Modular Irrigation Controller

• US 20140018965A1
• Filed: 07/15/2013
• Published: 01/16/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toro Company (Toro)
• Original Assignee: Toro Company (Toro)
• Inventors: Pearson, Randall, Jones, Burnett, McIntosh, Jack, Ries, Brian, Miller, Jeff, Macasias, Noel, Pettet, Eric, Le, Tong, Jackson, Mike
• Granted Patent: US 9,538,713 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/284
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 25/16 Control of watering
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 25/165 Cyclic operations, timing systems, timing valves, impulse operations
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric

Abstract

A controller has two irrigation station module connection areas within it and can either accept two irrigation station modules at the same time or one larger module that spans both connection areas. The larger module, however, includes more irrigation station terminals than both of the smaller irrigation station modules combined. Therefore, a greater number of irrigation stations can be connected to the controller when the larger module is substituted for the two smaller modules.

Claims

1. An irrigation controller comprising:

a user interface having a plurality of interface elements for programming an irrigation schedule;

a controller housing connected to said user interface surface;

a plurality of irrigation terminals disposed in said controller and arranged to selectively supply power to irrigation stations;

2. The irrigation controller of claim 1, wherein said controller has a mechanical switch capable of changing any two fixed stations to a decoder driven system.

3. The irrigation controller of claim 1, wherein said user console interface has a menu system designed for multiple users.

4. The menu system of claim 3, wherein both operational shortcuts and an advanced menu are available.

5. The menu system of claim 3, wherein a graphical irrigation schedule is displayed.

6. The menu system of claim 5, wherein the graphical schedule is displayed based on a view of the week.

7. The menu system of claim 5, wherein the graphical schedule is displayed based on a view of the day.

8. The irrigation controller of claim 1 comprising of multiple module ports.

9. The irrigation controller of claim 8 comprising of at least two four-station modules.

10. The irrigation controller of claim 8 comprising of at least one twelve-station module.

11. The controller housing of claim 1, wherein said housing has a placeholder for microphone and speaker hardware.

12. The controller housing of claim 11, wherein said microphone and speaker hardware are connected to the controller circuit board.

13. The irrigation controller of claim 1, wherein data is stored on a removable memory device.

14. The irrigation controller of claim 1, containing a Smart Adapter port to the rear of the controller.