Wireless Sensor Probe

Abstract

A wireless sensor probe for use in environmental monitoring and control includes a separable probe body and sensor mast. The probe body includes a void configured to house the sensor mast including one or more sensor devices for sensing a soil property surrounding the probe body when the probe body is inserted partially into the ground. The probe body includes a probe top part for encapsulating the probe body and the sensor mast. The sensor mast is inserted into the probe body to form the sensor probe. In another embodiment, a wireless sensor probe includes a housing containing one or more sensor devices. The probe further includes a collar situated near a top portion of the housing being used to anchor the housing to the top of the ground and a gasket formed on the outside perimeter of the housing for securing the housing in the ground.

1 . A system for monitoring conditions of an area of soil comprising:
 a first wireless node comprising:
 a first node body configured for being at least partially disposed within the ground; 
 a first microprocessor disposed within said first node body; 
 a first transceiver in communication with said first microprocessor and a first antenna; and, 
 a first soil sensor in communication with said first microprocessor; 
   a second wireless node comprising:
 a second node body; 
 a second microprocessor disposed within said second node body; and, 
 a second transceiver in communication with said second microprocessor and a second antenna; 
   a gateway node having a third transceiver and being connected to a network;   wherein said second wireless node is configured to relay messages to and from said first wireless node; and,   wherein at least some of said messages includes soil data from said first soil sensor.   
   
   
       2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said second wireless node is a repeater node configured to relay said messages between said first wireless node and said gateway node. 
   
   
       3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said second wireless node further comprises a second sensor. 
   
   
       4 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein said first soil sensor is selected from a group comprising: an air temperature sensor, a relative humidity sensor, a light level sensor, a soil moisture sensor, a soil temperature sensor, a soil dissolved oxygen sensor, a soil pH sensor, a soil conductivity sensor, and a soil dielectric frequency response sensor. 
   
   
       5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein said first soil sensor further comprises a plurality of soil moisture sensors. 
   
   
       6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein said first soil sensor is further configured to sense soil moisture at a plurality of depths. 
   
   
       7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said system is a multi-hop wireless communication system. 
   
   
       8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein said network is a local area network or the internet. 
   
   
       9 . A monitoring system for measuring conditions of an area of soil comprising:
 a plurality of wireless soil sensors, each comprising:
 a body; 
 a microprocessor disposed in said body; 
 a transceiver in communication with said microprocessor; 
 an antenna in communication with said transceiver; and 
 a plurality of sensors in communication with said microprocessor, said sensors measuring a condition of said area of soil; 
   a gateway configured to receive and transmit wireless messages and further configured to communicate with a computer; and   a repeater configured to receive and retransmit wireless messages from said plurality of wireless soil sensors;   wherein said monitoring system is further configured to communicate a message containing soil data from at least one of said plurality of sensors to said computer via said repeater and said gateway.   
   
   
       10 . The monitoring system of  claim 9 , wherein at least said repeater is further configured to determine a best route to send said message to an intended destination. 
   
   
       11 . The monitoring system of  claim 10 , wherein said plurality of sensors include soil moisture sensors. 
   
   
       12 . The monitoring system of  claim 11 , wherein said plurality of sensors are positioned along said body to measure a first soil depth and a second soil depth. 
   
   
       13 . The monitoring system of  claim 12 , wherein said plurality of moisture sensors are soil moisture sensors. 
   
   
       14 . The monitoring system of  claim 12 , wherein each of said wireless moisture soil sensors monitor a battery power level. 
   
   
       15 . The monitoring system of  claim 11 , wherein said soil data is filtered prior to its transmission. 
   
   
       16 . The monitoring system of  claim 11 , wherein said soil data is processed prior to its transmission. 
   
   
       17 . The monitoring system of  claim 11 , wherein said soil data is compressed prior to its transmission. 
   
   
       18 . The monitoring system of  claim 11 , wherein said soil data is aggregated in said soil moisture sensor prior to communicating said message. 
   
   
       19 . The monitoring system of  claim 9 , wherein each said wireless soil sensors can repeat wireless transmissions from other wireless soil sensors. 
   
   
       20 . The monitoring system of  claim 9 , wherein said soil data from said wireless soil sensors is associated with an irrigation zone of an irrigation system. 
   
   
       21 . A system for measuring conditions in an area of soil comprising:
 a plurality of wireless soil moisture sensor, each comprising:
 a sensor body; 
 a microprocessor within said sensor body; 
 a transceiver in communication with said microprocessor and coupled to an antenna; 
 a plurality of sensors disposed in a row along an exterior surface of said body; 
   a gateway configured to receive and transmit wireless messages and further configured to communicate with a local area network or the internet; and   a repeater configured to receive and relay wireless messages from said plurality of wireless soil moisture sensors;   wherein each of said wireless moisture sensors collect data of soil conditions from said plurality of sensors along a length of soil.   
   
   
       22 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein said plurality of sensors collect soil moisture data from at least two depths. 
   
   
       23 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein said data of soil conditions is used to modify an irrigation schedule of an irrigation controller. 
   
   
       24 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein each of said wireless moisture sensors is configured to receive and relay wireless messages from said plurality of wireless soil moisture sensors. 
   
   
       25 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein each of said wireless moisture sensors is configured to measure a radio frequency power from another of said wireless moisture sensors. 
   
   
       26 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein said moisture sensor further comprises an analog-to-digital converter. 
   
   
       27 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein said microprocessor and said transceiver are disposed in close proximity to each other.