System for growing plants and method of operation thereof
View Patent ↗A system for growing plants, the system may include a substrate having one or more weakened areas or openings: one or more grow portions coupled to the substrate and situated at the one or more weakened areas or openings and having at least one seed or plant; and/or a fluid distribution portion coupled to the substrate and configured to provide fluid to the one or more grow portions. The system may further include a method of operation including one or more acts of: obtaining a weather forecast for a future time period; determining whether rain is expected during the future time period; and preventing, terminating, or restricting an irrigation cycle when it is determined that rain is expected during the future time period. The restricting may restrict a flow of liquid during the irrigation cycle or shorten the irrigation interval.
1. A system for growing plants, the system comprising:
a substrate having one or more weakened areas or openings;
one or more grow portions coupled to the substrate and situated at the one or more weakened areas or openings and having at least one seed or plant; and
a fluid distribution portion coupled to the substrate and having a plurality of openings at least one of the openings situated at the one or more grow portions and configured to provide fluid to the one or more grow portions, wherein the substrate and the fluid distribution portion are configured to be rolled into a spiral.
2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising one or more of a pump, a valve, an actuator, a solenoid, and a regulator coupled to the fluid distribution portion and configured to control pressure or flow of the fluid of the fluid distribution portion.
3. The system of claim 2 , further comprising at least one controller configured to control the operation of at least one of the one or more of the pump, valve, actuator, solenoid, and regulator.
4. The system of claim 3 , further comprising one or more sensors at one or more of the grow portions and configured to sense one or more of temperature, moisture, matric potential, and acidity (pH) of the one or more grow portions and form corresponding sensor information.
5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the one or more sensors provide the sensor information to the at least one controller.
6. The system of claim 5 , further comprising a bus coupled to the one or more sensors and being substantially contiguous to a major surface of the substrate.
7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the at least one controller receives the sensor information from the one or more sensors via the bus.
8. The system of claim 6 , wherein the substrate and the bus are configured to be rolled into the spiral.
9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the fluid distribution portion comprises a flow manifold flow coupled to the plurality of openings.
10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the flow manifold has a longitudinal length which extends along a longitudinal length of the substrate, the flow manifold being coupled to the substrate so as to be substantially contiguous to a surface of the substrate.
11. The system of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of openings is configured to emit a liquid at the corresponding grow portion.
12. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a barrier to form cavity to provide an environment configured to be suitable for growing of the at least one seed or plant.
13. The system of claim 12 , further comprising a support to hold the barrier in a substantially open position.
14. A system for growing plants, the system comprising:
a substrate having one or more weakened areas or openings;
one or more grow portions coupled to the substrate and situated at the one or more weakened areas or openings and having at least one seed or plant;
a fluid distribution portion coupled to the substrate and having a plurality of openings at least one of the openings situated at the one or more grow portions and configured to provide fluid to the one or more grow portions, and
a bus being substantially contiguous to a major surface of the substrate and coupled to one or more sensors, wherein the substrate and the bus are configured to be rolled into a spiral.
15. The system of claim 14 , further comprising one or more of a pump, a valve, an actuator, a solenoid, and a regulator coupled to the fluid distribution portion and configured to control pressure or flow of the fluid of the fluid distribution portion.
16. The system of claim 15 , further comprising at least one controller configured to receive sensor information from the one or more sensors and control the operation of at least one of the pump, valve, actuator, solenoid, and regulator.
17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the one or more sensors are situated at one or more of the grow portions and are configured to sense one or more of temperature, moisture, matric potential, and acidity (pH) of the one or more grow portions and form corresponding sensor information.
18. A system for growing plants, the system comprising:
a substrate having one or more weakened areas or openings;
one or more grow portions coupled to the substrate and situated at the one or more weakened areas or openings and having at least one seed or plant; and
a fluid distribution portion coupled to the substrate and having a plurality of openings at least one of the openings situated at the one or more grow portions and configured to provide fluid to the one or more grow portions, wherein the substrate and the fluid distribution portion are configured to be rolled into a spiral.
19. The system of claim 18 , further comprising a bus coupled to one or more sensors and being substantially contiguous to a major surface of the substrate.
20. The system of claim 19 , wherein the one or more sensors are at one or more of the grow portions and are configured to sense one or more of temperature, moisture, matric potential, and acidity (pH) of the one or more grow portions, form corresponding sensor information, and provide the sensor information to a controller of the system.