Plant Watering System
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Accused Products
Abstract
A plant watering system comprising a sensor (20) buried in the soil (32) in the root region of a plant (40), the sensor (20) passing a low voltage current through the soil (32) to measure the moisture content of the soil (32) and with the sensor (20) being switched on and off in a pulse like manner. The detected moisture level is processed by the system and water supplied to the plant when said moisture level is below a predetermined moisture level for that particular plant or group of plants (40). The systems predetermined moisture level may be adjusted to account for different plants within the system and to stimulate different growth cycles of the plant. The sensor (20) may also determine when said predetermined moisture has been reached and then terminate said supply. The electric current stimulates plant growth and the intermittent operation of the sensor helps prevent corrosion of the sensor and reduces power consumption. The sensor (20) may comprise a pair of spaced of electrodes and the moisture reading may be taken once the sensor has been fully energised.
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Citations
70 Claims
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1-53. -53. (canceled)
- 54. A method of watering a plant, comprising the steps of measuring a conductivity of a plant growing medium containing at least one plant, determining a moisture content of the growing medium from said measured conductivity, and supplying water to the plant if the determined moisture content is below a predetermined value, wherein the predetermined value is based on plant type, the step of measuring the conductivity is conducted using at least one sensor buried in the growing medium, and at least one sensor is intermittently powered.
- 66. A system for carrying out the method of watering a plant with a closed loop moisture control system, comprising a plant, a water supply system for supplying water to the plant, a moisture sensor located in the root region of the plant for measuring the level of moisture in the growing medium of the plant, a control unit with means to switch the watering system off or on based on said detected moisture level, means for energizing the sensor, and means to compare the detected moisture level with a predetermined value.
Specification