Soil moisture sensor

• US 8,981,946 B2
• Filed: 10/24/2012
• Issued: 03/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toro Company (Toro)
• Original Assignee: Toro Company (Toro)
• Inventors: Runge, Thomas H., Hill, Jason Lester, Zimmerman, James
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAM, TOAN NGOC
• Application Number:
  US13/659,726
• Publication Number:
  US 20130255783A1
• Time in Patent Office: 874 Days
• Field of Search: 340/602, 340/601, 340/539.1, 239/63, 137/78.2, 137/78.3, 700/282, 700/284, 405/37
• US Class Current: 340/602
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/20 responsive to moisture
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0318 Processes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/1866 For controlling soil irrigation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/189 Soil moisture sensing

Abstract

In one embodiment, the present invention is directed to a soil moisture sensor for interrupting an irrigation schedule of an irrigation controller. The moisture sensor comprises a relatively flat body with two lower electrodes and two lower anchoring barbs. A receiver receives moisture readings from the sensor and compares moisture data to a predetermined moisture interrupt value or limit, over which irrigation is interrupted.

Claims

1. A soil moisture system comprising:

a soil moisture sensor;

a receiver unit having a wireless transceiver communicating with said soil moisture sensor;

an irrigation interrupt value stored in said soil moisture system;

said irrigation interrupt value displayable and adjustable on a user interface of said soil moisture system as a percentage of a maximum soil moisture content of a region of soil; and

,

an interruption mechanism interrupting irrigation controlled by an irrigation controller;

said interruption mechanism interrupting irrigation based on said irrigation interrupt value and a present soil moisture value transmitted from said soil moisture sensor.

2. The soil moisture system of claim 1, further comprising a calibration routine in which said soil moisture sensor periodically measures moisture of said region of soil over a predetermined period of time to determine said maximum soil moisture content.

3. The soil moisture system of claim 1, in which said soil moisture system determines said maximum soil moisture content as a moisture value of said region of soil at about six hours past a peak soil moisture measurement of said region of soil.

4. The soil moisture system of claim 1, wherein said interruption mechanism delays interruption of irrigation until after a predetermined amount of time after a last irrigation cycle.

5. The soil moisture system of claim 4 wherein said soil moisture system determines that an irrigation event has occurred by determining that said maximum soil moisture content of said region of soil has been reached.

6. The soil moisture system of claim 4, wherein said soil moisture system determines that an irrigation event has occurred by sensing current on an irrigation controller'"'"'s common wire.

7. The soil moisture system of claim 1, wherein said soil moisture system executes an alert on said receiver unit when said present soil moisture value remains below said irrigation interruption value for more than three days.

8. The soil moisture system of claim 1, wherein said soil moisture system executes an alert on said receiver unit when said present soil moisture value drops below about half of said irrigation interruption value.

9. The soil moisture system of claim 1, wherein said soil moisture sensor comprises:

a body having a first surface;

a first and second electrode extending from said first surface; and

,

a first and second stake extending from said first surface.

10. The soil moisture system of claim 1, wherein said soil moisture sensor further comprises an indicator light that changes colors based on a wireless signal strength value with said receiver unit.

11. A soil moisture system comprising:

a soil moisture sensor;

a receiver comprising a user interface and a wireless transceiver that communicates with said soil moisture sensor;

an irrigation interrupt value that is user-selectable via said user interface and is stored in said receiver;

said irrigation interrupt value being a numerical percentage of a field capacity of a region of soil;

an interruption mechanism located in said receiver and causing interruption of irrigation controlled by an irrigation controller;

said interruption mechanism triggering irrigation interruption when a current soil moisture value measured with said soil moisture sensor is higher than said irrigation interrupt value.

12. The soil moisture system of claim 11, wherein said field capacity of a region of soil is a moisture value measured by said soil sensor at about six hours past a peak soil moisture measurement by said soil sensor in said region of soil.

13. The soil moisture system of claim 11, wherein said receiver delays interruption of said irrigation controlled by said interruption mechanism until after a predetermined amount of time after the last irrigation cycle.

14. The soil moisture system of claim 11, wherein said receiver determines that an irrigation event has occurred when said current moisture sensor value is greater than or equal to said field capacity.

15. The soil moisture system of claim 11, wherein said receiver provides an alert when said current moisture sensor value remains below said irrigation interruption value for more than three days.

16. The soil moisture system of claim 11, wherein said soil moisture sensor comprises:

a body having a first surface;

a first electrode and a second electrode that are both fixed perpendicularly from said first surface;

a first stake and a second stake that are both fixed perpendicularly from sayd first surface.

17. The soil moisture system of claim 16, wherein said soil moisture sensor further comprises an antenna located within said body and perpendicular to said first and second electrode.

18. A soil moisture system comprising:

a soil moisture sensor;

a receiver comprising a user interface;

a wireless transceiver, and an irrigation controller interface; and

,

said receiver interrupting irrigation by said irrigation controller when a current soil moisture value measured by said soil moisture sensor exceeds an irrigation interrupt value;

wherein said irrigation interrupt value is expressed as a percentage of a maximum moisture content level of a region of soil.

19. The soil moisture system of claim 18, wherein said moisture content level of said region of soil is determined by measuring a moisture level of said region of soil after a predetermined amount of time after said soil moisture sensor measure a peak soil moisture level.

20. The soil moisture system of claim 19, wherein said soil moisture system delays interruption of irrigation until a predetermined amount of time after said current moisture value is greater than or equal to said peak soil moisture level.

21. A method of controlling soil moisture, comprising:

displaying an irrigation interrupt value on a soil moisture sensor receiver;

said irrigation interrupt value being expressed as a percentage of a maximum moisture content of a region of soil;

receiving periodic soil moisture values wirelessly transmitted from a soil moisture sensor;

interrupting irrigation by an irrigation controller attached to said soil moisture sensor receiver when one of said periodic soil moisture values is greater than or equal to said irrigation interrupt value.