UNDERGROUND, SUBSURFACE AND SURFACE MONITORING TECHNOLOGY AND ASYNCHRONOUS DISTRIBUTED SYSTEM

Abstract

A data collection system capable of providing real-time and asynchronous sensor data is described. The data collection system comprises at least one tag device comprising a battery, memory, transceiver, controller, and at least one sensor. The tag device is adapted to generate and transmit a beacon signal at initial intervals and to store data in memory when no receive signal is received within an initial time interval. The data collection system also comprises a bridge device comprising a controller and a transceiver. The bridge device is adapted to receive the beacon signal independently from the at least one tag device and to transmit the receive signal in response to the beacon signal. The tag device is further adapted to transmit asynchronous signals upon receiving the beacon signal.

Description

UNDERGROUND, SUBSURFACE AND SURFACE MONITORING TECHNOLOGY AND ASYNCHRONOUS DISTRIBUTED SYSTEM CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This application claims priority of U.S. provisional patent application 63 / 159,192 filed on March 10, 2021, the description of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION (a) Field The object described generally refers to monitoring systems and methods for performing and communicating measurements. More specifically, the object described refers to systems comprising underground sensors, subsurface sensor applications, and / or aboveground sensor applications for performing measurements that are suitable for low-maintenance, untethered operation. (b) Related Prior Art Underground wireless sensor systems represent one of the promising application areas, focusing on the use of sensors in the subsurface region of the soil. In the past, sensors were buried underground, typically for irrigation and environmental monitoring applications. However, these sensors lacked full wireless communication capabilities. In other words, they used sensors connected to a communication node that transmitted information wirelessly. Therefore, wireless monitoring systems have been developed with the promise of filling this gap and providing the infrastructure for novel applications. A key difference between underground and terrestrial wireless systems is the communication medium (ground versus air). In fact, the differences in electromagnetic (EM) wave propagation through ground and air are so significant that a comprehensive characterization of the underground wireless channel has only recently become available. Terrestrial wireless systems present their own challenges. Air humidity and conductivity vary over time depending on climatic changes and factors such as water content, salinity, and humidity. Another challenge lies in the presence of physical obstructions that can attenuate or prevent data transmission, and these obstructions are sometimes variable over time, such as vegetation growth. This difference is even more significant when considering the wide range of inherent soil characteristics that affect electromagnetic propagation. More specifically, changes in temperature, climate, soil moisture, soil composition, and depth directly impact the success of connectivity and communication in underground settings. Monitoring changes in soil conditions over time is an important part of many research activities aimed at understanding soil processes and their implications for agriculture and other natural resource systems. Numerous new technical solutions provide a reliable capability for wirelessly transmitting soil sensor data, facilitating remote monitoring of measured parameters in real time.However, they require the components to be wired, and wired connections are required between sensors / transducers installed below the ground surface and the data transmission modules, and this can affect the measured parameters. Despite some potential advantages, implementing underground wireless sensor systems is challenging, and several research problems remain open. One challenge is establishing efficient and reliable underground and / or terrestrial wireless communication between buried sensors and / or sensors located in hard-to-reach areas, such as vast commercial farmlands and / or wilderness areas, coastal habitats, dense vegetation, and natural forests. Underground wireless systems typically include nodes, which function as both transmitters and receivers, and are usually located above ground. For example, nodes in such systems can be wirelessly coupled into a mesh network and used to monitor gas lines and transmit the monitored data for processing. Nodes in a system are generally tasked with collecting event-based data. For example, if a threshold event occurs near one of the nodes, the node will detect the event and transmit an indicative signal through the mesh network. Another challenge for existing solutions lies in implementing a precisely locatable underground wireless sensor system. Such systems are particularly useful in situations where the receiver node is carried above ground by the operator in an attempt to (i) locate a buried transmitter node and (ii) collect data from the transmitter node. Another challenge is maintenance. Maintaining or replacing underground sensors significantly impacts the environment in which they operate and involves substantial costs. The systems currently in place are not typically manufactured to further optimize energy use, communication distance and / or communication efficiency. Therefore, there is a need for an efficient and reliable system and method for collecting data without the use of tethers or other physical connections between the monitoring device(s) and a data analysis device, where the monitoring device(s) is / are adapted for underground, near-surface, terrestrial interface, and surface measurements such as temperature, humidity, vibration, CO2, level or quantity of liquid or gas, moisture, salinity, nutrient rates, and other environmental / climatic information in a given environment. There is also a need for an efficient and reliable system and method that operates under different conditions, and particularly in relation to soil moisture, vegetation growth, air humidity, and other variable conditions that change with time and seasons. There is also a need for data collection components to be able to collect data substantially below the ground interface, for example, below 60 cm from the ground surface, to provide additional data that is not currently available, and to remain operational independently of common fieldwork associated with, for example, sowing and plowing. Therefore, the present invention seeks to overcome the drawbacks of the prior art. SUMMARY In some respects, the techniques described herein relate to a data collection system comprising: at least one tag device comprising a battery, a memory, a transceiver, a controller, and at least one sensor, the tag device being adapted to: generate and transmit a beacon signal; store the data in memory when no receive signal is received within a first time interval; and enter an idle mode for a second time interval during which the at least one tag device is unable to detect signals; and a bridge device comprising a controller and a transceiver, the bridge device being adapted to: receive, untethered from the at least one tag device, the beacon signal; and transmit the receive signal in response to the beacon signal. In some respects, the techniques described in this description refer to a data collection system, where the beacon signal includes data relating to a reading made by at least one sensor. In some respects, the techniques described in the present description refer to a data collection system, wherein at least one tag device is adapted to operate in a low-power mode during the second time interval, and in at least one active mode that consumes more power than the low-power mode, wherein the at least one tag is adapted to exit the low-power mode in the first intervals so that the at least one sensor can take a reading. In some respects, the techniques described in this description refer to a data collection system; at least one active mode includes a data transmission mode, a data reception mode, and a memory update mode. In some respects, the techniques described in this description refer to a data collection system, in which at least one tag device is adapted to transmit a tracking signal that includes asynchronous data following the reception of a receive signal. In some respects, the techniques described in the present description refer to a data collection system, wherein at least one tag device is adapted to receive a receive signal after transmitting the tracking signal within a second time interval, and to optionally erase asynchronous data from memory. In some respects, the techniques described in this description refer to a data collection system, where the energy ratio of at least one active mode to the low energy consumption mode is at least 50:1. In some respects, the techniques described in this description refer to a data collection system, in which the transceiver of at least one tagging device is adapted to exchange signals of a wavelength of less than 1 GHz. In some respects, the techniques described in the present description refer to a data collection system, in which the transceiver of at least one tag is adapted to exchange signals by using a wavelength selected from a plurality of wavelengths. In some respects, the techniques described in this description refer to a data collection system, where the ratio of the second time period to the first time period is at least 50:1. In some respects, the techniques described in this description refer to a data collection system, where the ratio of the second time interval to the first time interval is at least 300:1. In some respects, the techniques described in this description refer to a data collection system, where at least one sensor is an underground sensor. In some respects, the techniques described in this description refer to a data collection system, where at least one sensor is a terrestrial interface sensor. In some respects, the techniques described in this description refer to a data collection system, where at least one sensor is a surface sensor. In some respects, the techniques described in this description refer to a data collection system, in which the at least one tagging device includes a first tagging device and a second tagging device that transmit beacon signals independently of each other. In some respects, the techniques described in the present description refer to a data collection system, where the first tagging device operates according to a first set of parameters, and the second tagging device operates according to a second set of parameters, and the first set of parameters is not identical to the second set of parameters. In some respects, the techniques described in this description refer to a collection and analysis system, which includes the data collection system, and at least one aggregator adapted to receive the data and to validate, analyze and / or modify the data. In some respects, the techniques described herein relate to a method for operating a tag device of a data collection system, the tag device including a memory and at least one sensor, the method including: generating and transmitting a beacon signal, the beacon signal including data relating to a reading made by the at least one sensor; after not receiving any reception signal within a first time interval after transmitting the beacon signal, storing the data in memory; and entering an idle mode for a second time interval during which the at least one tag device is not able to detect signals. In some respects, the techniques described in this description refer to a method, which also includes transmitting a tracking signal that includes asynchronous data after receiving a reception signal. In some respects, the techniques described herein refer to a method that further includes receiving a receive signal after the transmission of the trace signal within a second time interval, and optionally clearing the asynchronous data from memory. In some respects, the techniques described herein refer to a method that includes establishing a ratio of the second time interval to the first time interval of at least 50:1. In some respects, the techniques described in this description refer to a method, which includes establishing a ratio of the second time span to the first time span that is at least 300:1. In some respects, the techniques described in this description refer to a method, which includes placing the label in a location that is underground and in the foliage. In some respects, the techniques described in this description refer to a method, which also includes maintaining etiquette. In some respects, the techniques described in this description refer to a method, which includes modifying the transmission energy of the tag device once in location. In some respects, the techniques described in this description refer to a method, which includes modifying the duration of the first interval of the tag device once it is in place. In some respects, the techniques described in this description refer to a method, which includes selecting a communication wavelength for the tag device once it is in location. In one aspect, the present solution addresses a wireless system where underground, subsurface, and / or surface sensors are designed to be placed in a location connected to a receiver on the ground for data collection. These underground, subsurface, and / or surface sensors are configured to collect time-series data about the immediate environment in which they are buried or placed, such as temperature, humidity, vibration, CO2 levels, liquid or gas levels or quantities, salinity, nutrient levels, and other environmental / climatic information, and to transmit this data asynchronously to the receivers. Without limiting the system's application, one potential use is to collect environmental data over time in the vicinity of the nests of wild and / or domestic animals, such as reptile, bird, and mammal nests.Another application of this system is collecting data in farmland, wilderness areas, coastal habitats, dense vegetation, and natural forests. It can also collect data through obstacles such as roads, buildings, and thick layers of concrete walls. Therefore, if the sensor's position is known, an operator located within an acceptable range can approach it with the receiver on the ground, and the monitored temporal data can be transferred. In one sense, the present system solves a “needle in a haystack” problem by at least partially avoiding the need to locate and / or retrieve an underground, subsurface, and / or surface sensor, for example, a transmitter or “tag,” so that an operator with an above-ground receiver can collect sensor data without needing to know its precise location. For example, by knowing the location of the sensors with an accuracy of, say, within a radius of 20 to 90 meters. According to various modalities, a system is provided comprising at least one sensor with a known geographic tag, and at least one sensor adapted to: collect temporal data from an environment; and store the collected temporal data.and emitting periodic wireless beacon signals, wherein at least one sensor is capable of adapting to temporal data collected from the environment, thereby adjusting its temporal data collection and storage capabilities and its transmission capabilities; and a high-gain antenna on the ground communicatively coupled with a signal processing device comprising memory, wherein the signal processing device is adapted to operate, via the high-gain antenna, operations of: detecting the beacon signal emitted by at least one sensor; establishing bidirectional communication with at least one sensor;and receive data signals from at least one sensor through which temporal data is transmitted from the at least one sensor to the signal processing device, wherein the system is able to associate geographic labels with the collected temporal data without the geolocation of the at least one sensor. At least one sensor can be an underground sensor. At least one sensor can be a subsurface sensor. At least one sensor can be a surface sensor. The signal processing device may comprise: means for receiving a data signal from an external device; means for extracting data from the data signal; means for generating a geotag based on the current location of the signal processing device; and means for associating the geotag with the extracted data. The system may comprise at least one aggregator adapted to receive the collected temporal data and to validate, expand, and / or modify the collected temporal data. The system may comprise multiple underground sensors, subsurface sensors (also known as near-ground interface) and / or surface sensors (also known as terrestrial and above-ground interface), and a communication bridge in wireless communication with the multiple underground sensors, subsurface sensors and / or surface sensors. The measurement parameters and fine-tuning settings of the sensors can be changed and programmed wirelessly. According to another embodiment, a method is provided for collecting temporal-type data from its environment, comprising a system comprising: at least one sensor having a known geographic tag, the at least one sensor adapted to: collect temporal-type data from an environment; store the collected temporal-type data; and emit periodic wireless beacon signals, wherein the at least one sensor is capable of adapting to the temporal-type data collected from the environment, thereby adjusting its temporal-type data collection and storage capabilities and its emission capabilities; a high-gain antenna above ground communicatively coupled with a signal processing device comprising memory, wherein the signal processing device is adapted to operate, via the high-gain antenna, operations of: detecting the beacon signal emitted by the at least one sensor;establish bidirectional communication with it at least one sensor; and receive data signals from the at least one sensor through which temporal data is transmitted from the at least one sensor to the signal processing device, where the system is able to associate geographic labels with the collected temporal data without the geolocation of the at least one sensor; at least one aggregator adapted to receive the collected temporal data and to validate, expand, and / or modify the collected temporal data; a database server that maintains a database to store the temporal data;and a wireless communication bridge with the underground sensor, subsurface sensor, and / or surface sensor. Therefore, the objective is to provide an untethered data collection system that allows sensor data transmission through the soil, reducing sensor-induced soil distortion and thus providing more unbiased sensor data. This technology provides a solution for monitoring soil moisture content and temperature, data required for modeling agroecosystem processes. Furthermore, this technology provides a solution for observing soil processes during freeze / thaw cycles, heavy rainfall, and precipitation, making it a year-round solution. The features and advantages of the present object will become more apparent in light of the following detailed description of the selected embodiments, as illustrated in the accompanying figures. As will be understood, the described and claimed object is capable of modifications in various respects, all without departing from the scope of the claims. Accordingly, the drawings and description should be considered illustrative and not restrictive, and the full scope of the object is set forth in the claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The additional features and advantages of the present description will become evident from the following detailed description, taken in combination with the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a schematic of the system according to one modality; and Figure 2 is a schematic of the components involved in data collection using an antenna according to another modality; Figure 3 is a representation of the untethered communication conditions between a tag device and the bridge device 120 according to a modality; and Figure 4 is a clock diagram illustrating the components of a DCA system comprising a tag device and a bridge device according to a modality. It should be noted that in all attached drawings, similar features are identified by similar reference numbers. DETAILED DESCRIPTION The realizations will now be described more fully below with reference to the accompanying figures, which illustrate them. However, the above can be put into practice in many different ways and should not be interpreted as being limited to the realizations illustrated in this description. With regard to the present description, it should be understood that references to singular elements include plural elements, and vice versa, unless explicitly stated otherwise or implied by the text. Grammatical conjunctions are intended to express any and all disjunctive and conjunctive combinations of clauses, sentences, words, and the like, unless otherwise stated or implied by the context. Therefore, the term "or" should generally be understood to mean "and / or etc." The mention of ranges of values ​​and values ​​in this description or in the drawings is not intended to be limiting; rather, it refers individually to any and all values ​​that fall within the range, unless otherwise indicated herein, and each separate value within a range is incorporated into the description as if it were mentioned individually herein. The words “about,” “approximately,” or similar terms, when accompanying a numerical value, are to be construed as indicating a deviation as would be appreciated by a person skilled in the art for satisfactory operation for an intended purpose. The ranges of values ​​and / or numerical values ​​are provided herein only as examples and do not constitute a limitation on the scope of the embodiments described.The use of any and all examples, or illustrative language (“for example,” “such as,” or the like) provided herein is intended merely to further illuminate the illustrative embodiments and does not impose any limitation on the scope of the embodiments. No language in the description should be construed as indicating any element not claimed as essential to carrying out the embodiments. The use of the term “substantially” is intended to mean “for the most part” or “essentially,” depending on the context. It should be construed as indicating that some deviation from the word it qualifies is acceptable as would be appreciated by someone skilled in the art to operate satisfactorily for the intended purpose. In the following description, terms such as first, second, top, bottom, above, below, and similar terms are understood to be words of convenience and should not be interpreted as limiting terms. The terms top, above, upper, bottom, lower, below, vertical, horizontal, inside and outside and similar terms are intended to be interpreted in their normal meaning in relation to the normal installation of the product. As used herein, the term “comprising” is intended to mean that the list of elements following the word “comprising” are required or mandatory, but that other elements are optional and may or may not be present. As used herein and in the claim(s), the words “comprising” (and any form of comprising, such as “comprises” and “comprising”), “having” (and any form of having, such as “has” and “have”), “including” (and any form of including, such as “includes” and “include”), or “containing” (and any form of containing, such as “contains” and “contain”) are inclusive or open-ended and do not exclude additional, unmentioned elements or steps of the method. It should also be noted that for the purpose of this description, the term "connected" means the joining of two members directly or indirectly through signal communication between the two members, whether unidirectional or bidirectional, unless otherwise specified. "Untethered" refers to a connection between components that is free of any physical connection linking the components, whether permanent or detachable. “Tag device” in this description refers to a device comprising at least one sensor and designed to autonomously collect sensor data and to transmit the collected sensor data in real time or asynchronously for data analysis. “Bridge device” in this description refers to a device capable of establishing communication, also known as receiving and transmitting signals, with a data collection tag device. Depending on the configuration, the bridge device can be adapted for complementary operations such as data aggregation, validation, and analysis. “Time-type data,” “sensor data,” “sensor reading data,” and “monitoring data” in this description refer to data read from a potentially evolving environment, where the timestamp can be associated with the data and the data sequence can be evaluated to obtain a time-series picture of state changes over time. Non-limiting examples of states include temperature, humidity, and CO2 level. “Near the surface” refers to near the surface, at the surface interface of the soil and the air, which is found at the surfaceIt is worth mentioning that, given the difficulty of accessing a tag device once it is in place in some operating locations, such as when used underground, one feature of the system that minimizes physical maintenance (such as battery replacement) is its ability to maximize energy use while maintaining efficient long-distance communication. Another feature contributing to reduced maintenance costs is that the tag devices are untethered programmable, and consequently, their operating parameters are adjustable via untethered communication. Referring now to the drawings, and more specifically to Figure 1, the Data Collection System 100 is adapted to provide asynchronous data collection, aggregation, transmission, and analysis of, for example, collected underground data, collected subsurface area data, or collected surface data. The data collection system 100 comprises one or more tag devices 110 comprising one or more sensors, for example, underground sensors, near-surface sensors, and / or surface sensors above ground. The data collection system 100 further comprises a bridge device 120 in communication with the tag device 110. According to a more global perspective, a Data Collection and Analysis system, also known as a DCA system 105, further comprises a database server 130, for example a cloud server 160, with a bridge device 120 that is in communication with the database server 130 and / or the cloud server 160. According to embodiments, the DCA 105 system further comprises at least one aggregator 140, which can communicate with the bridge device 120. The aggregator 140 is adapted to aggregate and store data transmitted by the bridge device 120. The aggregator 140 can be any type of signal processing device, for example, a tablet, and / or a web panel 150 operable via, for example, a computer or mobile device, comprising the memory where the aggregated data is collected and received from the bridge device 120. The data collection system 100 is adapted to use geolocation technology involving the support of one or more satellites 170. The one or more satellites 170 and the aggregator 140 exchange data either directly through the aggregator 140 or through the bridge device 120, which allows the geolocation of the tag devices 110 and the aggregator 140. With additional reference to Figure 2, according to one embodiment the bridge device 120 comprises a processing device 142 adapted to exchange data, without being tied to the tagging devices 110 via a high-gain antenna 144. The 110 tag devices are designed to operate in untethered environments, such as underground burials, and are capable of exchanging data with the 120 bridge device, which includes data collected by sensors, for a substantial period without maintenance. The 110 tag devices are designed to collect environmental data, such as time-related data (e.g., temperature, humidity, vibration, liquid or gas level or quantity, etc.), both above and below ground. The 110 tag devices are designed to communicate wirelessly with the 120 bridge device according to a proprietary protocol, enabling the 110 tag device to operate in untethered environments. The 110 tag device can be further adapted for operation near the surface and to transmit data to the 120 bridge device. The 110 tag device is adapted to collect environmental data, such as time-related data (e.g., temperature, humidity, vibration, CO2, liquid or gas level or quantity, etc.), both above and below ground. The 110 tag devices are adapted to communicate wirelessly with the 120 bridge device according to a proprietary protocol, enabling them to operate untethered. The 110 tag device can be further adapted for surface operation and to transmit data to the 120 bridge device. The 110 tag devices are adapted to collect environmental data, such as time-related data (e.g., temperature, humidity, vibration, CO2, liquid or gas level or quantity, etc.), resulting in the monitoring of their surroundings, for example, underground temperature. The 110 tag devices are adapted to communicate wirelessly with the 120 bridge device according to a proprietary protocol, allowing the 110 tag devices and the 120 bridge device to operate independently. According to an illustrative embodiment, the 110 tag devices are adapted to geolocate themselves, for example, by associating themselves with a geographic tag, at the time they are buried. Once buried, the 110 tag devices are adapted to collect temporal data from the environment they monitor and to provide the data for analysis. Consequently, the 110 tag devices are adapted to transmit, according to a power management operation protocol, the data to the 120 bridge device. With reference to Figure 3, illustrated in Case A, the 110 tag devices periodically exit a low-power operating condition, also known as the idle state, to collect environmental data and transmit a wireless beacon signal comprising that data. For a brief period after transmitting the beacon signal, the 110 tag device enters a receive mode for a short period, for example, between 0.5 and 2 seconds. If a data receive signal is received from the 120 bridge device during the receive period, the 110 tag device returns to the idle state until the data collection interval ends, for example, typically between 5 and 15 minutes. As illustrated in Case C, the tag devices 110 transmit a wireless beacon signal containing the data. During the brief period in receive mode, if no data receive signal is received from the bridge device 120, the tag device 110 stores the sensor data (e.g., time and sensor data) in memory and returns to the idle state. As illustrated in Case B, according to one embodiment, when asynchronous sensor data is stored in the memory of tag device 110, after receiving a data receive signal from bridge device 120, tag device 110 sends a follow-up signal, a stored data signal comprising the stored asynchronous sensor data. When a second data receive signal is received from bridge device 120, tag device 110 clears the asynchronous sensor data from memory and returns to the idle state. In some modes, asynchronous data can be stored and tagged in memory as it is communicated. When the Tag 100 device is retrieved, data from memory, including sensor readings, can be analyzed. Consequently, the energy consumption of the tag device 110 associated with environmental monitoring remains minimal. Furthermore, the data can be analyzed both synchronously (if the bridge device 120 is able to receive all beacon signals) and asynchronously (if, at the time the data is received by the bridge device 120, the data includes sensor data stored in the memory of the tag device 110). Through it, untethered bidirectional communication can be initiated between the tag device 110 and the bridge device 120 for sensor data exchange. According to one modality, untethered bidirectional communication is used to program and / or change parameters, also known as fine-tuning settings of the 110 tag device. According to one modality, the 120 bridge device is adapted to receive and interpret signals from a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) and to perform real-time kinematic positioning (RTK geopositioning). In one configuration, the aggregator 140 is integrated, for example, into an Android tablet or other mobile data management device with similar capabilities. At least one aggregator 140 allows users to manually associate data from labeled devices 110. At least one aggregator 140 is capable of exchanging data with the cloud, for example, a cloud server 160, for asynchronous synchronization of data modified by the aggregator with a database hosted on the cloud server 160. According to one configuration, the Aggregator 140 is capable of collecting data from other data collection devices, tethered or untethered (not shown), such as external devices like vernier calipers, weighing scales, or measuring devices. These data collection devices can connect to the Aggregator 140 either wirelessly, via wireless technologies like Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and radio frequency, or physically, either permanently or on an ad hoc basis. The Aggregator 140 is designed to associate a geotag with the received data. For example, the geotag of the data transmitted by the device connected to the Aggregator 140 can be defined based on the Aggregator 140's current location or the device's predefined geolocation, which is set during installation. According to one embodiment, the aggregator 140 is adapted to display information on its screen, for example, the geolocation of the tag devices 110 and / or data collected from sensors integrated into the tag devices 110. The aggregator 140 provides a means of entering data into the database and validating the status and functions of the tag devices 110 without having to remove the tag devices 110 from their operating location, for example, by digging the tag device 110 out of the ground, physically accessing the subsurface or surface area to collect the tag device 110, or breaking a structure in which the tag device 110 is set. For its part, the web panel 150 allows a user to view, validate and / or analyze data collected and transmitted with the aggregator 140. For example, a database server 130 can store data, with the aggregator 140 and the web panel 150 being able to retrieve data from the database server 130, view, modify and / or spend the data retrieved from the database server 130, and send the modified and / or spent data to the database server 130 so that the data can be accessed (asynchronously), modified, spent, analyzed, reported, etc. Consequently, the aggregator 140 and the web panel 150 intend to interact with the data collected in the aggregator and from the tag devices 110. The 110 tag devices of the 100 data collection system are designed to be configured wirelessly, without tethering, on demand, as discussed earlier. More specifically, the 100 data collection system, and more generally the 105 DCA system, is designed to allow modification of the monitoring and communication parameters of the 110 tag devices according to the information parameters useful to the user and the environmental characteristics of the installation site. In practice, a 110 tag device transmits beacon signals periodically.Once the beacon signal is answered, and untethered bidirectional communication is initiated between the tag device 110 and the bridge device 120, the communication can include, in addition to sensor data, configuration data such as the internal clock time setting, beacon frequency settings and data collection, activation or deactivation of data collection types, signal generation settings (communication frequency, wavelengths, energy, etc.), measurement parameters, etc. Therefore, the data collection system 100 allows you to customize the data collection configuration without having to access or remove, for example, physically dig up or retrieve, the tag device 110 from its locations and adapt them to a specific use, as long as no modification of the sensor is required. With particular reference to Figures 2 and 4, the bridge device 120 may comprise a mobile device 142 connected to a high-gain antenna 144. The mobile device 142 may provide a user interface adapted to display information that allows an operator to retrieve information from one or more tag devices 110. According to the modalities, the mobile device 142, once bidirectional communication is initiated with a tag device 110, may display information about the signal exchanged with the tag device 110, comprising, for example, signal data and / or data calculated in relation to the signal (e.g., signal characteristics, signal power, frequency at which the signal is sent, data protocol, etc.).), the relative distance between tag device 110 and bridge device 120, the identification of tag device 110 and other sensor-specific data, and information about the data collected by one or more tag devices 110 and transmitted asynchronously to mobile device 142. To establish communication with buried tag devices 110, the high-gain antenna 144 is pointed towards the ground. Once the high-gain antenna 144 is within a desired distance of a tag device 110 (e.g., within a communication range of 20 to 90 meters), following a beacon signal transmitted by the tag device 110, untethered bidirectional communication is established between the devices.Through bidirectional communication, data / information / signals are exchanged via the high-gain antenna 144 and transmitted to the operator's mobile device 142. The tag device 110 can provide various types of data, such as measurement parameters like temperature, humidity, etc. A person skilled in the art would appreciate that the nature of the data varies with the nature and capabilities of the sensors 115 of the tag device 110, and the nature of the monitoring means that have been activated, since tag devices 110 are highly versatile and a wide variety of sensors 115 can be adapted or installed on a tag device 110 for specific task data collection required by a user. As illustrated in Figure 4, according to one embodiment the tag device 110 comprises a printed circuit board (PCB 111), a battery 114 that powers the PCB 111, a memory 112 mounted on the PCB 111 adapted to store program code, data, parameters, etc., at least one sensor 115, and a transceiver 113 adapted to transmit and receive data. According to one embodiment, the bridge device 120 comprises a controller 121 to which memory 122, an antenna 126, and a transceiver 123 are connected. According to one embodiment, the antenna and the transceiver can be implemented as means of communication. It is worth mentioning that 110 tag devices can comprise a combination of active and passive components, an example of the latter being an RFID tag that is detectable without power. According to one embodiment, the 110 tag devices are adapted to operate in a sub-GHz bandwidth for untethered communication with the 120 bridge device. According to one embodiment, the 110 tag devices are adapted for untethered communication in any of a plurality of available frequency bands. In one configuration, using a printer control board (hereafter referred to as PCB 111) with a sub-1 GHz ultra-low-power, high-performance transceiver, the ST lite.augmented™ S2-LP transceiver™, capable of operating in any of the 433, 512, 868, and 920 MHz frequency bands. According to another configuration, the 123 transceiver operates in any of the frequency ranges of 413–479 MHz, 452–527 MHz, 826–958 MHz, and 904–1055 MHz. According to one modality of a 110 tag device, the power ratio for operating in an active mode (also known as signal transmission mode, signal reception mode, or listening mode, a memory update mode, also known as the process of storing data in memory and the process of erasing data in memory) with respect to a low-power mode, also known as idle mode, is at least 50:1, and preferably 100:1, and preferably at least 1000:1, and according to the modality over 10,000:1. By combining high idle-mode time-to-active-mode time ratios and high active-mode power-to-idle-mode power ratios, the expected lifespan of the tag devices is greatly improved. According to the available modalities, the 110 tag devices are designed to be modular. The 110 tag devices comprise a communication module comprising components related to untethered communication, and at least one data collection module, connected to the communication module, comprising one or more 115 sensors. Preferably, the connection between the communication module and the data collection module provides an enclosure that isolates the non-sensory components from the environment in which the 110 tag device is located. According to one embodiment, the 110 tag devices are adapted to be buried in the ground, either under vegetation or not. According to another embodiment, the 110 tag devices can be buried at least 20 cm, at least 40 cm, at least 60 cm, at least 80 cm, and even 100 cm below the ground surface while still being able to communicate independently with the 120 bridge device. According to one modality, the 110 tag devices, when buried in the ground (in sand), are buried at least 60 cm deep, and more preferably at least 100 cm deep, and are detectable above ground by the 120 bridge device when the 120 bridge device is at a distance of at least 20 meters, at least 40 meters, at least 60 meters, and even up to 80 meters from the vertical of the 110 tag device. According to one modality, 110 tag devices are operable, in other words, capable of performing and communicating measurements, maintenance-free with a battery selected based on the nature of the sensor for at least 1 year, at least 2 years, and up to at least 3 years without the battery being depleted below a level that prevents the operation of the 110 tag device. According to one modality, the tagging devices 110 can be located in a variety of locations, comprising, for example, a mix of underground tagging devices and above-ground tagging devices that communicate with the same bridge device 120. The operating parameters, including the signal transmission intervals, can differ from one tagging device to another without altering the ability of the data collection system 100 to operate. It is worth mentioning that the current data collection system 100, based on instantaneous signaling of read data and parametric intervals of asynchronous data, allows the clocks of devices 110 and 120 to remain unsynchronized without disrupting their operation. By regression, bridge device 120 is able to associate timestamps on any asynchronous data based on the known time reading from the synchronous reading communicated in the beacon signal. Therefore, the present solution avoids problems known to interfere with the operation of common node networks, including the energy consumption associated with maintaining synchronized node clocks. It is worth mentioning that the CDA 100 data collection system can be used in a variety of contexts, such as in a scientific setting where data can be collected for research purposes from wild and / or domestic animal nests, including reptile, bird, and mammal nests, and for geophysical applications. Another application of the CDA 100 data collection system is collecting data from farmland, wilderness areas, coastal habitats, dense vegetation, and natural forests for industrial and research purposes. A further application of the CDA 100 data collection system is collecting data through obstacles such as roads, buildings, and thick layers of concrete walls. Therefore, this description assumes that, depending on the context, 110 tag devices can be buried underground, and 18 tag devices The 110 devices can be placed above ground, and according to the user's needs, the data collection system 100 can comprise a mix of multiple tag devices 110 buried underground, the tag device 110 placed in subsurface locations, and / or the tag devices 110 placed above ground. The mix of parameters (intervals, communication wavelengths, signal power, etc.) can further vary between devices and change as needed based on changes in conditions (e.g., soil, vegetation growth, seasons, etc.). While the preferred methods have been described above and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, it will be evident to those skilled in the technique that modifications can be made without departing from this description. Modifications are considered as possible variations within the scope of the description.

Claims

1. A data collection system comprising: at least one tag device comprising a battery, a memory, a transceiver, a controller, and at least one sensor, the tag device being adapted to: generate and transmit a beacon signal; store the data in the memory when no receive signal is received within a first time interval; and enter an idle mode for a second time interval during which the at least one tag device is not capable of detecting signals; and a bridge device comprising a controller and a transceiver, the bridge device being adapted to: receive, untethered from the at least one tag device, the beacon signal; and transmit the receive signal in response to the beacon signal.

2. The data collection system according to claim 1, wherein the beacon signal comprises data relating to a reading made by at least one sensor.

3. The data collection system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one tag device is adapted to operate in a low-power mode during the second time interval, and in at least one active mode that consumes more power than the low-power mode, wherein the at least one tag is adapted to exit the low-power mode in the first intervals so that the at least one sensor can perform a reading.

4. The data collection system according to claim 3, wherein the at least one active mode comprises a data transmission mode, a data reception mode, and a memory update mode.

5. The data collection system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one tag device is adapted to transmit a tracking signal comprising asynchronous data following the reception of a receive signal.

6. The data collection system according to claim 5, wherein the at least one tag device is adapted to receive a receive signal after transmitting the tracking signal within a second time interval, and to optionally erase asynchronous data from memory.

7. The data collection system according to claim 3, wherein the power ratio of the at least one active mode to the low power consumption mode is at least 50:

1.

8. The data collection system according to claim 1, wherein the transceiver of the at least one tagging device is adapted to exchange signals of a wavelength less than 1 GHz.

9. The data collection system according to claim 1, wherein the transceiver of the at least one tag is adapted to exchange signals by using a wavelength selected from a plurality of wavelengths.

10. The data collection system according to claim 1, wherein the ratio of the second time interval to the first time interval is at least 50:

1.

11. The data collection system according to claim 9, wherein the ratio of the second time interval to the first time interval is at least 300:

1.

12. The data collection system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor is an underground sensor.

13. The data collection system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor is a terrestrial interface sensor.

14. The data collection system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor is a surface sensor.

15. The data collection system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one tagging device comprises a first tagging device and a second tagging device that transmit beacon signals independently of each other.

16. The data collection system according to claim 15, wherein the first tagging device operates according to a first set of parameters, and the second tagging device operates according to a second set of parameters, and the first set of parameters is not identical to the second set of parameters.

17. A data collection and analysis system, comprising the data collection system according to claim 1, and at least one aggregator adapted to receive the data and to validate, analyze and / or modify the data.

18. A method for operating a tag device of a data collection system, the tag device comprising a memory and at least one sensor, the method comprising: generating and transmitting a beacon signal, the beacon signal comprising data relating to a reading made by the at least one sensor; after not receiving any reception signal within a first time interval after transmitting the beacon signal, storing the data in memory; and entering an idle mode for a second time interval during which the at least one tag device is not capable of detecting signals.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising transmitting a tracking signal comprising asynchronous data after receiving a receive signal.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising receiving a receive signal after the transmission of the trace signal within a second time interval, and optionally clearing the asynchronous data from memory.

21. The method of claim 18, comprising establishing a ratio of the second time interval to the first time interval of at least 50:

1.

22. The method of claim 21, comprising establishing a ratio of the second time interval to the first time interval of at least 300:

1.

23. The method of claim 18, comprising placing the label in a location that is underground and in the foliage.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising maintaining the labeling device throughout the year.

25. The method of claim 23, comprising modifying the transmission energy of the tag device once at the location.

26. The method of claim 23, comprising modifying the duration of the first interval of the tag device once in its location.

27. The method of claim 23, comprising selecting a communication wavelength for the tagging device once in its location.

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