Proximity programmed, globally synchronized irrigation controller and system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016100533-A1
Application number	US-201514882253-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 13, 2015
Priority date	Oct 14, 2014
Publication date	Apr 14, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

An irrigation control system having an irrigation controller with a unique identifier and configured to execute irrigation schedules, collect, store and forward watering metrics and determine global time, together with a power source, a global time receiver in communication with the microcontroller and configured to provide time from an outside source to the microcontroller and a transceiver in communication with the microcontroller configured to send messages including its unique identifier, predefined irrigation schedules, stored watering metrics and current global time. The system further includes a mobile computer having a microprocessor, a wireless transceiver configured to receive the messages from the irrigation controller transceiver and transmit instructions to the irrigation controller via a communication link and a memory coupled to the microprocessor and configured to store predefined irrigation schedules, and watering metrics. Methods for providing watering metrics and controlling an irrigation control system or value controller are also disclosed.

First claim

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1 . An irrigation control system, comprising:
an irrigation controller having
a microcontroller having a unique identifier and configured to receive and execute irrigation schedules, collect, store and forward watering metrics, and determine current global time;
a power source;
a global time receiver, in communication with the microcontroller, configured to provide time to the microcontroller;
a transceiver in communication with the microcontroller, the transceiver configured to send messages including at least one of predefined irrigation schedules, stored watering metrics; and
a mobile computer having
a microprocessor;
a wireless transceiver configured to receive the messages from the irrigation controller transceiver and transmit instructions including predefined irrigation schedules to the irrigation controller via a communication link; and
a memory coupled to the microprocessor and configured to store predefined irrigation schedules, and watering metrics.

2 . The irrigation control system of claim 1 , further comprising:
an actuator configured to control a flow of water between a water source and an outlet; and a valve driver circuit, in communication with the microcontroller, configured to drive the actuator according to at least one of the predefined irrigation schedules and water metrics.

3 . The irrigation control system of claim 2 , further comprising a global positioning receiver connected to the microcontroller and configured to provide geospatial information to the microcontroller.

4 . The irrigation control system of claim 3 , further comprising a pressure sensor connected in fluid-sensing relation to the actuator.

5 . The irrigation control system of claim 3 , wherein the mobile computer is configured to:
compare predefined irrigation schedules in the irrigation controller with predefined irrigation schedules stored in the mobile computer memory; and if the predefined irrigation policies or schedules in the irrigation controller are different than the predefined irrigation schedules stored in the mobile computer memory, transmit the predefined irrigation schedules stored in the mobile computer memory to the irrigation controller.

6 . The irrigation control system of claim 5 , wherein
the mobile computer is configured to send a request to the irrigation controller to transfer watering metrics including the geospatial information received by the global positioning receiver and cumulative watering time recorded for each specific geographic location; and the irrigation controller is configured to:
receive the request to provide watering metrics from the mobile computer;
compile the requested watering metrics; and
transmit the watering metrics to the mobile computer via the established communication link.

7 . The irrigation control system of claim 6 , wherein
the mobile computer is operable to associate an irrigation schedule targeted for a specific geospatial position, and the irrigation controller is configured to execute the irrigation schedule targeted for a specific geospatial position when the geospatial information received by the global positioning receiver matches the targeted geospatial position.

8 . A method for providing watering metrics in an irrigation control system having an irrigation controller and a mobile computer, comprising:
sending a request from a wireless transceiver in communication with the mobile computer to a transceiver in communication with the irrigation controller for watering metrics associated with the irrigation controller, including the geospatial location values observed by a global positioning receiver and cumulative amount of watering time of distributing water at that specific geographic location; receiving the request for watering metrics from the mobile computer; compiling the requested watering metrics; transmitting the watering metrics to the mobile computer via the established communication link; and displaying on a user interface of the mobile device the watering metrics in at least one of tabular or graphic format.

9 . An irrigation control system comprising:
a mobile computer comprising a first processor which executes an irrigation scheduling application and a first wireless transceiver controlled by the first processor and adapted to communicate using a first wireless protocol; a valve controller located at a geospatial position comprising:
a second processor connected to a real-time clock and enabled to execute an irrigation schedule;
a second wireless transceiver connected to the second processor and adapted to communicate using the first wireless protocol; and
a wireless receiver connected to the second processor and enabled to acquire real-time clock data from an outside source using a second wireless protocol,
wherein the second processor is configured to periodically adjust the real-time clock to match the real-time clock data,
wherein the first processor executes the irrigation scheduling application on the mobile computer so that the irrigation schedule is synchronized with the irrigation schedule in the valve controller using the first wireless protocol when the mobile device is located in a position that is proximate to the geospatial position of the valve controller.

10 . The irrigation control system of claim 9 , wherein the wireless receiver is a geographic position receiver configured to provide a geospatial position value reflecting the current geospatial position of the valve controller to the second processor.

11 . The irrigation control system of claim 10 , wherein the valve controller further comprising a valve driver circuit that is connected in commanding relation to a valve that is operable to allow a flow of water when the valve is in an open position.

12 . The irrigation control system of claim 11 , wherein
the valve controller further comprising a memory connected to the second processor; and the second processor is configured to measure an amount of time that the valve is in the open position; and record in the memory the amount of time and the geospatial position value.

13 . The irrigation control system of claim 12 , wherein the amount of time and geospatial position values collected by the valve controller are transferred to the mobile computer using the first wireless protocol when the mobile computer is proximate to the valve controller.

14 . The irrigation control system of claim 13 , wherein
the irrigation scheduling application further comprising an interface to associate a targeted irrigation schedule with a targeted geospatial location; the valve controller further receives the targeted irrigation schedule including the targeted geospatial location using the first wireless protocol when the mobile computer is proximate to the valve controller; and the second processor is operable to execute the targeted irrigation schedule when the geospatial position value is approximately equal to the targeted geospatial location.

15 . The irrigation control system of claim 14 , wherein
the valve controller further comprises an accelerometer connected to the second processor; the accelerometer is configured to record local motion of the valve controller as a time-ordered acceleration history; and the second processor is configured to evaluate this time-ordered acceleration history to determine when to acquire an updated geospatial position value.

16 . A method of controlling an irrigation system, comprising:
obt

Assignees

• Nelson Irrigation Corp

Inventors

• Bauman Mark A
• Hutchinson Graham L
• Griggs Travis A
• Neal Meade M

Classifications

• A01G25/16 Primary

  Control of watering · CPC title

• G05B15/02

  electric · CPC title

• Y02A40/22

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