SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR ADAPTATION TO WIRELESS REMOTE CONTROL OF IRRIGATION VALVES FROM EXISTING HARDWIRED CONTROL DEVICES
First Claim
1. method of retrofitting a hard-wired irrigation system for wireless communication, wherein the hard-wired irrigation system comprises an irrigation controller that is adapted to be electrically coupled to at least one irrigation solenoid valve by one or more physical wires, the irrigation controller being adapted to output control signals to the irrigation solenoid valve via the one or more physical wires, the method comprising:
- wiring a wireless adapter to at least one output of the irrigation controller so that the wireless adapter receives the control signals;
wiring a wireless receiver to the irrigation solenoid valve; and
inducing the wireless adapter to transmit a transformed version of the received control signals, wherein in response to receiving the transformed version of the control signals, the wireless receiver activates the irrigation solenoid.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A low cost system and method for retrofitting an existing control device to communicate wirelessly with one or more water-flow devices is provided. For example, an existing wired irrigation system may be adapted to allow wireless communication between a commercially available irrigation controller and commercially available water-flow devices, such as sprinkler valves. A wireless irrigation adapter receives control signals from an existing irrigation controller and transmits a wireless representation of the control signals. Water-flow devices may be coupled to one or more wireless receivers that receive the wireless representation of the control signals and operate the water-flow device(s) accordingly. The wireless irrigation receiver(s) listen(s) for the wireless control signals occasionally, thus reducing power consumption by the wireless receiver(s). This system and method may also wirelessly adapt control devices to irrigation that may never have been intended for that purpose when they were fabricated.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. method of retrofitting a hard-wired irrigation system for wireless communication, wherein the hard-wired irrigation system comprises an irrigation controller that is adapted to be electrically coupled to at least one irrigation solenoid valve by one or more physical wires, the irrigation controller being adapted to output control signals to the irrigation solenoid valve via the one or more physical wires, the method comprising:
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wiring a wireless adapter to at least one output of the irrigation controller so that the wireless adapter receives the control signals;
wiring a wireless receiver to the irrigation solenoid valve; and
inducing the wireless adapter to transmit a transformed version of the received control signals, wherein in response to receiving the transformed version of the control signals, the wireless receiver activates the irrigation solenoid. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A method of controlling an irrigation system, the irrigation system comprising an irrigation solenoid valve electrically coupled to a wireless receiver and an irrigation controller electrically coupled to a wireless adapter, the method comprising:
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transmitting an activation control signal from the wireless adapter, the activation control signal being representative of an activation signal received from the irrigation controller indicating that the irrigation solenoid valve should be activated in order to allow water to flow through the irrigation solenoid valve to one or more water distribution devices that are in fluidic communication with the irrigation solenoid valve;
receiving the activation control signal at the wireless receiver, wherein the wireless receiver alternates between a listen period and a sleep period, wherein during the sleep period the wireless receiver draws less power than in the listen period and the activation control signal is only detected by the wireless receiver during the listen period;
in response to receiving the activation control signal, activating the irrigation solenoid valve; and
de-activating the irrigation solenoid valve if the activation control signal is not again received during a predetermined quantity of one or more of the listen and the sleep periods, thereby reducing a likelihood of the irrigation solenoid valve over-watering. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A wireless irrigation adapter comprising:
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one or more input connections for hard-wiring to respective output connections of an irrigation controller, at least some of the output connections of the irrigation controller each being configured to output indications of when one or more irrigation valves associated with respective output connections are to be active;
a wireless transmitter for transmitting an activation signal indicating one or more of the irrigation valves; and
a first wireless receiver coupled to a first irrigation valve and coupled to receive an AC power signal from an AC power source, wherein, in response to receiving the activation signal indicating the first irrigation valve, the first wireless receiver initiates activation of the first irrigation valve so as to allow water to flow to one or more water distribution devices coupled to the first irrigation valve. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A wireless adapter system for use with an irrigation controller that is configured for hard-wiring to one or more irrigation valves associated with respective of one or more watering zones, wherein each of the irrigation valves is coupled to one or more water distribution devices and the irrigation valves are configured to control passage of water to respectively coupled water distribution devices, the irrigation controller further comprising a separate electrical connection for hard-wiring to each of the one or more irrigation valves, the wireless adapter system comprising:
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a wireless transmitter comprising a plurality of input connections configured for coupling to the electrical connections of the irrigation controller so that the wireless transmitter receives control signals from the irrigation controller and the wireless transmitter periodically transmits a wireless signal indicative of which watering zones should be active in accordance with the control signals from the irrigation controller on the input connections; and
one or more wireless receivers associated with respective of the irrigation valves, wherein the wireless receivers, in response to receiving the wireless signal, selectively activate their corresponding irrigation valves, wherein the wireless receivers are further adapted to de-activate their respective irrigation valves if the wireless signal is not detected during a pre-determined time interval to thereby reduce the likelihood of the irrigation valve over-watering due to not detecting the wireless signal during the pre-determined time interval. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification