Irrigation controller
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method of controlling irrigation to a first irrigated zone, comprising:
- providing an irrigation controller having a default irrigation schedule having a plurality of watering durations;
receiving an receives an evapotranspiration rate from a distal signal source;
allowing the controller to control a watering valve for a substantial period of time according to the default irrigation schedule;
visually examining the first irrigated zone to determine the effect of watering according to the default irrigation schedule;
modifying the default irrigation schedule at least in part based upon the signal, and an algorithm executed by the controller without a user expressly instructing the controller when and how to change the watering duration;
providing the irrigation controller with a more/less adjustment mechanism that indirectly modifies an amount of water provided to the first irrigated zone relative to other zones irrigated by the controller;
the user operating the more/less adjustment mechanism to modify the default irrigation schedule to provide a modified schedule; and
allowing the controller to control the valve according to the modified schedule.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An irrigation controller modifies sophisticated irrigation protocols using an extremely simple user control. In one aspect of a particularly preferred class of embodiments, the user control includes a simple “more/less” (increase/decrease) adjustment In another aspect of preferred embodiments, the controller automatically determines appropriate irrigation amounts, start times, durations, and frequencies. Such automatic determination may advantageously be based in part on the more/less adjustment, and in part on an external signal, such as that transmitted by a radio transmitter.
59 Citations
7 Claims
-
1. A method of controlling irrigation to a first irrigated zone, comprising:
-
providing an irrigation controller having a default irrigation schedule having a plurality of watering durations;
receiving an receives an evapotranspiration rate from a distal signal source;
allowing the controller to control a watering valve for a substantial period of time according to the default irrigation schedule;
visually examining the first irrigated zone to determine the effect of watering according to the default irrigation schedule;
modifying the default irrigation schedule at least in part based upon the signal, and an algorithm executed by the controller without a user expressly instructing the controller when and how to change the watering duration;
providing the irrigation controller with a more/less adjustment mechanism that indirectly modifies an amount of water provided to the first irrigated zone relative to other zones irrigated by the controller;
the user operating the more/less adjustment mechanism to modify the default irrigation schedule to provide a modified schedule; and
allowing the controller to control the valve according to the modified schedule. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
-
-
7. An irrigation controller, comprising:
-
a parameter receiving mechanism that automatically receives an ET rate from a distal signal source;
a microprocessor that controls a first irrigation schedule having a plurality of irrigation durations defining a first set of watering intervals executed independently from the ET rate;
wherein the first irrigation schedule is a default irrigation schedule; and
wherein the parameter modifies the first irrigation schedule to a second irrigation schedule having another plurality of irrigation durations defining a second set of watering intervals executed independently from the ET rate.
-
Specification