System and method for wireless irrigation utilizing a centralized control server and field module matrix

• US 9,043,036 B2
• Filed: 04/14/2011
• Issued: 05/26/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: American Pipe And Fitting, Inc.
• Original Assignee: American Pipe And Fitting, Inc.
• Inventors: Fekete, Daniel Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): Ali, Mohammad
• Assistant Examiner(s): Booker, Kelvin
• Application Number:
  US13/086,815
• Publication Number:
  US 20110190948A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,503 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 700/284
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 25/16 Control of watering
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 12/12 responsive to conditions of ambient medium or target, e.g. humidity, temperature position or movement of the target relative to the spray apparatus B05B12/082, B05B12/084 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric

Abstract

The invention is a centralized server-based system containing a database with relevant information regarding features, parameters, and characteristics of a particular irrigation system, which utilizes proprietary irrigation software to control a plurality of field modules, at one or more remote locations, via a network bridge adapter. An irrigation system may comprise a single server, or multiple servers that may be configured so that control of the entire system is centralized, and control of one or multiple irrigation locations may be accomplished remotely by wirelessly accessing, monitoring and controlling a location'"'"'s field module matrix.

Claims

1. An irrigation system, comprising:

a server adapted to control an irrigation area, wherein the server is configured for;

receiving data pertaining to the irrigation area, and generating a control signal based on the data;

an irrigation field module matrix dynamically reconfigurable to compensate for changes in the irrigation area, the irrigation field module matrix comprising;

a plurality of field modules, adapted for single-hop and multi-hop communication for receiving the control signal and sending the data, wherein one or more field modules is adapted to;

send the data pertaining to the irrigation area to the server, receive the control signal from the server, and control a plurality of irrigation components based on the control signal; and

a wireless network adapter, communicatively coupled between the server and the irrigation field module matrix, adapted to route the data from the field matrix module to the server and route the control signal from the server to the field module matrix.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the wireless network adapter translates between a protocol in use by the field modules and the server.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the server is configured to control a plurality of irrigation areas utilizing a plurality of field module matrices.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein generating the control signal further comprises generating an irrigation schedule.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein generating the control signal further comprises making determinations based on a hydraulic analysis of the data.

6. The system of claim 2, wherein generating the control signal further comprises making determinations based on an interpolation of sensor data gathered from the data.

7. The system of claim 2, wherein generating the control signal further comprises making determinations based on evapotranspiration data gathered from the data.

8. The system of claim 2, wherein the server further comprises a user interface adapted to provide a user remote access to the server.

9. The system of claim 2, wherein the data pertaining to the irrigation area comprises system status information.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the changes in the irrigation field are an addition or a deletion of a field module to the field module matrix.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the changes in the irrigation field are based on environmental factors.

12. A method for controlling an irrigation system, comprising the steps of:

creating an irrigation field module matrix by placement of a plurality of field modules within an irrigation area, the field module matrix dynamically reconfigurable to compensate for changes in the irrigation field;

sending data pertaining to the irrigation area from the field modules to a server adapted to receive the data;

generating a control signal based on the data;

sending the control signal to the field modules adapted to receive the control signal;

controlling a plurality of irrigation components coupled to the field modules based on the control signal;

enabling a wireless network adapter, communicatively coupled between the server and the irrigation field module matrix, adapted to route the data from the matrix to the server and route the control signal from the server to the matrix; and

configuring the plurality of field modules for single-hop and multi-hop communication for receiving the control signal and sending the data.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the wireless network translates between a protocol in use by the field modules and the server.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein generating the control signal further comprises generating an irrigation schedule.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein generating the control signal further comprises making determinations based on a hydraulic analysis of the data.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein generating the control signal further comprises making determinations based on an interpolation of sensor data gathered from the data.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein generating the control signal further comprises making determinations based on evapotranspiration data gathered from the data.

18. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of monitoring a performance of the server via algorithmic calibrations pertaining to one or more irrigation related processes.

19. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of configuring the server with a user interface adapted to provide a user remote access to the server.

20. An irrigation system, comprising:

a server adapted to control one or more irrigation areas, the server including a user interface adapted to provide a user remote access to the server, wherein the server is configured for;

receiving data pertaining to the one or more irrigation areas, wherein the data pertaining to the irrigation area comprises a system status, and

generating a control signal based on the data;

an irrigation field module matrix dynamically reconfigurable to compensate for changes in the one or more irrigation areas and adapted for single-hop and multi-hop communication for receiving the control signal and sending the data, the irrigation field matrix comprising;

a plurality of field modules, wherein one or more field modules is adapted to;

send the data pertaining to the irrigation area to the server, receive the control signal from the server, and

control a plurality of irrigation components based on the control signal; and

a communication medium, communicatively coupled between the server and the irrigation field module matrix, adapted to route the data from the field module matrix to the server and route the control signal from the server to the field module matrix, wherein the communication medium further comprises a wireless network adapter which translates between a protocol in use by the field modules and the server;

wherein generating the control signal further comprises;

generating an irrigation schedule,

making determinations based on a hydraulic analysis of the data,

making determinations based on an interpolation of sensor data gathered from the data, and

making determinations based on evapotranspiration data gathered from the data.