Control and communication system

• US 20100222932A1
• Filed: 05/06/2010
• Published: 09/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Water Optimizer, LLC
• Original Assignee: Water Optimizer, LLC
• Inventors: O'Connor, Thomas M.
• Granted Patent: US 8,219,254 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/284
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 25/16 Control of watering
• CPC Class Codes: E03B 7/02 Public or like main pipe systems
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 7/0664 the plurality of throttling means being arranged for the control of a plurality of diverging flows from a single flow G05D7/0652 takes precedence; ratio control G05D11/13
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/189 Soil moisture sensing

Abstract

A combined water management and communication system for a water provider wirelessly communicating with selected ones of the multiplicity of user wireless transceiver for changing water distribution to selective ones of the multiplicity of independent users upon an undesired water flow characteristic within the water distribution channels. The multiplicity of user wireless transceivers communicating with proximate user wireless transceivers for forming a network for communicating information to a third party wireless transceiver unrelated to liquid flow. The invention is also incorporated into a remote controlled solar operated wireless irrigation valve. The invention is further incorporated into an improved water management irrigation system incorporating an adaptive weather based controller that is adjusted by a weather based sensor base controller.

Claims

1. A combined water management and communication system for regulating water flow from a water provider through water distribution channels to a multiplicity of user channels servicing a multiplicity of independent users, comprising:

a plurality of water monitors located in the water distribution channels for sensing a water flow characteristic therein;

a water provider wireless transceiver;

a multiplicity of controllable user valves interposed in said multiplicity of user channels;

a multiplicity of user wireless transceivers for controlling a portion of the water connected to each of the multiplicity of independent users directed to irrigation;

said water provider wireless transceiver communicating with selected ones of said multiplicity of user wireless transceiver for changing selective ones of said controllable user valves of the multiplicity of independent users upon sensing an undesired water flow characteristic within the water distribution channels for restoring a desired water flow characteristic within the water distribution channels; and

said multiplicity of user wireless transceivers communicating with adjacent user wireless transceivers for forming a network for communicating information to a third party wireless transceiver unrelated to liquid flow.

2. A combined water management and communication system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said multiplicity of user wireless transceiver form a wireless mesh network for communication with said third party wireless transceiver.

3. A combined water management and communication system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said information communicated to a third party wireless transceiver unrelated to liquid flow is selected from the group consisting of the information from parking meters, electrical meters, gas meters, street lights, rain fall gauges, soil moisture gages, weather stations.

4. A control system for regulating the flow of a liquid from a liquid provider to a multiplicity of independent users through a liquid distribution system, the distribution system having a major liquid distribution channel connected to a plurality of minor liquid distribution channels coupled to a multiplicity of user channels for providing the flow of the liquid to each of the multiplicity of independent users, comprising:

a multiplicity of liquid monitors located in the major and minor liquid distribution channels for sensing a liquid flow characteristic within each of the major and minor liquid distribution channels;

a liquid provider wireless transceiver;

a multiplicity of controllable user valves interposed in said multiplicity of user channels;

a multiplicity of user wireless transceivers for controlling a portion of the water connected to each of the multiplicity of independent users directed to irrigation;

said liquid provider wireless transceiver communicating with selected ones of said multiplicity of user wireless transceivers for changing selective ones of said controllable user valves of the multiplicity of independent users upon sensing an undesired liquid flow characteristic within the major and minor liquid distribution channels for restoring a desired liquid flow characteristic within said major and minor liquid distribution channels; and

said multiplicity of user wireless transceivers communicating with adjacent user wireless transceivers for forming a wireless mesh network for communicating information to a third party wireless transceiver related to one of parking meter information, electrical meter information, gas meter information, street light information, rain fall gauge information, soil moisture gage information, and weather station information.

5. A control and communication system for regulating the flow of a liquid from a liquid provider to a multiplicity of independent users through a liquid distribution system, the distribution system having a major liquid distribution channel connected to a plurality of minor liquid distribution channels, each of the plurality of minor liquid distribution channels coupled to a multiplicity of user channels for providing the flow of the liquid to each of the multiplicity of independent users, each of the multiplicity of independent users consuming the liquid independent of the remaining multiplicity of independent users, comprising:

a multiplicity of liquid monitors located in the major and minor liquid distribution channels for sensing a liquid flow characteristic within each of the major and minor liquid distribution channels;

a multiplicity of remote telemetry units connected to said multiplicity of liquid monitors for providing communication between said multiplicity of liquid monitors and the liquid provider;

a liquid provider control operated by the liquid provider connected to said multiplicity of remote telemetry units for receiving the liquid flow characteristic within each of the major and minor liquid distribution channels;

a liquid provider wireless transceiver connected to said liquid provider control;

a multiplicity of controllable user valves interposed in said multiplicity of user channels;

a multiplicity of user controls connected for controlling said multiplicity of controllable user valves in the multiplicity of user channels;

a multiplicity of user wireless transceivers connected to said multiplicity of user control in each of the multiplicity of user channels for controlling a portion of the water connected to each of the multiplicity of independent users directed to irrigation;

said liquid provider wireless transceiver communicating with selected ones of said multiplicity of user wireless transceivers for changing selective ones of said controllable user valves of the multiplicity of independent users upon selected ones of said multiplicity of liquid monitor sensing an undesired liquid flow characteristic within the major and minor liquid distribution channels for restoring a desired liquid flow characteristic within said major and minor liquid distribution channels; and

said multiplicity of user wireless transceivers communicating with adjacent user wireless transceivers for forming a mesh network for communicating information to a third party wireless transceiver selected from the group consisting of the information from parking meters, electrical meters, gas meters, street lights, rain fall gauges, soil moisture gages, weather stations.

6. A remote controlled valve unit for an irrigation system, comprising:

an electrically operated valve;

a battery for powering said electrically operated valve;

a wireless transceiver for communicating with adjacent wireless transceivers;

a control interconnected to said electrically operated valve and said battery and said wireless transceiver for opening and closing said electrically operated valve in accordance with communications from said remote transceiver; and

a photovoltaic device connected to said battery for charging said battery upon impingement of electromagnetic radiation

7. A remote controlled valve unit as set forth in claim 6, wherein said wireless transceiver forms a component of a mesh network.

8. A remote controlled valve unit as set forth in claim 6, including a container having a bottom wall, a sidewall and a top wall;

an input fitting and an output fitting located in said sidewall of said container;

said electrically operated valve being disposed within said container and interposed between said input fitting and said output fitting; and

a photovoltaic device being located external said container for receiving the impingement of electromagnetic radiation.

9. A remote valve controlled unit as set forth in claim 6, wherein said container is a water resistant container for enabling said container to be buried in the ground.

10. An improved water management system for controlling an irrigation system for watering the soil in an irrigated region, comprising:

a programmable memory for storing user set parameters related to the environment and plant life to provide a desired moisture level in the soil in the irrigated region;

a weather based controller connected to the irrigation system for watering the soil in an irrigated region in accordance with said user set parameters;

a sensor base controller connected to a moisture sensor for sensing an actual moisture level in the soil in the irrigated region;

a comparator for comparing said actual moisture level in the soil of the irrigated region with said desired moisture level provided by said user set parameters; and

a tolerance control connected to said comparator for modifying said user set parameters to adjusting the operation of said weather based controller to be in accordance with the difference between said desired moisture level provided by said user set parameters and said actual moisture in the soil in the irrigated region.

11. An improved water management system as set forth in claim 10, wherein said user set parameters include

12. An improved water management system as set forth in claim 10, wherein said user set parameters include time delay,

13. An improved water management system as set forth in claim 10, wherein said tolerance provides a range