Wireless Soil Sensor Network for Real-Time Irrigation Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for monitoring soil conditions are impractical for large areas, as they rely on expensive wired installations or handheld units that do not provide real-time, representative data, leading to inefficient water, power, and resource usage in turfgrass, sports turf, residential, and agricultural environments.
Innovation Solution
A wireless technology system with non-disruptive, easy-to-install sensors that collect real-time data on soil moisture, temperature, and salinity at various depths, allowing for real-time calculations and interpretations to optimize plant health and resource management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If wired technology or handheld units are used to collect soil data, then measurement capability is provided, but the system cannot provide real-time representative data for large areas and requires expensive installations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces wired mechanical sensing systems with wireless sensing technology. Sensors are equipped with wireless transceivers that transmit soil condition data (moisture, temperature, salinity) without physical connections, eliminating the need for expensive wired installations while maintaining measurement capability across large areas in real-time
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses multiple distributed wireless sensors to create a network of measurement points that collectively represent the entire facility. Rather than relying on sparse handheld measurements, the system deploys numerous sensor nodes that continuously monitor and transmit data, providing comprehensive spatial coverage and real-time representation of soil conditions across the full facility
2Ease of operation
If handheld sensing equipment is used, then portability is achieved, but substantial area cannot be measured in real time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the facility into multiple monitoring zones, each covered by wireless sensor nodes. This segmentation allows the system to maintain ease of deployment (sensors are portable and wirelessly installed) while achieving comprehensive area coverage through distributed measurement points that collectively monitor the entire facility in real-time
Solution Approach 2:
The wireless sensor nodes are designed as universal, multi-functional units that can measure multiple soil parameters (moisture, temperature, salinity) simultaneously. Each sensor is portable for easy deployment but provides comprehensive monitoring capabilities, eliminating the trade-off between ease of operation and productivity by enabling single sensors to perform multiple measurement functions across the entire facility
3Device complexity
If traditional irrigation models based on timing and sampled data are used, then simplicity is maintained, but water usage efficiency is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback-based irrigation control system where wireless sensors continuously monitor actual soil moisture conditions and transmit this data to an irrigation controller. The system automatically adjusts irrigation timing and duration based on real-time soil moisture feedback, replacing simple timing-based models with intelligent control that responds to actual environmental conditions, thereby significantly reducing water waste while maintaining manageable system complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The irrigation system is designed to self-regulate based on sensor data. The wireless sensors autonomously monitor soil conditions and the control system automatically makes irrigation decisions without requiring manual intervention or complex external management, enabling the system to optimize water usage efficiently while keeping operational complexity low through automated decision-making algorithms
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method for monitoring soil and water resources is disclosed herein. Sensors capable of monitoring soil temperature, moisture and salinity are utilized with other sensors capable of monitoring such values as air temperature in order to provide real-time parameters to users/operators of land area in order to optimize plant and turf growth, and to optimize water usage.