Wireless sensor systems for hydroponics

• US 9,693,512 B2
• Filed: 03/04/2016
• Issued: 07/04/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aessense Technology Hong Kong Limited
• Original Assignee: Aessense Technology Hong Kong Limited
• Inventors: Chen, Tianshu, Hsueh, Wenpeng, Zhou, Huafang, Kernahan, Kent, Wong, Simon
• Primary Examiner(s): SANDIFORD, DEVAN A
• Application Number:
  US15/061,707
• Publication Number:
  US 20160255781A1
• Time in Patent Office: 487 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 31/02 Special apparatus therefor self-acting watering devices A01G27/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/0098 Plants or trees wood G01N33/46
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/18 Water
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/26 using coils
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/72 for local intradevice communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

A hydroponic system includes a first sensor system that measures one or more characteristics of a nutrient solution, a second sensor system that measures one or more characteristics of an environment of a plant; and a network device including a communication interface to the first sensor system and a communication interface to the second sensor system. The network device may be configured to transmit measurements from the sensor systems through a wireless network to a remote device or database. The network device and the sensor systems may be implemented in a housing that fits within a collar of the hydroponic system. The collar can allow easy replacement of the sensor systems and can electrically isolate the sensor systems.

Claims

1. A sensing system comprising:

a first sensor system configured to measure a plurality of characteristics of an environment surrounding a plant in a hydroponic system;

a network device including a controller, a first communication interface configured for communication with the first sensor system, and a network interface configured for communication through a network, the network device being configured to transmit measurements from the first sensor system through the network to a remote device;

a housing containing the first sensor system and the network device, wherein a portion of the housing has a shape that matches a collar in the hydroponic system and that allows the sensing system to be inserted into or removed from the collar; and

a power receiving circuit in the housing, wherein;

inserting the housing in the collar positions the power receiving circuit for an inductive coupling with a power transmitting circuit in the collar; and

the power receiving circuit uses an induce voltage to supply power to the second sensor system.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a second sensor system that measures a plurality of characteristics of a nutrient solution in a reservoir of the hydroponic system, wherein

the network device further includes a second communication interface configured for communication with the second sensor system, the network device being further configured to transmit measurements from the second sensor system through the network to the remote device.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the network device further comprises a third communication interface configured for communication with control electronics of the hydroponic system.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the second sensor system includes a sensor selected from a group consisting of temperature sensors, pH sensors, electrical conductivity sensors, total dissolved solids sensors, dissolved oxygen sensors, total suspended solids sensors, sensors specific chemicals or nutrients, and reservoir level sensors.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the first sensor system includes a sensor selected from a group consisting of a light intensity sensor, a spectrometer, an air velocity sensor, an oxygen sensor, a carbon dioxide sensor, and a carbon monoxide sensor.

6. The system of claim 2, wherein the housing further contains the second sensor system.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein inserting the housing into the collar positions a portion of the second sensor system in the nutrient solution and positions a portion of the first sensor system adjacent to a plant fixture of the hydroponic system.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the first communication interface implements wireless communications between the network device and the first sensor system.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the first sensor system includes a sensor selected from a group consisting of a light intensity sensor, a spectrometer, an air velocity sensor, an oxygen sensor, a carbon dioxide sensor, and a carbon monoxide sensor.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the network interface is configured for communication through a wireless network.

11. A sensing system for hydroponics, the system comprising;

a sensor system that measures a plurality of characteristics of a nutrient solution in a reservoir of a hydroponic system;

a network device including a controller, a first communication interface configured for communication with the sensor system, and a network interface configured for communication through a network, the network device being configured to transmit measurements from the sensor system through the network to a remote device;

a housing containing the sensor system and the network device, wherein a portion of the housing has a shape that matches a collar in the hydroponic system and that allows the sensing system to be inserted into or removed from the collar; and

a power receiving circuit in the housing, wherein;

inserting the housing, in the collar of the hydroponic system positions the power receiving circuit for an inductive coupling with a power transmitting circuit in the collar; and

the power receiving circuit uses an induce voltage to supply power to the sensor system.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the sensor system includes a sensor selected from a group consisting of temperature sensors, pH sensors, electrical conductivity sensors, total dissolved solids sensors, dissolved oxygen sensors, total suspended solids sensors, sensors specific chemicals or nutrients, and reservoir level sensors.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein inserting the housing into the collar places a portion of the sensor system in the nutrient solution.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the network device further comprises a second communication interface configured for communication with control electronics of the hydroponic system.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the first communication interface implements wireless communications between the network device and the sensor system.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the network interface is configured for communication through a wireless network.

17. A hydroponic system comprising:

a plant fixture;

a reservoir configured to contain a nutrient solution for growing of a plant in the plant fixture;

control electronics for the hydroponic system;

a first sensor system that measures a plurality of characteristics of the nutrient solution;

a second sensor system that measures a plurality of characteristics of an environment surrounding the plant; and

a network device including a controller, a first communication interface configured for communication with the first sensor system, a second communication interface configured for communication with the second sensor system, a third communication interface configured for communication with the control electronics; and

a network interface configured for communication through a wireless network, the network device being configured to transmit measurements from the first and second sensor systems through the wireless network to a remote device and through the third communication interface to the control electronics;

a collar;

a power transmission circuit in the collar;

a power receiving circuit; and

a housing containing the second sensor system, the network device, and the power receiving circuit, wherein a portion of the housing has a shape that matches the collar and that allows the housing to be

inserted into or removed from of the collar.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the system further comprises:

a first H-field communications circuit in the collar; and

a second H-field communications circuit in the housing, wherein the control electronics communicates with the network device through an inductive coupling between the first H-field communications circuit and the second H-field communications circuit.