Description

The SynField ecosystem comprises of SynField nodes, which are sensor-logging and actuation systems installed in the field. They periodically or on demand collect values from various analog and/or digital sensors and log them to the SynField Cloud Server via a cellular (GPRS/Edge) or WiFi connection. Moreover, they act as actuators to enable remotely controlled smart irrigation by handling solenoid valves, pumps start/stop or relay-switches. Thanks to its state-of the art and expandable design, SynField nodes can be interconnected in the field by means of a multi-hop mesh network (at the sub-GHz ISM band, 868/915MHz) supporting Line-of-Sight (LoS) distances of 1km.

The SynField Cloud Server portal enables the user to remotely monitor various environmental and soil parameters in his/her field and provides the means to define sophisticated rules that can trigger alarms (i.e. SMS/email messages) or remote control actuators (i.e. solenoid valves, relay-switches).

Typically, a SynField field installation consists of:

✓   A SynField Head Node (SynField-HN), which is connected to the cloud utilizing cellular or WiFi interface.

✓   Optionally, several (up to 20) SynField Peripheral Nodes (SynField-PN), interconnected to the SynField-HN device by means of a mesh multi-hop RF network.

✓   Environmental/soil sensors and actuators (i.e. solenoid valves and relay-switches) attached to the SynField-HN and the SynField-PN devices.

The SynField web app communicates directly with a SynField-HN. All SynField-PN are associated with a SynField-HN, which is used as communication gateway/relay. When the distance between the SynField-HN and a SynField-PN is more than the above distance or in case of obstacles that reduce the communication distance multi-hop communications are utilized.

In the case of multi-hop communications, SynField-PNs that are located between the associated SynField-HN and the communicating SynField-PN operate as communication relays. However, synchronization and message forwarding/relaying between the SynField-HN and the SynField-PNs is transparent to the cloud server, which considers that communicates each time with one SynField Device, either HN or PN.