US 12,259,349 B2
Soil moisture estimation
Amir Orangi, Melbourne (AU); and Guillermo Andres Narsilio Ferrero, Melbourne (AU)
Assigned to The University of Melbourne, Melbourne (AU)
Filed by The University of Melbourne, Melbourne (AU)
Filed on Aug. 2, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/444,277.
Application 17/444,277 is a continuation of application No. PCT/AU2020/050079, filed on Feb. 4, 2020.
Claims priority of application No. 2019900329 (AU), filed on Feb. 4, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2021/0364462 A1, Nov. 25, 2021
Int. Cl. G01N 27/22 (2006.01); A01G 25/16 (2006.01); G01K 1/143 (2021.01); G01N 33/24 (2006.01); G06F 30/20 (2020.01); G06F 111/10 (2020.01)
CPC G01N 27/223 (2013.01) [A01G 25/167 (2013.01); G01K 1/143 (2013.01); G01N 33/246 (2013.01); G06F 30/20 (2020.01); G06F 2111/10 (2020.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of calculating a soil moisture profile, comprising the steps of:
obtaining a capacitance measurement of a soil surface obtained by a contact sensor in contact with the soil surface, the contact sensor comprising at least one capacitor at a location;
applying a preselected calibration to the capacitance measurement to obtain a top surface moisture estimate;
obtaining local climatic and hydrological data correlated with the location, the local climatic and hydrological data comprising at least local water input data; and
calculating an estimate of the soil moisture at the location by applying a preselected evapotranspiration model to the top surface moisture estimate and the local climatic and hydrological data.