Smart sprinkler system and method
First Claim
1. A method for scheduling sprinkling of a sprinkler system at a geographic location, the method comprising the steps of:
- programming a controller of the sprinkler system with a repeating schedule that, without rainfall at the geographic location, repeats a repeating pattern of “
n”
consecutive non-sprinkling event days followed by a sprinkling event day, wherein “
n”
is at least 2;
determining whether rainfall has occurred at the geographic location on one of the non-sprinkling event days before a sprinkling event day; and
when it is determined that rainfall has occurred at the geographic location on one of the non-sprinkling event days, automatically shifting the repeating schedule so that the repeating pattern starts over beginning on a day after the one of the non-sprinkling event days that rainfall occurred, thereby ensuring that the geographic location receives either a sprinkling event or a rainfall event at least every n+1 days.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A sprinkler system is controlled to ensure that a given geographic area receives sufficient watering without being over-watered. The sprinkler system, capable of being programmed to deliver a desired amount of water in accordance with a desired daily watering schedule, is programmed to deliver the desired amount of water every day unless interrupted. Rainfall information is received, and a signal is sent to interrupt the sprinkler system, causing the sprinkler system to: a) follow a predetermined watering schedule when there is no rain, in which case the sprinkler system delivers the desired amount of water following a predetermined number of days, n, without watering, or b) increase n by 1 or more days if the rainfall information indicates at least one significant rain event capable of providing the desired amount of water, and c) return to a) when n expires.
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Citations
65 Claims
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1. A method for scheduling sprinkling of a sprinkler system at a geographic location, the method comprising the steps of:
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programming a controller of the sprinkler system with a repeating schedule that, without rainfall at the geographic location, repeats a repeating pattern of “
n”
consecutive non-sprinkling event days followed by a sprinkling event day, wherein “
n”
is at least 2;determining whether rainfall has occurred at the geographic location on one of the non-sprinkling event days before a sprinkling event day; and when it is determined that rainfall has occurred at the geographic location on one of the non-sprinkling event days, automatically shifting the repeating schedule so that the repeating pattern starts over beginning on a day after the one of the non-sprinkling event days that rainfall occurred, thereby ensuring that the geographic location receives either a sprinkling event or a rainfall event at least every n+1 days. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A sprinkler system including a controller for delivering water to a geographic location, geographic area, comprising:
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a repeating schedule that is followed when there is no rainfall at the geographic location and that repeats a pattern of “
n”
consecutive non-sprinkling event days followed by a sprinkling event day, wherein “
n”
is at least 2;an input for receiving information regarding whether rainfall has occurred at the geographic location during the non-sprinkling event days, the information including the date of occurrence of the non-sprinkling event day on which rainfall occurred at the location; and a processor programmed to automatically shift the repeating schedule in response to the information received at the input indicating rainfall has occurred or will occur so that the repeating pattern starts over beginning on a day after the date of occurrence of the rainfall, thereby ensuring that the geographic location receives either a sprinkling event or a rainfall event at least every n+1 days. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65)
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Specification