Intelligent sensor for irrigation management
First Claim
1. An intelligent sensor device comprising:
- an irrigation sensor configured to sense analog irrigation information and generate digital irrigation related data therefrom;
an interface configured to mutually transmit and receive communications directly, without routing through a central computer, to irrigation satellite controllers in a peer-to-peer distributed irrigation satellite controller network over a communication bus of the peer-to-peer distributed irrigation satellite controller network;
an internal inter-integrated-chip (Inter-IC) communication bus entirely internal to the intelligent sensor device and coupled to the irrigation sensor to receive digital irrigation related data therefrom;
a processor coupled to the interface, the processor is coupled to the irrigation sensor by the internal Inter-IC communication bus and obtains the digital irrigation related data from the irrigation sensor over the Inter-IC communication bus; and
a memory coupled to the processor, the memory including instructions for configuring the processor to transmit a message including the irrigation related data over the interface via the communication bus of the peer-to-peer distributed irrigation satellite controller network to a destination node coupled to the peer-to-peer distributed irrigation satellite controller network.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An intelligent sensor includes an irrigation related data sensor for sensing irrigation related data and a network processor coupled to the irrigation related data sensor for receiving the irrigation data. The intelligent sensor also includes an interface coupled to the network processor for coupling the intelligent sensor to a communication bus of a peer-to-peer distributed network. The intelligent sensor also includes a memory including instructions for configuring the processor to generate a broadcast message including the irrigation related data. The interface transmits the broadcast message to a destination node coupled to the peer-to-peer distributed network via the communication bus. The destination node can be satellite field irrigation controllers or a control device.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. An intelligent sensor device comprising:
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an irrigation sensor configured to sense analog irrigation information and generate digital irrigation related data therefrom; an interface configured to mutually transmit and receive communications directly, without routing through a central computer, to irrigation satellite controllers in a peer-to-peer distributed irrigation satellite controller network over a communication bus of the peer-to-peer distributed irrigation satellite controller network; an internal inter-integrated-chip (Inter-IC) communication bus entirely internal to the intelligent sensor device and coupled to the irrigation sensor to receive digital irrigation related data therefrom; a processor coupled to the interface, the processor is coupled to the irrigation sensor by the internal Inter-IC communication bus and obtains the digital irrigation related data from the irrigation sensor over the Inter-IC communication bus; and a memory coupled to the processor, the memory including instructions for configuring the processor to transmit a message including the irrigation related data over the interface via the communication bus of the peer-to-peer distributed irrigation satellite controller network to a destination node coupled to the peer-to-peer distributed irrigation satellite controller network. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An irrigation satellite field controller configured to be operatively coupled to one or more valves of an irrigation system, comprising:
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a first interface configured to mutually transmit and receive communications directly, without routing through a central computer, to irrigation satellite controllers in a peer-to-peer distributed irrigation satellite controller network over a communication bus of the peer-to-peer distributed irrigation satellite network; a first processor coupled to the first interface; and a memory coupled to the first processor, the memory including instructions for configuring the first processor to generate a control message requesting irrigation related data uniquely addressed to an intelligent sensor coupled to the peer-to-peer distributed irrigation satellite network, wherein the first interface transmits the control message to the intelligent sensor, and receives a broadcast message including a source address of the intelligent sensor and the irrigation related data in response to the control message via the communication bus, wherein the intelligent sensor device includes at least; an internal inter-integrated-chip (Inter-IC) communication bus entirely internal to the intelligent sensor device and coupled to an irrigation sensor to receive digital irrigation related data therefrom; and a second processor coupled to a second interface, the second processor is coupled to the irrigation sensor by the internal Inter-IC communication bus and obtains the digital irrigation related data from the irrigation sensor over the Inter-IC communication bus. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13)
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14. A control device for an irrigation management system comprising:
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a first interface operable to transmit and receive communications directly, without routing through a central computer, to irrigation satellite controllers in a peer-to-peer distributed irrigation satellite controller network over a communication bus of the peer-to-peer distributed irrigation satellite network; a first processor coupled to the first interface; and a memory coupled to the first processor, the memory including instructions for configuring the first processor to generate a sensor control message requesting irrigation related data uniquely addressed to an intelligent sensor coupled to the peer-to-peer distributed irrigation satellite network; and wherein the first interface transmits the sensor control message to the intelligent sensor via the communication bus of the peer-to-peer distributed irrigation satellite network, wherein the intelligent sensor device includes at least; an internal inter-integrated-chip (Inter-IC) communication bus entirely internal to the intelligent sensor device and coupled to an irrigation sensor to receive digital irrigation related data therefrom; and a second processor coupled to a second interface, the second processor is coupled to the irrigation sensor by the internal Inter-IC communication bus and obtains the digital irrigation related data from the irrigation sensor over the Inter-IC communication bus. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification