METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING IRRIGATION

• US 20120203383A1
• Filed: 11/07/2011
• Published: 08/09/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DIG Corporation
• Original Assignee: DIG Corporation
• Inventors: Holindrake, Erik, O'Brien, Mike, Levy, David, Beal, Craig E.
• Granted Patent: US 8,374,726 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/284
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 25/16 Control of watering
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 25/162 Sequential operation
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/35 with light sensitive cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 40/22 Improving land use; Improving water use or availability; Controlling erosion
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 60/12 using renewable energies, e.g. solar water pumping
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/86389 Programmer or timer

Abstract

The invention comprises devices and methods for providing operational power to a solar-powered irrigation control system. In one aspect, a method includes producing electrical energy from light, storing the electrical energy in a capacitive module, and operating an irrigation controller using the stored electrical energy independent of another power source. In another aspect, a device includes a control system comprising a computer having a programmed irrigation schedule which operates at least one irrigation device, a photovoltaic power module, and a capacitive module connected to said photovoltaic power module to store the electrical energy provided by the photovoltaic power module, where the capacitive module provides power for the control system to operate the at least one irrigation device independent of another power source.

Claims

1-3. -3. (canceled)

4. An irrigation system, comprising:

at least one irrigation controller; and

a mobile handset comprising a display and user controls configured to accept user commands, a processor in communication with the display and the user controls, and a communication module configured to wirelessly communicate with the at least one irrigation controller, wherein the handset is configured to send operational information to the irrigation controller to program the operation of said irrigation controller, to request information from the at least one irrigation controller, and to receive and display information requested from the at least one irrigation controller,

wherein each of the at least one irrigation controller comprises

a power system comprising a photovoltaic power module and a power storage device operable to store electrical energy generated by said photovoltaic power module;

a control system comprising

a wireless transceiver configured to communicate with the handset to receive from the handset information to program each irrigation controller and requests for information, and to send to said handset requested information;

a timing component to provide a real-time clock time signal, and

a computer programmed to run an irrigation program, and

operate at least one irrigation flow device based at least in part on said received operational information and said time signal, said computer further operable to monitor a voltage level of said power storage device,

operate said transceiver in an activated state when said monitored voltage level exceeds a transceiver threshold voltage level, and operate said transceiver in a deactivated state when said monitored voltage level is less than the transceiver threshold voltage level,

perform an orderly shutdown of said control system when said monitored voltage level falls below a system shutdown threshold voltage, and perform a start up procedure of said control system when the control system is in a shutdown state and the monitored voltage level exceeds a system start threshold voltage, the system start threshold voltage being greater than the system shutdown threshold voltage, and

operate an irrigation program using operational information received from the handset, process information requests from the handset and provide requested information to the handset,

wherein each irrigation controller uses the electrical energy generated by said photovoltaic power module and stored in said power storage device to run the irrigation program, operate the respective one irrigation controller during programming of the irrigation controller, and operate said transceiver to receive operational information, process information requests, and send information to the handset, independent of another power source.

5. The irrigation system of claim 4, wherein each irrigation controller further comprises:

a boost module configured to receive electrical energy from the power system at a first voltage level and produce an output voltage at a second voltage level; and

an actuation module comprising at least one capacitor, said actuation module configured to receive electrical energy from said boost module at the second voltage level to charge said at least one power storage device, said actuation module further configured to provide an output pulse to operate at least one solenoid actuated valve connected to the respective irrigation controller.

6. The irrigation system of claim 4, wherein the operational information sent to each irrigation controller includes a format comprising a header and data.

7. The irrigation system of claim 6, wherein the header includes a customer ID associated with a plurality of the irrigation controllers, and the header includes a controller ID that is associated with one of the at least one irrigation controller.

8. The irrigation system of claim 4, wherein operational data includes a controller ID that is associated with one of the at least one irrigation controllers, and wherein the operational data includes requests for information from the respective irrigation controller that is associated with the controller ID.

9. The irrigation system of claim 4, wherein operational data includes a controller ID that is associated with one of the at least one irrigation controllers, and wherein the operational data includes information to program the respective irrigation controller that is associated with the controller ID.

10. The irrigation system of claim 4, wherein operational data includes a controller ID that is associated with one of the at least one irrigation controllers, and wherein the respective irrigation controller associated with the controller ID opens or closes a valve based on the received operational data.

11. The irrigation system of claim 4, wherein the at least one irrigation controller sets days, start times, and durations of an irrigation program based on the received operational data.

12. The irrigation system of claim 4, wherein the at least one irrigation controller is configured to send to the handset irrigation controller program data, program status of one or more programs being run by the irrigation controller, valve status of each valve controlled by the irrigation controller, and error messages, based on the requests for information received by the irrigation controller.

13. A method of operating an irrigation system having an associated customer ID, the irrigation system including a mobile handset and at least two irrigation controllers each irrigation controller having a different controller ID, each of the at least two irrigation controllers configured to control one or more irrigation devices connected to the respective irrigation controller, and each irrigation controller being configured to run an irrigation program and having a photovoltaic power module for power to operate the irrigation controller independent of using another power source during programming of the irrigation controller and operating the irrigation controller receive operational information, process information requests, and send information to the handset, the method comprising:

producing electrical energy from light in each of the at least two irrigation controllers using the photovoltaic module;

storing said electrical energy in each irrigation controller;

monitoring in each irrigation controller a voltage level of the stored electrical energy;

sending data wirelessly from the mobile handset to at least one of the at least two irrigation controllers;

receiving the data at least one of the two irrigation controller using a wireless transceiver, determining if a customer ID indicated in the received data matches a customer ID stored on the irrigation controller, further determining if a controller ID in the received data matches the controller ID of the respective irrigation controller receiving the data, and if the customer ID and the controller ID matches, programming the irrigation controller using the received operational signals and a real-time clock time signal;

for each irrigation controller,

operating said transceiver in an activated state when said monitored voltage level exceeds a transceiver threshold voltage level, and operating said transceiver in a deactivated state when said monitored voltage level is less than the transceiver threshold voltage level;

performing an orderly shutdown of the irrigation controller when said monitored voltage level falls below a system shutdown threshold voltage, and performing a start up procedure of said irrigation controller when the irrigation controller is in a shutdown state and the monitored voltage level exceeds a system start threshold voltage, the system start threshold voltage being greater than the system shutdown threshold voltage;

running an irrigation program using operational information received from the handset; and

processing information requests from the handset and providing requested information to the handset.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein performing an orderly shutdown comprises configuring the system for a graceful shutdown to a sleep state.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the operational information sent to the irrigation controller includes a format comprising a header and data.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the header includes the customer ID and the controller ID.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the data includes requests for information from the irrigation controller.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the data includes information to be used to operate the irrigation device.

19. The method of claim 13, for each irrigation controller, further comprising opening or closing an irrigation valve that is controlled by the respective irrigation controller based on the received operational data.

20. The method of claim 13, further comprising setting irrigation programs in the at least two irrigation controllers including setting days, start times, and durations of an irrigation program based on the received operational data.

21. The method of claim 13, wherein the irrigation controller is configured to send to the handset irrigation program data, valve status of each valve controlled by the irrigation controller, and error messages, based on the requests for information received by the irrigation controller.

22. An irrigation system, comprising:

means for producing electrical energy from light;

means for storing said electrical energy;

means for monitoring a voltage level of the stored electrical energy;

means for wirelessly sending data from the mobile handset to an irrigation controller;

means for wirelessly receiving the data at an irrigation controller;

means for determining if a customer ID indicated in the received data matches a customer ID stored on the irrigation controller, and if a customer ID in the received data matches the controller ID of the respective irrigation controller;

means for programming the irrigation controller using the received operational signals and a real-time clock time signal;

means for operating said transceiver in an activated state when said monitored voltage level exceeds a transceiver threshold voltage level, and operating said transceiver in a deactivated state when said monitored voltage level is less than the transceiver threshold voltage level;

means for performing an orderly shutdown of the irrigation controller when said monitored voltage level falls below a system shutdown threshold voltage, and performing a start up procedure of said irrigation controller when the irrigation controller is in a shutdown state and the monitored voltage level exceeds a system start threshold voltage, the system start threshold voltage being greater than the system shutdown threshold voltage;

means for running an irrigation program using operational information received from the handset; and

means for processing information requests from the handset and providing requested information to the handset.

23. The irrigation system claim 22, wherein the irrigation controller is configured to set days, start times, and durations of an irrigation program based on the received operational data.