Control method of wireless irrigation

• US 8,812,007 B2
• Filed: 12/09/2009
• Issued: 08/19/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Digital Sun, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Digital Sun, Inc.
• Inventors: Hitt, Dale K., Heaton, Kurtis G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Safaipour, Bobbak
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tran, Paul P
• Application Number:
  US12/634,528
• Publication Number:
  US 20110137472A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,714 Days
• Field of Search: 455/41.1, 455/41.2, 455/343.1, 455/574, 455/575, 455/500, 455/420, 455/456.1, 455/517, 239/1, 239/11, 239/63, 239/67, 239/222.17, 239/64, 239/68, 239/69, 239/205, 239/728, 239/737, 340/539.26, 340/552, 340/870.11, 340/870.28, 340/3.1, 340/7.1, 340/531, 340/539.19, 340/540, 340/601, 340/628, 370/310, 370/345, 370/452, 370/509, 370/209, 370/254, 370/278, 370/328, 370/351, 370/449, 700/16, 700/283, 700/284, 700/3, 700/79, 405/37, 405/41
• US Class Current: 455/450
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 25/167 Control by humidity of the soil itself or of devices simulating soil or of the atmosphere; Soil humidity sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/24 Earth materials G01N33/42 takes precedence

Abstract

A wireless sensor probe for use in environmental monitoring and control includes a separable probe body and sensor mast. The probe body includes a void configured to house the sensor mast including one or more sensor devices for sensing a soil property surrounding the probe body when the probe body is inserted partially into the ground. The probe body includes a probe top part for encapsulating the probe body and the sensor mast. The sensor mast is inserted into the probe body to form the sensor probe. In another embodiment, a wireless sensor probe includes a housing containing one or more sensor devices. The probe further includes a collar situated near a top portion of the housing being used to anchor the housing to the top of the ground and a gasket formed on the outside perimeter of the housing for securing the housing in the ground.

Claims

1. A method for wirelessly monitoring and controlling a water distribution system at a watering site comprising:

establishing a network of a plurality of wireless nodes wherein each wireless node has a wireless transceiver and a processor and wherein at least one of said plurality of wireless nodes also has an environmental sensor;

communicating timing information wirelessly from a first wireless node to a second wireless node;

acknowledging the receipt of said timing information through the sending of an acknowledgment signal by said second wireless node to said first wireless node;

establishing a timeslot for a future communication between said first and second wireless nodes using communication between said first wireless node and said second wireless node;

powering down the wireless transceivers of the first and second wireless nodes following the sending of said acknowledgment signal by said second wireless node; and

powering up the wireless transceivers of the first and second wireless nodes for the wireless communication of further sensor information at said time slot;

conducting water distribution at said watering site based on sensor information communicated between said first wireless node and said second wireless node;

wherein said timeslot is established by;

including a plurality of available wireless node timeslots in said timing information communicated from said first wireless node to said second wireless node;

said second wireless node comparing said plurality of available first wireless node timeslots to a plurality of available second wireless node timeslots and selecting said timeslot from said plurality of available first wireless node timeslots;

said second wireless node including said selected timeslot in said acknowledgment signal sent from said second wireless node to said first wireless node.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of wireless nodes comprises a plurality of wireless nodes each having an environmental sensor.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said plurality of wireless nodes also has an actuator for conducting water distribution.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of wireless nodes comprise at least one wireless node having an environmental sensor and at least one wireless node having an actuator.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising establishing synchronization of a plurality of said wireless nodes.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein said synchronization is established throughout said network.

7. A method for controlling irrigation comprising:

providing a plurality of wireless nodes wherein each wireless node has a wireless transceiver and a processor and wherein a first wireless node also has an environmental sensor;

establishing synchronization of at least said first wireless node and a second wireless node;

communicating timing information wirelessly between said first wireless node and said second wireless node;

acknowledging the receipt of said timing information through the sending of an acknowledgment signal between said first wireless node and said second wireless node;

establishing a timeslot for a future communication between said first and second wireless nodes using communication between said first wireless node and said second wireless node;

powering down the wireless transceivers of the first and second wireless nodes following the sending of said acknowledgment signal by said second wireless node; and

powering up the wireless transceivers of the first and second wireless nodes for the wireless communication of further sensor information at said time slot;

conducting water distribution at said watering site based on sensor information communicated between said first wireless node and said second wireless node;

wherein said timeslot is established by;

including a plurality of available timeslots in said information communicated between said first wireless node and said second wireless node;

said second wireless node comparing said plurality of available first wireless node timeslots to a plurality of available second wireless node timeslots and selecting said timeslot from said plurality of available first wireless node timeslots;

said second wireless node including said selected timeslot in said acknowledgment signal sent between said first wireless node and said first wireless node.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein said plurality of wireless nodes comprises a plurality of wireless nodes each having an environmental sensor.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein at least one of said plurality of wireless nodes also has an actuator for causing the distribution of water.

10. The method according to claim 7, wherein said plurality of wireless nodes comprises at least one wireless node having an environmental sensor and at least one wireless node having an actuator.

11. The method according to claim 7, wherein said synchronization is established throughout said plurality of wireless nodes.