Systems, methods, and devices for aeroponic plant growth

Abstract

An aeroponic system for supporting efficient low-resource-usage plant growth comprises a housing having one or more openings for a stalk of a plant to pass therethrough, and one or more root chambers for positioning therein of roots of the plant; one or more sealing members coupled to the one or more openings, each sealing member configured to substantially conform to the stalk of the plant and to substantially isolate a canopy of the plant from the one or more root chambers; a nutrient distribution system for introducing nutrients into the one or more root chambers; and a network interface configured to enable the aeroponic system to communicate with an external control system via a computer network.

1 .- 23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . An aeroponic system for supporting efficient low-resource-usage plant growth, the aeroponic system comprising:
 a housing having a top portion and an internal cavity, the top portion comprising one or more openings for a stalk of a plant to pass therethrough, the internal cavity forming or comprising one or more root chambers for positioning therein of roots of the plant,   wherein the internal cavity is substantially sealed from an external environment and is configured to provide a controlled environment that can optimize plant growth efficiency;   one or more sealing members coupled to the one or more openings, each sealing member configured to substantially conform to the stalk of the plant and to substantially isolate a canopy of the plant from the one or more root chambers;   a nutrient distribution system for introducing nutrients into the one or more root chambers, the nutrient distribution system comprising:
 one or more nutrient storage reservoirs for storage of plant nutrients; 
 one or more pumps; 
 one or more nozzles configured to be fluidly coupled to the one or more nutrient storage reservoirs and the one or more pumps; and 
 a nutrient distribution controller configured to cause the one or more nozzles to introduce nutrient solution into the one or more root chambers; and 
   a network interface configured to enable the aeroponic system to communicate with an external control system via a computer network,   wherein the aeroponic system is configured to transmit status data to the external control system via the network interface, and   wherein the aeroponic system is configured to receive control data from the external control system via the network interface, the control data configured to at least partially control the introduction of nutrient solution into the one or more root chambers by the nutrient distribution system.   
     
     
         25 . The aeroponic system of  claim 24 , wherein the one or more nutrient storage reservoirs of the nutrient distribution system comprise at least two nutrient storage reservoirs configured to store different types of plant nutrients, and
 wherein the nutrient distribution controller is configured to control from which of the at least two nutrient storage reservoirs plant nutrient is distributed, based on a current stage of plant growth and nutrient profile data stored in a nutrient profile database.   
     
     
         26 . The aeroponic system of  claim 25 , wherein the external control system comprises the nutrient profile database. 
     
     
         27 . The aeroponic system of  claim 25 , wherein the nutrient distribution system comprises the nutrient profiles database. 
     
     
         28 . The aeroponic system of  claim 25 , wherein the nutrient distribution controller is configured to cause mixing of plant nutrients from at least two of the at least two nutrient storage reservoirs. 
     
     
         29 . The aeroponic system of  claim 24 , wherein the nutrient distribution system further comprises a pH sensor configured to detect a pH level of nutrient solution stored in the one or more nutrient storage reservoirs. 
     
     
         30 . The aeroponic system of  claim 24 , further comprising:
 a temperature sensor configured to detect a temperature within the one or more root chambers; and   a humidity sensor configured to detect a relative humidity within the one or more root chambers.   
     
     
         31 . The aeroponic system of  claim 30 , wherein the status data comprises a current temperature of the one or more root chambers and a current humidity level of the one or more root chambers. 
     
     
         32 . The aeroponic system of  claim 24 , wherein the status data comprises at least one of an image or video of the plant. 
     
     
         33 . The aeroponic system of  claim 24 , further comprising a temperature control system configured to control a temperature of the one or more root chambers without introducing outside air, other than air from the pressurized air source, into the internal cavity. 
     
     
         34 . The aeroponic system of  claim 24 , wherein the nutrient distribution system further comprises one or more pressurized air sources configured to be fluidly coupled to the one or more nozzles, the one or more pressurized air sources comprising at least one air compressor within or coupled to the housing. 
     
     
         35 . The aeroponic system of  claim 24 , wherein the nutrient distribution system further comprises one or more pressurized air sources configured to be fluidly coupled to the one or more nozzles, the one or more pressurized air sources comprising a connection to pressurized air received from an external pressurized air supply. 
     
     
         36 . A distributed system for efficient low-resource-usage plant growth, the distributed system comprising:
 a control system connected to a computer network; and   a plurality of aeroponic plant growth systems, each of the plurality of aeroponic plant growth systems comprising:
 a housing having a top portion and an internal cavity, the top portion comprising one or more openings for a stalk of a plant to pass therethrough, the internal cavity forming or comprising one or more root chambers for positioning therein of roots of the plant, 
 wherein the internal cavity is substantially sealed from an external environment and is configured to provide a controlled environment that can optimize plant growth efficiency; 
 one or more sealing members coupled to the one or more openings, each sealing member configured to substantially conform to the stalk of the plant and to substantially isolate a canopy of the plant from the one or more root chambers; 
 a nutrient distribution system for introducing nutrients into the one or more root chambers, the nutrient distribution system comprising:
 one or more nutrient storage reservoirs for storage of plant nutrients; 
 one or more pumps; 
 one or more nozzles configured to be fluidly coupled to the one or more nutrient storage reservoirs and the one or more pumps; and 
 a nutrient distribution controller configured to cause the one or more nozzles to introduce nutrient solution into the one or more root chambers; and 
 a network interface configured to enable the aeroponic plant growth system to communicate with the control system via the computer network, 
 wherein the aeroponic plant growth system is configured to transmit status data to the control system via the network interface, and 
 wherein the aeroponic plant growth system is configured to receive control data from the control system via the network interface, the control data configured to at least partially control the introduction of nutrient solution into the one or more root chambers by the nutrient distribution system. 
 
   
     
     
         37 . The distributed system of  claim 36 , wherein the one or more nutrient storage reservoirs of the nutrient distribution system comprise at least two nutrient storage reservoirs configured to store different types of plant nutrients, and
 wherein the nutrient distribution controller is configured to control from which of the at least two nutrient storage reservoirs plant nutrient is distributed, based on a current stage of plant growth and nutrient profile data stored in a nutrient profile database.   
     
     
         38 . The distributed system of  claim 37 , wherein the nutrient distribution controller is configured to cause mixing of plant nutrients from at least two of the at least two nutrient storage reservoirs. 
     
     
         39 . The distributed system of  claim 36 , wherein the nutrient distribution system further comprises a pH sensor configured to detect a pH level of nutrient solution stored in the one or more nutrient storage reservoirs. 
     
     
         40 . The distributed system of  claim 36 , wherein each of the plurality of aeroponic plant growth systems further comprises:
 a temperature sensor configured to detect temperature within the one or more root chambers; and   a humidity sensor configured to detect relative humidity within the one or more root chambers.   
     
     
         41 . The distributed system of  claim 40 , wherein the status data comprises a current temperature of the one or more root chambers and a current humidity level of the one or more root chambers. 
     
     
         42 . The distributed system of  claim 36 , wherein the status data comprises at least one of an image or video of the plant. 
     
     
         43 . The distributed system of  claim 36 , wherein each of the plurality of aeroponic plant growth systems further comprises a temperature control system configured to control a temperature of the one or more root chambers without introducing outside air, other than air from the pressurized air source, into the internal cavity. 
     
     
         44 . The distributed system of  claim 36 , wherein the nutrient distribution system further comprises one or more pressurized air sources configured to be fluidly coupled to the one or more nozzles, the one or more pressurized air sources comprising at least one air compressor within or coupled to the housing. 
     
     
         45 . The distributed system of  claim 36 , wherein the nutrient distribution system further comprises one or more pressurized air sources configured to be fluidly coupled to the one or more nozzles, the one or more pressurized air sources comprising a connection to pressurized air received from an external pressurized air supply.