Remote phytomonitoring

• US 6,701,665 B1
• Filed: 10/23/2000
• Issued: 03/09/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Phytech Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Phytech Ltd.
• Inventors: Ben-Ner, Zohar, Ton, Yuri
• Primary Examiner(s): Poon, Peter M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Griles, Bethany L
• Application Number:
  US09/693,824
• Time in Patent Office: 1,233 Days
• Field of Search: 47/17, 395/800, 364/130, 364/550, 364/132, 364/555.01, 374/135, 709/203
• US Class Current: 47/58.10R
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 9/005 Solid-state data loggers

Abstract

A system for remote monitoring of plants is provided. The system includes (a) at least one sensor positioned on, or in proximity to, a plant, the at least one sensor being for collecting data pertaining to at least one plant related parameter; (b) at least one user client being for receiving and optionally processing the data from the at least one sensor to thereby determine a state of the plant; and (c) a communication network being for communicating the data from the at least one sensor to the at least one user client.

Claims

1. A method of remote monitoring of a field grown crop, the method comprising:

(a) collecting on-site data pertaining to at least one plant derived parameter selected from the group consisting of a leaf temperature, a flower temperature, a fruit surface temperature, a stem flux relative rate, a stem diameter variation, a fruit growth rate and a leaf CO₂ exchange;

(b) relaying said data to a remote user client via a communication network; and

(c) processing said data to thereby determine a state of the crop.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein step (a) is effected by at least one sensor positioned on a plant of the crop.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said communication network is selected from the group consisting of a telephone network, a cellular telephone network, a computer network and a satellite network.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said communication network integrates wire and wireless communication.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein step (a) is effected by at least one sensor positioned in proximity to said plant of the crop.

6. A method of remote monitoring of a greenhouse grown crop, the method comprising:

(a) collecting on-site data pertaining to at least one plant derived parameter selected from the group consisting of a leaf temperature, a flower temperature, a fruit surface temperature, a stem flux relative rate, a stem diameter variation, a fruit growth rate and a leaf CO₂ exchange;

(b) relaying said data to a remote user client via a communication network; and

(c) processing said data to thereby determine a state of the greenhouse grown crop.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein step (a) is effected by at least one sensor positioned on a plant of the greenhouse grown crop.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein said communication network is selected from the group consisting of a telephone network, a cellular telephone network, a computer network and a satellite network.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein said communication network integrates wire and wireless communication.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein step (a) is effected by at least one sensor positioned in proximity to a plant of the crop.