SERVICE WORKER ACCESS TO NETWORKED IRRIGATION SYSTEM

• US 20150081119A1
• Filed: 07/01/2014
• Published: 03/19/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Skydrop Holdings, LLC
• Original Assignee: Skydrop, LLC
• Inventors: Endrizzi, Clark, Romney, Matt, Dalley, Mack
• Application Number:
  US14/321,743
• Publication Number:
  US 20150081119A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/284
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 25/165 Cyclic operations, timing systems, timing valves, impulse operations
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 25/167 Control by humidity of the soil itself or of devices simulating soil or of the atmosphere; Soil humidity sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/042 using digital processors G05B19/05 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25056 Automatic configuration of monitoring, control system as function of operator input, events
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2625 Sprinkler, irrigation, watering
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31422 Upload, download programs, parameters from, to station to, from server
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46

Abstract

The disclosure extends to methods, systems, and computer program products for generating and optimizing irrigation protocols. The disclosure also extends to methods, systems and computer program products for providing service worker access to a networked irrigation system.

Claims

1. A system for providing automated irrigation comprising:

a plumbing system having an electronically actuated control valve for controlling the flow of water through said plumbing system;

an irrigation server comprising processors and memory for executing computing instructions;

a web account facilitated by the irrigation server and provided to a user for receiving inputted data from the user;

a dedicated controller electronically and directly connected to said control valve and configured for sending actuation signals to the control valve thereby controlling water flow through the plumbing system;

wherein the controller comprises a user interface allowing a user to enter irrigation related data;

a network interface in electronic communication with said controller and providing communication with the web account such that the web account and the controller are securely paired over a network;

wherein pairing of the controller and web account aggregates user input data entered at the controller and through the web account;

an expert portal for providing access to third party service workers;

an irrigation protocol comprising instructions for the controller derived from at least weather data stored on a weather database and user input data; and

wherein the generation of an irrigation protocol is initiated in part in response to an input by a user at either the controller or web account.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein access is granted to third party service providers through worker terminals.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the worker terminals connect to the system through the expert portal.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the expert portal provides pairing between the worker terminal and the web account.

5. The system of claim 3, worker terminals may be a portable computing device.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the expert portal provides account correspondence between a service web account and the web.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of notice types thereby providing notices having a plurality of formats of information complexity.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising a simplified format that includes basic information.

9. The system of claim 2, further comprising an expert format comprising complex information regarding the irrigation system.

10. A method for providing automated irrigation comprising:

providing a plumbing system having an electronically actuated control valve for controlling the flow of water through said plumbing system;

providing an irrigation server comprising processors and memory for executing computing instructions;

providing a web account facilitated by the irrigation server and provided to a user for receiving inputted data from the user;

providing a dedicated controller electronically and directly connected to said control valve and configured for sending actuation signals to the control valve thereby controlling water flow through the plumbing system;

wherein the controller comprises a user interface allowing a user to enter irrigation related data;

providing a network interface in electronic communication with said controller and providing communication with the web account such that the web account and the controller are securely paired over a network;

pairing the controller and web account;

aggregating user input data entered at the controller and through the web account;

providing an expert portal for providing access to third party service workers;

generating an irrigation protocol comprising instructions for the controller derived from at least weather data stored on a weather database and user input data; and

wherein the generation of an irrigation protocol is initiated in part in response to an input by a user at either the controller or web account.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising receiving a ratification of changes to irrigation protocols though the expert portal.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein access is granted to third party service providers through worker terminals.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the worker terminals connect to the system through the expert portal.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the expert portal provides pairing between the worker terminal and the web account.

15. The method of claim 13, worker terminals may be a portable computing device.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the expert portal provides account correspondence between a service web account and the web.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising a plurality of notice types thereby providing notices having a plurality of formats of information complexity.

18. The method of claim 11, further comprising a simplified format that includes basic information.

19. The method of claim 12, further comprising an expert format comprising complex information regarding the irrigation system.