22  allow movement of the load handling devices  30  in two dimensions in the X-Y plane, so that a load handling device  30  can be moved into position above any of the stacks  12 . 
     Each load handling device  30  comprises a vehicle  32  which is arranged to travel in the X and Y directions on the rails  22  of the frame structure  14 , above the stacks  12 . A first set of wheels  34 , consisting of a pair of wheels  34  on the front of the vehicle  32  and a pair of wheels  34  on the back of the vehicle  32 , are arranged to engage with two adjacent rails of the first set  22   a  of rails  22 . Similarly, a second set of wheels  36 , consisting of a pair of wheels  36  on each side of the vehicle  32 , are arranged to engage with two adjacent rails of the second set  22   b  of rails  22 . Each set of wheels  34 ,  36  can be lifted and lowered, so that either the first set of wheels  34  or the second set of wheels  36  is engaged with the respective set of rails  22   a ,  22   b  at any one time. 
     When the first set of wheels  34  is engaged with the first set of rails  22   a  and the second set of wheels  36  are lifted clear from the rails  22 , the wheels  34  can be driven, by way of a drive mechanism (not shown) housed in the vehicle  32 , to move the load handling device  30  in the X direction. To move the load handling device  30  in the Y direction, the first set of wheels  34  are lifted clear of the rails  22 , and the second set of wheels  36  are lowered into engagement with the second set of rails  22   a . The drive mechanism can then be used to drive the second set of wheels  36  to achieve movement in the Y direction. 
     In this way, one or more robotic load handling devices  30  can move around the top surface of the stacks  12  on the frame structure  14  under the control of a central picking system (not shown). Each robotic load handling device  30  is provided with means for lifting out one or more containers or containers from the stack to access the required products. In this way, multiple products can be accessed from multiple locations in the grid and stacks at any one time. 
       FIG. 4  shows a typical storage system as described above, the system having a plurality of load handling devices  30  active on the stacks  12 . 
       FIGS. 1 and 4  show the containers  10  in stacks  12  within the storage system. It will be appreciated that there may be a large number of containers in any given storage system and that many different plant or crop varieties may be grown in the containers in the stacks  12 . 
       FIG. 5  shows an individual container  10  for growing plants. The plants are grown on growing means  13  such as matting or soil located in the containers  10 . Beneath the matting  13  the container may comprise a reservoir  54  (not shown) the reservoir containing water and/or plant food suitable for the plant being grown in the container. 
     The containers  10  are held in stacks by co-operating surfaces on adjacent containers  10 . The containers  10  of  FIG. 5 , additionally comprise connection means  40  positioned at the intended co-operating surfaces of the containers  10 . The connection means  40  may comprise electrically conductive layers deposited on the co-operating surfaces of the containers  10  or may comprise sprung-loaded contacts or springs as contacts or any other connection means capable of carrying power between two or more containers  10 . Furthermore, the connection means  40  may comprise carbon loaded rubber contacts capable of carrying signals between two or more co-operating containers  10  in a stack. 
     The connecting means  40  shown in  FIG. 5  comprise releasably latching connectors capable of carrying power, fluids (such as water and fertilizers) and other services or utilities required in the plant growing system 
     Individual containers  10  may comprise power supply means for supplying power to, for example, heating means, cooling means, data logging means, communication means and/or lighting means  60 . Each individual container  10  may further comprise power control means for controlling the power to the or each service and controlling the power to other containers  10  in the stack  12  if power is to be transmitted to adjacent containers  10  in the stack  12 . It will be appreciated that containers  10  comprising power control and control means are not limited to powering heaters, coolers or lights. Anything requiring power may utilise the power supply means. The power supply means may comprise batteries or may comprise means for transmitting power from an external power source through connection means  40  on the containers  10  or via the uprights  16  of the framework structure. Non-contacting methods of power transmission may also be used, for example magnetic induction or RF induction and optical methods. 
       FIG. 5  shows in detail a container  10  suitable for growing plant means. The container comprises lighting means  60  which may radiate light of a predetermined wavelength suitable for growing a desired crop. Furthermore, the container  10  comprises fluid supply means  52  which when activated, may sprinkle a predetermined amount of water on the crops growing in the container  10 . The power to the lighting means  60  and the fluid supply to the sprinkling means  52  are routed through the container  10  via routing means  17  that run along one side of the container  10 . The container is further provided with connecting means  40  to enable services to be routed up a stack  12  of containers  10  when the containers  10  are located in the growing system. 
     It will be appreciated that although in  FIG. 5  the routing means are shown as mounted on the container  10 , it is possible to form a container  10  such that the container comprises mouldings suitable to act as routing means  17 . 
       FIGS. 6 a  to 6 d    show a further forms of container  10  from the stack  12 , the container  10  comprising various configurations of lighting means  60 . As shown in  FIGS. 6 a  and 6 b   , the lighting means  60  may comprise a lid containing suitable bulbs, LEDs or any other suitable form of lighting  60 . The lid may be removably attached to the container  10  and fold away during removal of the container  10  from the stack  12 . 
     Alternatively, as shown in  FIG. 6 c    the lighting means  60  may be provided in the base of a container  10  to light the container  10  below in the stack  12 . 
     Furthermore, as shown in  FIG. 6 d    the container  10  may be lit from a point external to the container  10 , for example from the uprights  16  of the grid or the ceiling of the warehouse containing the storage system. As can be seen in  FIG. 6 d   , positioning the lighting means  60  on the uprights  16  of the framework requires the sides of the container  10  to be removed. In essence this form of container is a plant growing tray having supports only at the corners, to allow the container  10  to be stacked on top of other containers  10  and to support containers  10  above. 
     Individual containers  10  may further comprising data logging means and communication means for transmitting data recorded to a remote central data logging device. The data logging means comprises sensors suitable for monitoring the conditions in the container  10 , for example the temperature, any gas emission, for example as a result of decomposing fruit, and humidity. The data logging means and communicating means enable the content and condition of individual containers  10  to be monitored. Furthermore, knowing information about specific containers  10  in the stacks  12  in the system enables the condition of the storage system as a whole to be monitored. It will be appreciated that the type and method of communication may be but need not be limited to WiFi. Any suitable form of communication protocol or method may be used. 
     Individual containers  10  in the stack  12 , may further comprise heating and/or cooling means and temperature monitoring means for monitoring the temperature in the container  10 . The heating means may comprise flow of hot fluid via direct means, for example hot air, or indirect means, for example radiator means or may further comprise electrical heaters or electromagnetic induction heaters. 
     The cooling means may comprise Peltier coolers or may comprise flow of cold fluid via direct means, for example cold air or via indirect means, for example radiator means, including ice slurry compressor driven. 
     In this way, the temperatures of individual containers  10  may be controlled and varied depending on the content of the individual container  10 . If the contents of the container need to be chilled, then the individual container can have a temperature of 5 degrees C. maintained rather than requiring a portion of the stacks  12  in the storage system to be maintained at a predetermined temperature by space heaters and coolers. It will be appreciated that these are examples only and any suitable form of heater or chiller may be used to achieve the desired effect. 
     It may be preferable for air to be blown across the containers  10  within the stacks  12  of the plant growing system. This may be achieved by generating an airflow throughout the system either utilising fans or other airflow means. 
       FIGS. 7 a  to 7 d    show a further form of container  10  from a stack  12 , the container  10  comprising fluid supply means  52  and further comprising a fluid reservoir (not shown). The contents of the container  10  may require water to be supplied thereto. Accordingly, the container  10  is provided with a reservoir that may be filled with a liquid or gas. In order to fill the reservoir  54 , the container  10  may be removed from the stack  12  by the robotic load handling device and taken to a location in the system where the reservoir can be topped up as required. As shown in  FIGS. 7 a  and 7 b    water and nutrients may be supplied via a sprinkler system  52  in a lid portion of the container  10 . Alternatively, as shown in  FIG. 7 c   , sprinklers  52  may be located in the base of the container  10  to provide water and/or nutrients to the plants in the container  10  below in the stack  12 . In a further example, as shown in  FIG. 7 c   , a container lid  72  comprising fluid supply means is removably attached to the container  10  and folded away during removal of the container  10  from the stack  12 . 
       FIG. 7 d    shows an alternative form of container  10  in which the fluid supply means are routed via the uprights  16  of the framework. This again requires the sides of the container  10  to be removed. In essence this form of container is a plant growing tray having supports only at the corners, to allow the container  10  to be stacked on top of other containers  10  and to support containers  10  above. 
     It will be appreciated that the uprights  16  of the grid of the growing system may carry any of the services referred to herein or alternative services for onward transmission to the containers  10  by wires, cables or pipes or any other suitable means. 
     UK Patent Application Nos GB1518091.2 and GB1518115.9, from which the present application claims priority, detail systems and methods of routing services through containers  10  and framework structures and are hereby incorporated by reference. 
       FIGS. 8 a  and 8 b    show a service portion of the growing system described above. For clarity only a portion of the framework structure is shown with a representative number of containers  10  shown in a stack  12  within the framework. A portion of the containers  110  located within the system comprise growing means only in preparation for use. A portion of the containers  10  in the system comprise plants that have become too large for the spacing regime in which they were originally planted. Accordingly, one function of the service area of the system may be to thin out containers  10  comprising overcrowded plants out by picking a proportion of plants from an overcrowded container  10  to replant in a container  110  comprising growing means only. 
     A robotic picking device  100  may be provided to fully automate this task. However, it will be appreciated that the task may be performed manually by operatives at the service area of the growing system. 
       FIGS. 9 a  and 9 b    show a further form of container  10  for use in the growing system. During the life cycle of the crop grown in the system the crop concerned may reach a height whereby it is protruding from the top of the container  10 . The container shown in  FIGS. 9 a  and 9 b    is a spacer container  10 ′ that acts so as to allow the plant  150  to continue to grow in the system despite reaching such a height. The spacer container  10 ′ may be placed over the plant and act as a support for any container  10  placed above in the stack  12  of containers  10 . The spacer container  10 ′ may comprise plastics material that allows light to pass therethrough. Furthermore, the spacer container  10 ′ may comprise services routed as described for a normal container  10  above. 
       FIG. 10  shows two of the spacer containers  10 ′ described above located in a stack above a container  10  carrying a plant  150  of a substantial height when compared with that of a container  10 .  FIG. 10  further shows the uprights  16  of the growing system carrying lighting means  60  and watering means  52 . Furthermore,  FIG. 10  shows a container  10  comprising utility supply means  40  being supplied via routing means  17  from the base of the growing system. 
     It will be appreciated that the spacer container  10 ′ may be provided with releasable latching mechanisms to allow the spacer container  10 ′ to be attached to the container  10  underneath. This may be required should a load handling device  30  be required to pick up a container  10  having a spacer container  10 ′ mounted thereon. However, it will further be appreciated that alternative forms of load handling devices may be used to enable tall plants  150  to be handled in standard sized containers  10 . 
     In use, seeds or seedlings are planted in the growing means within each container  10 . The container  10  is provided with water or food as required for the plant contained therein to grow. The containers  10  are placed in stacks  12  within the storage system by the load handling means  30 . The propagation of the plants is monitored either remotely by sensing means located within the system or by periodically removing containers  10  from the system to inspect the crops. The containers  10  are removed from the system by load handling devices operating on the substantially horizontal grid structure mounted on the framework. A target container  10  is picked from the system and transported by the load handling device to the service area. The load handling device positions the target container  10  on a conveyor loop comprising driven roller means or other suitable moving mechanism capable of moving the target container around the conveyor loop  120 . 
     Whilst the container  10  is on the conveyor loop tasks may be performed, for example crops may be picked, seedlings may be thinned out, fertiliser may be added, the tasks being performed manually by operatives or robotically under the control of a centralised computerised utility. 
     Once the required tasks are completed the container  10  may be collected by a load handling device and placed back in a stack  12  within the growing system. 
     It will be appreciated that in this manner a large number of actions may be performed automatically that would normally be labour intensive and time consuming. Additionally, use of appropriate sensing means can ensure that each variety of plant within the system may receive the optimum growing conditions for that variety. In this way yield may be increased in an efficient manner. 
     Given the highly automated and controlled nature of the system a large number of uses are envisaged. Some of these are described below but should not be considered limiting. 
     The system may be used for development of new variants of plants, for example, or if optimal growing conditions for given variants are being established then the use of the system will require continual monitoring and all conditions within each container will require separate parameters to be checked and the contents regularly inspected. The amount of water, nutrients and light will need to be closely monitored and varied accordingly. This will require many containers to be removed, inspected and replaced at intervals. Advantageously, this can be achieved in the present system as the process of sensing, monitoring and removal of containers  10  from the system is highly automated. 
     If the system is to be used for mass production of given plants or crops, the cost of production needs to be minimised and therefore the required parameters for optimum growth will have previously been established. Therefore, the lighting, water, nutrients and temperature required for each plant or crop variety will be fixed at the beginning of the growth cycle. The containers will only be removed from the storage system every 3 to 10 days for the seedlings to be re-spaced and then ultimately harvested and the containers  10  re-seeded. 
     Advantageously, it is possible for both types of uses to be accommodated in a single storage system. A portion of the containers  10  may contain crops for mass production, a portion of the containers may contain products under development or new variants being monitored and optimal growth protocols being established. 
     It will be appreciated that a portion of the system may be partitioned by suitable partition means 
     In the examples described herein, it will be appreciated that not all containers  10  comprise all the services described. Furthermore, some containers, particularly if used for mass production, may not require any services other than the appropriate levels of light, water and nutrients. Conversely, for containers  10  being utilised in research and development or trials, more of the sensing and monitoring means may be required in each container. 
     In the case of a research and development container, at regular intervals the container or containers  10  are removed from the stacks  12  by the load handling device  30  and taken to an inspection port within the system. The condition of the plants is checked and nutrients or water added to the container as required. If the plants within the container still require time to achieve maturity, the container  10  is returned to the stacks  12 . If the plant has grown sufficiently and the crop is ripe, the plants or crops are removed and the container  10  is cleaned and replanted and then returned to the stacks  12 . 
     In the case of mass production, the relevant containers  10  may not be removed for inspection, but may only be removed when the crop is expected to have reached maturity. 
     The sensor means provided within the containers  10 , monitor the condition of the plants growing therein. Whilst a schedule of maintenance of the plants in the containers  10  may be used, it will be appreciated that the sensors may trigger a container  10  being removed from the stacks  12  outside of the maintenance schedule. For example, if a container  10  contains growing mushrooms but the mushrooms are over ripe a sensor may detect a gas associated with food ripening and the container  10  may be removed outside of the maintenance schedule for inspection. 
     Certain greenhouses operate in an atmosphere with elevated levels of CO2. It will be appreciated that in these situations, suitable gas sensing means would be able to monitor and control the levels of CO2 accordingly. 
     It will be appreciated that many crops may be grown in such mechanised greenhouses. These include but are not limited to mushrooms, chillies, herbs, and lettuce. In some places, where energy is abundant but water scare this kind of system could also be used to grow cereal crops and other living things. Whilst the embodiments described here refer mainly to plant growth either for mass production or research and development purposes, it will be appreciated that any living organism, plant, animal or fungi could be grown in such a storage system. For example, the storage system could be used for the growth of fish, chickens, oysters, and lobsters. Additionally, the system could be used for GM trials, pharmaceutical trials, the storage of wine that needs specific maturing conditions, or cheese that need careful temperature and humidity control. 
     It is an advantage of this system of growing crops, that multiple crops may be grown in a single location, as different containers  10  may contain different crops. Furthermore, growing the plants in containers  10  prevents the spread of disease through a large crop as disease, blight, fungus or other plant related problems will be confined to individual containers  10 . Whilst it should be possible to limit the infestation from the outside environment through filters in the system warehouse, any breach of this could be contained in individual containers, such that “plant related problems” could be minimised. 
     It will be appreciated that the storage system comprises a large number of containers  10  arranged in stacks  12 . In one embodiment of the invention, the storage system comprises containers  10  of different categories dispersed within the system. For example, there may be empty containers  10 , containers  10  growing plants, containers  10  containing goods to be stored, containers containing services such as power supplies or communications means, containers  10  comprising heating means, containers  10  comprising cooling means, containers  10  comprising goods requiring liquids and/or light. 
     It will be appreciated that some containers  10  may contain one or more of the services or devices referred to above. For example a container  10  with a reservoir  54  may also be provided with lighting means  60 . 
     The lighting means  60  may take the form of LED lights or fluorescent tubes or any other suitable form of lighting. 
     The provision of data logging and condition monitoring means in containers  10  within the stacks  12  enables a map of the condition and topography of the system to be generated that would not otherwise be possible unless specific containers  10  were removed and examined. 
     Furthermore, providing services to specific individual containers  10  either via the uprights  16  or via container-to-container contacts, enables goods having different requirements to be stored within the same storage system without resorting to portioning the system and separating goods with different requirements in to separate sections of the grid. 
     Additionally, connections between containers  10  and communications between containers  10  and stacks  12  will generate a knowledge base of the storage system in real time that will assist in the event of a power outage for example, that will aid in possible disaster recovery. The alternative would be to empty all the containers and rebuild the stack which would be inefficient and costly. 
     It will be appreciated that all containers  10  may be removed from the stacks  12  by the load handling devices  30 . No container  10  is fixed in a position and all contacts are makeable and breakable between the containers  10 . Furthermore, containers  10  requiring services being passed through the uprights  16  are not fixed to the uprights  16  in any way. Any suitable make and break connection may be used. 
     It will further be appreciated that individual containers may be provided with one service, a selection of services or all service described. Furthermore, the services listed should not be regarded as limiting. Any form of service that is capable of being carried or transmitted to a container  10  may be envisaged. 
     In one embodiment of the invention, given for example only, the containers  10  comprise trays on which the plants are grown. The trays are approximately 1000×1400 mm. The trays comprise a frame, tall enough to allow the plants to grow to their natural harvesting height. In the specific embodiment, trays are stacked up to 20 m tall or more. Each tray is lit, either from lights attached to the top frame of the tray, from the base of the tray above or from lights in the grid as shown in example form only in  FIGS. 6 a  to 6 d    above. All processing (planting, harvesting, pruning, spraying and potentially watering) is undertaken at specialised work stations with good ergonomics and potentially robots or other automation. 
     It will be appreciated that a plurality of different lighting arrays may be used. For example different arrays may be used during the early part of the plant&#39;s growth than to the end of plant growth. In the beginning stages, focusing all light on the plant and reducing the waste of lighting the surrounding soil would be preferable. Separate arrays may be utilised or a portion of lights may be switched off. Therefore, the lighting means  60  may be moveable with reference to the crop growing in the container  10 . For example, should the crop grow in height, the level of the lighting means  60  may be raisable and lowerable relative to the height of the crop in the container  10 . 
     In a further embodiment, the plants may be grown upside down and lit from below. Advantageously, this would reduce the energy expended by the plant to move water and nutrients against gravity and may make some species grow faster. 
     The main reason for removing plants from the storage system to re-pot or re-space them such that maximum use is made of the lighting provided. A key advantage is that such handling can be made using automated means which can be fully utilised 24×7, thus making it very capital and labour efficient. Inspection can also be done by automated means, which can be expensive. 
     In a further embodiment, it may be advantageous to move the plants to the inspection stations used 24×7, rather than having continuous monitoring in every container. 
     In a further embodiment, sections of the storage system may be partitioned from the remainder of the growing system. For example, should a portion of the system require properties different from the rest of the system, it would be possible to partition a number of stacks  12 . It will be appreciated that the partitions may be of a permanent fixed nature, or alternatively the partitions may comprise openable and closeable shutter systems to enable a more flexible partitioning system. 
     It will also be appreciated that the partitioning may have additional advantages, for example, partitioning enables sections of the storage system to be isolated from other sections, for example different portions of the system can be maintained at different temperatures. Furthermore, in the case where the system is used for such plant growing uses, there may be advantages in having different gaseous atmospheres in different portions of the system. For example, at different points in the growing cycle of certain crops, it may be advantageous for the crop to be exposed to different levels of CO2 in the atmosphere. This may be achieved by partitioning the system. 
     Furthermore, although the embodiments of the invention described above, and shown in the Figures, detail systems in which the containers  10  are all of a substantially identical size and shape, it will be appreciated that this need not be the case. As described in UK Patent Application No. GB1506364.7 filed 15 Apr. 2015, incorporated herein by reference, it will be appreciated that such a system may be configured to handle containers  10  of multiple sizes by use of load handling devices  30  of differing sizes capable of lifting and moving containers  10  of multiple sizes. 
     In all of the above described examples, the system is provided with controllable environmental services. The services are controlled by a control utility adapted so as to be able to monitor, measure and supply the environmental services according to a predetermined environmental recipe. 
     For example, as shown in  FIG. 11 , the exact environmental conditions for growing a 1982 Grand Vin de Chateau Latour, Paulliac, 1er Cru Classé are known. Therefore, in a controlled urban or vertical farm such as, but not necessarily limited to the examples described above, it is possible to growth the required grapes in near identical conditions to reproduce substantially the same quality and taste of grape variety to recreate expensive wines at lower process. 
     Once a set of environmental criteria are known the control utility can apply these criteria to the organisms in the growth chamber to reproduce the variety and quality of organism to the previously grown organisms. 
     Other examples of organisms that may have their varieties or qualities reproduced in this way may include certain types of wood. For example, it is known that the wood from which high quality musical instruments is made was heavily affected by the environmental conditions over the time in which the wood was grown, leading to a particular make-up of ring structure in trees. This could be reproduced by applying the same environmental atmosphere including but not limited to temperature, pressure, humidity, air pressure and length of time over which such parameters are applied, to suitable trees or plants within a controllable atmosphere in a growing chamber in order to produce wood of the required or desired properties. 
     It will be appreciated that there are many other examples in which a control utility adapted to control a series of environmental services could be used to control and vary the atmosphere in a growth chamber in order to produce the required quality and variety of living organism. 
     It will be appreciated that the growth chambers may comprise substantially sealed container units comprising a series of growth trays within the container. The container may comprises several growth trays. The environmental services may be supplied to the container via many known means. For example, UK Patent Publication No. GB2541766 A1 (Ocado Innovation Limited) describes methods of supplying environmental services to such a container. However, it will be appreciated that there are many ways of supplying such services to containerised systems known to those skilled in the art. 
     It will further be appreciated that the growth chamber may comprise a volume larger than a container described above, for example the containers may comprise containers sized as shipping containers. Furthermore, the growth chamber may comprise a room or larger volume capable of environmental control as described above. 
     The environmental services detailed above are not limiting. It will be appreciated that there are many that may be suitably controlled by a control utility according to the invention. 
     The above storage system is described as one example only of a system that may be used to produce living organisms such as plants in an urban environment. Any other suitable form of vertical or urban farm may be used. 
     Many variations and modifications not explicitly described above are also possible without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.