Description:FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to an autonomous device for organic manure preparation and soil management that is capable of streamlining agricultural operations by efficiently preparing organic fertilizer, optimizing soil conditions, and streamlining farm tasks as well as automating the collection and mixing of organic materials, analyzes soil hardness and surrounding environment, and optimizes seeding and fertilization processes, thereby makes agricultural operations more efficient, accessible, and user-friendly.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Organic farming has gained significant attention in recent years due to its environmental benefits, improved crop quality, and enhanced food safety. A crucial aspect of organic farming is the use of natural fertilizers, such as compost and vermicompost, which rely on earthworms and microorganisms to break down organic waste. However, traditional methods of organic manure preparation and soil management are often labor-intensive, time-consuming, and inefficient.

[0003] Conventional methods of organic manure preparation involve manual collection of earthworms, cow dung, and other organic materials, followed by manual mixing and application to the soil. Farmers typically use simple tools, such as shovels and baskets, to collect and transport these materials. Soil preparation and seeding are also done manually, which can lead to inconsistent soil quality and reduced crop yields.

[0004] CN102503697A relates to a preparation method of a fertilizer, in particular to an organic fertilizer and a preparation method thereof, belonging to the technical field of fertilizers. The organic fertilizer comprises the following components in parts by weight: 5-20 parts of bone meal, 2-8 parts of hoof and horn meal, 30-50 parts of feces, 12-18 parts of shale, 8-12 parts of plant ash, 15-25 parts of humic acid, 0.7-0.9 parts of bacteria and 0.05-0.2 parts of sugar. The organic fertilizer can effectively improve the appearance of vegetables and fruits and increase the amino acid content; the using amount of each pesticide is reduced, and harmful chemical substances such as heavy metal, and pesticide residues are effectively reduced, so that a nuisance less requirement is met and the preparation method is an agricultural production technology which is quite worth of popularization.

[0005] WO2013013247A2 discloses a fertilizer derived from an organic source and a method of making are provided. The fertilizer of the present invention advantageously has a Nitrogen content greater than 4%. The method of making the fertilizer also produces potable water.

[0006] Conventionally, there exists many devices that are capable of making fertilizer, however these existing devices fail in minimizing manual effort and potential health risks associated with the fertilizer making. In addition, these existing devices are also incapable of determining growth of the microbial, which makes agricultural operation complex.

[0007] In order to overcome the aforementioned drawbacks, there exists a need in the art to develop a device that requires to be capable of enhancing agricultural productivity through seamless integration of organic fertilizer production, soil optimization, and automated farm operations, resulting in increased efficiency, accessibility, and user experience

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

[0008] The principal object of the present invention is to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art.

[0009] An object of the present invention is to develop a device that is capable of automating the collection, mixing, and dispensing of organic materials (earthworms, cow dung, tea waste) to create fertilizer, reducing manual labor and potential health risks.

[0010] Another object of the present invention is to develop a device that is capable of analyzing soil conditions (hardness/softness) and surrounding environment (odors) to optimize soil preparation, seeding, and fertilization processes.

[0011] Yet another object of the present invention is to develop a device that is capable of integrating multiple functions, including seed storage and planting, fertilizer dispensing, and monitoring microbial activity, making agricultural operations more efficient and accessible.

[0012] The foregoing and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0013] The present invention relates to an autonomous device for organic manure preparation and soil management that is capable of transforming agricultural efficiency through an efficient approach that combines automated organic fertilizer production, soil analysis, and precision farming techniques, thereby allowing user to enjoy improved productivity, reduced labor, and enhanced decision-making capabilities.

[0014] According to an embodiment of the present invention, an autonomous device for organic manure preparation and soil management, comprising a cuboidal body developed to be placed over an agricultural field with the help of a pair of motorized track wheels, a touch interactive display panel installed over the body allows a user to provide input commands about preparation of organic manure and sowing of the agricultural field, an artificial intelligence-based imaging unit provided on the body to capture multiple images in proximity of the body for observing surrounding field, an articulated arm installed at front wall of the body by means of a cone-shaped shovel to collect earthworms from soil, a vibrating unit installed with the shovel to produce vibration for moving the earthworms in upward direction for easy and precise collection, a sieve is carved with the shovel that removes soil while the shovel collecting earthworms, a first chamber installed inside the housing accessed by the arm to store the collected earthworms and an odor sensor installed on the body to monitor ammonia-like odors that refers decomposed or undecomposed cow dung in surroundings.

[0015] According to another embodiment of the present invention, the proposed device further comprises of a second chamber installed inside the housing and dedicated to store detected decomposed or undecomposed cow dung by the arm, a third chamber installed inside the housing that stores tea leaves soaked liquid, a motorized iris unit assembled with the second chamber and third chamber to dispense a threshold amount of earthworms, slurry, cow dung, and tea waste within a mixing unit arranged inside the housing, a motorized stirrer unit installed within mixing unit to stir dispense organic materials, a color sensor installed inside the mixing unit to evaluate color data and microbial activity, a horizontal rod linked with the mixing unit for emitting from front wall of the body, a conduit and an electronic valve is attached with rod for dispensing fertilizer as per the threshold amount in controller manner, a storage compartment mounted on the body and dedicated to store multiple types of seeds, a hollow L-shaped extendable pole at front wall of the housing to form a space in the soil to dispense seeds in the soil for planting seeds, an expandable pulley mechanism arranged at tip portion of the pole for allowing the pole to expand and retract for dispensing seeds, a soil sensor installed with the shovel to monitor condition of the soil and a battery is associated with the device to supply power to electrically powered components which are employed herein.

[0016] While the invention has been described and shown with particular reference to the preferred embodiment, it will be apparent that variations might be possible that would fall within the scope of the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with regard to the following description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings where:
Figure 1 illustrates an isometric view of an autonomous device for organic manure preparation and soil management.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0018] The following description includes the preferred best mode of one embodiment of the present invention. It will be clear from this description of the invention that the invention is not limited to these illustrated embodiments but that the invention also includes a variety of modifications and embodiments thereto. Therefore, the present description should be seen as illustrative and not limiting. While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative constructions, it should be understood, that there is no intention to limit the invention to the specific form disclosed, but, on the contrary, the invention is to cover all modifications, alternative constructions, and equivalents falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the claims.

[0019] In any embodiment described herein, the open-ended terms "comprising," "comprises,” and the like (which are synonymous with "including," "having” and "characterized by") may be replaced by the respective partially closed phrases "consisting essentially of," consists essentially of," and the like or the respective closed phrases "consisting of," "consists of, the like.

[0020] As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” designate both the singular and the plural, unless expressly stated to designate the singular only.

[0021] The present invention relates to an autonomous device for organic manure preparation and soil management that is capable of revolutionizing agricultural productivity by integrating efficient organic fertilizer production, precision soil management, and automated farm tasks as well as optimizes every stage of the process, from collection and mixing of organic materials to analyzation of soil conditions and tailoring seeding and fertilization, which result in a streamlined, user-friendly, and highly efficient agricultural operation.

[0022] Referring to Figure 1, an isometric view of an autonomous device for organic manure preparation and soil management, comprising a cuboidal body 101 attached with a pair of motorized track wheels 102, the body 101 is installed with a touch interactive display panel 103, an artificial intelligence-based imaging unit 104 installed on the body 101, an articulated arm 105 attached to front wall of body 101 with a cone-shaped shovel 106, a sieve 107 is attached to the shovel 106, a first chamber 108 arranged inside the body 101 a second chamber 109 arranged inside the body 101, a third chamber 110 integrated inside the body 101, a mixing unit 111 arranged inside the hosing, a motorized stirrer unit 113 mounted inside the mixing unit 111, a hollow horizontal rod 112 installed with the body 101, a storage compartment 114 provided on the body 101, a hollow L-shaped extendable pole 115 is mounted to front wall of the body 101 and an expandable pulley mechanism 116 is attached at top inner periphery of the pole 115.

[0023] The device disclosed herein, comprises of a cuboidal body 101, which serves as a main structure of the device and developed to be placed over an agricultural field by means of a pair of motorized track wheels 102. The track wheel consists of rugged threads or cleats that provide traction and prevent slipping of the body 101 on the field. The wheels are connected to an electric motor which propels the body 101 forward or backward. This allows the body 101 to move efficiently across surfaces like gravel, dirt, mud, or uneven terrain.

[0024] The process begins where a user provides input commands about preparation of organic manure and sowing of the agricultural field over a touch interactive display panel 103 installed over the body 101. The touch interactive display panel 103 as mentioned herein is typically an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) screen that presents output in a visible form. The screen is equipped with touch-sensitive technology, allowing the user to interact directly with the display using their fingers. A touch controller IC (Integrated Circuit) is responsible for processing the analog signals generated when the user inputs details regarding the preparation of organic manure and sowing of the agricultural field. A touch controller is typically connected to a microcontroller through various interfaces which may include but are not limited to PI (Serial Peripheral Interface) or I2C (Inter-Integrated Circuit).

[0025] Based on the provided input details, the microcontroller processes these commands and actuates an artificial intelligence-based imaging unit 104 provided on the body 101 to capture multiple images in proximity of the body 101 for observing surrounding field. The artificial intelligence based imaging unit 104 is constructed with a camera lens and a processor, wherein the camera lens is adapted to capture a series of images of the surrounding present in proximity to the body 101.

[0026] The processor carries out a sequence of image processing operations including pre-processing, feature extraction, and classification. The image captured by the imaging unit 104 is real-time images of the body 101’s surrounding. The artificial intelligence based imaging unit 104 transmits the captured image signal in the form of digital bits to the microcontroller. The microcontroller upon receiving the image signals compares the received image signal with the pre-fed data stored in a database and constantly observe the surrounding field.

[0027] After observing the field, the microcontroller actuates an articulated arm 105 installed at front wall of the body 101 to collect earthworms from soil with the help of a cone-shaped shovel 106. The articulated arm 105 is a type of mechanical arm 105 which is usually available with similar function to a human arm 105. The segments of such a manipulator are connected by joints allowing either rotational motion or translational displacement. The articulated arm 105 contains several segments that are attached together by joints also referred to as axes. The articulated arm 105 contains several segments that are attached together by motorized joints also referred to as axes. Each joints of the segments contains a step motor that rotates and allows the articulated arm 105 to complete a specific motion in translating the shovel 106 to collect earthworms.

[0028] The shovel 106 is having a vibrating unit that is actuated by the microcontroller to produce vibration for moving the earthworms in upward direction for easy and precise collection. The vibrating unit is consisting of a motor with an eccentric weight that induces vibrations. Upon activation, the microcontroller sends signals to the vibrating unit, initiating vibrations that are transmitted through the vibrating unit on the shovel 106. The vibrational sensations generated on the shovel 106 facilitates in collecting the earthworms from the soil. As the vibrating units generate vibrational sensation, the earworms positioned over the shovel 106.

[0029] A sieve 107 is carved with the shovel 106 that removes soil while the shovel 106 collecting earthworms. The arm 105 move the shovel 106 and withdrawing earthworms in a first chamber 108 installed inside the body 101. After collection of the earthworms, the microcontroller actuates an odor sensor installed on the body 101 to monitor ammonia-like odors, which refers decomposed or undecomposed cow dung in surroundings.

[0030] The odor sensor typically consists of an array of gas sensors that are sensitive to various volatile organic compounds (VOCs). These sensors include metal oxide sensors, electrochemical sensors. Each of the sensor in the array is designed to respond to different types of volatile organic compounds. For sampling the odor from the decomposed or undecomposed cow dungs, a small fan or air pump is used to draw air from the surroundings. The air is then directed into the sensor array. As the shoes odor enter the sensor array, each sensor in the array reacts to the specific VOCs present in the decomposed or undecomposed cow dung’s odor.

[0031] The sensors produce electrical signals in response to the concentration of the target compounds. The strength of these signals corresponds to the intensity of the odor. The microcontroller processes the signals from the odor sensor and identifies the presence and intensity of specific odors. When the microcontroller detects any decomposed or undecomposed cow dung odor, the microcontroller actuates the arm 105 to position the shovel 106 near to the detected decomposed or undecomposed cow dung for collecting the dung and position it into a second chamber 109 installed inside the body 101.

[0032] The body 101 installed with a third chamber 110 that stores tea leaves soaked liquid. The third and second chamber 109 are installed with a motorized iris unit that is actuated by the microcontroller to dispense a threshold amount of earthworms, slurry, cow dung, and tea waste within a mixing unit 111 arranged inside the hosing. The motorized iris unit is typically composed of a series of thin, overlapping blades or petals arranged in a circular or hexagonal pattern.

[0033] The microcontroller sends signals to the motor of the motorized iris unit to regulate the flow of earthworms, slurry, cow dung, and tea waste from the second chamber 109 and third chamber 110. The motor then rotates or moves the iris blades to open the iris unit to the desired position and as the motorized iris unit opens the earthworms, slurry, cow dung, and tea waste are dispensed on the mixing unit 111.

[0034] When the determined amount of earthworms, slurry, cow dung, and tea waste is dispensed on the mixing unit 111 the microcontroller actuates a motorized stirrer unit 113 installed within mixing unit 111 to stir dispense organic materials. The stirrer is equipped with blades or paddles that are capable of effectively mixing the organic materials when in operation. These blades are strategically positioned to create turbulence and ensure thorough mixing of the organic materials. The blades or paddles of the stirrer are shaped and positioned to create a vortex within the mixing unit 111, ensuring that all the organic material are thoroughly blended.

[0035] The stirrer is connected to a small and powerful electric motor that provides the necessary rotatory motion to the stirrer to effectively blend the organic material. Once the stirring is complete, the microcontroller actuates a color sensor installed inside the mixing unit 111 to evaluate color data and microbial activity. Based on the detected color and growth of the microbial, the microcontroller generates feedback for the user over the display panel 103 for optimizing composition of the mixture.

[0036] A horizontal rod 112 linked with the mixing unit 111, emitting from front wall of the body 101, wherein a conduit and an electronic valve is attached with rod 112 for dispensing fertilizer as per the threshold amount in controller manner. The electronic valve works by utilizing electrical energy to automize the flow solution in a controlled flow pattern by converting the pressure energy of a fluid into kinetic energy, which increases the fluid's velocity. Upon actuation of valve by the microcontroller, the electric motor or the pump pressurizes the incoming fertilizer, increasing its pressure significantly. High pressure enables the fertilizer to be sprayed out with a high force.

[0037] A storage compartment 114 mounted on the body 101 and dedicated to store multiple types of seeds, wherein the compartment connected with a hollow L-shaped extendable pole 115 at front wall of the body 101 to form a space in the soil to dispense seeds in the soil for planting purpose. The pole 115’s tip portion is attached with an expandable pulley mechanism 116 for allowing the pole 115 to expand and retract for dispensing seeds from the compartment in proper and accurate manner.

[0038] The expandable pulley mechanism 116 allows the pole 115 to change its diameter without any physical effort. The expandable pulley mechanism 116 consists of two main components, an outer pulley shell and an inner core. The inner core is mounted on a shaft and is capable of moving axially within the outer shell. By changing the position of the inner core relative to the outer shell, the effective diameter of the pole 115 is increased/decreased. When the core moves towards the centre of the shell, the pole 115 is retracted and when the core moves away the diameter increases. The pole 115 and compartment’s junction are connected with the help of an electronically controlled nozzle to get adjust by the microcontroller while dispensing seeds in the soil as per the requirement.

[0039] Herein, an air suction unit is installed with the earthworm storage first chamber 108, which uses air pressure to dispense earthworms onto the soil. The suction mechanism creates a negative pressure environment, pulling the air along with the earthworm through the inlet. The suction units efficiently capture the earthworm through their inlets, ensuring that only earthworm is dispensed, while other elements are not adversely affected.

[0040] A soil sensor installed with the shovel 106 to monitor condition of the soil. The soil sensor works by measuring key parameters of the soil, such as moisture, temperature, pH, and nutrient levels. It typically consists of probes that are inserted into the soil, which detect electrical conductivity or capacitance to assess moisture content. Temperature sensors measure the soil’s thermal state, while pH sensors detect acidity or alkalinity. The data collected is transmitted to the microcontroller for determining the whether the soil is soft or hard. If the soil is soft the microcontroller actuates the arm 105 to push the shovel 106 into the soil securely. Conversely, if the soil is hard, the arm 105 applies more pressure over the soil.

[0041] A battery is associated with the device to supply power to electrically powered components which are employed herein. The battery is comprised of a pair of electrode named as a cathode and an anode. The battery uses a chemical reaction of oxidation/reduction to do work on charge and produce a voltage between their anode and cathode and thus produces electrical energy that is used to do work in the device.

[0042] The present invention works best in following manner, where the cuboidal body 101 as disclosed in the invention is developed to be placed over agricultural field and having the pair of motorized track wheels 102 that maneuvers the body 101 in the field, the touch interactive display panel 103 allows the user to provide input commands about preparation of organic manure and sowing of the agricultural field, the artificial intelligence-based imaging unit 104 captures multiple images in proximity of the body 101 for observing surrounding field. Simultaneously, the microcontroller actuates the articulated arm 105 to collect earthworms from soil with the help of the shovel 106 and the vibrating unit produces vibration for moving the earthworms in upward direction for easy and precise collection, the sieve 107 removes soil while the shovel 106 collecting earthworms, the first chamber 108 accessed by the arm 105 to store the collected earthworms. In continuation, the odor sensor monitors ammonia-like odors that refers decomposed or undecomposed cow dung in surroundings and the microcontroller actuates the arm 105 to put those decomposed or undecomposed cow dung in the second chamber 109, the third chamber 110 stores tea leaves soaked liquid. The motorized iris unit dispense the threshold amount of earthworms, slurry, cow dung, and tea waste within the mixing unit 111 and the motorized stirrer unit 113 stir dispense organic materials, then the color sensor evaluates color data and microbial activity. Further, the horizontal rod 112 for dispensing fertilizer as per the threshold amount in controller manner by means of the valve and conduit, the storage compartment 114 stores multiple types of seeds, the hollow L-shaped extendable pole 115 to create the space in the soil to dispense seeds in the soil for planting seeds, the expandable pulley mechanism 116 allowing the pole 115 to expand and retract for dispensing seeds, the soil sensor determines condition of the soil and the battery to supply power to electrically powered components which are employed herein.

[0043] Although the field of the invention has been described herein with limited reference to specific embodiments, this description is not meant to be construed in a limiting sense. Various modifications of the disclosed embodiments, as well as alternate embodiments of the invention, will become apparent to persons skilled in the art upon reference to the description of the invention. , Claims:1) An autonomous device for organic manure preparation and soil management, comprising:

i) a cuboidal body 101 attached with a pair of motorized track wheels 102 positioned on an agricultural field, wherein said body 101 is installed with a touch interactive display panel 103 that is accessed by a user to provide input details regarding preparation of an organic manure and sowing of said agricultural field;
ii) an inbuilt microcontroller linked with said display panel 103 upon receiving said user’s commands activates an artificial intelligence-based imaging unit 104 installed on said body 101 and integrated with a processor for capturing and processing multiple images in vicinity of said body 101, respectively to observe surrounding field, wherein an articulated arm 105 attached to a front wall of body 101 with a cone-shaped shovel 106 that is actuated by said microcontroller for collecting earthworms from soil;
iii) a vibrating unit embedded on surface of said shovel 106 that is actuated by said microcontroller to induce low-intensity vibration to move earthworms upwards to surface for easy collection, wherein a sieve 107 is attached to said shovel 106 to remove soil during earthworm collection process, and said earthworm is collected inside a first chamber 108 arranged inside said body 101;
iv) an odor sensor embedded on said body 101 that detects ammonia-like odors indicating decomposed or undecomposed cow dung in surroundings, wherein upon successful detection said microcontroller actuates said articulated arm 105 and shovel 106 to work in conjunction for storing cow dung inside a second chamber 109 integrated inside said body 101;
v) a third chamber 110 integrated inside said body 101, stored with tea leaves soaked liquid, wherein a motorized iris unit is integrated with each of said second and third chamber 110, that is actuated by said microcontroller to open for dispensing predefined amounts of earthworms, slurry, cow dung, and tea waste inside a mixing unit 111 arranged inside said hosing;
vi) a motorized stirrer unit 113 mounted inside said mixing unit 111 that is actuated by said microcontroller to rotate in clockwise and counter wise direction for mixing said organic materials, wherein a hollow horizontal rod 112 is connected with said mixing unit 111, radiating from front wall of said body 101, and a conduit with an electronic valve is connected to said rod 112 for controlled dispensing of fertilizer in predefined amounts; and
vii) a storage compartment 114 provided on said body 101, stored with for multiple types of seeds, wherein a hollow L-shaped extendable pole 115 is mounted to front wall of said body 101, connected with said compartment, configured to create a space in soil for planting seeds and an expandable pulley mechanism 116 is attached at top inner periphery of said pole 115, allowing pole 115’s diameter to expand and retract to ensure proper dispensing of seeds from said compartment.

2) The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein an electronically controlled nozzle is integrated at junction of said compartment and pole 115 that is dynamically adjusted by said microcontroller dispensing seeds over said soil.

3) The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a soil sensor integrated with said shovel 106 detects soil hardness or softness, based on which said microcontroller triggers said articulated arm 105 to push said shovel 106 into soil with optimum pressure.

4) The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein an air suction unit is attached to said earthworm storage first chamber 108, which uses air pressure to dispense earthworms onto the soil.

5) The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said imaging unit 104 is synced with a color sensor mounted inside said mixing unit 111 to analyze color data and assess level of microbial activity, providing feedback to user via said display panel 103 to optimize mixture's composition based on detected microbial growth.