Controlling an environmental condition based on anticipated influence of control of a further environmental condition
A system ( 31 ) for determining at least one control parameter for at least one device ( 41 ) controlling an environmental condition in a plain growing environment is configured to obtain one or more target values for the environmental condition and receive information relating to control of a further environmental condition in the plant growing environment, e.g. from another system ( 1 ). The system is further configured to determine data which represent an anticipated influence of the control of the further environmental condition on the environmental condition from the information and determine the at least one control parameter for the at least one device controlling the environmental condition based on the one or more target values and the data. The system is also configured to output or store the at least one control parameter.
1 . A system for determining at least one control parameter for at least one device controlling an environmental condition in a plant growing environment, said system comprising:
at least one communication interface; and
at least one processor configured to:
obtain one or more target values for said environmental condition corresponding to future values of the environmental condition, wherein the environmental condition corresponds to at least one of lighting conditions or climate conditions provided to the plant growing environment,
use said at least one communication interface to receive information relating to control of a further environmental condition in said plant growing environment, wherein said further environmental condition relates to a different physical property of the environment than said environmental condition, and wherein the further environmental condition corresponds to at least one of lighting conditions or climate conditions provided to the plant growing environment,
determine, from said information, data which represent an anticipated influence of said control of said further environmental condition on said environmental condition, wherein said anticipated influence corresponds to a future anticipated change in the environmental condition caused by controlling said further environmental condition,
determine, prior to the controlling of said further environmental condition, said at least one control parameter for said at least one device controlling said environmental condition based on said one or more target values and said data, and
output or store said at least one control parameter.
2 . The system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said at least one device comprises a plurality of devices and/or said at least one control parameter comprises a plurality of control parameters for controlling said at least one device during a control period.
3 . The system as claimed in claim 2 , wherein said control period is a future control period.
4 . The system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said at least one processor is configured to use said at least one communication interface to control said at least one device according to said at least one control parameter.
5 . The system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said at least one processor is configured to obtain a grow protocol for growing a plant, said grow protocol comprising said one or more target values, each of a plurality of growth stages being associated with at least one of said one or more target values.
6 . The system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said environmental condition comprises temperature and said further environmental condition comprises lighting.
7 . The system as claimed in claim 6 , wherein said information comprises a profile representing expected heat dissipation and/or expected temperature increase.
8 . The system as claimed in claim 6 , wherein said at least one processor is configured to determine an anticipated temperature variation from said information, subtract said anticipated temperature variation from said one or more target values for said temperature and determine said at least one control parameter based on a result of said subtraction.
9 . The system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said environmental condition comprises lighting and said further environmental condition comprises temperature.
10 . The system as claimed in claim 9 , wherein said at least one device comprises at least one lighting device which comprises at least one component for cooling and/or heating and said information comprises a profile representing anticipated environmental temperature variations and wherein said at least one processor is configured to determine said at least one control parameter for said at least one lighting device so as to adjust said cooling and/or heating in dependence on said anticipated environmental temperature variations exceeding a threshold amount.
11 . The system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said at least one processor is further configured to use said at least one communication interface to obtain electricity cost and/or demand information and determine said at least one control parameter further based on said electricity cost and/or demand information.
12 . The system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the determining of the data which represent the anticipated influence of said control of said further environmental condition on said environmental condition includes using a using a mathematical model associated with said control of said further environmental condition on said environmental condition.
13 . A system for controlling an environmental condition in a plant growing environment, said system comprising:
at least one communication interface; and
at least one processor configured to:
use said at least one communication interface to receive one or more target values for said environmental condition corresponding to future values of the environmental condition, wherein the environmental condition corresponds to at least one of lighting conditions or climate conditions provided to the plant growing environment, and wherein the further environmental condition corresponds to at least one of lighting conditions or climate conditions provided to the plant growing environment,
determine information from said one or more target values, said information comprising data which represent an anticipated influence of said control of said environmental condition on a further environmental condition, wherein said further environmental condition relates to a different physical property of the environment than said environmental condition and wherein said anticipated influence corresponds to a future anticipated change in the future environmental condition caused by controlling said environmental condition,
use said at least one communication interface to transmit said information, and
control said environmental condition based on said one or more target values,
wherein the determining of the information comprising data which represent the anticipated influence of said control of said environmental condition on said further environmental condition occurs prior to the control of said controlling said environmental condition.
14 . The system as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the determining of the information comprising data which represent the anticipated influence of said control of said environmental condition on a further environmental condition includes using a mathematical model associated said control of said environmental condition on said further environmental condition.
15 . A method of determining at least one control parameter for at least one device controlling an environmental condition in a plant growing environment, said method comprising:
obtaining one or more target values for said environmental condition corresponding to future values of the environmental condition, wherein the environmental condition corresponds to at least one of lighting conditions or climate conditions provided to the plant growing environment;
receiving information relating to control of a further environmental condition in said plant growing environment, wherein said further environmental condition relates to a different physical property of the environment than said environmental condition, and wherein the further environmental condition corresponds to at least one of lighting conditions or climate conditions provided to the plant growing environment;
determining data which represent an anticipated influence of said control of said further environmental condition on said environmental condition from said information, wherein said anticipated influence corresponds to a future anticipated change in the environmental condition caused by controlling said further environmental condition;
determining, prior to the controlling of said further environmental condition, said at least one control parameter for said at least one device controlling said environmental condition based on said one or more target values and said data; and
outputting or storing said at least one control parameter.
16 . A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions, the instructions, when executed by a computer system causes the computer system to perform the method of claim 15 .
17 . The method as claimed in claim 15 , wherein the determining of the data which represent the anticipated influence of said control of said further environmental condition on said environmental condition includes using a using a mathematical model associated with said control of said further environmental condition on said environmental condition.
18 . A method of controlling an environmental condition in a plant growing environment, said method comprising:
receiving one or more target values for said environmental condition corresponding to future values of the environmental condition, wherein the environmental condition corresponds to at least one of lighting conditions or climate conditions provided to the plant growing environment, and wherein the further environmental condition corresponds to at least one of lighting conditions or climate conditions provided to the plant growing environment;
determining information from said one or more target values, said information comprising data which represent an anticipated influence of said control of said environmental condition on a further environmental condition, wherein said further environmental condition relates to a different physical property of the environment than said environmental condition and wherein said anticipated influence corresponds to a future anticipated change in the future environmental condition caused by controlling said environmental condition; and
transmitting said information;
controlling said environmental condition based on said one or more target values,
wherein the determining of the information comprising data which represent the anticipated influence of said control of said environmental condition on said further environmental condition occurs prior to the controlling of said controlling said environmental condition.
19 . The method as claimed in claim 18 , wherein the determining of the information comprising data which represent the anticipated influence of said control of said environmental condition on said further environmental condition includes using a mathematical model associated said control of said environmental condition on said further environmental condition.