Expandable irrigation controller
First Claim
1. An expandable irrigation controller for controlling a plurality of watering stations in an irrigation system comprises:
- a removable front panel, the removable front panel comprising;
a plurality of manual controls operable to input instructions for a watering program;
a memory operable to store the input instructions; and
a controller operable to execute the wateringan inner housing, connected to the front panel, the inner housing including;
a circuit board connected electrically to the controller, wherein the circuit board includes two electrical conductors extending across the inner housing, wherein control information from the controller is encoded for transmission on the two electrical conductors; and
a station module operable to provide an ON/OFF signal to at least one watering station of the irrigation system, wherein the station module is electrically connected to the two electrical conductors and the ON/OFF signal is provided based on the control information from the controller in accordance with the watering program, and wherein the station module connects to the two electrical conductors at substantially any desired location along the conductors,the station module further including;
a control contact operable to electrically connect the station module to the two electrical conductors;
a decoder circuit operable to decode the control information from the controller sent to the station module by the two electrical conductors;
a switching circuit operable to provide the ON/OFF signal for the watering station based on the decoded information;
a terminal connected the watering station to send the ON/OFF signal to the watering station, anda setting dial rotatable between a plurality of positions, wherein a specific position of the setting dial indicates the watering station controlled by the station module and whether the station module is positioned in the external housing.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An expandable irrigation controller for controlling a plurality of watering stations in an irrigation system includes a removable front panel and an inner housing, connected to the front panel. The removable front panel includes a plurality of manual controls operable to input instructions for a watering program, a memory operable to store the input instructions and a controller operable to execute the watering program. The inner housing includes a control connectors which are connected electrically to the controller and a station module operable to provide an ON/OFF signal to at least one watering station of the irrigation system. The control connectors are positioned in a substantially continuous line extending across the inner housing such that the station module is connectable to the control connectors at substantially any desired location. Multiple modules of different sizes may be mounted in the inner housing as desired.
52 Citations
13 Claims
-
1. An expandable irrigation controller for controlling a plurality of watering stations in an irrigation system comprises:
-
a removable front panel, the removable front panel comprising; a plurality of manual controls operable to input instructions for a watering program; a memory operable to store the input instructions; and a controller operable to execute the watering an inner housing, connected to the front panel, the inner housing including; a circuit board connected electrically to the controller, wherein the circuit board includes two electrical conductors extending across the inner housing, wherein control information from the controller is encoded for transmission on the two electrical conductors; and a station module operable to provide an ON/OFF signal to at least one watering station of the irrigation system, wherein the station module is electrically connected to the two electrical conductors and the ON/OFF signal is provided based on the control information from the controller in accordance with the watering program, and wherein the station module connects to the two electrical conductors at substantially any desired location along the conductors, the station module further including; a control contact operable to electrically connect the station module to the two electrical conductors; a decoder circuit operable to decode the control information from the controller sent to the station module by the two electrical conductors; a switching circuit operable to provide the ON/OFF signal for the watering station based on the decoded information; a terminal connected the watering station to send the ON/OFF signal to the watering station, and a setting dial rotatable between a plurality of positions, wherein a specific position of the setting dial indicates the watering station controlled by the station module and whether the station module is positioned in the external housing.
-
-
2. An expandable irrigation controller for controlling a plurality of watering stations in an irrigation system, the controller comprises:
-
a removable front panel, the removable front panel comprising; a plurality of manual controls operable to input instructions for a watering program; a memory operable to store the input instructions; and a controller operable to execute the watering program; and an inner housing, connected to the front panel, the inner housing comprising; a circuit board connected electrically to the controller, wherein the circuit board includes two electrical conductors extending across the inner housing, wherein control information from the controller is encoded for transmission on the two electrical conductors; and a station module operable to provide an ON/OFF signal to at least one watering station of the irrigation system, wherein the station module is electrically connected to the two electrical conductors and the ON/OFF signal is provided based on the control information from the controller in accordance with the watering program, and wherein the station module connects to the two electrical conductors at substantially any desired location along the conductors; and a radio frequency module connected to the two electrical conductors and operable to send and receive radio frequency signals, wherein the radio frequency module sends a control radio frequency signal to an external housing in which one or more external station modules are mounted, such that the control information in the control radio frequency signal is used to control the external station modules. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5)
-
-
6. An expandable irrigation controller for controlling a plurality of watering stations in an irrigation system comprises:
-
a removable front panel, the removable front panel comprising; a plurality of manual controls operable to input instructions for a watering program; a memory operable to store the input instructions; a controller operable to execute the watering program; and an inner housing, connected to the front panel, the inner housing comprising; two electrical conductors extending across the inner housing connected electrically to the controller, wherein control information from the controller is encoded for transmission on the two electrical conductors; and a station module operable to provide an ON/OFF signal to at least one watering station of the irrigation system, wherein the station module is electrically connected to the two electrical conductors and the ON/OFF signal is provided based on the control information from the controller in accordance with the watering program, and wherein the station module connects to the two electrical conductors at substantially any desired location along the conductors. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
-
Specification