Internet-enabled central irrigation control

• US 6,823,239 B2
• Filed: 11/04/2002
• Issued: 11/23/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Toro Company (Toro)
• Original Assignee: Rain Master Irrigation Systems, Inc. (The TORO Company)
• Inventors: Sieminski, James M.
• Primary Examiner(s): RODRIGUEZ, PAUL L
• Application Number:
  US10/288,561
• Publication Number:
  US 20030093159A1
• Time in Patent Office: 750 Days
• Field of Search: 239/69, 239/70, 239/99, 700/284, 700/9, 700/19, 700/14, 700/16, 137/78.2
• US Class Current: 700/284
• 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: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23043 Remote and local control panel, programming unit, switch
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25222 Mailbox, email, mail system
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2625 Sprinkler, irrigation, watering
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0267 Fault communication, e.g. human machine interface [HMI]

Abstract

A method and apparatus for Internet-enabled irrigation control. An irrigation controller is coupled to a wide area network, such as the Internet, via a wireless carrier network. The irrigation controller has a unique identifier which makes the irrigation controller addressable by an irrigation server located on the Internet. The irrigation controller is capable of stand-alone operation and may be programmed by a user communicating with the irrigation controller using the irrigation server and the wireless carrier. The user may also send immediate commands to the irrigation controller such as rain shutdown commands. In addition, the irrigation controller may transmit status messages back to the irrigation server such irrigation station faults and excessive flow alarms. The irrigation server saves the status messages in a database for later retrieval by the user. In addition, the irrigation server may also transmit status and alarm messages to the user via email or by telephone.

Claims

1. A method of operating an irrigation controller having a stored irrigation program, comprising:

coupling the irrigation controller to a server through a communications network;

receiving irrigation program modification data by the irrigation controller from the server through the communications network;

modifying the irrigation program by the irrigation controller using the irrigation program modification data;

generating irrigation station control signals by the irrigation controller using the irrigation program;

generating status data by the irrigation controller;

transmitting the status data by the irrigation controller to the server through the communications network;

generating an email message by the server using the status data; and

transmitting the email message by the server to an email server through the communications network.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the irrigation program includes an irrigation station runtime;

the irrigation program modification data includes weather data; and

modifying the irrigation program by the irrigation controller includes recalculating the irrigation station runtime using the weather data.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the weather data includes evapotranspiration data.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the weather data includes rain sensor data.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the weather data is received by the server from a second irrigation controller coupled to a weather station.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the irrigation program includes an irrigation station runtime;

the irrigation program modification data includes a program percent value; and

modifying the irrigation program by the irrigation controller includes recalculating the irrigation station runtime using the program percent value.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the irrigation program modification data includes an irrigation program start time; and

modifying the irrigation program by the irrigation controller includes using the irrigation program start time.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the irrigation program modification data includes an irrigation program water day; and

modifying the irrigation program by the irrigation controller includes using the irrigation program water day.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

coupling the server to a client through the communications network; and

receiving the irrigation program modification data by the server from the client through the communications network.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

coupling the server to a database; and

putting the irrigation program modification data in the database by the server.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an immediate command by the irrigation controller from the server through the communications network; and

executing the immediate command by the irrigation controller.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the communications network includes a wireless carrier.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the wireless carrier includes a two-way paging wireless network.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the wireless carrier includes a cellular digital packet network.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the wireless carrier includes a code division multiple access network.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the wireless carrier includes a global system for mobile communications network.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the wireless carrier includes a general packet radio service network.

18. An irrigation controller, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory coupled to the processor, the memory having processor executable program instructions stored therein, the program instructions including;

receiving an irrigation program by the irrigation controller from a server through a communications network coupled to the irrigation controller;

receiving irrigation program modification data by the irrigation controller from the server through the communications network;

modifying the irrigation program by the irrigation controller using the irrigation program modification data;

generating irrigation station control signals by the irrigation controller using the irrigation program;

generating status data by the irrigation controller;

transmitting the status data by the irrigation controller to the server through the communications network;

generating an email message by the server using the status data, and

transmitting the email message by the server to an email server through the communications network.

19. The irrigation controller of claim 18, wherein:

the irrigation program includes an irrigation station runtime;

the irrigation program modification data includes weather data; and

the program instructions modifying the irrigation program by the irrigation controller include recalculating the irrigation station runtime using the weather data.

20. The irrigation controller of claim 19, wherein the weather data includes evapotranspiration data.

21. The irrigation controller of claim 19, wherein the weather data includes rain sensor data.

22. The irrigation controller of claim 19, wherein the weather data is received by the server from a second irrigation controller coupled to a weather station.

23. The irrigation controller of claim 18, wherein:

the irrigation program includes an irrigation station runtime;

the irrigation program modification data includes a program percent value; and

the program instructions modifying the irrigation program by the irrigation controller include recalculating the irrigation station runtime using the program percent value.

24. The irrigation controller of claim 18, wherein:

the irrigation program modification data includes an irrigation program start time; and

the program instructions modifying the irrigation program by the irrigation controller includes using the irrigation program start time.

25. The irrigation controller of claim 18, wherein:

the irrigation program modification data includes an irrigation program water day; and

the program instructions modifying the irrigation program by the irrigation controller include using the irrigation program water day.

26. The irrigation controller of claim 18, wherein the communications network includes a wireless carrier.

27. The irrigation controller of claim 26, wherein the wireless carrier includes a two-way paging wireless network.

28. The irrigation controller of claim 26, wherein the wireless carrier includes a cellular digital packet network.

29. The irrigation controller of claim 26, wherein the wireless carrier includes a code division multiple access network.

30. The irrigation controller of claim 26, wherein the wireless carrier includes a global system for mobile communications network.

31. The irrigation controller of claim 26, wherein the wireless carrier includes a general packet radio service network.