PC-Programmed Irrigation Control System
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Accused Products
Abstract
A free-standing field irrigation controller is selectively programmed by a personal computer over a radio link. The computer is equipped with software that displays a screen with seven horizontal time bands representing one day each, arranged vertically to display one week'"'"'s time. Box icons representing watering settings for a plurality of zones can be dragged and dropped onto the time bands, copied and modified thereon as desired, to form a freely selectable watering schedule. Other selectable screens allow odd-days or even-days watering, sophisticated interval watering, global watering time adjustment, and a variety of manual functions. Selectable portions of the main screen can be enlarged as desired. Based on the selected schedule, the computer calculates and displays the monthly cost of water. Selected zones can be temporarily disabled to deal with weather or maintenance issues. A handheld global shut-off and manual watering remote and/or a separate radio-linked computer may be used in field maintenance.
104 Citations
38 Claims
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1-18. -18. (canceled)
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19. A method of operating an irrigation system comprising:
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providing a computer at a first location; providing an irrigation controller at a second location;
said irrigation controller coupled to at least one water valve for controlling passage of water to at least one sprinkler;
said irrigation controller further configured to wirelessly receive, store and execute an irrigation schedule transmitted from said computer;
said irrigation controller further configured to execute an irrigation schedule regardless of whether said irrigation controller is linked to said computer;wirelessly transmitting a polling message from said computer to said irrigation controller; wirelessly transmitting a status message in response to said polling message from said irrigation controller to said computer; and
,determining a status of said irrigation controller. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A method of operating an irrigation system comprising:
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executing irrigation software on a computer; initiating a wireless connection with said irrigation software between said computer and an irrigation controller; wirelessly transmitting a polling message with said irrigation software between said computer and said irrigation controller; wirelessly transmitting a status message with said irrigation controller between said irrigation controller and said computer; determining a status of said irrigation controller by said irrigation software; determining an irrigation schedule with said irrigation software; wirelessly transmitting said irrigation schedule to said irrigation controller; and
,executing said irrigation schedule with said irrigation controller. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. A method of operating an irrigation system comprising:
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executing irrigation software on a computer; initiating a wireless connection with said irrigation software between said computer and an irrigation controller; wirelessly transmitting a polling message with said irrigation software between said computer and said irrigation controller; wirelessly transmitting a time synchronization message from said computer to said irrigation controller; updating a clock circuit within said irrigation controller; determining an irrigation schedule with said irrigation software; wirelessly transmitting said irrigation schedule to said irrigation controller; and
,executing said irrigation schedule with said irrigation controller;
said irrigation schedule being executed according to a time of said clock circuit. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38)
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Specification