Sensor soil assembly

Abstract

A soil sensor assembly and methods of measuring undisturbed soil are disclosed. The soil sensor assembly can be a volumetric water content (VWC) sensor. The soil sensor assembly can include at least one soil probe. The soil probes can be secured to a support to enable an installation of the soil sensor assembly in a target soil. The soil probes can include helical blades secured concentrically along the support at predefined longitudinal locations. The soil probes can include at least one radiofrequency (RF) electrode secured to the helical blades at a predefined radial distance from a longitudinal axis of the support. The soil sensor assembly can also include at least one electronics unit coupled to the RF electrodes to receive and/or transmit RF signals from the RF electrodes. The soil sensor assembly can enable a self-tapping installation action and/or enable alienating the soil measurements (e.g., by RF electrodes) away from a disturbed soil.

1 . A sensor, comprising:
 an anchor portion configure to be rotated to thereby anchor the sensor in a soil;   a soil sensor element mounted onto the anchor portion and configured to detect a parameter of the soil; and   a communication element configured to communicate at least one output of the at least one soil sensor element to a location remote from the sensor.   
     
     
         2 . The sensor of  claim 1 , wherein the anchor portion comprises at least one thread arranged about an anchoring axis, and wherein the at least one thread comprises a blade portion extending outwardly from the anchoring axis. 
     
     
         3 . The sensor of  claim 2 , wherein the soil sensor element is located on the blade portion. 
     
     
         4 .- 19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . A sensor comprising:
 at least one volumetric water content probe comprising at least two radiofrequency electrodes, wherein the at least one volumetric water content probe is configured to measure a volumetric water content of a target soil in a measurement region between a first one of the at least two radiofrequency electrodes and a second one of the at least two radiofrequency electrodes, and   a support configured to secure a position of the at one volumetric water content probe in the target soil, wherein the support occupies less than 10% of the measurement region.   
     
     
         21 . The sensor of  claim 20 , wherein the support includes a helical blade. 
     
     
         22 . The sensor of  claim 20 , wherein the support includes a pile and the at least one volumetric water content probe comprises a helical blade secured to the pile at a predefined longitudinal location. 
     
     
         23 . The sensor of  claim 22 , wherein the at least two radiofrequency electrodes of the at least volumetric water content are secured to the helical blade of that volumetric water content probe. 
     
     
         24 . The sensor of  claim 22 , wherein the helical blade of the at least one of the volumetric water content probes is a radiofrequency electrode. 
     
     
         25 . The sensor of  claim 22 , wherein the at least one of the radiofrequency electrodes of the at least one of the volumetric water content probe has a helical shape that corresponds to shape of the helical blade of that volumetric water content probe. 
     
     
         26 . The sensor of  claim 20 , further comprising at least one electronics unit coupled to the at least one radiofrequency electrode, wherein the at least one electronics unit is configured to transmit and receive radiofrequency signals from the at least one radiofrequency electrode, and wherein the at least one electronics unit is embedded within the support. 
     
     
         27 . The sensor of  claim 20 , wherein at least one of the radiofrequency electrodes is a segmented radiofrequency electrode. 
     
     
         28 . A method, comprising:
 generating radiofrequency signals;   transmitting the generated radiofrequency signals to undisturbed soil using radiofrequency electrodes, wherein the radiofrequency electrodes are positioned along an axis that is parallel to gravitational force, are positioned at predefined longitudinal locations along the axis, and are positioned and at predefined radial distances from the axis;   receiving the radiofrequency signals by the radiofrequency electrodes; and   determining an undisturbed volumetric water content of the undisturbed soil based on the received radiofrequency signals.   
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the radiofrequency electrodes have a helical shape. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the radiofrequency electrodes are secured to helical blades, and wherein the helical blades are positioned concentrically around and along the axis at the predefined longitudinal locations. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein at least one of the radiofrequency electrodes is secured to an outer lateral side of at least one of the helical blades. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the at least one of the radiofrequency electrodes is embedded within the at least one of the helical blades such that the at least one of the radiofrequency electrodes protrudes above at least one of surfaces of that the at least one of the helical blades. 
     
     
         33 . A method of installing a soil sensor assembly, the method comprising:
 providing a soil sensor assembly comprising:
 an anchor portion configured to be rotated so as to anchor the soil sensor assembly in a soil; and at least one soil sensor mounted onto the anchor portion; and 
   rotating the anchor portion so as to insert the soil sensor assembly into a soil along an anchoring axis, thereby anchoring the soil sensor assembly in the soil.   
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the anchor portion comprises at least one thread arranged about the anchoring axis, wherein the at least one thread comprises at least one blade portion extending outwardly from the anchoring axis, wherein at least one moisture sensor is located on the at least one blade portion, and wherein the step of rotating the anchor portion so as to insert the soil sensor assembly into the soil is operative to bring the at least one moisture sensor into a soil moisture sensing engagement with a portion of the soil which is substantially undisturbed.