Soil sensor grid

Abstract

A system and method for providing optimal irrigation or watering, and more specifically providing a soil sensor grid placed in the ground of a landscaped property, in commercial, residential or even agricultural areas. The soil sensor grid can allow for optimal water usage in a specified irrigation area by providing real time data to an irrigation system and a user to optimize water usage. A soil sensor grid, or moisture sensor grid, may be installed on a property, buried in the ground, to provide current and real time feedback of the current moisture levels of the soil. The moisture data is uploaded to the cloud and provided to a user and the irrigation system allowing a user to automatically or manually manipulate the irrigation system to properly water or irrigate different portions of the property based on the data from the soil sensor grid.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A system for monitoring moisture content in a soil comprising:
 an irrigation system comprising at least one first sprinkler;   at least one first moisture sensor and at least one second moisture sensor, wherein the at least one first moisture sensor and the at least one second moisture sensor are in communication with each other;   a moisture sensor grid comprising the at least one first moisture sensor and the at least one second moisture sensor, wherein the moisture sensor grid provides moisture content data from the at least one first moisture sensor and the at least one second moisture sensor to a relay device;   at least one controller in communication with the relay device;   a cloud based platform in communication with the controller;
 the cloud based platform configured to receive the moisture content data from at least one of: the at least one controller, the at least one first moisture sensor, and the at least one second moisture sensor, the cloud based platform further configured to communicate the moisture content data to a user interface; 
   wherein the irrigation system, in response to receiving input from the cloud based platform, performs one of either watering more or watering less based on the moisture content data;   the user interface configured to receive a third-party map overlay, the third-party map overlay comprising a satellite image of the moisture sensor grid displayed overlaid on the satellite image at a location of the moisture sensor grid, the at least one first sprinkler displayed overlaid on the satellite image at a location of the at least one first sprinkler, and moisture content data from the at least one first moisture sensor displayed overlaid on the satellite image at a location of the first moisture sensor;   wherein the moisture content data displayed is based on both the satellite image relating to the location of the first moisture sensor and moisture sensor data from the at least one first moisture sensor;   the user interface displaying the map overlay with real-time output data from the at least one first moisture sensor, the user interface further comprising at least one selectable secondary menu displayed overlaid on the satellite image at a location of the at least one first sprinkler, such that when a user selects the at least one first sprinkler, the secondary menu is displayed overlaid on the satellite image at the location of the at least one first sprinkler, the at least one selectable secondary menu comprising predetermined, selectable commands relating to the at least one first sprinkler.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein one of the at least one first moisture sensor or the at least one second moisture sensor communicates solely to the at least one controller via the relay device. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one first moisture sensor and the at least one second moisture sensor comprise a plurality of sensors; and wherein the at least one controller comprises a plurality of controllers. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the user interface is configured to allow a user to manipulate the irrigation system and to manipulate the plurality of sensors to adjust for at least one of sensitivity and changes to landscape. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4  further comprising:
 a cloud based software configured to receive data from the plurality of sensors, wherein the cloud based software stores instructions that when executed by a processor cause the processor to perform instructions, the instructions comprising: 
 receiving data from the plurality of moisture sensors; 
 transferring data to the user interface; and 
 allowing a user to control the plurality of controllers from the user interface based on the data from the plurality of moisture sensors. 
 
     
     
         6 . A system for optimizing irrigation in a soil comprising:
 an irrigation system comprising at least one smart controller and a first zone and a second zone;   a moisture sensor grid comprising:
 a plurality of moisture sensors installed in the soil in a grid format in the first zone and the second zone, wherein the moisture sensor grid provides moisture content data from at least one of the plurality of moisture sensors to the at least one smart controller; 
 a cloud based platform in communication with at least one smart controller, the cloud based platform configured to receive the moisture content data from the at least one smart controller; 
   wherein the irrigation system, in response to receiving communication from the cloud based platform, performs one of either watering more or watering less at at least one of the first zone and the second zone; and   a map overlay comprising the plurality of moisture sensors shown overlaid on a satellite image of a property at a location of the plurality of moisture sensors, and further comprising the first zone and the second zone shown overlaid on the satellite image of the property at a location of the first zone and the second zone; and   a user interface displaying the map overlay with real-time output data from the at least one of the plurality of moisture sensors and from the satellite image of the property at the location of the at least one of the plurality of moisture sensors;   wherein the user interface displaying the map overlay with real-time output data from the at least one of the plurality of moisture sensors further comprises selections for the user to adjust a sensitivity;   the user interface displaying the map overlay with real-time output data from the plurality of moisture sensors, the user interface further comprising a first selectable secondary menu displayed overlaid on the satellite image at a location of the first zone, such that when a user selects the first zone, the secondary menu is displayed overlaid on the satellite image at the location of the first zone, the first selectable secondary menu comprising predetermined, selectable commands relating to the first zone; and   the user interface further comprising a second selectable secondary menu displayed overlaid on the satellite image at a location of the second zone, such that when a user selects the second zone, the secondary menu is displayed overlaid on the satellite image at the location of the second zone, the second selectable secondary menu comprising predetermined, selectable commands relating to the second zone, and wherein the predetermined, selectable commands relating to the second zone are distinct from the predetermined, selectable commands relating to the first zone.   
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the cloud based platform is configured to receive moisture content data from at least one of that at least one smart controller or the moisture sensor grid; wherein the plurality of moisture sensors are equidistant from each other. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7  further comprising: a computer wherein the computer comprises a desktop computer, a tablet, a laptop, or a smartphone. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the user interface is configured to allow a user to manipulate the irrigation system and to manipulate the plurality of moisture sensors to adjust for at least one of sensitivity and changes to landscape. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9  further comprising:
 a cloud based software configured to receive data from the moisture sensor grid, wherein the cloud based software stores instructions that when executed by a processor cause the processor to perform instructions, the instructions comprising: 
 receiving data from the moisture sensor grid; 
 transferring data to the user interface; and 
 allowing a user to control the plurality of controllers from the user interface based on the data from the moisture sensor grid. 
 
     
     
         11 . A method for optimizing watering for an irrigation system, the method comprising the following steps in the following order:
 installing at least one moisture sensor grid in a grid format in a soil on a property, the at least one moisture sensor grid comprising at least two moisture sensors;   selectively powering the at least two moisture sensors;   sensing, by the at least two moisture sensors, moisture levels in the soil of the property;   communicating the moisture levels from the at least two moisture sensors to a relay device, the relay device in communication with a controller, and the controller in communication with a cloud-based platform;   shutting off the at least two moisture sensors after the moisture levels are communicated to the cloud-based platform;   transferring the moisture levels from the cloud-based platform to a computer in communication with the irrigation system;   wherein the irrigation system, in response to receiving moisture levels from the cloud based platform, performs one of either watering more or watering less based on the moisture levels;   obtaining a map overlay comprising the at least two moisture sensors, the at least two moisture sensors comprising a first moisture sensor and a second moisture sensor, the first moisture sensor and the second moisture sensor shown overlaid on a satellite image of a property at a location of the first moisture sensor and the second moisture sensor, respectively;   displaying the at least one moisture sensor grid on a user interface in communication with the cloud-based platform, the user interface overlaid on the satellite image of the property based on satellite data and moisture level data, the user interface further comprising at least one selectable secondary menu displayed overlaid on the satellite image at a location of the first moisture sensor, such that when a user selects one of the first moisture sensor, the secondary menu is displayed overlaid on the satellite image at the location of the first moisture sensor, the at least one selectable secondary menu comprising predetermined, selectable commands relating to the first moisture sensor.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the at least two moisture sensors comprises a plurality of moisture sensors equidistant from each other. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the moisture grid is customized for the property. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the method further comprises installing at least one controller in communication with the at least two moisture sensors. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the at least one controller comprises a plurality of controllers. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein transferring the moisture levels to a computer comprises communicating the moisture levels in a format, wherein the computer comprises a desktop computer, a tablet, a laptop, or a smartphone. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  further comprising: accessing the moisture levels through the cloud based platform. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 11  comprising: manipulating the irrigation system in accordance with the moisture levels sensed from the moisture sensor. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18  comprising: sending a signal to the at least one controller to water the property in accordance with the moisture levels provided by the moisture sensor. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the system further comprises a power source for selectively powering the at least one first moisture sensor and the at least one second moisture sensor and selectively de-powering the at least one first moisture sensor and the at least one second moisture sensor after the moisture content data has been communicated to the cloud based platform. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the system further comprises a power source for selectively powering the at least one first moisture sensor and the at least one second moisture sensor when a predetermined moisture level is reached. 
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 2 , further comprising a localized hub, each of the first moisture sensor and the second moisture sensor in communication with the localized hub, and the localized hub in communication with the at least one controller and configured to communicate the moisture content data to the at least one controller.