Long range, battery powered, wireless environmental sensor interface devices

• US 10,085,393 B2
• Filed: 05/06/2010
• Issued: 10/02/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toro Company (Toro)
• Original Assignee: Toro Company (Toro)
• Inventors: Hill, Jason Lester
• Application Number:
  US12/775,332
• Publication Number:
  US 20110273196A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,071 Days
• Field of Search: 73 73, 324658, 324663, 324664, 324686, 324689
• 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 33/246 for water content for control of watering A01G25/167
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/25 using a mesh network, e.g. a public urban network such as public lighting, bus stops or traffic lights
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/40 using a wireless architecture
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/886 using energy harvesting, e.g. solar, wind or mechanical
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom

Abstract

Long range, battery powered, wireless environmental sensor interface devices that can be connected to a plurality of sensors and wirelessly communicate the sensor readings back to a central collection device or Internet terminal. Instead or additionally, sensors can be integrated with the device for added efficiency. The devices incorporate a rugged enclosure and an internal power supply that allows them to be placed in harsh environmental conditions and operate for multiple years without maintenance due to unique power-saving design features. The RF circuitry is specially optimized for long-range outdoor communications of small quantities of data. Line-of-sight communication range of several miles is possible with this device. Various embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring a soil moisture sensor, comprising:

removing a portion of soil to create a hole in an area of turf;

placing a first soil moisture sensor into said hole;

moving said soil moisture sensor sideways towards a wall of said hole such that a first group of moisture sensor pins penetrate said wall at a first height and a second group of moisture sensor pins simultaneously penetrate said wall at a second height;

packing soil around said soil moisture sensor;

wirelessly transmitting sensor data from said first soil moisture sensor to one or more intermediate network nodes;

wherein each of said one or more intermediate network nodes is an additional buried soil moisture sensor similar to said first soil moisture sensor; and

further relaying said sensor data from said one or more intermediate network nodes to a collection point.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said removing a portion of soil further comprises using a cup-cutter to create a 4.25 inch hole in said area of turf.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said placing said soil moisture sensor into said hole further comprises lowering said soil moisture sensor into said hole such that said first group of moisture sensor pins and said second group of moisture sensor pins are parallel to a surface of said turf.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said moving said soil moisture sensor further comprises moving said first group of moisture sensor pins and said second group of moisture sensor pins along a substantially parallel trajectory relative to a surface of said turf, into an undisturbed area of soil.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said first group of moisture sensor pins have at least three pins and said second group of moisture sensor pins have at least three pins.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said first group of moisture sensor pins are linearly arranged adjacent to a first end of said soil moisture sensor and said second group of moisture sensor pins are linearly arranged adjacent to a second end of said soil moisture sensor.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said first group of moisture sensor pins have at least three pins and said second group of moisture sensor pins have at least three pins;

and wherein said first group of moisture sensor pins are linearly adjacent to a first end of said soil moisture sensor and said second group of moisture sensor pins are linearly arranged adjacent to a second end of said soil moisture sensor.

8. A method for monitoring a soil moisture sensor, comprising:

removing a portion of soil to create a cylindrical hole in an area of turf;

placing a first soil moisture sensor into said hole;

moving said first soil moisture sensor towards a wall of said hole such that a first group of moisture sensor electrodes penetrates said wall at a first depth and a second group of moisture sensor electrodes simultaneously penetrate said wall at a second depth;

burying said portion of soil around said first soil moisture sensor;

wirelessly transmitting sensor data from said first soil moisture sensor to one or more intermediate network nodes, wherein each of said one or more intermediate network nodes is an additional buried soil moisture sensor similar to said first soil moisture sensor; and

further relaying said sensor data from said one or more intermediate network nodes to a collection point.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said removing a portion of soil further comprises using a cup-cutter to create a 4.25″

hole in said area of turf.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein said soil moisture sensor has a rectangular body.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein at least one side of said soil moisture sensor is rounded.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein said first group of moisture sensor electrodes have at least three electrodes and said second group of moisture sensor electrodes have at least three electrodes.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said first group of moisture sensor electrodes are linearly arranged adjacent to a first end of said soil moisture sensor and said second group of moisture sensor electrodes are linearly arranged adjacent to a second end of said soil moisture sensor.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein said first group of moisture sensor electrodes are linearly arranged adjacent to a first end of said soil moisture sensor and said second group of moisture sensor electrodes are linearly arranged adjacent to a second end of said soil moisture sensor.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said first group of moisture sensor electrodes and said second group of moisture sensor electrodes are rigidly fixed on a side of said sensor body.

16. The method of claim 8, wherein said moving said soil moisture sensor towards said wall further comprises moving a sensor body of said soil moisture sensor toward said wall of said hole such that said first group of moisture sensor electrodes and said second group of moisture sensor electrodes are inserted into an undisturbed area of soil along a substantially parallel trajectory relative to a surface of said turf.

17. A method for installing and monitoring a wireless soil moisture sensor, comprising:

removing a portion of soil to create a hole in an area of turf;

placing a first soil moisture sensor into said hole;

moving said first soil moisture sensor towards a wall of said hole such that a first group of elongated soil electrodes move into an undisturbed region of soil at a first depth and a second group of elongated soil electrodes simultaneously move into said undisturbed region of soil at a second depth;

wirelessly transmitting sensor data from said first soil moisture sensor to one or more buried soil moisture sensor similar to said first soil moisture sensor; and

further relaying said sensor data from said one or more intermediate network nodes to a collection point.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein said first group of elongated soil electrodes are linearly arranged adjacent to a first end of said soil moisture sensor and said second group of elongated soil electrodes are linearly arranged adjacent to a second end of said soil moisture sensor.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein said first group of moisture sensor electrodes and said second group of moisture sensor electrodes are moved into said undisturbed region of soil along paths that are substantially parallel to a surface of said turf.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising completely burying said soil moisture sensor with said portion of soil.