Irrigation control apparatus, system, and method
First Claim
1. An apparatus for controlling irrigation events, comprising:
- at least one sensor module configured to detect the soil moisture content of soil in an irrigation area, the at least one sensor module further configured to determine a rate of change of the soil moisture content based on the detected soil moisture content, wherein a rate at which the at least one sensor module detects the soil moisture content of the soil is based on the determined rate of change of the soil moisture content; and
a central control module configured to execute an irrigation event for the irrigation area if the detected soil moisture content reaches a moisture content lower threshold, and wherein the central control module is further configured to terminate the irrigation event for the irrigation area if the detected soil moisture content reaches a moisture content upper threshold.
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Abstract
Described herein are various embodiments of an apparatus, system, and method for controlling the irrigation of an area. In one embodiment, an apparatus includes at least one sensor module that is configured to detect the soil moisture content of soil in an irrigation area. The sensor module is further configured to determine a rate of change of the soil moisture content based on the detected soil moisture content. A rate at which the sensor module detects the soil moisture content of the soil is based on the determined rate of change of the soil moisture content. The apparatus also includes a central control module that is configured to execute an irrigation event for an irrigation area if the detected soil moisture content reaches a moisture content lower threshold. The central control module also is configured to terminate the irrigation event for the irrigation area if the detected soil moisture content reaches a moisture content upper threshold.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. An apparatus for controlling irrigation events, comprising:
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at least one sensor module configured to detect the soil moisture content of soil in an irrigation area, the at least one sensor module further configured to determine a rate of change of the soil moisture content based on the detected soil moisture content, wherein a rate at which the at least one sensor module detects the soil moisture content of the soil is based on the determined rate of change of the soil moisture content; and a central control module configured to execute an irrigation event for the irrigation area if the detected soil moisture content reaches a moisture content lower threshold, and wherein the central control module is further configured to terminate the irrigation event for the irrigation area if the detected soil moisture content reaches a moisture content upper threshold. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A system for controlling irrigation events, comprising;
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a central controller remote from an irrigation area comprising at least two irrigation zones; at least two satellite controllers each positioned within a respective one of the at least two irrigation zones, each satellite controller configured to execute irrigation events for the corresponding irrigation zone of the irrigation area in response to communications received from the central controller, wherein the at least two satellite controllers and the central controller communicate over a first wireless network; and at least two sensors each positioned within a respective one of the at least two irrigation zones, each sensor being configured to detect a soil moisture content of the corresponding irrigation zone and configured to transmit soil moisture content data to a corresponding satellite controller via a second wireless network. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15)
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16. A method for controlling an irrigation event for an irrigation area, the method comprising:
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detecting a soil moisture content of a plurality of irrigation zones of the irrigation area using a plurality of sensors each located within a respective irrigation zone; determining an irrigation event prioritization schedule if the detected soil moisture content of at least two of the plurality of irrigation zones reaches respective lower thresholds, the prioritization schedule being based on a water flow capacity associated with the irrigation area; and executing at least one irrigation event according to the irrigation event prioritization schedule. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification