Irrigation controller

• US 20050171646A1
• Filed: 01/28/2005
• Published: 08/04/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Miller
• Original Assignee: Robert Miller
• Inventors: Miller, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 7,058,479 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/284
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 25/16 Control of watering
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/0426 Programming the control sequence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25092 Customized control features, configuration
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2625 Sprinkler, irrigation, watering

Abstract

An irrigation controller for selectively turning on and off a set of sprinkler valve stations. The irrigation controller is programmable by a user. The irrigation controller includes an irrigation control processor. The irrigation control processor includes an input port, an output port, a memory element for storing an irrigation control program and irrigation control parameters, the irrigation control program implementing a plurality of functionalities that are selectively enabled, a processing unit for executing the irrigation control program, and a bus connecting said processing unit to said memory element and to said input and output ports. An input device is interfaced with the input port. The output port is provided with interface with the sprinkler valve stations for controlling the turning on and off of the sprinkler valve stations. The input device cooperates with the control program to enable at least one specific functionality from the functionalities in response to a predetermined input being received from the user through the input device.

Claims

1. An irrigation controller for selectively turning on and off a set of sprinkler valve stations, said irrigation controller being programmable by a user, said irrigation controller comprising:

a. an irrigation control processor, including

i. an input port;

ii. an output port;

iii. a memory element for storing an irrigation control program and irrigation control parameters, said irrigation control program implementing a plurality of functionalities that are selectively enabled;

iv. a processing unit for executing said irrigation control program; and

v. a bus connecting said processing unit to said memory element and to said input and output ports;

b. an input device interfaced with said input port;

c. said output port being provided for interfacing with the sprinkler valve stations for controlling the turning on and off of said sprinkler valve stations;

d. said input device cooperating with said control program to enable at least one specific functionality from said functionalities in response to a predetermined input being received from the user through said input device.

2. An irrigation controller as defined in claim 1, wherein said specific functionality includes controlling a first subset of sprinkler valve stations from the set of sprinkler valve stations.

3. An irrigation controller as defined in claim 2, wherein:

a. said control program controls a second subset of sprinkler valve stations disjoint from the first subset of sprinkler valve stations prior to the predetermined input being received from the user through said input device; and

b. said control program controls both the first and second subsets of sprinkler valve stations further to the predetermined input being received from the user through said input device.

4. An irrigation controller as defined in claim 3, wherein said irrigation controller comprises a plurality of control devices connected to said control port, each of said control devices being for controlling the turning on and off of a respective one of said sprinkler valve stations.

5. An irrigation controller as defined in claim 4, wherein said controller includes a number of control devices able to control both said first and second subset of sprinkler valve stations.

6. An irrigation controller as defined in claim 3, wherein:

a. said input device includes a keypad; and

b. said predetermined input includes a predetermined key sequence.

7. An irrigation controller as defined in claim 3, wherein:

a. said input device includes a keypad;

b. said controller further comprises a display port and a display device each interfaced with said display port;

c. said bus connects said processing unit to said memory element and to said display, input and output ports

d. said predetermined input includes entering a predetermined sequence of symbols through said keypad, said keypad allowing the selection of said symbols from a predetermined set of symbols by displaying in sequence said set of symbols onto said display in response to a first predetermined key from said keypad being pressed by the user and by selecting a symbol as being entered in response to a second predetermined key from said keypad being pressed by the user.

8. An irrigation controller as defined in claim 3, wherein:

a. said input device includes a network interface connectable to a remotely located computer; and

b. said predetermined input includes a predetermined signal received from said computer through said network interface.

9. An irrigation controller as defined in claim 3, wherein:

a. said input device includes a microphone; and

b. said predetermined input includes a predetermined sequence of sound signals received by said microphone.

10. An irrigation controller as defined in claim 3, wherein:

a. said input device includes an image input device; and

b. said predetermined input includes a predetermined image presented to said image input device.

11. An irrigation controller as defined in claim 3, wherein:

a. said input device includes an infrared receiver; and

b. said predetermined input includes a predetermined infrared signal presented to said infrared receiver.

12. An irrigation controller as defined in claim 3, wherein:

a. said input device includes an electrical port; and

b. said predetermined input includes a predetermined electrical signal received by said electrical port.

13. An irrigation controller as defined in claim 1, wherein said specific functionality is a limited access functionality that should be enabled only when an authorized user uses said irrigation controller.

14. An irrigation controller as defined in claim 1, wherein:

a. said predetermined input is a first predetermined input; and

b. said input device cooperates with said control program to disable said specific functionality in response to a second predetermined input being received from the user through said input device.

15. An irrigation controller as defined in claim 1, wherein said specific functionality is automatically disabled after a predetermined time interval further to the enablement of said specific functionality

16. An irrigation controller as defined in claim 1, wherein said specific functionality is selected from the set consisting of:

allowing a water management functionality whereby a base time sequence of activation of sprinkler valve stations is globally altered through a global parameter;

allowing the activation and inactivation of a light using said irrigation controller;

allowing an adjustment of activation times for each sprinkler valve station in response to a control signal received from a rain sensor;

allowing an entry of additional start times at which each sprinkler valve station is activated;

adding an alternate sensing functionality whereby an adjustment of activation times for each sprinkler valve station 12 is performed in response to a control signal received from an evapotranspiration sensor;

adding a rain delay functionality wherein irrigation is suspended further to an entry of a time delay into said irrigation controller; and

allowing to control the turning on and off of a master pump connected to said irrigation controller and in fluid communication with the sprinkler valve stations so that water flows to the sprinkler valve stations only if the master pump is turned on.

17. An irrigation controller as defined in claim 1, wherein said input and display devices cooperate with said control program to sequentially prompt the user to enter a value for each of the irrigation control parameters, thereby defining a sequence of irrigation control parameters, each irrigation control parameter being prompted for in response to the user indicating that a preceding control parameter in said sequence of control parameters is correctly entered.

18. An irrigation controller as defined in claim 17, wherein the user is prompted for a given control parameter only if the control parameter is associated with a functionality selected from the set including a functionality provided by default with said controller and a functionality that has been previously enabled.

19. An irrigation controller as defined in claim 1, wherein the predetermined input is at least in part determined by a predetermined identifier associated with said irrigation controller.

20. An irrigation controller as defined in claim 1, wherein said irrigation control program implements a demonstration mode allowing the user to operate said irrigation controller without requiring that said irrigation controller is connected to the sprinkler valve stations.

21. A method for selectively enabling a specific functionality from a plurality of functionalities in an irrigation controller, said method comprising the steps of:

a. receiving a user input;

b. comparing the user input to a predetermined input; and

c. upon the user input being identical to the predetermined input, enabling the specific functionality.

22. A computer readable storage medium containing a program element for execution by a computing device for selectively turning on and off a set of sprinkler valve stations, said program element comprising:

a. a plurality of function modules each implementing a respective functionality that is selectively enabled;

b. an input module for receiving inputs from an input device;

c. an output module for interfacing with the sprinkler valve stations for controlling the turning on and off of the sprinkler valve stations;

d. a master module for enabling and disabling the functionalities implemented by said function modules, said master module being operative for enabling at least one specific functionality from the functionalities in response to a predetermined input being received by said input module.