Soil sensor device and sensing container

Abstract

To provide a soil sensor device and a sensing container that can properly acquire environmental data.SOLUTION: A soil sensor device 10 has: a body portion 11 having a shape extending in a longitudinal direction; and a first moisture sensor 16A and a second moisture sensor 16B at least partly housed in the body portion 11. Environmental data collected by the first moisture sensor 16A and the second moisture sensor 16B is accumulated in a cloud server via a router by wireless communication. A solar panel 13A, which is a power supply, is provided on an upper portion of the body portion 11. A first detection surface 16a of the first moisture sensor 16A is disposed to be perpendicular to a vertical direction and a second detection surface 16B of the second moisture sensor 16B is also disposed to be perpendicular to the vertical direction.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a soil sensor device and a sensing container, and more particularly to a soil sensor device and a sensing container for collecting environmental data of soil. [Background technology]

[0002] Soil sensors that can easily and accurately measure the distribution of EC values ​​in soil in real time have been known (Patent Document 1). Multiple electrodes are provided on the side of the sensor to detect the moisture content of the soil and maintain the moisture content between the electrodes within a specified range by supplying water from a water inlet. This allows accurate EC values ​​to be measured and makes it possible to observe changes in EC values ​​in real time.

[0003] Additionally, a soil condition quantity detection sensor capable of detecting soil condition quantities is known (Patent Document 2). The soil condition quantity detection sensor is composed of a control device and a sensor member that is detachable from the control device. When the control device and the sensor member are in a semi-engaged state, the contact terminal of the sensor member comes into contact with an identification terminal of the control device, and when in a fully engaged state, the contact terminal comes into contact with a detection terminal of the control device. By functioning as a soil condition quantity detection sensor in the semi-engaged state and as a soil moisture quantity detection sensor in the fully engaged state, a single sensor having multiple functions can be realized. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2011-13025 A [Patent Document 2] JP 2020-101406 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, in the soil sensor described in Patent Document 1, the electrodes of the sensor are exposed on the side of the sensor body, which may result in a lack of accuracy in detecting soil environmental data. Although the electrodes on the side of the sensor body were capable of detecting averaged environmental data in the depth direction, it was difficult to accurately measure environmental data of a specific layer in the horizontal direction.

[0006] Similarly, in the soil condition detection sensor of Patent Document 2, a plurality of detection electrodes are provided at intervals in the depth direction on the sensor member, so that the average moisture content in the depth direction is detected when detecting the moisture content of the soil. With such a soil condition detection sensor, it is difficult to grasp the moisture content of a specific layer in the horizontal direction.

[0007] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a soil sensor device and a sensing container that are capable of properly acquiring environmental data. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] In order to solve the above problems, a first invention provides a soil storage device that includes a container having a depth capable of storing soil, a main body that is provided outside the container and extends longitudinally along the depth direction, a power supply unit that is provided on the main body and supplies power, and a soil storage device that is disposed within the container and operates by the power supplied from the power supply unit, and that stores the soil. Including water content A soil sensor having a detection surface for detecting environmental data, a memory unit provided in the main body for storing the environmental data, and a communication unit provided in the main body, which operates by the power supplied from the power supply unit and transmits the environmental data from the memory unit to an external device by wireless communication, wherein the detection surface of the soil sensor is perpendicular to the depth direction The mounting member is arranged so as to protrude in the direction The soil sensor is composed of a first detection unit having a first detection surface perpendicular to the longitudinal direction and facing upward, and a second detection unit that detects the same environmental data as the first detection unit and has a second detection surface perpendicular to the longitudinal direction and facing upward, the first detection unit and the second detection unit being arranged in parallel with a gap in the longitudinal direction, and the second detection unit being located at the bottom of the container. is offered.

[0009] At least a portion of the detection unit is housed in the main body, but the power supply unit, memory unit, and communication unit may be housed in the main body or may be provided separately.

[0011] Here, the term "orthogonal" is a concept that includes "approximately orthogonal," and "facing upward" is a concept that includes "facing approximately upward."

[0013] The second invention So, A sensing container according to the first aspect of the present invention, The second detection unit is arranged parallel to the first detection unit, the main body unit has an arm extending in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, and the soil sensor is provided at the tip of the arm. Effect of the Invention

[0016] According to the first invention, since the detection surface of the detection unit is arranged to intersect with the longitudinal direction, when the main body unit is buried in soil or arranged parallel to the direction of gravity, it is possible to properly detect environmental data such as moisture, nutrients, and other inorganic substances that descend from the soil surface. In addition, since the environmental data in the memory unit can be wirelessly transmitted to an external device by the communication unit, the detected environmental data can be accumulated in a server as big data and used for growing agricultural seedlings.

[0017] Also, Since the detection surface protrudes from the main body so as to face upward perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, when the main body is buried in soil or arranged parallel to the direction of gravity, it is possible to properly detect moisture, nutrients, and other inorganic substances that seep downward from the soil surface. As shown in FIG. 11, when the moisture content is measured by inserting the sensor vertically into the soil as in the conventional method, a value averaged in the vertical direction is detected, making it difficult to detect the moisture content of a specific layer in the horizontal direction. Furthermore, in the case of detecting a substance flowing downward, the detection electrodes are also oriented vertically, so that a value averaged in the vertical direction is detected, making it unsuitable for detecting a specific layer in the horizontal direction. In contrast, in the soil sensor device of the present invention, the detection surface is arranged parallel to the layer and facing upward, making it possible to properly detect detailed environmental data in a desired layer.

[0018] Also , Soil Sensor has a first detection unit and a second detection unit installed at an interval in the longitudinal direction, so that it can detect environmental data of a plurality of layers. Also, since the first detection surface and the second detection surface are arranged perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, when the main body is buried in the soil or arranged parallel to the direction of gravity, it can properly detect moisture, nutrients, other inorganic substances, etc. that seep downward from the soil surface.

[0019] The second invention According to Soil Sensor Since the device is composed of a first detector and a second detector that detects environmental data different from that of the first detector, it is possible to collect multiple pieces of environmental data. Soil Sensor Since the sensor is provided at the tip of the arm, the length of the arm can be set arbitrarily to detect environmental data at a desired position.

[0020] Also, Since the main body is equipped with electrodes for soil power generation, it is possible to realize a soil sensor device with low environmental impact through energy harvesting. In addition, since the electrodes are arranged along the direction of gravity, power generation can be performed efficiently.

[0021] Also, soil sensors Since the detection surfaces are arranged so as to intersect with each other in the depth direction, it is possible to properly detect environmental data such as moisture, nutrients, and other inorganic substances that descend from the soil surface, and it is possible to detect environmental data within the container. Soil Sensor Since the sensor is provided, there is no need to install a soil sensor device in each container, and environmental data can be collected easily. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0022] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram showing a soil sensor system according to a first embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 2] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a soil sensor device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 3]1 is a perspective view of a soil sensor device according to a first embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 4] 4A is a graph showing environmental data of a seedling pot in which a seedling has not been planted, and FIG. 4B is a graph showing environmental data of a seedling pot in which a seedling has been planted, according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 5] 3 is a graph showing environmental data of the soil sensor system according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a soil sensor device according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a soil sensor device according to a third embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a sensing container according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] 9A and 9B show a sensing container according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention, in which FIG. 9A is a perspective view of the sensing container, and FIG. 9B is a development view of the sensing container. [Figure 10] 1A to 1C are diagrams showing a method of using the soil sensor device of the present invention. [Figure 11] A diagram of a seedling pot being measured using a conventional soil sensor device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0023] A soil sensor system 1 and a soil sensor device 10 according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 1 to Fig. 5. As shown in the drawings, the up and down directions are defined.

[0024] The soil sensor system 1 automatically transmits environmental data in and around the soil collected by a plurality of soil sensor devices 10 to a cloud server 3 via a router 2, which is a repeater, and accumulates the data as big data. An administrator analyzes the data accumulated in the cloud server 3 by operating a PC terminal 4 or a mobile terminal 4A. In this embodiment, environmental data is collected during the growth of strawberry seedlings planted in a strawberry seedling pot 5 and soil 6. The environmental data transmitted by the soil sensor device 10 may be transmitted directly to the PC terminal 4 or the mobile terminal 4A without going through the cloud server 3. The router 2, the cloud server 3, the PC terminal 4, or the mobile terminal 4A are examples of external devices of the present invention. The mobile terminal 4A includes a smartphone, a tablet, a smart watch, and the like.

[0025] As shown in FIG. 2, the soil sensor device 10 has a main body 11, a control unit 12, a power supply unit 13, a memory unit 14, a communication unit 15, a soil sensor 16, and an environmental sensor 17. The control unit 12, the power supply unit 13, the memory unit 14, and the communication unit 15 are housed in a board unit 18 inside the main body 11. The control unit 12 is a microcomputer that controls the entire soil sensor device 10, and has a timer 12A, a power control unit that controls the power supply unit 13, and an AD converter. The soil sensor 16 corresponds to the detection unit of the present invention. The control unit 12 stores environmental data 14A detected by the soil sensor 16 and the environmental sensor 17 in the memory unit 14 at predetermined time intervals based on the count of the timer 12A, and wirelessly transmits the data to the router 2 via the communication unit 15.

[0026] As shown in Fig. 3, the main body 11 is a dustproof and waterproof, generally cylindrical shape extending in the vertical direction, with the upper part formed in a generally pentahedral shape, and each surface is provided with a solar panel 13A electrically connected to the power supply unit 13. Two soil sensors 16 protrude from the side surfaces of the cylindrical part so as to be perpendicular to the vertical direction. As shown in Fig. 1, the soil sensor device 10 is buried in the soil 6 with the solar panel 13A exposed to the outside. When installed in a seedling pot 5, the main body 11 is installed so that the depth direction of the container is parallel to the main body 11. The vertical direction corresponds to the longitudinal direction of the present invention.

[0027] The power supply unit 13 supplies power to each element of the soil sensor device 10 by solar power generation of the solar panel 13A. In this embodiment, solar power generation is used as the power source, but the power source is not limited to this, and may be a micro-energy harvester that generates power from the surrounding environment, for example, based on vibration, radio waves such as electromagnetic waves, or organic matter such as plants. In addition, power generation may be by electromagnetic waves, or a hybrid type that combines solar power generation and electromagnetic wave power generation. This allows the soil sensor device 10 to operate stably even in a state where sunlight is not emitted for a long period of time. In this case, it is desirable to provide a storage unit that stores the generated power. The storage unit may be a small supercapacitor, a lithium ion capacitor, a ceramic capacitor, a film capacitor, a tantalum capacitor, or a lithium ion battery.

[0028] The storage unit 14 is a memory that temporarily stores the environmental data 14A measured by the soil sensor 16 and the environmental sensor 17. In this embodiment, a removable micro SD card is used, but the present invention is not limited to this and may be other external memory or built-in memory. When the environmental data 14A exceeds a predetermined capacity, the data in the storage unit 14 is overwritten.

[0029] The communication unit 15 performs data communication with the router 2 by Wifi (registered trademark). Since the antenna of this embodiment uses a pattern antenna on a film, the antenna can be oriented in a direction with high antenna strength even if the base unit 18 is installed in any position. The communication method between the communication unit 15 and the router 2 is not limited to this, and may be Bluetooth (registered trademark), Zigbee (registered trademark), LPWA (Low Power Wide Area), 920 MHz band wireless communication, wireless LAN, 3G, 4G, or 5G mobile communication, infrared communication, etc. When data communication is performed between the communication unit 15 and the router 2, an identifier assigned to each soil sensor device 10 is transmitted together with the environmental data 14A measured by the soil sensor 16 or the environmental sensor 17. This makes it possible to identify which soil sensor device 10 the obtained environmental data 14A is from on the cloud server 3. The identifier may be assigned to the soil sensor device 10 in advance, or may be assigned when the soil sensor device 10 and the router 2 start communication. The communication unit 15 may perform data communication with a base station (not shown) by wireless communication in the 920 MHz band. For example, when an LPWA network by Sigfox (registered trademark) is used, communication with the base station is performed instead of using a router. All data received by the base station is managed by the cloud server 3. This enables mobile communication over distances of several tens of kilometers.

[0030] The soil sensor 16 is electrically connected to the base unit 18 via a cable C, and has a first moisture sensor 16A and a second moisture sensor 16B. The first moisture sensor 16A corresponds to the first detection unit of the present invention, and the second moisture sensor 16B corresponds to the second detection unit of the present invention. Since the first moisture sensor 16A and the second moisture sensor 16B have substantially the same configuration, only the first moisture sensor 16A will be described below. The first moisture sensor 16A is a sensor that detects the moisture level of soil by electrostatic capacitance sensing, has a substantially flat plate shape, and has a first detection surface 16a arranged to face upward. The first moisture sensor 16A passes AC electricity through the first detection surface 16a, and converts the change in capacitance (capacitance) into a moisture value and calculates it. The second moisture sensor 16B has a second detection surface 16b facing upward, and is arranged at a distance below the first moisture sensor 16A. In this embodiment, a moisture sensor is used as the soil sensor 16, but the present invention is not limited to this and may be a sensor that detects temperature, pH value, EC value, ions such as nitrate ions, etc. In the drawing, the first detection surface 16a and the second detection surface 16b are indicated by diagonal lines.

[0031] The environmental sensor 17 is electrically connected to the base unit 18 via a cable D, and has a temperature sensor 17A and a humidity sensor 17B. The environmental sensor 17 is exposed to the outside from the upper part of the main body 11 in order to measure the atmospheric environment. The environmental sensor 17 is not limited to this, and may be capable of measuring illuminance, atmospheric pressure, CO2 concentration, methane gas concentration, and wind force. In addition, the soil sensor 16 or the environmental sensor 17 may use a multi-axis gyro sensor, a tilt sensor, a vibration sensor, a touch sensor using a capacitance sensor, a magnetic sensor, a pyroelectric sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, or the like. For example, when a multi-axis gyro sensor or a tilt sensor is used for the soil sensor 16, the tilt of the ground, or the tilt and movement of the seedling pot 5 can be measured. In this embodiment, the soil sensor 16 is connected to the communication unit 15 by analog communication, and the environmental sensor 17 is connected to the communication unit 15 by serial communication using an I2C bus. The control unit 12 converts the analog signal voltage value from the soil sensor 16 into numerical data by inputting it into a predetermined calculation formula, and stores the numerical data in the memory unit 14 as environmental data 14A. The control unit 12 also converts a digital signal received by serial communication from the environmental sensor 17 into numerical data by inputting it into a predetermined calculation formula, and stores the numerical data in the memory unit 14 as environmental data 14A. Note that the communication method between the soil sensor 16 and the environmental sensor 17 and the communication unit 15, and the method of conversion into environmental data 14A are not limited to the above, and any method can be used.

[0032] The control unit 12 stores the environmental data 14A from the soil sensor 16 and the environmental sensor 17 in the memory unit 14 every minute, and periodically transmits the data to the cloud server 3 via the communication unit 15. The administrator can analyze the environmental data 14A stored in the cloud server 3 using the PC terminal 4 or the mobile terminal 4A.

[0033] FIG. 4 shows a comparison result of the environmental data 14A of the soil sensor 16 when the seedling pot 5 is watered and when the empty pot is watered. t1 and t2 are the timings of watering. In the empty pot shown in FIG. 4(A), the detection value of the first moisture sensor 16A shown by the solid line is lower than the detection value of the second moisture sensor 16B shown by the dotted line. This is because the moisture in the soil falls from top to bottom, so the value of the second moisture sensor 16B located at the bottom is higher. In contrast, in the seedling pot 5 in which strawberry seedlings are planted as shown in FIG. 4(B), the second moisture sensor 16B shown by the dotted line is lower than the first moisture sensor 16A shown by the solid line. Since the roots of the seedlings retain moisture, the moisture content is higher in the middle part of the seedling pot 5 than in the bottom part. As in this embodiment, the soil sensor 16 is installed so that it protrudes horizontally from the main body 11 and the first detection surface 16a and the second detection surface 16b face upward, so that the moisture content in a specific layer can be properly grasped.

[0034] Fig. 11 shows environmental data 14A from a soil sensor device 510 in which a soil sensor 516 is installed vertically as in the conventional method. The soil moisture level rises at watering times t1 and t2. However, since it is not possible to measure the moisture content in layers of the soil as in the present invention, it is difficult to collect environmental data 14A that is useful for analyzing seedlings. In contrast, the present invention can properly measure the moisture content in any layer of the soil.

[0035] 5 shows the environmental data 14A detected by the environmental sensor 17. The solid line shows the environmental data 14A measured by the humidity sensor 17B, the dotted line shows the environmental data 14A measured by the temperature sensor 17A, and the dashed line shows the environmental data 14A measured by a soil temperature sensor (not shown). As shown in the graph, the humidity of the air rises at t4 and t5, which are the timings for watering. Also, the soil temperature is roughly linked to the air temperature.

[0036] This data is accumulated in the cloud server 3 and stored as big data. Finally, it is stored in association with the sugar content, size, color, shape, etc. of the harvested strawberries, and is used to set optimal growing conditions for strawberry seedlings using machine learning such as deep learning.

[0037] According to this configuration, the first detection surface 16a of the first moisture sensor 16A and the second detection surface 16b of the second moisture sensor 16B are arranged so as to intersect in the vertical direction, so that when the main body 11 is buried in the soil 6 or when the main body 11 is arranged parallel to the depth direction of the seedling pot 5, the environmental data 14A such as moisture, nutrients, and other inorganic substances descending from the soil surface can be properly detected. In addition, since the environmental data 14A in the memory unit 14 can be wirelessly transmitted to the router 2 by the communication unit 15, the detected environmental data 14A can be accumulated as big data in the cloud server 3 and used for growing agricultural seedlings.

[0038] According to this configuration, the first detection surface 16a and the second detection surface 16b protrude from the main body 11 so as to be perpendicular to the vertical direction and face upward. Therefore, when the main body 11 is buried in the soil 6 or when the main body 11 is arranged parallel to the depth direction of the seedling pot 5, it is possible to properly detect the moisture, nutrients, and other inorganic substances that seep downward from the soil surface. As shown in FIG. 11, when the soil sensor 16 is inserted into the soil to measure the moisture content as in the conventional method, it is difficult to detect the moisture content of a specific layer in the horizontal direction. Furthermore, in the detection of a substance flowing downward, the electrodes for detection are oriented vertically, so that a value averaged in the vertical direction is detected, which is unsuitable for detecting a specific layer in the horizontal direction. In contrast, in the soil sensor device 10 of the present invention, the first detection surface 16a and the second detection surface 16b are arranged so as to be parallel to the layer and face upward, so that it is possible to properly detect the environmental data 14A in the desired layer in a detailed manner.

[0039] With this configuration, the soil sensor 16 has the first moisture sensor 16A and the second moisture sensor 16B spaced apart in the vertical direction, so that it can detect environmental data 14A for a plurality of layers. Also, since the first detection surface 16a and the second detection surface 16b are arranged to face upward, when the main body 11 is buried in the soil 6 or when the main body 11 is arranged parallel to the depth direction of the seedling pot 5, it can properly detect moisture, nutrients, other inorganic substances, etc. that seep downward from the soil surface.

[0040] Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 6. As shown in the figure, up, down, front, back, left and right directions are defined. The same components as those in the first embodiment are given the same reference numerals and their description will be omitted. In the soil sensor device 110 according to the second embodiment, two electrodes 111 for soil power generation are provided along the up and down direction on the left and right side surfaces of the main body 11.

[0041] In the soil sensor device 110, one electrode 111 of microorganisms in the soil receives electrons generated when the microorganisms decompose organic matter, and the electrons move to the other electrode 111, generating electricity. The control unit 12 drives the soil sensor device 10 based on electricity supplied from the power supply unit 13 to the electrode 111.

[0042] According to this configuration, since the electrodes 111 for soil power generation are provided on the main body 11, it is possible to realize a soil sensor device 110 that has a low environmental impact due to energy harvesting. Also, since the electrodes 111 are arranged in the vertical direction, power generation can be performed efficiently. Furthermore, by providing the electrodes 111 on the left and right side surfaces, it is possible to install the electrodes 111 having a length while ensuring the distance between the electrodes.

[0043] Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 7. The same components as those in the above-mentioned embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals and will not be described. In the soil sensor device 210 according to the third embodiment, two arms 220 protrude horizontally forward from a main body 211. A first moisture sensor 16A and a first temperature sensor 216A are provided at the tip of the upper arm 220. A second moisture sensor 16B and a second temperature sensor 216B are provided at the tip of the lower arm 220. The first moisture sensor 16A, the second moisture sensor 16B, the first temperature sensor 216A, and the second temperature sensor 216B are provided horizontally. The first moisture sensor 16A corresponds to the first detection unit of the present invention, and the first temperature sensor 216A corresponds to the second detection unit of the present invention.

[0044] With this configuration, the moisture content and soil temperature in a specific layer can be measured simultaneously. Also, since the arm 220 is provided, the length of the arm 220 can be adjusted to collect environmental data 14A at a desired position.

[0045] Next, a fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 8. The same components as those in the above-mentioned embodiment are given the same reference numerals and the description will be omitted. A sensing container 300 according to the fourth embodiment has a container 301 having a depth in the vertical direction for cultivating a plant, and a soil sensor device 310 attached to the container 301. The soil sensor device 310 has a base unit 318, a first moisture sensor 316A, a second moisture sensor 316B, and a cable 318A connecting the base unit 318 with the first moisture sensor 316A and the second moisture sensor 316B.

[0046] The base unit 318 has a configuration substantially the same as that of the base unit 18 of the first embodiment, and is provided on the edge of the container 301. A solar panel (not shown) is provided on at least one surface of the base unit 318. The first moisture sensor 316A is fixed to the side of the container 301, and is disposed so that the first detection surface 316a is perpendicular to the vertical direction. The base unit 318 and the first moisture sensor 316A are connected by a flexible cable 318A, so that the position of the first moisture sensor 316A can be fixed at a desired position. The second moisture sensor 316B is fixed to the bottom surface of the container 301 so that the second detection surface 316b is perpendicular to the vertical direction. The vertical direction corresponds to the depth direction of the present invention.

[0047] According to this configuration, the container 301 and the soil sensor device 310 are integrally configured, so that the workload of installing the soil sensor device 310 can be reduced. As in the first embodiment, the solar panel and the antenna of the communication unit in the base unit 318 are film-like, so that they can be installed flexibly. Furthermore, since the soil sensor 16 is film-like, it can be installed at any position on the bottom and side of the container 301. The container 301 may be a seedling pot or a flowerpot.

[0048] Next, a fifth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 9. The same components as those in the above-mentioned embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals and will not be described. As shown in FIG. 9(A), the sensing container 400 according to the fifth embodiment has a container 401 having a depth in the vertical direction and for cultivating a plant, and a soil sensor device 410 attached to the container 401. The container 401 is made of resin or paper and has a substantially rectangular shape, and is created by assembling it from an unfolded state as shown in FIG. 9(B). The soil sensor device 410 has a base unit 418, a first moisture sensor 416A, a second moisture sensor 416B, and a cable 418A connecting the base unit 418 to the first moisture sensor 416A and the second moisture sensor 416B.

[0049] The base unit 418 has substantially the same configuration as the base unit 18 of the first embodiment, and is provided on the edge of the container 401. A solar panel (not shown) is provided on at least one surface of the base unit 418. The first moisture sensor 416A is fixed to the side surface of the container 401, and is disposed so that the first detection surface 416a is perpendicular to the vertical direction. The base unit 418 and the first moisture sensor 416A are connected by a cable 418A. The second moisture sensor 416B is fixed to the bottom surface of the container 401 so that the second detection surface 416b is perpendicular to the vertical direction.

[0050] With this configuration, the container 401 and the soil sensor device 410 are integrally configured, which reduces the workload of installing the soil sensor device 410. As in the first embodiment, the solar panel and the antenna of the communication unit in the base unit 418 are film-like, which allows for flexible installation. As the soil sensor 16 is film-like, it can be installed at any position on the bottom or side of the container 401.

[0051] The soil sensor device and sensing container according to the present invention are not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the gist of the invention described in the claims.

[0052] A plurality of soil sensor devices 10, 110, 210 according to the above-described embodiments may be installed on a slope in a mountain forest as shown in Fig. 10. The detected environmental data is stored in the cloud server 3 by wireless communication, as in the first embodiment. With such a configuration, it is possible to grasp the state of the soil when a natural disaster such as a landslide occurs, and the state of the soil can be used for disaster prevention such as issuing evacuation orders based on the relationship with the amount of precipitation. [Explanation of symbols]

[0053] 1 Soil sensor system 2 Router 3. Cloud Server 4 PC terminal 4A Mobile terminal 5 Seedling Pot 10, 110, 210, 310, 410 Soil sensor devices 11, 211 Main body 13 Power supply section 14 Storage section 14A Environmental Data 15 Communications Department 16 Soil Sensor 16A, 316A, 416A 1st Moisture Sensor 16a, 316a, 416a First detection surface 16B, 316B, 416B Secondary Moisture Sensor 16b, 316b, 416b Second detection surface 17 Environmental Sensors 216A First Temperature Sensor 216B Second Temperature Sensor 300, 400 Sensing vessel 301, 401 Container

Claims

1. A container having a depth capable of storing soil; A main body portion provided outside the container and extending in a longitudinal direction along the depth direction; a power supply unit provided in the main body unit and supplying power; a soil sensor disposed within the container, operated by the power supplied from the power supply unit, and having a detection surface for detecting environmental data including a moisture content of the soil; a storage unit provided in the main body unit and configured to store the environmental data; a communication unit that is provided in the main body unit, operates using the power supplied from the power supply unit, and transmits the environmental data from the storage unit to an external device by wireless communication; The soil sensor is disposed so that the detection surface is perpendicular to the depth direction, The soil sensor is composed of a first detection unit having a first detection surface perpendicular to the longitudinal direction and facing upward, and a second detection unit having a second detection surface perpendicular to the longitudinal direction and facing upward, the second detection unit detecting the same environmental data as the first detection unit, The first detection portion and the second detection portion are arranged in parallel with each other at an interval in the longitudinal direction, A sensing container, wherein the second detection unit is located at the bottom of the container.

2. The second detection unit is disposed in parallel with the first detection unit, The main body portion has an arm extending in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, 2. The sensing container according to claim 1, wherein the soil sensor is provided at a tip of the arm.

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