Programmable electronic control unit for automatic watering systems

• US 6,259,955 B1
• Filed: 09/10/1998
• Issued: 07/10/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Claber SpA
• Original Assignee: Claber SpA
• Inventors: Roman, Gianfranco, Brundisini, Andrea
• Primary Examiner(s): Grant, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): CABRERA, ZOILA E
• Application Number:
  US09/150,674
• Time in Patent Office: 1,034 Days
• Field of Search: 700/11, 700/14-18, 700/284, 700/83-84, 700/86, 700/87, 239/69, 239/70, 137/624.11, 137/624.2, 345/352, 345/353
• US Class Current: 700/15
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/0426 Programming the control sequence

Abstract

Electronic control unit comprising an electronic circuit with a programmable processing unit and operating buttons to execute and to vary manually the programming of the processing unit and a display for the visualization of the programming stages. The programmable processing unit is organized to individuate a programming menu that is subdivided into a plurality of parts selectionable at will. Each part comprising at least one chapter. The chapter being formed of at least one setting page of at least one respective programming parameter, and in that each part of the menu is directly selectionable by pressure on at least one respective operating button.

Claims

1. An electronic control unit for watering lines, comprising:

an electronic circuit with a programmable processing unit, operating buttons for programming said processing unit;

a display for visualization of programming steps;

said programmable processing unit provided with a programming menu divided into a plurality of selectable parts;

said selectable parts including watering program parts corresponding to respective independent watering programs;

each said watering program part including a plurality of selectable chapters corresponding to respective programmable watering functions of a watering program;

each of said selectable chapters including a plurality of selectable pages corresponding to respective programmable parameters of a watering function of the watering program;

said operating buttons including a plurality of first buttons for selecting said watering program parts and for moving sequentially through the chapters of said selectable watering program part to select one of said selectable chapters, a plurality of second buttons for moving fore and back through the pages of the selectable chapter to select one of said plurality of selectable pages of the selectable chapter, and a third button for entering and exiting from said selected page, said second buttons being also operable for increasing and decreasing the parameters of the selected page.

2. The electronic control unit according to claim 1, wherein each program part includes a first chapter for watering run time selection, a second chapter for watering start time selection and a third chapter for watering day schedule selection.

3. The electronic control unit according to claim 2, wherein said first chapter includes a plurality of pages including watering run time parameters for respective watering lines.

4. The electronic control unit according to claim 2, wherein said second chapter includes a plurality of pages including watering start time parameters for said watering lines.

5. The electronic control unit according to claim 2, wherein said third chapter includes a number of pages with watering enable/disable parameters for said watering lines, said number being equal to the number of days in a week.

6. The electronic control unit according to claim 5, wherein said third chapter includes a further page for actuating a daily cyclic watering program for said watering lines.

7. The electronic control unit according to claim 1, wherein said selectable parts include a manual watering part and said operating buttons include a fourth button for selecting said manual watering part.

8. The electronic control unit according to claim 7, wherein said manual watering part includes a plurality of selectable chapters which are selectable by operation of said first button.

9. The electronic control unit according to claim 8, wherein said selectable chapters include first chapters composed of one page for enabling/disabling a respective watering program by operation of said third button.

10. The electronic control unit according to claim 8, wherein said selectable chapters further include a second chapter composed of a number of selectable pages for setting watering parameters of respective valves for controlling the watering lines, said selectable pages being selectable by operation of said second buttons and said watering parameters being set by operation of said third button.

11. The electronic control unit according to claim 8, wherein said selectable chapters further include a third chapter composed of one page for testing sequentially the watering lines.

12. The electronic control unit according to claim 1, wherein said selectable parts include a setting part and said operating buttons include a fifth button for selecting said setting part.

13. The electronic control unit according to claim 12, wherein said setting part includes a plurality of selectable chapters which are selectable by operation of said fifth button.

14. The electronic control unit according to claim 13, wherein said selectable chapters include a current time chapter composed of one page which is selectable by operation of said third button, said one page including current time parameters which can be changed by operation of said second buttons.

15. The electronic control unit according to claim 13, wherein said selectable chapters include a current time chapter composed of one page which is selectable by operation of said third button, said one page including current time parameters which can be changed by operation of said second buttons.

16. The electronic control unit according to claim 13, wherein said selectable chapters include an odd/even chapter composed of one page which is selectable by operation of said third button, said one page including even/odd day parameters which can be changed and enabled/disabled by operation of said second buttons.

17. The electronic control unit according to claim 13, wherein said selectable chapters include a plurality of sensor chapters for associating a sensor to a respective watering program, each sensor chapter being composed of one page which is selectable by operation of said third button, said one page including a plurality of sensor operating modes which can be set by operation of said second buttons.

18. The electronic control unit according to claim 1, wherein said selectable parts include a budget part which can be accessed by simultaneous operation of said third button and one of said second buttons.

19. The electronic control unit according to claim 18, wherein said budget part includes a plurality of selectable chapters which are selectable by simultaneous operation of said third button and said one of said second buttons, each selectable chapter being composed of one page which is selectable by operation of said third button, said one page including watering time parameters which can be changed by operation of said second buttons.

20. The electronic control unit according to claim 1, wherein said selectable parts include a watering stop part which can be accessed by simultaneous operation of said third button and one of said second buttons.

21. The electronic control unit according to claim 20, wherein said stop part includes a days-off chapter composed of one page which can be entered by operation of said third button for setting watering inhibition days by operation of said second buttons.

22. The electronic control unit according to claim 1, wherein said selectable parts include a run/activity part which can be accessed by simultaneous operation of said third button and one of said second buttons.

23. The electronic control unit according to claim 22, wherein said run/activity part includes a plurality of selectable chapters which are selectable by simultaneous operation of said third button and one of said second buttons.

24. The electronic control unit according to claim 23, wherein said selectable chapters include a current time chapter composed of one page for displaying current time, current days and available watering lines.

25. The electronic control unit according to claim 23, wherein said selectable chapters include a plurality of watering line displaying chapters for displaying the currently enabled watering lines and the residual watering time thereof.

26. The electronic control unit according to claim 1, wherein said selectable parts include an exit part for a program output function which can be actuated by simultaneous operation of two buttons of said first buttons.

27. The electronic control unit according to claim 26, wherein said program output function includes saving of programming data in a non-volatile memory.