Water flow management systems and methods
First Claim
1. An interrupt control apparatus comprising:
- a plurality of input terminals, each input terminal configured to receive a respective control signal from an irrigation controller configured to generate a plurality of control signals for controlling a plurality of irrigation devices, disposed in a plurality of zones and configured to provide fluid to the plurality of zones, according to an irrigation schedule;
a plurality of output terminals, each output terminal configured to transmit one of the received control signals to at least one irrigation device of the plurality of irrigation devices;
a plurality of switching elements coupling the input terminals to respective output terminals, each respective input terminal is coupled to the respective switching element, each respective output terminal is coupled to the respective switching element, and each switching element of the plurality of switching elements receives a respective control signal from the irrigation controller;
a processing system, including at least one processor, the processing system being at least configured to;
wirelessly receive data from a flow sensor coupled to a master irrigation system valve through which fluid is provided to an irrigation system, wherein the flow sensor is configured to measure flow of fluid into the irrigation system during execution of the irrigation schedule;
based on the received data from the flow sensor, determine whether the fluid flow in one or more zones of the plurality of zones exceeds a preset value; and
when the determination is made that the fluid flow in one or more zones of the plurality of zones exceeds the preset value during execution of the irrigation schedule, control one or more of the switching elements receiving at least one of the plurality of control signals from the irrigation controller according to the irrigation schedule to interrupt the transmission of the at least one of the plurality of control signals to the one or more irrigation devices of the plurality of irrigation devices.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Embodiments of the present disclosure provide systems and methods for controlling water flow in a water distribution system (e.g., irrigation system). In an irrigation system, an interrupt controller receives control signals from an irrigation controller and data from sensors disposed in the irrigation system, and modifies operations of components in the irrigation system based on the sensor data. The sensor data is analyzed to determine conditions in the irrigation system. Based on the analysis, the operation of the irrigation system is interrupted or modified to optimize the supply of water. The interruption or modification of the operation of the irrigation system allows detected abnormal conditions to be investigated and corrected.
46 Citations
23 Claims
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1. An interrupt control apparatus comprising:
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a plurality of input terminals, each input terminal configured to receive a respective control signal from an irrigation controller configured to generate a plurality of control signals for controlling a plurality of irrigation devices, disposed in a plurality of zones and configured to provide fluid to the plurality of zones, according to an irrigation schedule; a plurality of output terminals, each output terminal configured to transmit one of the received control signals to at least one irrigation device of the plurality of irrigation devices; a plurality of switching elements coupling the input terminals to respective output terminals, each respective input terminal is coupled to the respective switching element, each respective output terminal is coupled to the respective switching element, and each switching element of the plurality of switching elements receives a respective control signal from the irrigation controller; a processing system, including at least one processor, the processing system being at least configured to; wirelessly receive data from a flow sensor coupled to a master irrigation system valve through which fluid is provided to an irrigation system, wherein the flow sensor is configured to measure flow of fluid into the irrigation system during execution of the irrigation schedule; based on the received data from the flow sensor, determine whether the fluid flow in one or more zones of the plurality of zones exceeds a preset value; and when the determination is made that the fluid flow in one or more zones of the plurality of zones exceeds the preset value during execution of the irrigation schedule, control one or more of the switching elements receiving at least one of the plurality of control signals from the irrigation controller according to the irrigation schedule to interrupt the transmission of the at least one of the plurality of control signals to the one or more irrigation devices of the plurality of irrigation devices. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 23)
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10. An interrupt controller comprising:
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a plurality of input terminals, each input terminal configured to receive a respective control signal provided by an irrigation controller controlling supply of water to a plurality of irrigation zones by activating and deactivating, according to an irrigation schedule, a plurality irrigation devices disposed in the plurality of irrigation zones; a plurality of output terminals, each output terminal configured to couple to at least one irrigation device of the plurality of irrigation devices; a signal control circuit including a plurality of relays for coupling the input terminals to respective output terminals, wherein each respective input terminal of the plurality of input terminals is directly coupled to a respective relay which is directly coupled to a respective output terminal, and each relay of the plurality of relays receives a respective control signal from the irrigation controller via the coupled input terminal; a network interface configured to wirelessly receive data from a flow sensor coupled to a master irrigation system valve through which water is provided to an irrigation system, wherein the flow sensor is configured to measure flow of water into the irrigation system during execution of the irrigation schedule; and a control system coupled to the signal control circuit and the network interface, the control system configured to; based on the received data from the flow sensor, determine whether the water flow in one or more zones of the plurality of zones exceeds a preset range; and when the water flow in one or more irrigation zones of the plurality of irrigation zones is determined to exceed the preset range, control one or more relays of the plurality of relays in the signal control circuit receiving at least one of the plurality of control signals from the irrigation controller according to the irrigation schedule to decouple one or more input terminals from the respective one or more output terminals to interrupt the supply of water to one or more irrigation zones by the irrigation devices disposed in the one or more irrigation zones in which the water flow is determined to exceed the preset range. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored therein a program executed by at least one processor of an interrupt control apparatus comprising:
- a plurality of input terminals, each input terminal configured to receive a respective control signal from an irrigation controller configured to generate a plurality of control signals for controlling a plurality of irrigation devices, disposed in a plurality of zones and configured to provide fluid to the plurality of zones, according to an irrigation schedule;
a plurality of output terminals, each output terminal configured to transmit one of the received control signals to at least one irrigation device of the plurality of irrigation devices; and
a plurality of switching elements coupling the input terminals to respective output terminals, each respective input terminal is coupled to the respective switching element, each respective output terminal is coupled to the respective switching element, and each switching element of the plurality of switching elements receives a respective control signal from the irrigation controller, the program, when executed, causing the processor to;wirelessly receive data from a flow sensor coupled to a master irrigation system valve through which fluid is provided to an irrigation system, wherein the flow sensor is configured to measure flow of fluid into the irrigation system during execution of the irrigation schedule; based on the received data from the flow sensor, determine whether the fluid flow in one or more zones of the plurality of zones exceeds a preset value; and when the determination is made that the fluid flow in one or more zones of the plurality of zones exceeds the preset value during execution of the irrigation schedule, control one or more of the switching elements receiving at least one of the plurality of control signals from the irrigation controller according to the irrigation schedule to interrupt the transmission of the at least one of the plurality of control signals to the one or more irrigation devices of the plurality of irrigation devices. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
- a plurality of input terminals, each input terminal configured to receive a respective control signal from an irrigation controller configured to generate a plurality of control signals for controlling a plurality of irrigation devices, disposed in a plurality of zones and configured to provide fluid to the plurality of zones, according to an irrigation schedule;
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21. An apparatus comprising:
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a plurality of input terminals, each input terminal configured to receive a respective control signal from an irrigation controller controlling supply of fluid to a plurality of irrigation zones by activating and deactivating, according to an irrigation schedule, a plurality irrigation valves disposed in the plurality of irrigation zones; a plurality of output terminals, each output terminal configured to transmit one of the received control signals to at least one irrigation valve of the plurality of irrigation valves; a signal control circuit including a plurality of switching elements, wherein each respective switching element of the plurality of switching elements couples one of the input terminals to a respective output terminal, each respective input terminal is coupled to the respective switching element, each respective output terminal is coupled to the respective switching element, and each switching element of the plurality of switching elements receives a respective control signal from the irrigation controller; a network interface configured to wirelessly receive data from a flow sensor coupled to a master valve disposed in a main supply line of an irrigation system and through which fluid is provided to the plurality of irrigation valves in the irrigation system, wherein the flow sensor is configured to measure flow of fluid into the irrigation system during operation plurality of irrigation valves based on the irrigation schedule; and a control system coupled to the signal control circuit and the network interface, the control system configured to; compare the fluid flow, represented by the received data, to a first preset value; and when the fluid flow is determined to exceed the first preset value, control at least one switching element of the plurality of switching elements in the signal control circuit receiving at least one of the plurality of control signals from the irrigation controller according to the irrigation schedule to decouple one or more input terminals coupled, via the at least one switching element, to the respective one or more output terminals. - View Dependent Claims (22)
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Specification