Water and fertilizer management system

• US 8,340,828 B2
• Filed: 06/04/2008
• Issued: 12/25/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AutoAgronom Israel Ltd. (Shenyang Yuanda Enterprise Group)
• Original Assignee: Nissim Danieli
• Inventors: Danieli, Nissim
• Primary Examiner(s): HARTMAN JR, RONALD D
• Application Number:
  US12/741,343
• Publication Number:
  US 20100332039A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,665 Days
• Field of Search: 700/284
• US Class Current: 700/284
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 21/007 Determining fertilization requirements
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 25/16 Control of watering

Abstract

A monitoring system is provided for monitoring the growing conditions of plants in the vicinity of the roots. In addition, it is provided a system that applies real-time analysis of the growing process parameters and takes into consideration components such as plant, soil, climate, fertilizer and water. A management system based on the real-time analysis is designed that computes the amount of water and fertilizer needed every day to the plants.

Claims

1. A method for managing a field water and fertilizer system, said method comprising:

positioning at least one field monitoring unit in the field, wherein said at least one field monitoring unit is capable of sensing parameters related to conditions in the vicinity of root zone, wherein said at least one field monitoring unit comprises at least two sensors, wherein one of said two sensors is a tensiometer;

transferring the parameters from said at least two sensors to a processor so as to establish a database;

providing a controller capable of activating the water and fertilizing system in accordance to the parameters in the database; and

wherein transferring the parameters from said at least two sensors to a processor so as to establish a database involves;

presenting desired parameters'"'"' values for optimal growth of different crops as a model;

comparing the parameters with the model; and

establishing desired amount of water and fertilizing needed to set up the controller.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein one of said at least two sensors is a pH sensor.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein one of said at least two sensors is a nitrate sensor.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein one of said at least two sensors is an electrical conductivity sensor.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein data is transferred to the model from multiple users.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the tensiometer is a mercury type.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said controller is activating the system so as to maintain the level of the tensiometer between 20 and 25 mbars.