Agricultural Tag Energy Capacity Determination

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Solution Overview

Problem

Agricultural information tags with energy sources face reliability issues due to energy depletion, leading to failures in data transmission, which can result in inadequate care for animals or plants, as the tags may not be able to supply a strong signal when needed.

Innovation Solution

A method to determine the remaining capacity of an energy source by using counters to track energy consumption events, such as time elapsed and data transmission, allowing for timely detection of low energy levels and enabling proactive recharging or replacement.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If an information tag with an energy source is used to track agricultural entities, then the ability to transmit information wirelessly is improved, but the risk of energy depletion leading to operational failure increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoperational reliabilityVSAvoidenergy consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary action by detecting energy level thresholds before complete depletion occurs. The processor continuously monitors the energy source and triggers warnings or alerts when energy reaches predetermined low levels, allowing proactive replacement or recharging before operational failure happens.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback by continuously monitoring the energy source status and using this information to control tag operations. The processor receives feedback about energy levels and adjusts system behavior accordingly, such as generating warnings to users or modifying transmission activities to conserve energy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Measurement precision

If the information tag continuously transmits data to monitor energy levels, then the detection of low energy levels is improved, but the energy consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveenergy level detectionVSAvoidenergy consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system applies periodic action by monitoring energy levels at scheduled intervals rather than continuously transmitting. The processor checks energy thresholds periodically and only communicates when necessary, such as when energy levels drop below predetermined thresholds or at scheduled reporting intervals, thereby reducing overall energy consumption while maintaining adequate monitoring.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses partial action by implementing selective monitoring and communication. Instead of continuous high-energy transmission, the processor performs partial monitoring at lower power levels and only activates full transmission when energy thresholds are breached or critical information needs to be communicated, optimizing the balance between detection accuracy and energy usage.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentUS8760305B2Method of determining a remaining capacity of an energy source of an information tag for agriculture

Publication Date: 2014.06.24 LELY PATENT NV

AI summary

The invention relates to a method of determining a remaining capacity of an energy source of an agricultural information tag. The method includes adjusting, such as increasing or decreasing, a counter at the occurrence of an event which leads to a consumption of energy from the energy source, and determining a remaining capacity of the energy source from a value of the counter. The event may include the elapsing of a predetermined period of time and a transmission of information by the information tag.