Satellite irrigation controller

• US 20050203669A1
• Filed: 02/10/2005
• Published: 09/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toro Company (Toro)
• Original Assignee: Toro Company (Toro)
• Inventors: Curren, Scott
• Granted Patent: US 7,328,089 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/284
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 25/16 Control of watering
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 7/0617 specially adapted for fluid materials
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/1866 For controlling soil irrigation

Abstract

In one embodiment, the present invention provides a satellite irrigation controller that allows a user to insert a input/output card into any position in any sequence and be recognized as an input card or an output card. When the correct card type is determined, the card is service according to its specified functionality. In another embodiment, the satellite irrigation controller includes firmware which allows a user to program a range of stations at one time. In yet another embodiment, the satellite irrigation controller provides three user input programs that reduce the amount of input data needed to program the irrigation cycle of an irrigation station.

Claims

1. A satellite irrigation controller comprising:

a controller housing;

a circuit board disposed on said controller housing, said circuit board having a CPU and a memory, said CPU configured to execute an irrigation program, a first communication protocol, and a second communication protocol;

a user interface coupled to said circuit board and further configured to modify irrigation data associated with said irrigation program;

a first I/O port operatively coupled to said circuit board, said first I/O port configured to interchangeably receive an input card and an output card; and

wherein said input card communicates with said first communication protocol and said output card communicates with said second communication protocol.

5. The satellite irrigation controller of claim 1, wherein said first communication protocol is an I²C protocol.

6. The satellite irrigation controller of claim 1, wherein said second communication protocol is a shift register protocol.

7. A method of detecting an I/O card of a satellite controller comprising:

providing a satellite controller comprising a circuit board having a CPU and a memory;

creating a communicative connection between an I/O card and said CPU;

transmitting at least one of a first protocol and a second protocol from said CPU to said I/O card; and

,

determining a type of said I/O card based on a response from the transmitting of at least one of said first protocol and second protocol.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein transmitting a first protocol includes transmitting an I²C protocol and wherein transmitting a second protocol includes transmitting a shift register protocol.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising determining that said I/O card type is an input card in response to the transmitting of said I²C protocol.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising determining that said I/O card type is an output card in response to the transmitting of said shift register protocol.

11. The method of claim 7, further comprising executing an irrigation program by said CPU.

12. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

adding at least one additional I/O card to communicate with said CPU;

transmitting at least one of said first protocol and said second protocol from said CPU to said at least one additional I/O card; and

,

determining a type of said additional I/O card based on a response from the transmitting of at least one of said first protocol and second protocol.

13. An irrigation controller comprising:

a circuit board having a CPU and a memory;

an irrigation program stored in said memory and executable by said CPU;

a user interface coupled to said circuit board for inputting at least one irrigation parameter into said irrigation program;

a routine included in said irrigation program which isolates all irrigation stations having a common value for said at least one irrigation parameter into a range of irrigation stations associated with said irrigation program; and

,

said irrigation program enabling said user to treat said range as a single irrigation station during future adjustments by said user to said irrigation program.

14. An irrigation controller according to claim 13, wherein said at least one irrigation parameter is the run time of said irrigation station.

15. An irrigation controller according to claim 13, wherein said user interface includes a display and wherein said range is displayed on said display.

16. An irrigation controller according to claim 13, wherein said routine divides said range into multiple ranges upon determining a change in said at least one irrigation parameter of at least one irrigation station in said range.

17. An irrigation controller according to claim 13, wherein said routine assigns said range with a unique identifier.

18. A method of setting up an irrigation program comprising:

providing a circuit board having a CPU and a memory;

inputting irrigation parameters of a plurality of irrigation stations into said memory;

isolating a plurality of irrigation stations into a range of irrigation stations based on a commonality in the value of at least one irrigation parameter; and

,

treating said range or irrigation stations as one irrigation station in future inputting of irrigation parameters for said irrigation stations within said range such that a change in said irrigation parameter for one irrigation station within said range results in a change to said irrigation parameter for all irrigation stations within said range.

19. A method according to claim 18, wherein inputting irrigation parameters includes inputting a run-time.

20. A method according to claim 18, wherein the isolating of a plurality of stations includes isolating a plurality of irrigation stations based on a common value in the run-time of said irrigation stations.

21. A method according to claim 18, further comprising assigning an identifier to said range.

22. A method according to claim 18, further comprising the dividing of said range into a plurality of ranges based on the change of said irrigation parameter in one of said irrigation stations within said range.

23. A method according to claim 18, further comprising displaying to a user the identity of said range.

24. An irrigation controller comprising:

a controller housing;

a microprocessor disposed in said controller housing;

a memory disposed in said controller housing and operatively coupled to said microprocessor; and

,

an irrigation scheduling program within said memory, said irrigation scheduling program having a plurality of default irrigation routines selectable by a user, each of said default irrigation routines being distinguished from another of said default irrigation routines by the degree of inputs required from a user in order to render said irrigation scheduling program executable.

25. An irrigation controller according to claim 24, wherein said plurality of default irrigation routines includes at least three default irrigation routines.

26. An irrigation controller according to claim 24, wherein said plurality of default irrigation routines includes a basic default program, a grow-in default program and an advanced default program.

2. The satellite irrigation controller of claim 1, wherein said input card is a sensor card.

3. The satellite irrigation controller of claim 1, wherein said output card is an irrigation station control card.

4. The satellite irrigation controller of claim 1, wherein said first I/O port is configured to interchangeably receive an input card and an output card with a ribbon cable.

27. An irrigation controller according to claim 26, wherein the inputs required from a user in said basic default program include start time, runtime, percentage runtime adjustment, and maximum number of simultaneously running stations.

28. An irrigation controller according to claim 26, wherein the inputs required from a user in said grow-in default program include start time, runtime, percentage runtime adjustment, maximum number of simultaneously running stations and delay time between cycles.

29. An irrigation controller according to claim 26, wherein the inputs required from a user in said advanced default program include start time, end time, runtime, percentage runtime adjustment, maximum number of simultaneously running stations, active irrigation days and schedule repeats.

30. The method according to claim 26, wherein the inputting of said required user inputs includes inputting start time, runtime, percentage runtime adjustment, maximum number of simultaneously running stations and delay time between cycles.

31. The method according to claim 26, the inputting of said required user inputs includes inputting start time, end time, runtime, percentage runtime adjustment, maximum number of simultaneously running stations, active irrigation days and schedule repeats.

26-1. A method of programming an irrigation controller comprising:

providing a CPU and memory having a programmable irrigation program;

selecting a default irrigation routine from a plurality of default irrigation routines, each of said default irrigation routines being distinct from another of said default irrigation routines according to the number of required user inputs;

inputting said required user inputs for said selected default irrigation routine; and

,

executing said default irrigation routine.

27-2. The method according to claim 26, wherein the selecting of a default irrigation routine includes selecting from at least three default irrigation routines.

28-3. The method according to claim 26, wherein the selecting of a default program includes selecting one of a basic default program, a grow-in default program and an advanced default program, said basic default program requiring the least number of user inputs and said advanced default program requiring the highest number of user inputs.

29-4. The method according to claim 26, wherein the inputting of said required user inputs includes inputting start time, runtime, percentage runtime adjustment, and maximum number of simultaneously running stations.