Lighting Fixture Sensor Grid for Controlled Agriculture
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional controlled agricultural environments face challenges with wireless sensor systems due to battery reliance and reliability issues caused by plant obstructions, leading to inefficient and costly maintenance and reduced sensor effectiveness.
Innovation Solution
An industrial horticultural lighting system is employed to provide both power and network communication, using a multidimensional grid of nodes with fluid-cooled LED-based lighting fixtures and integrated sensor assemblies, allowing for a distributed sensing network that simplifies installation and enhances reliability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If wireless sensor systems are deployed in controlled agricultural environments, then ease of installation and flexible deployment are improved, but reliability deteriorates due to battery reliance and plant obstructions blocking communication
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the lighting system with the sensor network infrastructure by integrating power delivery and data communication capabilities into existing lighting fixtures. This merging eliminates the need for separate wireless sensor deployments with batteries, providing both power and communication through a unified wired infrastructure that is already present in controlled agricultural environments.
Solution Approach 2:
The lighting fixtures serve multiple functions: they provide illumination for plant growth, deliver power to sensors through integrated power ports, and serve as communication nodes in the sensor network. This multi-functionality reduces the need for dedicated sensor infrastructure and eliminates battery requirements while maintaining ease of deployment.
2Reliability
If wired power and network communication resources are provided to sensors, then robustness and reliability are improved, but device complexity increases due to cabling requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The lighting fixtures serve multiple functions: they provide illumination for plant growth, deliver power to sensors through integrated power ports, and serve as communication nodes in the sensor network. This multi-functionality reduces the need for dedicated sensor infrastructure and eliminates battery requirements while maintaining ease of deployment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines the lighting system with the sensor network infrastructure by integrating power delivery and data communication capabilities into existing lighting fixtures. This merging eliminates the need for separate wireless sensor deployments with batteries, providing both power and communication through a unified wired infrastructure that is already present in controlled agricultural environments.
3Measurement precision
If multiple sensors are deployed to cover growing areas, then measurement precision is improved, but loss of time increases due to periodic battery replacement and recharging
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the battery component from the sensor system entirely by providing power through the wired lighting infrastructure. This elimination of batteries removes the need for periodic replacement and recharging, allowing sensors to operate continuously without maintenance interruptions while maintaining precise monitoring capabilities across multiple deployment locations.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach provides a robust and flexible sensing system that covers relevant plant growth areas, reducing maintenance costs and improving data collection and environmental control in controlled agricultural environments.
Implementation Method 1
at least one first pipe thermally coupled to the first housing to carry a fluid coolant, wherein during operation of the first lighting fixture the fluid coolant flowing through the at least one first pipe extracts heat generated by the first lighting fixture
Data Source
AI summary
A distributed sensor grid may be used to monitor the growth conditions of plants in an agricultural environment. In one example, a distributed sensor grid may include sensors that are arranged as a grid defined by a vertical axis and a first horizontal axis. The sensors may each be coupled to a cable and/or a port that provides operating power and/or network communications access. In some implementations, a plurality of lighting fixtures disposed in the agricultural environment may be configured to provide the power and network communications access to one or more sensors, thus alleviating use of excess cabling for connectivity and simplifying installation. The sensors may be correspondingly disposed within the vicinity of respective lighting fixtures to monitor growth conditions for a portion of the agricultural environment. The sensors used may also be packaged as an integrated sensor assembly, further simplifying installation and deployment.