Irrigation controller with rain delay feature

• US 5,272,620 A
• Filed: 03/24/1993
• Issued: 12/21/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Toro Company (Toro)
• Original Assignee: Toro Company (Toro)
• Inventors: Bond, Ray, Mock, Gerald L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Jerry
• Assistant Examiner(s): BROWN, THOMAS
• Application Number:
  US08/037,495
• Time in Patent Office: 272 Days
• Field of Search: 364/140-147, 364/420, 239/67-70, 137/624.11, 137/624.13, 137/624.21
• US Class Current: 700/16
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 25/16 Control of watering
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/0426 Programming the control sequence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/0428 Safety, monitoring G05B19/0423 takes precedence

Abstract

An improved irrigation controller of solid state design utilizes a microcomputer which retains and executes a watering schedule input by a user through data input means. A rain delay push button may be pressed a number of times to suspend operation of the watering schedule for a number of days equal to the number of times the button is pressed. A blinking LED will indicate the remaining days in the rain delay period to the user. In addition, the controller includes an LCD display which normally displays the current day and time, but which will temporarily display a new irrigation parameter being input into the schedule by manipulation of one of the data input means. The controller also includes a self test feature in which the watering schedule execution is suspended and the operability of various controller components is verified.

Claims

1. An improved irrigation controller for individually and automatically controlling water flow to a plurality of individual watering stations in accordance with a programmed watering schedule over a period of successive time intervals of pre-determined duration, the controller having logic and control means for storing the watering schedule, for monitoring the passage of time, and for executing the watering schedule to control the watering stations in accordance with the passage of said time intervals, wherein the improvement relates to rain delay means for selectively inhibiting the operation of scheduled watering called for by the watering schedule for at least one time interval, the rain delay means comprising:

(a) data input means comprising a single push button control device that may be selectively pushed by the user a number of times in succession for inputting a rain delay control input to the logic and control means; and

(b) wherein the logic and control means further includes means for performing the following functions;

(i) for monitoring the operation of the push button control device and for counting the number of times the control device is successively pushed by the user;

(ii) for storing the count of the number of times the push button is successively pushed by the user as the number of time intervals comprising a desired rain delay period; and

(iii) for preventing operation of all scheduled watering during the time intervals comprising said rain delay period and for resuming scheduled watering after the time intervals comprising said rain delay period have elapsed,

whereby the user can conveniently input a desired rain delay period into the logic and control means simply by pushing the push button control device a selected number of times.

2. An improved irrigation controller as recited in claim 1, further including display means for indicating in a discernible manner to the user the number of time intervals currently remaining in the rain delay period when a rain delay period has been established by the actuation of the push button control device and has not yet expired.

3. An improved irrigation controller as recited in claim 2, wherein the display means comprises visual signalling means.

4. An improved irrigation controller as recited in claim 3, wherein the visual signalling means comprises:

(a) a display light which is carried on the controller and is visible to the user by observing the controller; and

(b) wherein the logic and control means further includes means for performing the following functions;

(i) for monitoring the number of time intervals left in a rain delay period; and

(ii) for flashing the display light in a repeating blink pattern comprising a number of successive blinks followed by a pause, wherein the number of blinks in the blink pattern is equal to the remaining time intervals in the rain delay period,

whereby the user can tell how many time intervals are left in the rain delay period by looking at the controller and counting the number of blinks in the blink pattern when the blink pattern is active.

5. An improved irrigation controller as recited in claim 4, wherein the logic and control means continuously activates the blink pattern for continuous display of the remaining time intervals left in an unexpired rain delay period.

6. An improved irrigation controller as recited in claim 1, further including means for selectively canceling a rain delay period after such period has been input and stored in the logic and control means and before such rain delay period has expired, whereby the user may selectively cancel any remaining time intervals left in the rain delay period to allow scheduled watering to resume.

7. An improved irrigation controller as recited in claim 6, wherein the rain delay canceling means comprises means in the logic and control means for performing the following functions:

(a) for monitoring the operation of the push button control device and for detecting when the push button control device has been depressed and is continuously held depressed by the user for an amount of time in excess of a pre-determined value which depression and holding of the push button control device comprises a rain delay cancellation signal by the user; and

(b) for resetting the rain delay period to zero upon receipt of the rain delay cancellation signal.

8. An improved irrigation controller as recited in claim 6, wherein the rain delay canceling means comprises means in the logic and control means for performing the following functions:

(a) for storing a pre-determined maximum value for the rain delay period;

(b) for determining if the rain delay period input by the user into the logic and control means by successively pushing the push button control device exceeds the stored maximum value allowed for the rain delay period with such condition comprising a rain delay cancellation signal by the user; and

(c) for resetting the rain delay period to zero upon receipt of the rain delay cancellation signal.

9. An improved irrigation controller for individually and automatically controlling water flow to a plurality of individual watering stations in accordance with a programmed watering schedule over a period of successive time intervals of pre-determined duration, the controller including:

(a) logic and control means for storing the watering schedule, for monitoring the passage of time, and for executing the watering schedule to control the watering stations in accordance with the passage of said time intervals, wherein the logic and control means includes rain delay means for preventing operation of all scheduled watering for a rain delay period comprising a number of time intervals selected from a time interval range comprising one time interval to a plurality of successive time intervals;

(b) data input means connected to the logic and control means for allowing a user to selectively input into the logic and control means a desired rain delay period comprising a number of time intervals selected from said time interval range; and

(c) display means operatively connected to the logic and control means for indicating to the user in a discernible manner the number of time intervals currently remaining in the rain delay period when a rain delay period has been established by the user and has not yet expired.

10. An improved irrigation controller as recited in claim 9, wherein the display means comprises visual signalling means.

11. An improved irrigation controller as recited in claim 10, wherein the visual signalling means comprises:

(a) a display light which is carried on the controller and is visible to the user by observing the controller; and

(b) wherein the logic and control means further includes means for performing the following functions;

(i) for monitoring the number of time intervals left in a rain delay period; and

(ii) for flashing the display light in a repeating blink pattern comprising a number of successive blinks followed by a pause, wherein the number of blinks in the blink pattern is equal to the remaining time intervals in the rain delay period,

whereby the user can tell how many time intervals are left in the rain delay period by looking at the controller and counting the number of blinks in the blink pattern when the blink pattern is active.

12. An improved irrigation controller as recited in claim 11, wherein the logic and control means continuously activates the blink pattern for continuous display of the remaining time intervals left in an unexpired rain delay period.

13. An improved irrigation controller for individually and automatically controlling water flow to a plurality of individual watering stations in accordance with a programmed watering schedule over a period of successive time intervals of pre-determined duration, the controller including:

(a) logic and control means for storing the watering schedule, for monitoring the passage of time, and for executing the watering schedule to control the watering stations in accordance with the passage of said time intervals, wherein the logic and control means includes rain delay means for preventing operation of all scheduled watering for a rain delay period having minimum and maximum possible values, the minimum value for the rain delay period comprising one time interval and the maximum value for the rain delay period comprising a plurality of successive time intervals;

(b) data input means connected to the logic and control means for allowing a user to selectively input into the logic and control means a desired rain delay period comprising at least the minimum value of the rain delay period up to and including the maximum value of the rain delay period; and

(c) display means operatively connected to the logic and control means for indicating to the user in a discernible manner the number of time intervals currently remaining in the rain delay period when a rain delay period has been established by the user and has not yet expired.

14. An improved irrigation controller as recited in claim 13, wherein the display means comprises visual signalling means.

15. An improved irrigation controller as recited in claim 14, wherein the visual signalling means comprises:

(a) a display light which is carried on the controller and is visible to the user by observing the controller; and

(b) wherein the logic and control means further includes means for performing the following functions;

(i) for monitoring the number of time intervals left in a rain delay period; and

(ii) for flashing the display light in a repeating blink pattern comprising a number of successive blinks followed by a pause, wherein the number of blinks in the blink pattern is equal to the remaining time intervals in the rain delay period,

whereby the user can tell how many time intervals are left in the rain delay period by looking at the controller and counting the number of blinks in the blink pattern when the blink pattern is active.

16. An improved irrigation controller as recited in claim 15, wherein the logic and control means continuously activates the blink pattern for continuous display of the remaining time intervals left in an unexpired rain delay period.