Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
CA 02565023 2006-10-20
.~ i
FLORAL ARRANGEMENT RENDERING AN IMAGE
AND APPLICATIONS THEREOF
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a floral arrangement rendering an image, a
process and
a system for creating such a floral arrangement, and various applications in
which such
a floral arrangement may be used.
BACKGROUND
A site is sometimes provided with a floral arrangement comprising a bed of
soil
supporting flowers and/or other plants configured to render a desired image.
The desired
image is typically used to decorate the site and/or to convey information
about the site
(e.g., a name of a city, country or other region in which the site is
located).
Creation of such a floral arrangement usually requires skilled workers relying
on their
experience to plant seeds, seedlings, flowers, and/or other plants in a
certain
configuration in a bed of soil at a given site in an attempt to eventually
obtain a desired
image. Requirements for skilled workers result in existing floral arrangements
being
relatively challenging to set up and thus of limited popularity.
There is therefore a need for improvements directed to floral arrangements
rendering
images and to creation of such floral arrangements.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to a first broad aspect, the present invention provides a modular
floral
arrangement rendering an image. The modular floral arrangement comprises a
plurality
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r i
of modules. Each module renders a portion of the image and comprises: a
plurality of
grown plants forming image elements that collectively make up the portion of
the image
rendered by that module; a sustaining medium for the grown plants; and a
holding
component holding the sustaining medium and the grown plants. The modules are
arranged such that the portions of the image rendered by the modules are
visually
combined to compose the image.
According to a second broad aspect, the present invention provides, in
combination, a
plurality of modules for assembly into a modular floral arrangement rendering
an image.
Each module renders a portion of the image and comprises: a plurality of grown
plants
forming image elements that collectively make up the portion of the image
rendered by
that module; a sustaining medium for the grown plants; and a holding component
holding
the sustaining medium and the grown plants. The modules are capable of being
arranged
such that the portions of the image rendered by the modules are visually
combined to
compose the image.
According to a third broad aspect, the present invention provides a method
comprising:
obtaining an original image; producing a plurality of modules for assembly
into a
modular floral arrangement rendering an image that corresponds to the original
image,
each module rendering a portion of the image and comprising a plurality of
grown plants
forming image elements that collectively make up the portion of the image
rendered by
that module; and transporting the modules to a site where the modular floral
arrangement
is to be assembled.
According to a fourth broad aspect, the present invention provides a method
comprising:
obtaining an original image; and generating information regarding a plurality
of modules
that are to be provided to make a modular floral arrangement rendering an
image that
corresponds to the original image, the information being indicative of a
plurality of grown
plants to be included in each module and of a configuration of the grown
plants in each
module such that each module renders a portion of the image.
According to a fifth broad aspect, the present invention provides a floral
arrangement
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CA 02565023 2006-10-20
design entity. The floral arrangement design entity comprises an input for
receiving data
regarding an original image and a processing unit communicatively coupled to
the input.
The processing unit is operative for processing the data regarding the
original image to
generate information regarding a plurality of modules that are to be provided
to make a
modular floral arrangement rendering an image that corresponds to the original
image,
the information being indicative of a plurality of grown plants to be included
in each
module and of a configuration of the grown plants in each module such that
each module
renders a portion of the image.
According to a sixth broad aspect, the present invention provides a computer-
readable
storage medium comprising a program element for execution by a computing
device to
implement a floral arrangement design entity. The program element comprises
program
code means for receiving data regarding an original image. The program element
also
comprises program code means for processing the data regarding the original
image to
generate information regarding a plurality of modules that are to be provided
to make a
modular floral arrangement rendering an image that corresponds to the original
image,
the information being indicative of a plurality of grown plants to be included
in each
module and of a configuration of the grown plants in each module such that
each module
renders a portion of the image.
According to a seventh broad aspect, the present invention provides a method
comprising: obtaining an original image to which an image rendered by a floral
arrangement is to correspond, wherein the floral arrangement is to be viewed
from an
oblique viewing perspective; electronically processing the original image to
create a
processed image to attempt compensating for an apparent change in dimension of
the
floral arrangement due to the oblique viewing perspective; and using the
processed image
to create the floral arrangement.
According to an eighth broad aspect, the present invention provides a floral
arrangement
design entity. The floral arrangement design entity comprises an input for
receiving data
regarding an original image to which an image rendered by a floral arrangement
is to
correspond, wherein the floral arrangement is to be viewed from an oblique
viewing
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perspective. The floral arrangement design entity also comprises a processing
unit
communicatively coupled to the input. The processing unit is operative for:
processing
the data regarding the original image to generate data regarding a modified
image to
attempt compensating for an apparent change in dimension of the floral
arrangement due
to the oblique viewing perspective; and processing the data regarding the
modified image
to generate information regarding the floral arrangement.
According to a ninth broad aspect, the present invention provides a computer-
readable
storage medium comprising a program element for execution by a computing
device to
implement a floral arrangement design entity The program element comprises:
program
code means for receiving data regarding an original image to which an image
rendered
by a floral arrangement is to correspond, wherein the floral arrangement is to
be viewed
from an oblique viewing perspective; program code means for processing the
data
regarding the original image to generate data regarding a modified image to
attempt
compensating for an apparent change in dimension of the floral arrangement due
to the
oblique viewing perspective; and program code means for processing the data
regarding
the modified image to generate information regarding the floral arrangement.
According to a tenth broad aspect, the present invention provides a method
comprising:
placing at a site a floral arrangement rendering an image; and compensating a
party that
permits placement of the floral arrangement at the site, the compensating
comprising
committing to cause performance of an action on at least one of the floral
arrangement
and an area associated with the floral arrangement.
These and other aspects and features of the invention will now become apparent
to those
of ordinary skill in the art upon review of the following description of
embodiments of
the invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
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a a
A detailed description of embodiments of the invention is provided herein
below, by way
of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
Figure 1 shows an example of a floral arrangement rendering an image, in
accordance
with an embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 2A shows a plurality of modules of the floral arrangement shown in
Figure 1, with
an insert diagrammatically illustrating a cross-section of one of the modules;
Figures 2B and 2C diagrammatically illustrate cross-sections of variants of
each of the
modules shown in Figure 2A;
Figure 3 is a diagrammatic side view of the floral arrangement shown in Figure
1,
illustrating a projected image that is viewable by an individual looking at
the floral
arrangement along an expected line of sight;
Figure 4 diagrammatically shows a process for creating a floral arrangement,
in
accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 5 diagrammatically shows a system for creating a floral arrangement, in
accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;
Figures 6A to 6C respectively illustrate an example of an original image to
which
corresponds the image rendered by the floral arrangement shown in Figure 1, an
example
of a stretched version of the original image, and an example of an imaginary
grid
conceptually applied to the stretched version of the original image;
Figure 7 diagrammatically shows an embodiment of an assembly guide to
facilitate
correct assembly of the modules into the floral arrangement shown in Figure 1;
and
Figure 8 diagrammatically shows another embodiment of an assembly guide to
facilitate
correct assembly of the modules into the floral arrangement shown in Figure 1.
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It is to be expressly understood that the description and drawings are only
for the purpose
of illustration of certain embodiments of the invention and are an aid for
understanding.
They are not intended to be a definition of the limits of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
Figure 1 illustrates an example of a floral arrangement 10 rendering an image
12, in
accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. While a specific
example of the
image 12 is shown in Figure 1, the image 12 can be any desired image. For
example, the
image 12 may include a floral representation of: one or more alphanumeric
characters that
may form text (e.g., a word, a message, etc.); one or more symbols (e.g., a
logo, a sign,
an emblem, etc.); one or more patterns or shapes; and/or one or more real or
imaginary
objects (e.g., a person, a vehicle, a computer, a work of art, a fruit, a
flame, a lightning
bolt, an imaginary character, a ghost, or any other real or imaginary thing).
In the example of implementation shown in Figure 1, the floral arrangement 10
is used
in an advertisement application, the image 12 having an advertisement
function.
More particularly, in this example, the image 12 conveys an advertisement for
a resort
named "XYZ Resort". The image 12 includes a floral representation of the
resort's name
and several objects, including a beach portion, a palm tree, water, the sky,
and the sun,
which may be suggestive of an example of an environment enjoyable during a
stay at the
resort.
In other examples, the image 12 may convey an advertisement for any desired
organization (e.g., an enterprise, a political party, etc), product (i.e., a
good or a service),
event (e.g., a concert, a convention, etc.), site (e.g., a mall, a museum,
etc), etc., and may
include any desired advertisement content. For instance, in some cases, the
image 12 may
serve as an advertisement for a given enterprise and may include a floral
representation
of that given enterprise's name and/or logo. In other cases, the image 12 may
serve as an
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advertisement for a given product (e.g., a vehicle, a television, a cosmetic
preparation,
etc.) and may include a floral representation of that given product and/or of
its name.
Also, in certain examples, the floral arrangement 10 may be used in
conjunction with a
more traditional advertisement vehicle (e.g., a panel, billboard or other
separate element)
that is located adjacent to the floral arrangement 10. For instance, in the
example shown
in Figure 1, the floral representation of the resort's name could be omitted
from the image
12 and the resort's name and possibly other information (e.g., contact
information for the
resort such as an address, a telephone number, a web site, etc.) could be
included as
advertisement content of a panel, billboard, or other separate element located
adjacent to
the floral arrangement 10. In that case, the image 12 (which, in this example,
would
include only a floral representation of the beach portion, the palm tree,
water, the sky, and
the sun) would not explicitly convey an advertisement in and of itself, but
there would
be a visual association between the image 12 and the advertisement content (in
this
example, the resort's name and possibly other information) of the panel,
billboard, or
other separate element located adjacent to the floral arrangement 10.
Continuing with Figure 1, in this embodiment, the floral arrangement 10 is
located
adjacent to a pathway. More particularly, in this example, the pathway is a
road (e.g., a
highway, a street, etc.). In other examples, the floral arrangement 10 may be
located
adjacent to any other pathway (e.g., an airport runway, a port waterway, a
railway, etc.).
This enables viewing of the image 12 by individuals moving relative to the
road or other
pathway (e.g., occupants of vehicles moving along the road, passengers and
crew
members of aircrafts moving along, approaching, or moving away from the
airport
runway, etc.).
In order to be structurally stable and enable or facilitate viewing of the
image 12 by
individuals moving along the road, in this embodiment, the floral arrangement
10 is
inclined relative to the road's surface. As shown in Figure 3 and as further
described later
on, in some embodiments, the floral arrangement 10 may be created such that
the image
12 is a "stretched" version of a "projected" image 13 that is viewable by an
individual
looking at the floral arrangement 10 along an expected line of sight LS. An
"expected line
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= 'R
of sight" LS is an imaginary straight line along which an individual is
expected to look
at the floral arrangement 10 when the floral arrangement 10 is set up at its
intended
location (in this case, when the floral arrangement 10 is set up in its
inclined position
adjacent to the road). The projected image 13 corresponds to a projection of
the image
12 in a plane normal to the expected line of sight LS.
While in this case only the floral arrangement 10 is shown as being present
adjacent to
the road, in other cases, the floral arrangement 10 may be one of a plurality
of floral
arrangements serially disposed along and adjacent to the road or other
pathway, where
each other floral arrangement is similar in construction to the floral
arrangement 10 and
renders a respective image that is used in an advertisement context.
Although the above-described embodiments relate to location of the floral
arrangement
10 adjacent to a road or other pathway, it is to be understood that the floral
arrangement
10 may be located at any desired location. For example, in various
embodiments, the
floral arrangement 10 may be located in or adjacent to a building (e.g., a
corporate
headquarter, a house, a public establishment, etc.), a park, a field, or any
other place. In
some embodiments, the floral arrangement 10 may be located so as to be visible
to
individuals moving on foot or in moving vehicles such as land vehicles,
aircrafts and
watercrafts. For instance, the floral arrangement 10 may be located at an
airport area or
any other area so as to be visible to individuals in a flying aircraft.
Also, while in the aforementioned embodiments the floral arrangement 10 is
used in an
advertisement application, it is to be understood that, in other embodiments,
the floral
arrangement 10 may be used in various other applications, such as notification
applications and decoration applications. For example, in some embodiments,
the floral
arrangement 10 may be located in, at a boundary of, or proximate to a
particular place
(e.g., a city, a country, a building such as a corporate headquarter or a
residential building,
etc.) and the image 12 may include a floral representation of a name, a flag,
a logo, and/or
any other object(s) associated with that particular place. For instance, the
floral
arrangement 10 may be located at a border of a country (e.g., Canada) and the
image 12
may include a floral representation of a message that provides a notification
of entrance
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into that country (e.g., "Welcome to Canada"). In other embodiments, the
floral
arrangement 10 may be used in a decoration application, where the image 12 is
used to
decorate a particular site (e.g., surroundings or an interior area of a house
or other
building, a park or other exterior public area, etc.).
Referring to Figures 1 and 2A to 2C, in this embodiment, the floral
arrangement 10
comprises a plurality of modules 141...14N that are arranged to collectively
form the
image 12. The floral arrangement 10 can thus be said to be a "modular" floral
arrangement. In this embodiment, each module 14j (1 <_ j<_ N) comprises a
plurality of
grown plants 181...18P, a sustaining medium 20, and a holding component 22.
Each of the grown plants 18l ...18P of each module 14j may be a flower or
other plant.
Examples of flowers and/or other plants that may be used include agerantum
plants,
alyssum plants, lobelia plants, marigold plants, dusty miller plants, pansy
plants, begonia
plants, santolini plants, etc. It is to be understood that any suitable
flowers and/or other
plants may be used. Each module 14j may comprise any number of plants. For
example,
in some embodiments, each module 14j may comprise twenty (20) or more plants.
In
other embodiments, each module 14j may comprise fifty (50) or more plants. In
yet other
embodiment, each module 14j may comprise one hundred (100) or more plants. It
is also
to be understood that different numbers of grown plants and different types of
grown
plants may be used for each module 14j.
Each module 14j renders a respective portion of the image 12 (e.g., a floral
representation
of all or part of one or more alphanumeric characters, one or more symbols,
one or more
patterns or shapes, and/or one or more real or imaginary objects). Thus, the
grown plants
181...18P of each module 14j form image elements that collectively make up the
respective portion of the image 12 rendered by that module. That is, the grown
plants
181...18P of each module 14j have characteristics (e.g., color, size, etc.)
and are disposed
on that module such that they form the respective portion of the image 12
rendered by
that module. An example of a system and a process for configuring the grown
plants
181...18P of each module 14j is presented later on.
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The sustaining medium 20 of each module 14j is a medium which has enabled
development of the grown plants 181...18P of that module and which sustains
these
grown plants. The sustaining medium 20 of each module 14j may comprise soil
(i.e.,
natural or processed soil), any other mixture of mineral material and organic
matter, or
any other material or mixture of materials which enables development of plant
life and
which sustains plant life.
The holding component 22 of each module 14j holds the sustaining medium 20 and
the
grown plants 181...18P of that module. In the embodiment shown in Figure 2A,
the
holding component 22 of each module 14j comprises a structural base 23 that
supports
the sustaining medium 20 and the grown plants 181.. .18P of that module. The
structural
base 23 may comprise a board, plate, or panel made of wood material (e.g.,
wood or
plywood), metallic material, polymeric material, ceramic material, composite
material,
or a combination thereof. The board, plate, or panel may have perforations
(not shown)
that provide passageways between its underside and topside.
As shown in Figure 2B, in some embodiments, the holding component 22 of each
module
14j may also comprise upstanding walls 25 that extend upwardly from edge
portions of
the structural base 23 of that holding component to provide lateral support to
the
sustaining medium 20 and the grown plants 18 ,...18P of that module. Other
upstanding
walls (not shown) may also be provided between the upstanding walls 25 (e.g.,
parallel
or transverse to the upstanding walls 25) to further enhance retention of the
sustaining
medium 20 and the grown plants 181. ..18P. In this example, the upstanding
walls 25 are
implemented by L-shaped angle elements (e.g., extruded elements). The
upstanding walls
25 can be made as small and discreet as possible to limit their visibility
through the
grown plants 181...18P, thereby enabling the image 12 to appear as being
uniform to an
observer looking at the floral arrangement 10. Alternatively, the upstanding
walls 25 can
be removable from the holding component 22 such that they can be used during
transportation and manipulation of the module 14j and removed just prior to
placement
of that module in the floral arrangement 10.
As shown in Figure 2C, in yet other embodiments, the holding component 22 of
each
CA 02565023 2006-10-20
module l4j may also comprise a plurality of pots 271...27T disposed adjacent
to one
another on the structural base 23 of that holding component, where each pot
27j (1 <_ j
<_ T) holds a subset of the grown plants 18, ...18P of that module and a
portion of the
sustaining medium 20 of that module. This configuration may enable planting of
seeds
and/or seedlings individually in each pot 27j so as to eventually obtain the
subset of the
grown plants 18,...18p in that pot and subsequent positioning of the pots 27,
...27T on the
structural base 23 so as to form the module 14j. The holding component 22 of
each
module l4j may comprise any number of pots. For example, each module 14j may
comprise twenty-five (25) or more pots (e.g., sixty-four (64) pots arranged in
a 8 X 8
configuration or 196 pots arranged in a 14 X 14 configuration).
In some cases, the structural base 23 of each module 14j may comprise a carpet
sponge
layer (not shown) on its board, plate, or panel, with the pots 271. ..27T
being placed on the
carpet sponge layer. A physical assembly image (not shown) having a size which
substantially corresponds to that of the respective portion of the image 12
rendered by the
module 14j and corresponding to a printed representation of that portion of
the image 12
(e.g., a photography, drawing, or other diagram) may be provided on the board,
plate, or
panel or on the carpet sponge layer of the structural base 23 of that module.
The physical
assembly image, which may be a sheet or other thin element, may be used by one
or more
individuals to position the pots 271...27T over the physical assembly image so
that they
register with their corresponding positions in the physical assembly image.
In some embodiments, each pot 27j may be biodegradable and, in cases where the
structural base 23 is at least partly made of wood or other biodegradable
material, each
pot 27j may be capable of biodegrading faster than the structural base 23. For
example,
each pot 27j may be a peat pot, i.e., a pot made of compressed peat or other
like material.
Each module 14j may be configured and dimensioned so as to facilitate its
production,
manipulation, transportation, and installation in the floral arrangement 10.
For example,
in one embodiment, each module 14j may have a substantially square
configuration with
sides of approximately 1.0 m, and a maximum height which depends on its grown
plants
181...18P. Generally, each module 14j may have any desired configuration
(e.g.,
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polygonal or not) with any desired dimensions (e.g., a dimension of 0.3 m or
more). Also,
in various embodiments, the modules 141...14N may have substantially identical
configurations and dimensions or different ones of the modules 141...14N may
have
different configurations and dimensions.
The floral arrangement 10 is set up at its intended location by assembling the
modules
l4 ,...14N so as to form the image 12. That is, the modules 141. ... 14are
arranged such
that the portions of the image 12 rendered by the modules 141...14N are
visually
combined to compose the image 12. A supporting structure may be provided to
support
the modules 14, ...14N. In the embodiment shown in Figures 1 and 2, the
supporting
structure comprises a mound 29 that is built adjacent to the road. The mound
29 may be
made of earth, stone, and/or any other suitable material. The mound 29 is
provided with
a face dimensioned to receive the floral arrangement 10. In this example, the
face is
slanted to enable the floral arrangement 10 to be inclined relative to the
road's surface.
A sunken area 31 is dug in the mound 29 and is shaped according to an outer
boundary
of the floral arrangement 10 once the modules 141. ..14N are assembled. The
sunken area
31 facilitates assembly of the floral arrangement 10 and physically locates
and retains the
modules 141...14N on the mound 29. Provision of further retention mechanisms
to
prevent the modules 141...14N from being accidentally displaced from the face
of the
mound 29 may thus be unnecessary.
In other embodiments, such as when it is not practical or desired to build a
mound, other
types of supporting structures may be used at the intended location of the
floral
arrangement 10 to support the modules 141...14N. For example, a truss
structure enabling
the modules 141...14N to be supported in an inclined position can be used. The
truss
structure may be built from wood material, metallic material, polymeric
material, or any
other suitable material. Such a truss structure may be particularly useful
when the
indented location of the floral arrangement 10 cannot be easily accessed by
heavy earth
working equipment that might be necessary to erect a mound.
While in the embodiment shown in Figures 1 and 2 the floral arrangement 10
comprises
a certain number of modules, it is to be understood that, in other
embodiments, the floral
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, .
arrangement 10 may comprise any number of modules.
Also, in certain embodiments, the floral arrangement 10 may comprise one or
more non-
floral visible elements (not shown) that complement the image 12. Each non-
floral visible
element may be stone, pebble, or other types of rock; a plastic, metallic,
ceramic and/or
composite element; or any other visible element lacking plant life. Each non-
floral visible
element may be part of one or more of the modules 141.. .14N or may not be
part of any
of the modules 141. ... 14NFor example, such one or more non-floral visible
elements may
be used to create a visible border for the image 12 and/or to create image
features that
cannot be satisfactorily created using grown plants.
Furthermore, in some embodiments, the floral arrangement 10 may be provided
with an
irrigation system (not shown) to supply water from a source to the grown
plants 181. ..18P
of each module 14j. For example, the irrigation system may comprise a
plurality of
irrigation units, where each irrigation unit is part of a respective one of
the modules
141...14N. The irrigation unit of each module 14j may comprise one or more
conduits
adapted to convey water to irrigate that module.
Turning now to Figures 4 and 5, there is illustrated an embodiment of a
process and a
system for creating the floral arrangement 10. As described below, in this
embodiment,
a floral arrangement design entity 30 is operative to interact with an
original image data
provision entity 32 and a specification data provision entity 34 to enable a
module
producer 40 to produce the modules 14, ...14N that can be subsequently
transported to a
site 42 (in this example, the location adjacent to the road) where they can be
assembled
into the floral arrangement 10.
Step 200
In this embodiment, an original image is obtained and it is desired that the
image 12
rendered by the floral arrangement 10 correspond to the original image. The
original
image may be a physical image, such as all or part of a physical picture
(e.g., a
photography, a drawing, a painting, etc.) or other paper image. Alternatively,
the original
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image may be a digital image, such as all or part of a computer image file
(e.g., a bitmap
image file, a jpeg image file, etc.) or a digital picture. For example, in the
embodiment
shown in Figure 1, the image 12 can be viewed as corresponding to the original
image
shown in Figure 6A, which can be a physical image or a digital image.
The original image data provision entity 32 is operative to generate data
regarding the
original image (hereinafter referred to as "original image data") and to cause
provision
of that original image data to the floral arrangement design entity 30. The
original image
data provision entity 32 may comprise one or more digital imaging devices
and/or one
or more computer applications (e.g., image editing and/or creation
applications) that can
be used to generate the original image data. For example, a scanner may be
used to scan
a picture or other physical image or a digital camera may be used to obtain a
digital
image, so as to enable generation of the original image data. In another
example, a user
may use a computer image creation application (e.g., Adobe Photoshop ) to
create the
original image, and thus enable generation of the original image data. In yet
another
example, a user may use both a digital imaging device and a computer image
editing
application to obtain the original image, and thus enable generation of the
original image
data. Generally, the original image data provision entity 32 may be
implemented using
software, firmware, and/or hardware.
Furthermore, in this embodiment, specifications regarding the floral
arrangement 10 are
obtained. These specifications may specify: desired dimensions of the floral
arrangement
10; an intended location of the floral arrangement 10; a desired duration of
the floral
arrangement 10 (e.g., between maintenance activities or before repair or
replacement);
climatic conditions (e.g., temperature, wind, precipitation, etc.) associated
with the
intended location of the floral arrangement 10; restrictions on types of
plants that may be
used for the floral arrangement 10; and/or any other information that may need
to be
specified to design the floral arrangement 10.
The specifications data provision entity 34 is operative to generate data
indicative of the
specifications regarding the floral arrangement 10 (hereinafter referred to as
"specifications data") and to cause provision of that specifications data to
the floral
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arrangement design entity 30. The specifications data provision entity 34 may
be
implemented as part of a computer system that allows a user to use an input
device (e.g.,
a keyboard, a mouse, a touchscreen, a microphone, etc.) to enter the
specifications
regarding the floral arrangement 10, so as to enable generation of the
specifications data.
Generally, the specifications data provision entity 34 may be implemented
using software,
firmware, and/or hardware.
In this embodiment, the floral arrangement design entity 30 comprises a first
input to
receive the original image data, a second input to receive the specifications
data, and a
processing unit 50 to process the original image data and the specifications
data. The
floral arrangement design entity 30 may be implemented as part of a computer
system.
Generally, the floral arrangement design entity 30 may be implemented using
software,
firmware, and/or hardware. Functionality and operation of the floral
arrangement design
entity 30 is further discussed later on.
The floral arrangement design entity 30 is communicatively coupled to the
original image
data provision entity 32 and the specifications data provision entity 34 via
respective
communication links 33 and 35.
In one embodiment, the floral arrangement design entity 30, the original image
data
provision entity 32, and the specifications data provision entity 34 may be
part of a single
computer system located at a certain location, in which case each of the
communication
links 33 and 35 may be a cable and/or a logical link. For example, the single
computer
system may be operated by a floral arrangement provider and located at a
facility
associated with that floral arrangement provider.
In another embodiment, the original image data provision entity 32, the
specifications
data provision entity 34, and/or the floral arrangement design entity 30 may
be part of two
or more computer systems located remotely from each other, in which case each
of the
communication links 33 and 35 may comprise a portion of a communications
network.
The communications network may comprise a portion of a data network (e.g., the
Internet, a wide area network (WAN), a local area network (LAN)), a public
telephony
CA 02565023 2006-10-20
network (e.g., the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN)), and/or a
wireless
network (e.g., a cellular network). For example, the original image data
provision entity
32 and the specifications data provision entity 34 may be part of a first
computer system
that is associated with a certain party desirous of setting up a floral
arrangement (e.g., an
individual, a company, a government authority, etc.) and that is located in a
building
associated with that certain party. The floral arrangement design entity 30
may be part of
a second computer system that is operated by a floral arrangement provider and
located
at a facility associated with that floral arrangement provider, the first
computer system
and the second computer system being coupled to one another via a
communications
network.
It will be appreciated that, in some embodiments, certain portions of the
floral
arrangement design entity 30, the original image data provision entity 32,
and/or the
specifications data provision entity 34 may be implemented as pre-programmed
hardware
or firmware elements (e.g., application specific integrated circuits (ASICs),
electrically
erasable programmable read-only memories (EEPROMs), etc.), or other related
components. In other embodiments, certain portions of the floral arrangement
design
entity 30, the original image data provision entity 32, and/or the
specifications data
provision entity 34 may be implemented as a processor having access to a code
memory
which stores program instructions for operation of the processor. The program
instructions may be stored on a medium which is fixed, tangible, and readable
directly
by these certain portions (e.g., removable'diskette, compact disk read-only
memory (CD-
ROM), read-only memory (ROM), fixed disk, etc.). Alternatively, the program
instructions may be stored remotely but transmittable to these certain
portions via a
modem or other interface device (e.g., a communications adapter) connected to
a network
over a transmission medium. The transmission medium may be either a tangible
medium
(e.g., optical or analog communications lines) or a medium implemented using
wireless
techniques (e.g., microwave, infrared, or other transmission schemes).
Step 210
In this embodiment, the processing unit 50 of the floral arrangement design
entity 30
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CA 02565023 2006-10-20
processes the original image data and the specifications data so as to
generate information
regarding the modules 141...14N that are to be provided to make the floral
arrangement
10.
The information regarding the modules 141...14N comprises information
regarding the
grown plants 181.. .18P to be included in each module 14j (e.g., a type,
color, and/or size
of each of these grown plants) and information regarding a configuration
(i.e., a relative
arrangement) of the grown plants 181. ..18P in each module 14j such that each
module 14j
renders a respective portion of the image 12. It is to be understood that
various other
types of information regarding the grown plants 18 ,...18P to use for each
module 14j may
be generated.
In cases where the specifications data is indicative of the intended location
of the floral
arrangement 10 and/or climatic conditions associated with that intended
location, the
information regarding the grown plants 181. ..18P to use for each module 14j
may specify
one or more particular types of plants that are suitable for use at the
intended location of
the floral arrangement 10 and/or in those climatic conditions.
The information regarding the modules 141...14N may also comprise: information
regarding the sustaining medium 20 of each module 14j (e.g., a type of soil, a
quantity,
etc.); information regarding the holding component 22 of each module 14j
(e.g.,
dimensions, constituent material(s), etc.); information regarding overall
dimensions of
the modules 14, ...14N; information regarding price of the modules 141...14N,
etc.
In order to generate the information regarding the modules 141.. .14N, in this
embodiment,
the processing unit 50 performs an image compensation process whereby the
original
image is effectively "stretched" in one dimension to obtain a processed image,
which in
this case is a stretched version of the original image. It is recalled that,
in this example,
in order to be structurally stable and enable or facilitate viewing of the
image 12 by
individuals moving along the road (at the site 42), the floral arrangement 10,
once set up,
is inclined relative to the road's surface. An individual looking at the
floral arrangement
10 from the road therefore does not see the image 12 in plan view, i.e., the
individual's
17
CA 02565023 2006-10-20
line of sight is not perpendicular to the image 12. Rather, the image 12 is at
an angle
relative to the individual's line of sight. This oblique viewing perspective
results in an
apparent change in dimension of the floral arrangement 10 that leads to the
individual
viewing a distorted version of the image 12. The image compensation process is
performed to effect a controlled visual distortion of the original image such
that the
distorted version of the image 12 that is viewed by the individual corresponds
the original
image.
Specifically, as shown in Figure 3, it is thus desirable to design the floral
arrangement 10
such that the image 12 is a stretched version of a projected image 13 that is
viewable by
an individual looking at the floral arrangement 10 along an expected line of
sight LS. As
mentioned previously, an "expected line of sight" is an imaginary straight
line along
which an individual is expected to look at the floral arrangement 10 when the
floral
arrangement 10 is set up at its intended location (in this case, when the
floral arrangement
10 is set up in its inclined position adjacent to the road). The projected
image 13
corresponds to a projection of the image 12 in a plane normal to the expected
line of sight
LS.
As part of the image compensation process, the processing unit 50 processes
the original
image data to generate data regarding a stretched version of the original
image (also
referred to as "stretched original image data"). For instance, Figures 6A and
6B show the
original image that may have been used in this example as well as the
stretched version
of the original image that may result from the image compensation process. It
can be seen
that the image compensation process effectively extends the original image in
one
dimension so as to obtain the stretched version of the original image. The
image
compensation process may effect a degree of stretching that is a function of a
desired
inclination angle B of the floral arrangement 10 once set up at the site 42
and/or any other
desired parameter.
Thus, in this embodiment, the image compensation process is performed in order
to
design the floral arrangement 10 such that the image 12 corresponds to the
stretched
version of the original image, thereby resulting in the projected image 13
being viewable
18
CA 02565023 2006-10-20
as corresponding to the original image. In other embodiments, it may not be
desired or
required to produce a stretched version of the original image in which case
the processing
unit 50 may not perform any image compensation process. It is therefore to be
understood
that the image 12 can correspond to a particular original image by
corresponding to the
particular original image itself or by corresponding to a modified version of
the particular
original image (such as a stretched version of the particular original image).
As shown in Figure 6C, in this embodiment, the processing unit 50 can be
viewed as
conceptually applying an imaginary grid 60 on the stretched version of the
original image.
The imaginary grid 60 forms a plurality of grid elements 62, ...62N, where
each grid
element 62j (1 <_ j<_ N) delimits a respective portion of the stretched
version of the
original image. For each grid element 62j, the processing unit 50 processes a
portion of
the stretched original image data that is representative of the respective
portion of the
stretched version of the original image delimited by that grid element in
order to generate
the information regarding the module 14j that is intended to render that
respective portion
of the stretched version of the original image. In embodiments where no image
compensation process is performed, the processing unit 50 may apply the
imaginary grid
60 on the original image such that each grid element 62j delimits a respective
portion of
the original image and may process respective portions of the original image
data to
generate the information regarding the modules 141...14N.
In this embodiment, the processing unit 50 consults a database 68 that stores
data
regarding plants capable of being used to produce modules such as the modules
141...14N. For example, the data stored in the database 68 may comprise data
regarding
one or more colors, one or more sizes, one or more climatic conditions for
viability (e.g.,
temperature, wind, precipitation, etc.), and/or one or more geographic zones
suitable for
location of each of a plurality of types of flowers and/or other plants. It is
to be
understood that the database 68 may store various other data regarding plants
capable of
being used to produce modules.
Upon completion of step 210, the floral arrangement design entity 30 has
generated the
information regarding the modules 141...14N that are to be provided to make
the floral
19
CA 02565023 2006-10-20
arrangement 10.
Step 220
The information regarding the modules 14,...14N that has been generated by the
floral
arrangement design entity 30 is used to produce the modules 141...14N that are
to be
provided to make the floral arrangement 10.
To that end, the floral arrangement design entity 30 causes communication of
the
information regarding the modules 141...14N to the module producer 40. The
module
producer 40 may be proximate to the floral arrangement design entity 30. For
example,
the module producer 40 may be a unit, department, group or other part of a
floral
arrangement provider that operates the floral arrangement design entity 30, in
which case
the module producer 40 and the floral arrangement design entity 30 may be
located at a
common site associated with the floral arrangement provider. Alternatively,
the module
producer 40 may be remote from the floral arrangement design entity 30. For
example,
the module producer 40 and the floral arrangement design entity 30 may be
located at
geographically remote sites (e.g., in different cities or countries).
In one embodiment, the floral arrangement design entity 30 may cause printing
of one or
more documents containing the information regarding the modules 14,...14N, the
one or
more documents being subsequently provided to the module producer 40. In
another
embodiment, the floral arrangement design entity 30 may cause the information
regarding
the modules 14i...14N to be displayed on an electronic display associated with
the
module producer 40. In yet another embodiment, the floral arrangement design
entity 30
may cause the information regarding the modules 14, ...14N to be communicated
to the
module producer 40 via a communications network. For example, the floral
arrangement
design entity 30 may cause transmission of an electronic mail message to an
intended
recipient associated with the module producer 40, the electronic mail message
conveying
the information regarding the modules 141...14N. As another example, the
floral
arrangement design entity 30 may cause the information regarding the modules
141...14N
to be accessible via a computer system associated with the module producer 40.
For
CA 02565023 2006-10-20
instance, the floral arrangement design entity 30 may cause the information
regarding the
modules 141...14N to be available through a data network site (e.g., a web
site) that is
accessible via the computer system associated with the module producer 40.
Based on the information regarding the modules 141...14N, the module producer
40
proceeds to produce the modules 141...14N that are to be provided to make the
floral
arrangement 10.
In some embodiments, one or more individuals associated with the module
producer 40
use the information regarding the modules 141...14N to produce the modules
141...14N.
The one or more individuals may construct the holding component 22 of each
module 14j
using appropriate materials and elements. Alternatively, the holding component
22 of
each module 14j may be obtained from pre-constructed holding components
available to
the module producer 40. The sustaining medium 20 of each module 14j is
obtained from
a supply of sustaining medium or sustaining medium ingredients and is provided
on the
holding component 22 of that module. Based on the information regarding the
grown
plants 18, ...18P of each module 14j, particular seed elements (i.e., seeds
and/or seedlings)
are retrieved from a supply of seed elements for each module 14j and are
positioned in
the sustaining medium 20 of that module in a particular configuration so as to
develop
into the grown plants 181.. .18P of that module. In cases where the holding
component 22
of each module 14j comprises the pots 27, ...27T, a portion of the sustaining
medium 20
of that module is placed in each pot 27j and particular seed elements are
positioned in that
portion of the sustaining medium 20 so as to develop into the subset of the
grown plants
181...18P in that pot. The pots 271.. .27T may then be positioned on the
structural base 23
of the holding component 22 so as to form the module 14j.
In other embodiments, some or all of the aforementioned actions performed by
the one
or more individuals may be partly or entirely performed by machines associated
with the
module producer 40 that use the information regarding the modules 141. ..14N
to produce
the modules 14,...14N.
21
CA 02565023 2006-10-20
r r
Step 230
When ready, the modules 141...14N are transported to the site 42 where they
can be
assembled into the floral arrangement 10.
In one embodiment, the module producer 40 may be responsible for transporting
the
modules 141...14N to the site 42. The modules 141...14N may be loaded into a
transportation vehicle (e.g., a truck, a rail car, an airplane, etc.) and
transported to the site
42. The transportation vehicle may comprise a cargo area adapted to store the
modules
141.. .14N during their transportation. For example, the cargo area may be
provided with
one or more racks configured to enable the modules 14, .. .14N to be placed
therein such
that, for each rack, individual ones of the modules 141. ..14N are placed on
different levels
(e.g., shelves) of that rack without physically contacting each other.
In other embodiments, another party (e.g., a party owning, responsible for, or
otherwise
associated with the site 42) may be responsible for transporting the modules
141...14N
to the site 42. In such embodiments, the module producer 40 may enable that
party to pick
up the modules 14, ...14N at a pick-up point (e.g., a warehouse or other
facility)
associated with the module producer 40 for transportation to the site 42.
Step 240
Once they arrive at the site 42, the modules 141...14N can be assembled into
the floral
arrangement 10. Specifically, the floral arrangement 10 is set up by
assembling the
modules 141. ..14N so as to form the image 12. To that end, one or more
individuals may
position the modules 14, ...14N adjacent to each other on the supporting
structure (in this
example, the mound 29 with the sunken area 31) at the site 42 so as to form
the image 12.
Assembly instructions may be provided to the one or more individuals to
facilitate correct
assembly of the modules 14, ...14N into the floral arrangement 10. Generally,
the
assembly instructions may comprise any means for conveying assembly
information to
facilitate assembly of the modules 141...14N into the floral arrangement 10.
22
CA 02565023 2006-10-20
In one embodiment, as shown in Figure 7, the assembly instructions may
comprise a
respective identifier 72 associated with each module 14j and a diagram 70 that
contains
information enabling positioning of each of the modules 141...14N in the
floral
arrangement 10 based on its respective identifier 72. The respective
identifier 72 of each
module 14j may comprise one or more alphanumeric characters, color codes, or
other
identification elements and may be printed on, coupled to, or otherwise
associated with
that module. The diagram 70 may be provided electronically or as part of a
printed
document.
In another embodiment, as shown in Figure 8, the assembly instructions may
comprise
a physical assembly image 82 that has a size substantially corresponding to
that of the
image 12 and that corresponds to a printed representation of the image 12
(e.g., a
photography, drawing, or other diagram). The physical assembly image 82, which
may
be a sheet or other thin element, may be placed on the supporting structure at
the site 42
and the one or more individuals may proceed to position the modules 14, ...14N
over the
physical assembly image 82 so that they register with their corresponding
positions in the
physical assembly image 82. The physical assembly image 82 may be removed from
under the modules 141.. .14N when they are put in place (e.g., by
progressively pulling the
physical assembly image 82 from under each row of the modules 141. ..14N that
has been
placed). Alternatively, the physical assembly image 82 may be left under the
modules
141. ..14N when they are put in place. In some cases, the physical assembly
image 82 may
be made of biodegradable material so as to biodegrade over time.
It will thus be appreciated that the floral arrangement 10 can be efficiently
and
conveniently created. In some cases, design and set up of the floral
arrangement 10 can
be effected in a couple of weeks. This can be particularly beneficial in
situations where
it is desired or necessary to rapidly set up the floral arrangement 10 or
replace it with a
new floral arrangement (e.g., in situations where the floral arrangement 10 is
used in an
advertisement application). Furthermore, the floral arrangement design entity
30 enables
design of the floral arrangement 10 such that the image 12 florally
corresponds to any
desired original image, which, in some instances, may have a relatively high
degree of
23
CA 02565023 2006-10-20
complexity. This enables the floral arrangement 10 to be used in certain
applications,
including advertisement applications, notification applications, and
decoration
applications, for which other floral arrangements may be inept or inadequate.
Moreover,
provision of the modules 141.. .14N enable the floral arrangement 10 to be set
up by one
or more individuals without requiring such individuals to have specific skills
or
experience and with practically no potential for error.
It will also be appreciated that placement of the floral arrangement 10 at the
site 42 may
enable a first party owning, responsible for, or otherwise associated with the
site 42 (e.g.,
a government, a corporation, an individual, etc.) to obtain a compensation
from a second
party desiring to effect such placement (e.g., a floral arrangement provider,
an advertiser,
etc.). For example, this may apply in embodiments such as that shown in Figure
1 where
the floral arrangement 10 is used in an advertisement application.
The compensation may be a monetary compensation such as a single payment
(e.g., in
situations where the first party sells a space at the site 42 for placement of
the floral
arrangement 10), a recurring payment (e.g., in situations where the party
leases a space
at the site 42 for placement of the floral arrangement 10), a combination
thereof, or any
other type of compensation that involves exchange between the first party and
the second
party of money, financial instruments (e.g., securities, bonds, etc.), or any
other item(s)
having a monetary value.
Alternatively, the compensation may be a non-monetary compensation, i.e., a
compensation that does not involve exchange between the first party and the
second party
of money, financial instruments, or any other item(s) having a monetary value.
For
example, the non-monetary compensation can be a commitment of the second party
to
cause performance of an action on the floral arrangement 10 and/or an area
adjacent to
the floral arrangement 10. The action may comprise cleaning or repairing the
floral
arrangement 10, replacing the floral arrangement 10 with a new floral
arrangement,
and/or groundskeeping or landscaping the area adjacent to the floral
arrangement 10. One
or more conditions regarding the action may be specified such as, for example,
a number
of times the action is to be performed, one or more moments (e.g., dates) at
which the
24
CA 02565023 2006-10-20
r r
action is to be performed, a frequency at which the action is to be performed,
etc.
As a further alternative, the compensation may comprise both a monetary
compensation
and a non-monetary compensation.
Although various embodiments have been illustrated, this was for the purpose
of
describing, but not limiting, the invention. Various modifications will become
apparent
to those skilled in the art and are within the scope of the present invention,
which is
defined by the attached claims.
