Automatic adjustment of irrigation schedule according to condition of plants

• US 20020072829A1
• Filed: 12/07/2000
• Published: 06/13/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Smart Irrigation Solutions Incorporated (Quarterhill Inc. (f/k/a Wi-LAN Inc.))
• Original Assignee: Aqua Conservation Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Addink, Sylvan, Addink, John
• Granted Patent: US 6,947,811 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/284
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 25/167 Control by humidity of the soil itself or of devices simulating soil or of the atmosphere; Soil humidity sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2625 Sprinkler, irrigation, watering

Abstract

The present invention provides systems and methods in which a microprocessor, disposed in an irrigation controller, is programmed to adjust an irrigation schedule according to a condition of a plant being irrigated. The adjustment to the irrigation schedule may be to the entire irrigated site or only to a portion of the irrigated site. The irrigation schedule may be at least partly derived from ETo data and may be from current ETo data, estimated ETo data or historical ETo data. The condition may be plant establishment, plant maturity or plant health.

Claims

1. An irrigation controller comprising a microprocessor programmed to adjust an irrigation schedule according to a condition of a plant being irrigated.

2. The irrigation controller of claim 1, wherein the adjustments to the irrigation schedule is to the entire irrigated site.

3. The irrigation controller of claim 1, wherein the adjustments to the irrigation schedule is only to a portion of the irrigated site.

4. The irrigation controller of claim 1, wherein the irrigation schedule is at least partly derived from ETo data.

5. The irrigation controller of claim 4, wherein the ETo data is current ETo data.

6. The irrigation controller of claim 4, wherein the ETo data is estimated ETo data.

7. The irrigation controller of claim 4, wherein the ETo data is historical ETo data.

8. The irrigation controller of claim 1, wherein the condition is plant establishment.

9. The irrigation controller of claim 1, wherein the condition is plant maturity.

10. The irrigation controller of claim 1, wherein the condition is plant health.