Patent ID: 7412303
Filing Date: 2008-08-12
Classification: A01G

Abstract:
1. An evapotranspiration (ET) unit, comprising: a box-like enclosure; a processor mounted in the box-like enclosure; a first communication link for enabling communication between the processor and a plurality of environmental sensors each capable of generating a signal representing an actual component of ET data; a plurality of manually actuable controls mounted in the box-like enclosure and operably connected to the processor for inputting further ET-related information selected from the group consisting of plant type, soil condition, growth stage and sprinkler precipitation rate; programming that enables the processor to calculate changes to a set of watering schedules of a predetermined watering program of a separate irrigation controller based on the actual ET data and the ET-related information, the changes including increases and decreases in the frequency and/or length of ON times for selected ones of a plurality of stations; and a second communication link for enabling communication between the processor and the irrigation controller for communicating the changes to the irrigation controller.