Irrigation controller

• US 20020020441A1
• Filed: 12/14/2000
• Published: 02/21/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/1998
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: John W. Addink
• Original Assignee: John W. Addink
• Inventors: Addink, John W.
• Application Number:
  US09/738,138
• Publication Number:
  US 20020020441A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 137/78.2
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 25/167 Control by humidity of the soil itself or of devices simulating soil or of the atmosphere; Soil humidity sensors
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0318 Processes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/1866 For controlling soil irrigation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/189 Soil moisture sensing

Abstract

An irrigation controller modifies sophisticated irrigation protocols using an extremely simple user control. In one aspect of a particularly preferred class of embodiments, the user control includes a simple “more/less” (increase/decrease) adjustment. In another aspect of preferred embodiments, the controller automatically determines appropriate irrigation amounts, start times, durations, and frequencies. Such automatic determination may advantageously be based in part on the more/less adjustment, and in part on an external signal, such as that transmitted by a radio transmitter.

Claims

1. An irrigation controller for controlling irrigation to an irrigation zone, comprising:

a parameter receiving mechanism which receives at least one irrigation parameter selected from the group consisting of water allotment, geographic location, temperature, evapo-transpiration amount, plant type, soil type, slope, drainage, and a predefined irrigation schedule; and

a microprocessor which utilizes the at least one irrigation parameter to completely determine a first irrigation schedule, including start times and durations.

2. The irrigation controller of claim 1 wherein the parameter receiving mechanism comprises a keypad.

3. The irrigation controller of claim 1 wherein the parameter receiving mechanism comprises a radio receiver.

4. The irrigation controller of claim 1 wherein the at least one irrigation parameter comprises water allotment.

5. The irrigation controller of claim 1 wherein the at least one irrigation parameter comprises geographical location and a second irrigation parameter selected from the group consisting of water allotment, temperature, evapo-transpiration rate, plant type, soil type, slope, drainage, and a predefined irrigation schedule.

6. The irrigation controller of claim 1 wherein the at least one irrigation parameter comprises geographical location and at least two additional irrigation parameters selected from the group consisting of water allotment, temperature, evapo-transpiration rate, plant type, soil type, slope, drainage, and a predefined irrigation schedule.

7. The irrigation controller of claim 1 wherein the at least one irrigation parameter comprises evapo-transpiration rate, and a second irrigation parameter selected from the group consisting of temperature, geographical location, plant type, soil type, slope, drainage, and a predefined irrigation schedule.

8. The irrigation controller of claim 1 wherein the at least one irrigation parameter comprises evapo-transpiration rate, and at least two additional irrigation parameters selected from the group consisting of geographical location, temperature, plant type, soil type, slope, drainage, and a predefined irrigation schedule.

9. The irrigation controller of claim 1 wherein the parameter receiving mechanism comprises:

at least one of a keypad and a radio receiver;

the at least one irrigation parameter comprises geographical location and a second irrigation parameter selected from the group consisting of temperature, evapo-transpiration rate, plant type, soil type, slope, drainage, and a predefined irrigation schedule, and

the microprocessor further determines at least in part a start time for said watering.

10. The irrigation controller of any of claims 1-9 further comprising an adjustment receiving mechanism which receives a piece of adjustment information reflecting a determination of adequacy of the first irrigation schedule, and the microprocessor utilizing the adjustment information to determine a second irrigation schedule different from the first irrigation schedule.

11. The irrigation controller of claim 10 wherein the adjustment receiving mechanism comprises a more/less adjustment.

12. The irrigation controller of claim 10 further comprising a plurality of watering zones controlled by the controller, wherein the adjustment information is used to modify a relative amount of water dispensed to the watering zones without modifying the total amount of water dispensed to the watering zones.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising the controller controlling at least two irrigation zones, and wherein the step of operating the more/less adjustment mechanism to modify the preliminary irrigation schedule comprises operating the more/less adjustment mechanism to separately modify the preliminary irrigation schedule in each of the at least two irrigation zones.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein the step of providing a more/less adjustment mechanism comprises providing a first button corresponding to increasing the amount of water provided to the irrigated area, and a second button corresponding to decreasing the amount of water provided to the irrigated area.

16. The method of claim 13 wherein the step of providing a more/less adjustment mechanism comprises providing a slide control.

17. The method of claim 13 wherein the step of providing a more/less adjustment mechanism comprises providing a rotating control knob.

18. The methods of claim 13 further comprising a plurality of watering zones controlled by the controller, wherein the more/less adjustment mechanism is used to modify a relative amount of water dispensed to the watering zones without modifying the total amount of water dispensed to the watering zones.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising providing a more/less adjustment mechanism to modify the relative watering information.

21. The method of claim 19 further comprising providing a more/less adjustment mechanism to modify the relative watering information without modifying a total amount of water dispensed to the watering zones.

13. A method of controlling irrigation to a zone using an irrigation controller, comprising:

receiving a signal from a signal source, said signal being at least partially dependent upon a weather condition;

allowing the controller to control a watering valve for a substantial period of time according to a preliminary irrigation schedule based at least in part upon the signal;

visually examining the irrigated area to determine the effect of watering according to the preliminary irrigation schedule;

providing the irrigation controller with a more/less adjustment mechanism which only indirectly controls an amount of water provided to the irrigated area;

operating the more/less adjustment mechanism to modify the preliminary irrigation schedule to provide a modified schedule; and

allowing the controller to control the valve according to the modified schedule.

19. A method of controlling irrigation to a plurality of zones using an irrigation controller, comprising:

providing the controller with water allotment information;

providing the controller with relative watering information for the plurality of zones;

providing a flow meter which provides flow information relating to flow of water to the plurality of zones;

using the controller to operate a plurality of watering valves to dispense water to the plurality of zones at least in part according to the water allotment information;

the relative watering information, and the flow information.

22. The method of any of claims 19-21 further comprising using the controller to determine a first irrigation schedule, including start times.