Modular and expandable irrigation controller

• US 7,640,079 B2
• Filed: 12/23/2004
• Issued: 12/29/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rain Bird Corporation
• Original Assignee: Rain Bird Corporation
• Inventors: Vail, Kenneth D., Nickerson, Harvey J., Musselman, James R., Nguyen, Andrew M., Basch, Susan E., Leatherman, Russel D., Jenkins, Robert, Venegas, Ken R., Neitzel, Roger S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shechtman; Sean P
• Application Number:
  US11/022,329
• Publication Number:
  US 20050267641A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,832 Days
• Field of Search: 700/12, 700/19, 700/24, 700/27, 700/284, 239/67, 239/69, 340/3.1, 340/3.22, 340/3.5, 340/3.51, 340/3.52, 340/3.6, 340/3.62, 340/3.63, 340/514, 340/518
• US Class Current: 700/284
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 25/16 Control of watering
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 25/165 Cyclic operations, timing systems, timing valves, impulse operations
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25314 Modular structure, modules
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2625 Sprinkler, irrigation, watering
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 7/0617 specially adapted for fluid materials

Abstract

Described herein are several embodiments relating to modular irrigation controllers. In many implementations, the irrigation controllers are modular in that various functional components of the irrigation controller are implemented in removable modules that when inserted into position within the controller, expand the capabilities of the controller. Also described are various different types of expansion modules that may be coupled to the modular controller, having as variety of functions and features, as well as related methods of use and configuration of these modules in the controller.

Claims

1. An expansion module for a modular irrigation controller comprising:

a housing;

an electrical connector coupled to the housing and adapted to removably connect to one of a plurality of expansion module mounting locations of the modular irrigation controller, each expansion module mounting location electrically coupled to a control unit of the modular irrigation controller that executes stored irrigation programs;

a microcontroller within the housing and coupled to the electrical connector;

the microcontroller adapted to;

determine that the expansion module has been connected to the one expansion module mounting location; and

transmit a signal to the control unit to indicate the presence of the expansion module to the control unit.

2. The expansion module of claim 1 wherein the microcontroller is adapted to:

determine which of the plurality of expansion module mounting locations the expansion module has been connected to; and

transmit the signal to the control unit, the signal further indicating which expansion module mounting location that the expansion module has been mounted to.

3. The expansion module of claim 1 wherein the signal comprises an announcement message.

4. The expansion module of claim 1 wherein the microcontroller is adapted to detect a pulse code modulated signal at an input of the electrical connector, and use the pulse code modulated signal to determine which of the plurality of expansion module mounting locations the expansion module has been connected to.

5. The expansion module of claim 1 wherein the microcontroller is adapted to detect a voltage signal and a frequency signal at an input of the electrical connector, and use these signals to determine which of the plurality of expansion module mounting locations the expansion module has been connected to.

6. The expansion module of claim 1 further comprising a capacitor coupled to an input of the electrical connector, wherein the microcontroller is adapted to use a time constant of the capacitor in combination of a resistance at the input of the electrical connector to determine which of the plurality of expansion module mounting locations the expansion module has been connected to.

7. The expansion module of claim 1 wherein the electrical connector is adapted to removably connect to any one of the plurality of expansion module mounting locations of the modular irrigation controller.

8. A method for use with a modular irrigation controller comprising:

removably connecting an electrical connector of an expansion module having a housing to one of a plurality of expansion module mounting locations of the modular irrigation controller, each expansion module mounting location electrically coupled to a control unit of the modular irrigation controller that executes stored irrigation programs;

determining, by a microcontroller of the expansion module, that the expansion module has been connected to the one of the plurality of expansion module mounting location; and

transmitting a signal to the control unit to indicate the presence of the expansion module to the control unit.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

determining which of the plurality of expansion module mounting locations the expansion module has been connected to; and

wherein the transmitting step comprises;

transmitting the signal to the control unit, the signal further indicating which expansion module mounting location that the expansion module has been mounted to.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein the transmitting step comprises transmitting the signal, the signal comprises an announcement message.

11. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

detecting, by the microcontroller, a pulse code modulated signal at an input of the electrical connector; and

determining which of the plurality of expansion module mounting locations the expansion module has been connected to using the pulse code modulated signal.

12. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

detecting, by the microcontroller, a voltage signal and a frequency signal at an input of the electrical connector; and

determining which of the plurality of expansion module mounting locations the expansion module has been connected to use the voltage signal and the frequency signal.

13. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

determining which of the plurality of expansion module mounting locations the expansion module has been connected to by using a time constant of a capacitor coupled to an input of the electrical connector in combination of a resistance at the input of the electrical connector.

14. The method of claim 8 wherein the removably connecting step comprises:

removably connecting the electrical connector of the expansion module to any one of a plurality of expansion module mounting locations of the modular irrigation controller.

15. An expansion module for a modular irrigation controller comprising:

a housing;

an electrical connector coupled to the housing and adapted to removably connect to any one of a plurality of expansion module mounting locations of the modular irrigation controller, each expansion module mounting location electrically coupled to a control unit of the modular irrigation controller that executes stored irrigation programs;

a microcontroller within the housing and coupled to the electrical connector;

the microcontroller adapted to;

determine that the expansion module is connected to an expansion module mounting location; and

transmit a signal to the control unit to indicate the presence of the expansion module to the control unit.

16. The expansion module of claim 15 wherein the microcontroller is adapted to:

determine which of the plurality of expansion module mounting locations the expansion module has been connected to; and

transmit the signal to the control unit, the signal further indicating which expansion module mounting location that the expansion module has been mounted to.