System and method for smart irrigation

• US 8,948,921 B2
• Filed: 11/21/2011
• Issued: 02/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Husqvarna AB (HUSQVARNA)
• Original Assignee: Et Water Systems Inc. (JAIN Irrigation Systems Limited)
• Inventors: Halahan, Patrick B., McIntyre, J. Patrick, Coopersmith, Mark, Puckett, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Masinick, Michael D
• Application Number:
  US13/301,679
• Publication Number:
  US 20120303168A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,170 Days
• Field of Search: 700/284
• US Class Current: 700/284
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 25/16 Control of watering
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 25/165 Cyclic operations, timing systems, timing valves, impulse operations
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2625 Sprinkler, irrigation, watering

Abstract

A smart irrigation system for an irrigation controller associated with an irrigation site is described herein. The smart irrigation system comprises a central control system having a user interface and a smart scheduler. The central control system is configured to derive and send an irrigation schedule for the irrigation. The smart scheduler comprises a data receiver, a processor, and a signal interface. The data receiver is configured to receive the irrigation schedule. The processor is configured to convert the irrigation schedule to a series of control signals that the irrigation controller recognizes. The signal interface is configured to connect to the irrigation controller and to send the series of control signals to the irrigation controller. The system uses weather data and irrigation site-specific information to automatically apply the optimal irrigation schedule. User are able to remotely control the irrigation via networks such as Internet.

Claims

1. A smart irrigation system for converting an existing host irrigation controller associated with an irrigation site into a smart irrigation controller, the smart irrigation system comprising:

a central control system having a user interface, the central control system being configured to receive a landscape information associated with the irrigation site, the landscape information being provided by a user via the user interface,

the central control system being further configured to receive an environmental information associated with the irrigation site,

the central control system being further configured to derive an irrigation schedule for the irrigation site based on the landscape information and the environmental information,

the central control system being further configured to send the irrigation schedule; and

a smart controller converter, the smart controller converter comprising;

a data receiver configured to receive the irrigation schedule;

a processor configured to convert the irrigation schedule to a series of control signals that the irrigation controller recognizes, and;

a signal interface configured to connect to a remote access port on the host irrigation controller and to send the series of control signals to the host irrigation controller; and

a data transmitter configured to transmit a status or information associated with the smart controller converter to the central control system, wherein the central control system is further configured to adjust the irrigation schedule based on the status or information associated with the smart controller converter.

2. The smart irrigation system of claim 1, wherein the smart controller converter further comprises a power interface configured to receive an electric power from the host irrigation controller.

3. The smart irrigation system of claim 2, wherein the power interface is further configured to convert a voltage of the electric power to an internal voltage that the smart controller converter runs at.

4. The smart irrigation system of claim 3, wherein the internal voltage is a DC voltage.

5. The smart irrigation system of claim 1, wherein the smart controller converter further comprises a power storage configured to provide power for the smart controller converter when the power interface does not receive the electric power from the irrigation controller.

6. The smart irrigation system of claim 1, wherein the smart controller converter further comprises a user control configured to allow the user to control and setup the smart controller converter.

7. The smart irrigation system of claim 1, wherein the smart controller converter further comprises a display configured to show a status or information associated with the smart controller converter.

8. The smart irrigation system of claim 1, wherein the data receiver comprises a modem selected from the group consisting of telephone modem, GPRS modem, WiFi modem, cell phone modem, satellite modem, and Short Messaging System (SMS) modem.

9. The smart irrigation system of claim 1, wherein the irrigation schedule is sent to the smart controller converter via a network.

10. The smart irrigation system of claim 1, wherein the irrigation schedule is sent to the smart controller converter via the Internet.

11. The smart irrigation system of claim 1, wherein the irrigation schedule is sent to the smart controller converter via a telephone line.

12. The smart irrigation system of claim 1, wherein the irrigation schedule is sent to the smart controller converter via a mobile phone network.

13. The smart irrigation system of claim 1, wherein the irrigation schedule is sent to the smart controller converter via a combination of a mobile phone network and the Internet.

14. The smart irrigation system of claim 1, wherein the user interface is a web interface.

15. The smart irrigation system of claim 1, wherein the user interface is a mobile phone application.

16. The smart irrigation system of claim 1, wherein the smart controller converter is further configured to connect to a rain sensor.

17. The smart irrigation system of claim 1, wherein the central control system is further configured to retrieve updated environmental information.

18. The smart irrigation system of claim 1, wherein the landscape information comprises information selected from the group consisting of soil type, slope information, plant type, age of plant, sun exposure, precipitation rate, distribution uniformity, root depth of plant, dripline diameter of plant, number of emitters per plant, flow rate of emitter, plant coefficient, seasonality of plants, and irrigation method.

19. The smart irrigation system of claim 18, wherein the dripline and emitter parameters comprises dripline diameter, number of emitters per plant and flow rate of emitter.

20. The smart irrigation system of claim 1, wherein the environmental information comprises information selected from the group consisting of evapotranspiration information, and weather information.

21. The smart irrigation system of claim 1, wherein the irrigation schedule comprises a restriction on the amount of water used.

22. The smart irrigation system of claim 1, wherein the irrigation schedule comprises a valve command.

23. The smart irrigation system of claim 1, wherein the smart controller converter is further configured to initiate a request for the central control system to send the irrigation schedule.

24. The smart irrigation system of claim 1, wherein the landscape information is accessible to the user via the user interface.

25. The smart irrigation system of claim 1, wherein the central control system is further configured to allow the user adjusting the landscape information via the user interface.

26. The smart irrigation system of claim 1, wherein the irrigation schedule is accessible to the user via the user interface.

27. The smart irrigation system of claim 1, wherein the central control system is further configured to allow the user adjusting the irrigation schedule via the user interface.

28. The smart irrigation system of claim 1, wherein the irrigation schedule is derived further based on station flow rates and maximum allowable system flow.

29. The smart irrigation system of claim 1;

wherein the user interface of the central control system is further configured to receive inputs from a user to remotely control the smart controller converter;

wherein the central control system is further configured to transmit an irrigation control signal based on the inputs provided by the user;

wherein the data receiver of the smart controller converter is further configured to receive the irrigation control signal; and

wherein the processor of the smart controller converter is further configured to convert the irrigation control signal into a series of control signals; and

wherein the smart controller converter further comprises a control interface configured to be electrically coupled to a station switching circuit to directly control one or more irrigation station valves.

30. A smart controller converter configured to convert a host irrigation controller associated with an irrigation site into a smart irrigation controller, the smart controller converter comprising:

a data receiver configured to receive an irrigation schedule from a central control system, wherein the central control system comprises a user interface, wherein the irrigation schedule is derived by the central control system based on a landscape information and an environmental information, wherein the landscape information is input by a user via the user interface, wherein the environmental information is received by at least one sensor associated with the irrigation site;

a processor configured to convert the irrigation schedule into a series of control signals;

a signal interface configured to connect to a remote access port on the host irrigation controller and to send the series of control signals to the host irrigation controller; and

a data transmitter configured to transmit a status or information associated with the smart controller converter to the central control system, wherein the central control system is further configured to adjust the irrigation schedule based on the status or information associated with the smart controller converter.

31. The smart controller converter of claim 30, wherein the smart controller converter further comprises a power interface configured to receive an electric power from the host irrigation controller.

32. The smart controller converter of claim 31, wherein the power interface is further configured to convert a voltage of the electric power to an internal voltage that the smart controller converter runs at.

33. The smart controller converter of claim 32, wherein the internal voltage is a DC voltage.

34. The smart controller converter of claim 30, wherein the smart controller converter further comprises a power storage configured to provide power for the smart controller converter when the power interface does not receive the electric power from the host irrigation controller.

35. The smart controller converter of claim 30, wherein the smart scheduler further comprises a display configured to show a status or information associated with the smart controller converter.

36. The smart controller converter of claim 30, wherein the data receiver comprises a modem selected from the group consisting of telephone modem, GPRS modem, WiFi modem, cell phone modem, satellite modem, and Short Messaging System (SMS) modem.

37. The smart controller converter of claim 30, wherein the irrigation schedule is sent to the smart controller converter via a network.

38. The smart controller converter of claim 30, wherein the irrigation schedule is sent to the smart controller converter via the Internet.

39. The smart controller converter of claim 30, wherein the irritation schedule is sent to the smart controller converter via a telephone line.

40. The smart controller converter of claim 30, wherein the irritation schedule is sent to the smart controller converter via a mobile phone network.

41. The smart scheduler smart controller converter of claim 30, wherein the irritation schedule is sent to the smart controller converter via a combination of a mobile phone network and the Internet.

42. The smart controller converter of claim 30, wherein the series of control signals is sent to the irrigation controller over time according to the irrigation schedule.

43. The smart controller converter of claim 30, further comprising a sensor interface configured to receive senor data collected at an irrigation site.

44. The smart controller converter of claim 43, wherein the data transmitter is further configured to transmit the sensor data to the central control system, wherein the central control system is further configured to adjust the irrigation schedule based on the sensor data.

45. The smart controller converter of claim 30, further comprising a display configured to show status or information associated with the smart controller converter.

46. A method of controlling irrigation at an irrigation site using a smart controller converter coupled to a host irrigation controller, the method comprising steps of:

receiving a landscape information associated with the irrigation site, wherein the landscape information is input by a user;

retrieving an environmental information associated with the irrigation site,

deriving an irrigation schedule for the irrigation site based on the landscape information and the environmental information,

transmitting the irrigation schedule to the smart controller converter, wherein the smart controller converter converts the irrigations schedule into a series of control signals recognizable to the host irrigation controller, wherein the smart controller converter transmits the series of control signals to the host irrigation controller to control irrigation at the irrigation site;

receiving from the smart controller converter a status or information associated with the smart controller converter; and

updating the irrigation schedule based on the received status or information associated with the smart controller converter.

47. A smart irrigation system for remotely controlling a host irrigation controller associated with an irrigation site, the smart irrigation system comprising:

a central control server hosting a user interface so that a user can remotely control the irrigation system by providing inputs via the user interface, wherein the user interface is accessible by an electronic device,

the central control server being configured to generate and send irrigation control data based on the inputs provided by the user; and

a smart controller converter, the smart controller converter comprising;

a data receiver configured to receive the irrigation control data,

a processor configurable to convert the irrigation control data to a series of control signals;

a signal interface configurable to connect to a remote access port on the host irrigation controller and to send the series of control signals to the host irrigation controller;

a user control configured to receive a user setup input, wherein the user setup input configures the signal interface to connect with the remote access ort and configures the processor to convert the irrigation control data into a series of control signals recognizable to the host irrigation controller; and

a sensor interface configured to receive a sensor data collected at the irrigation site; and

a data transmitter configured to transmit the sensor data collected at the irrigation site to the central control server, wherein the central control server is further configured to update the irrigation control data based on the sensor data collected at the irrigation site.

48. The smart irrigation system of claim 47, wherein the electronic device is a computer, a mobile phone, a tablet, a personal digital assistant, or an electronic device having an Internet access.

49. The smart irrigation system of claim 47, wherein the user interface is a website, a computer application, or a mobile device app.

50. The smart irrigation system of claim 47, further comprising a flow sensor, wherein the sensor data comprises a flow level collected by the flow sensor.

51. The smart irrigation system of claim 50, wherein the flow sensor is in proximity of a shut off valve.

52. The smart irrigation system of claim 50, wherein the flow sensor is in proximity of an irrigation station valve.

53. The smart irrigation system of claim 47, further comprising a rain gauge, wherein the sensor data further comprises a precipitation level collected by the rain gauge.

54. The smart irrigation system of claim 53, wherein the rain gauge is a tipping bucket rain gauge.

55. The smart irrigation system of claim 47, further comprising a solar power panel providing power to the smart controller converter.

56. The smart irrigation system of claim 47, wherein the user control is a knob configured to be rotated and pressed.

57. The smart irrigation system of claim 47, wherein the smart controller converter is configured to communicate with the host irrigation controller in a two-way communication.

58. The smart irrigation system of claim 47, wherein the processor is further configurable to receive information from the host irrigation controller.

59. The smart irrigation system of claim 58, wherein the information received from the host irrigation controller comprises the number of stations being controlled by the host irrigation controller.

60. The smart irrigation system of claim 47, wherein the central control server is further configured to receive a landscape information associated with the irrigation site, and the landscape information is provided by the user via the user interface.

61. A method for controlling irrigation at an irrigation site via a host irrigation controller, the method comprising the steps of :

receiving, via a data receiver, an irrigation schedule from a central control system, wherein the irrigation schedule is derived by the central control system using a landscape information associated with the irrigation site and an environmental information associated with the irrigation site, wherein the landscape information is input by a user;

receiving from the user, via a user control, a setup input;

based on the setup input, configuring a signal interface to connect with a remote access port located on the host irrigation controller;

based on the setup input, configuring a processor to convert the irrigation schedule into a series of control signals, wherein at least one of the series of control signals is recognizable by the host irrigation controller;

transmitting, via signal interface connected to the remote access port, the series of control signals to the host irrigation controller;

transmitting, via the data transmitter, a status or information associated with the smart controller converter, wherein the central control system derives an updated irrigation schedule based on the status or information associated with the smart controller converter; and

receiving, via the data receiver, the updated irrigation schedule from the central control system.

62. The method of claim 61, further comprising the steps of :

receiving, via a sensor interface, a sensor data from a sensor associated with the irrigation site;

transmitting, via the data transmitter, the sensor data to the central control system, wherein the central control system derives an updated irrigation schedule based on the sensor data; and

receiving, via the data receiver, the updated irrigation schedule from the central control system.