Wireless sensor nodes featuring single or double band directive antennas for agriculture applications

Introduction: This paper presents the design of two wireless sensor nodes, with communications systems that integrate in one case a broadband antenna for operation in the 900MHz and 2.4GHz bands, along with a circuit that allows to select the appropriate radio for operation in some of these bands with the same antenna and the other makes use of a high gain antenna for operation in the 2.4GHz band. The proposed design offers a solution to the problem of propagation of radio frequency (RF) signals in forests and plantations for applications in smart agriculture that make use of wireless sensor networks (WSN). Objective: Design of two wireless sensor nodes, with communications systems that integrate directive antennas in one case for dual band operation (900MHz-2.4GHz) and in the other with high gain antennas (2.4GHz) for applications in smart agriculture. Method: The design of the wireless nodes makes use of the PSoC (programmable chip system) model CY8CKIT-059 5LP, which integrates temperature, humidity, inclination, distance, light intensity and movement sensors that use ZigBee as a wireless communication protocol. The antennas are designed with appropriate electromagnetic simulators and the resulting prototypes from this process are characterized in impedance by means of a vector network analyzer (VNA) and radiation patterns in an anechoic chamber. The full operation of the nodes is validated in the laboratory and in open spaces. Results: The double-band node with logarithmic antenna allows packet transfer at distances of 4.1km (915MHz) and 938m (2.44GHz), along with a switching circuit that allows one of the bands to be selected depending on the propagation characteristics of the medium where the node will be installed. On the other hand, the node with SPA antenna allows transfer of packets up to 2.5km (2.44GHz). The antenna characterization results are as follows: The logarithmic antenna has a maximum gain of 2.74dBi (915MHz) and 3.06dBi (2.44GHz) respectively, with an impedance bandwidth of 3.196:1, for an S11 <-10dB. The SPA antenna resonates at a center frequency of 2.44 GHz with a gain of 7.2 dBi; an impedance bandwidth of 16.8%, for an S11 <-10dB. Conclusions: This proposal improves the performance in wireless sensor networks since the approaches allow modularity, versatility and application in different areas including agriculture, enabling longer reaches and a more extensive coverage compared to the nodes that make use of conventional XBee antennas.