DEVICE, SYSTEM, AND METHOD OF IRRIGATION

• US 20130223934A1
• Filed: 02/27/2013
• Published: 08/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/29/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tevatronic, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Tevatronic, Ltd.
• Inventors: VEITSMAN, Alexander, DANILOV, Yuri
• Granted Patent: US 8,961,068 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 405/37
• 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

Abstract

An irrigation system for irrigating a plant having a root comprises: a valve to begin irrigation from a water source at a first time-point; a moisture sensor to sense moisture at a second, subsequent, time-point, said moisture sensor being located underground at an insertion depth between ground surface and a maximum depth of the root; a water drainage speed calculator to calculate a water drainage speed based on the first time-point, the second time-point, and the insertion depth of the moisture sensor; and a target drainage time calculator to calculate a remaining time for irrigation, based on the calculated water drainage speed and further based on a difference between the insertion depth and the maximum depth of the root.

Claims

1. An irrigation system for irrigating a plant having a root, the irrigation system comprising:

a valve to begin irrigation from a water source at a first time-point;

a moisture sensor to sense moisture at a second, subsequent, time-point, said moisture sensor being located underground at an insertion depth between ground surface and a maximum depth of the root;

a water drainage speed calculator to calculate a water drainage speed based on the first time-point, the second time-point, and the insertion depth of the moisture sensor; and

a target drainage time calculator to calculate a remaining time for irrigation, based on the calculated water drainage speed and further based on a difference between the insertion depth and the maximum depth of the root.

2. The irrigation system of claim 1, further comprising:

an irrigation processor to determine that the remaining time for irrigation elapsed, and to send a signal commanding the valve to stop irrigation from said water source.

3. The irrigation system of claim 2, further comprising:

a wireless transmitter to transmit to a remote server data corresponding to at least one of;

the first time-point, the second time-point, the calculated water drainage speed, and the calculated remaining time for irrigation.

4. The irrigation system of claim 2, further comprising:

a wireless receiver to receive from a remote server data indicating the maximum depth of the root.

5. The irrigation system of claim 1, further comprising:

a memory unit to store, in proximity to the plant, a parameter indicating the maximum depth of the root.

6. The irrigation system of claim 5, further comprising:

a remote server comprising a wireless transmitter to enable a user to remotely modify a value of said parameter stored in said memory unit proximal to the plant.

7. The irrigation system of claim 1, wherein the insertion depth is approximately 25 to 40 percent of the maximum root depth.

8. The irrigation system of claim 1, wherein the insertion depth is approximately 40 to 60 percent of the maximum root depth.

9. The irrigation system of claim 1, wherein the insertion depth of the moisture sensor is unchanged as the root of the plant grows.

10. A method for irrigating a plant having a root, the method comprising:

beginning irrigation from a water source at a first time-point;

sensing moisture at a second, subsequent, time-point, by a moisture sensor being located underground at an insertion depth between ground surface and a maximum depth of the root;

calculating a water drainage speed based on the first time-point, the second time-point, and the insertion depth of the moisture sensor; and

calculating a remaining time for irrigation, based on the calculated water drainage speed and further based on a difference between the insertion depth and the maximum depth of the root.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

determining that the remaining time for irrigation elapsed; and

sending a signal commanding the valve to stop irrigation from said water source.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

wirelessly transmitting to a remote server data corresponding to at least one of;

the first time-point, the second time-point, the calculated water drainage speed, and the calculated remaining time for irrigation.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

receiving from a remote server data indicating the maximum depth of the root.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

storing in proximity to the plant, a parameter indicating the maximum depth of the root.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

remotely modifying a value of said parameter stored in said memory unit proximal to the plant.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the insertion depth is approximately 25 to 40 percent of the maximum root depth.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the insertion depth is approximately 40 to 60 percent of the maximum root depth.

18. The method of claim 10, wherein the insertion depth of the moisture sensor is unchanged as the root of the plant grows.