Hybrid modular/decoder irrigation controller

• US 9,081,376 B2
• Filed: 08/26/2011
• Issued: 07/14/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hunter Industries Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Hunter Industries Incorporated
• Inventors: Woytowitz, Peter J.
• Primary Examiner(s): VON BUHR, MARIA N
• Application Number:
  US13/219,301
• Publication Number:
  US 20120041607A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,418 Days
• Field of Search: 700/90, 700/283, 700 16- 19, 700/284, 239 63- 70, 137 782- 783
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 25/16 Control of watering
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/042 using digital processors G05B19/05 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2625 Sprinkler, irrigation, watering
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/189 Soil moisture sensing

Abstract

A plurality of receptacles in an irrigation controller removably receive a plurality of modules. At least one station module is configured for insertion into a first one of the receptacles and is connectable to a corresponding solenoid actuated valve through a dedicated field valve line and common return line. The station module includes at least one switching device for selectively providing a first power signal that energizes the corresponding solenoid actuated valve. At least one encoder module is configured for insertion into a second one of the receptacles and is connectable to a multi-wire path for sending encoded signals and a second power signal along the multi-wire path for selectively energizing one of a plurality of solenoid actuated valves connected to corresponding decoder circuits connected along the multi-wire path. A processor executes the stored watering program and controls the station module and/or the encoder module in accordance with the stored watering program.

Claims

1. A module for insertion into an irrigation controller, the module comprising:

a micro-controller for receiving communications commands from a processor of the irrigation controller;

a plurality of push buttons operatively connected to the micro-controller for identifying and programming a plurality of decoder circuits connected to a multi-wire path;

a display operatively connected to the micro-controller for enabling a user to identify and program the decoder circuits; and

driver circuitry operatively connected to the micro-controller for sending encoded signals and an AC power signal along the multi-wire path, the module configured to insert into the irrigation controller connectable to the multi-wire path for sending the encoded signals and the AC power signal along the multi-wire path for selectively energizing one of a plurality of solenoid actuated valves connected to corresponding decoder circuits connected along the multi-wire path.

2. The module of claim 1 and further comprising an outer housing that encloses the micro-controller and driver circuitry.

3. The module of claim 2 wherein the push buttons and display are mounted in the outer housing.

4. The module of claim 2 and further comprising a first connector mounted in the outer housing for mating with a second connector mounted in the irrigation controller when the module is inserted into the irrigation controller.

5. The module of claim 4 wherein the first and second connectors comprise female and male card edge connectors, respectively.

6. The module of claim 2 and further comprising terminals mounted in the outer housing and electrically connected to the driver circuitry, the terminals providing connections for a plurality of wires of the multi-wire path.

7. The module of claim 1 and further comprising a communications interface circuit operatively connected to the micro-controller.

8. The module of claim 1 wherein the driver circuitry includes an H-bridge circuit.

9. The module of claim 1 wherein the micro-controller is configured to receive serial communications commands from the processor of the irrigation controller.

10. A method of controlling a plurality of valves in an irrigation system, comprising the steps of:

providing an irrigation controller having a processor capable of selectively energizing a plurality of solenoid actuated valves in accordance with a watering program when the valves are each connected to a corresponding one of a plurality of dedicated field valve lines which are connected to at least one station module inserted and operatively connected in the irrigation controller;

inserting and operatively connecting an encoder module into the irrigation controller instead of inserting the at least one station module, the encoder module having a micro-controller that can receive communications commands from the processor of the irrigation controller to enable the processor to control the plurality of valves through driver circuitry in the encoder module when the plurality of valves are connected along a common multi-wire path via corresponding decoder circuits, the driver circuitry receiving an AC power signal from a power supply in the encoder module and sending encoded signals and the AC power signal along the common multi-wire path; and

programming the decoder circuits through the micro-controller of the encoder module with a plurality of corresponding identities so that the processor of the irrigation controller can turn the valves connected along the common multi-wire path ON and OFF through the micro-controller of the encoder module in accordance with the watering program.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the programming of the decoder circuits is accomplished by depressing push buttons on the encoder module.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the programming of the decoder circuits is accomplished by displaying the identities on a display mounted in the encoder module.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein the communications commands are serially transmitted.

14. The method of claim 10 wherein the micro-controller of the encoder module receives an acknowledgment signal from each of the decoder circuits.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the acknowledgement signal is received by the micro-controller through an interface circuit.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the acknowledgment signal is transmitted by the micro-controller to the processor.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein the micro-controller receives information from at least one environmental sensor through the interface circuit.