Raindrop Sensor For An Irrigation System
First Claim
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1. A precipitation sensor for an irrigation system comprising:
- a housing for receiving precipitation;
a sensing element disposed in said housing to contact said precipitation;
a microprocessor in communication with said sensing element; and
an irrigation schedule interruption mechanism operatively coupled to said microprocessor for selectively interrupting an irrigation schedule of said irrigation system.
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Abstract
The present invention describes a rain sensor that counts water drops with a microcontroller. After a predetermined threshold of water drops have been counted, the rain sensor interrupts an irrigation schedule of an irrigation controller.
62 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A precipitation sensor for an irrigation system comprising:
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a housing for receiving precipitation;
a sensing element disposed in said housing to contact said precipitation;
a microprocessor in communication with said sensing element; and
an irrigation schedule interruption mechanism operatively coupled to said microprocessor for selectively interrupting an irrigation schedule of said irrigation system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A precipitation sensor for an irrigation controller comprising:
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a first enclosure;
a precipitation detection sensor coupled to said first enclosure;
circuitry in communication with said precipitation detection sensor for processing precipitation signals from said precipitation detection sensor and interrupting an irrigation schedule executed on said irrigation controller. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method of interrupting an irrigation system comprising:
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providing an irrigation controller coupled to at least one sprinkler;
coupling a precipitation sensor to said irrigation controller;
directing water drops from precipitation on to a drop sensor;
completing an electrical circuit with said drop sensor during contact with said water drops;
counting a number of circuit completions of said electrical circuit with a microprocessor;
comparing said number of circuit completions of said electrical circuit with a predetermined threshold;
interrupting an irrigation schedule on said irrigation controller when said number of circuit completions is greater than or equal to said threshold. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification