Apparatus and method for three-dimensional moisture control using sprinklers

• US 10,004,184 B2
• Filed: 06/02/2015
• Issued: 06/26/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Earth Systems Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Bryant Consultants Incorporated
• Inventors: Bryant, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Ali, Mohammad
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lindsay, Bernard G
• Application Number:
  US14/728,330
• Publication Number:
  US 20160353679A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,120 Days
• Field of Search: None
• 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: G01N 27/048 for determining moisture content of the material
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/042 using digital processors G05B19/05 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2625 Sprinkler, irrigation, watering

Abstract

A system and method for moisture control includes a computer, a probe controller connected to the computer, a set of probes connected to the probe controller, a sprinkler controller connected to the computer, and a set of sprinklers connected to the sprinkler controller. The set of probes are driven into the ground according to a predetermined set of positions. A set of high voltage currents is injected into the ground through the set of probes and measurements are taken. A three-dimensional resistivity model is generated from the measurements and is compared to a set of moisture requirements. A set of sprinkler commands is generated based on the three-dimensional resistivity model and the set of moisture requirements. If the three-dimensional resistivity model meets the set of moisture requirements, the set of sprinklers are activated in each of a set of sprinkler zones according the three-dimensional resistivity model where watering is needed.

Claims

1. A system for moisture control comprising:

a computer;

a set of sprinkler controllers connected to the computer, each sprinkler controller controlling at least one sprinkler;

a probe controller connected to the computer;

a set of probes connected to the probe controller, each probe associated with a probe location, and comprising at least one reference probe;

the probe controller programmed to measure a set of probe data by measuring voltages between the reference probe and each of a plurality of other probes and corresponding currents between pairs of the plurality of other probes;

the computer programmed to;

receive a three-dimensional set of moisture requirements including a set of surface zones associated with a set of depths below a surface related to types of foliage stored in a look-up table, each type of foliage associated with a watering depth;

receive the set of probe data;

calculate a set of resistivity data from the set of probe data, the probe locations, and a probe geometric constant;

sort the set of resistivity data to create a set of sorted resistivity data;

generate a set of first resistivity models from the set of sorted resistivity data;

generate a set of second resistivity models from the set of first resistivity models;

combine the set of second resistivity models to generate the three-dimensional resistivity model;

compare the three-dimensional resistivity model to the three-dimensional set of moisture requirements;

generate a set of sprinkler commands based on the comparison; and

,

send the set of sprinkler commands to the set of sprinkler controllers activating the corresponding at least one sprinkler.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the reference probe is switchably connected to the probe controller;

wherein a set of measurement probes is switchably connected to the probe controller; and

,

wherein the probe controller is further programmed to;

implement a probe configuration for the reference probe and the set of measurement probes;

inject a current based on the probe configuration; and

,

measure a voltage based on probe configuration.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a set of sprinklers, including the at least one sprinkler, connected to the set of sprinkler controllers; and

wherein,

a subset of the set of surface zones is associated with a subset of the set of sprinklers; and

,

each of the sprinklers in the subset of sprinklers is controlled by the set of sprinkler commands.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the set of sprinkler commands further comprises a watering schedule based on one of a set of watering restrictions and a set of weather conditions.