Control system for an irrigation system

• US 9,408,353 B2
• Filed: 07/23/2013
• Issued: 08/09/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lindsay Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lindsay Corporation
• Inventors: Andrews, Reece R., Neesen, Ward V., Burkey, Brant
• Primary Examiner(s): KASENGE, CHARLES R
• Application Number:
  US13/949,076
• Publication Number:
  US 20150032272A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,113 Days
• Field of Search: 700/284, 715/769
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 25/16 Control of watering
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 25/162 Sequential operation
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 25/165 Cyclic operations, timing systems, timing valves, impulse operations
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 40/22 Improving land use; Improving water use or availability; Controlling erosion

Abstract

A control system for a low-volume irrigation system includes a plurality of valve controllers for opening and closing valves; an irrigation system controller for controlling the valve controllers in accordance with an irrigation plan; and a graphical user interface for allowing a user to interact with the irrigation controller and to create the irrigation plan. The graphical user interface displays an irrigation zone list, an irrigation set list, and an irrigation plan field. The user interface has drag and drop functionality that permits an irrigation zone listing from the irrigation zone list to be dragged and dropped into any of the irrigation set listings in the irrigation set list and that permits an irrigation zone listing or an irrigation set listing to be dragged and dropped into the irrigation plan to create irrigation steps within the irrigation plan.

Claims

1. A control system or controlling valves in an irrigation system, the control system comprising:

a plurality of valve controllers for opening and closing the valves in the irrigation system;

an irrigation system controller for controlling the valve controllers in accordance with an irrigation plan;

a graphical user interface for allowing a user to interact with the irrigation controller and to create the irrigation plan, the graphical user interface comprising, on a single interactive page;

an irrigation zone list containing a listing of irrigation zones of the irrigation system, each of the zones controlled by at least one of the valve controllers;

an irrigation set list containing a listing of irrigation sets, each irrigation set listing containing information for at least one irrigation zone; and

an irrigation plan field displaying at least one irrigation plan to be implemented by the irrigation system controller, the irrigation plan including information for at least one irrigation zone or at least one irrigation set, the irrigation set list existing separate from and outside the irrigation plan field,

the irrigation zone listings being configured to be copied into any of the irrigation set listings in the irrigation set list, the irrigation zone listings and the irrigation set listings being configured to be copied into the irrigation plan for creating irrigation steps within the irrigation plan.

2. The control system of claim 1, further comprising:

drag and drop functionality that permits an irrigation zone listing from the irrigation zone list to be dragged and dropped into any of the irrigation set listings in the irrigation set list; and

drag and drop functionality that permits an irrigation zone listing or an irrigation set listing to be dragged and dropped into the irrigation plan to create irrigation steps within the irrigation plan.

3. The control system of claim 1, further comprising communications equipment for communicating the irrigation plat from the graphical user interface to the irrigation system controller.

4. The control system of claim 1, further comprising communications equipment for communicating instruction in the irrigation plan from the irrigation system controller to the valve controllers.

5. The control system of claim 2, wherein the drag and drop functionality associates data for an irrigation zone listing with an irrigation set listing when the irrigation zone listing is dragged and dropped into the irrigation set listing.

6. The control system of claim 2, wherein the drag and drop functionality associates data for an irrigation zone listing with the irrigation plan when the irrigation zone listing or an irrigation set listing containing the irrigation zone listing is dragged and dropped into the irrigation plan.

7. A graphical user interface for an irrigation system controller, the graphical user interface comprising:

a display device for displaying;

an irrigation zone list containing a number of irrigation zone listings for irrigation zones controlled by the irrigation system controller;

an irrigation set list containing a number of irrigation set listings, each irrigation set listing containing information for at least one irrigation zone;

an irrigation plan field displaying at least one irrigation plan to be implemented by the irrigation system controller, the irrigation plan comprising information for at least one irrigation zone or at least one irrigation set;

wherein the irrigation set list exists separate from and outside of the irrigation plan field;

drag and drop functionality that permits an irrigation zone listing to be dragged and dropped into any of the irrigation set listings; and

drag and drop functionality that permits an irrigation zone listing or an irrigation set listing to be dragged and dropped into the irrigation plan to create irrigation steps within the irrigation plan.

8. The graphical user interface of claim 7, wherein the drag and drop functionality associates data for an irrigation zone listing with an irrigation set listing when the irrigation zone listing is dragged and dropped into the irrigation set listing.

9. The graphical user interface of claim 7, wherein the drag and drop functionality associates data for an irrigation zone listing with the irrigation plan when the irrigation zone listing or an irrigation set listing containing the irrigation zone listing is dragged and dropped into the irrigation plan.

10. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a computer program for programming a computing device to implement a graphical use interface for an irrigation system controller, the computer program comprising:

a code segment for displaying an irrigation zone list containing a number of irrigation zone listings for irrigation zones controlled by the irrigation system controller;

a code segment for displaying an irrigation set list containing a number of irrigation set listings, each irrigation set listing containing information for at least one irrigation zone;

a code segment for displaying an irrigation plan field displaying at least one irrigation plan to be implemented by the irrigation system controller, the irrigation plan comprising information for at least one irrigation zone or at least one irrigation set;

wherein the irrigation set list exists separate from and outside of the irrigation plan field;

a code segment for implementing drag and drop functionality that permits an irrigation zone listing to be dragged and dropped into any of the irrigation set listings; and

a code segment for implementing drag and drop functionality that permits an irrigation zone listing or an irrigation set listing to be dragged and dropped into the irrigation plan to create irrigation steps within the irrigation plan.

11. The computer program of claim 10, wherein the drag and drop functionality associates data for an irrigation zone listing with an irrigation set listing when the irrigation zone listing is dragged and dropped into the irrigation set listing.

12. The computer program of claim 10, wherein the drag and drop functionality associates data for an irrigation zone listing with the irrigation plan when the irrigation zone listing or an irrigation set listing containing the irrigation zone listing is dragged and dropped into the irrigation plan.

13. A control system for controlling valves in an irrigation system, the control system comprising:

a plurality of valve controllers for opening and closing the valves in the irrigation system;

an irrigation system controller for controlling, the valve controllers in accordance with an irrigation plan;

a graphical user interface for allowing a user to interact with the irrigation controller and to create the irrigation plan, the graphical user interface comprising;

an irrigation zone list containing a listing of irrigation zones of the irrigation system, each of the zones controlled by at least one of the valve controllers;

an irrigation set list containing a listing of irrigation sets, each irrigation set listing containing information for at least one irrigation zone;

an irrigation plan field displaying at least one irrigation plan to be implemented by the irrigation system controller, the irrigation plan including information for at least one irrigation zone or at least one irrigation set;

wherein the irrigation set list exists separate from and outside of the irrigation plan field;

functionality that permits an irrigation zone listing from the irrigation zone list to be copied into any of the irrigation set listings in the irrigation set list; and

functionality that permits an irrigation zone listing or an irrigation set listing to be copied into the irrigation plan to create irrigation steps within the irrigation plan.

14. The control system of claim 13, further comprising;

drag and drop functionality that permits an irrigation one listing from the irrigation zone list to be dragged and dropped into any of the irrigation set listings in the irrigation set list; and

drag and drop functionality that permits an irrigation zone listing or an irrigation set listing to be dragged and dropped into the irrigation plan to create irrigation steps within the irrigation plan.