Sensor system
First Claim
1. In combination for controlling the opening and closing of a valve regulating the watering of a particular area in accordance with the amount of moisture in the area,a sensor for indicating the amount of moisture in the particular area,first means responsive to the indications from the sensor for producing a first signal having first characteristics during times with less than a particular amount of moisture in the particular area and having second characteristics during times with at least the particular amount of moisture in the particular area,a relay having first and second states of operation for operating the valve when the relay is in the first state of operation,means for providing an alternating signal,second means responsive to the alternating signal for normally providing a second signal periodically having first characteristics, andmeans connecting the relay in a circuit with the first means and the second means (a) for obtaining an operation of the relay in the second state during the time that the first signal has the second characteristics and the second signal periodically has the first characteristics and for obtaining an operation of the relay in the first state during the time that the first signal has the first characteristics or the second signal does not periodically have the first characteristics.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A includes a first capacitance plate, a dielectric covers a first capacitance plate, second capacitance plates are formed by moisture in an area. The capacitance value, dependent upon the second plate formation, controls the frequency of signals produced by an oscillator. This frequency controls the opening and closing of a first switch. A second switch is in a circuit with the first switch and a solenoid. The closing of the second switch is dependent upon the operation of circuitry energized by an alternating voltage. The alternating voltage is modified to extend the zero voltage level period which occurs at the zero cross-over in the negative direction. When this condition occurs, a pulse is generated by the detection circuitry and this pulse causes the second switch to remain closed. When the first switch operates to indicate no need to water the area, the solenoid is energized and an associated relay is opened. This causes a valve providing, in the open state for the watering of the area, to remain closed. The solenoid becomes de-energized to close the relay when either the second switch becomes opened to indicate a failure to produce pulses at the zero crossover or the first switch becomes opened to indicate a need for watering the area. When a button is manually operated, it prevents the pulses from being produced at the zero crossover time of the alternating voltage. This causes the second switch to open, the solenoid to become de-energized and the relay to close. The valve then becomes opened to obtain a watering of the area.
-
Citations
29 Claims
-
1. In combination for controlling the opening and closing of a valve regulating the watering of a particular area in accordance with the amount of moisture in the area,
a sensor for indicating the amount of moisture in the particular area, first means responsive to the indications from the sensor for producing a first signal having first characteristics during times with less than a particular amount of moisture in the particular area and having second characteristics during times with at least the particular amount of moisture in the particular area, a relay having first and second states of operation for operating the valve when the relay is in the first state of operation, means for providing an alternating signal, second means responsive to the alternating signal for normally providing a second signal periodically having first characteristics, and means connecting the relay in a circuit with the first means and the second means (a) for obtaining an operation of the relay in the second state during the time that the first signal has the second characteristics and the second signal periodically has the first characteristics and for obtaining an operation of the relay in the first state during the time that the first signal has the first characteristics or the second signal does not periodically have the first characteristics.
-
5. In combination for controlling the opening and closing of a valve regulating the watering of a particular area in accordance with the amount of moisture in the particular area,
sensor means for providing signals having characteristics indicating whether or not the particular area needs additional watering, means for providing an alternating voltage, solenoid means normally energized by the alternating voltage, means responsive to the alternating voltage for periodically checking the energizing of the solenoid means, means connected in a circuit with the checking means for energizing the solenoid means during the time that the sensor means indicates that additional watering is not needed and the checking means periodically indicate that the solenoid means are being energized, and relay means for opening the valve when the sensor means indicates that additional watering is needed or when the checking means fails to indicate periodically that the solenoid means are being energized.
-
9. In combination for controlling the opening and closing of a valve regulating the watering of a particular area in accordance with the amount of moisture in the particular area,
sensor means for sensing the amount of the moisture in the particular area, solenoid means operable in energized and de-energized states, relay means operative in open and closed states and associated with the solenoid means for operation in one of the open and closed states in accordance with the energizing and de-energizing of the solenoid means, means for normally energizing the solenoid means to obtain an operation of the relay means in the open state, the relay means being constructed to be closed when the solenoid means is de-energized, means for periodically testing the operation of the solenoid means to produce periodically a control signal during the time that the solenoid is being energized, and means for connecting the sensor means and the periodically testing measn in a circuit to maintain the solenoid means energized during the time that the sensor means indicates no need for watering the area and the control signal is being periodically produced.
-
15. In combination for controlling the opening and closing of a valve regulating the watering of a particular area in accordance with the amount of moisture in the particular area,
sensor means for sensing the amount of moisture in the particular area, solenoid means having energized and de-energized states, relay means associated with the solenoid means to provide for an opening of the valve during the time that the solenoid means is de-energized and for a closing of the valve during the time that the solenoid means is energized, first means for normally providing for an energizing of the solenoid means, means connected in a circuit with the sensor means and the normally energized solenoid mean for obtaining a periodic checking of the energizing of the solenoid means by the circuit means to maintain the energizing of the solenoid means during the time that the first means provides for an energizing of the solenoid means and the sensor means indicates a sufficient amount of water in the particular area, and means manually operated for de-activating the circuit means to obtain a de-energizing of the solenoid means.
-
19. In combination for controlling the opening and closing of a valve regulating the watering of a particular area in accordance with the amount of moisture in the particular area,
a sensor for indicating the amount of moisture in the particular area, first means responsive to the indications from the sensor for producing a first signal having first characteristics for occurrences less than a particular amount of moisture in the particular area and having second characteristics for occurrences at least equal to the particular amount of moisture in the particular area, a solenoid for operating the valve, the solenoid having energized and de-energized states, means for providing an alternating voltage, control means responsive to the alternating voltage and to the energy from the solenoid in the energized state of the solenoid for periodically providing signals indicating the energized state of the solenoid, means for connecting the solenoid, the first means and the control means in a conduit for continuing to energize the solenoid during the time that the control means periodically provides the signal indicating the energized state of the solenoid and the first means produces the first signal with the second characteristics, and a relay for operating the valve, the relay having open and closed states and operable in the closed state to open the valve for the flow of water in the particular area, the relay being associated with the solenoid to become opened during the time that the solenoid is de-energized and to become closed when the solenoid is energized.
-
25. In combination for controlling the opening and closing of a valve regulating the watering of a particular area in accordance with the amount of moisture in the particular area,
a sensor for indicating the amount of moisture in the particular area, first means responsive to the indications from the sensor for producing a first signal having first characteristics during times with less than a particular amount of moisture in the particular area and having second characteristics during times with at least the particular amount of moisture in the particular area, relay means having first and second states of operation for operating the valve when the relay means is in the first state of operation and for preventing the operation of the valve when the relay means in the second state, second means for periodically testing the operation of the relay means to provide a second signal periodically having first characteristics when the relay means is operative in the second state, third means responsive to the first means and the second means (a) for obtaining an operation of the relay means in the second state during the time that the first signal has the second characteristics and the second signal periodically has the first characteristics and (b) for obtaining an operation of the relay means in the first state when the first signal has the first characteristics or the second signal periodically does not have the first characteristics.
Specification