Heat stress, plant stress and plant health monitor system

• US 20080074254A1
• Filed: 09/07/2007
• Published: 03/27/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lord Corporation (Parker-Hannifin Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lord Corporation (Parker-Hannifin Corporation)
• Inventors: Galbreath, Jacob, Townsend, Christopher, Churchill, David, Arms, Steven
• Granted Patent: US 8,325,030 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/539.11
• CPC Class Codes: G01W 1/17 Catathermometers for measuring "cooling value" related either to weather conditions or to comfort of other human environment

Abstract

One embodiment of an electronic system includes a network having a first sensing device with a first address and a second sensing device with a second address. The first sensing device includes first sensors, a first processor, a first memory, and a first communications device. The first sensors include a first dry bulb temperature sensor, a first relative humidity sensor, and a first radiant energy sensor. The second sensing device includes a second sensor, a second processor, a second memory, and a second communications device. The second processor includes a program to use the second communications device to communicate the second address and data derived from the second sensor to the first communications device.

Claims

1. An electronic system, comprising a network including a first sensing device having a first address and a second sensing device having a second address, wherein said first sensing device includes, first sensors, a first processor, a first memory, and a first communications device, wherein said first sensors include a first dry bulb temperature sensor, a first relative humidity sensor, and a first radiant energy sensor, wherein said second sensing device includes a second sensor, a second processor, a second memory, and a second communications device, wherein said second processor includes a program to use said second communications device to communicate said second address and data derived from said second sensor to said first communications device.

2. An electronic device as recited in claim 1, wherein said processor is connected to receive data from said dry bulb temperature sensor, said relative humidity sensor, and said black body globe sensor and wherein said processor is connected to receive an algorithm stored in said memory.

3. An electronic device as recited in claim 2, wherein said algorithm is for determining a parameter related to heat stress level.

4. An electronic device as recited in claim 2, wherein said algorithm is for determining wet bulb temperature.

5. An electronic device as recited in claim 2, wherein said algorithm is for determining wet globe bulb temperature.

6. An electronic device as recited in claim 2, wherein said algorithm is for determining stay time.

7. An electronic device as recited in claim 6, wherein said memory includes a stay time table.

8. An electronic device as recited in claim 7, wherein said memory includes an algorithm for calculating a stay time from said wet bulb globe temperature and from said stay time table.

9. An electronic device as recited in claim 8, further comprising a real time clock.

10. An electronic device as recited in claim 9, wherein said processor is connected to said real time clock to determine an exposure time, wherein said memory further includes an algorithm for determining a difference between said exposure time and said stay time to provide a remaining time.

11. An electronic device as recited in claim 1, wherein said second sensing device includes an RFID tag, wherein said RFID tag is mountable to a subject, wherein said first processor includes a first transreceiver for receiving data from said RFID tag.

12. An electronic device as recited in claim 11, further comprising a real time clock, wherein said first processor uses data received from said RFID tag to determine exposure time and to calculate stay time.

13. An electronic device as recited in claim 12, wherein said first memory further comprises an algorithm for determining a difference between said exposure time and said stay time to provide a remaining time.

14. An electronic device as recited in claim 1, wherein said first sensing device further comprises a first housing, wherein said processor and said memory are included in said first housing and wherein said dry bulb temperature sensor, said relative humidity sensor, and said black body globe sensor are mounted on said first housing.

15. An electronic device as recited in claim 1, wherein said communications device includes a wireless communications device.

16. An electronic device as recited in claim 15, wherein said wireless communications device includes at least one from the group consisting of an RF transceiver and an RFID reader.

17. An electronic device as recited in claim 1, wherein said communications device includes a display.

18. An electronic device as recited in claim 1, further comprising a source of electrical power for operating said processor, said memory, and said output device.

19. An electronic device as recited in claim 18, wherein said source of electrical power includes at least one from the group consisting of a wall outlet connection, a battery, and a capacitor,

20. An electronic device as recited in claim 18, wherein said source of electrical power includes an energy harvesting device.

21. An electronic device as recited in claim 20, wherein said energy harvesting device consists of at least one from the group including a photovoltaic cell and a vibration energy harvester

22. An electronic device as recited in claim 1, wherein said first sensing device comprise a heat stress node, further comprising a network of said heat stress nodes.

23. An electronic device as recited in claim 1, wherein said first sensing device further comprises a pressure sensor.

24. An electronic device as recited in claim 1, wherein said first sensing device further comprises a wind speed sensor.

25. An electronic device as recited in claim 1, wherein said first memory includes a non-volatile memory.

26. An electronic device as recited in claim 24, wherein said first memory is connected for logging data.

27. An electronic device as recited in claim 1, further comprising a coordinator connected to said network, wherein said coordinator aggregates data from a plurality of first sensing devices and wherein said coordinator connects a wireless network and a wired network.

28. An electronic device as recited in claim 1, wherein said network includes at least one from the group consisting of a cell phone, a ethernet network connection, a USB connection, and a wireless network.

29. An electronic device as recited in claim 28, wherein said wireless network includes encryption.

30. An electronic device as recited in claim 1, wherein said second sensor comprises a soil moisture sensor.

31. An electronic device as recited in claim 30, further comprising a network of soil moisture sensors.

32. An electronic device as recited in claim 1, wherein said second sensor comprises a leaf wetness sensor.

33. An electronic device as recited in claim 1, further comprising a neural network to classify plant stress.

34. An electronic device as recited in claim 1, further comprising a location tracking device wherein said location tracking device is connected for determining which ID is near which heat stress node.

35. An electronic device as recited in claim 1, wherein said processor includes a program for calculating cumulative heat stress from data provided at multiple locations.

36. An electronic device as recited in claim 1, further comprising an electronic picture and an overlay on said electronic picture, wherein said overlay includes said first sensing device and of said second sensing device.

37. An electronic device as recited in claim 36, wherein said electronic picture includes a picture of a geographic area, wherein said overlay provides said first sensing device and of said second sensing device in their locations on said geographic area.

38. An electronic device as recited in claim 36, wherein said overlay provides a first icon for said first sensing device and a said icon for second sensing device wherein said first icon is different from said second icon if said first sensing device is of a type different from said second sensing device.

39. An electronic device as recited in claim 36, wherein said picture of a geographic area includes a picture available on the internet.

40. An electronic device as recited in claim 36, wherein said picture of a geographic area includes a satellite generated picture.

41. An electronic device as recited in claim 36, wherein said picture of a geographic area includes a Google map.

42. An electronic system, comprising a first sensing device and an RFID tag, wherein said first sensing device includes first sensors, a first processor, a first memory, and a first communications device, wherein said first sensors include a first dry bulb temperature sensor, a first relative humidity sensor, and a first radiant energy sensor, wherein said RFID tag includes a processor programmed to communicate its address to said first communications device.

43. An electronic system, as recited in claim 42, wherein said RFID tag comprises a passive communication device.

44. An electronic system, as recited in claim 42, wherein said first communications device comprises a passive RFID reader.

45. An electronic system, as recited in claim 42, wherein said wherein said first communications device comprises a first transceiver and wherein said RFID device comprises a second transceiver.

46. An electronic system, comprising a first sensing device including a first energy harvesting device, first sensors, a first processor, a first memory, and a first communications device, wherein said first sensors include a first dry bulb temperature sensor, a first relative humidity sensor, and a first radiant energy sensor, wherein all power for operating said first communications device is derived from said first energy harvesting device.

47. An electronic system, comprising a first sensing device including a first energy harvesting device, first sensors, a first processor, a first memory, and a first communications device, wherein said first sensors include a first dry bulb temperature sensor, a first relative humidity sensor, and a first radiant energy sensor, and a source of electrical power, wherein said processor is capable of sleep mode, and wherein said processor includes a program to enter said sleep mode after processing a sample of data from said first sensors.