Real-time plant health monitoring system

Abstract

A real-time plant health monitoring system comprises a probe and a computer. The computer obtains a species profile for the installed plant. The species profile is downloaded to the probe. The probe is installed at a site of a plant. The probe collects environmental data at the site. The probe identifies an adverse environmental condition using the species profile and the environmental data and outputs an alert, which advantageously enables the user to take timely corrective action to improve the health of the installed plant. The nature of the adverse environmental condition may be explicit in the alert. The processed environmental data and/or information regarding the adverse environmental condition may be uploaded to a computer, which may identify the adverse environmental condition and direct the user to troubleshooting information, such as technical information or product purchasing information.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a probe adapted for use in a computerized plant selection and health maintenance system in one embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross section of a shield for such a probe.

FIG. 3 shows a soil mount for such a probe.

FIG. 4 is a cross section of a soil mount for such a probe.

FIG. 5 shows a stand for such a probe.

FIG. 6 shows a controller for such a probe.

FIG. 7 is an exploded view of such a probe illustrating how it is assembled.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram of controller logic and sensors for such a probe.

FIG. 9 shows a network adopted for use in a computerized plant selection and health maintenance system in one embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 10 is a flow diagram of a computerized plant selection system in one embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 11 is a flow diagram of a computerized plant health diagnostics system in one embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 12 is a flow diagram of a computerized real-time plant health monitoring system in one embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 13 is a front view of a probe adapted for use in a computerized plant selection and health maintenance system in another embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 14 is a side view of such a probe.

FIG. 15 is an exploded view of such a probe illustrating how it is assembled.

Claims

1. A real-time plant health monitoring system, comprising: a computer adapted to transmit a species profile associated with an installed plant; anda probe adapted to receive the species profile from the computer, collect environmental data, identify an adverse environmental condition using the environmental data and the species profile and output an alert regarding the adverse environmental condition.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the environmental data comprise data indicative of plant-environment compatibility.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the environmental data comprise light intensity, temperature, humidity, soil moisture and soil pH data.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the probe has a portable controller adapted to store environmental data.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the probe comprises a USB connector for connecting the controller to the computer.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the probe comprises a wireless communications interface for receiving the species profile from the computer.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the probe comprises a controller adapted for removal, from the probe and connection to the computer for receiving the species profile from the computer.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the species profile is obtained using user interview data.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer is adopted to direct a user to troubleshooting information.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the troubleshooting information comprises plant care information.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the troubleshooting information comprises product purchasing information.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the alert comprises an audible alert.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the alert comprises a visual alert.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the alert is sufficient to identify the nature of the adverse environmental condition.

15. A method for real-time plant health monitoring, comprising: collecting environmental data at a site of an installed plant;identifying an environmental condition incompatible with the installed plant using the environmental data; andoutputting an alert regarding the incompatible environmental condition.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the incompatible environmental condition is further identified using a species profile obtained for the installed plant.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the alert comprises an audible alert.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the alert comprises a visual alert.

19. A set of instructions executable by a processor on a probe for performing steps comprising: receiving a species profile associated with an installed plant;collecting environmental data at a site of the installed plant;identifying an environmental condition adverse to the installed plant using the environmental data and the species profile; andoutputting an alert regarding the adverse environmental condition.

20. The set of instructions of claim 19, wherein the alert comprises an audible alert.

21. The set of instructions of claim 19, wherein the alert comprises a visual alert.