Irrigation controller water management with temperature budgeting

• US 7,266,428 B2
• Filed: 01/20/2006
• Issued: 09/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hunter Industries Incorporated
• Original Assignee: George Alexanian
• Inventors: Alexanian, George
• Primary Examiner(s): VON BUHR, MARIA N
• Application Number:
  US11/336,690
• Publication Number:
  US 20060122736A1
• Time in Patent Office: 592 Days
• Field of Search: 700/284, 239 68- 70
• 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: Y02A 40/10 in agriculture
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 40/28 specially adapted for farming

Abstract

The present invention provides methods for water conservation with AC, DC, or ambient light powered irrigation controllers without the use of complex ET (evapotranspiration) data or ET related service fees. Programming may consist of the operator entering a preliminary irrigation schedule, and entering the local zip code. The controller then periodically calculates a water budget by comparing current (non ET) local geo-environmental data with stored local geo-environmental data, and then modifies the preliminary schedule using the water budget. A number of embodiments are possible: stand-alone controllers with a temperature sensor attached directly to the microprocessor within that controller, or as a centrally placed CBM (Central Broadcast Module) which calculates a water budget percentage which is transmitted to one or more field controllers by wired or wireless means. Alternately, a TBM (Temperature Budget Module) that is separate from the controller is connected between the controller outputs and the valves, or mounted at the valves themselves. The TBM periodically calculates the ,water budget, monitors the controller outputs and adjusts the irrigation schedule based upon the water budget ratio. Because of its flexible capabilities with AC, DC, solar, or ambient light powered controllers, as a centrally broadcast water budget ratio in a wired or wireless configuration, or as an add-on to existing controllers or valves, its programming simplicity and close approximation to ET without its complications and cost, the present invention has the potential to save more water and minimize runoff than currently available ET methods.

Claims

1. A method for operating an irrigation controller comprising the steps of:

a. providing said controller with a preliminary irrigation schedule for a geographic location;

b. computing a water budget ratio by comparing non-evapotranspiration current local geo-environmental data with stored non-evapotranspiration local geo-environmental data, wherein said stored local geo-environmental data comprises a table of extraterrestrial radiation (RA) values arranged by date and by approximate latitude;

c. determining the approximate latitude for the geographic location using one of the following;

GPS, cell phone, pager, wireless programming device, or directly wired hand held programming; and

d. modifying said preliminary irrigation schedule based upon said ratio.

2. The method of claim 1 comprising the additional step of determining the average summer high temperature for the geographic location using the approximate latitude and said stored local geo-environmental data.

11. The method of claim 1 comprising the additional step of programming said controller to water an irrigation area according to said modified irrigation schedule only upon the occurrence of a predefined environmental event.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein said predefined environmental event comprises the lack of rainfall within a predefined period of time.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein said predefined environmental event comprises a current temperature exceeding a predefined minimum irrigation temperature.

3. A method for operating an irrigation controller comprising the steps of:

a. providing said controller with a preliminary irrigation schedule for a geographic location;

b. inputting a zip code for said geographic location;

c. computing a water budget ratio by comparing current local geo-environmental data with stored local geo-environmental data which does not include evapotranspiration data by

1. computing a standard temperature budget factor;

2. computing a periodic temperature budget factor; and

3. dividing said periodic temperature budget factor by said standard temperature budget factor; and

d. modifying said preliminary irrigation schedule based upon said ratio.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the computation of both said standard temperature budget factor and said periodic temperature budget factor utilize an extraterrestrial radiation value from said stored local geo-environmental data.

5. the method of claim 3 comprising the additional steps of inputting a current date, inputting an expected maximum temperature and inputting a time frame for said expected maximum temperature.

6. The method of claim 3 wherein the controller automatically determines an expected maximum temperature and a time frame for said expected maximum temperature based upon the zip code.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the step of computing the standard temperature budget factor includes multiplying the expected maximum temperature by an extraterrestrial radiation value for the time frame of said expected maximum temperature.

8. The method of claim 3 wherein said stored local geo-environmental data comprises an expected average maximum temperature during the summer months.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein said current local geo-environmental data is collected over a period of twenty-four hours.

10. The method of claim 3 wherein the step of computing said periodic temperature budget factor includes multiplying an actual recorded maximum temperature taken over a previous predetermined time period by an extraterrestrial radiation value for said geographic location during said period.

14. A method for automatically operating an irrigation controller comprising the steps of:

a. providing said controller with a current date, a local zip code, and a preliminary irrigation schedule;

b. determining an approximate latitude and average summer high temperature based on the zip code;

c. computing a water budgei ratio from current local geo-environmental data and stored local geo-environmental data comprising the steps of;

1. computing a standard temperature budget factor from said stored local geo-environmental data by multiplying the aVerage summer high temperature by an extraterrestrial radiation value for a time frame of said average summer high temperature at said approximate latitude,

2. computing a periodic temperature budget factor by multiplying an actual recorded maximum temperature taken over a previous predetermined period by an extraterrestrial radiation value at said approximate latitude during said particular period, and

3. computing said water budget ratio by dividing said periodic temperature budget factor by said standard temperature budget factor; and

d. modifying said preliminary irrigation schedule based upon said ratio.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein said modification of said preliminary irrigation schedule comprises multiplying said preliminary irrigation schedule by said water budget ratio.

16. The method of claim 14 comprising the additional step of programming said controller to water an irrigation area according to said modified irrigation schedule only upon the occurrence of a predefined environmental event.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein said predefined environmental event comprises the lack of rainfall within a predefined period of time.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein said predefined environmental event comprises a current temperature exceeding a predefined minimum irrigation temperature.

19. An apparatus for automatically adjusting irrigation watering schedules, comprising:

a. a microprocessor with data storage and instructions for computing a water budget ratio using non-evapotranspiration geo-environmental data;

b. an input device in communication with said microprocessor;

c. at least one environmental sensor in communication with said microprocessor;

d. a power source for said microprocessor; and

e. at least one irrigation water control switch in communication with said microprocessor.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein said input device is remotely programmable.

21. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein said at least one switch is wirelessly operated by said microprocessor.

22. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein said data storage comprises a table of extraterrestrial radiation values arranged by date and by approximate latitude.

23. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein a temperature sensor is provided in communication with said microprocessor, and wherein said instructions for computing a water budget ratio comprise dividing a periodic temperature budget factor by a standard temperature budget factor.

24. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein said microprocessor computes said periodic temperature budget factor by multiplying an actual recorded maximum temperature taken by said temperature sensor over a previous predetermined period and an extraterrestrial radiation value at an approximate latitude during said period, and wherein said microprocessor computes said standard temperature budget factor by multiplying an expected maximum temperature by an extraterrestrial radiation value for a time frame of said expected maximum temperature at said approximate latitude.

25. The apparatus of claim 19 further comprising at least one wireless environmental sensor.

26. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein said power source comprises at least one battery.

27. A method for operating an irrigation controller comprising the steps of:

a. providing said controller with a preliminary irrigation schedule;

b. providing said controller with a latitude and average high summer temperature using a global positioning system and stored historical data;

c. computing a water budget ratio by comparing current local geo-environmental data with stored local geo-environmental data wherein said data does not include evapotranspiration data; and

d. modifying said preliminary irrigation schedule based upon said ratio.

28. An apparatus for automatically adjusting irrigation watering schedules, comprising:

a. a microprocessor with data storage haying instructions for computing a water budget ratio using current local non-evapotranspiration geo-environmental data and stored local non-evapotranspiration geo-environmental data;

b. an input device in communication with said microprocessor;

c. at least one temperature sensor in communication with said microprocessor;

d. a power source for said microprocessor; and

e. at least one irrigation water output control switch in communication with said microprocessor.

29. The apparatus of claim 28 further comprising a global positioning system.

30. The apparatus of claim 29 further comprising stored historical geo-environmental data.

31. The apparatus of claim 28 wherein said input device is a wireless programming module.

32. An irrigation controller comprising:

a. a microprocessor with data storage and programming to calculate a water budget without using evapotranspiration data;

b. a wireless input device in communication with said controller;

c. at least one environmental sensor in communication with said controller;

d. a power source for said controller; and

e. at least one water output control switch in communication with said microprocessor.

33. A battery operated irrigation controller comprising:

a. a microprocessor with data storage and programming to calculate a water budget without using evapotranspiration data;

b. a wireless input device in communication with said controller;

c. at least one environmental sensor in communication with said controller;

d. a battery power source for said controller; and

e. at least one water output control switch in communication with said microprocessor.

34. An irrigation controller comprising:

a. a global positioning system;

b. a microprocessor having a clock and data storage in communication with said global positioning system, said microprocessor having programming to calculate a water budget without using evapotranspiration data;

c. at least one environmental sensor in communication with said controller;

d. a power source; and

e. at least one water output control switch in communication with said controller.

35. A method for adjusting a controller irrigation schedule comprising the steps of:

a. producing a ratio by dividing (i) a measured high temperature for a current time period multiplied by a current extraterrestrial radiation factor by (ii) a stored summer high temperature multiplied by a stored extraterrestrial radiation factor; and

b. modifying said irrigation schedule by said ratio.

36. A battery powered controller comprising:

a. At least one battery power source;

b. A microprocessor with data storage and programming to calculate a water budget ratio without using evapotranspiration data; and

c. At least one water control switch.

63. The apparatus of claim 36 further comprising at least one weather sensor selected from the group of:

temperature, precipitation, wind, relative humidity, solar, and combinations thereof.

37. A method of adjusting station run times in an irrigation controller comprising the steps of:

a. calculating a water budget ratio by comparing non-evapotranspiration based current geo-environmental data with stored geo-environmental data; and

b. adjusting said run times based upon said ratio.

38. A method of altering an irrigation schedule comprising the steps of:

a. calculating a water budget ratio for a geographic location by comparing non-evapotranspiration based current geo-environmental data with stored geo-environmental data;

b. modifying said water budget ratio according to data from at least one environmental sensor; and

c. adjusting said irrigation scheduled according to said modified water budget ratio.

39. The method of claim 38 wherein the steps of the method are performed by a controller, and data from said at least one sensor is transmitted wirelessly to said controller.

40. The method of claim 38 wherein said modified water budget ratio is communicated to at least one controller.

41. A method of altering the watering cycles of at least one irrigation controller comprising the steps of:

a. providing a microprocessor at a remote location with historical non-evapotranspiration based geo-environmental data;

b. taking at least one, current temperature reading;

c. calculating a water budget ratio using said microprocessor by comparing said historical data with said current reading;

d. transmitting said water budget ratio to said at least one irrigation controller.

42. The method of claim 41 comprising the additional step of modifying the water budget ratio with a reading from at least one additional sensor.

43. The method of claim 42 wherein said at least one additional sensor is selected from the group consisting of:

wind sensor, relative humidity sensor, rain sensor, solar radiation sensor, and combinations thereof.

44. A central irrigation control comprising:

a. a microprocessor with data storage and programming to calculate a water budget ratio without using evapotranspiration data;

b. a power source for said microprocessor;

c. a temperature sensor in communication with said microprocessor;

d. a wireless transmitter in communication with said microprocessor for transmitting said water budget ratio to at least one remotely located irrigation control unit.

45. In combination, the central irrigation control of claim 44 and at least one remotely located irrigation control unit wherein each such unit is capable of receiving said water budget ratio and using said ratio to modify watering cycles under the control of such unit.

46. The control of claim 44 further comprising at least one additional sensor selected from the group consisting of:

wind sensor, relative humidity sensor, rain sensor, solar radiation sensor, and combinations thereof.

47. An apparatus for affecting an irrigation schedule of at least one valve operated by a valve controller comprising:

a. a module connected to said controller, said module comprising;

1. a microprocessor having non-evapotranspiration based geo-environmental data, and having programming to calculate a water budget without using evapotranspiration data;

2. at least one input for electrical connection to at least one controller output;

3. at least one output for electrical connection to at least one irrigation valve; and

4. a power supply for said module; and

b. a temperature sensor in communication with said module.

48. The apparatus of claim 47 further comprising a water budget override.

49. The apparatus of claim 47 further comprising a zip code input device.

50. The apparatus of claim 47 further comprising at least one weather sensor selected from the group of:

a rain, wind, relative humidity, solar, and combination thereof.

51. A method of affecting the watering cycles of an irrigation controller comprising the steps of:

a. connecting a module having local historical non-evapotranspiration based geo-environmental data therein between said controller outputs and their corresponding valves;

b. providing said module with current temperature information;

c. calculating a water budget in said module by comparing said geo-environmental data with said temperature information;

d. changing said watering cycles based upon said water budget.

52. A method of altering an irrigation cycle comprising the steps of:

a. providing environmental data to a temperature budgeting module external to said controller, said data selected from the group consisting of temperature, precipitation, wind, solar radiation, relative humidity, and combinations thereof;

b. calculating a water budget in said module using said environmental data without using evapotranspiration data; and

c. altering said irrigation cycle using said water budget.

53. A method of altering the operation of an irrigation system valve comprising the steps of:

a. connecting a module having local historical non-evapotranspiration based geo-environmental data between a controller output and a solenoid of said valve;

b. providing said module with current temperature information;

c. calculating a water budget in said module by comparing said geo-environmental data with said temperature information; and

d. Changing the operation of said valve based upon said water budget calculation.

54. The method of claim 53 comprising the additional step of monitoring for at least one of the following conditions, and changing the budget calculation based on information obtained from said monitoring:

precipitation, wind, solar radiation, relative humidity, and combinations thereof.

55. An apparatus for altering the operation of a valve comprising:

A module provided between a controller output and said valve, said module comprising;

a. at least one input for communication with a controller output;

b. at least one output for communication with said valve;

c. A microprocessor with programming to calculate a water budget without using evapotranspiration data; and

d. at least one environmental sensor.

56. The apparatus of claim 55 where the data input to said module is selected from the group consisting of a zip code, latitude, average summer high temperature, and combinations thereof.

57. A method for adjusting the watering schedule of at least one remotely located irrigation controller comprising the steps of:

a. deploying a processing unit at a central location, said unit having programming to calculate a water budget ratio without using evapotranspiration data;

b. providing said processing unit with latitudinal information regarding the central location;

c. providing said processing unit with current temperature information;

d. calculating a water budget ratio;

e. providing the water budget ratio to said at least one controller; and

f. changing the watering schedule of said at least one controller based on said water budget ratio.

58. The method of claim 57 wherein said water budget ratio is provided wirelessly to said at least one controller.

59. The method of claim 57 wherein a plurality of remotely located controllers receive said water budget ratio and change their watering schedules based on said ratio.

60. The method of claim 57 wherein the step of calculating said water budget ratio comprises the additional step of comparing said current temperature information with stored non-evapotranspiration based local geo-environmental data.

61. The method of claim 57 wherein the step of calculating said water budget ratio comprises the additional steps of:

a. computing a standard temperature budget factor;

b. computing a periodic temperature budget factor; and

c. dividing said periodic temperature budget factor by said standard temperature budget factor.

62. A method for operating an irrigation controller comprising the steps of:

a. providing said controller with a preliminary irrigation schedule for a geographic location;

b. inputting a zip code for said geographic location;

c. computing a water budget ratio by comparing current local geo-environmental data with stored local geo-environmental data which does not include evapotranspiration data; and

d. modifying said preliminary irrigation schedule based upon said ratio.

64. A method for adjusting the schedule of at least one remotely located irrigation controller from a given location comprising the steps of:

a. calculating a water budget ratio by comparing stored non-evapotranspiration geo-environmental data with current non-evapotranspiration geo-environmental data;

b. providing said water budget ratio to said at least one remotely located controller; and

,

c. adjusting said schedule according to said water budget ratio.

65. The method of claim 64 comprising the additional step of using precipitation sensor input in calculating said water budget ratio.

66. The method of claim 64 comprising the additional step of using wind sensor input in calculating said water budget ratio.

67. An apparatus for providing a water budget ratio to at least one irrigation controller comprising:

a. at least one environmental sensor;

b. a microprocessor with means for calculating a water budget without using evapotranspiration data in communication with said at least one sensor; and

c. a means for communication with said at least one controller.

68. The apparatus of claim 67 wherein said water budget ratio is provided to said at least one controller by one of wired or wireless means.

69. A method of adjusting a watering schedule of at least one irrigation controller comprising the steps of:

a. calculating a water budget ratio externally from said at least one controller without using evapotranspiration data;

b. communicating said water budget ratio to said at least one controller, and,

c. adjusting said watering schedule according to said water budget ratio.

70. An apparatus for modifying the irrigation schedule of at least one controller comprising:

a. a microprocessor with data storage and programming to calculate a water budget ratio without using evapotranspiration data;

b. at least one environmental sensor in communication with said microprocessor; and

c. a wireless transmitter in communication with said microprocessor for providing said water budget ratio to said at least one controller.

71. A non-AC powered irrigation controller comprising:

a. a non-AC power source selected from the group of;

at least one battery, at least one solar panel, at least one ambient light power source, and combinations thereof;

b. a microprocessor having at least one input and at least one output with programming to calculate a water budget ratio by comparing stored non-evapotranspiration geo-environmental data to current non-evapotranspiration geo-environmental data, and

c. at least one switch in communication with said at least one output.

72. The controller of claim 71 wherein said microprocessor receives input wirelessly.

73. The controller of claim 72 wherein said microprocessor receives input selected from the group of:

a zip code, latitudinal information, an irrigation schedule, current temperature information, current precipitation information, current solar radiation information, current wind information, current humidity information, and combinations thereof.

74. The controller of claim 72 wherein said microprocessor communicates to said at least one switch wirelessly.

75. The controller of claim 71 further comprising at least one sensor in communication with said microprocessor, said sensor selected from the group of:

temperature, precipitation, solar radiation, wind, humidity, and combinations thereof.

76. An apparatus for affecting at least one output of an irrigation controller comprising:

a. a microprocessor having non-evapotranspiration based geo-environmental data and programming to calculate a water budget without using evapotranspiration data;

b. at least one environmental sensor in communication with said microprocessor;

c. at least one input to said microprocessor in communication with at least one controller output; and

d. at least one output from said microprocessor in communication with at least one switch.

77. A method of altering a schedule of an irrigation controller comprising the steps of:

a. calculating a water budget ratio by comparing non-evapotranspiration current geo-environmental data with historical geo-environmental data; and

b. adjusting said irrigation schedule based upon said ratio.

78. An irrigation valve controller comprising:

a. at least one data input means;

b. a power supply;

c. at least one environmental sensor;

d. a microprocessor with programming to calculate a water budget by comparing stored non-evapotranspiration geo-environmental data to current geo-environmental data provided by said at least one sensor; and

e. at least one output in communication with at least one irrigation valve.

79. The controller of claim 78 wherein said environmental sensor is selected from the group of:

temperature, wind, precipitation, humidity, solar radiation, and combinations thereof.

80. The controller of claim 78 wherein said power supply is selected from the group of:

AC, DC, solar, ambient light, wind, water-generated power, wind-generated power, and combination thereof.

81. The controller of claim 78 wherein said data input means is selected from the group of:

at least one data entry button, wireless, hard wired, pager, cell phone, and combinations thereof.

82. The controller of claim 78 wherein said at least one output communication is selected from the group of wired and wireless.

83. A method for adjusting at least one schedule of at least one remotely located irrigation controller comprising the steps of:

a. providing a microprocessor at a location with non-evapotranspiration geo-environmental data;

b. calculating a water budget ratio using said microprocessor by comparing said non-evapotranspiration geo-environmental data with current non-evapotranspiration geo-environmental data;

c. transmitting said water budget ratio to said at least one remotely located controller.

84. An apparatus for adjusting an irrigation schedule of at least one controller comprising:

a. a microprocessor with stored geo-environmental data and programming to calculate a modified water budget without using evapotranspiration data using at least one environmental sensor in communication with said microprocessor; and

b. a means for communicating said water budget to said at least one controller.

85. The apparatus of claim 84 wherein said communicating means is wireless.

86. The apparatus of claim 84 wherein power to said at least one controller is provided from the group of:

battery, solar, AC, ambient light, and combinations thereof.

87. The apparatus of claim 84 wherein said environmental sensor is selected from the group of:

temperature, wind, precipitation, humidity, solar radiation, and combinations thereof.

88. The apparatus of claim 84 wherein a power supply is provided for said microprocessor selected from the group of:

AC, battery, solar, ambient light, wind, and combination thereof.

89. A method for altering a watering schedule of an irrigation controller comprising the steps of:

a. monitoring at least one output of said controller;

b. calculating a water budget ratio using stored and current geo-environmental non-evapotranspiration data; and

c. modifying said at least one output of said controller based upon said budget ratio.

90. An apparatus for altering at least one output from an irrigation controller comprising:

a. a module electrically connected to said at least one output;

b. at least one environmental sensor;

c. a microprocessor having water budget programming that does not use evapotranspiration data in communication with said at least one environmental sensor and with said output; and

d. at least one switch in communication with said microprocessor.

91. The apparatus of claim 90 wherein said environmental sensor is selected from the group of:

temperature, precipitation, humidity, wind, solar radiation, and combination thereof.

92. A method for altering an irrigation schedule of at least one battery powered remotely located controller comprising the steps of:

a. providing a microprocessor at a location with geo-environmental data;

b. calculating a water budget ratio using said microprocessor without using evapotranspiration data;

c. transmitting said water budget ratio to said at least one remotely located battery powered controller; and

d. altering an irrigation schedule of said controller based upon said water budget ratio.

93. An apparatus for altering an irrigation schedule of at least one battery powered remotely located controller comprising:

a. a microprocessor with water budget calculating ability that does not use evapotranspiration data;

b. at least one environmental sensor in communication with said microprocessor; and

c. a wireless transmission means for providing a calculated water budget to said at least one remotely located controller.

94. An apparatus for altering an irrigation schedule of at least one battery powered remotely located controller comprising:

a. a microprocessor with water budget calculating ability that does not use evapotranspiration data;

b. at least one environmental sensor in communication with said microprocessor; and

c. a wireless transmission means for providing said water budget to said at least one remotely located controller.

95. A method of altering a watering schedule of at least one irrigation controller comprising the steps of:

a. calculating a water budget by comparing stored to current non-evapotranspiration geo-environmental data

b. providing said water budget to said at least one controller; and

c. altering a schedule of said at least one controller according to said water budget.