Irrigation Sensor Data Network With Distributed Wireless Links
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current irrigation systems face limitations in data transmission due to the data bus, which restricts the amount of data that can be passed to a centralized unit and is prone to transmission failures, affecting the accuracy and insights derived from sensor data.
Innovation Solution
A data management system with a communication bus and multiple communication systems that enable redundant communication protocols, allowing data to be transmitted wirelessly to a remote device, ensuring data is transmitted and received accurately, even with varying signal strengths, and enabling real-time processing of data from multiple sensors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If data is transmitted via a centralized data bus to a base unit, then data transmission is simplified, but the amount of data that can be passed is limited and transmission failures occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the centralized data bus architecture into multiple distributed communication systems, each capable of independent wireless communication. Sensors are grouped into zones with dedicated communication units that transmit data independently to the cloud, eliminating the single-point bottleneck and failure mode of the centralized bus.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces wireless communication as an intermediary between the irrigation system sensors and the cloud platform, replacing the direct wired data bus connection. This intermediary enables greater data volume transmission and provides alternative communication paths that improve reliability when direct connections fail.
2Reliability
If multiple communication systems are deployed for redundant protocols, then data transmission reliability improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The communication systems are designed with multi-functionality, supporting multiple communication protocols (wireless and wired) within a single unified platform. This allows the same hardware infrastructure to provide redundant communication paths without proportionally increasing complexity, as the system can adaptively select and switch between protocols.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines multiple communication protocols and transmission methods into a unified communication system that manages various data paths through a single centralized communication manager. This merging approach provides redundancy and reliability while avoiding the complexity of completely separate parallel systems.
3Quantity of substance
If wireless communication is used to transmit data to remote devices, then data volume capacity increases, but signal strength varies and transmission reliability may decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The communication system dynamically adjusts transmission parameters based on real-time signal strength conditions. When wireless signal quality deteriorates, the system automatically switches to alternative communication paths or protocols, and when signal quality is good, it utilizes high-capacity wireless transmission for maximum data volume.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback mechanisms that continuously monitor transmission quality and signal strength, using this information to adaptively select communication protocols and adjust transmission parameters. This feedback loop ensures reliable data transmission by responding to changing wireless conditions in real-time.
Data Source
AI summary
A data management system for an irrigation system and methods of controlling operations thereof are provided. The data management system directs data captured at a plurality of sensors on the irrigation system to a remote device. The data management system comprises a communication bus and a plurality of communications. The communication bus extends along the irrigation system. The plurality of communication systems are positioned on the irrigation system and are connected to the communication bus. Each of the communication systems is configured to receive signals representative of the data from one of the sensors and to transmit signals representative of the data, via wireless communication, to the remote device.