Irrigation Controller Using Historical Evapotranspiration Data
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current irrigation control systems face challenges in efficiently using water due to the high cost of sensors required for accurate weather data and the unreliability of approximating evapotranspiration models, which are affected by non-repeating weather conditions and inconsistent environmental factors.
Innovation Solution
An irrigation control system that uses a combination of historical environmental data stored in memory and current sensor readings to determine plant water requirements, adjusting irrigation schedules based on region-specific conditions, thereby reducing the need for expensive real-time weather data and improving accuracy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If expensive sensors are used to obtain accurate real-time weather data for evapotranspiration models, then measurement precision is improved, but device cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-stores historical evapotranspiration data and weather data in the controller memory before operation. This preliminary preparation allows the system to retrieve and use this stored data during runtime without requiring expensive real-time sensors for all parameters, thereby reducing device cost while maintaining measurement precision through the combination of historical and current data.
2Ease of manufacture
If approximations of evapotranspiration models are used to reduce sensor requirements, then device cost is reduced, but reliability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses current temperature readings from a simple, low-cost sensor as feedback to adjust the irrigation schedule based on stored historical evapotranspiration data. This feedback mechanism allows the system to adapt to current weather conditions while relying on the accuracy of pre-stored historical data, thereby maintaining reliability without requiring expensive real-time weather sensors.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates a simplified model by copying and storing historical evapotranspiration data and weather data in the controller. Instead of using complex real-time measurements for all parameters, the system uses these copied historical values combined with current temperature data to determine irrigation needs, achieving reliable results with a simpler, more cost-effective sensor configuration.
3Device complexity
If simple temperature-based adjustments are used instead of full evapotranspiration models, then device complexity is reduced, but measurement precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-calculates and stores evapotranspiration values and weather data for various conditions in the controller memory. This preliminary computation of complex parameters allows the system to use simple temperature-based adjustments during operation while maintaining measurement precision, as the complex evapotranspiration calculations have already been performed and stored in advance.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and devices are provided to automatically determine plant water requirements and adjust irrigation. In one implementation, a method comprises: receiving, from a user via a user interface of an irrigation control unit and at a time after an initial commercial sale, a region identifier corresponding to a region of the irrigation controller; identifying a set of historical values from a plurality of sets of historical values pre-stored in a memory of the irrigation control unit; receiving a current value of at least one other environmental variable from at least one sensor; receiving at least one historical value from the identified set of historical values from the memory; determining the plant water requirements using the at least one historical value and the current value; outputting an adjustment control message to the irrigation controller; and adjusting execution of the irrigation schedule, the irrigation schedule defined for a peak irrigation period.