Irrigation system and methodology

• US 7,883,029 B2
• Filed: 03/23/2007
• Issued: 02/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Sze, Calvin Lui, Spinac, Clifford Jay, Naick, Indran, Chalemin, Glen Edmond
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran; Len
• Assistant Examiner(s): MCGRAW, TREVOR EDWIN
• Application Number:
  US11/690,283
• Publication Number:
  US 20080234870A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,418 Days
• Field of Search: 239/67, 239/68, 239/69, 239/70, 239/71, 239/2.1, 239/530, 239/63, 239/64, 239/65, 239/73, 700/282, 700/284, 700/283
• US Class Current: 239/67
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 25/167 Control by humidity of the soil itself or of devices simulating soil or of the atmosphere; Soil humidity sensors

Abstract

An irrigation system includes a radio transmitter station that transmits weather prediction information to a geographic region that includes multiple geographic sub-regions. The weather prediction information includes a respective geographic sub-region code for each of the geographic sub-regions for which a weather forecast predicts rain within a predetermined time period. An irrigation apparatus in a particular sub-region activates to water a watering zone at a schedule time. However, if the irrigation apparatus receives the sub-region code for the particular sub-region where the irrigation apparatus is located, the irrigation apparatus does not immediately activate to water the watering zone in one embodiment. The transmitter station may transmit both program content and data content on a common radio frequency signal wherein the data content includes the weather prediction information.

Claims

1. A method of irrigation comprising:

transmitting, by a transmitter station, weather prediction information to a geographic region including a plurality of geographic sub-regions, the weather prediction information including a respective geographic sub-region code for each of the geographic sub-regions for which a weather forecast predicts rain within a first predetermined time period;

halting activation, by an irrigation apparatus in a particular geographic sub-region, of watering devices that otherwise activate to water at least one watering zone at a scheduled time, if at least one of the following conditions occurs;

receiving, by the irrigation apparatus within the particular geographic sub-region, the respective geographic sub-region code for the particular geographic sub-region, thus indicating that rain is forecast for the particular geographic sub-region within the first predetermined time period;

sensing, by a rain sensor of the irrigation apparatus within the particular geographic region, that rain water is present in the rain sensor;

activating, by the irrigation apparatus in the particular geographic sub-region, watering devices for which activation was halted in the halting activation step, to water the at least one watering zone if the weather prediction information that indicates rain for the particular geographic sub-region is erroneous for more than a predetermined tolerance period of time; and

repeating the transmitting step with updated weather prediction information including a geographic sub-region code for the particular geographic sub-region once per a second predetermined time period, the second predetermined time period being less than the first predetermined time period.

2. A method of irrigation comprising:

receiving, by an irrigation apparatus in a particular geographic sub-region of a plurality of geographic regions, radio frequency signals that include weather prediction information, the weather prediction information including geographic sub-region codes corresponding respectively to geographic sub-regions for which a weather forecast predicts rain within a first predetermined time period;

halting activation, by the irrigation apparatus in the particular geographic sub-region, of watering devices that otherwise activate to water at least one watering zone at a scheduled time, if at least one of the following conditions occurs;

receiving, by the irrigation apparatus in the particular geographic sub-region, the respective geographic sub-region code for the particular geographic sub-region, thus indicating that rain is forecast for the particular geographic sub-region within the first predetermined time period;

sensing, by a rain sensor of the irrigation apparatus in the particular geographic area, that rain water is present in the rain sensor; and

activating, by the irrigation apparatus in the particular geographic sub-region, watering devices for which activation was halted in the halting activation step, to water the at least one watering zone if the weather prediction information that indicates rain for the particular geographic sub-region is erroneous for more than a predetermined tolerance period of time;

wherein the irrigation apparatus in the particular geographic sub-region receives updated weather prediction information including a geographic sub-region code for the particular geographic sub-region once per a second predetermined time period, the second predetermined time period being less than the first predetermined time period.

3. An irrigation apparatus, comprising:

a radio receiver that receives radio frequency signals that include weather prediction information, the radio receiver being usable in a particular geographic sub-region of a plurality of geographic sub-regions, the weather prediction information including geographic sub-region codes corresponding respectively to geographic sub-regions for which a weather forecast predicts rain within a first predetermined time period;

a controller, coupled to the radio receiver, that activates watering devices coupled to the controller to water at least one watering zone at a scheduled time, the controller halting activation of the watering devices at the scheduled time if at least one of the following conditions occurs;

a) the radio receiver receives the geographic sub-region code of the particular sub-region in which the irrigation apparatus is located, thus indicating that rain is forecast for the particular geographic sub-region within the first predetermined time period; and

b) the controller determines that rain water is present in a rain sensor coupled to the controller;

wherein the controller activates watering devices for which activation was previously halted by the controller, to water the at least one watering zone if the weather prediction information that indicates rain for the particular geographic sub-region is erroneous for more than a predetermined tolerance period of time;

wherein the radio receiver receives updated weather prediction information including a geographic sub-region code for the particular geographic sub-region once per a second predetermined time period, the second predetermined time period being less than the first predetermined time period.