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Patent drawing for Automatic control method and system for irrigation
US 6,978,794 B2
Control systems US 6,978,794 B2 Expired

Automatic control method and system for irrigation

This invention describes an automated way to water plants by checking how wet the soil is. It uses special sensors called Time Domain Reflectometry Sensors (TDRS), placed at different depths in the ground, to measure moisture levels. A control system then decides when and how much to water based on these measurements, specifically using multiple independent TDRS distributed at varying soil depths.

Why it matters: Filed before the widespread availability of low-cost, low-power microcontrollers and robust wireless communication protocols. These advancements now make deploying and managing a distributed network of multiple soil moisture sensors significantly more practical and affordable.

Status
ExpiredProtection ended and was never renewed
How hard to build
SpecializedTDRS sensors, control electronics, software logic

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