Flying insect light trap monitoring device
A flying insect light trap monitoring device and related methods and systems. The flying insect light trap monitoring device includes a housing, camera, controller, and communications module. The housing includes a mounting structure configured to couple with a flying insect light trap. The camera generally includes a wide angle lens. The camera and wide angle lens are secured to the housing and take a digital photograph image of a glue board in the flying insect light trap. The controller, including a processor and a memory, is secured within the housing and is communicatively coupled to the camera. The controller receives the digital photograph image. The communications module is operatively coupled with the controller and sends data packets, including the digital photograph image, to a remote server. Further, an image processing engine that processes the image and generates an insect count can be included.
1. A monitoring device configured to be releasably coupled to a flying insect light trap having at least one light bulb that emits wavelengths of light that attract flying insects, a light housing supporting and partially surrounding the at least one light bulb, a glue board contained within the light housing, adjacent the at least one light bulb, that is capable of capturing flying insects, and a grill extending across an open side of the light housing, wherein the glue board is proximately located within the light housing on an opposite interior side than the grill, the monitoring device comprising:
a housing defining an interior cavity and comprising at least one panel, having a viewing aperture, and at least one mounting structure configured to operably and releasably couple the monitoring device to a portion of the flying insect light trap when the monitoring device is associated with the flying insect light trap, such that when the monitoring device is associated with the flying insect light trap the interior cavity of the housing is mounted outside and adjacent the respective flying insect light trap to which it is associated;
a camera and a wide angle lens, secured to the housing, wherein the camera is located within the interior cavity of the housing, the wide angle lens configured to view the glue board within the light housing of the respective flying insect light trap through the viewing aperture of the at least one panel of the housing when the monitoring device is associated with the flying insect light trap, such that the configuration of the camera and wide angle lens is capable of taking a digital photograph image of the glue board within the flying insect light trap to which the monitoring device is associated;
a controller, including a processor and a memory, secured within the housing and communicatively coupled to the camera, wherein the controller is configured to receive the digital photograph image from the camera; and
a communications module, operatively coupled to the controller, configured to send the digital photograph image for processing remotely.
2. The monitoring device of claim 1 , wherein the monitoring device includes an image processing engine configured to process the digital photograph image and automatically generate a count of flying insects shown on the glue board.
3. The monitoring device of claim 2 , wherein the image processing engine is configured to classify the flying insects shown on the glue board by size and shape.
4. The monitoring device of claim 1 , wherein the communications module is configured to send the digital photograph image for remote processing to determine a count of flying insects shown on the glue board.
5. The monitoring device of claim 1 , wherein the housing further comprising a LCD display on an outer surface of the housing that is operatively coupled to the controller.
6. The monitoring device of claim 1 , wherein the wide angle lens is a fisheye lens.
7. The monitoring device of claim 1 , wherein the mounting structure is configured to operably and releasably couple the monitoring device to a structural portion of the flying insect light trap to which it is associated.
8. The monitoring device of claim 1 , wherein the mounting structure is configured to operably and releasably couple the monitoring device to a portion of the flying insect light trap to which it is associated.
9. The monitoring device of claim 1 , wherein the mounting structure comprises at least one hook.
10. The monitoring device of claim 9 , wherein the at least one hook is configured to hang on the grill or a structural portion of the flying insect light trap to which the monitoring device is associated.
11. The monitoring device of claim 1 , wherein the mounting structure is chosen from the group consisting of clips, magnets, fasteners, brackets, interference fits and hooks.
12. The monitoring device of claim 1 , wherein the communications module is configured to send the digital photograph image via a wireless communication.
13. The monitoring device of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to control the digital photograph image taken by the camera.
14. The monitoring device of claim 1 , wherein the housing further comprises a button configured to allow manual control of a digital photograph image capture by the camera.
15. The monitoring device of claim 1 , wherein the camara is configured to provide an expanded field view to encompass an entire glue board when the monitoring device is associated with the flying insect light trap.
16. The monitoring device of claim 1 , wherein the communications module is configured to send an alert signal for a technician when the monitoring device is associated with the flying insect light trap and the flying insect light trap requires glue board replacement or servicing.
17. The monitoring system of claim 1 , wherein the mounting structure comprises two or more hooks.
18. The monitoring system of claim 17 , wherein the two or more hooks are an integral structure of the housing.
19. The monitoring system of claim 17 , wherein each of the hooks are proximately a vertical side portion of the housing.
20. The monitoring system of claim 1 , wherein the communications module is configured to send the digital photograph image to a remote server to determine an insect count on the glue board remotely when the monitoring device is associated with the flying insect light trap.