Expandable irrigation controller
First Claim
1. An expandable irrigation controller for controlling a plurality of watering stations in an irrigation system comprises:
- a removable front panel, the removable front panel comprising;
a plurality of manual controls operable to input instructions for a watering program;
a memory operable to store the input instructions; and
a controller operable to execute the watering program; and
an inner housing, connected to the front panel, the inner housing comprising;
a circuit board including control connectors which are connected electrically to the controller; and
a station module operable to provide an ON/OFF signal to at least one watering station of the irrigation system, whereinthe station module is electrically connected to the circuit board via the control connectors and the ON/OFF signal is provided based on instructions from the controller in accordance with the watering program, and whereinthe control connectors are positioned in a substantially continuous line extending across the inner housing such that the station module is connectable to the control connectors at substantially any desired location.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An expandable irrigation controller for controlling a plurality of watering stations in an irrigation system includes a removable front panel and an inner housing, connected to the front panel. The removable front panel includes a plurality of manual controls operable to input instructions for a watering program, a memory operable to store the input instructions and a controller operable to execute the watering program. The inner housing includes a circuit board including control connectors which are connected electrically to the controller and a station module operable to provide an ON/OFF signal to at least one watering station of the irrigation system. The station module is electrically connected to the circuit board via the control connectors and the ON/OFF signal is provided based on instructions from the controller in accordance with the watering program. The control connectors are positioned in a substantially continuous line extending across the inner housing such that the station module is connectable to the control connectors at substantially any desired location. Multiple modules of different sizes may be mounted in the inner housing as desired. Control information may be provided via a radio frequency supply and received by a radio frequency module to be provided to the station modules and to external station modules in an external housing.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. An expandable irrigation controller for controlling a plurality of watering stations in an irrigation system comprises:
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a removable front panel, the removable front panel comprising; a plurality of manual controls operable to input instructions for a watering program; a memory operable to store the input instructions; and a controller operable to execute the watering program; and an inner housing, connected to the front panel, the inner housing comprising; a circuit board including control connectors which are connected electrically to the controller; and a station module operable to provide an ON/OFF signal to at least one watering station of the irrigation system, wherein the station module is electrically connected to the circuit board via the control connectors and the ON/OFF signal is provided based on instructions from the controller in accordance with the watering program, and wherein the control connectors are positioned in a substantially continuous line extending across the inner housing such that the station module is connectable to the control connectors at substantially any desired location. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. An expandable irrigation controller for controlling a plurality of watering stations in an irrigation system comprises:
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a removable front panel, the removable front panel comprising; a plurality of manual controls operable to input instructions for a watering program; a memory operable to store the input instructions; and a controller operable to execute the watering program; and an inner housing, connected to the front panel, the inner housing comprising; a circuit board including control connectors that are connected electrically to the controller; and a station module operable to provide an ON/OFF signal to at least one watering station of the irrigation system, wherein the station module is electrically connected to the circuit board via the control connectors and the ON/OFF signal is provided based on instructions from the controller in accordance with the watering program, where the control connectors are positioned in a substantially continuous line extending across the inner housing such that the station module is connectable to the control connectors at substantially any desired location, and wherein the controller sends an inquiry signal to the station module prior to enacting control and confirms the presence of the station module by determining whether the station module draws current in response to the inquiry signal.
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Specification