An irrigation controller is disclosed together with associated methods and computer program products. User input specifying a requested start time may be received. A total desired watering time may be calculated. A total permissible watering time may be calculated. The start time may be moved back relative to the requested start time in response to determining that the total permissible watering time is less than the total desired watering time.

One variation of a method for deploying sensors within an agricultural facility includes: accessing scan data of a set of modules deployed within the agricultural facility; extracting characteristics of plants occupying the set of modules from the scan data; selecting a first subset of target modules from the set of modules, each target module in the set of target modules containing a group of plants exhibiting characteristics representative of plants occupying modules neighboring the target module; for each target module, scheduling a robotic manipulator within the agricultural facility to remove a particular plant from a particular plant slot in the target module and load the particular plant slot with a sensor pod from a population of sensor pods deployed in the agricultural facility; and monitoring environmental conditions at target modules in the first subset of target modules based on sensor data recorded by the first population of sensor pods.

The present invention relates to an intelligent gardening system, for monitoring and controlling gardening apparatuses in a gardening area, including: multiple sensors that collect environmental information of the gardening area; one or more gardening apparatuses that perform gardening work according to a control instruction; and a control center that generates the control instruction based on the environmental information; wherein the sensors, the gardening apparatuses and the control center communicate with each other to form an Internet of Things.

The present disclosure is related to a smart irrigation system that includes a first sensor configured to monitor a moisture level at a location and a second sensor configured to monitor a contamination level within a fluid. The smart irrigation system also includes one or more processors configured to receive a first signal from the first sensor, receive a second signal from the second sensor, and route the fluid to the location in response to the first signal indicating that the moisture level is below a moisture threshold and the second signal indicating that the contamination level is below a contamination threshold.

A system and method for obtaining real-time data regarding the condition of a crop and planning and executing an irrigation cycle in response to the data. The invention uses an unmanned aerial vehicle to survey the conditions within an irrigated area. The irrigation system includes components to vary the amount of water dispensed within particular areas. The data obtained is used to create an irrigation schedule that the irrigation system then carries out. For example, surveyed areas that contain more moisture may be given relatively less water during the next irrigation cycle. The data obtained may also be used to alter a scheduled delivery of fertilizer, pesticide, or some other substance.

A system and method for crop management uses data of specific varieties, such as the effect of growing degree units (GDU) on the phenological stage and optimal soil moisture percentage (SMP) to predict crop growth, to water the crops, and to manage agricultural systems by suggesting planting dates required to meet harvest goals. For plants growing in irrigation tracts, the system and method may use soil moisture sensors and the phenological stage information to provide water to the plants. In other embodiments, predictions are made of harvest dates for planted varieties and/or planting dates to reach harvest goals. The effect of mulching may be taken into account.

Described herein are several embodiments relating to irrigation controllers. In many implementations, the irrigation controllers include a housing and a removable plug-in device. The housing includes a control portion comprising a first microcontroller configured to execute stored irrigation programs. The housing includes an interface connector port and driver circuitry configured to actuate irrigation valves based on control signals received from the first microcontroller. The removable plug-in device removably coupled to the interface connector port and comprising a second microcontroller and a wireless modem configured to communicate with a wireless network. The second microcontroller configured to send and receive data communications to and from the first microcontroller, such that the first microcontroller and the second microcontroller function together during use of the irrigation controller, wherein the removable plug-in device does not include any driver circuitry configured to actuate any irrigation valves based on any control signals received from the first microcontroller.

A garden watering assembly includes a plurality of sensing units and each of the sensing units has a probe which is insertable into soil in a garden to determine moisture content of the soil in the garden. The sensing units broadcast a sensing signal comprising moisture content of the soil in the garden. A controller module broadcasts an irrigation signal when the controller module receives a sensing signal from any of the sensing units which communicates a moisture level that is below the pre-determined moisture threshold. A pump unit is in remote communication with the controller module and the pump unit irrigates the soil in the garden when the controller module broadcasts the irrigation signal.

An Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD) method/system for irrigating a field using a pump comprising an outlet supplying water to the field and an inlet connected to a water source is disclosed. The method/system comprises a sensor placed at a location in the field for sensing a water depth below a surface of the field and transmitting the water depth to a controller located remotely from the sensing location using a wireless connection. The controller enables the pump when the sensed water depth is below a threshold depth and disables the pump when the sensed water depth is above a threshold depth.

The present invention provides a system, method and apparatus for irrigation control and data management. According to a preferred embodiment, an irrigation control system may include a data collection module which receives and stores system data generated by sensors and supporting systems including irrigation, drive, weather, sensor and electrical systems of a mechanized irrigation system. According to preferred embodiments, the system preferably also includes a system control module which transmits system control instructions to system components. Additionally, the present invention also includes a display module which provides a display of graphical user interfaces embedded with system data and selectable control instructions.