Domestic automatic continuously monitoring soil moisture monitor/indicator
First Claim
1. An automatic continuously monitoring soil moisture monitor/indicator comprising a circuit containing:
- a. outputs connected to an internal means for alternately pulsing external probes in equal and opposite voltage polarities,b. means for pulsing a specific voltage across said probe connection output during either polarity sampling cycle,c. an output means connected to a capacitor whereby said capacitor integrates for sampling rate and duration time,d. means for yielding absolute value of current from said probes to an output connection such that said current from said probes proportionately appears at said output connection for attachment to a user adjustment potentiometer,e. means for voltage comparison yielding "on" or "off" result from said voltage comparison, where said voltage comparison is a function of the ratio of soil moisture dependent resistance and said user adjustment potentiometer resistance,f. means for latching and holding "on" or "off" condition at end of sampling period, andg. means of turning on an output indicating device through output connection if latched condition is "on" during sampling period.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The domestic and commercial automatic soil moisture indicator of the present invention employs a pair of probes which are conductive traces (e.g. a printed circuit board) that are coated with material for corrosion and electrolysis resistance to enable long term residence in potted plant soil. The device provides alternating short pulses across the probes to further enhance near zero electrolysis and increase potted plant soil residence time without probe wear. It has a single light emitting diode indicator lamp to blink every ten seconds when soil drops below a customer set level, and a beeper (e.g. piezoelectric ceramic) to sound a beep in unison with the LED flashing during dry soil indication as well as a calibrated-numbered user adjustment to set the dry soil indication level. A coil operating with an integrated circuit DC to DC converter functions to yield operation from a small battery to keep the overall unit small and electric drain down.
Consequently, the unit of the present invention becomes the "state-of-the-art" in soil moisture indicators due to its small size, long battery and electrode life, continuously automatic plant soil moisture monitoring and indication, and compact functionality due to functions integrated into an integrated circuit.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. An automatic continuously monitoring soil moisture monitor/indicator comprising a circuit containing:
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a. outputs connected to an internal means for alternately pulsing external probes in equal and opposite voltage polarities, b. means for pulsing a specific voltage across said probe connection output during either polarity sampling cycle, c. an output means connected to a capacitor whereby said capacitor integrates for sampling rate and duration time, d. means for yielding absolute value of current from said probes to an output connection such that said current from said probes proportionately appears at said output connection for attachment to a user adjustment potentiometer, e. means for voltage comparison yielding "on" or "off" result from said voltage comparison, where said voltage comparison is a function of the ratio of soil moisture dependent resistance and said user adjustment potentiometer resistance, f. means for latching and holding "on" or "off" condition at end of sampling period, and g. means of turning on an output indicating device through output connection if latched condition is "on" during sampling period. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 15)
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14. An automatic continously monitoring soil moisture monitor/indicator comprising a circuit containing:
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a. outputs connected to an internal means for pulsing external probes in equal sampling voltage pulses, b. means for pulsing a specific voltage across said probe connection output during a sampling cycle, c. an output means connected to a capacitor whereby said capacitor integrates for sampling rate and duration time, d. means for yielding absolute value of current from said probes to an output connection such that said current from said probes proportionately appears at said output connection for attachment to a user adjustment potentiometer, e. means for voltage comparison yielding "on" or "off" result from said voltage comparison, where said voltage comparison is a function of the ratio of soil moisture dependent resistance and said user adjustment potentiometer resistance, f. means for latching and holding "on" or "off" condition at end of sampling period, and g. means of turning on an output indicating device through output connection if latched condition is "on" during sampling period.
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Specification