Wireless remote irrigation control

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11089746-B2
Application number	US-202016738879-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 9, 2020
Priority date	Jul 15, 2016
Publication date	Aug 17, 2021
Grant date	Aug 17, 2021

Abstract

Systems, apparatuses, and methods are provided herein related to irrigation control systems. In some embodiments, an irrigation control system includes a router, an access point, and irrigation controller, a wireless adapter, and a mobile device. The mobile device can communicate with the wireless adapter in a direct communication mode in which the wireless adapter creates a wireless network, a first indirect communication mode in which the mobile device and the wireless adapter communicate via the access point while the mobile device is within range of the access point, and a second indirect communication mode in which the mobile device and the wireless adapter communicate via the access point while the mobile device is out of range of the access point.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An irrigation control system comprising:
an irrigation controller located within a coverage range of a first local wireless network and configured to control irrigation by outputting control signals to one or more water flow control devices;
a wireless adapter, wherein the wireless adapter comprises a processor, a memory and a wireless communication chipset;
an irrigation control application, wherein the irrigation control application is configured to execute on a mobile device, and wherein the irrigation control application is configured to communicate with the irrigation controller via the wireless adapter to provide a remote user control interface to the irrigation controller; and
a server configured to communicate with at least one of the wireless adapter and the irrigation control application without requiring creation of a user account comprising a user identification and a user password saved at the server,
wherein the irrigation control application is configured to communicate with the wireless adapter in each of the following communication modes and without requiring the creation of the user account comprising the user identification and the user password saved at the server:
a direct communication mode between the wireless adapter and the mobile device where the wireless adapter creates a second local wireless network and the mobile device becomes a client of the second local wireless network, wherein the direct communication mode is required for configuration of the wireless adapter via the irrigation control application, wherein a password is created during the direct communication mode that allows the irrigation control application to access the wireless adapter in an indirect communication mode, and wherein the password is not stored at the server;
the indirect communication mode where the wireless adapter and the mobile device communicate via an access point using the first local wireless network, wherein during the indirect communication mode the irrigation control application transmits the password to the wireless adapter via the access point to access the wireless adapter.

2. The irrigation control system of claim 1 , wherein the only required mode is the direct communication mode.

3. The irrigation control system of claim 1 , wherein the wireless adapter can be fully configured for communication with the irrigation control application in the direct communication mode.

4. The irrigation control system of claim 1 , wherein the wireless adapter does not require transmission of the password from the mobile device when receiving communications in the direct communication mode.

5. The irrigation control system of claim 1 , wherein the wireless adapter is integrated with the irrigation controller.

6. The irrigation control system of claim 1 , wherein the wireless adapter is separable from the irrigation controller, and wherein the wireless adapter physically couples to the irrigation controller at a port of the irrigation controller.

7. The irrigation control system of claim 1 , wherein the indirect communication mode is a default mode.

8. The irrigation control system of claim 1 , wherein the wireless adapter includes a physical input, wherein selection of the physical input forces the wireless adapter to communicate in the direct communication mode.

9. The irrigation control system of claim 1 , wherein the wireless adapter allows reset of the password without input of the password when in the direct communication mode.

10. The irrigation control system of claim 1 , wherein the wireless adapter is configured to receive a geographically-based weather adjustment factor.

11. The irrigation control system of claim 10 , wherein the irrigation control application allows a user to select at the mobile device whether then wireless adapter will output control signals to the irrigation controller responsive to receipt at the wireless adapter of the geographically-based weather adjustment factor.

12. The irrigation control system of claim 1 , wherein once configured at the irrigation controller, the wireless adapter can be disconnected from the irrigation controller and coupled to a second irrigation controller and operate with the irrigation control application at the second irrigation controller.

13. The irrigation control system of claim 1 , wherein a transition from one communication mode to another communication mode is one or more of: manually performed by a user interacting with the irrigation control application; and automatically performed in the operation between the wireless adapter and the irrigation control application.

14. The irrigation control system of claim 1 , wherein the irrigation control application allows a user to transmit encrypted credentials to a person, wherein the encrypted credentials allow the person to access the wireless adapter.

15. The irrigation control system of claim 14 , wherein the encrypted credentials allow the person to access the wireless adapter temporarily.

16. A method for communicating between a mobile device and an irrigation controller, the method comprising:
receiving, at a mobile device via an irrigation control application, user input, wherein the user input indicates a command for the irrigation controller; and
receiving at a wireless adapter that is within a coverage area of a first local wireless network, the command for the irrigation controller, wherein the command is received from:
the mobile device when the wireless adapter is in a direct communication mode, wherein when in the direct communication mode the wireless adapter creates a second local wireless network and the mobile device becomes a client of the second local wireless network, wherein the direct communication mode is required for configuration of the wireless adapter via the irrigation control application, wherein a password is created during the direct communication mode that allows the irrigation control application to access the wireless adapter in an indirect communication mode, and wherein the password is not stored at a server;
the server, via an access point of the first local wireless network, when the wireless adapter is in the indirect communication mode, wherein during the indirect communication mode the irrigation control application transmits the password to the wireless adapter via the access point to access the wireless adapter and wherein when the command is received from the server, creation of a user account comprising a user identification and a user password saved at the server is not required.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the only required mode is the direct communication mode.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein the wireless adapter does not require transmission of the password from the mobile device when receiving communications in the direct communication mode.

19. The method of claim 16 , wherein the indirect communication mode is a default mode.

20. The method of claim 16 , wherein the wireless adapter allows a reset of the password without input of the password when in the direct communication mode.

Assignees

• Rain Bird Corp

Inventors

• Montgomery Randy R
• Micu Anderson I
• Price John E
• Harris James R
• Westphal Jeffrey B
• Peppiatt Ray S
• Whitt Jr Samuel P
• Henderson Forrest M

Classifications

• A01G25/167 Primary

  Control by humidity of the soil itself or of devices simulating soil or of the atmosphere; Soil humidity sensors · CPC title

• G05B19/042

  using digital processors (G05B19/05 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G05B2219/2625

  Sprinkler, irrigation, watering · CPC title

• Y02A40/22

  Improving land use; Improving water use or availability; Controlling erosion · CPC title

• G05B2219/15117

  Radio link, wireless · CPC title