Water irrigation system and method of controlling irrigation with community irrigation instructions

• US 20050211793A1
• Filed: 03/26/2004
• Published: 09/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: James Jolly Clark
• Original Assignee: James Jolly Clark
• Inventors: Small, David, Clark, James Jolly, Perkins, Michael T.
• Application Number:
  US10/809,994
• Publication Number:
  US 20050211793A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 239/67
• 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

Abstract

A water irrigation system may include a computer system, a sensing unit, an irrigation controller, and/or a water delivery system. The sensing unit may communicate with the computer system. The sensing unit may include a solar panel. Electricity from the solar panel may be supplied to the sensing unit. The computer system may receive community irrigation instructions. The computer system may control irrigation of a zone to be irrigated at least partially based on the community irrigation instructions. A method of controlling irrigation may include receiving sunlight with a solar panel, using the received sunlight to produce electricity, and providing at least a portion of the produced electricity to a part of the water irrigation system. The method may further include receiving community irrigation instructions and controlling irrigation of a zone to be irrigated by the water irrigation system at least partially based on the community irrigation instructions.

Claims

1. A water irrigation system, comprising:

a computer system;

a sensing unit in communication with the computer system;

wherein the computer system is configured to receive community irrigation instructions; and

wherein the computer system is configured to control irrigation of a zone to be irrigated at least partially based on the community irrigation instructions.

2. The water irrigation system of claim 1, wherein the sensing unit is located near or in the zone to be irrigated, and wherein the sensing unit is elevated from at least a portion of the computer system by at least 2 meters.

3. The water irrigation system of claim 1, wherein the sensing unit comprises a solar panel, wherein the solar panel is configured to receive sunlight, to use the received sunlight to produce electricity, and to supply at least a portion of the electricity to the sensing unit

4. The water irrigation system of claim 1, wherein the sensing unit is coupled to a building.

5. The water irrigation system of claim 1, wherein the sensing unit is coupled to a house.

6. The water irrigation system of claim 1, wherein the sensing unit is coupled to an eave of a house.

7. The water irrigation system of claim 1, wherein the community irrigation instructions comprise instructions to terminate irrigation.

8. The water irrigation system of claim 1, wherein the community irrigation instructions comprise instructions to initiate irrigation.

9. The water irrigation system of claim 1, wherein the community irrigation instructions comprise instructions to reduce a duration of irrigation.

10. The water irrigation system of claim 1, wherein the community irrigation instructions comprise instructions to reduce a frequency of irrigation.

11. The water irrigation system of claim 1, wherein the computer system comprises an infrared receiver.

12. The water irrigation system of claim 1, wherein the computer system comprises an infrared transceiver.

13. The water irrigation system of claim 1, wherein the sensing unit is configured to provide output that is a function of the received sunlight to the computer system, and wherein the computer system is configured to assess solar insolation based on the output from the sensing unit.

14. The water irrigation system of claim 1, wherein the sensing unit is configured to provide output that is a function of the received sunlight to the computer system, wherein the computer system is configured to assess solar insolation as a function of the output from the sensing unit, and wherein the computer system is configured to assess zonal evapotranspiration at least partially based on the assessed solar insolation.

15. The water irrigation system of claim 1, wherein the sensing unit is configured to assess climatological conditions, and wherein the sensing unit comprises a transmitter configured to transmit output that is a function of the climatological conditions to the computer system.

16. The water irrigation system of claim 1, wherein the sensing unit is configured to assess climatological conditions near or in the zone to be irrigated, and wherein the sensing unit comprises a transmitter configured to provide output that is a function of the climatological conditions to the computer system.

17. The water irrigation system of claim 1, further comprising one or more valves that are operated by the computer system.

18. The water irrigation system of claim 1, further comprising one or more valves that are operated by the computer system, wherein at least one of the valves is coupled to one or more conduits, and wherein at least a portion of each conduit is configured to carry water.

19. The water irrigation system of claim 1, further comprising one or more valves that are operated by the computer system, wherein at least one of the valves is coupled to one or more conduits, and wherein at least a portion of each conduit is configured to carry water, and one or more irrigation devices, wherein at least one of the irrigation devices is coupled to at least one of the conduits.

20. The water irrigation system of claim 1, further comprising one or more valves that are operated by the computer system, wherein at least one of the valves is coupled to one or more conduits, wherein at least a portion of each conduit is configured to carry water, and a source of water that is coupled to at least one of the conduits.

21. A method of controlling irrigation, comprising:

receiving sunlight with a solar panel;

using the received sunlight to produce electricity;

supplying at least a portion of the electricity to at least a portion of a water irrigation system;

receiving community irrigation instructions with the water irrigation system; and

controlling irrigation of a zone to be irrigated by the water irrigation system at least partially based on the community irrigation instructions.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising assessing solar insolation based on the received sunlight.

23. The method of claim 21, further comprising assessing solar insolation based on the received sunlight, assessing zonal evapotranspiration at least partially based on the assessed solar insolation, and assessing an irrigation need of the zone to be irrigated at least partially based on the assessed zonal evapotranspiration.

24. The method of claim 21, further comprising assessing solar insolation from the received sunlight, assessing zonal evapotranspiration from the assessed solar insolation, assessing an irrigation need of the zone to be irrigated, and controlling irrigation to at least meet the irrigation need of the zone to be irrigated.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein controlling irrigation comprises initiating irrigation by the water irrigation system.

26. The method of claim 21, wherein controlling irrigation comprises terminating irrigation by the water irrigation system.

27. The method of claim 21, wherein controlling irrigation comprises controlling a duration of irrigation by the water irrigation system.

28. The method of claim 21, wherein controlling irrigation comprises controlling a frequency of irrigation by the water irrigation system.