Patent ID: 8374553
Filing Date: 2013-02-12
Classification: A01G,G01N,H04W,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A method for improving a communication range and communication reliability of an antenna for a wireless soil sensor buried below the surface of a land area, the method comprising: activating a wireless sensor; measuring a plurality of soil electrical properties for the land area; transmitting data from the wireless sensor to at least one receiver above the surface of the land area at a plurality of switchable antenna configurations; monitoring a signal property of each transmission of data for each of the plurality of switchable antenna configurations; repeating the above steps every predetermined number of sensor transmission cycle; creating a map of the signal property for the plurality of switchable antennal configurations; providing the map to each of a plurality of sensor nodes; determining from the map the most favorable antenna configuration for the position of the node; configuring the sensor node to the most favorable antenna configuration; and transmitting data from the node.