Evapotranspiration remote irrigation control system

• US 5,870,302 A
• Filed: 02/02/1996
• Issued: 02/09/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Waterlink Systems Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Waterlink Systems Incorporated
• Inventors: Oliver, Michael J.
• Primary Examiner(s): RUGGIERO, JOSEPH F
• Application Number:
  US08/595,747
• Time in Patent Office: 1,103 Days
• Field of Search: 364/420, 364/509, 364/510, 364/188, 364/189, 364/143, 364/144, 364/145, 364/146, 364/528.19, 364/140.01, 239/63, 239/67-70, 137/624.11-624.2, 702/2
• US Class Current: 700/11
• 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: Y02A 40/10 in agriculture
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 40/22 Improving land use; Improving water use or availability; Controlling erosion

Abstract

A system and method for using evapotranspiration (ET) and/or predicted precipitation data in controlling automated and semi-automated irrigation systems. In accordance with the present invention, meteorological data is monitored and used to adjust watering schedules for an irrigation site. A central computer uses the meteorological data and ET data to compute a watering factor. The watering factor represents the difference between a reference watering schedule (which can be stored at the irrigation site) and a new watering schedule. The new watering schedule can be based on similar climatic conditions of a geographic area in which the irrigation site is located. The watering factor is then sent to the irrigation site, which uses the watering factor to modify the reference watering schedule, if appropriate. Alternatively, meteorological data and site characteristics can be monitored at the irrigation site and sent to the central computer, which then computes the watering factor based on this specific site information. The computed ET data is preferably based on a current prediction of future events based upon present meteorological conditions. The system and method of the present invention achieves a substantial savings in water usage.

Claims

1. A method for efficiently controlling irrigation, including the steps of:

(a) electronically computing a watering factor by a host computer, wherein the watering factor represents the amount of change between a reference watering schedule and a new watering schedule, wherein;

(1) the new watering schedule is based on computed evapotranspiration (ET) data that includes at least one of forecast precipitation data or forecast meteorological data, the forecast precipitation data and forecast meteorological data comprising a current prediction of future events based upon present meteorological conditions; and

(2) the reference watering schedule corresponds to a site control device located at an irrigation site remote from the host computer and is based upon selected characteristics of the irrigation site;

(b) sending the watering factor from the host computer to a site control device;

(c) adjusting the reference watering schedule by the watering factor to obtain a modified watering schedule; and

(d) controlling at least one irrigation valve coupled to a site control device in accordance with the modified watering schedule, wherein the modified watering schedule controls when and how much to irrigate through each irrigation valve.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(a) sending the watering factor from the site control device to a satellite control unit;

(b) adjusting a satellite reference watering schedule by the watering factor to obtain a modified satellite watering schedule, the satellite reference watering schedule corresponding to the satellite control device;

(c) controlling at least one satellite irrigation valve coupled to the satellite control device in accordance with the modified satellite watering schedule, wherein the modified satellite watering schedule controls when and how much to irrigate through each satellite irrigation valve.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(a) electronically computing a satellite irrigation factor by the host computer, wherein the satellite irrigation factor represents the amount of change between a satellite reference schedule and the new watering schedule, the satellite reference schedule corresponding to a satellite control device located at an irrigation site remote from the host computer and being based upon selected characteristics of such irrigation site;

(b) sending the satellite irrigation factor from the host computer to the satellite control device;

(c) adjusting the satellite reference schedule by the satellite watering factor to obtain a modified satellite irrigation schedule; and

(d) controlling at least one satellite irrigation valve coupled to the satellite control device in accordance with the modified satellite irrigation schedule, wherein the modified satellite watering schedule controls when and how much to irrigate through each satellite irrigation valve.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the satellite irrigation factor is the same as the watering factor.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the watering factor is sent from the host computer to the site control device via a wireless connection.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the watering factor is sent from the host computer to the site control device via a hardwired connection.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(a) sensing meteorological site data at the irrigation site by a site control device; and

(b) sending the meteorological site data from a site control device to the host computer;

wherein the new watering schedule is based upon the computed ET data and the meteorological site data.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein each irrigation valve corresponds to an irrigation zone, the method further comprising:

(a) storing a unique reference watering schedule for each of the irrigation zones;

wherein each unique reference watering schedule is modified by the watering factor, and each irrigation zone is controlled in accordance with the corresponding modified watering schedule.

9. The method claim 1, further comprising:

(a) storing the reference watering schedule at the irrigation site;

(b) sending data, including the watering factor, from the irrigation site to a host computer; and

(c) receiving data, including the watering factor, from the host computer to the irrigation site.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the new watering schedule is based on similar climatic conditions of a geographic area in which the site control device is located.

11. A system for efficiently controlling irrigation, including:

(a) electronic computing means for computing a watering factor, wherein the watering factor represents the amount of change between a reference watering schedule and a new watering schedule, wherein;

(1) the new watering schedule is based on computed evapotranspiration (ET) data that includes at least one of forecast precipitation data or forecast meteorological data, the forecast precipitation data and forecast meteorological data comprising a current prediction of future events based upon present meteorological conditions; and

(2) the reference watering schedule corresponds to an irrigation site remote from the electronic computing means and is based upon selected characteristics of the irrigation site;

(b) transmitting means for transmitting the watering factor; and

(c) site control means, located at or near the irrigation site, for;

(1) receiving the watering factor from the transmitting means,

(2) adjusting the reference watering schedule by the watering factor to obtain a modified watering schedule, and

(3) controlling at least one irrigation valve coupled to the site control means in accordance with the modified watering schedule, wherein the modified watering schedule controls when and how much to irrigate through each irrigation valve.

12. The system of claim 11, further comprising:

(a) relaying means for transmitting the watering factor from the site control means; and

(b) satellite control means, located at a satellite irrigation site remote from the electronic computing means, for;

(1) receiving the watering factor from the relaying means,

(2) modifying a satellite reference irrigation schedule by the watering factor to obtain a modified satellite watering schedule, the satellite reference irrigation schedule corresponding to the satellite irrigation site and being based upon selected characteristics of the satellite irrigation site, and

(3) controlling at least one satellite irrigation valve coupled to the satellite control means in accordance with the modified satellite watering schedule, wherein the modified satellite watering schedule controls when and how much to irrigate through each satellite irrigation valve.

13. The system of claim 11 wherein the electronic computing means is further for computing a satellite irrigation factor, the satellite irrigation factor representing the amount of change between a satellite reference schedule and the new watering schedule, the satellite reference schedule corresponding to a satellite irrigation site remote from the electronic computing means and being based upon selected characteristics of the satellite irrigation site, the system further comprising:

(a) means for transmitting the satellite irrigation factor from the electronic computing means; and

(b) satellite control means, located at the satellite irrigation site, for;

(1) receiving the satellite irrigation factor,

(2) adjusting the satellite reference schedule by the satellite watering factor to obtain a modified satellite irrigation schedule, and

(3) controlling at least one satellite irrigation valve coupled to the satellite control means in accordance with the modified satellite irrigation schedule, the modified satellite watering schedule controlling when and how much to irrigate through each satellite irrigation valve.

14. The system of claim 11 wherein the site control means is further for:

(a) sensing meteorological site data at the irrigation site; and

(b) sending the meteorological site data to the electronic computing means;

wherein the new watering schedule is based upon the computed ET data and the meteorological site data.

15. The system of claim 11 wherein the site control means includes:

(a) clock controller means for storing the reference watering schedule; and

(b) communications and control means for sending and receiving data, including the watering factor, to and from the electronic computing means and for modifying the reference watering schedule.

16. The system of claim 11 wherein each irrigation valve corresponds to an irrigation zone, and wherein the site control means is further for:

(a) storing a unique reference watering schedule for each of the irrigation zones;

(b) adjusting each unique reference watering schedule by the watering factor to obtain modified watering schedules corresponding to each of the irrigation zones; and

(c) controlling each irrigation zone in accordance with the corresponding modified watering schedule.

17. The system of claim 11 wherein the site control means includes a clock control means for storing the reference watering schedule at the irrigation site and a communications and control means for sending and receiving data, including the watering factor, to and from a host computer.

18. The system of claim 11 wherein the electronic computing means computes a watering factor based on similar climatic conditions of a geographic area in which the site control means is located.

19. A system for efficiently controlling irrigation, including:

(a) at least one irrigation control system, located at or near an irrigation site and coupled to at least one irrigation valve, for storing a reference watering schedule and for controlling the at least one irrigation valve; and

(b) a host computer for computing a watering factor and for sending the watering factor to the irrigation control system, wherein the watering factor represents the amount of change between the reference watering schedule and a new watering schedule, wherein;

(1) the new watering schedule is based on computed evapotranspiration (ET) data that includes at least one of forecast precipitation data or forecast meteorological data, the forecast precipitation data and forecast meteorological data comprising a current prediction of future events based upon present meteorological conditions; and

the reference watering schedule is modified by the watering factor;

wherein the irrigation control system modifies the reference watering schedule by the watering factor to obtain a modified watering schedule and controls the at least one irrigation valve in accordance with the modified watering schedule.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein the host computer computes a watering factor specific to each of the irrigation control systems.

21. The system of claim 19 wherein the irrigation control system is further for sensing meteorological site information at the irrigation site and for sending such meteorological site information to the host computer, and wherein the host computer is further for computing the new watering schedule based upon the predicted meteorological data and the meteorological site information.

22. The system of claim 19 wherein the irrigation control system includes:

(a) a clock controller for storing the reference watering schedule; and

(b) a communications and control device for sending and receiving data, including the watering factor, to and from the host computer and for modifying the reference watering schedule.

23. The system of claim 19 wherein each irrigation valve corresponds to an irrigation zone, and wherein the irrigation control system is further for:

(a) storing a unique reference watering schedule for each of the irrigation zones;

(b) adjusting each unique reference watering schedule by the watering factor to obtain modified watering schedules corresponding to each of the irrigation zones; and

(c) controlling each irrigation zone in accordance with the corresponding modified watering schedule.

24. The system of claim 19 wherein the irrigation control system includes a clock control device for storing the reference watering schedule at the irrigation site and a communications and control device for sending and receiving data, including the watering factor, to and from a host computer.

25. The system of claim 19 wherein the host computer computes a watering factor based on similar climatic conditions of a geographic area in which the irrigation control system is located.

26. A storage device readable by a programmable control device when coupled to the storage device, the storage device containing a control program tangibly stored thereon, such that the control device is configured and operated by the control program when the storage device is read by the control device, the control program being configured to operate the control device to efficiently control an irrigation system, such control being performed by the combination of the control program and the control device to perform the functions of:

(a) electronically computing a watering factor, wherein the watering factor represents the amount of change between a reference watering schedule and a new watering schedule, wherein;

(1) the new watering schedule is based on computed evapotranspiration (ET) data that includes at least one of forecast precipitation data or forecast meteorological data, the forecast precipitation data and forecast meteorological cal data comprising a current prediction of future events based upon present meteorological conditions; and

(2) the reference watering schedule corresponds to an irrigation site and is based upon selected characteristics of the irrigation site;

(b) adjusting the reference watering schedule by the watering factor to obtain a modified watering schedule; and

(c) applying the modified watering schedule to an irrigation control system located at or near the irrigation site to control at least one irrigation valve of the irrigation control system in accordance with the modified watering schedule.

27. The storage device of claim 26, further performing the function of:

(d) computing the new watering schedule based upon both the computed ET data and meteorological site information from the irrigation site.

28. The storage device of claim 26 wherein the watering factor is computed based on similar climatic conditions of a geographic area in which the irrigation control