Automatically adjusting irrigation controller

• US 7,805,221 B2
• Filed: 05/17/2007
• Issued: 09/28/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rain Bird Corporation
• Original Assignee: Rain Bird Corporation
• Inventors: Nickerson, Harvey J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hartman, Jr.; Ronald D
• Application Number:
  US11/750,257
• Publication Number:
  US 20080288116A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,230 Days
• Field of Search: 700/284, 239/69
• US Class Current: 700/284
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 25/16 Control of watering
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/1866 For controlling soil irrigation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/189 Soil moisture sensing

Abstract

Methods and devices are provided to automatically determine plant water requirements and adjust irrigation in order to make efficient use of water. In one implementation, an irrigation control unit comprises a memory storing historical values of a plurality of variables used at least in part in calculating plant water requirements, and at least one input adapted to receive signals corresponding to current values of one or more of the plurality of variables. The unit also comprises a processor coupled to the at least one input and the memory, the processor adapted to determine the plant water requirements at least in part using, for each of the plurality of variables, a current value in the event the current value is available and at least in part using, for each of the plurality of variables, a stored historical value in the event the current value is not available.

Claims

1. An irrigation control unit comprising:

a memory storing historical values of a plurality of variables used at least in part in calculating plant water requirements;

at least one input adapted to receive signals corresponding to current values of one or more of the plurality of variables;

a processor coupled to the at least one input and the memory, the processor adapted to determine the plant water requirements at least in part using, for each of the plurality of variables on a variable by variable basis, a current value in the event the current value is available and at least in part using, for each of the plurality of variables, a stored historical value from a given set of multiple sets of stored historical values in the event the current value is not available, each set corresponding to a different geographic region, the given set corresponding to a geographic region for which the plant water requirements are to be determined.

2. The irrigation control unit of claim 1 wherein the plant water requirements are based on a determination of an evapotranspiration (ET) value.

3. The irrigation control unit of claim 1 wherein the plurality of variables comprises two or more parameters selected from a group consisting of:

temperature, solar radiation, humidity, wind speed and an amount of rainfall.

4. The irrigation control unit of claim 1 further comprising at least one sensor coupled to the at least one input.

5. The irrigation control unit of claim 4 wherein the at least one sensor comprises a sensor selected from a group consisting of:

a temperature sensor, a solar radiation sensor, a humidity sensor, a wind speed and a rainfall sensor.

6. The irrigation control unit of claim 1 wherein the memory stores the multiple sets of the stored historical values, each set corresponding to the different geographic region.

7. The irrigation control unit of claim 6 wherein, based on a user input, the processor selects the given set of the stored historical values for use in determining the plant water requirements.

8. The irrigation control unit of claim 7 wherein the user input comprises an input selected from a group consisting of:

a zip code, a longitudinal coordinate, a latitudinal coordinate, and a map code.

9. The irrigation control unit of claim 1 wherein the signals received at the at least one input correspond to current values of the one or more of the plurality of variables for a geographic region local to the irrigation control unit.

10. The irrigation control unit of claim 1 further comprising:

a first housing containing the irrigation control unit and an irrigation controller coupled to and controlling operation of flow control devices.

11. The irrigation control unit of claim 1 further comprising:

a first housing containing the irrigation control unit, the first housing adapted to be coupled to a second housing containing an irrigation controller coupled to and controlling operation of flow control devices.

12. The irrigation control unit of claim 1 wherein the processor is adapted to determine, based on the plant water requirements, adjustments to a programmed watering schedule.

13. The irrigation control unit of claim 12 wherein the processor is adapted to generate signaling to cause the adjustments to the programmed watering schedule.

14. The irrigation control unit of claim 1 wherein the processor is adapted to determine a watering schedule in order to meet the plant water requirements.

15. The irrigation control unit of claim 1 wherein the stored historical values are stored in the memory prior to the irrigation control unit being sold.

16. The irrigation control unit of claim 1 wherein the processor is adapted to determine the plant water requirements at least in part using the current value for at least one of the plurality of variables and the stored historical value for at least one of the plurality of variables.

17. A processor implemented method for use in irrigation control comprising:

determining, using a processor, for each of a plurality of variables used at least in part to determine plant water requirements, whether a current value is available;

determining, using the processor, the plant water requirements at least in part using, for each of the plurality of variables on a variable by variable basis, the current value in the event the current value is available and at least in part using, for each of the plurality of variables, a stored historical value in the event the current value is not available; and

wherein the determining the plant water requirements step further comprises using, for each of the plurality of variables, the stored historical value from a given set of multiple sets of stored historical values in the event the current value is not available, each set corresponding to a different geographic region, the given set corresponding to a geographic region for which the plant water requirements are to be determined.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the determining the plant water requirements step comprises determining an evapotranspiration (ET) value.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein the plurality of variables comprises two or more parameters selected from a group consisting of:

temperature, solar radiation, humidity, wind speed, and an amount of rainfall.

20. The method of claim 17 further comprising:

receiving, for each of one or more of the plurality of variables, the current value from a sensor.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein the sensor comprises a sensor selected from a group consisting of:

a temperature sensor, a solar radiation sensor, a humidity sensor, a wind speed and a rainfall sensor.

22. The method of claim 17 further comprising:

selecting, based on a user input, the given set for use in determining the plant water requirements.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein the user input comprises an input selected from a group consisting of:

a zip code, a longitudinal coordinate, a latitudinal coordinate and a map code.

24. The method of claim 17 wherein, for each of the plurality of variables, the current value comprises a value local to the geographic region for which the plant water requirements are being determined.

25. The method of claim 17 further comprising:

determining, based on the plant water requirements, adjustments to a programmed watering schedule.

26. The method of claim 17 further comprising:

generating signaling to cause the adjustments to the programmed watering schedule.

27. The method of claim 17 further comprising:

determining a watering schedule based at least in part on the plant water requirements.

28. The method of claim 17 wherein the determining steps are performed by an irrigation control unit, the stored historical value being stored in a memory of the irrigation control unit prior to a sale of the irrigation control unit.

29. The method of claim 17 wherein the determining the plant water requirements step comprises:

determining the plant water requirements at least in part using the current value for at least one of the plurality of variables and the stored historical value for at least one of the plurality of variables.

30. An irrigation control unit comprising:

means for determining, using a processor, for each of a plurality of variables used at least in part to determine plant water requirements, whether a current value is available;

means for determining, using the processor, the plant water requirements at least in part using, for each of the plurality of variables on a variable by variable basis, the current value in the event the current value is available and at least in part using, for each of the plurality of variables, a stored historical value in the event the current value is not available; and

wherein the means for determining, using the processor, the plant water requirements further comprises means for using, for each of the plurality of variables, the stored historical value from a given set of multiple sets of stored historical values in the event the current value is not available, each set corresponding to a different geographic region, the given set corresponding to a geographic region for which the plant water requirements are to be determined.

31. An irrigation control unit comprising:

a memory storing multiple sets of historical values of a plurality of variables used at least in part in calculating plant water requirements, each set specific to a different geographic region, wherein the plurality of variables comprises two or more parameters selected from a group consisting of;

temperature, solar radiation, humidity, wind speed and an amount of rainfall, wherein the historical values are stored in the memory prior to the irrigation control unit being sold;

a user interface adapted to receive a user input indicating a location of the irrigation control unit;

at least one input adapted to receive signals corresponding to current values of one or more of the plurality of variables for a first geographic region corresponding to the location of the irrigation control unit;

a processor coupled to the at least one input and the memory, the processor adapted to;

select, based on the user input, a given set of the historical values of the plurality of variables; and

determine the plant water requirements based on a determination of an evapotranspiration (ET) value at least in part using, for each of the plurality of variables on a variable by variable basis, a current value in the event the current value is available and at least in part using, for each of the plurality of variables, a stored historical value in the event the current value is not available, and

wherein the processor is adapted to determine the plant water requirements at least in part using the current value for at least one of the plurality of variables and the stored historical value for at least one of the plurality of variables; and

at least one sensor coupled to the at least one input and selected from a group consisting of;

a temperature sensor, a solar radiation sensor, a humidity sensor, a wind speed and a rainfall sensor.

32. An irrigation control unit comprising:

a memory storing historical values of a plurality of variables used at least in part in calculating plant water requirements;

at least one input adapted to receive signals corresponding to current values of one or more of the plurality of variables;

a processor coupled to the at least one input and the memory, the processor adapted to determine the plant water requirements at least in part using, for each of the plurality of variables on a variable by variable basis, a current value in the event the current value is available and at least in part using, for each of the plurality of variables, a stored historical value in the event the current value is not available,

wherein the stored historical values are stored in the memory prior to the irrigation control unit being sold.

33. A processor implemented method for use in irrigation control comprising:

determining, for each of a plurality of variables used at least in part to determine plant water requirements, whether a current value is available;

determining the plant water requirements at least in part using, for each of the plurality of variables on a variable by variable basis, the current value in the event the current value is available and at least in part using, for each of the plurality of variables, a stored historical value in the event the current value is not available; and

wherein the determining steps are performed by an irrigation control unit, the stored historical value being stored in a memory of the irrigation control unit prior to a sale of the irrigation control unit.