1. A mobile vacuum sampling system comprising:
(a) an inlet;
(b) a first filter;
(c) a gas sample vacuum pump;
(d) a solenoid valve;
(e) a sample tube;
(f) a pressure gauge;
(g) a first block valve;
(h) a second filter;
(i) a micro filter;
(j) a gasifier;
(k) a gas analyzer; and
(l) a computational, recording andor analysis display device;
wherein the first filter is a membrane filter situated between the inlet and the gas sample vacuum pump;
wherein a natural gas stream enters the gas sample vacuum pump via the inlet and is compressed to between 3 and 5 psig;
wherein the solenoid valve is situated directly adjacent to the gas sample vacuum pump;
wherein the solenoid valve and gas sample vacuum pump are controlled by an electrical switch;
wherein when the solenoid valve is only open when the gas sample vacuum pump is on and pumping gas through the system;
wherein when the vacuum pump is turned off, the solenoid valve is closed and prevents natural gas from flowing back through the compressor;
wherein the sample tube is located downstream of the solenoid valve;
wherein the sample tube collects natural gas to be analyzed;
wherein the pressure gauge is situated downstream of the sample tube and gauges the pressure in the sample tube;
wherein the purpose of the first block valve is to allow pressure to build in the sample tube prior to analysis of a natural gas sample;
wherein the system comprises a highest physical point;
wherein the second filter is a membrane filter situated downstream of the sample tube and at the highest physical point in the system;
wherein the micro filter is located downstream of the second filter and upstream of the gasifier;
wherein the micro filter removes solid particles from the natural gas stream prior to the stream entering the gas analyzer;
wherein the gasifier is situated downstream of the micro filter and ensures that any natural gas entering the gas analyzer is in gaseous phase;
wherein the gas analyzer is situated downstream of the gasifier;
wherein the gas analyzer is portable;
wherein the gas analyzer analyzes gas samples from the sample tube; and
wherein the entire system is contained within a truck or other mobile unit.
2. The mobile vacuum sampling system of claim 1, further comprising a drain, wherein the drain is located directly underneath the first filter.
3. The mobile vacuum sampling system of claim 1, wherein the gas sample vacuum pump is oil-free, explosion-proof and portable;
wherein the gas sample vacuum pump is manufactured of stainless steel or polytetrafluoroethylene; and
wherein the gas sample vacuum pump has a Class 1, Division 1 electrical rating.
4. The mobile vacuum sampling system of claim 3, wherein the vacuum pump compresses 0.6 cubic feet of gas per minute;
wherein the gas sample vacuum pump has the ability to overcome 26.9 inches of Hg on the inlet side of the pump; and
wherein the gas sample vacuum pump is run on 120-volt or 220-volt AC power.
5. The mobile vacuum sampling system of claim 1, further comprising a flow meter, wherein the flow meter is located between the pressure gauge and the second filter.
6. The mobile vacuum sampling system of claim 1, further comprising a second block valve and first vent located between the first block valve and a flow meter and a third block valve and second vent located directly underneath the second filter.
7. The mobile vacuum sampling system of claim 1, wherein the micro filter is a 5-micron filter.
8. The mobile vacuum sampling system of claim 1, further comprising a micro needle valve and third vent, wherein the micro needle valve and third vent are located on the gasifier and are used to purge the system in between natural gas samples.
9. A mobile vacuum sampling system comprising:
(a) an inlet;
(b) a first filter;
(c) a gas sample vacuum pump;
(d) a solenoid valve;
(e) a sample tube;
(f) a pressure gauge;
(g) a first block valve;
(h) a second filter;
(i) a micro filter;
(j) a gasifier;
(k) a gas analyzer; and
(l) a computational, recording andor analysis display device;
wherein the first filter is a membrane filter situated between the inlet and the gas sample vacuum pump;
wherein a gas stream enters the gas sample vacuum pump via the inlet and is compressed to between 3 and 5 psig;
wherein the solenoid valve is situated directly adjacent to the gas sample vacuum pump;
wherein the solenoid valve and gas sample vacuum pump are controlled by an electrical switch;
wherein when the solenoid valve is only open when the gas sample vacuum pump is on and pumping gas through the system;
wherein when the vacuum pump is turned off, the solenoid valve is closed and prevents gas from flowing back through the compressor;
wherein the sample tube is located downstream of the solenoid valve;
wherein the sample tube collects gas to be analyzed;
wherein the pressure gauge is situated downstream of the sample tube and gauges the pressure in the sample tube;
wherein the purpose of the first block valve is to allow pressure to build in the sample tube prior to analysis of a gas sample;
wherein the system comprises a highest physical point;
wherein the second filter is a membrane filter situated downstream of the sample tube and at the highest physical point in the system;
wherein the micro filter is located downstream of the second filter and upstream of the gasifier;
wherein the micro filter removes solid particles from the gas stream prior to the stream entering the gas analyzer;
wherein the gasifier is situated downstream of the micro filter and ensures that any gas entering the gas analyzer is in gaseous phase;
wherein the gas analyzer is situated downstream of the gasifier;
wherein the gas analyzer is portable;
wherein the gas analyzer analyzes gas samples from the sample tube; and
wherein the entire system is contained within a truck or other mobile unit.
10. The mobile vacuum sampling system of claim 9, further comprising a drain, wherein the drain is located directly underneath the first filter.
11. The mobile vacuum sampling system of claim 9, wherein the gas sample vacuum pump is oil-free, explosion-proof and portable;
wherein the gas sample vacuum pump is manufactured of stainless steel or polytetrafluoroethylene; and
wherein the gas sample vacuum pump has a Class 1, Division 1 electrical rating.
12. The mobile vacuum sampling system of claim 11, wherein the vacuum pump compresses 0.6 cubic feet of gas per minute;
wherein the gas sample vacuum pump has the ability to overcome 26.9 inches of Hg on the inlet side of the pump; and
wherein the gas sample vacuum pump is run on 120-volt or 220-volt AC power.
13. The mobile vacuum sampling system of claim 9, further comprising a flow meter, wherein the flow meter is located between the pressure gauge and the second filter.
14. The mobile vacuum sampling system of claim 9, further comprising a second block valve and first vent located between the first block valve and a flow meter and a third block valve and second vent located directly underneath the second filter.
15. The mobile vacuum sampling system of claim 9, wherein the micro filter is a 5-micron filter.
16. The mobile vacuum sampling system of claim 9, further comprising a micro needle valve and third vent, wherein the micro needle valve and third vent are located on the gasifier and are used to purge the system in between gas samples.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A system for measuring physical characteristics of a plant in an agricultural environment, the system comprising:
a sensor assembly including a plurality of emitters and a plurality of receivers disposed substantially opposite and parallel to said plurality of emitters for receiving a plurality of signals emitted by said emitters such that said receivers and said emitters may be positioned on opposite sides of the plant;
a computer device in communication with said sensor assembly for detecting the reception of signals by said receivers;
wherein said emitters emit the plurality of signals such that a portion of the plant obscures at least a portion of the plurality of signals;
wherein said computer device receives a plant profile data set generated by said plurality of receivers comprising a plurality of positive data points corresponding to a received signal and a plurality of negative data points corresponding to the portion of the plurality of signals obscured by the plant; and
wherein said computer device generates a plant characteristic data set containing plant characteristic data based at least in part on the plant profile data received from said plurality of receivers such that the plant characteristic data set may be used to measure the physical characteristics of the plant.
2. A system according to claim 1, wherein said computer device further controls said emitters to emit the plurality of signals.
3. A system according to claim 1, wherein said sensor assembly comprises at least one of:
an industrial light curtain;
a plurality of photodiodes substantially aligned with a corresponding plurality of optical sensors; and
combinations thereof.
4. A system according to claim 1, further comprising a movable assembly operably engaged with said sensor assembly for advancing said sensor assembly along a row of plants including the plant and defining a row axis, and wherein said computer device further controls said emitters to repeatedly emit the signals at a selected rate and wherein said computer device further generates a two-dimensional profile of the plant by compiling the plant profile data set generated by said receivers at a plurality of longitudinal points along the row axis, and wherein said computer device further adds the generated two-dimensional profile of the plant to the plant characteristic data set.
5. A system according to claim 1, wherein said movable assembly comprises at least one of:
a wheeled carriage;
a trailer;
an attachment for carriage by a mobile agricultural mechanism; and
combinations thereof.
6. A system according to claim 1, further comprising a user interface in communication with said computer device and wherein said computer device further generates a binary image based on the plant characteristic data set and displays the binary image to a user via said user interface and wherein said computer device further adds the binary image to the plant characteristic data set.
7. A system according to claim 1, further comprising a distance sensor disposed on the sensor assembly such that the distance sensor measures a distance to a portion of the plant, and wherein said computer device is in communication with said distance sensor for locating a position of the portion relative to said sensor assembly and wherein said computer device further adds the located position of the portion of the plant to the plant characteristic data set.
8. A system according to claim 1, further comprising a multi-spectral device operably engaged with a top portion of said sensor assembly for capturing a multi-spectral image of the plant from a position above the plant so as to differentiate the plant from a plurality of surrounding materials, and wherein said computer device is in communication with said multi-spectral device for receiving the multi-spectral image, and wherein said computer device further adds the multi-spectral image to the plant characteristic data set.
9. A system according to claim 1, wherein said sensor assembly further comprises a locator device in communication with said computer device for transmitting a location data set to said computer device to determine a location of the plant, and wherein said computer device further adds the location data set to the plant characteristic data set.
10. A system according to claim 9, wherein said locator device is at least one of:
an optical encoder;
a laser encoder;
a dead-reckoning device comprising a gyroscope andor an accelerometer;
a global positioning system device; and
combinations thereof.
11. A system according to claim 4, wherein said movable assembly comprises at least one axle and wherein said sensor assembly further comprises a shaft encoder operably engaged with said axle and in communication with said computer device for transmitting a location data set to said computer device to determine a distance along the row of plants, and wherein said computer device further adds the location data set to the plant characteristic data set.
12. A system according to claim 1, further comprising a global positioning system device in communication with said computer device for determining a position of the plant using a global positioning system, and wherein said computer device further adds the position of the plant to the plant characteristic data set.
13. A system according to claim 1, further comprising a memory device in communication with said computer device for storing the plant characteristic data set of a known plant of interest in the memory device.
14. A system according to claim 13, wherein said computer device further identifies the plant by comparing the generated plant characteristic data set with the stored plant characteristic data set of the known plant of interest.
15. A system according to claim 1, wherein said computer device further maintains a count of a number of a plurality of plants for which a corresponding plurality of plant characteristic data sets are generated.
16. A system according to claim 15, wherein said computer device further determines the count of the number of the plurality of plants located in at least one physical unit based at least in part on the corresponding plurality of plant characteristic data sets.
17. A system according to claim 16, wherein the at least one physical unit is selected from the group consisting of:
a row;
an agricultural plot; and
combinations thereof.
18. A method for measuring physical characteristics of a plant in an agricultural environment, the method comprising:
providing a sensor assembly including a plurality of emitters and a plurality of receivers disposed substantially opposite and parallel to said plurality of emitters for receiving a plurality of signals emitted by said emitters and a computer device in communication with said profile sensor assembly;
positioning said sensor assembly relative to the plant such that said receivers and said emitters are positioned on opposite sides of the plant;
emitting the plurality of signals from said emitters such that a portion of the plant obscures at least a portion of the plurality of signals;
receiving a portion of the plurality of signals at said receivers such that said receivers generate a plant profile data set comprising a plurality of positive data points corresponding to a received signal and a plurality of negative data points corresponding to the signals obscured by the portion of the plant; and,
generating a plant characteristic data set containing plant characteristic data based at least in part on the plant profile data received from said plurality of receivers such that the plant characteristic data set may be used to measure the physical characteristics the plant.
19. A method according to claim 18, further comprising:
advancing said sensor assembly along a row of plants including the plant and defining a row axis, wherein the emitting step further comprises repeatedly emitting the signals at a selected rate, and wherein the generating step further comprises generating a two-dimensional profile of the plant by compiling the plant profile data set generated by said receivers at a plurality of longitudinal points along the row axis; and
adding the generated two-dimensional profile of the plant to the plant characteristic data set.
20. A method according to claim 18, wherein said providing step further comprises providing said plurality of emitters extending substantially parallel to a stem axis of the plant.
21. A method according to claim 18, wherein the providing step further comprises providing a user interface in communication with said computer device, the method further comprising:
generating a binary image based on the plant characteristic data set;
displaying the binary image to a user via said user interface; and
adding the binary image to the plant characteristic data set.
22. A method according to claim 18, wherein said sensor assembly further comprises a distance sensor, the method further comprising:
locating a position of the portion of the plant relative to said sensor assembly using said distance sensor; and
adding the located position of the portion of the plant to the plant characteristic data set.
23. A method according to claim 18, wherein said sensor assembly further comprises a multi-spectral device, the method further comprising:
capturing a multi-spectral image of the plants from a position above the plant so as to differentiate the plant from a plurality of surrounding materials; and
adding the multi-spectral image to the plant characteristic data set.
24. A method according to claim 18, wherein said sensor assembly further comprises a locator device in communication with said computer device; the method further comprising:
transmitting a location data set from said locator device to said computer device to determine a location of the plant; and
adding the location data set to the plant characteristic data set.
25. A method according to claim 19, wherein said sensor assembly is carried by a movable assembly having at least one axle and wherein said sensor assembly further comprises a shaft encoder operably engaged with said axle, the method further comprising:
transmitting a location data set from said shaft encoder to said computer device to determine a distance along the row of plants; and
adding the location data set to the plant characteristic data set.
26. A method according to claim 18, wherein said sensor assembly further comprises a global positioning system device, the method further comprising:
determining a position of the plant using a global positioning system; and
adding the determined position of the plant to the plant characteristic data set.
27. A method according to claim 18, wherein the providing step further comprises providing a memory device in communication with said computer device, the method further comprising storing the plant characteristic data set of a known plant of interest in the memory device.
28. A method according to claim 27, further comprising identifying the plant by comparing the generated plant characteristic data set with the stored plant characteristic data set of the known plant of interest.
29. A method according to claim 18, further comprising:
counting of a number of a plurality of plants for which a corresponding plurality of plant characteristic data sets are generated; and
storing the counted number of the plurality of plants.
30. A method according to claim 29, further comprising determining the number of the plurality of plants located in at least one physical unit based at least in part on the corresponding plurality of plant characteristic data sets.
31. A method according to claim 30, wherein the at least one physical unit is selected from the group consisting of:
a row;
an agricultural plot; and
combinations thereof.
32. A computer program product for controlling a computer device in communication with a sensor assembly comprising a plurality of emitters and a corresponding plurality of receivers disposed substantially opposite and parallel to said emitters for receiving a plurality of signals emitted by said emitters to determine physical characteristics of a plant in an agricultural environment, wherein a portion of a plant obscures at least a portion of the plurality of signals, the computer program product comprising a computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code instructions stored therein comprising:
a first set of computer instructions for receiving a portion of the plurality of signals at said receivers such that said receivers generate a plant profile data set comprising a plurality of positive data points corresponding to a received signal and a plurality of negative data points corresponding to the signals obscured by the portion of the plant; and,
a second set of computer instructions for generating a plant characteristic data set containing plant characteristic data based at least in part on the plant profile data received from said plurality of receivers such that the plant characteristic data set may be used to measure the physical characteristics of the plant.
33. A computer program product according to claim 32, wherein said sensor assembly is advanced along a row of plants including the plant and defining a row axis, the computer program product further comprising:
a third set of computer instructions for controlling said emitters to repeatedly emit the signals at a selected rate, and wherein said second set of computer instructions further comprises a fourth set of computer instructions for generating a two-dimensional profile of the plant by compiling the data generated by said first set of computer instructions at a plurality of longitudinal points along the row axis; and
a fifth set of computer instructions for adding the generated two-dimensional profile of the plant to the plant characteristic data set.
34. A computer program product according to claim 32, further comprising:
a third set of computer instructions for generating a binary image based on the plant characteristic data set;
a fourth set of computer instructions displaying the binary image to a user via said user interface; and
a fifth set of computer instructions for adding the binary image to the plant characteristic data set.
35. A computer program product according to claim 32, wherein said sensor assembly further comprises a distance sensor, the computer program product further comprising:
a third set of computer instructions for locating a position of the portion of the plant relative to said sensor assembly using said distance sensor; and
a fourth set of computer instructions for adding the located position of the portion of the plant to the plant characteristic data set.
36. A computer program product according to claim 32, wherein said sensor assembly further comprises a multi-spectral device, the computer program product further comprising:
a third set of computer instructions for capturing a multi-spectral image of the plants from a position above the plant so as to differentiate the plant from a plurality of surrounding materials; and
a fourth set of computer instructions for adding the multi-spectral image to the plant characteristic data set.
37. A computer program product according to claim 32, wherein said sensor assembly further comprises a locator device in communication with said computer device; the method further comprising:
a third set of computer instructions for transmitting a location data set from said locator device to said computer device to determine a location of the plant; and
a fourth set of computer instructions for adding the location data set to the plant characteristic data set.
38. A computer program product according to claim 33, wherein said sensor assembly is carried by a movable assembly having at least one axle and wherein said sensor assembly further comprises a shaft encoder operably engaged with said axle and in communication with said computer device, the computer program product further comprising:
a sixth set of computer instructions for transmitting a location data set from said shaft encoder to said computer device to determine a distance along the row of plants; and
a seventh set of computer instructions for adding the location data set to the plant characteristic data set.
39. A computer program product according to claim 32, wherein said sensor assembly further comprises a global positioning system device, the computer program product further comprising:
a third set of computer instructions for determining a position of the plant using a global positioning system; and
a fourth set of computer instructions for adding the determined position of the plant to the plant characteristic data set.
40. A computer program product according to claim 32, wherein said computer device further comprises a memory device, the computer program product further comprising a third set of computer instructions for storing the plant characteristic data set of a known plant of interest in the memory device.
41. A computer program product according to claim 40, further comprising a fourth set of computer instructions for identifying the plant by comparing the generated plant characteristic data set with the stored plant characteristic data set of the known plant of interest.
42. A computer program product according to claim 32, further comprising:
a third set of computer instructions for counting of a number of a plurality of plants for which a corresponding plurality of plant characteristic data sets are generated; and
a fourth set of computer instructions for storing the counted number of the plurality of plants.
43. A computer program product according to claim 42, further comprising a fifth set of computer instructions for determining the number of the plurality of plants located in at least one physical unit based at least in part on the corresponding plurality of plant characteristic data sets.
44. A computer program product according to claim 43, wherein the at least one physical unit is selected from the group consisting of:
a row;
an agricultural plot; and
combinations thereof.