Open architecture modularity for irrigation controllers

• US 7,522,975 B2
• Filed: 08/14/2007
• Issued: 04/21/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rain Bird Corporation
• Original Assignee: Rain Bird Corporation
• Inventors: Perez, Sergio
• Primary Examiner(s): Bahta; Kidest
• Application Number:
  US11/838,862
• Publication Number:
  US 20080071426A1
• Time in Patent Office: 616 Days
• Field of Search: 700283-284, 239/69, 239/70
• US Class Current: 700/284
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 25/16 Control of watering
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/042 using digital processors G05B19/05 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25085 Several function expansion units for master, main unit, universal system
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2625 Sprinkler, irrigation, watering

Abstract

Modular irrigation controllers and related methods are described herein. In one implementation, an irrigation controller comprises a control unit within a housing, the control unit including a first microcontroller for executing stored irrigation programs. The controller also comprises a plurality of module coupling locations, each electrically coupled with the first microcontroller and adapted to receive one of a plurality of expansion modules. The first microcontroller is configured to detect the electrical coupling and decoupling of an expansion module to a respective module coupling location without removing power to the control unit, the expansion module including a second microcontroller capable of communicating with said first microcontroller and including driver circuitry for actuating irrigation valves, the second microcontroller capable of operating the driver circuitry for actuating said irrigation valves in accordance with control signals received from the first microcontroller.

Claims

1. An irrigation controller comprising:

a housing;

a control unit within the housing, the control unit including a first microcontroller for executing stored irrigation programs;

a plurality of module coupling locations, each electrically coupled with the first microcontroller and adapted to receive one of a plurality of expansion modules; and

an expansion module removably coupled to a respective module coupling location and including a second microcontroller capable of communicating with said first microcontroller and including driver circuitry for actuating irrigation valves, the second microcontroller capable of operating the driver circuitry for actuating said irrigation valves in accordance with control signals received from the first microcontroller, wherein the expansion module may be electrically coupled and decoupled to the respective module coupling location without removing power to the control unit.

2. The irrigation controller of claim 1 wherein the first microcontroller is configured to handle dynamic electrical connection and electrical disconnection of the expansion module without restarting the control unit.

3. The irrigation controller of claim 1 wherein each of the plurality of module coupling locations provides power and data such that a power circuit connection is established prior to a data circuit connection being established upon the coupling of the expansion module thereto, and

wherein the power circuit connection is terminated after the data circuit connection is terminated upon the uncoupling of the expansion module therefrom.

4. The irrigation controller of claim 1 wherein the expansion module may be electrically coupled and decoupled to the respective module coupling location during operation of the controller.

5. The irrigation controller of claim 1 wherein the respective module coupling location may be any one of the plurality of module coupling locations independent of the coupling of another of the plurality of expansion modules to another of the plurality of module coupling locations.

6. The irrigation controller of claim 1 further comprising a smart module removably coupled to another respective module coupling location, said smart module having a third microcontroller capable of communicating with said first microcontroller and operating together with said first microcontroller to control the operation of a variety of irrigation functions that can not be performed by the first microcontroller and the expansion module.

7. The irrigation controller of claim 1 wherein the first microcontroller is configured to handle dynamic electrical connection and electrical disconnection of the expansion module without restarting firmware of the control unit.

8. The irrigation controller of claim 1 wherein the first microcontroller is configured to repeatedly verify that the expansion module is coupled to the module coupling location.

9. The irrigation controller of claim 1 wherein the first microcontroller is configured to repeatedly verify that the expansion module is coupled to the module coupling location.

12. The irrigation controller of claim 1 wherein each of the plurality of module coupling locations provides power and data such that when the expansion module is coupled to the respective module coupling location, a power circuit connection is established prior to a data circuit connection being established upon the coupling of the expansion module thereto, and

when the expansion module is uncoupled from the respective module coupling location, the power circuit connection is terminated after the data circuit connection is terminated.

10. An irrigation controller comprising:

a housing;

a control unit within the housing, the control unit including a first microcontroller for executing stored irrigation programs;

a plurality of module coupling locations, each electrically coupled with the first microcontroller and adapted to receive one of a plurality of expansion modules; and

wherein the first microcontroller is configured to detect the electrical coupling and decoupling of an expansion module to a respective module coupling location without removing power to the control unit, the expansion module including a second microcontroller capable of communicating with said first microcontroller and including driver circuitry for actuating irrigation valves, the second microcontroller capable of operating the driver circuitry for actuating said irrigation valves in accordance with control signals received from the first microcontroller.

11. The irrigation controller of claim 10 wherein the first microcontroller is configured to handle dynamic electrical connection and electrical disconnection of the expansion module without restarting the control unit.

13. The irrigation controller of claim 10 wherein the first microcontroller is configured to allow the expansion module to be electrically coupled and decoupled to the respective module coupling location during operation of the controller.

14. The irrigation controller of claim 10 wherein the respective module coupling location may be any one of the plurality of module coupling locations independent of the coupling of another of the plurality of expansion modules to another of the plurality of module coupling locations.

15. The irrigation controller of claim 10 wherein the first microcontroller is configured to allow a smart module to be removably coupled to another respective module coupling location, said smart module having a third microcontroller capable of communicating with said first microcontroller and operating together with said first microcontroller to control the operation of a variety of irrigation functions that can not be performed by the first microcontroller and the expansion module.

16. The irrigation controller of claim 10 wherein the first microcontroller is configured to handle dynamic electrical connection and electrical disconnection of the expansion module without restarting firmware of the control unit.

17. The irrigation controller of claim 10 wherein the first microcontroller is configured to repeatedly verify whether or not the expansion module is coupled to the module coupling location.

18. The irrigation controller of claim 10 wherein the first microcontroller is configured to repeatedly verify, for each station of a plurality of stations controlled by an irrigation program, each station corresponding to a valve, that a respective expansion module having an output controlling each station is coupled to a respective module coupling location.

19. A method for use in irrigation control comprising:

operating an irrigation controller having a control unit within a housing, the control unit including a first microcontroller for executing stored irrigation programs, the irrigation controller having a plurality of module coupling locations, each electrically coupled with the first microcontroller and adapted to receive one of a plurality of expansion modules; and

detecting an electrical coupling and decoupling of an expansion module to a respective module coupling location without removing power to the control unit, the expansion module including a second microcontroller capable of communicating with said first microcontroller and including driver circuitry for actuating irrigation valves, the second microcontroller capable of operating the driver circuitry for actuating said irrigation valves in accordance with control signals received from the first microcontroller.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the detecting step comprises detecting dynamic electrical coupling and decoupling of an expansion module to a respective module coupling location without restarting the control unit.