Patent Document

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to a plant selling device and a control method thereof, and particularly relates to a plant selling device combined with a plant growth room and a control method thereof. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Along with the gradual improvement of people&#39;s living standard and the change of their demand for food, the healthy, unpolluted, environmental friendly and convenient lifestyle is drawing more and more attention, hygienic, nutritious and healthy food is becoming more and more popular, in which the unpolluted, fresh and clean vegetable products are especially important to people&#39;s modern life. And how to produce these vegetables conveniently and quickly becomes a hot topic concerned by people. 
         [0003]    As an up-to-date technology for plant cultivation, a plant factory has provided an optimum environment for growth and development of plants. Chinese patent application CN 102668964A discloses a plant factory which can be used for supermarkets and restaurants to market their own products of various plant foods, used in such special environments as plateau, desert, underground, arctic regions and space stations to meet the continuous supply demands of people working and living there for plant food, and used for households to produce fresh vegetables by their own, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
         [0004]    However, the plant factory according to the prior art is only used in the automatic planting of plants, unable to automatically sell ripe plants. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    In embodiments of the present invention, provided is a plant selling device and a control method thereof by which plants in a plant factory are sold automatically after ripening. 
         [0006]    According to one aspect of the present invention, provided is an plant selling device, including: a plant growth room in which trays are provided, a plant to be sold growing in one of the trays before the plant is sold; a sales room with an opening; a conveyor; and a central control unit. The central control unit includes: a purchase order generating unit for generating purchase order; a movement control unit for controlling movements of the trays and the conveyor so that a ripe plant to be sold is moved from the plant growth room to the sales room according to information in the purchase order; a payment order generating unit for generating a payment order according to an actual weight of the plant moved to the sales room; and an opening control unit for controlling the opening of the sales room to be opened after it is determined that a purchaser has paid the amount in the payment order. 
         [0007]    In an embodiment according to the concept of the present invention, the device may further include: a display unit for displaying information of purchasable plants; and an input unit by which a purchaser chooses the purchasable plants. The purchase order generating unit can generate a purchase order according to information input by a purchaser via the input unit. 
         [0008]    In an embodiment according to the concept of the present invention, the display unit and the input unit may be integrated in a touch-sensitive display panel. 
         [0009]    In an embodiment according to the concept of the present invention, the movement control unit may, according to the information in the purchase order, perform the following operations: moving the conveyor into the plant growth room; controlling the conveyor to acquire the ripe plant to be sold in the plant growth room; and moving the conveyor carrying the plant to be sold to the sales room. 
         [0010]    In an embodiment according to the concept of the present invention, after the conveyor is moved into the plant growth room, the movement control unit may control the conveyor to acquire a tray carrying the ripe plant to be sold, and move the tray along with the conveyor to the sales room after the tray is acquired. 
         [0011]    In an embodiment according to the concept of the present invention, after it is determined that the purchaser has taken out the purchased plant, the movement control unit may control the conveyor to convey the empty tray back to the plant growth room, and may update information of purchasable plants; or after it is determined that the purchaser has given up the purchase, the movement control unit may control the conveyor to convey the tray carrying the plant back to the plant growth room. 
         [0012]    In an embodiment according to the concept of the present invention, the conveyor may be a manipulator, an elevator, a conveyor belt, or a combination thereof. 
         [0013]    In an embodiment according to the concept of the present invention, a seeder, a growing environment control device and a monitor may be further included in the plant growth room, and the central control unit may also include: a sowing control unit for controlling the seeder so as to, when it is determined that a tray provided in the plant growth room carries no plants, sow seeds in the tray according to an identification information of the tray; a growing environment control unit for controlling the growing environment control device to provide plants in the plant growth room with a corresponding growing environment; an image acquiring unit for acquiring images of the plants in the plant growth room via the monitor; and a growth phase determining unit for determining growth phases of the plants according to the images of the plants acquired by the image acquiring unit. 
         [0014]    In an embodiment according to the concept of the present invention, when it is determined that the plants in the plant growth room are ripe, the growing environment control unit may control the growing environment control device to provide the plants in the plant growth room with a fresh-keeping environment, and update information of purchasable plants. 
         [0015]    In an embodiment according to the concept of the present invention, a collecting device may be provided in the plant growth room, and when it is determined that a plant in a tray within the plant growth room is unsuitable for sale, the movement control unit may control the movement of the tray to convey the plant in the tray into the collecting device, and update information of purchasable plants. 
         [0016]    In an embodiment according to the concept of the present invention, separators may be provided in the plant growth room to divide the plant growth room into a plurality of zones corresponding to different growth phases of plants. The movement control unit may control the movements of the trays within the plant growth room to move a tray to a corresponding zone in the plurality of zones according to a growth phase of a plant in the tray, and the growing environment control unit may control the growing environment control device to provide each zone with a corresponding growing environment or fresh-keeping environment. 
         [0017]    According to another aspect of the present invention, provided is a method for controlling a plant selling device, wherein the plant selling device includes: a plant growth room in which trays are provided, a plant to be sold growing in one of the tray before the plant is sold; a sales room with an opening; and a conveyor. The method includes the steps of generating a purchase order; controlling movements of the trays and the conveyor so that a ripe plant to be sold is moved from the plant growth room to the sales room according to information in the purchase order; generating a payment order according to an actual weight of the plant moved to the sales room; and controlling the opening of the sales room to be opened after it is determined that the purchaser has paid the amount in the payment order. 
         [0018]    In an embodiment according to the concept of the present invention, a seeder, a growing environment control device and a monitor may be further included in the plant growth room, and the method may further include the following steps: when it is determined that a tray provided in the plant growth room carries no plants, controlling the seeder to sow seeds in the tray carrying no plants according to an identification information of the tray; controlling the growing environment control device to provide plants in the plant growth room with a corresponding growing environment; acquiring images of the plants in the plant growth room via the monitor; and determining growth phases of the plants according to the acquired images of the plants. When it is determined that the plants in the plant growth room are ripe, the growing environment control device may be controlled to provide the plants in the plant growth room with a fresh-keeping environment, and update information of purchasable plants. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0019]      FIGS. 1   a  and  1   b  are respectively structural schematic diagrams of a plant selling device according to an embodiment of the concept of the present invention; 
           [0020]      FIG. 2  is a structural schematic diagram of a central control unit of the plant selling device shown in  FIG. 1   a;    
           [0021]      FIG. 3  is a flowchart of a method for controlling the plant selling device according to an embodiment of the concept of the present invention; and 
           [0022]      FIG. 4  is a flowchart of the method for monitoring growth of plants in the plant selling device according to an embodiment of the concept of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
       [0023]    A plant selling device and a control method thereof according to embodiments of the concept of the present invention are further described below in detail in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
         [0024]    It should be recognized that the size and shape of each component in the figures are not drawn to scale, but only for a purpose of exemplary explaining the present invention. 
         [0025]      FIGS. 1   a  and  1   b  are respectively structural schematic diagrams of a plant selling device according to an embodiment of the concept of the present invention, and  FIG. 2  is a structural schematic diagram of a central control unit of the plant selling device shown in  FIG. 1   a.    
         [0026]    As shown in  FIGS. 1   a ,  1   b  and  2 , the plant selling device according to an embodiment of the concept of the present invention may include a cabinet body  01 , a plant growth room  02  provided with trays  04 , a sales room  03  with an opening, a conveyor  07  and a central control unit  05 . The central control unit  05  may include a purchase order generating unit  051  for generating a purchase order, a movement control unit  052  for controlling movements of the trays  04  and the conveyor  07  so that a ripe plant is moved from the plant growth room  02  to the sales room  03  according to information in the purchase order, a payment order generating unit  053  for generating a payment order according to an actual weight of the plant moved to the sales room  03  and an opening control unit  054  for controlling the opening of the sales room  03  to be opened after it is determined that a purchaser has paid the amount in the payment order. Preferably or additionally, after the purchaser has taken out the purchased plant, the opening control unit  054  may control the opening of sales room  03  to be closed. 
         [0027]    The plant selling device according to an embodiment of the concept of the present invention may also include a display and input unit  06  for displaying information of purchasable plants, and a purchaser can choose the purchasable plants. The purchase order generating unit  051  may generate a purchase order according to information input by a purchaser. Preferably, the display and input unit  06  can be implemented as a touch-sensitive display panel. 
         [0028]    The movement control unit  052  may perform the following operations according to the information in the purchase order: moving the conveyor  07  into the plant growth room  02 ; controlling the conveyor  07  to acquire the ripe plant to be sold in the plant growth room  02 ; and moving the conveyor  07  carrying the plant to be sold to the sales room  03 . Specifically, after the conveyor  07  is moved to the plant growth room  02 , the movement control unit  052  may control the conveyor  07  to acquire a tray  04  carrying the ripe plant to be sold, and move the tray  04  along with the conveyor  07  to the sales room  03  after the tray  04  is acquired.  FIG. 1   a  shows the state in which the conveyor  07  has acquired the tray  04 . In addition, after it is determined that the purchaser has taken out the purchased plant, the movement control unit  052  may control the conveyor  07  to convey the empty tray  04  back to the plant growth room  02 , and update the information of the purchasable plants; or after it is determined that the purchaser has given up the purchase, the movement control unit  052  may control the conveyor  07  to convey the tray  04  carrying the plant back to the plant growth room  02 . The conveyor  07  may be a manipulator, an elevator, a conveyor belt, or a combination thereof. 
         [0029]    For the plant selling device according to an embodiment of the concept of the present invention, as shown in  FIG. 1   b , a seeder  08 , a growing environment control device and a monitor may be also included in the plant growth room  02 . Correspondingly, the central control unit  05  may further include a sowing control unit  055 , a growing environment control unit  056 , an image acquiring unit  057  and a growth phase determining unit  058 . 
         [0030]    The sowing control unit  055  controls the seeder  08  to sow seeds in a tray  04  according to an identification information of the tray  04  when it is determined that the tray  04  in the plant growth room  02  carries no plants. The growing environment control unit  056  is used for controlling the growing environment control device to provide plants in the plant growth room  02  with a corresponding growing environment. The image acquiring control unit  057  is used for acquiring images of the plants in the plant growth room  02  via the monitor. The growth phase determining unit  058  is used for determining growth phases of the plants according to the images of the plants acquired by the image acquiring unit  057 . 
         [0031]    When it is determined that the plants in the plant growth room  02  are ripe, the growing environment control unit  056  controls the growing environment control device to provide the plants in the plant growth room  02  with a fresh-keeping environment, and can update the information of the purchasable plants. 
         [0032]    In an embodiment according to the concept of the present invention, a collecting device (not shown) may be provided in the plant growth room  02 , and when it is determined that a plant in a tray  04  within the plant growth room  02  is unsuitable for sale, the movement control unit  052  can control the movement of the tray  04  to convey the plant in the tray  04  into the collecting device, and update the information of the purchasable plants. 
         [0033]    In an embodiment according to the concept of the present invention, separators  09  may be provided in the plant growth room  02  to divide the plant growth room  02  into a plurality of zones  021  corresponding to different growth phases of the plants. The movement control unit  052  may control the movements of the trays  04  within the plant growth room  02  to move a tray  04  to a corresponding zone in the plurality of zones  021  according to a growth phase of a plant in the tray  04 . The growing environment control unit  056  may control the growing environment control device to provide each zone  021  with a corresponding growing environment or fresh-keeping environment. 
         [0034]    For the plant selling device according to an embodiment of the concept of the present invention, as shown in  FIG. 1   b , the growing environment control device may include various sensors and devices, such as (but not limited to) a temperature sensing and adjusting device  10 , a humidity sensing and adjusting device  11 , a sensor  12  capable of acquiring a liquid level of a nutrient solution in a tray  04 , a nutrient solution feed device  13  capable of replenishing the nutrient solution in the tray  04 , a carbon dioxide sensor  14  capable of acquiring the carbon dioxide content, a carbon dioxide regulator  15  capable of regulating a carbon dioxide content of a plant, an illumination intensity sensor  16  and an illuminator  17 . For example, the illuminator  17  may be an LED illuminating panel or an OLED illuminating panel, which emits white light. 
         [0035]    By means of the description of the above embodiments, the person skilled in the art can clearly understand that the central control unit  05  included in the plant selling device according to an embodiment of the concept of the present invention may be implemented via software, firmware, hardware or a combination thereof. 
         [0036]      FIG. 3  is a flowchart of a method for controlling a plant selling device according to an embodiment of the concept of the present invention. 
         [0037]    As shown in  FIG. 3 , the method may include the following steps of: 
         [0038]    S 301 , generating a purchase order; 
         [0039]    S 302 , controlling movements of trays and a conveyor so that a ripe plant to be sold is moved from a plant growth room to a sales room according to information in the purchase order; 
         [0040]    S 303 , generating a payment order according to an actual weight of the plant moved to the sales room; and 
         [0041]    S 304 , controlling the opening of the sales room to be opened after it is determined that a purchaser has paid the amount in the payment order. 
         [0042]    Specifically, in the step of generating a purchase order, a purchase order may be generated according to information input by the purchaser. In addition, in the step of controlling the movement of the trays and the conveyor, the following operations may be performed according to the information in the purchase order: moving the conveyor into the plant growth room; controlling the conveyor to acquire the ripe plant to be sold in the plant growth room; and moving the conveyor carrying the plant to be sold to the sales room. Specifically, after the conveyor is moved into the plant growth room, the conveyor may be controlled to acquire a tray carrying the ripe plant to be sold, and the tray along with the conveyor may be moved to the sales room after the tray is acquired. 
         [0043]    Preferably or additionally, after it is determined that the purchaser has taken out the purchased plant, the conveyor may be controlled to convey the empty tray back to the plant growth room, and information of purchasable plants may be updated; or after it is determined that the purchaser has given up the purchase, the conveyor may be controlled to convey the tray carrying the plant back to the plant growth room. 
         [0044]    Preferably or additionally, the method may further include the following steps of: 
         [0045]    confirming whether the purchased plant needs to be washed and/or packaged according to the information input by a purchaser; 
         [0046]    washing the purchased plant when it is confirmed that washing is needed and after it is determined that the purchaser has paid the amount in the payment order; and 
         [0047]    packaging the purchased plant when it is confirmed that the purchased plant needs to be packaged and after it is determined that the purchaser has paid the amount in the payment order. 
         [0048]      FIG. 4  is a flowchart of a method for monitoring growth of a plant in a plant selling device according to an embodiment of the concept of the present invention. 
         [0049]    The method may include the following steps of: 
         [0050]    S 401 , controlling a seeder to sow seeds in a tray according to an identification information of the tray when it is determined that the tray provided in a plant growth room carries no plants; 
         [0051]    S 402 , controlling the growing environment control device to provide the plants in the plant growth room with a corresponding growing environment. 
         [0052]    S 403 , acquiring images of the plants in the plant growth room via a monitor; and 
         [0053]    S 404 , determining growth phases of the plant according to the acquired the images of the plants. 
         [0054]    Preferably or additionally, when it is determined that the plants in the plant growth room are ripe, the growing environment control device may be controlled to provide the plants in the plant growth room with a fresh-keeping environment, and update the information of the purchasable plants. 
         [0055]    Specifically, the fresh-keeping environment may be set so that the temperature is kept at 0-5° C. or so, and the illumination provided for the plant is stopped. It is facilitated to prolong storage time of the plants by using the growing environment control device to keep the ripe plant in a fresh-keeping environment. 
         [0056]    Preferably or additionally, when it is determined that a plant in a tray within the plant growth room is unsuitable for sale, the movement of the tray may be controlled to convey the plant in the tray into a collecting device, and the information of the purchasable plants may be updated. 
         [0057]    According to an embodiment of the concept of the present invention, the growth phases of the plants in the plant growth room may be monitored. After a plant is ripe, a fresh-keeping environment is provided for the ripe plant, and the information of the purchasable plants may be updated; when a plant is unsuitable for sale, the plant is collected so as not to disadvantageously affect other plants in the plant growth room, and the information of the purchasable plants is updated. Therefore, the plant selling device according to the embodiments of the present invention may adjust the information of the purchasable plants at any time according to ripeness of a plant in the plant growth room. 
         [0058]    Preferably or additionally, the movement of the tray within the plant growth room may be controlled so as to, according to the growth phase of the plant in the tray, move the tray to a zone corresponding to the growth phase, and respective zones corresponding to different growth phases may be provided with corresponding growing environments or fresh-keeping environments. 
         [0059]    It can be understood by the person skilled in the art that the drawings in this application only schematically illustrate embodiments according to the present invention, the concept of the present invention can be implemented according to ways other than the flow shown in the drawings, and the modules shown in the drawings can be incorporated or divided into new modules. 
         [0060]    Various modifications and variations can be made by the person skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and essence of the present invention. The present invention intends to cover all of these modifications and variations.

Technology Category: 4