Auxiliary sprinkler controller for a smart sprinkler system and method of operating same
First Claim
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1. A method for operating a sprinkler system having a legacy sprinkler controller configured to provide a plurality of n durations daily to each of a plurality of sprinkler zones, each duration having a time of occurrence and length, the method comprising:
- providing a watering program to an auxiliary sprinkler controller that is configured to inhibit and enable sprinkling by the legacy sprinkler controller;
at the time of occurrence for each of the plurality of durations, the auxiliary sprinkler controller selectively inhibiting or enabling sprinkling for each duration according to the watering program of the auxiliary sprinkler controller, thereby allowing 2n different values of total sprinkling duration for each of the plurality of zones; and
wherein the watering program is provided to the auxiliary controller and indicates, for each respective one of the plurality of n durations daily for each of the plurality of sprinkler zones, whether to inhibit or enable sprinkling for the respective one of the plurality of n durations at the time of their occurrence;
configuring the auxiliary sprinkler controller to receive the watering program daily, and wherein the watering program indicates which of the durations to enable or inhibit at the respective time of their occurrence for each of a next plurality of days.
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Abstract
An auxiliary sprinkler controller is used to control sprinkling by selectively enabling or inhibiting operation of a legacy sprinkler controller. The legacy sprinkler controller provides electrical power to a particular zone of several zones during each of a plurality of durations, and multiple durations, “n,” are provided for each zone. As a result, each zone can be watered for any of 2n combinations of the durations for a desired total watering duration.
38 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A method for operating a sprinkler system having a legacy sprinkler controller configured to provide a plurality of n durations daily to each of a plurality of sprinkler zones, each duration having a time of occurrence and length, the method comprising:
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providing a watering program to an auxiliary sprinkler controller that is configured to inhibit and enable sprinkling by the legacy sprinkler controller; at the time of occurrence for each of the plurality of durations, the auxiliary sprinkler controller selectively inhibiting or enabling sprinkling for each duration according to the watering program of the auxiliary sprinkler controller, thereby allowing 2n different values of total sprinkling duration for each of the plurality of zones; and wherein the watering program is provided to the auxiliary controller and indicates, for each respective one of the plurality of n durations daily for each of the plurality of sprinkler zones, whether to inhibit or enable sprinkling for the respective one of the plurality of n durations at the time of their occurrence; configuring the auxiliary sprinkler controller to receive the watering program daily, and wherein the watering program indicates which of the durations to enable or inhibit at the respective time of their occurrence for each of a next plurality of days. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. An auxiliary sprinkler controller operable to control sprinkling in a plurality of zones by a legacy sprinkler controller configured to provide a plurality of n durations daily to each of a plurality of sprinkler zones, each duration having a time of occurrence and length, the auxiliary sprinkler controller comprising:
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a microcontroller; a switch circuit, coupled to and controlled by the microcontroller, and operable to selectively open or close a circuit path between the plurality of zones and the legacy sprinkler controller; wherein the microcontroller is operable, by execution of programmatic instructions, to, at the time of occurrence for each of the plurality of durations selectively inhibit or enable sprinkling for each duration according to a watering program of the auxiliary sprinkler controller by opening or closing, respectively, the switch circuit, thereby allowing 2n different values of total sprinkling duration for each of the plurality of zones; wherein the watering program is provided to the auxiliary controller and indicates, for each respective one of the plurality of n durations daily for each of the plurality of sprinkler zones, whether to inhibit or enable sprinkling for the respective one of the plurality of n durations at the time of their occurrence and wherein the watering program indicates which of the durations to enable or inhibit as the respective time of their occurrence for each of a next plurality of days. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A smart sprinkler system, comprising:
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a legacy sprinkler controller operable to provide, daily, for each of n durations, an electrical pulse to one of a plurality of solenoid-controlled valves for a corresponding zone of a plurality of zones; an auxiliary sprinkler controller operable to, at the time of occurrence for each of the plurality of durations, selectively inhibit or enable sprinkling for each duration according to a watering program of the auxiliary sprinkler controller by opening or opening or closing, respectively, the switch circuit, thereby allowing 2n different values of total sprinkling duration for each of the plurality of zones, and further operable to determine an initial condition of the legacy sprinkler controller based on the time of occurrence and length for each of the plurality of durations; and a remote device operable to receive the initial condition of the legacy sprinkler controller from the auxiliary sprinkler controller and present an interface to a user to receive input from the user for the watering program, wherein the user selects ones of the durations of the legacy sprinkler controller in the interface for the watering program, and wherein the server communicates the watering program to the auxiliary sprinkler controller. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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Specification