Distributed control network for irrigation management
First Claim
1. A method for communicating instructions in a peer-to-peer distributed network system, the method comprising the steps of:
- (A) initiating at least one command at at least one of a plurality of controllers, each of the plurality of controllers being responsive to commands received and capable of initiating and transmitting at least one command to at least one other of the plurality of controllers;
(B) determining whether the communication bus is clear;
(C) if the communication bus is clear, transmitting the at least one command from the at least one of the plurality of controllers to the at least one other of the plurality of controllers via the communication bus;
(D) receiving the at least one command, from the at least one of the plurality of controllers, at the at least one other of the plurality of controllers;
(E) determining if a message acknowledge, generated by the at least one other of the plurality of controllers, is received at the at least one of the plurality of controllers;
(F) if the message acknowledge is not received, determining whether a timeout counter has expired and attempting to retry transmitting the at least one command if the timeout counter has not expired;
(G) if the timeout counter is determined to have expired, determining whether a retry counter has expired; and
(H) if the retry counter is determined to have expired, activating a transmit error alarm;
wherein said at least one transmitted command includes said at least one command initiated at the at least one of the plurality of controllers and wherein said at least one initiated command is independent of at least one command previously received by the least one of the plurality of controllers.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for operating a distributed control network for irrigation management. The system incorporates several irrigation controllers wherein each of the controllers can transmit, receive and respond to commands initiated by any device or satellite controller on the network, a communication bus that is connected to the controllers, a central computer that is connected to the bus, several sensing devices that are connected to each controller, and several sprinkler valves that are connected to each controller. The controllers can be operated in local mode via a user interface and in a remote mode via a wireless connection. The controllers are capable of monitoring and acknowledging the commands that are transmitted on the bus.
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Citations
14 Claims
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1. A method for communicating instructions in a peer-to-peer distributed network system, the method comprising the steps of:
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(A) initiating at least one command at at least one of a plurality of controllers, each of the plurality of controllers being responsive to commands received and capable of initiating and transmitting at least one command to at least one other of the plurality of controllers;
(B) determining whether the communication bus is clear;
(C) if the communication bus is clear, transmitting the at least one command from the at least one of the plurality of controllers to the at least one other of the plurality of controllers via the communication bus;
(D) receiving the at least one command, from the at least one of the plurality of controllers, at the at least one other of the plurality of controllers;
(E) determining if a message acknowledge, generated by the at least one other of the plurality of controllers, is received at the at least one of the plurality of controllers;
(F) if the message acknowledge is not received, determining whether a timeout counter has expired and attempting to retry transmitting the at least one command if the timeout counter has not expired;
(G) if the timeout counter is determined to have expired, determining whether a retry counter has expired; and
(H) if the retry counter is determined to have expired, activating a transmit error alarm;
wherein said at least one transmitted command includes said at least one command initiated at the at least one of the plurality of controllers and wherein said at least one initiated command is independent of at least one command previously received by the least one of the plurality of controllers. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method for communicating instructions in a peer-to-peer distributed network system having a plurality of controllers connected via a communication bus, each of the plurality of controllers being responsive to commands received and capable of initiating and transmitting at least one command to at least one other of the plurality of controllers, the method comprising the steps of:
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(A) reading a communication port at one of the plurality of controllers;
(B) determining whether the communication port is currently active;
(C) if the communication port is currently active, indicating that the communication bus is not clear;
(D) if the communication port is not currently active, determining whether a delay counter is expired; and
(E) if the delay counter is expired, indicating that the communication bus is clear. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
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Specification