Description:FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to the implementation of the Internet of Things (IoT) in wireless communication networks, particularly focusing on agricultural applications. The invention utilizes Long Range (Lo-Ra), Narrow Band Internet of Things (NB-IoT), and Zigbee to enhance data collection, transmission, and decision-making processes in Precision Agriculture (PA).
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
To create a platform that employs detectors and also current data transmission and computing technology for tracking agricultural fields and intellectualize farm land administration, simply called as Precision Agriculture (PA).
Long Range (Lo-Ra) and Narrow band Internet of Things (NB-IoT) are two viable wireless communication systems for field agriculture situations, whereas Zigbee is a superior option for tracking establishment agriculture.
Different kinds of detectors, including as an air temperature detector, a soil humidity detector, a soil nutrient detector and so on, were utilized to gather current information.
For long range communication, Sigfox and Long-Term Evolution for Machines (LTE-M) are used. Sigfox is a low power wireless area network used for low bandwidth application with extended battery life. LTE-M is a cellular IoT solution used to offer higher bandwidth.
Handling a larger number of connected devices in a reliable manner is a challenge. Integrating heterogeneous devices and protocols becomes a difficult one. Allocation of enough bandwidth in congested networks is a tedious process.
Sigfox supports very low data rates (up to 100 bps in most cases), making it unsuitable for applications requiring high-speed data transfer or large payloads, such as video surveillance or real-time monitoring with frequent updates. Limited spectrum can result in packet loss in noisy environments or areas with high device density. But, NB-IoT and Lo-Ra systems provide an acceptable throughput.
LTE-M consumes larger amount of energy. But Zigbee is the ideal system if energy usage is the main concern.
A challenge remain in the existing system is the real time decision making with artificial intelligence. But the proposed system offers data assistance for smart decision making.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts, in a simplified format, that are further described in the detailed description of the invention.
This summary is neither intended to identify key or essential inventive concepts of the invention and nor is it intended for determining the scope of the invention.
The proposed invention provides an IoT-based wireless communication system that enhances data collection and processing in PA. The system consists of IoT-enabled sensors, regional portals (gateways), and a network infrastructure that includes cloud-based services for data storage and analysis. The system framework enables real-time monitoring of field conditions, supports decision-making, and ensures seamless data transmission across heterogeneous networks.
The invention incorporates NB-IoT, Lo-Ra, and Zigbee communication protocols, each suited for specific agricultural scenarios. NB-IoT facilitates long-range communication with low power consumption, making it ideal for large-scale field monitoring. Lo-Ra provides reliable data transmission over extended distances, and Zigbee offers a robust and energy-efficient solution for greenhouse monitoring.
The system employs an intelligent data processing model that integrates cloud computing and edge computing. The cloud infrastructure manages long-term data storage and analysis, while edge computing processes data locally at the regional portal level to reduce latency. The integration of artificial intelligence enhances decision-making capabilities, allowing farmers to optimize irrigation, fertilization, and pest control strategies.
By utilizing IoT and advanced wireless communication technologies, the invention ensures efficient data transmission, enhances connectivity, and provides a cost-effective solution for precision agriculture.
To further clarify advantages and features of the present invention, a more particular description of the invention will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments thereof, which is illustrated in the appended drawings. It is appreciated that these drawings depict only typical embodiments of the invention and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope. The invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail with the accompanying drawings.
The system framework of IoT-oriented PA is comprised of three components: “Things", regional portals (or base units), and the network (or cloud service). Things gather and manage field data. Things in IoT systems are regulated. They employ data that is collected regionally or from regional portals through link. Regional portals give additional operation. Things have not been specifically built for linking to the web and thus they are unable to transfer data straight using the network. Gateways act as middlemen between things and servers. They offer the essential connection, interaction, and safety. The network server offers assistance such as data preservation, administration, assessment and handling. It also provides data assistance for smart decision making.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The illustrated embodiments of the subject matter will be understood by reference to the drawings, wherein like parts are designated by like numerals throughout. The following description is intended only by way of example, and simply illustrates certain selected embodiments of devices, systems, and methods that are consistent with the subject matter as claimed herein, wherein:
FIGURE 1: NB-IOT- ORIENTED PA
FIGURE 2: LO-RA-ORIENTED PA
FIGURE 3: ZIGBEE-ORIENTED PA
The figures depict embodiments of the present subject matter for the purposes of illustration only. A person skilled in the art will easily recognize from the following description that alternative embodiments of the structures and methods illustrated herein may be employed without departing from the principles of the disclosure described herein.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The detailed description of various exemplary embodiments of the disclosure is described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that the embodiments are described herein in such details as to clearly communicate the disclosure. However, the amount of details provided herein is not intended to limit the anticipated variations of embodiments; on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope of the present disclosure as defined by the appended claims.
It is also to be understood that various arrangements may be devised that, although not explicitly described or shown herein, embody the principles of the present disclosure. Moreover, all statements herein reciting principles, aspects, and embodiments of the present disclosure, as well as specific examples, are intended to encompass equivalents thereof.
The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of example embodiments. As used herein, the singular forms “a",” “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “includes” and/or “including,” when used herein, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components and/or groups thereof.
It should also be noted that in some alternative implementations, the functions/acts noted may occur out of the order noted in the figures. For example, two figures shown in succession may, in fact, be executed concurrently or may sometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending upon the functionality/acts involved.
In addition, the descriptions of "first", "second", “third”, and the like in the present invention are used for the purpose of description only, and are not to be construed as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of technical features indicated. Thus, features defining "first" and "second" may include at least one of the features, either explicitly or implicitly.
Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which example embodiments belong. It will be further understood that terms, e.g., those defined in commonly used dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art and will not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly so defined herein.
The system framework comprises three primary components: IoT-enabled devices ("Things"), regional portals (gateways), and a cloud-based network infrastructure. IoT-enabled devices include sensors that monitor environmental parameters such as soil moisture, temperature, and nutrient levels. These sensors transmit data to regional portals, which serve as intermediaries between the sensors and the cloud.
NB-IoT is used for data collection from sensors deployed across large agricultural fields. The NB-IoT ports consist of various environmental sensors and communication units that transmit collected data to an application server. These sensors communicate with NB-IoT units via an RS485 bus, ensuring reliable data transmission. The data is then processed, stored, and analyzed in the cloud, enabling data-driven decision-making.
Lo-Ra is employed in a star-topology network consisting of end-devices, regional portals, and cloud servers. The end-devices include sensors equipped with Lo-Ra transceivers for wireless data transmission. Portals collect data from multiple end-devices and forward it to cloud servers for further processing. Unlike NB-IoT, Lo-Ra allows multiple portals to receive and forward data simultaneously, ensuring redundancy and improving network reliability.
Zigbee is utilized for greenhouse monitoring, leveraging a tree-topology framework to establish a robust communication network. The Zigbee network consists of end-devices, routers, and a coordinator that aggregates data from multiple sensors. Data is then relayed to cloud servers through a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) connection, enabling remote monitoring and management of greenhouse conditions.
The cloud infrastructure provides data storage, processing, and visualization capabilities. Machine learning algorithms analyze historical and real-time data to generate insights and recommendations for optimizing agricultural practices. The system also features a decision-making module that automates irrigation, fertilization, and pest control processes based on real-time sensor data.
Security and reliability are ensured through encryption protocols and authentication mechanisms implemented at the regional portal level. The system continuously monitors network performance and dynamically adjusts resource allocation to optimize data transmission efficiency. The integration of artificial intelligence enhances system adaptability, enabling predictive analytics and automated decision-making.
The system framework of IoT-oriented PA is comprised of three components: "Things", regional portals (or base units), and the network (or cloud service). Things gather and manage field data. Things in IoT systems are regulated. They employ data that is collected regionally or from regional portals through link. Regional portals give additional operation. Things have not been specifically built for linking to the web and thus they are unable to transfer data straight using the network. Gateways act as middlemen between things and servers. They offer the essential connection, interaction, and safety. The network server helps such as data preservation, administration, assessment and handling. It also provides data assistance for smart decision making.
NB-IoT- oriented PA
The structure is made up of 3 elements: NB-IoT ports, transmission systems, and an application server. They each conduct operations like data collecting, data transfer, data processing, and decision-making. The NB-IoT ports are made up of different ecological detectors and NB-IoT units to accomplish the operation of field data gathering. The detectors have been employed to gather ecological data, which is then communicated to the NB-IoT units via the RS485 bus. The data transfer connection comprises of the NB-IoT and the Web system. Detecting data from NB-IoT ports is communicated over the NB-IoT to the Web system. The application server's functions comprise obtaining, preserving, and visualizing statistics, and then making sensible decisions depending on data assessment. This procedure can alternatively be summed up as follows. Detected data is transmitted to the transfer system using NB-IoT ports. The data is subsequently forwarded and preserved on application servers.
The NB-IoT unit chosen is the QuectelBC95-B5 which is having an 850MHz frequency range. The inexpensive STM32 is chosen as a controller. Each half hour, the detectors gather soil data and send it to the application server through the NB-IoT system.
Users' orders to end controls, on the other hand, are routed via application servers, transmission networks, and NB-IoT ports. Following receipt of the management instructions, the end controllers would implement them and report the outcomes to the application servers.
Lo-Ra Oriented PA
The star-topology system contains 3 sorts of elements: end-devices, portals, and network servers. Detectors, a Lo-Ra transceiver and a reception constitute the end-devices. Their primary duty is to upload detected data to the portal via Lo-Ra transmitter or to receive instruction messages from the portal via Lo-Ra reception. Portals act as an intermediary between final devices and system servers. Portals route unprocessed information frames from final devices to system servers via an Ethernet backup connection with increased throughput. The network server is in charge of copying and interpreting detecting packages supplied by end-devices, as well as creating decision-making packages that must be transmitted returned to the end-devices. In comparison to wireless NB-IoT systems, final devices in a Lo-Ra system are not affiliated with a specific port to get network accessibility; that is, the particular package may be received (or sent) by more than one Lo-Ra port.
Zigbee-oriented PA
The Zigbee system is composed of 3 topological frameworks: star, tree, and mesh. The tree topology, as contrasted with the other 2, offers the benefits of a strong connection and minimal routing above, making it more ideal for agriculture regular surveillance and additional uses. The Zigbee-oriented tree system architecture is a highly reliable, energy-efficient and inexpensive alternative that are widely utilized in agriculture for tracking various ecological and soil data. There have been three sorts of nodes that may be configured in this tree topology: end-device, router and coordination.
The acquired data from the detectors and end-devices is first wirelessly communicated to the coordination via the routers, and subsequently relayed to the system server through General Packet Radio Service.
The energy utilized by communication systems per unit period is referred to as energy usage. The typical communication duration can be employed as an indication for determining the energy usage if the complete energy supply is identified. The lesser the energy usage, the greater is the typical communication duration.
The subsequent experiments assess energy usage using typical communication duration. In the scenario of a specific communication range and a particular battery life, the end-devices constantly communicate data till the server is unable to receive data regularly because of the end-devices battery being depleted. The energy usage of Zigbee wireless communication system is the lowest (3 times lesser than other two).
The primary disadvantage of the NB-IoT system is the requirement to pay a supplier a monthly membership fee, whereas the primary disadvantage of Lo-Ra system is the demand to pay for service.
The possible option for coverage ranges greater than 5 km is NB-IoT and Lo-Ra systems at acceptable throughput and lower transmission energy usage. Zigbee is a stronger option for facility agricultural (greenhouse) surveillance and management.
, Claims:1. A wireless communication system for precision agriculture, comprising:
i. IoT-enabled sensors for monitoring environmental and soil conditions;
ii. Regional portals for aggregating and processing sensor data;
iii. A cloud-based network infrastructure for data storage and analysis;
iv. NB-IoT, Lo-Ra, and Zigbee communication protocols for data transmission.
2. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the NB-IoT communication protocol enables long-range, low-power data transmission.
3. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the Lo-Ra communication protocol facilitates reliable data transmission over extended distances.
4. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the Zigbee communication protocol is employed for greenhouse monitoring.
5. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein machine learning algorithms analyze real-time and historical data to generate actionable insights.
6. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein regional portals act as intermediaries between IoT-enabled sensors and the cloud.
7. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein security protocols ensure encrypted data transmission and authentication of devices.
8. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the decision-making module automates irrigation, fertilization, and pest control processes based on sensor data.
9. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein cloud computing and edge computing are integrated for efficient data processing.
10. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein dynamic resource allocation optimizes network performance and data transmission efficiency.