Irrigation control system

• US 20060161309A1
• Filed: 11/07/2005
• Published: 07/20/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Charles Ashurst, Steven Edward Moore, Travis L. Barney
• Original Assignee: Charles Ashurst, Steven Edward Moore, Travis L. Barney
• Inventors: Barney, Travis L., Moore, Steven Edward, Ashurst, Charles
• Application Number:
  US11/269,489
• Publication Number:
  US 20060161309A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/284
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 25/16 Control of watering
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 40/22 Improving land use; Improving water use or availability; Controlling erosion

Abstract

An irrigation control system and method for controlling irrigation based on weather data. Weather data such as wind, temperature, solar radiation, humidity, and rainfall, may be collected at one or more weather stations for a region. The weather data may be compiled on a computer and transmitted to a paging broadcast service. The weather data may then be transmitted by the paging broadcast service to controller interfaces associated with irrigation systems throughout the region. The controller interfaces may adjust irrigation controllers associated with the irrigation systems based on the weather data such that the proper amount of water is applied. This allows the water to be used more efficiently and the health of the landscape to be improved.

Claims

1-50. -50. (canceled)

51. A system for interfacing with an irrigation controller to improve an irrigation output, said irrigation controller capable of receiving a control signal in at least one mode chosen from the group comprising ET pulsed, ET enable, ET trigger, rain pulse, weather interrupt and direct data transfer, said system comprising:

a first interface means for selecting at least one control signal output mode, said at least one control signal output mode being selected to correspond to the at least one mode in which the irrigation controller is designed to receive the control signal;

a second interface means for transmitting the control signal in the at least one control signal output mode to the irrigation controller; and

said irrigation controller improving said irrigation output based upon said control signal.

52. The system of claim 51 further comprising an antenna, said antenna receiving data broadcast over the airwaves and said control signal being derived from said data.

53. The system of claim 52 wherein the data comprises weather data collected at a site remote of the irrigation controller, and the system further comprising a processing means for calculating evapotranspiration from at least partially said weather data;

said evapotranspiration being used to derive the control signal.

54. The system of claim 53 wherein the system further comprises one or more local weather sensors to receive local weather data;

said local weather data being used to calculate in conjunction with at least a part of the broadcasted weather data to calculate the evapotranspiration.

55. The system of claim 51 wherein the first interface means comprises a connector adapted to receive a transmission cable connected to a computer or an integrated keypad.

56. The system of claim 51 wherein the second interface means comprises at least one field wire connection adapted to receive a transmission cable connected to the irrigation controller.

57. The system of claim 51 wherein the ET pulse mode provides a momentary switch closure for a preselected amount of evapotranspiration through the second interface means to the irrigation controller.

58. The system of claim 51 wherein the ET enable mode interrupts a common output of the irrigation controller until a predetermined evapotranspiration threshold is reached, said common output connected to the second interface means.

59. The system of claim 51 wherein the ET trigger mode signals the irrigation controller through the second interface means that irrigation is needed when a predetermined threshold value of evapotranspiration is reached.

60. The system of claim 51 wherein the rain pulse mode produces a momentary switch closure through the second interface means for a preselected amount of rain.

61. The system of claim 51 wherein the weather interrupt mode interrupts a common output of the irrigation controller routed through the second interface means to prevent irrigation pursuant to predetermined conditions.

62. The system of claim 51 wherein the direct data transfer mode allows the irrigation controller to request weather data or evapotranspiration values through the second interface means.

63. An apparatus for interfacing with an irrigation controller to improve irrigation output, said apparatus having an antenna coupled thereto, said antenna receiving data over the airwaves, the apparatus comprising:

a power supply;

a first interface means for receiving user input; and

a second interface means for relaying a control signal to the irrigation controller, said control signal derived at least partially from said data, said second interface means capable of relaying the control signal to the irrigation controller in at least two of the following modes;

ET pulsed, ET enable, ET trigger, rain pulse, weather interrupt and direct data transfer.

64. The apparatus of claim 63 wherein the second interface means being capable of relaying the control signal to the irrigation controller in at least three of the following modes:

ET pulsed, ET enable, ET trigger, rain pulse, weather interrupt and direct data transfer.

65. The apparatus of claim 64 wherein the second interface means being capable of relaying the control signal to the irrigation controller in at least four of the following modes:

ET pulsed, ET enable, ET trigger, rain pulse, weather interrupt and direct data transfer.

66. The apparatus of claim 65 wherein the second interface means being capable of relaying the control signal to the irrigation controller in at least six of the following modes:

ET pulsed, ET enable, ET trigger, rain pulse, weather interrupt and direct data transfer.

67. The apparatus of claim 63 wherein the second interface means is capable of receiving a signal from a rain gauge, said signal passed directly to the irrigation controller or monitored to interrupt irrigation when a threshold is surpassed.

68. The apparatus of claim 63 wherein the first interface means comprises a connector adapted to receive a transmission cable connected to a input device, the input device selected from the group consisting of a computer and an integrated keypad.

69. The apparatus of claim 63 further having a third interface means for receiving local weather data from weather sensors coupled via a cable.

70. The apparatus of claim 63 wherein the data is weather data.

71. The apparatus of claim 70 further comprising a processing means to calculate evapotranspiration, said control signal derived from said evapotranspiration.

72. The apparatus of claim 71 wherein processing means modifies the evapotranspiration by a crop coefficient.

73. The apparatus of claim 63 wherein the data is a precalculated evapotranspiration value.

65-1. The apparatus of claim 64 wherein the second interface means being capable of relaying the control signal to the irrigation controller in at least five of the following modes:

ET pulsed, ET enable, ET trigger, rain pulse, weather interrupt and direct data transfer.

74. An apparatus for interfacing with an irrigation controller to improve irrigation output, said apparatus having an antenna coupled thereto, said antenna receiving data over the airwaves, the apparatus comprising:

a power supply;

a first interface means for receiving user input; and

a second interface means for relaying a control signal to the irrigation controller, said control signal derived at least partially from said data, said second interface means capable of relaying the control signal to the irrigation controller in at least two of the following modes;

ET pulsed, ET enable, ET trigger, and direct data transfer.

75. The apparatus of claim 74 wherein the second interface means is capable of relaying the control signal to the irrigation controller in at least three of the following modes:

ET pulsed, ET enable, ET trigger, and direct data transfer.

76. The apparatus of claim 74 wherein the second interface means is capable of relaying the control signal to the irrigation controller in any of the following modes:

ET pulsed, ET enable, ET trigger, and direct data transfer.

77. An apparatus for interfacing with an irrigation controller to improve irrigation output, said apparatus having an antenna coupled thereto, said antenna receiving data over the airwaves, the apparatus comprising:

a power supply;

a first interface means for receiving user input; and

a second interface means for relaying a control signal to the irrigation controller, said control signal derived at least partially from said data, said second interface means capable of relaying the control signal to the irrigation controller in at least two of the following modes;

(a) generating a momentary switch closure on a wire coupled to the irrigation controller for each predetermined amount of evapotranspiration, said irrigation controller basing a decision to irrigate on said momentary switch closure,

(b) interrupting a common wire thereby preventing irrigation by the irrigation controller until a predetermined evapotranspiration threshold is reached,

(c) tripping a relay to signal the irrigation controller through a wire that irrigation is needed when a predetermined evapotranspiration threshold is reached, and

(d) allowing the irrigation controller to directly access the data or an evapotranspiration value calculated from said data thereby allowing the irrigation controller to determine when to irrigate.

78. The apparatus of claim 77 wherein the second interface means being capable of relaying the control signal to the irrigation controller in at least three of the following modes:

(a) generating a momentary switch closure on a wire coupled to the irrigation controller for each predetermined amount of evapotranspiration, said irrigation controller basing a decision to irrigate on said momentary switch closure,

(b) interrupting a common wire thereby preventing irrigation by the irrigation controller until a predetermined evapotranspiration threshold is reached,

(c) tripping a relay to signal the irrigation controller through a wire that irrigation is needed when a predetermined evapotranspiration threshold is reached, and

(d) allowing the irrigation controller to directly access the data or an evapotranspiration value calculated from said data thereby allowing the irrigation controller to determine when to irrigate.

79. The apparatus of claim 77 wherein the second interface means being capable of relaying the control signal to the irrigation controller in all of the following modes:

(a) generating a momentary switch closure on a wire coupled to the irrigation controller for each predetermined amount of evapotranspiration, said irrigation controller basing a decision to irrigate on said momentary switch closure,

(b) interrupting a common wire thereby preventing irrigation by the irrigation controller until a predetermined evapotranspiration threshold is reached,

(c) tripping a relay to signal the irrigation controller through a wire that irrigation is needed when a predetermined evapotranspiration threshold is reached, and

(d) allowing the irrigation controller to directly access the data or an evapotranspiration value calculated from said data thereby allowing the irrigation controller to determine when to irrigate.

80. A method for interfacing with an irrigation controller to improve an irrigation output, said irrigation controller designed to receive a control signal in at least one mode chosen from the group comprising ET pulsed, ET enable, ET trigger, rain pulse, weather interrupt and direct data transfer, said method comprising the steps of:

selecting at least one control signal output mode, said at least one control signal output mode being selected to correspond to the at least one mode in which the irrigation controller is designed to receive the control signal;

transmitting the control signal in the control signal output mode to the irrigation controller;

improving said irrigation output based upon said control signal.