METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING IRRIGATION

• US 20130190934A1
• Filed: 02/11/2013
• Published: 07/25/2013
• 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 8,620,481 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. An irrigation controller, comprising:

a power system for providing electrical energy, comprising

a photovoltaic power module, and

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

a control system housed with said power system, the control system having an interface comprising one or more controls and configured to accept operational information, the control system comprising

a communication module;

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

a computer programmed to

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

operate said communication module in an activated state when said monitored voltage level is at or above a communication module voltage threshold level, and operate said communication module in a deactivated state when said monitored voltage level is below the communication module voltage threshold 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, and

operate an irrigation program using operational information received from the communication module and provide information to the communication module;

a boost module configured to receive electrical energy from the power storage 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 capacitor, said actuation module further configured to provide an output pulse to operate at least one irrigation control device connected to the irrigation controller;

wherein the irrigation controller generates electrical energy by said photovoltaic device and stores the electrical energy in said power storage device to operate the irrigation controller, during programming of the irrigation controller, and to operate said communication module, independent of another power source.

2. The irrigation controller of claim 1, further comprising a voltage regulator configured to receive electrical energy from said power system and provide a regulated voltage output to said computer and said communication module.

3. The irrigation controller of claim 1, wherein said timing component comprises a real time clock.

4. The irrigation controller of claim 1, wherein said second voltage level is greater than the first voltage level.

5. The irrigation controller of claim 1, wherein said irrigation control device comprises a solenoid valve.

6. The irrigation controller of claim 1, wherein said power storage device comprises a capacitive module comprising at least one capacitor connected to said photovoltaic power module.

7. The irrigation controller of claim 1, wherein said capacitive module comprises at least two capacitors connected in series and connected across the photovoltaic power module.

8. The irrigation controller of claim 1, wherein said photovoltaic power module comprises a surface area of about 5700 mm² or less.

9. The irrigation controller of claim 1, wherein the control system further comprises a display screen operable to display said operational information.

10. The irrigation controller of claim 1, wherein the output pulse comprises a pulse of sufficient voltage to drive a solenoid connected to the irrigation controller.

11. The irrigation controller of claim 9, wherein said control system is further configured to provide to the communication module a signal indicative of an event that occurred in the irrigation controller, and wherein the communication module is operable to display said information of the event on said display screen.

12. The irrigation controller of claim 9, wherein said control system is further configured to provide to the communication module a signal indicative of a condition of the irrigation controller, and wherein the communication module is operable to display information of the condition on said display screen.

13. A method of operating an irrigation controller to control one or more irrigation devices in an irrigation system, comprising:

producing electrical energy from light;

storing said electrical energy in a power storage device;

monitoring a voltage level of the stored electrical energy;

receiving operational information via a communication module interface and providing irrigation data to a display of the irrigation controller;

programming a control system of said irrigation controller, the control system housed with the communication module, wherein said programming comprises using the received operational information and a real-time clock time signal while powering the irrigation controller using said stored electrical energy independent of another power source;

operating the communication module in an activated state when said monitored voltage level is at or above a communication module voltage threshold level, and operating the communication module in a deactivated state when said monitored voltage level is below the communication module voltage threshold level;

performing an orderly shutdown of said control system when said monitored voltage level falls below a system shutdown threshold voltage, and performing 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;

receiving electrical energy at a first voltage level and producing an output voltage at a second voltage level via a boost module;

receiving electrical energy at the second voltage level from the boost module via an actuation module to charge at least one capacitor and providing an output pulse via the actuation module to operate at least one irrigation control device connected to the irrigation controller; and

operating said irrigation controller including said communication module and said control system using said stored electrical energy independent of another power source.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

charging a capacitive module for actuating an irrigation device using said stored electrical energy;

receiving timing signals; and

discharging said capacitor to actuate the irrigation device at a predetermined time based on said operational information and said timing signals.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein performing an orderly shutdown of said control system comprises operating the system for a graceful shutdown to a sleep state.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising displaying a signal indicative of a condition of the irrigation controller.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the condition comprises a diagnostic condition that occurred in a component of the irrigation controller.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the communication module interface comprises one or more controls and is configured to accept operational information.

19. The method of claim 13, further comprising displaying information relating to an event that occurred in the irrigation controller.