Method and apparatus for controlling irrigation

• US 8,055,389 B2
• Filed: 09/01/2006
• Issued: 11/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DIG Corporation
• Original Assignee: DIG Corporation
• Inventors: Levy, David, Holindrake, Erik, Beal, Craig E., O'Brien, Mike
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel; Ramesh
• Assistant Examiner(s): NORTON, JENNIFER L
• Application Number:
  US11/515,483
• Publication Number:
  US 20080058995A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,894 Days
• Field of Search: 700/284, 700/283, 239/225.1, 239/69, 239/70, 713/324, 137/624.11, 307/66, 307/130, 361/187
• US Class Current: 700/284
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 25/16 Control of watering
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 25/162 Sequential operation
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/35 with light sensitive cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 40/22 Improving land use; Improving water use or availability; Controlling erosion
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 60/12 using renewable energies, e.g. solar water pumping
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/86389 Programmer or timer

Abstract

The invention comprises devices and methods for providing operational power to a solar-powered irrigation control system. In one aspect, a method includes producing electrical energy from light, storing the electrical energy in a capacitive module, and operating an irrigation controller using the stored electrical energy independent of another power source. In another aspect, a device includes a control system comprising a computer having a programmed irrigation schedule which operates at least one irrigation device, a photovoltaic power module, and a capacitive module connected to said photovoltaic power module to store the electrical energy provided by the photovoltaic power module, where the capacitive module provides power for the control system to operate the at least one irrigation device independent of another power source.

Claims

1. An irrigation controller, comprising:

a power system for providing electrical energy, comprising

a photovoltaic power module; and

a power storage device comprising a capacitive module connected across said photovoltaic power module, said capacitive module stores electrical energy generated by said photovoltaic power module;

a control system housed with said power system, comprising;

a wireless transceiver that receives operational signals and provides data to a wireless receiver;

a timing component to provide a real-time clock time signal; and

a computer programmed to

operate at least one irrigation flow device based at least in part on said operational signals and said time signal, said computer further monitors a voltage level of said power storage device and

operate said transceiver in an activated state when said monitored voltage level exceeds a transceiver threshold voltage level, and operate said transceiver in a deactivated state when said monitored voltage level is less than the transceiver threshold voltage level, and

perform an orderly shutdown of said control system when said monitored voltage level falls below a system shutdown threshold voltage, and perform a start-up procedure of said control system when the control system is in a shutdown state and the monitored voltage level exceeds a system start threshold voltage,

the system start threshold voltage being greater than the system shutdown threshold voltage;

a boost module configured to receive electrical energy from the power system at a first voltage level and produce an output voltage at a second voltage level; and

an actuation module comprising at least one capacitor, said actuation module configured to receive electrical energy from said boost module at the second voltage level to charge said at least one capacitor, said actuation module further configured to provide an output pulse to operate at least one irrigation control device connected to the irrigation controller;

wherein the irrigation controller generates electrical energy by said photovoltaic device, the electrical energy is stored in said capacitive module to operate the irrigation controller, during programming of the irrigation controller, and to operate said transceiver, independent of another power source.

2. The irrigation controller of claim 1, further comprising a voltage regulator configured to receive electrical energy from said power system and provide a regulated voltage output to said computer and said transceiver.

3. The irrigation controller of claim 2, wherein said voltage regulator comprises a low-dropout regulator.

4. The irrigation controller of claim 1, further comprising:

a linear voltage regulator configured to receive electrical energy from said power system and provide a regulated voltage output to said computer, and

a switching voltage regulator configured to receive electrical energy from said power system and provide a regulated voltage output to said transceiver.

5. The irrigation controller of claim 1, wherein said computer comprises a microcontroller.

6. The irrigation controller of claim 1, wherein said timing component comprises a real time clock.

7. The irrigation controller of claim 1, wherein said second voltage level is greater than the first voltage level.

8. The irrigation controller of claim 1, wherein said irrigation control device comprises a solenoid valve.

9. The irrigation controller of claim 1, wherein said capacitive module comprises at least one capacitor connected across the photovoltaic power module.

10. The irrigation controller of claim 1, wherein said capacitive module comprises at least two capacitors connected in series and connected across the photovoltaic power module.

11. The irrigation controller of claim 10, wherein said capacitive module further comprises:

a diode connected in parallel with said at least two capacitors; and

a cell balancing module connected to each of said at least two capacitors and configured to maintain a consistent voltage across each of said at least capacitors.

12. The irrigation controller of claim 1, wherein said photovoltaic power module comprises a surface area of about 5700 mm² or less.

13. The irrigation controller of claim 1, wherein the capacitive module comprises one or more capacitors electrically connected in parallel across said photovoltaic power module.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the system shutdown threshold voltage is 2.5 volts or less.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the system shutdown threshold voltage is 2 volts or less.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the transceiver threshold voltage level is 4.2 volts or more.

17. The irrigation controller of claim 1, wherein the transceiver comprises

an interface configured to input operational signals;

and

an LED screen configured to display operational information related to the received operational signals.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the output pulse comprises a pulse of between 5 volts and 15 volts.

19. The system of claim 1, where the output pulse comprises a pulse of 10 volts.

20. The system of claim 1, further comprising;

means for charging an actuation capacitor for operating a solenoid actuated valve using said electrical energy storing means;

means for receiving one or more operational signals using energy stored in the capacitive module;

means for providing time information; and

means for providing event interrupts,

wherein said operating means is configured to use said one or more operational signals, said time information, and said event interrupts to operate said solenoid actuated valve at a predetermined time to control a flow of water in the irrigation system.

21. The system of claim 20, further comprising:

means for monitoring a voltage level of the capacitive module; and

means for implementing a power saving process based on said monitored voltage level.

22. The irrigation controller of claim 1, wherein the control system is further configured to transmit a signal indicative of a condition of the irrigation controller.

23. The irrigation controller of claim 1, wherein the control system is further configured to transmit information relating to an event that occurred in the irrigation controller.

24. A method of operating an irrigation controller to control one or more irrigation devices in an irrigation system, comprising:

producing electrical energy from light;

storing said electrical energy in a capacitive module;

monitoring a voltage level of the stored electrical energy;

receiving operational signals via a wireless transceiver and providing data to a wireless receiver via the transceiver;

programming a control system of said irrigation controller, the control system housed with said transceiver, wherein said programming comprises using the received operational signals and a real-time clock time signal while powering the irrigation controller using said stored electrical energy independent of another power source;

operating said transceiver in an activated state when said monitored voltage level exceeds a transceiver threshold voltage level, and operating said transceiver in a deactivated state when said monitored voltage level is less than the transceiver threshold voltage level;

performing an orderly shutdown of said control system when said monitored voltage level falls below a system shutdown threshold voltage, and performing a start-up procedure of said control system when the control system is in a shutdown state and the monitored voltage level exceeds a system start threshold voltage, the system start threshold voltage being greater than the system shutdown threshold voltage;

receiving electrical energy at a first voltage level and producing an output voltage at a second voltage level via a boost module;

receiving electrical energy at the second voltage level from the boost module via an actuation module to charge at least one capacitor and providing an output pulse via the actuation module to operate at least one irrigation control device connected to the irrigation controller; and

operating said irrigation controller including said transceiver and said control system using said stored electrical energy independent of another power source.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

charging a capacitive module for actuating an irrigation device using said stored electrical energy;

receiving operational signals comprising operational information for operating said irrigation device;

receiving timing signals;

discharging said capacitor to actuate the irrigation device at a predetermined time based on said operational information and said timing signals.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein receiving operational signals comprises receiving said operational signals over a wireless communication link.

27. The method of claim 24, wherein performing an orderly shutdown of said control system comprises configuring the system for a graceful shutdown to a sleep state.

28. The method of claim 24, further comprising transmitting a signal indicative of a condition of the irrigation controller.

29. The method of claim 24, further comprising transmitting information relating to an event that occurred in the irrigation controller.

30. An irrigation controller for controlling an irrigation system, comprising:

means for producing electrical energy from light;

means for storing said electrical energy in a capacitive module;

means for monitoring a voltage level of the stored electrical energy;

a wireless transceiver that receives operational signals and provides data to a wireless receiver;

means for boosting voltage level configured to receive electrical energy at a first voltage level and produce an output voltage at a second voltage level;

means for actuating configured to receive electrical energy from said boosting means at the second voltage level to charge at least one capacitor, said actuating means further configured to provide an output pulse to operate at least one irrigation control device connected to the irrigation controller; and

means for controlling said irrigation controller using the received operational signals and a real-time clock time signal while powering the irrigation controller using said stored electrical energy independent of another power source, said controlling means housed with said wireless transceiver, said controlling means programmed to

operate said transceiver in an activated state when said monitored voltage level exceeds a transceiver threshold voltage level, and operate said transceiver in a deactivated state when said monitored voltage level is less than the transceiver threshold voltage level;

perform an orderly shutdown of said controlling means when said monitored voltage level falls below a system shutdown threshold voltage, and perform a start-up procedure of said controlling means when the controlling means is in a shutdown state and the monitored voltage level exceeds a system start threshold voltage, the system start threshold voltage being greater than the system shutdown threshold voltage; and

operate said irrigation controller using said stored electrical energy independent of another power source.