Patent ID: 7957843
Filing Date: 2011-06-07
Classification: A01G,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A controller for controlling an irrigation schedule in an irrigation system, the irrigation system including a plurality of sprinkler heads connected via a plurality of conduits to a water source, the controller comprising: a database that includes information relating to historical evapo-transpiration rates for a plurality of sectors located within a geographical area, the information including Period Reduction Factors for each sector wherein the Period Reduction Factors are derived as the historical period-average evapotranspiration rate for each period of the year for a sector, divided by the maximum period-average evapotranspiration rate that occurs in a year for that sector, whereby the database has an array of information in which each sector has, associated with it, a plurality of Period Reduction Factors, one Period Reduction Factor for each period of the year; an input means for permitting a user to enter irrigation parameters into the controller, wherein the parameters include: a Maximum Irrigation Duration; an identifier for identifying the sector in which the irrigation system is located; and the current date; and a microprocessor configured to adjust the Maximum Irrigation Duration that has been entered into the controller by multiplying the Maximum Irrigation Duration by a Period Reduction Factor for the current period associated with the sector that has been identified by the user, to obtain an Actual Irrigation Duration for the current period for the identified sector, the microprocessor being further configured to cause the irrigation system to irrigate for the Actual Irrigation Duration during the current period.