Patent ID: 7877168
Filing Date: 2011-01-25
Classification: A01G,Y02A

Abstract:
1. An evapotranspiration (ET) unit, comprising: a box-like enclosure; a processor associated with the boxlike enclosure; a first communication link for enabling direct communication between the processor and a plurality of environmental sensors each capable of generating a signal representing an actual component of ET data; at least one control mounted in the box-like enclosure and operably connected to the processor for inputting further ET-related information; programming that enables the processor to calculate optimum watering schedules based on the actual ET data and the ET-related information 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 a separate irrigation controller that allows the processor to turn the plurality of stations ON and OFF through the irrigation controller in accordance with the optimum watering schedules.