Method and apparatus for programming a decoder-based irrigation controller
First Claim
1. A decoder-based irrigation controller comprising:
- a controller housing;
a first microcontroller within the controller housing and configured to control operation of the decoder-based irrigation controller;
a decoder interface coupled to the first microcontroller, the decoder interface is configured to encode control data onto a power signal to be applied to a multi-wire control path to which each of a plurality of decoder units will be coupled;
a first connector coupled to the first microcontroller;
a removable cartridge configured to removably and detachably couple to the first connector to fit into the controller housing, wherein the removable cartridge comprises a second microcontroller; and
a handheld barcode reader, wherein the handheld barcode reader comprises an optical reader configured to read an optically readable pattern from each of the plurality of decoder units, wherein the handheld barcode reader is configured to transfer data read from the optically readable pattern of the plurality of decoder units to the second microcontroller of the removable cartridge, and wherein the data comprises an address of each of the plurality of decoder units.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A decoder-based irrigation controller comprising a controller housing; a first microcontroller within the controller housing; a decoder interface coupled to the first microcontroller; a first connector coupled to the first microcontroller; a removable cartridge configured to removably and detachably coupled to the first connector to fit into the controller housing, wherein the removable cartridge comprises a second microcontroller; and a handheld barcode reader, wherein the handheld barcode reader comprises an optical reader configured to read an optically readable pattern from each of the plurality of decoder units, wherein the handheld barcode reader is configured to transfer data read from the optically readable pattern of the plurality of decoder units to the second microcontroller of the removable cartridge, and wherein the data read comprises an address of each of the plurality of decoder units.
17 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A decoder-based irrigation controller comprising:
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a controller housing; a first microcontroller within the controller housing and configured to control operation of the decoder-based irrigation controller; a decoder interface coupled to the first microcontroller, the decoder interface is configured to encode control data onto a power signal to be applied to a multi-wire control path to which each of a plurality of decoder units will be coupled; a first connector coupled to the first microcontroller; a removable cartridge configured to removably and detachably couple to the first connector to fit into the controller housing, wherein the removable cartridge comprises a second microcontroller; and a handheld barcode reader, wherein the handheld barcode reader comprises an optical reader configured to read an optically readable pattern from each of the plurality of decoder units, wherein the handheld barcode reader is configured to transfer data read from the optically readable pattern of the plurality of decoder units to the second microcontroller of the removable cartridge, and wherein the data comprises an address of each of the plurality of decoder units. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method for use with a decoder-based irrigation controller, the method comprising:
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reading, by a handheld barcode reader, an optically readable pattern from each of a plurality of decoder units to be associated with the decoder-based irrigation controller, wherein the decoder-based irrigation controller comprises a housing and a first microcontroller configured to control operation of the decoder-based irrigation controller, wherein the decoder-based irrigation controller further comprises a decoder interface configured to encode control data onto a power signal to be applied to a multi-wire control path to which each of the plurality of decoder units will be coupled; transferring, by the handheld barcode reader, data read from the optically readable pattern of the plurality of decoder units to a second microcontroller of a removable cartridge of the decoder-based irrigation controller, wherein the data comprises an address of each of the plurality of decoder units, wherein the removable cartridge is configured to removably and detachably couple to a first connector of the decoder-based irrigation controller to fit into a controller housing of the decoder-based irrigation controller; and receiving the data at the second microcontroller of the removable cartridge. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification