See overview: System Architecture Overview

The Farm Controller Layer is the on-site AOFS controller that provides local supervision, configuration, and federation. It sits between the Field Controller (authoritative safety layer) and HQ / Federated Controllers.

This layer is offline-first, federation-capable, and authoritative for non-critical decisions.

The Farm Controller Layer must:

• Aggregate telemetry from Field Controllers:
  1. Soil moisture sensors
  2. Tank levels
  3. Flow meters
  4. Power usage
  5. Optical monitoring data
• Provide a local operator interface for monitoring and configuration.
• Validate all operator requests against Field Controller safety rules.
• Manage irrigation schedules and configuration updates locally.
• Enable push/pull federation with other Farm Controllers or HQ Controllers.
• Log all local actions, operator inputs, and synchronization events for auditability.

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1. Full local autonomy:

• Must operate independently of network connectivity.
• Irrigation schedules, sensor monitoring, and fail-safe enforcement continue uninterrupted.

2. Local operator interface:

• Operators can view data and update configurations.
• Only non-critical adjustments are applied locally; safety-critical overrides are blocked by Field Controller logic.

3. Local data storage:

• Telemetry and logs are persisted locally.
• Data is queued for synchronization when connectivity is restored.

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Farm Controllers support a Git-like push/pull model:

• Pull:
  1. Farm Controller can pull configuration, software, or firmware updates from HQ or peer controllers.
  2. Pulled changes are validated against local rules and logged.

• Push:
  1. Farm Controller can push logs, irrigation events, and audit data to HQ or peer controllers.
  2. Push is queued if connectivity is unavailable.

• Peer-to-peer:
  1. Farm Controllers can synchronize directly with other farms for configuration and data exchange.
  2. Conflicts are resolved using deterministic rules (see section 4).

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When multiple controllers modify configurations or schedules:

1. **Timestamp precedence:**  
   * The most recent authorized change takes effect.  

2. **Operator approval:**  
   * In case of conflicting schedule changes, local farm operators must approve before applying.  

3. **Field Controller enforcement:**  
   * Field Controller always vetoes any configuration that violates **safety constraints**.  

4. **Logging:**  
   * All conflict events must be logged with timestamps, operator ID, and resolution outcome.

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1. Safety authority:

• Field Controller is authoritative for safety-critical decisions.
• Farm Controller cannot override irrigation cut-offs, pump safety, or flood prevention rules.

2. Configuration authority:

• Farm Controller is authoritative for non-critical configurations and local schedules.
• HQ or peer controllers may propose updates, but local rules take precedence.

3. Audit and compliance:

• All configuration changes, operator interactions, and sync operations must be logged.
• Logs must be retained locally and transmitted to upstream controllers when possible.

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* The Farm Controller must provide a full local UI:

1. Monitoring dashboards for all irrigation zones
2. Configuration of schedules and thresholds
3. Alerts and notifications for operators

* Operator actions are validated against Field Controller safety rules. * The interface supports manual requests, but these cannot bypass critical safety decisions.

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* Hardware: Industrial-grade single-board computers (e.g., NanoPi, Raspberry Pi). * Communication protocols: LAN, WiFi, or cellular for synchronization. * Data format: Structured, versioned, and compatible with HQ controller ingestion. * Security: All communications must be encrypted; operator authentication is required. * Scalability: Supports multiple Field Controllers per farm; multiple zones; multi-farm federation.

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* Any AOFS-compliant Farm Controller must implement offline operation, federation, logging, and safety validation. * Failure to preserve Field Controller authority or provide audit logs invalidates compliance. * Synchronization conflicts must follow the deterministic resolution rules defined above.