Integration of ZigBee based GPS receiver to CAN network for precision farming applications

Precision farming applications are often data centric and aim collecting data from a set of sensor modules to be delivered to the central computer. For this aim, the ISO 11783 protocol which uses the Controller Area Network (CAN) as a data link protocol to perform the data communication are used to standardize and provide the serial data communication as wired between the various sensor modules and the central computer a plug/play approach. Many different types of sensors may use to collect temporal and spatial variability in precision farming applications. Especially GPS receivers are the most important sensor in a precision farming application. And also, different data bus protocols can be used for collected data transmission to the central computer. In this context, wireless sensor protocols, especially ZigBee, is gaining popularity for managing precision farming through real-time monitoring of agricultural variability. Various parameters in the precision farming can be monitored and controlled using ZigBee communication integrated with the CAN bus. In this paper, integration of the wired CAN Bus and ZigBee communication was designed, developed and implemented. In this system, the data regarding the geographical coordinate is extracted from the GPS receiver with the help of the ZigBee communication and send it to a central computer with the help of wired CAN Bus. This method has been implemented in order to adapt the ZigBee messages to the CAN Bus and reduce wire using. Finally, the data flow within designed system between CAN and ZigBee data frames was described. In this study, multiple CAN frames usage and handshaking mechanism are explained for sending sensor data longer than 64 bits. This system’s advantage is not only reduce cabling cost and increase the communication speed but also provide dynamic, flexible and applicable communication in precision farming applications.