System and method for optimizing evapotranspiration based irrigation control using a moisture sensor
First Claim
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1. An irrigation method comprising:
- (a) a controller acquiring data regarding soil moisture from one or more soil moisture sensors disposed in an irrigation area, wherein the controller adjusts evapotranspiration (ET) data based on the soil moisture data;
(b) the controller determining whether to irrigate or withhold irrigation from the irrigation area based on a combination of the ET data and the soil moisture data acquired in step (a); and
(c) an irrigation means responsive to the controller determining whether to apply or withhold irrigation from the irrigation area in step (b) for respectively applying or withholding irrigation from the irrigation area,wherein step (b) includes the controller solving the following equation EQ1;
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Abstract
In an irrigation system and method, a controller acquires data regarding soil moisture from one or more soil moisture sensors disposed in an irrigation area and determines whether to irrigate or withhold irrigation from the irrigation area based on a combination of evapotranspiration (ET) data and the acquired soil moisture data. An irrigation means is responsive to the controller determining whether to apply or withhold irrigation from the irrigation area for respectively applying or withholding irrigation from the irrigation area.
20 Citations
18 Claims
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1. An irrigation method comprising:
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(a) a controller acquiring data regarding soil moisture from one or more soil moisture sensors disposed in an irrigation area, wherein the controller adjusts evapotranspiration (ET) data based on the soil moisture data; (b) the controller determining whether to irrigate or withhold irrigation from the irrigation area based on a combination of the ET data and the soil moisture data acquired in step (a); and (c) an irrigation means responsive to the controller determining whether to apply or withhold irrigation from the irrigation area in step (b) for respectively applying or withholding irrigation from the irrigation area, wherein step (b) includes the controller solving the following equation EQ1; - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An irrigation system comprising:
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a controller operating under the control of a control program; irrigation means responsive to the controller for applying or withholding moisture from an irrigation area; and one or more soil moisture sensors for sensing soil moisture in the irrigation area and for outputting data regarding said sensed soil moisture, wherein, under the control of the control program, the controller is operative for acquiring the data regarding the sensed soil moisture output by the one or more soil moisture sensors, for adjusting evapotranspiration (ET) data based on the acquired soil moisture data, for determining whether to irrigate or withhold irrigation from the irrigation area based on a combination of the ET data and the acquired soil moisture data, and for causing the irrigation means to apply irrigation to the irrigation area upon determining to irrigate the irrigation area, wherein the controller determines whether to irrigate or withhold irrigation from the irrigation area by solving the following equation EQ1; - View Dependent Claims (16, 17)
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18. An irrigation method comprising:
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(a) a controller acquiring data regarding soil moisture from one or more soil moisture sensors disposed in an irrigation area; (b) the controller determining whether to irrigate or withhold irrigation from the irrigation area based on a combination of evapotranspiration (ET) data and the soil moisture data acquired in step (a); and (c) an irrigation means responsive to the controller determining whether to apply or withhold irrigation from the irrigation area in step (b) for respectively applying or withholding irrigation from the irrigation area, wherein step (b) includes the controller solving the following equation EQ1;
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Specification