Sprinkler sensing device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9527102-B2
Application number	US-201414286922-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 23, 2014
Priority date	Aug 20, 2010
Publication date	Dec 27, 2016
Grant date	Dec 27, 2016

Abstract

The present invention is directed to an irrigation sprinkler sensor for sensing if a sprinkler riser has elevated, if water is flowing through the sprinkler riser, if the sprinkler is rotating, or if a sprinkler valve has properly closed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of determining a position of a riser on a sprinkler, comprising:
sensing a riser position with a sprinkler sensing device located at a sprinkler; said sprinkler sensing device comprising a sensor selected from a group of an acoustic sensor, an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a water sensor, a pressure sensor, and a turbine;
receiving sensor data from said sensor with a control circuit that is connected to said sensor; and,
transmitting a sprinkler signal from a transmitter connected to said control circuit, to an irrigation controller; wherein said sprinkler signal is based on said sensor data.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said sprinkler signal contains said sensor data and wherein said irrigation controller determines said riser position.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein said control circuit determines said riser position and wherein said sprinkler signal communicates said riser position.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein said sensor is said acoustic sensor.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein said acoustic sensor comprises two microphones.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein said sensor is said accelerometer.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein said sensor is said gyroscope.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein said sensor is said water sensor.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein said sensor is said pressure sensor.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein said sensor is said turbine.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein said sensor comprises an enclosure configured to mount on an underside of a sprinkler flange.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein said control circuit determines an elevation and rotational position of said riser of said sprinkler.

13. The method of claim 1 , further comprising displaying an alert on a user interface of said irrigation controller based on said sprinkler signal.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein said alert indicates that said riser failed to elevate.

15. A method of determining a position of a riser on a sprinkler, comprising:
sensing with a sprinkler sensing device located at a sprinkler; said sprinkler sensing device comprising a sensor selected from a group of an acoustic sensor, an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a water sensor, a pressure sensor, and a turbine;
receiving sensor data from said sensor with a microcontroller that is connected to said sensor;
determining a riser position with said microcontroller based on said sensor data; and,
transmitting a sprinkler signal from a transmitter connected to said microcontroller to an irrigation controller; wherein said sprinkler signal communicates said riser position.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein said irrigation controller is a central irrigation controller.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein said sensor comprises said acoustic sensor.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein said determining said riser position further comprises comparing said sensor data to a predetermined sound level threshold.

19. The method of claim 16 , wherein said determining said riser position further comprises comparing said sensor data to a predetermined sound level range.

20. The method of claim 15 , wherein said sensor comprises at least two microphones.

21. A method of determining a position of a riser on a sprinkler, comprising:
sensing with an acoustic sensor located at a sprinkler;
receiving sound data from said acoustic sensor with a microcontroller that is connected to said acoustic sensor;
determining a riser position with said microcontroller based on said sound data and a predetermined sound threshold.

22. The method of claim 21 , wherein said acoustic sensor comprises two microphones.

23. The method of claim 21 , wherein said determining a riser position further comprises determining an elevation and rotational position of said riser.

Assignees

• The Toro Co

Inventors

• Hill Jason Lester
• Runge Thomas H
• Korol Alex

Classifications

• B05B15/74

  driven by the discharged fluid · CPC title

• Y10T137/189

  Soil moisture sensing · CPC title

• A01G25/16

  Control of watering · CPC title

• B05B3/0417

  comprising a liquid driven rotor, e.g. a turbine · CPC title

• B05B12/008 Primary

  integrated in or attached to a discharge apparatus, e.g. a spray gun · CPC title