Smart Gardening System using Medication Delivery Technology

Publication ID: 24-11857770_0007_PTD
Published: October 28, 2025
Category:New Applications & Use Cases

Legal Citation

pr1or.art Inc., “Smart Gardening System using Medication Delivery Technology,” Published Technical Disclosure No. 24-11857770_0007_PTD, Published October 28, 2025, available at https://archive.pr1or.art/24-11857770_0007_PTD
This technical disclosure describes improvements that would be readily apparent to a Person Having Ordinary Skill In The Art (PHOSITA) when considered in combination with the foundational architecture disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 11,857,770.

Summary of the Inventive Concept

The present disclosure relates to a smart gardening system that leverages the core technology of a medication delivery device with a sensed element to optimize crop yields and improve plant growth.

Background and Problem Solved

Traditional gardening practices often rely on manual monitoring and fertilization, leading to inefficient use of resources and suboptimal plant growth. The original patent, focused on medication delivery devices, did not consider the potential application of its sensed element technology in agriculture. The present inventive concept addresses this limitation by adapting the medication delivery device's sensed element to detect environmental conditions in gardening, enabling precise fertilizer dispensing and optimized crop yields.

Detailed Description of the Inventive Concept

The smart gardening system comprises a sensor-enabled watering device and a medication delivery device, the latter configured to dispense a precise amount of fertilizer based on the sensed moisture levels of the soil. The medication delivery device's sensed element, such as an annular magnet, detects environmental conditions, which are then used to adjust the amount of fertilizer dispensed. This integration enables farmers and gardeners to optimize crop yields, reduce waste, and improve plant health. The system can be expanded to include a network of medication delivery devices, a central server for data collection and analysis, and wearable devices for monitoring and controlling plant growth.

Novelty and Inventive Step

The inventive concept's novelty lies in the application of a medication delivery device's sensed element technology to the field of gardening, enabling precise fertilizer dispensing and optimized crop yields. The inventive step is the recognition that the sensed element technology, originally designed for dose detection, can be adapted to detect environmental conditions in gardening, thereby solving a significant problem in agriculture.

Alternative Embodiments and Variations

Alternative embodiments of the smart gardening system could include the use of different types of sensed elements, such as temperature or humidity sensors, or the integration of additional features, such as automated irrigation systems or pest control mechanisms. Variations of the system could be designed for specific types of crops or gardening environments, such as indoor or outdoor gardens.

Potential Commercial Applications and Market

The smart gardening system has significant commercial potential in the agriculture and gardening industries, offering a solution to optimize crop yields, reduce waste, and improve plant health. The system could be marketed to farmers, gardeners, and agricultural companies, with potential applications in precision agriculture, vertical farming, and smart gardening.

Field of Art

Medical device technology and precision delivery systems, with expertise in sensor-enabled mechanical devices for controlled dispensing and measurement

Person of Ordinary Skill (PHOSITA) Profile

A skilled engineer with advanced degrees in mechanical engineering or biomedical engineering, familiar with sensor integration, precision dosing mechanisms, and cross-domain technology adaptation

Obviousness Rationale

A PHOSITA would recognize that the core sensing and precise delivery mechanism of the medication device can be readily adapted to alternative domains like agriculture by substituting the dispensed substance and modifying sensor input parameters. The fundamental technological principles of precise measurement, environmental sensing, and controlled dispensing remain consistent across different application contexts.

Obvious Combinations & Variations

Source Patent Element
Annular magnet for dose detection in medication delivery device
PTD Variation
Using annular magnet to sense soil moisture and environmental conditions for fertilizer dispensing
Obviousness Reasoning
Predictable sensor adaptation where a known sensing mechanism is applied to a functionally analogous measurement context with expected and reproducible results
Source Patent Element
Dose setting component for precise medication delivery
PTD Variation
Adapting dose setting mechanism to control precise fertilizer volume based on environmental sensing
Obviousness Reasoning
Known technique of transferring precision mechanical control principles across related technological domains with minimal design modification
Source Patent Element
Integrated sensing element for detecting device state
PTD Variation
Expanding sensing capabilities to detect broader environmental parameters like moisture, temperature, and plant health indicators
Obviousness Reasoning
Finite set of known sensor technologies that can be interchangeably applied with predictable performance characteristics
Source Patent Element
Medication delivery device with rotatable dose setting component
PTD Variation
Implementing similar rotational control mechanism for fertilizer dispensing in agricultural context
Obviousness Reasoning
Obvious design transfer where mechanical principles of precise volumetric control are universally applicable across similar dispensing systems
Source Patent Element
Network-connected medication delivery system
PTD Variation
Creating distributed network of sensor-enabled agricultural delivery devices with centralized data collection
Obviousness Reasoning
Known system integration approach where distributed sensing and data aggregation are applied to a new technological domain
35 U.S.C. § 103 Summary: Based on US Patent 11857770's teachings of sensor-enabled precise delivery mechanisms, the present publication demonstrates that a person of ordinary skill would find the agricultural adaptation of medication delivery device technologies to be an obvious extension of known precision sensing and dispensing principles, thereby rendering potential claims in this domain anticipated and non-patentable.

Original Patent Information

Patent NumberUS 11,857,770
TitleMedication delivery device with a sensed element
Assignee(s)Eli Lilly and Company