Satellite irrigation controller
First Claim
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1. A satellite irrigation controller comprising:
- a controller housing;
a circuit board disposed on said controller housing, said circuit board having a CPU and a memory, said CPU configured to execute an irrigation program, a first communication protocol, and a second communication protocol;
a user interface coupled to said circuit board and further configured to modify irrigation data associated with said irrigation program;
a first I/O port operatively coupled to said circuit board, said first I/O port configured to interchangeably receive an input card and an output card; and
wherein said input card communicates with said first communication protocol and said output card communicates with said second communication protocol.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
In one embodiment, the present invention provides a satellite irrigation controller that allows a user to insert a input/output card into any position in any sequence and be recognized as an input card or an output card. When the correct card type is determined, the card is service according to its specified functionality. In another embodiment, the satellite irrigation controller includes firmware which allows a user to program a range of stations at one time. In yet another embodiment, the satellite irrigation controller provides three user input programs that reduce the amount of input data needed to program the irrigation cycle of an irrigation station.
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Citations
32 Claims
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1. A satellite irrigation controller comprising:
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a controller housing; a circuit board disposed on said controller housing, said circuit board having a CPU and a memory, said CPU configured to execute an irrigation program, a first communication protocol, and a second communication protocol; a user interface coupled to said circuit board and further configured to modify irrigation data associated with said irrigation program; a first I/O port operatively coupled to said circuit board, said first I/O port configured to interchangeably receive an input card and an output card; and wherein said input card communicates with said first communication protocol and said output card communicates with said second communication protocol. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method of detecting an I/O card of a satellite controller comprising:
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providing a satellite controller comprising a circuit board having a CPU, a memory, a first protocol for communicating with said CPU and a second protocol for communicating with said CPU; creating a communicative connection between an I/O card and said CPU; transmitting at least one of said first protocol and said second protocol from said CPU to said I/O card; and
,determining a type of said I/O card based on a response from the transmitting of at least one of said first protocol and second protocol between said CPU and said I/O card. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. An irrigation controller comprising:
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a circuit board having a CPU and a memory; an irrigation program stored in said memory and executable by said CPU; a user interface coupled to said circuit board for inputting at least one irrigation parameter into said irrigation program; a routine included in said irrigation program which isolates all irrigation stations having a common value for said at least one irrigation parameter into a range of irrigation stations associated with said irrigation program; and
,said irrigation program enabling said user to treat said range as a single irrigation station during future adjustments by said user to said irrigation program. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method of setting up an irrigation program comprising:
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providing a circuit board having a CPU and a memory; inputting irrigation parameters of a plurality of irrigation stations into said memory; isolating a plurality of irrigation stations into a range of irrigation stations based on a commonality in the value of at least one irrigation parameter; and
,treating said range of irrigation stations as one irrigation station in future inputting of irrigation parameters for said irrigation stations within said range such that a change in said irrigation parameter for one irrigation station within said range results in a change to said irrigation parameter for all irrigation stations within said range. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. An irrigation controller comprising:
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a controller housing; a microprocessor disposed in said controller housing; a memory disposed in said controller housing and operatively coupled to said microprocessor; and
,an irrigation scheduling program within said memory, said irrigation scheduling program having a plurality of default irrigation routines selectable by a user, each of said default irrigation routines being distinguished from another of said default irrigation routines by the number of different input data types required from a user in order to render said irrigation scheduling program executable. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26)
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27. An irrigation controller comprising:
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a controller housing; a microprocessor disposed in said controller housing; a memory disposed in said controller housing and operatively coupled to said microprocessor; and
,an irrigation scheduling program within said memory, said irrigation scheduling program having a plurality of default irrigation routines selectable by a user, each of said default irrigation routines being distinguished from another of said default irrigation routines by the number of inputs required from a user in order to render said irrigation scheduling program executable wherein said plurality of default irrigation routines includes a basic default program, a grow-in default program and an advanced default program; and
,wherein the inputs required from a user in said basic default program include start time, runtime, percentage runtime adjustment, and maximum number of simultaneously running stations.
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28. An irrigation controller comprising:
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a controller housing; a microprocessor disposed in said controller housing; a memory disposed in said controller housing and operatively coupled to said microprocessor; and
,an irrigation scheduling program within said memory, said irrigation scheduling program having a plurality of default irrigation routines selectable by a user, each of said default irrigation routines being distinguished from another of said default irrigation routines by the number of inputs required from a user in order to render said irrigation scheduling program executable wherein said plurality of default irrigation routines includes a basic default program, a grow-in default program and an advanced default program; and
,wherein the inputs required from a user in said grow-in default program include start time, runtime, percentage runtime adjustment, maximum number of simultaneously running stations and delay time between cycles.
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29. An irrigation controller comprising:
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a controller housing; a microprocessor disposed in said controller housing; a memory disposed in said controller housing and operatively coupled to said microprocessor; and
,an irrigation scheduling program within said memory, said irrigation scheduling program having a plurality of default irrigation routines selectable by a user, each of said default irrigation routines being distinguished from another of said default irrigation routines by the number of inputs required from a user in order to render said irrigation scheduling program executable wherein said plurality of default irrigation routines includes a basic default program, a grow-in default program and an advanced default program; and
,wherein the inputs required from a user in said advanced default program include start time, end time, runtime, percentage runtime adjustment, maximum number of simultaneously running stations, active irrigation days and schedule repeats.
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30. A method of programming an irrigation controller comprising:
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providing a CPU and memory having a programmable irrigation program; selecting a default irrigation routine from a plurality of default irrigation routines, each of said default irrigation routines being distinct from another of said default irrigation routines according to the number of required user inputs; inputting said required user inputs for said selected default irrigation routine; and
,executing said default irrigation routine; wherein the inputting of said required user inputs includes inputting start time, runtime, percentage runtime adjustment, and maximum number of simultaneously running stations.
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31. A method of programming an irrigation controller comprising:
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providing a CPU and memory having a programmable irrigation program; selecting a default irrigation routine from a plurality of default irrigation routines, each of said default irrigation routines being distinct from another of said default irrigation routines according to the number of required user inputs; inputting said required user inputs for said selected default irrigation routine; and
,executing said default irrigation routine; wherein the inputting of said required user inputs includes inputting start time, runtime, percentage runtime adjustment, maximum number of simultaneously running stations and delay time between cycles.
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32. A method of programming an irrigation controller comprising:
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providing a CPU and memory having a programmable irrigation program; selecting a default irrigation routine from a plurality of default irrigation routines, each of said default irrigation routines being distinct from another of said default irrigation routines according to the number of required user inputs; inputting said required user inputs for said selected default irrigation routine; and
,executing said default irrigation routine; wherein the inputting of said required user inputs includes inputting start time, end time, runtime, percentage runtime adjustment, maximum number of simultaneously running stations, active irrigation days and schedule repeats.
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Specification