User interface for a sensor-based interface device for interrupting an irrigation controller
First Claim
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.
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Accused Products
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.
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Citations
34 Claims
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1. An interface unit interfacing with an irrigation controller, the interface unit comprising:
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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. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method for use in irrigation control, the method comprising:
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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. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. An interface unit interfacing with an irrigation controller, the interface unit comprising:
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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. - View Dependent Claims (30)
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31. A method used in controlling irrigation, comprising:
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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. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34)
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Specification