BACKGROUND

Technical Field

The present disclosure is directed to a hydroponic smart flower vase system for ornamental crops.

Description of Related Art

The “background” description provided herein is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the disclosure. Work of the presently named inventors, to the extent it is described in this background section, as well as aspects of the description which may not otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are neither expressly or impliedly admitted as prior art against the present invention.

Indoor gardening is the field of growing plants in an indoor space. Indoor gardening in homes, offices, and restaurants, may make an environment feel cheerful and improve work productivity. Ornamental crops may be grown in the indoor space, thereby eliminating the need for artificial ornamental plants that contribute to plastic pollution. Indoor-grown ornamental crops increase oxygen and act as a natural humidifier. However, managing ornamental indoor plants can be difficult for plant owners. For proper development of the indoor plants, constant monitoring of the requirements of the plants, such as water, nutrients, sunlight, and humidity level, is required. A plant owner or plant manager is required to check regularly for any insect manifestations or plant diseases, which can be time consuming.

To overcome such difficulties, hydroponics may be used to grow the indoor plants. Hydroponics is defined as a technique of growing plants without the use of soil. Hydroponics has been recognized as a method of producing vegetables (tomatoes, lettuce, cucumbers, and peppers). However, it also works well for growing ornamental crops such as herbs, roses, freesia, and foliage plants in a controlled environment. A hydroponics system is designed to deliver a nutrient solution periodically to the plant at a controlled and predictable rate. The delivery of the nutrient solution to the plant at the controlled rate causes accelerated plant growth within a limited space. For proper growth of the plant, it is required that the delivery of the nutrient solution to the root portions of the plant should neither exceed a required level, nor should the root portions be deprived of the nutrient solution. Hydroponic systems use 90% less water than traditional farming methods using soil. Overwatering or underwatering of the plant may lead to plant death. Therefore, the plant manager must have sufficient knowledge regarding irrigation and other requirements of the plant. Some plants are sensitive to the potential of hydrogen (pH) of the solution, and some plants require a minimum amount of sunlight, which varies with the species of the plant. Further, aeration of the plant roots is also necessary for the growth of the plant. In conventional hydroponic systems, the plants must be continually monitored and action must be taken based on the observations. Therefore, the knowledge of the plant manager can also be factor in the growth of the plant.

Other factors, such as checking the status of the nutrient solution and filling the solutions periodically, increase the labor requirements of the plant manager. Additionally, conventional hydroponic systems require external reservoirs to deliver the nutrient solution, thereby providing complex, huge, and costly hydroponic systems.

Hence, there is a need for hydroponic system that can provide essential nutrient solutions to the plants in an effective manner for the growth of the plants, which reduces the burden of physical monitoring of the plant and knowledge needed by the plant manager, and which provides the advantage of remote monitoring.

SUMMARY

In an exemplary embodiment, a smart hydroponic vase system is described. The system includes an elongated housing having an open end and a closed end, wherein the open end has a greater diameter than the closed end; a plurality of chambers within the elongated housing, the plurality of chambers including at least a first chamber, a second chamber located beneath the first chamber, a third chamber located beneath the second chamber, and a fourth chamber located beneath the third chamber; a plurality of submersible pumps, wherein a submersible pump is located in each of the plurality of chambers; a plurality of pipes, wherein each pipe connects a different one of the second, the third, and the fourth chamber to the first chamber, wherein each pipe is connected to a respective submersible pump; a plurality of measurement sensors located in the first chamber, wherein each measurement sensor is configured to generate measurement signals; a plurality of ultrasonic level sensors, wherein each chamber includes an ultrasonic level sensor, wherein each ultrasonic level sensor is configured to measure a level of a respective fluid in said each chamber and generate a level signal; a microprocessor attached to an exterior wall of the first chamber, wherein the microprocessor is connected to the plurality of measurement sensors, the plurality of ultrasonic level sensors, and the plurality of submersible pumps, wherein the microprocessor is configured to receive the measurement signals and the level signals and generate drive signals to actuate the plurality of pumps based on the measurement signals and the level signals; and a wireless communications unit connected to the microprocessor.

In another exemplary embodiment, a method for growing a plant in a smart hydroponic vase includes at least four chambers, each chamber including a fluid. The method includes receiving, by a microprocessor, a plurality of measurement signals from measurement sensors located in a first chamber, a plurality of level signals, each level signal received from an ultrasonic level sensor located in each chamber, a location signal from a GPS unit operatively connected to the microprocessor, at least one image of the plant from a camera located on an exterior of the smart hydroponic vase, a rechargeable battery charge level from a rechargeable battery located in a base of the smart hydroponic vase. The method includes storing contact information of a manager of the plant in a memory of the microprocessor. The method further includes receiving records regarding plant requirements and images of plant conditions related to a genus and species of the plant by a wireless communications unit operatively connected to the microprocessor. The method further includes monitoring the plurality of measurement signals and the plurality of level signals by the microprocessor. The method further includes determining by the microprocessor whether the plurality of measurement signals match the plant requirements. The method further includes when the plurality of measurement signals match the plant requirements, continuing to monitor the plurality of measurement signals. The method further includes when the plurality of measurement signals do not match the plant requirements, generating drive signals to actuate a plurality of submersible pumps, wherein each chamber includes one submersible pump immersed in the fluid of the respective chamber. The method further includes conveying, through a piping system connected to each submersible pump in a second chamber, a third chamber and a fourth chamber, each fluid of each respective chamber to the first chamber. The method further includes mixing the fluids from the second chamber, the third chamber and the fourth chamber in the first chamber. The method further includes spraying, by a spray nozzle connected to a submersible pump immersed in the fluid of the first chamber, a root ball of the plant. The method further includes continuing to monitor the plurality of measurement signals unit the plurality of measurement signals match the plant requirements.

In another exemplary embodiment, a method of assembling a smart hydroponic vase is described. The method includes forming an elongated housing having an open end and a closed end, wherein the open end has a greater diameter than the closed end, wherein forming the elongated housing includes connecting a plurality of chambers, each having a closed lower end and an open upper end, to one another; placing a submersible pump into each chamber; connecting a pipe to each submersible pump below a top chamber; threading the respective pipe of each chamber into a through hole in a floor of each chamber above the respective chamber until the respective pipe enters an access hole in a top chamber; connecting an ultrasonic level sensor to an underside of each floor; filling each chamber below the first chamber with a respective fluid, wherein the respective fluid is one of water, a pH positive fluid, a pH negative fluid, a liquid fertilizer, and a liquid insecticide; connecting a nozzle to the submersible pump in the top chamber; placing a temperature sensor on the floor of the first chamber; placing a pH sensor on the floor of the first chamber; placing a humidity sensor on a wall of the first chamber; placing a cover over the first chamber, wherein the cover includes a center hole, wherein the center hole is configured to support a stem of a plant such that a root system of the plant is within the first chamber and a body of the plant exits the cover through the center hole; connecting an ultrasonic level sensor to an underside of the cover; connecting a camera to an exterior of the housing, wherein the camera is configured to take images of the body of the plant; connecting the floor of a lowest chamber to a base; inserting a rechargeable battery in the base; placing a microprocessor on an exterior of the first chamber, near the cover, wherein the microprocessor includes a plurality of connection ports, a GPS unit and a wireless communications unit; routing wiring from each submersible pump, each level sensor, the temperature sensor, the pH sensor, and the humidity sensor through the pipes and through a wiring aperture in a wall of the first chamber, wherein the wiring aperture is located beneath the microprocessor; sealing the wiring aperture around the wiring and the microprocessor with a seal; connecting each wiring from each submersible pump, each level sensor, the temperature sensor, the pH sensor, and the humidity sensor to the plurality of connection ports of the microprocessor such that each wiring connects to a different one of the plurality of connection ports; connecting a wire from the camera and a wire of the rechargeable battery to camera connection port and a battery connection port, respectively, of microprocessor; and establishing communications, by the wireless communications unit, with a server through a wireless access node, wherein the server is configured to transmit a plant status message to a plant manager.

The foregoing general description of the illustrative embodiments and the following detailed description thereof are merely exemplary aspects of the teachings of this disclosure, and are not restrictive.

