SAME CODE BASE IN IRRIGATION CONTROL DEVICES AND RELATED METHODS

• US 20070282486A1
• Filed: 05/30/2006
• Published: 12/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rain Bird Corporation
• Original Assignee: Rain Bird Corporation
• Inventors: Walker, Ryan L., Colombo, David E., Kew, Whitney M.
• Granted Patent: US 8,433,448 B2
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/1866 For controlling soil irrigation

Abstract

Various embodiments are described in which different irrigation controllers in an irrigation control system have machine code having a same code base. In one implementation, a first irrigation control unit comprises a processor and a medium storing a first set of machine code to be executed by the processor. The first set is based on a portion of source code on which a second set of machine code stored in a second irrigation control unit is based, and the first and second sets not identical to each other. The first and second irrigation control units are in a predefined hierarchical control relationship. In one variation, the first and second control units have at least related operating systems. In another variation, a central controller includes machine code developed from at least a portion of the same source code as machine code in a remote controller for simulation or execution purposes.

Claims

1. A first irrigation control unit comprising:

a processor; and

a computer readable medium coupled to the processor and storing a first set of machine code adapted to be executed by the processor, the first set of machine code based on a portion of source code on which a second set of machine code stored in a second irrigation control unit is based, the first set of machine code and the second set of machine code are not identical to each other,

the second irrigation control unit having a predefined hierarchical control relationship with the first irrigation control unit.

2. The first irrigation control unit of claim 1 wherein the first set of machine code is adapted to implement a first operating system when executed by the processor, wherein the first operating system is at least related to a general purpose computer operating system of a general purpose computer functioning as the second irrigation control unit, the second set of machine code implementing the general purpose operating system.

3. The first irrigation control unit of claim 2 wherein the first operating system comprises a variant of the general purpose computer operating system specifically designed for use in embedded devices.

4. The first irrigation control unit of claim 1 further comprising:

operating system machine code stored on the computer readable medium and adapted to be executed by the processor to implement a first operating system; and

application machine code stored on the computer readable medium and adapted to be executed by the processor to provide an irrigation control application, the application machine code including the first set of machine code;

wherein the first set of machine code is based on the portion of the source code on which the second set of machine code stored in the second irrigation control unit operating in accordance with a second operating system is based, the second set of machine code adapted for use in the second operating system and to accomplish an irrigation control function when executed,

wherein the processor is adapted to execute the application machine code to execute the irrigation control function in the first operating system by executing the first set of machine code.

5. The irrigation control unit of claim 4 wherein the second operating system is different than the first operating system.

6. The irrigation control unit of claim 5, wherein the processor is adapted to execute the application machine code to execute the irrigation control function in the first operating system by emulating at least a portion of the second operating system within the first operating system and executing the first set of machine code.

7. The irrigation control unit of claim 5, wherein the processor is adapted to execute the application machine code to execute the irrigation control function in the first operating system without emulating at least a portion of the second operating system within the first operating system and executing the first set of machine code.

8. The irrigation control unit of claim 4 wherein the processor is adapted to execute the application machine code to simulate the irrigation control function in the first operating system by executing the first set of machine code.

9. The irrigation control unit of claim 4 wherein the processor is adapted to execute the application machine code to execute the irrigation control function in the first operating system and output signaling to implement the executed irrigation control function.

10. The irrigation control unit of claim 4 wherein the first set of machine code is separately developed after development of the second set of machine code.

11. A method of operation in irrigation control comprising:

retrieving a first set of machine code stored in a first irrigation control unit that is based on a portion of source code on which a second set of machine code stored in a second irrigation control unit is based, the first set of machine code and the second set of machine code not identical to each other, the second irrigation control unit having a predefined hierarchical control relationship with the first irrigation control unit; and

executing the first set of machine code.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the first set of machine code is adapted to implement a first operating system when executed, wherein the first operating system is at least related to a general purpose computer operating system of a general purpose computer functioning as the second irrigation control unit, the second set of machine code implementing the general purpose operating system.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the first operating system comprises a variant of the general purpose computer operating system specifically designed for use in embedded devices.

14. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

executing operating system machine code to implement the first operating system; and

wherein the retrieving the first set of machine code step comprises;

retrieving application machine code stored in the first irrigation control unit, the application machine code including the first set of machine code, wherein the first set of machine code is based on the portion of the source code on which the second set of machine code stored in the second irrigation control unit operating in accordance with a second operating system is based, the second set of machine code adapted for use in the second operating system and to accomplish an irrigation control function when executed; and

wherein the executing the first set of machine code step comprises;

executing the application machine code to execute the irrigation control function in the first operating system by executing the first set of machine code.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the second operating system is different than the first operating system.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the executing the application machine code step comprises:

executing the application machine code to execute the irrigation control function in the first operating system by emulating at least a portion of the second operating system within the first operating system and executing the first set of machine. code

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the executing the application machine code step comprises:

executing the application machine code to simulate the irrigation control function in the first operating system by emulating at least a portion of the second operating system within the first operating system and executing the first set of machine code.

18. The method of claim 14 wherein the first set of machine code is separately developed after development of the second set of machine code

19. A first irrigation control unit comprising:

a processor; and

a computer readable medium coupled to the processor and storing a first set of machine code adapted to be executed by the processor to implement a first operating system, wherein the first operating system is at least related to a general purpose computer operating system of a general purpose computer functioning as a second irrigation control unit having a predefined hierarchical control relationship with the first irrigation control unit.

20. The first irrigation control unit of claim 19 wherein the first operating system comprises a variant of the general purpose computer operating system specifically designed for use in embedded devices.

21. The first irrigation control unit of claim 20 wherein the second operating system comprises a MICROSOFT WINDOWS operating system and the first operating system comprises a MICROSOFT WINDOWS CE operating system.

22. The first irrigation control unit of claim 20 wherein the second operating system comprises a MICROSOFT WINDOWS XP operating system and the first operating system comprises a MICROSOFT WINDOWS XP Embedded operating system.

23. The first irrigation control unit of claim 20 wherein the second operating system comprises a LINUX operating system and the first operating system comprises an embedded LINUX operating system.

24. The first irrigation control unit of claim 19 wherein the first operating system is the same as the general purpose computer operating system.

25. The first irrigation control unit of claim 19 further comprising:

output circuitry coupled to the processor and adapted to provide irrigation station actuation signals to at least one irrigation station.