Automatic efficient irrigation threshold setting
First Claim
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1. A method for automatic irrigation threshold setting, the method comprising:
- measuring a dynamic response of soil moisture of a soil area under a fully saturated environment;
deducing at least one of a plurality of soil/landscape properties comprising field capacity, water infiltration rates, presence of thick organic surface areas;
producing at least one of a plurality of recommendations for management practices comprising aeration, thatch removal, soil amendment;
detecting at least one of a plurality of irrigation system deficiencies comprising broken sprinkler heads, drip lines, and poor spatial coverage;
setting a threshold for the soil area based on the measurements of the dynamic response; and
monitoring the dynamic response of soil moisture over a predetermined time period;
wherein measuring the dynamic response is performed by a system comprising a plurality of wireless sub-soil sensors, a smart irrigation controller in communication with each of the plurality of wireless sub-soil sensors, wherein the smart irrigation controller comprises a housing, a microcontroller, a radiofrequency antenna, a memory, a display and a power supply;
wherein the smart irrigation controller suspends scheduled watering if the soil moisture is above the threshold;
wherein the smart irrigation controller continues monitoring the soil moisture level to determine if the soil moisture level has dropped below the threshold;
wherein the smart irrigation controller returns to scheduled watering once the soil moisture level is below the threshold;
wherein the smart irrigation controller can only interrupt a scheduled watering and not commence a scheduled watering.
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Abstract
A method and system for monitoring the dynamic response of soil moisture and setting a threshold in relation to the field capacity of a soil area is disclosed herein. By measuring the dynamic response of soil moisture under wet soil conditions, one can determine a practical field capacity for the soil, in-situ, based solely on the soil moisture sensor output. Essentially, by looking at how the soil moisture level varies with time one can determine the field capacity.
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7 Claims
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1. A method for automatic irrigation threshold setting, the method comprising:
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measuring a dynamic response of soil moisture of a soil area under a fully saturated environment; deducing at least one of a plurality of soil/landscape properties comprising field capacity, water infiltration rates, presence of thick organic surface areas; producing at least one of a plurality of recommendations for management practices comprising aeration, thatch removal, soil amendment; detecting at least one of a plurality of irrigation system deficiencies comprising broken sprinkler heads, drip lines, and poor spatial coverage; setting a threshold for the soil area based on the measurements of the dynamic response; and monitoring the dynamic response of soil moisture over a predetermined time period; wherein measuring the dynamic response is performed by a system comprising a plurality of wireless sub-soil sensors, a smart irrigation controller in communication with each of the plurality of wireless sub-soil sensors, wherein the smart irrigation controller comprises a housing, a microcontroller, a radiofrequency antenna, a memory, a display and a power supply; wherein the smart irrigation controller suspends scheduled watering if the soil moisture is above the threshold; wherein the smart irrigation controller continues monitoring the soil moisture level to determine if the soil moisture level has dropped below the threshold; wherein the smart irrigation controller returns to scheduled watering once the soil moisture level is below the threshold; wherein the smart irrigation controller can only interrupt a scheduled watering and not commence a scheduled watering. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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Specification