Irrigation controller

• US 5,363,290 A
• Filed: 07/13/1993
• Issued: 11/08/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Toro Company (Toro)
• Original Assignee: Toro Company (Toro)
• Inventors: Doup, Leonard W., Maloney, Kurt
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Jerry
• Assistant Examiner(s): BROWN, THOMAS
• Application Number:
  US08/091,079
• Time in Patent Office: 483 Days
• Field of Search: 364/142-146, 239/69, 239/70, 137/624.11-624.15, 137/624.18, 137/624.19, 137/624.2, 307/141.4, 340/309.4, 340/309.5
• US Class Current: 700/16
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 25/16 Control of watering
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/042 using digital processors G05B19/05 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/108 characterised by physical layout of switches; switches co-operating with display; use of switches in a special way
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23128 Switch from one kind of display to other when parameter is changed
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23172 Different states with one LED, blinking, on and off or different colours
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23209 Linear potentiometers with multiple sliders
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23396 Enter start and end of selected program
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23397 Set day, week
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23398 Set start time and duration
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/24054 Self diagnostic
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25435 Multiplex for analog signals
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2625 Sprinkler, irrigation, watering
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/86445 Plural, sequential, valve actuations
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/86461 Variable cycle

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. One of the parameters of system operation is the times of day in which irrigation will start when the current day is selected to be active. The controller of this invention uses a slide potentiometer having multiple sliders which may be moved in a single slideway for setting multiple start times determined by the slider positions. In addition, a hot post terminal is provided in the controller connected to ground. This terminal can be used to determine station assignment by touching the station wires to the terminal as power is applied along a common line to the actuating devices, i.e. solenoids, of the various stations.

Claims

1. An improved irrigation controller for individually and automatically controlling water flow to a plurality of individual watering stations, which comprises:

(a) means for storing a programmed watering schedule which schedule is to be executed over a period of days, the schedule having at least one user selectable parameter of watering operation that may having a number of possible values up to a predetermined maximum number of values;

(b) means for monitoring the passage of time and for controlling the operation of the individual watering stations in accordance with the stored watering schedule; and

(c) a slide potentiometer for inputting into the stored watering schedule a plurality of possible values for the parameter, the slide potentiometer having a plurality of individual sliders each of which may be slid to a position corresponding to one particular value of the parameter which particular value is unique and is different from all the other values that may be set by any of the other sliders, the numbers of sliders corresponding to the maximum number of values allowed for the parameter, wherein the sliders are all movable in the same elongated slideway for ease of use and display, and wherein the slideway includes a starting zone in which all of the sliders can be received to select no value for the parameter, wherein a value for the parameter is input by a slider only when the slider is moved out of the starting zone.

2. An improved irrigation controller as recited in claim 1, wherein the parameter of watering operation is the time of day at which watering will begin.

3. An improved irrigation controller as recited in claim 1, wherein three sliders are provided for selecting a maximum of three values for the parameter.

4. An improved irrigation controller as recited in claim 1, wherein the elongated slideway extends in a straight line from one end thereof to the other.

5. An improved irrigation controller as recited in claim 4, wherein the starting zone is at one end of the slideway.

6. An improved irrigation controller as recited in claim 1, wherein the sliders are in electrically conductive contact with a single, common resistance element.

7. An improved irrigation controller for individually and automatically controlling water flow to a plurality of individual watering stations, which comprises:

(a) means for storing a programmed watering schedule which schedule is to be executed over a period of days, the schedule having a plurality of user selectable parameters including which days in a predetermined time period are to be active days in which irrigation is allowed, which time of day irrigation is to start on an active day, and how long each station is to run in an irrigation sequence on each active day following each start time;

(b) means for monitoring the passage of time and for controlling the operation of the individual watering stations in accordance with the stored watering schedule; and

(c) data input means for the stored watering schedule which comprises;

(i) data input means for selecting which days in a predetermined time period are to be active days in which irrigation is allowed;

(ii) a slide potentiometer for selecting a plurality of possible times of day on an active day that irrigation is to start with a predetermined maximum number of start times being selectable, the slide potentiometer having a plurality of sliders individually movable in a single slideway for selecting a corresponding plurality of start times equivalent to the slider positions and for displaying those start times to the user according to the slider positions, and wherein the slideway includes a starting zone in which all of the sliders can be received to select no start time, wherein a value for the start time is input by a slider only when the slider is moved out of the starting zone; and

(iii) data input means for selecting how long each station is to run in an irrigation sequence following a start time.

8. An improved irrigation controller as recited in claim 7, wherein the data input means for the run times comprises a plurality of rotary potentiometers each of which sets the run time for one station.

9. An improved irrigation controller for individually and automatically controlling water flow to a plurality of individual watering stations, which comprises:

(a) means for storing a programmed watering schedule which schedule is to be executed over a period of days, the schedule having at least one user selectable parameter of watering operation that may have a number of possible values up to a predetermined maximum number of values;

(b) means for monitoring the passage of time and for controlling the operation of the individual watering stations in accordance with the stored watering schedule; and

(c) slide potentiometer for inputting into the watering schedule a plurality of possible values for the one parameter of watering operation up to the predetermined maximum number of values allowed for the parameter, the slide potentiometer comprising;

(i) a single, common resistance element connected between high and low reference voltages; and

(ii) a plurality of movable sliders, wherein each slider has an electrically conductive wiper element in contact with the common resistance element such that a voltage is read from each wiper element which is proportional to the position of the slider relative to the common resistance element and which represents a distinct value of the one parameter which value is different from the values being input by any of the other sliders, and wherein each of the sliders is individually movable relative to the common resistance element to vary the position of the wiper element and thereby change the voltage which may be read from the wiper element and thus the value of the parameter represented by that voltage, whereby the sliders collectively can input multiple and different values for the one parameter to the watering schedule.

10. An improved irrigation controller as recited in claim 9, wherein the sliders are all movable in a single elongated slideway for ease of use and display.

11. An improved irrigation controller as recited in claim 10, wherein the slideway includes a starting zone at one end in which all of the sliders can be received, wherein the wiper elements of the sliders are all in contact with a selected one of the reference voltages of the common resistance element when the sliders are in the starting zone which slider position represents no value for the parameter, and wherein a value for the parameter is input only when the slider is moved out of the starting zone such that the wiper element is moved out along the common resistance element away from the selected reference voltage.