Computer-Operated Landscape Irrigation And Lighting System

• US 20100030389A1
• Filed: 07/31/2006
• Published: 02/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toro Company (Toro)
• Original Assignee: Toro Company (Toro)
• Inventors: Korol, Alex, Palmer, Doug
• Granted Patent: US 8,209,061 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/284
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 25/16 Control of watering
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/16 by timing means
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

A multi-zone landscape irrigation and lighting system includes a personal computer equipped with a detachable wireless remote, and a multi-station controller operating a plurality of irrigation valves and lighting circuits in accordance with schedules wirelessly transmitted to it by the computer through the remote. When detached from the computer, the remote can wirelessly operate selected irrigation or lighting zones manually. The computer has an intuitive graphic user interface capable of using actual zone photographs to identify individual zones in a strip of zone icons. The icon strip is movable past a lens-like window, the zone icon under the lens at a given time determining the zone currently programmable. A residential system can be operated by a contractor from the street, and the system can be programmed by e-mail from the contractor'"'"'s shop. Fully automatic operation may be derived from data obtained over the Internet.

Claims

1-22. -22. (canceled)

23. A landscape control system comprising:

a landscape controller configured to control a plurality of independently controllable zones within a landscape;

a computer in communication with said landscape controller; and

,

landscape control software executable by said computer;

wherein said landscape control software comprises a plurality of zone controls capable of controlling said plurality of independently controllable zones;

said landscape control software is configured to create an irrigation schedule for each of said independently controllable zones; and

said landscape control software is further configured to allow a user-selectable image to be associated with each of said plurality of zone controls.

24. The landscape control system of claim 23, wherein said user-selectable image is a digital photo.

25. The landscape control system of claim 24, wherein said landscape control software is further configured to create a schedule to operate landscape lighting equipment.

26. The landscape control system of claim 25, wherein said user-selectable image is displayed as an icon by said landscape control software.

27. The landscape control system of claim 26, wherein said landscape control software is further configured to email said irrigation schedule to user-selectable email address.

28. The landscape control system of claim 27, wherein said landscape control software is further configured to import an existing irrigation schedule created on a second computer.

29. A landscape controller system comprising:

an irrigation controller configured to control a plurality of irrigation zones;

a computer in wireless communication with said irrigation controller; and

,

irrigation control software executable by said computer and comprising a plurality of images which are optionally user-selectable;

said images being associated with a plurality of controls for controlling irrigation at each of said plurality of irrigation zones.

30. The landscape controller system of claim 29, wherein each of said plurality of irrigation zones is associated with one of said images.

31. The landscape controller system of claim 30, wherein each of said images are configured to cause said irrigation control software to display said controls for controlling irrigation relating to one of said plurality of irrigation zones.

32. The landscape controller system of claim 29, wherein said irrigation software is further configured to obtain weather forecast data for a location of irrigation controller and modify an irrigation schedule.

33. The landscape controller system of claim 29, wherein said irrigation software is further configured to control a schedule for lighting equipment within said landscape.

34. The landscape controller system of claim 30, wherein said irrigation software further comprises an interface for selecting each of said images.

35. A landscape controller system comprising:

an irrigation controller controlling a plurality of irrigation valves of an irrigation system;

a computer in wireless communication with said irrigation controller;

irrigation software disposed on a computer-readable medium and executable by said computer;

wherein said irrigation software is configured for user selectable association of images with a landscape area supplied by each of said plurality of irrigation valves.

36. The landscape controller of claim 35, comprising an image import interface for specifying said images in said irrigation software.

37. The landscape controller of claim 36, wherein said images are displayed as icons by said irrigation software.

38. The landscape controller of claim 37, wherein said images are displayed adjacent to each other by said irrigation software.

39. The landscape controller of claim 35, wherein said irrigation software is configured to email an irrigation schedule to a selectable email address.

40. The landscape controller of claim 39, wherein said irrigation software is configured to import an irrigation schedule created on a second computer.

42. The landscape controller of claim 35, wherein said irrigation software is configured to modify an irrigation schedule based on weather forecast data downloaded to said computer.