Claims:CLAIMS
We claim,

1. A Portable Smart Soil NPK Analyzer for analyzing the soil nutrients.
2. A Portable Smart Soil NPK Analyzer for analyzing the soil nutrients as claimed in claim 1, wherein a 3 chipset master (spectrometer developed on a chip) delivering 18 visible and NIR channels from 410 nm to 940nm each with 20 nm Full Width at Half Maximum (FWHM) is used for analyzing soil nutrients.
3. A Portable Smart Soil NPK Analyzer for analyzing the soil nutrients as claimed in claim 1, wherein the data collected are combined using Artificial intelligence & machine learning systems to provide the recommendation that will help farmers to decide the fertilizer application.
4. A Portable Smart Soil NPK Analyzer for analyzing the soil nutrients as claimed in claim 3, wherein three types of data logging is being done using Bluetooth , WIFI and LORAN.
5. A Portable Smart Soil NPK Analyzer for analyzing the soil nutrients as claimed in claim 2, wherein it is made up of three sensors that can detect the light from 410nm (UV) to 940nm (IR).
6. A Portable Smart Soil NPK Analyzer for analyzing the soil nutrients as claimed in claim 2, wherein 18 individual light frequencies can be measured with precision down to 28.6 nW/cm2 and accuracy of +/-12%. The Spectroscopy Sensor communicates over I2C by default or over 115200bps serial.
7. A Portable Smart Soil NPK Analyzer for analyzing the soil nutrients as claimed in claim 1, wherein the soil sample is illuminated in an controlled environment. In the controlled environment there is a barium sulphate coated base plate which controls the light absorption. Before each test the light calibrated with white light hence providing an accurate data.
8. A Portable Smart Soil NPK Analyzer for analyzing the soil nutrients with 3 chipset master (spectrometer developed on a chip) and artificial intelligence & machine learning systems to provide the recommendation that will help farmers to decide the fertilizer application.

, Description:
FIELD OF INVENTION :
The present invention relates generally to the field of chemical and, more particularly, to a Portable Smart Soil NPK Analyzer for analyzing the soil nutrients using 3 chipset master (spectrometer developed on a chip) delivering 18 visible and NIR channels from 410 nm to 940nm each with 20 nm Full Width at Half Maximum (FWHM). The present invention also combines the data collected with Artificial intelligence & machine learning systems to provide the recommendation that will help farmers to decide the fertilizer application.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Soil is a fundamental natural resource which people rely on for the production of food, fiber, and energy. Soil is a regulator of water movement in the landscape, it is an environmental filter for metals, nutrients, and other contaminants that may leach into the environment, it is a biological habitat and gene reserve and is the foundation for buildings and other constructions. Soil is also regarded as a potential sink for carbon to mitigate global warming. The ability of a soil to support any of these functions depends on its structure; composition; and chemical, biological, and physical properties, all of which are both spatially and temporally variable.

Fundamentally, soil is a complex matrix that consists of organic and inorganic mineral matter, water, and air. The organic material in soils ranges from decomposed and stable humus to fresh, particulate residues of various origins. The distribution of these different organic pools in soil influences biological activity, nutrient availability and dynamics, soil structure and aggregation, and water-holding capacity. The inorganic mineral fraction is often described by its particle size distribution (proportions of sand, silt, and clay) and also by additional subclasses in various classification systems. Coarse sand particles typically consist of resistant minerals such as quartz and feldspars, while fine particles consist of various clay minerals that have undergone various degrees of weathering. Thus, the mineral fraction can be defined by the parent material, soil age, climate, relief, and position in the landscape. Different clay minerals have different properties, for example, some are able to hold water in their lattices, giving them their shrink–swell behavior, while others are important as a source of potassium on weathering. Clay particles are characterized by negatively charged surfaces and some clay minerals have more negatively charged surfaces than others.

This is important in terms of the physics and chemistry of the soil as these charged surfaces regulate aggregation processes and the cat ion exchange capacity (CEC) of the soil, which affects the release and retention of nutrients as well its buffering capacity.

No two soils are exactly alike and variations occur over short distances, vertically and horizontally. Given the importance of soils, there is a need for regular monitoring to detect changes in its status so as to implement appropriate management in the event of degradation. Soil surveying may be performed at national levels for the inventory of soil resources, or for agriculture at regional, farm or field scales, for example, to monitor carbon, nutrient status, pH, and salinity.

The most commonly used method to characterize soil minerals is XRD, which is fundamentally qualitative. Since soil clay minerals are generally more complex and less well crystallized than those of geological environments, they display more complicated XRD patterns. Despite quantitative improvements of XRD, mineral characterization is usually expensive and time-consuming. Some chemical extraction procedures can be useful in the analysis of Fe oxides. However, this is expensive, time-consuming, and can complicate our scientific interpretation of the soil by changing the chemical equilibrium between soil solution and solid phases in soil specimens. Thus, these conventional analyses are not appropriate for larger scale soil studies, and we must use an alternative method to target and characterize soil minerals.

Recognition by farmers of the high variability of soils, even within fields, and the advent of global positioning systems (GPS) facilitating real time positions have led to the development of the concept of precision agriculture (PA) or site-specific agriculture. PA aims to improve resource use efficiency by variable rate applications to supply a crop with precisely what it requires at a high spatial resolution,

As a consequence of global warming, there is also much focus on developing soil management practices supporting carbon sequestration in soils to reduce atmospheric carbon dioxide. Intensive and reliable mapping is required to monitor changes in soil organic pools .All these aspects require accurate inexpensive soil analysis.

Over the past two decades, research on the use of visible–near infrared (vis–NIR) diffuse reflectance spectroscopy in soil science has increased rapidly. The main focus has been on basic soil composition, particularly soil organic matter (SOM), texture, and clay mineralogy, but also nutrient availability and properties such as fertility, structure, and microbial activity. There are many reasons for the interest in vis–NIR. For example, sample preparation involves only drying and crushing, the sample is not affected by the analysis in any way, no (hazardous) chemicals are required, measurement takes a few seconds, several soil properties can be estimated from a single scan, and the technique can be used both in the laboratory and in situ.

Visible and near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy (VNIR, 350–2500 nm), that is, the study of light of the visible and near-infrared reflected from material surfaces, is a quick, cost-efficient, and nondestructive technique in soil sciences. This technique has been greatly developed in soil sciences in the past several decades and has seen apparent exponential growth over the past 20 years. VNIR has been of increasing interest for the analyses of soil parameters including soil organic carbon, pH, bulk texture, elemental concentration, and cation exchange capacity. In soil mineralogy, VNIR can be used to characterize various soil mineralogic properties such as clay mineral composition, clay content, and mineral weathering/alteration degree, although quartz and feldspar have weak/nonexistent absorption in the VNIR range.

Fundamentals of soil visible and infrared diffuse reflectance spectroscopy :
To generate a soil spectrum, radiation containing all relevant frequencies in the particular range is directed to the sample. Depending on the constituents present in the soil the radiation will cause individual molecular bonds to vibrate, either by bending or stretching, and they will absorb light, to various degrees, with a specific energy quantum corresponding to the difference between two energy levels. As the energy quantum is directly related to frequency (and inversely related to wavelength), the resulting absorption spectrum produces a characteristic shape that can be used for analytical purposes. The frequencies at which light is absorbed appear as a reduced signal of reflected radiation and are displayed in % reflectance (R), which can then be transformed to apparent absorbance: A = log(1/R) (Fig. 1).

The wavelength at which the absorption takes place (i.e., the size of the energy quantum) depends also on the chemical matrix and environmental factors such as neighboring functional groups and temperature, allowing for the detection of a range of molecules which may contain the same type of bonds.

When NIR radiation interacts with a soil sample, it is the overtones and combinations of fundamental vibrations in the mid-infrared (mid-IR) region that are detected. Molecular functional groups can absorb in the mid-IR, with a range of progressively weaker orders of overtones detected in both the mid-IR and NIR regions. Generally, the NIR region is characterized by broad, superimposed, and weak vibrational modes, giving soil NIR spectra few, broad absorption features (Fig. 1). In the visible region, electronic excitations are the main processes as the energy of the radiation is high.

Due to the broad and overlapping bands, vis–NIR spectra contain fewer absorptions than the mid-IR and can be more difficult to interpret (Fig. 1). Nevertheless, this region contains useful information on organic and inorganic materials in the soil. Absorptions in the visible region (400–780 nm) are primarily associated with minerals that contain iron (e.g., haematite, goethite). SOM can also have broad absorption bands in the visible region that are dominated by chromophores and the darkness of organic matter. Absorptions in the NIR region (780–2500 nm) result from the overtones of OH, SO4, and CO3 groups, as well as combinations of fundamental features of H2O and CO2. Clay minerals can show absorption in the vis–NIR region due to metal-OH bend plus O–H stretch combinations. Carbonates also have weak absorption peaks in the near infrared. Water has a strong influence on vis–NIR spectra of soils. The dominant absorption bands of water around 1400–1900 nm are characteristic of soil spectra (Fig. 1), but there are weaker bands in other parts of the vis–NIR range.

FIG 1 : Soil vis–NIR 400–2500 nm spectra showing approximately where the combination, first, second, and third overtone (OT) vibrations occur, as well as the visible (vis) range.

PCT/US2O15/036537
The invention determines one or more properties of a soil sample by scanning a soil sample using a visible near, infrared diffuse reflectance diffuse reflectance (VisNIR) Data spectroradiometer, Scanning the Soil sample using a x-rayfluorescence (PXRF) spectrometer, receiving a diffuse reflectance spectra from the VisNIR spectroradiometer and an elemental data from the PXRF spectrometer, determining one or more properties of the Soil sample using one or more processors and a predictive model that relates the diffuser eflectance spectra and the elemental data to the one or more properties, and providing the one or more properties of the soil sample to one or more input/output interface.

Three alternative methods (VisNIR DRS, PXRF, and RS) for determining soil characteristics were compared to traditional laboratory analysis. With respect to soil salinity, elemental concentrations (determined via PXRF) of S and C1 were found to be most strongly correlated to soil EC.

The invention provides an apparatus that includes a probe, a visible near infrared diffuse reflectance (VisNIR) spectroradiometer connected to the probe, a x-ray fluorescence (PXRF) spectrometer connected to the probe, one or more processors communicably coupled to the VisNIR spectroradiometer and PXRF spectrometer, and one or more input/output interfaces communicably coupled to the one or more processors.

The present invention is a 3 chipset master delivering 18 visible and NIR channels from 410nm to 940nm each with 20nm Full Width at Half Maximum (FWHM). It is made up of three sensors that can detect the light from 410nm (UV) to 940nm (IR). In addition, 18 individual light frequencies can be measured with precision down to 28.6 nW/cm2 and accuracy of +/-12%. The Spectroscopy Sensor communicates over I2C by default or over 115200bps serial.

This present invention brings the prohibitively expensive equipment to the Agriculture. The sensor should not be confused with highly complex photon spectrometers, but the sensor array does give the ability to measure and characterize how different materials absorb and reflect 18 different frequencies of light.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION
The primary object of the present invention is to provide low cost spectrometers to detect the soil nutrients which is portable and provided instant results.

The another object of the present invention is to provide combined data collected through Artificial intelligence & machine learning systems.

The another object of the present invention is to provide the recommendation that will help farmers to decide the fertilizer application.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Part 1 “Stainless Steel 12 mm 5V Latching on/off Push Button Switch (Green)
Part 2 “Nylon material top
Part 3 “Logic board for communication
Part 4 ; O ring for Water proof
Part 5 NIR Sensor to measure NPK;
Part 6 3D Printer Holder for Sensor and probes
Part 7 SS metal enclosure;
Part 8 Probes for Moisture, Temperature & pH

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The present invention uses Spectroscopy technology for analyzing the soil nutrients. Low cost spectrometers to detect the soil nutrients which is portable and provided instant results. The parameters provided by the present invention are pH, Moisture, Temperature, NPK. The present also combines the data collected with Artificial intelligence & machine learning systems to provide the recommendation that will help farmers to decide the fertilizer application.

The present invention has a 3 chipset master (i.e., Portable spectrometer developed on a chip ) delivering 18 visible and NIR channels from 410nm to 940nm each with 20nm Full Width at Half Maximum (FWHM). It is a powerful optical inspection sensor combined alongside a visible, UV, and IR LEDs to illuminate and test for light spectroscopy. It is made up of three sensors that can detect the light from 410nm (UV) to 940nm (IR). In addition, 18 individual light frequencies can be measured with precision down to 28.6 nW/cm2 and accuracy of +/-12%. The Spectroscopy Sensor communicates over I2C by default or over 115200bps serial. The soil sample is illuminated in an controlled environment. In the controlled environment there is a barium sulphate coated base plate which controls the light absorption. Before each test the light calibrated with white light hence providing an accurate data. The data hence created comparing the soil type, light absorption and historical data correlating using AML. The data thus created is logged in three modes one through Bluetooth to the mobile phones and second mode through WIFI if the farmer is in the poly house facilitated with WIFI and the third mode through LORAN for long range. The data is sent with parameters pH , temperature , moisture and NPK along with proper fertilizer recommendation for each crop and their soil type so farmers can decide the fertilizer application.

This invention brings the prohibitively expensive equipment to the Agri Tech. The sensor should not be confused with highly complex photon spectrometers, but the sensor array does give the ability to measure and characterize how different materials absorb and reflect 18 different frequencies of light.

FIG 1 :
Results :
Tested against the results of chemical test done in labs. The results are as below.

The present invention can be used to measure the moisture, pH, Temperature & NPK values of soil and help growers to optimize the irrigation & fertilizer application, thereby reducing the input cost. Water consumption will be reduced as the farm is irrigated only when required and not on time or volume based.

CLAIMS
We claim,

1. A Portable Smart Soil NPK Analyzer for analyzing the soil nutrients.
2. A Portable Smart Soil NPK Analyzer for analyzing the soil nutrients as claimed in claim 1, wherein a 3 chipset master (spectrometer developed on a chip) delivering 18 visible and NIR channels from 410 nm to 940nm each with 20 nm Full Width at Half Maximum (FWHM) is used for analyzing soil nutrients.
3. A Portable Smart Soil NPK Analyzer for analyzing the soil nutrients as claimed in claim 1, wherein the data collected are combined using Artificial intelligence & machine learning systems to provide the recommendation that will help farmers to decide the fertilizer application.
4. A Portable Smart Soil NPK Analyzer for analyzing the soil nutrients as claimed in claim 3, wherein three types of data logging is being done using Bluetooth , WIFI and LORAN.
5. A Portable Smart Soil NPK Analyzer for analyzing the soil nutrients as claimed in claim 2, wherein it is made up of three sensors that can detect the light from 410nm (UV) to 940nm (IR).
6. A Portable Smart Soil NPK Analyzer for analyzing the soil nutrients as claimed in claim 2, wherein 18 individual light frequencies can be measured with precision down to 28.6 nW/cm2 and accuracy of +/-12%. The Spectroscopy Sensor communicates over I2C by default or over 115200bps serial.
7. A Portable Smart Soil NPK Analyzer for analyzing the soil nutrients as claimed in claim 1, wherein the soil sample is illuminated in an controlled environment. In the controlled environment there is a barium sulphate coated base plate which controls the light absorption. Before each test the light calibrated with white light hence providing an accurate data.
8. A Portable Smart Soil NPK Analyzer for analyzing the soil nutrients with 3 chipset master (spectrometer developed on a chip) and artificial intelligence & machine learning systems to provide the recommendation that will help farmers to decide the fertilizer application.