Long-range radio frequency receiver-controller module and wireless control system comprising same

A method for controlling an irrigation system comprising a plurality of water management devices and a central controller, said method comprising:

• (a) providing a wireless control system comprising:
• a radio frequency (RF) apparatus comprising a first RF transceiver and a first antenna operatively associated with a computing device for interfacing with said central controller, said RF apparatus configured to transmit and receive radio frequency (RF) signals in one or more of the ISM frequency bands, and
• a network of radio frequency transceiver-controller (RFTC) modules in wireless communication with one or more other of said RFTC modules and/or with said central controller, each of said RFTC modules configured for operative association with one or more of said water management devices, each RFTC module comprising a module antenna and configured to transmit and receive radio frequency (RF) signals in one or more of the ISM frequency bands, at least some of said RFTC modules further configured to transmit said RF signals a distance of at least 100 m without line of sight and with a peak transmitter output power less than or equal to 15 dBm;
• and
• (b) transmitting a command via a RF signal on one of the ISM frequency bands from said central controller to a RFTC module,
• wherein said first antenna is vertically polarized, wherein the module antenna of at least one of said RFTC modules is horizontally polarized, the first antenna which is vertically polarized being used for wireless communication with the module antenna of the at least one of said RFTC modules which is horizontally polarized, wherein the first antenna and the module antenna have opposite antenna polarizations, the RFTC modules each having only horizontally polarized antennas installed in a fixed orientation and the RF apparatus having only vertically polarized antennas installed in a fixed orientation,
• wherein said RFTC module processes said command and determines whether to retransmit the signal, actuate a water management device or collect data from a sensor based on said command, and
• wherein the RF signal transmitted from the RF apparatus to the RFTC module conveys the command at a data rate of at least 3 kpbs, the RF signal being adequately received and demodulated by the RFTC module having a receiver sensitivity of at least −120 dBm.

A wireless control system for controlling a plurality of devices via a central controller, said wireless control system comprising:

• a radio frequency (RF) apparatus comprising a first RF transceiver and a first vertically polarized antenna operatively associated with a computing device for interfacing with said central controller, said RF apparatus configured to transmit and receive radio frequency (RF) signals in one or more of the ISM frequency bands, and
• a network of radio frequency transceiver-controller (RFTC) modules each in wireless communication with one or more other of said RFTC modules and/or with said central controller, each of said RFTC modules comprising a module antenna and configured for operative association with one or more of said devices and configured to transmit and receive radio frequency (RF) signals in one or more of the ISM frequency bands at least some of said RFTC modules further configured to transmit said RF signals a distance of at least 100 m without line of sight and with a transmitter output power which meets North American regulatory standards with respect to at least output power for the ISM frequency bands, at least one of the module antennas being horizontally polarized and located substantially at or below ground level, the first vertically polarized antenna configured for wireless communication with at least one of the module antennas which is horizontally polarized, wherein the first antenna and the module antenna have opposite antenna polarizations, the RFTC modules each having only horizontally polarized antennas installed in a fixed orientation and the RF apparatus having only vertically polarized antennas installed in a fixed orientation,
• wherein said RFTC modules actuate or de-actuate said plurality of devices in response to commands from said central controller transmitted via RF signals, and
• wherein at least some of the RF signals transmitted from the RF apparatus to the at least one RFTC module convey the commands at a data rate of at least 3 kpbs, the RF signals being adequately received and demodulated by the RFTC module having a receiver sensitivity of at least −120 dBm.

A method for controlling an irrigation system comprising a plurality of water management devices and a central controller, said method comprising:

• (a) providing a wireless control system comprising:
• a radio frequency (RF) apparatus comprising a first RF transceiver and a first vertically polarized antenna operatively associated with a computing device for interfacing with said central controller, said RF apparatus configured to transmit and receive radio frequency (RF) signals in one or more of the ISM frequency bands, and
• a network of radio frequency transceiver-controller (RFTC) modules in wireless communication with one or more other of said RFTC modules and/or with said central controller, each of said RFTC modules configured for operative association with one or more of said water management devices, each RFTC module comprising a module antenna and configured to transmit and receive radio frequency (RF) signals in one or more of the ISM frequency bands, at least some of said RFTC modules further configured to transmit said RF signals a distance of at least 100 m without line of sight and with a transmitter output power which meets North American regulatory standards with respect to at least output power for the ISM frequency bands, at least one of the module antennas being horizontally polarized and located substantially at or below ground level, the first vertically polarized antenna configured for wireless communication with at least of the module antennas which is horizontally polarized, wherein the first antenna and the module antenna have opposite antenna polarizations, the RFTC modules each having only horizontally polarized antennas installed in a fixed orientation and the RF apparatus having only vertically polarized antennas installed in a fixed orientation;
• and
• (b) transmitting a command via a RF signal on one of the ISM frequency bands from said central controller to a RFTC module;
• wherein said RFTC module processes the command and determines whether to retransmit the signal, actuate a water management device or collect data from a sensor based on the command, and
• wherein the RF signal transmitted from the RF apparatus to the RFTC module conveys the command at a data rate of at least 3 kpbs, the RF signals being adequately received and demodulated by the RFTC module having a receiver sensitivity of at least −120 dBm.