Low power variable frequency soil sensor assembly
OwnerGajan Nagaraj, N Nagarajinventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A low power variable frequency soil sensor assembly is provided. The assembly is self contained and includes a housing from which a probe extends. A microcontroller generates a variable frequency signal which propagates via electrodes on the probe, generating an electric field into the surrounding soil. A capacitive sensor then can measure the soil moisture, conductivity, and nutrient level. The resulting measurement is read and wirelessly transmitted via the microcontroller to cloud systems for further intelligence and analytics. The assembly operates on very low regulated voltage which allows more stable operation over time, and reduces the frequency of battery replacement.
Claims12
A soil sensing assembly for measuring one or more soil parameters, comprising:
- a housing that is weatherproof and configured to abut a soil surface when inserted into the soil;
- a probe extending from the housing and having a plurality of electrodes formed thereon;
- a microcontroller mounted within the housing and configured to generate a variable-frequency electrical signal applied to the electrodes, the microcontroller including a transceiver for wirelessly transmitting data;
- a sensor circuit electrically connected to the electrodes and configured to receive a signal representative of attenuation of the electrical field produced by the electrodes, the sensor circuit including:
- an RC filter comprising a digital potentiometer having a variable resistance and a capacitor comprising a distributed parasitic capacitance between conductive traces on a printed circuit board;
- and
- a peak detector configured to capture and temporarily store a peak value of the output of the RC filter;
- a battery providing operating power to the assembly;
- and
- a voltage regulator electrically connected between the battery and the microcontroller to provide a regulated voltage lower than a nominal battery voltage, thereby stabilizing sensor readings over a battery lifetime.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.