Method and apparatus for communicating irrigation data

• US 9,032,998 B2
• Filed: 05/16/2012
• Issued: 05/19/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DIG Corporation
• Original Assignee: DIG Corporation
• Inventors: O'Brien, Mike
• Primary Examiner(s): Barnes-Bullock, Crystal J
• Application Number:
  US13/473,296
• Publication Number:
  US 20130306749A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,098 Days
• Field of Search: 700282-284, 137 781- 783, 137/487.5, 137/624.11, 137/624.12, 239/63, 239/67, 239/69, 239/70, 239/99, 320/127, 320/128, 320/134, 320/137, 320/139, 320/141, 320/145
• US Class Current: 137/624.12
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 25/16 Control of watering
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/189 Soil moisture sensing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7761 Electrically actuated valve
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/86397 With independent valve controller
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/86445 Plural, sequential, valve actuations

Abstract

Methods and systems control an irrigation system that includes an irrigation controller, a valve actuator, and at least one irrigation sensor connected by a communication circuit. A sensor charging pulse having a temporal duration less than a solenoid actuation time threshold for a solenoid is provided over the communication circuit. The sensor charging pulse charges a charge storage device in at least one irrigation sensor. A series of addressing pulses is also generated over the communication circuit, which indicate a device identifier of at least one irrigation sensor. The series of addressing pulses activate at least one irrigation sensor having the device identifier indicated by the series of addressing pulses such that the activated irrigation sensor provides a sensor signal indicative of an irrigation condition to the irrigation controller via the communication network.

Claims

1. An irrigation control system, comprising:

a communication circuit;

an irrigation controller comprising

a processor configured to run an irrigation program;

an electrical signal generator, configured to

provide a sensor charging pulse to at least one irrigation sensor over the communication circuit, the sensor charging pulse having a temporal duration less than a solenoid actuation time threshold,

provide one or more solenoid actuation pulses over the communication circuit, the one or more solenoid actuation pulses having a temporal duration longer than the solenoid actuation time threshold for a solenoid, and

provide a series of addressing pulses over the communication circuit, the series of addressing pulses indicating a device identifier of one of the at least one irrigation sensors, each one of the series of addressing pulses having a temporal duration shorter than the solenoid actuation time threshold; and

a data collection module configured to process a sensor signal received via the communication circuit, wherein the irrigation controller is further configured to execute a control action based on the received sensor signal; and

at least one irrigation sensor connected to the communication circuit, each of the at least one irrigation sensors associated with a unique device identifier respectively, each irrigation sensor comprising

a charge storage device, wherein the irrigation sensor is configured to receive the sensor charging pulse and charge the charge storage device using the sensor charging pulse,

a sensor controller configured to receive the series of addressing pulses and determine if the series of addressing pulses indicates the device identifier of the respective irrigation sensor, the sensor controller further configured to activate the sensor device to provide a sensor signal if the series of addressing pulses indicates the device identifier of the respective irrigation sensor, and

a sensor device configured to, when activated, provide a sensor signal indicative of an irrigation condition to the irrigation controller via the communication network.

2. The irrigation control system of claim 1, further comprising a valve actuator comprising a solenoid operably connected to an irrigation valve, the valve actuator configured to receive the one or more solenoid actuation pulses from the irrigation controller via the communication circuit, wherein the valve actuator actuates the solenoid to open or close a valve based on the solenoid actuation pulse.

3. The irrigation control system of claim 2, wherein the communication circuit consists of a first electrical connector and a second electrical connector connecting the irrigation controller, the at least irrigation sensor, and the at least one valve actuator.

4. The irrigation control system of claim 2, wherein the valve actuator comprises a pulse compression and polarity circuit to operate the solenoid.

5. The irrigation control system of claim 1, wherein the at least one irrigation sensor comprises at least one of a rain sensor, a temperature sensor, a moisture sensor, humidity sensor, a radiation sensor, a flow sensor, and a wind sensor.

6. The irrigation control system of claim 1, wherein the duration of the sensor charging pulse is between about 1 millisecond and about 100 milliseconds.

7. The irrigation control system of claim 6, wherein the series of addressing pulses includes between one and ten pulses, and wherein the irrigation controller provides the series of addressing pulses subsequent to a sensor charging pulse.

8. The irrigation control system of claim 1, wherein the duration of the sensor charging pulse is between about 5 milliseconds and about 25 milliseconds.

9. The irrigation control system of claim 1, wherein the duration of the sensor charging pulse is between 9 milliseconds and 11 milliseconds.

10. The irrigation control system of claim 1, wherein the at least one irrigation sensor comprises a first irrigation sensor and a second irrigation sensor, wherein the first irrigation sensor is associated with a first device identifier and the second irrigation device is associated with a second device identifier.

11. The irrigation control system of claim 10, wherein the at least one irrigation sensor further comprises a third irrigation sensor, wherein the third irrigation sensor is associated with a third device identifier.

12. The irrigation control system of claim 1, wherein the one or more solenoid actuation pulses comprise bi-polar pulses.

13. The irrigation control system of claim 1, wherein the series of addressing pulses each have a duration of less than one millisecond.

14. The irrigation control system of claim 1, wherein the control action includes one of raising an alarm signal, actuating a solenoid, deactuating a solenoid, delaying actuation of a solenoid, or adjusting an irrigation time.

15. A method of controlling an irrigation system having an irrigation controller, a valve actuator, and at least one irrigation sensor connected by a communication circuit, the method comprising:

providing a sensor charging pulse over the communication circuit, the sensor charging pulse having a temporal duration less than a solenoid actuation time threshold for a solenoid;

charging a charge storage device in at least one irrigation sensor using the sensor charging pulse;

providing a series of addressing pulses over the communication circuit, the series of addressing pulses indicating a device identifier of one of the at least one irrigation sensors; and

activating the at least one irrigation sensor having the device identifier indicated by the series of addressing pulses such that the activated irrigation sensor provides a sensor signal indicative of an irrigation condition to the irrigation controller via the communication circuit.

16. The method of claim 15,

wherein the communication circuit consists of a first conductive circuit and a second conductive circuit, the first and second conductive circuits each connected to the irrigation controller, the valve actuator, and each irrigation sensor,

wherein the irrigation controller communicates the sensor charging pulse and the series of addressing pulses to the at least one irrigation device using only the first and second conductive circuits, and

wherein the sensor device communicates the sensor signal to the irrigation controller using only the first and second conductive circuits.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

receiving the sensor signal in the irrigation controller; and

based on the received sensor signal, provide valve control signals to the valve actuator to open or close a valve.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

receiving the series of addressing pulses in the at least one irrigation sensor; and

determining if the series of addressing pulses indicates the device identifier of the at least one irrigation sensor.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the at least one irrigation sensor comprises at least one of a rain sensor, a temperature sensor, a moisture sensor, humidity sensor, a radiation sensor, a flow sensor, and a wind sensor.