Computer-operated landscape irrigation and lighting system

• US 8,209,061 B2
• Filed: 07/31/2006
• Issued: 06/26/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toro Company (Toro)
• Original Assignee: Toro Company (Toro)
• Inventors: Palmer, Doug, Korol, Alex
• Primary Examiner(s): Decady, Albert
• Assistant Examiner(s): STEVENS, THOMAS H
• Application Number:
  US12/091,272
• Publication Number:
  US 20100030389A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,157 Days
• Field of Search: 700/284, 700/17, 700/3, 700/9, 700/19, 239/47, 239/236, 239/723, 172/64, 345/1.1, 345/2.1, 340/517, 340/571
• US Class Current: 700/284
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 25/16 Control of watering
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/16 by timing means
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

A multi-zone landscape irrigation and lighting system includes a personal computer equipped with a detachable wireless remote, and a multi-station controller operating a plurality of irrigation valves and lighting circuits in accordance with schedules wirelessly transmitted to it by the computer through the remote. When detached from the computer, the remote can wirelessly operate selected irrigation or lighting zones manually. The computer has an intuitive graphic user interface capable of using actual zone photographs to identify individual zones in a strip of zone icons. The icon strip is movable past a lens-like window, the zone icon under the lens at a given time determining the zone currently programmable. A residential system can be operated by a contractor from the street, and the system can be programmed by e-mail from the contractor'"'"'s shop. Fully automatic operation may be derived from data obtained over the Internet.

Claims

1. A landscape control system comprising:

a landscape controller configured to control a plurality of independently controllable zones within a landscape;

a computer in communication with said landscape controller; and

,

landscape control software executable by said computer;

said landscape control software comprising;

an irrigation control interface configured for designating a selected zone of said plurality of independently controllable zones;

displaying a zone image associated with said selected zone; and

displaying at least some irrigation schedule modification controls corresponding only to said selected zone; and

a zone image selection interface configured to allow a user to designate an association between each of said plurality of independently controllable zones and a corresponding image.

2. The landscape control system of claim 1, wherein said zone image is a digital photo.

3. The landscape control system of claim 2, wherein said landscape control software is further configured to create a schedule to operate landscape lighting equipment.

4. The landscape control system of claim 3, wherein said zone image is displayed as an icon by said landscape control software.

5. The landscape control system of claim 4, wherein said landscape control software is further configured to email said irrigation schedule to a user-selectable email address.

6. The landscape control system of claim 5, wherein said landscape control software is further configured to import an existing irrigation schedule emailed to said computer.

7. A landscape controller system comprising:

an irrigation controller configured to control a plurality of irrigation zones;

a computer in wireless communication with said irrigation controller; and

, irrigation control software executable by said computer and comprising;

a zone image selection interface configured to allow a user to assign each of a plurality of images to a corresponding zone from said plurality of irrigation zones;

an irrigation control interface configured to display one of said plurality of images in conjunction with at least one irrigation schedule modification control corresponding only to said corresponding zone.

8. The landscape controller system of claim 7, wherein each of said plurality of irrigation zones is associated with one of said images.

9. The landscape controller system of claim 8, wherein each of said images are configured to cause said irrigation control software to display at least one irrigation schedule modification control corresponding only to said corresponding zone.

10. The landscape controller system of claim 7, wherein said irrigation control software is further configured to obtain weather forecast data for a location of irrigation controller and modify an irrigation schedule.

11. The landscape controller system of claim 7, wherein said irrigation control software is further configured to control a schedule for lighting equipment within a landscape.

12. The landscape controller system of claim 8, wherein said irrigation control interface comprises a zone selection interface displaying each of said plurality of images adjacent to each other.

13. A landscape controller system comprising:

an irrigation controller controlling irrigation to a plurality of irrigation zones of an irrigation system;

a computer in wireless communication with said irrigation controller;

irrigation software disposed on a computer-readable medium and executable by said computer;

wherein said irrigation software is configured for user selectable association of images with said plurality of irrigation zones; and

wherein said irrigation software further comprises an image import interface for allowing a user to specify and association between said images and said plurality of irrigation zones.

14. The landscape controller of claim 13, wherein said irrigation software is configured to display one of said images in conjunction with at least one irrigation schedule modification controls corresponding only to a corresponding zone of said plurality of irrigation zones.

15. The landscape controller of claim 14, wherein said images are displayed as icons by said irrigation software.

16. The landscape controller of claim 15, wherein said images are displayed adjacent to each other by said irrigation software.

17. The landscape controller of claim 13, wherein said irrigation software is configured to email an irrigation schedule to a selectable email address.

18. The landscape controller of claim 17, wherein said irrigation software is configured to import an irrigation schedule emailed to said computer.

19. The landscape controller of claim 13, wherein said irrigation software is configured to modify an irrigation schedule based on weather forecast data downloaded to said computer.