Precipitation measuring device

• US 20040140903A1
• Filed: 03/22/2004
• Published: 07/22/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Aqua Conservation Systems, Inc., John W. and Betty J. Addink Living Trust
• Original Assignee: John W. and Betty J. Addink Living Trust
• Inventors: Buhler, Kirk
• Application Number:
  US10/475,549
• Publication Number:
  US 20040140903A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/602
• 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: G01W 1/14 Rainfall or precipitation gauges measuring volume in general G01F

Abstract

A precipitation measuring device comprises a detector (20) disposed to electronically count individual rain drops, and an integrator (30) that integrates the results over a period of time. The detector (20) may comprise a piezoelectric sensor, a strain gauge, or some other type of detector that electronically detects the impact of individual rain drops. The integrator (30) may comprise hardware logic or a microprocessor. The detector (20) and integrator (30) may be disposed in the same or separate housings. The precipitation measuring device may also be used to prevent the execution of an irrigation schedule by an irrigation controller (200) when rain occurs. When used for this purpose the integrator (30) may comprise the microprocessor disposed in the irrigation controller.

Claims

1. A precipitation measuring device, comprising:

a detector disposed to electronically detect an impact of a plurality of individual rain drops; and

an integrator that integrates the detection of the plurality of rain drops during a period of time.

2. The precipitation measuring device of claim 1, wherein the detector comprises a piezoelectric sensor.

3. The precipitation measuring device of claim 1, wherein the detector comprises a strain gauge.

4. The precipitation measuring device of claim 1, wherein the individual rain drops are of a non-uniform size.

5. The precipitation measuring device of claim 1, wherein the period of time is twenty-four hours.

6. The precipitation measuring device of claim 1, wherein the integrator is coupled to the detector via a hardwire connection.

7. The precipitation measuring device of claim 1, wherein the detector is coupled to the integrator via a wireless connection.

8. The precipitation measuring device of claim 1, wherein the detector and integrator are disposed in the same housing.

9. The precipitation measuring device of claim 1, wherein the detector and integrator are disposed in separate housings.

10. The precipitation measuring device of claim 1, wherein the integrator comprises a hardware logic.