Patent ID: 7271887

Claim:
A sunlight measuring device comprising: a sunlight measurement means for sensing incoming light at a particular site over a period of time and converting said incoming light to an electronic signal; a microprocessor that receives said electronic signal, determines a magnitude of said electronic signal and calculates an accumulated light value over said period of time, and compares said accumulated light value to threshold values that are programmed into said microprocessor; a plurality of light condition indicators, each single light condition indicator corresponding to a particular one of said threshold values; and a power supply; wherein, when said accumulated light value reaches one of said threshold values, said microprocessor causes a corresponding light condition indicator of said plurality of light condition indicators to be illuminated; and wherein said illuminated light condition indicator indicates a light condition that corresponds to one of several light conditions, said several light conditions being indicated in common gardening terms that include a full sun condition and a full shade condition.