Water irrigation system with moisture gauge and method of controlling irrigation

• US 7,165,730 B2
• Filed: 03/26/2004
• Issued: 01/23/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: James Jolly Clark
• Original Assignee: James Jolly Clark
• Inventors: Clark, James Jolly, Perkins, Michael T., Small, David
• Primary Examiner(s): HWU, DAVIS D
• Application Number:
  US10/809,990
• Publication Number:
  US 20050211791A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,033 Days
• Field of Search: 239 63- 70, 239/71, 239/77, 239/723, 239/726, 700/11, 700/284, 700/283
• US Class Current: 239/67
• 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

A water irrigation system may include a computer system, a sensing unit, an irrigation controller, and/or a water delivery system. The sensing unit may include a moisture gauge. The moisture gauge may include a capacitor coupled to a collector. The sensing unit may assess an amount of moisture in the collector and provide output that is a function of the amount of moisture in the collector to the computer system. The computer system may control irrigation of a zone to be irrigated at least partially based on the assessed amount of moisture in the collector. A method of controlling irrigation may include assessing an amount of moisture in a collector near or in a zone to be irrigated and controlling irrigation at least partially based on the assessed amount of moisture in the collector.

Claims

1. A water irrigation system, comprising:

a computer system;

a sensing unit comprising a moisture gauge, wherein the moisture gauge comprises;

a collector configured to receive moisture;

a flex circuit coupled to the collector, wherein the flex circuit comprises a capacitor, and wherein the capacitor is part of a resonant circuit; and

wherein the collector and the flex circuit are configured such that a change in an amount of moisture in the collector alters a frequency of the resonant circuit;

wherein the sensing unit is configured to assess an amount of moisture in the collector and provide output that is a function of the amount of moisture in the collector to the computer system; and

wherein the computer system is configured to control irrigation of a zone to be irrigated at least partially based on the assessed amount of moisture in the collector.

2. The water irrigation system of claim 1, wherein the sensing unit is elevated from the computer system by at least 2 meters.

3. The water irrigation system of claim 1, wherein the computer system is configured to control irrigation at least partially based on community irrigation instructions.

4. The water irrigation system of claim 1, wherein the sensing unit comprises a solar panel, wherein the solar panel is configured to receive sunlight, to produce electricity from the received sunlight, and to supply at least a portion of the electricity to the sensing unit, wherein the sensing unit is configured to provide output that is a function of climatological conditions to the computer system.

5. The water irrigation system of claim 1, wherein the sensing unit comprises a solar panel, wherein the solar panel is configured to receive sunlight, to produce electricity from the received sunlight, and to supply at least a portion of the electricity to the sensing unit, wherein the sensing unit is configured to provide output that is a function of climatological conditions to the computer system, and wherein the computer system is configured to control irrigation at least partially based on the output provided by the sensing unit.

6. The water irrigation system of claim 1, wherein the sensing unit comprises a solar panel, wherein the solar panel is configured to receive sunlight, to produce electricity from the received sunlight, and to supply at least a portion of the electricity to the sensing unit, wherein the sensing unit is configured to provide output that is a function of climatological conditions to the computer system, and wherein the computer system is configured to assess an irrigation need of the zone to be irrigated at least partially based on the output provided by the sensing unit.

7. The water irrigation system of claim 1, wherein the sensing unit comprises a solar panel, wherein the solar panel is configured to receive sunlight, to produce electricity from the received sunlight, and to supply at least a portion of the electricity to the sensing unit, wherein the sensing unit is configured to provide output that is a function of climatological conditions to the computer system, wherein the computer system is configured to assess an irrigation need of the zone to be irrigated at least partially based on the output provided by the sensing unit, and wherein the computer system is configured to at least meet the irrigation need of the zone to be irrigated.

8. The water irrigation system of claim 1, further comprising a solar panel configured to receive sunlight and to use the received sunlight to produce electricity, wherein the sensing unit is configured to provide output that is a function of the received sunlight to the computer system.

9. The water irrigation system of claim 1, wherein the solar panel configured to receive sunlight, to use the received sunlight to produce electricity, and to supply at least a portion of the electricity to the sensing unit.

10. The water irrigation system of claim 1, wherein the computer system comprises an infrared receiver.

11. The water irrigation system of claim 1, wherein the computer system comprises an infrared transceiver.

12. The water irrigation system of claim 1, wherein the sensing unit comprises a radiofrequency transmitter, and wherein the radiofrequency transmitter is configured to provide output from the sensing unit to the computer system.

13. The water irrigation system of claim 1, wherein the computer system comprises a radiofrequency receiver.

14. The water irrigation system of claim 1, further comprising one or more valves that are operated by the computer system.

15. The water irrigation system of claim 1, further comprising one or more valves that are operated by the computer system, wherein at least one of the valves is coupled to one or more conduits, and wherein at least a portion of each conduit is configured to carry water.

16. The water irrigation system of claim 1, further comprising one or more valves that are operated by the computer system, wherein at least one of the valves is coupled to one or more conduits, wherein at least a portion of each conduit is configured to carry water, and one or more irrigation devices, wherein at least one of the irrigation devices is coupled to at least one of the conduits.

17. The water irrigation system of claim 1, further comprising one or more valves that are operated by the computer system, wherein at least one of the valves is coupled to one or more conduits, wherein at least a portion of each conduit is configured to carry water, and a source of water that is coupled to at least one of the conduits.