User interface for a sensor-based interface device for interrupting an irrigation controller

• US 9,144,204 B2
• Filed: 10/20/2011
• Issued: 09/29/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rain Bird Corporation
• Original Assignee: Rain Bird Corporation
• Inventors: Redmond, David M., Tennyson, Michael J., Hern, Randall A., Peterson, Gerald E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dunn, Darrin
• Assistant Examiner(s): Everett, Christopher E
• Application Number:
  US13/277,224
• Publication Number:
  US 20120215366A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,440 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 19/042 using digital processors G05B19/05 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2625 Sprinkler, irrigation, watering

Abstract

Some embodiments provide an interface unit interfacing with an irrigation controller, comprising: a housing; a controller configured to instruct an interruption of a watering schedule executed by the irrigation controller, the interruption based on one or both of sensed temperature and sensed rainfall amount, and based on one or both of user entered temperature and rainfall threshold parameters; a switching device coupled with the controller, and configured to cause the interruption in response to signaling from the controller; and a user interface comprising: a plurality of user input devices configured to provide signaling to the controller based upon user'"'"'s engagement, and configured to allow the user to define the temperature and rainfall threshold parameters; and a user display comprising a display screen; wherein the controller is configured to cause the display screen to display a plurality of pictorial representations that in combination convey whether irrigation is being interrupted.

Claims

1. An interface unit interfacing with an irrigation controller, the interface unit comprising:

a housing;

a controller within the housing, where the controller is configured in part to determine whether an interruption of one or more watering schedules executed by the irrigation controller, which is separate from the interface unit, should occur and to output signaling to instruct the interruption, the interruption based at least on a sensed rainfall accumulation amount and a user set rainfall threshold parameter;

a switching device coupled with the controller, and configured to cause the interruption in response to the signaling from the controller; and

a user interface integrated with the housing and comprising;

a plurality of user input devices coupled to the controller and configured to provide signaling to the controller based upon a user'"'"'s engagement therewith, the plurality of user input devices configured to allow the user to set and adjust at least the user set rainfall threshold parameter; and

a user display comprising a display screen and coupled to the controller and configured to display one or more pictorial representations;

wherein the controller is configured to cause the display screen to display a plurality of pictorial representations that in combination convey to the user the sensed rainfall accumulation amount, the user set rainfall threshold parameter and whether irrigation is being interrupted;

wherein the controller is configured to cause the display screen to display the plurality of pictorial representations such that when two or more of the plurality of pictorial representations are displayed together in combination convey to the user;

a normal mode when the interface unit is in the normal mode wherein irrigation occurs, an interrupt mode when the interface unit is in the interrupt mode wherein irrigation is interrupted, and a bypass mode when the interface unit is in the bypass mode wherein the interrupt mode is overridden.

2. The interface unit of claim 1, wherein the controller in being configured to cause the display screen to display the plurality of pictorial representations is configured to cause the display screen to simultaneously display the plurality of the pictorial representations.

3. The interface unit of claim 1, further comprising:

a receiver coupled with the controller, wherein the receiver is configured to receive a communication from a remote sensor, where the communication comprises the sensed rainfall accumulation amount; and

the controller is configured to;

receive the sensed rainfall accumulation amount and determine, at the controller and based on the sensed rainfall accumulation amount, whether the sensed rainfall exceeds the rainfall threshold parameter; and

communicate the signaling to cause the switching device to cause the interruption, when it is determined by the controller that the sensed rainfall accumulation amount exceeds the rainfall threshold parameter, to cause the interruption;

wherein the controller in being configured to cause the display screen to display the plurality of pictorial representations is configured to cause the display screen to display an interrupt indicator and a rain indicator in response to determining that the sensed rainfall accumulation amount exceeds the rainfall threshold parameter, wherein the combination of the interrupt indicator and the rain indicator conveys to a user that the irrigation is interrupted based on the sensed rainfall accumulation amount.

4. The interface unit of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured in part to instruct the interruption of the one or more watering schedules executed by the irrigation controller based on one or both of sensed temperature and the sensed rainfall accumulation amount, and based on one or both of a user set temperature threshold parameter and the user set rainfall threshold parameter;

and

the plurality of user input devices are configured to allow the user to set and adjust the user set temperature threshold parameter.

5. The interface unit of claim 4, wherein the controller in being configured to cause the display screen to display the plurality of pictorial representations that convey to the user the user set temperature threshold parameter comprises displaying a temperature threshold indicator such that the temperature threshold indicator is moved relative to the a pictorial representation of a sensed temperature when the user adjusts the temperature threshold parameter.

6. The interface unit of claim 5, further comprising:

a receiver coupled with the controller, wherein the receiver is configured to receive a communication from a remote sensor, where the communication comprises the sensed temperature; and

the controller is configured to;

receive the sensed temperature and determine, at the controller, whether the sensed temperature is below the temperature threshold parameter;

communicate the signaling to cause the switching device to cause the interruption, when it is determined by the controller that the sensed temperature is below the temperature threshold parameter, to cause the interruption; and

wherein the controller in being configured to cause the display screen to display the plurality of pictorial representations is configured to cause the display screen to display a temperature indicator in response to determining that the sensed temperature is below the temperature threshold parameter, wherein a combination of the interrupt indicator, the rain indicator and the temperature indicator conveys to the user that the interruption is based on the sensed rainfall accumulation amount and the sensed temperature.

7. The interface unit of claim 4, wherein the controller in being configured to cause the display screen to display the plurality of pictorial representations is configured to cause the display screen to not display a water spray indicator such that the combination of the interrupt indicator and the lack of the display of the water spray indicator conveys to a user that the irrigation is being interrupted, and the combination of the interrupt indicator, the lack of the display of the water spray indicator, the rain indicator and the temperature indicator conveys to the user that the irrigation is interrupted based on the sensed rainfall accumulation amount and the sensed temperature.

8. The interface unit of claim 7, wherein the controller in being configured to communicate the signaling to cause the switching device to cause the interruption such that the signaling to cause the switching device to cause the interruption is not communicated to the irrigation controller.

9. The interface unit of claim 4, wherein the controller in being configured to cause the display screen to display the plurality of pictorial representations is configured to cause the display screen to display, based on the sensed rainfall accumulation amount, a rainfall indicator that depicts a graphical representation of the sensed rainfall amount, and to cause the display screen to display, based on the sensed temperature, a temperature indicator that depicts a graphical representation of a sensed temperature.

10. The interface unit of claim 1, wherein the controller in being configured to cause the display screen to display the plurality of pictorial representations that convey to the user the sensed rainfall accumulation amount comprises displaying a graphical representation comprising one or more displayed bars dependent on the amount of accumulated rainfall with an greater number of bars being displayed as the sensed rainfall accumulated amount of rainfall increases.

11. The interface unit of claim 10, wherein the controller in being configured to cause the display screen to display the plurality of pictorial representations that convey to the user set rainfall threshold parameter comprises displaying an indicator of a rainfall threshold relative to the one or more displayed bars that are representative of the sensed rainfall accumulation amount.

12. The interface unit of claim 11, further comprising:

a table separate from the display, wherein the table identifies amounts of water corresponding to rainfall threshold settings that are available to the user in setting the user set rainfall threshold parameter.

13. The interface unit of claim 1, wherein the controller in being configured to cause the display screen to display the plurality of pictorial representations that convey to the user the sensed rainfall accumulation amount, the user set rainfall threshold parameter and whether irrigation is being interrupted comprises not displaying any numeric values relative to the sensed rainfall accumulation amount and the user set rainfall threshold parameter.

14. The interface unit of claim 1, wherein the controller in being configured to cause the display screen to display the plurality of pictorial representations that convey to the user the user set rainfall threshold parameter comprises displaying an indicator of a rainfall threshold proximate a pictorial representation of the amount of accumulated rainfall such that the rainfall threshold indicator is moved relative to the a pictorial representation of the amount of accumulated rainfall when the user adjusts the rainfall threshold.

15. The interface unit of claim 1, wherein the controller in being configured to cause the display screen to display the plurality of pictorial representations is configured to cause the display screen to display an interrupt indicator and to not display a water spray indicator such that the combination of the interrupt indicator and the lack of the display of the water spray indicator conveys to a user that the irrigation is being interrupted.

16. The interface unit of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to store the user set rainfall threshold parameter as at least part of a restore parameter setting, where the controller is configured to restore the user set rainfall threshold parameter, in response to a user request and after the user set rainfall threshold parameter has been changed.

17. The interface unit of claim 1, wherein the switching device is integrated with the housing in which the user interface is integrated.

18. The interface unit of claim 1, wherein the interface unit is located proximate to the irrigation controller.

19. The interface unit of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to cause the display screen to display two or more of the plurality of pictorial representations together in combination conveying to the user the sensed rainfall accumulation amount, the user set rainfall threshold parameter and whether irrigation is being interrupted.

20. The interface unit of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to cause the display screen to simultaneously display a plurality of pictorial representations that in combination convey to the user the sensed rainfall accumulation amount, the user set rainfall threshold parameter and whether irrigation is being interrupted.

21. A method for use in irrigation control, the method comprising:

receiving a user set and adjustable rainfall threshold at a user interface integrated with an interface device, the interface device configured to cause interruption of one or more watering schedules executed by a separate irrigation controller;

receiving at the interface device, from a remote sensor unit, sensed rainfall information;

displaying, at the interface device, multiple pictorial representations corresponding to the sensed rainfall information and the user set and adjustable rainfall threshold such that a state of interrupting irrigation based at least on a relationship between the sensed rainfall information and the user set and adjustable rainfall threshold is conveyed; and

displaying multiple pictorial representations corresponding to a mode of the interface device such that when two or more of the multiple pictorial representations are displayed together in combination convey to the user;

a normal mode when the interface device is in the normal mode wherein irrigation occurs, the state of interrupting irrigation when the interface device is in an interrupt mode wherein irrigation is interrupted, and a bypass mode when the interface device is in the bypass mode wherein the interrupt mode is overridden.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

receiving at the interface device, through the user interface, a user set and adjustable temperature threshold;

receiving, from the sensor unit, temperature information; and

wherein the displaying the multiple pictorial representations comprises displaying the multiple pictorial representations corresponding to the rainfall information, the user set and adjustable rainfall threshold, the temperature information and the user set and adjustable temperature threshold, and where the displayed multiple pictorial representations convey to the user the state of interrupting irrigation based on the relationship between the rainfall information and the user set and adjustable rainfall threshold and a relationship between the temperature information and the user set and adjustable temperature threshold.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the displaying the multiple pictorial representations comprises:

displaying a pictorial representation of a rain indicator that pictorially conveys to a user a representation of an accumulation amount of rainfall sensed by the sensor unit;

displaying a representation of a rainfall threshold indicator relative to the pictorial representation of the rain indicator;

displaying a pictorial representation of a temperature indicator that pictorially conveys to a user a representation of a temperature sensed by the sensor unit; and

displaying a representation of a temperature threshold indicator relative to the pictorial representation of the temperature indicator.

24. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

determining, local at the interface device and separate from the sensor unit, based on the rainfall information whether the user set and adjustable rainfall threshold is exceeded;

determining, local at the interface device and separate from the sensor unit, based on the temperature information whether a sensed temperature is below the user set and adjustable temperature threshold; and

causing an interruption of irrigation activated by the separate irrigation controller implementing the one or more watering schedules in response to determining that one or both the user set and adjustable rainfall threshold is exceed and the sensed temperature is below the user set and adjustable temperature threshold.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein the displaying the multiple pictorial representations comprises:

displaying a pictorial representation of a rain indicator that pictorially conveys to the user a representation of an accumulation amount of rainfall sensed by the sensor unit; and

displaying a representation of a rainfall threshold indicator relative to the pictorial representation of the rain indicator.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the displaying the multiple pictorial representations comprises displaying an interrupt indicator such that the combination of the interrupt indicator, the pictorial representation of the rain indicator and the representation of the rainfall threshold indicator conveys to a user that irrigation is interrupted as a result of the accumulation amount of rainfall sensed by the sensor unit exceeding the rainfall threshold indicator.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein the displaying the multiple pictorial representations comprises not displaying any numeric values relative to the sensed rainfall accumulation amount and the user set and adjustable rainfall threshold.

28. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

determining, local at the interface device and separate from the sensor unit, based on the rainfall information whether the user set and adjustable rainfall threshold is exceeded;

causing an interruption of irrigation activated by the separate irrigation controller implementing the one or more watering schedules in response to determining that the user set and adjustable rainfall threshold is exceed.

29. An interface unit interfacing with an irrigation controller, the interface unit comprising:

a housing;

a controller within the housing, where the controller is configured in part to determine whether an interruption of one or more watering schedules executed by the irrigation controller, which is separate from the interface unit, should occur and to output signaling to instruct the interruption, the interruption based at least on a sensed rainfall accumulation amount and a user set rainfall threshold parameter;

a switching device coupled with the controller, and configured to cause the interruption in response to the signaling from the controller; and

a user interface integrated with the housing and comprising;

a plurality of user input devices coupled to the controller and configured to provide signaling to the controller based upon a user'"'"'s engagement therewith, the plurality of user input devices configured to allow the user to set and adjust at least the user set rainfall threshold parameter; and

a user display comprising a display screen and coupled to the controller and configured to display one or more pictorial representations;

wherein the controller is configured to cause the display screen to display a plurality of pictorial representations such that when two or more of the plurality of pictorial representations are displayed together in combination convey to the user;

a normal mode when the interface unit is in the normal mode wherein irrigation is allowed to occur, an interrupt mode when the interface unit is in the interrupt mode wherein irrigation is interrupted, and a bypass mode when the interface unit is in the bypass mode wherein the interrupt mode is overridden.

30. The interface unit of claim 29, wherein the controller is configured to cause the display screen to simultaneously display the plurality of pictorial representations that in combination convey to the user:

the normal mode when the interface unit is in the normal mode wherein irrigation occurs, the interrupt mode when the interface unit is in the interrupt mode wherein irrigation is interrupted, and the bypass mode when the interface unit is in the bypass mode wherein the interrupt mode is overridden.

31. A method used in controlling irrigation, comprising:

receiving, through a user interface of an interface unit, a user set and adjustable rainfall threshold parameter, the interface unit configured to interrupt one or more watering schedules executed by an irrigation controller, which is separate from the interface unit;

receiving, at the interface unit and from a sensor unit that is separate from the interface unit, a sensed rainfall accumulation amount; and

displaying, on a display of the interface unit, multiple pictorial representations that in combination convey to a user a mode of operation and whether irrigation is being interrupted based at least on a relationship between the user set and adjustable rainfall threshold parameter and the sensed rainfall accumulation amount;

wherein the displaying the multiple pictorial representations comprises displaying the multiple pictorial representations such that when two or more of the plurality of pictorial representations are displayed together in combination convey to a user;

a normal mode when the interface unit is in the normal mode wherein irrigation is allowed to occur, an interrupt mode when the interface unit is in the interrupt mode wherein irrigation is interrupted, and a bypass mode when the interface unit is in the bypass mode wherein the interrupt mode is overridden.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the displaying the multiple pictorial representations comprises displaying a graphical representation comprising one or more displayed bars dependent on the amount of accumulated rainfall with a greater number of bars being displayed as the sensed accumulated amount of rainfall increases;

and

not displaying any numeric values relative to the sensed rainfall accumulation amount and the user set and adjustable rainfall threshold parameter.

33. The method of claim 32, further comprising:

determining, at the interface unit, whether an interruption of one or more watering schedules executed by an irrigation controller, which is separate from the interface unit, should occur based at least on the sensed rainfall accumulation amount and the user set and adjustable rainfall threshold parameter; and

causing an interruption of at least one of the one or more watering schedules activated by the separate irrigation controller implementing the one or more watering schedules in response to determining that the user set and adjustable rainfall threshold parameter has a predetermined relationship with the sensed rainfall accumulation amount.

34. The method of claim 33, further comprising:

receive, through the user interface of the interface unit, a user set and adjustable temperature threshold parameter; and

receive, at the interface unit, a sensed temperature;

wherein the displaying the multiple representations comprises displaying, on a display of the interface unit, multiple pictorial representations that in combination convey to a user a mode of operation and whether irrigation is being interrupted based at least on one or both the relationship between the user set and adjustable rainfall threshold parameter and the sensed rainfall accumulation amount, and the relationship between the user set and adjustable temperature threshold parameter and the sensed temperature.