Patent ID: 11860652
Assignee: HUSQVARNA AB
Field: Control (Instruments)
Classification: CPC G  A | IPC A  G

Claim 7:
8. A method for irrigating one or more watering zones of a property, the method comprising:
receiving measurement values, each of the measurement values representing a quantity of water captured by one of a plurality of catch cups positioned within a watering zone of the one or more watering zones of the property during a test watering period using at least one of a group of one or more processors disposed within or in electronic communication with an irrigation controller for irrigating the watering zone, wherein the receiving of the measurement values comprises:
causing a graphical user interface to display a visual representation of a particular catch cup of the plurality of catch cups and a visual representation of a water level within the particular catch cup;
causing the visual representation of the water level to be altered in response to upward or downward touch input provided to the graphical user interface such that a user may specify a measurement value corresponding to the particular catch cup, the measurement value corresponding to the particular catch cup comprising one of the measurement values;
causing the graphical user interface to display a numeric value corresponding to the visual representation of the water level;

using at least one of the group of one or more processors, calculating an average of the measurement values;
using at least one of the group of one or more processors, identifying one or more of the measurement values falling within a lowest quartile of the measurement values;
using at least one of the group of one or more processors, calculating a lowest quartile average, the lowest quartile average comprising an average of the measurement values within the lowest quartile of the measurement values;
using at least one of the group of one or more processors, calculating an estimated irrigation rate based on the lowest quartile average;
using at least one of the group of one or more processors, calculating a first estimated in-soil water level for the watering zone at a first point in time;
using at least one of the group of one or more processors, calculating or receiving forecast evapotranspiration data for the watering zone for an intermediate period of time extending between the first point in time and a subsequent, second point in time;
using at least one of the group of one or more processors, receiving forecast precipitation data for the watering zone for the intermediate period of time;
using at least one of the group of one or more processors, calculating a second estimated in-soil water level at the second point in time based on the first estimated in-soil water level, the forecast precipitation data and the forecast evapotranspiration data;
using at least one of the group of one or more processors, calculating a scheduled watering time for the watering zone based at least in part on a ratio between the lowest quartile average and the average of the measurement values; and
using at least one of the group of one or more processors, formulating a watering schedule for the watering zone based at least in part on the calculated scheduled watering time.