The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jun. 28, 2016
Filed:
May. 02, 2014
The Regents of the University of California, Oakland, CA (US);
Shrinivasa K. Upadhyaya, Davis, CA (US);
Rajveer Dhillon, Davis, CA (US);
Jedediah Roach, Sacramento, CA (US);
Francisco Rojo, Davis, CA (US);
THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, Oakland, CA (US);
Abstract
An apparatus and system for monitoring plant leaves to determine plant water needs and an automated variable-rate irrigation management system which can implement precision irrigation by taking into account specific plant water status is presented. Single or networked sensor platforms have a suite of sensors including a leaf temperature sensor for measuring leaf temperatures over time; an air temperature sensor; a relative humidity sensor for measuring relative humidity surrounding a leaf; a wind speed sensor for measuring wind speed surrounding a leaf; and an ambient light sensor for measuring solar radiation on the leaf. One platform has diffuser dome, leaf retainer and wind barrier structures. The sensor platform may have a computer processor and programming for obtaining and recording sensor measurements and determining plant water status in response to sensor measurements. The system may have a central control computer and communications link for communications with the platforms.