Wireless sprinkler control

• US 8,215,570 B2
• Filed: 08/20/2010
• Issued: 07/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Digital Sun, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Digital Sun, Inc.
• Inventors: Hitt, Dale K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hwu, Davis
• Application Number:
  US12/860,770
• Publication Number:
  US 20110042480A1
• Time in Patent Office: 690 Days
• Field of Search: 239/63, 239 68- 70, 239/436, 239/562, 239/551, 239200-207, 239/DIG.15, 239/1, 239/11, 700/284
• US Class Current: 239/63
• 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

The present invention provides a system and method to control the flow duration and the flow rate of each individual sprinkler head wirelessly in each zone of an automatic sprinkler system. The system comprises a plurality of sensors, preferably wireless, to control the sprinkler heads, either directly or through a controller. The system enables precise control over irrigation times for the areas covered by each sprinkler head. The system also enables each sprinkler head to control its on/off and duration decisions based on receiving data from a sensor within an irrigation zone of an automatic sprinkler system.

Claims

1. A method of irrigating a soil area, comprising:

measuring a soil moisture level with a sensor directly connected to a sprinkler housing of a first sprinkler;

determining an irrigation duration time with a microprocessor in said first sprinkler based on data measured from said sensor;

determining coordination commands with said microprocessor in said first sprinkler to coordinate a watering process with a second sprinkler; and

,

transmitting said coordination commands with a first wireless transmitter in said first sprinkler to a second wireless transmitter in said second sprinkler.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising measuring humidity, sunlight or plant characteristics with said first sprinkler.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting a command via said first wireless sprinkler to said second wireless sprinkler to adjust a watering time of said second sprinkler.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting a command via said first wireless sprinkler to said second wireless sprinkler to adjust a watering flow rate of said second sprinkler.

5. A method of irrigating a soil area, comprising:

activating a plurality of wireless sensors for sensing soil conditions;

sensing a soil condition with at least one of said plurality of wireless sensors;

transmitting data related to said soil condition from a first wireless sensor of said plurality of wireless sensors to a second wireless sensor of said plurality of wireless sensors;

transmitting said data related to said soil condition from said second wireless sensor to a first sprinkler head; and

,

irrigating an area of turf around said first sprinkler head based on said data related to said soil condition.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said soil condition is soil moisture, sunlight, or plant characteristics.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising processing said data related to said soil condition with a microchip controller in said first wireless sensor;

said data being processed into a command to control the sprinkler head.

8. The method of claim 5, further comprising adjusting a water flow rate of said first sprinkler head based on receiving said data related to said soil condition.

9. The method of claim 5, further comprising adjusting a watering time of said first sprinkler head based on receiving said data related to said soil condition.

10. The method of claim 5, wherein data related to said soil condition comprises soil measurements from multiple wireless soil sensors.

11. The method of claim 5, further comprising transmitting with said sprinkler head a running command or a not-running command to coordinate with other sprinkler heads.

12. A method of irrigating a soil area, comprising:

sensing a soil condition with each of a plurality of wireless sensors;

transmitting soil condition data from each of said plurality of wireless sensors;

receiving said soil condition data from each of said plurality of wireless sensors at a first wireless sensor from said plurality of wireless sensors;

transmitting with said first wireless sensor a combined soil condition data based on soil condition data from each of said plurality of wireless sensors;

receiving said combined soil condition data with a first sprinkler head; and

,

adjusting an irrigation schedule of said first sprinkler head based on said combined soil condition data.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said soil condition is soil moisture, humidity, sunlight or plant characteristics.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein said combined soil condition data comprises a sprinkler command to control irrigation of said first sprinkler head.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising transmitting by said first sprinkler head a running command or a not-running command to coordinate with other sprinkler heads.