SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR IRRIGATION USING ATMOSPHERIC WATER
First Claim
1. A method for delivering water to one or more plants wherein each plant resides at least partially in a quantity of soil, and is proximate to air that contains water vapor, said method comprising the steps of:
- operating a condensing unit at condensing intervals to convert amounts of the water vapor into water in liquid form;
storing said water in liquid form in a reservoir, wherein the reservoir is connected to an irrigation system configured to selectively deliver water from the reservoir to each of the plants;
accessing a database of horticultural information for an amount of water needed by a plant type of the one or more plants;
generating one or more estimates of the moisture content of said quantity of soil, during a first specified time period;
computing one or more watering intervals during the first specified time period, wherein each watering interval is computed, at least in part, as a function of values contained in the horticultural database, and also as a function of the estimates of moisture content; and
operating the irrigation system to deliver water to each of the plants during each of the watering intervals.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An embodiment of the invention delivers water to plants of a specified type which reside in a quantity of soil. A condensing unit is operated at optimum intervals to condense water vapor in the air into water in liquid form. The condensed water is stored in a reservoir connected to an irrigation system, which can deliver water from the reservoir to each of the plants. A database is established that contains horticultural information, wherein the horticultural information comprises a set of values representing the water needed by plants of the specified type at different stages of growth. Estimates of soil moisture content are generated during a specified time period. Optimum watering intervals are computed during the specified time period, at least in part, as a function of the set of values contained in the horticultural database, and also as a function of the estimates of moisture content. The irrigation system is operated to deliver water to each plant during respective optimum watering intervals.
21 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A method for delivering water to one or more plants wherein each plant resides at least partially in a quantity of soil, and is proximate to air that contains water vapor, said method comprising the steps of:
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operating a condensing unit at condensing intervals to convert amounts of the water vapor into water in liquid form; storing said water in liquid form in a reservoir, wherein the reservoir is connected to an irrigation system configured to selectively deliver water from the reservoir to each of the plants; accessing a database of horticultural information for an amount of water needed by a plant type of the one or more plants; generating one or more estimates of the moisture content of said quantity of soil, during a first specified time period; computing one or more watering intervals during the first specified time period, wherein each watering interval is computed, at least in part, as a function of values contained in the horticultural database, and also as a function of the estimates of moisture content; and operating the irrigation system to deliver water to each of the plants during each of the watering intervals. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method of irrigating, comprising:
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condensing, by a condensing unit, amounts of water from water vapor; operating the condensing unit for a condensing interval during a time period for a level of efficiency based on temperature data and dewpoint data forecasted for that time period; determining moisture content of soil subject to irrigation; determining an amount of water needed by a plant type of a plant in the soil; and selectively storing the condensed water and distributing the condensed water to one or more plants based on the moisture content of the soil and the amount of water needed. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. Apparatus for delivering water to one or more plants wherein each plant resides at least partially in a quantity of soil, and is proximate to atmospheric air that contains water vapor, said apparatus comprising:
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a condensing unit which is operable at condensing intervals to convert amounts of the water vapor into water in liquid form; a reservoir for selectively storing said water in liquid form; a processing means associated with a database that contains horticultural information for an amount of water needed by a plant type of the one or more plants, wherein the processing means receives one or more estimates of the moisture content of said quantity of soil, during a specified first period of time, and computes one or more watering intervals during the specified first period of time, each watering interval being computed, at least in part, as a function of values contained in said horticulture database, and also as a function of said estimates of moisture content; and an irrigation system operated by said processing means to deliver water to each of the plants during each of the watering intervals. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21)
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Specification