Voltage compensation in an irrigation control device

• US 9,693,510 B2
• Filed: 12/18/2013
• Issued: 07/04/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rain Bird Corporation
• Original Assignee: Rain Bird Corporation
• Inventors: Roper, Todd K., Ferrer Herrera, Manuel J., Lurcott, Steven M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Danny
• Application Number:
  US14/133,598
• Publication Number:
  US 20150164008A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,294 Days
• Field of Search: 361 18, 361152, 361156
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 25/16 Control of watering
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/14 Boost converters
• CPC Class Codes: F23N 2225/18 feedwater temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F23N 2235/18 Groups of two or more valves
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00306 Overdischarge protection
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/3376 with automatic control of output voltage or current
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/40 Engine management systems

Abstract

Some embodiments provide irrigation valve control apparatuses comprising: multiple terminals coupled with a multi-wire path; a first charge storage circuitry electrically coupled with at least one of the multiple terminals, wherein the first charge storage circuitry is configured to be charged by a voltage on the multi-wire path; a control circuitry configured to determine the voltage on the multi-wire path; and a boost circuitry controlled by the control circuitry, wherein the control circuitry in response to determining that the voltage on the multi-wire path is below a threshold activates the boost circuitry to increase a voltage stored by the first charge storage circuitry.

Claims

1. An irrigation valve control apparatus comprising:

multiple terminals coupled with a multi-wire path;

a first charge storage circuitry electrically coupled with at least one of the multiple terminals, wherein the first charge storage circuitry is configured to be charged by a voltage on the multi-wire path;

a control circuitry configured to determine the voltage on the multi-wire path; and

a boost circuitry controlled by the control circuitry, wherein the control circuitry in response to determining that the voltage on the multi-wire path is below a threshold activates the boost circuitry to increase a voltage stored by the first charge storage circuitry, wherein the boost circuitry comprises;

a power inductor coupled with the first charge storage circuitry; and

switching circuitry cooperated with the power inductor;

wherein the control circuitry is configured to sequentially trigger the switching circuitry to induce a change in current over time through the power inductor producing a boost voltage applied to the first charge storage circuitry.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a solenoid;

a plunger positioned relative to the solenoid such that the plunger changes positions between open and closed positions in response to a magnetic field generated by the solenoid;

wherein the control circuitry is configured to discharge the first charge storage circuitry into the solenoid to induce movement of the plunger causing the plunger to change positions resulting in opening or closing a valve such that water is allowed to pass through the valve when the plunger is in the open position and water is prevented from passing the valve when the plunger is in the closed position.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the control circuitry, in determining the voltage on the multi-wire path, is configured to monitor voltage across the first charge storage circuitry as a function of the voltage on the multi-wire path, and to activate the boost circuitry to increase the voltage stored by the first charge storage circuitry when the voltage across the first charge storage circuitry is less than a voltage threshold corresponding to a voltage to cause the plunger to change to the closed position.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the boost circuitry further comprises a second charge storage circuitry electrically coupled with at least one of the multiple terminals, wherein the second charge storage circuitry is configured to be charged by the voltage one the multi-wire path;

and

wherein the boost circuitry is configured to charge both the first charge storage circuitry and the second charge storage circuitry increasing the voltage stored.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to generate a pulse width modulated (PWM) signal that is applied to the switching circuitry to implement the sequential triggering of the switching circuitry in response to the PWM signal to induce the change in current over time through the power inductor corresponding to a frequency of the PWM signal.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the control circuitry, in generating the pulse width modulated signal, is configured to generate the PWM signal as a fixed PWM signal without monitoring the PWM signal and without adjusting the PWM signal.

7. The apparatus of claim 5, further comprising:

emission protection circuitry cooperated with the switching circuitry and configured to dictate a rate at which a current is drawn through the switching circuitry and controlling electromagnetic interference (EMI).

8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a solenoid configured to cooperate with a plunger and to receive a plunger drive signal produced through a discharge of at least the first charge storage circuitry; and

plunger position detection circuitry configured to determine whether the plunger is in one of an open position and a closed position.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a solenoid configured to cooperate with a plunger and to receive a plunger drive signal produced through a discharge of at least the first charge storage circuitry, wherein the plunger drive signal is configured to induce a magnetic field relative to the solenoid that causes the plunger to change positions between an open position and a closed position;

an input stimulus source coupled with the solenoid and configured to apply an input stimulus into the solenoid at a time while the plunger drive signal is not being applied to the solenoid, wherein the input stimulus is sufficiently small that the input stimulus applied to the solenoid does not cause the plunger to move from a current position; and

sampling circuitry configured to measure one or more voltage measurements corresponding to one or more voltages across the solenoid, wherein the one or more voltage measurements are dependent upon the current position of the plunger relative to the solenoid in response to applying the input stimulus to the solenoid;

wherein the control circuitry is cooperated with the sampling circuitry to receive the one or more voltage measurements from the sampling circuitry, wherein the control circuitry is configured to determine whether the plunger is in one of the open position and the closed position based on the one or more voltage measurements.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a solenoid configured to cooperate with a plunger and to receive a plunger drive signal produced through a discharge of at least the first charge storage circuitry wherein the plunger drive signal is configured to induce a magnetic field relative to the solenoid that causes the plunger to change positions between open and closed positions causing an opening and closing of an irrigation valve;

first switching circuitry cooperated with the solenoid, wherein the first switching circuitry is configured, upon activation, to dictate a direction of electrical current flow through the solenoid, wherein the direction of current flow while the plunger drive signal is applied controls a direction of movement of the plunger in response to the application of the plunger drive signal;

an input stimulus source cooperated with the solenoid, wherein the input stimulus source is configured to generate an input stimulus that is applied to a first terminal of the solenoid at a time while the plunger drive signal is not being applied to the solenoid, and wherein the input stimulus does not cause the plunger to change from a current position;

a resistive load cooperated with a second terminal of the solenoid;

sampling circuitry coupled with the resistive load, wherein the sampling circuitry is configured to measure one or more voltage measurements across the resistive load in response to the input stimulus; and

control circuitry coupled with the sampling circuitry, wherein the control circuitry is configured to receive the one or more voltage measurements, determine a current passing through the resistive load as a function of the one or more voltage measurements, calculate an estimated inductance of the solenoid as a function of the determined current and a timing of the input stimulus, and determine whether the plunger is in one of the open position and the closed positions as a function of the estimated inductance of the solenoid.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a solenoid configured to cooperate with a plunger and to receive a plunger drive signal from plunger activation circuitry wherein the plunger drive signal is configured to induce a magnetic field relative to the solenoid that causes the plunger to change positions between open and closed positions resulting in opening or closing a valve such that water is allowed to pass through the valve when the plunger is in the open position and water is prevented from passing the valve when the plunger is in the closed position;

control circuitry cooperated with the solenoid and configured to direct the plunger drive signal into the solenoid to induce movement of the plunger;

an input stimulus source cooperated with the solenoid and configured to apply an input stimulus into the solenoid at a time while the plunger drive signal is not being applied to the solenoid, wherein the input stimulus that is sufficiently small that the input stimulus does not cause the plunger to move from a current position; and

a resonant circuit comprising the solenoid, wherein the resonant circuit is coupled with the input stimulus source and configured to be excited by the input stimulus to generate a resonant response that resonates when the plunger is in one of the open position and the closed position;

wherein the control circuitry is configured to determine whether the resonant response is generated in response to the input stimulus, and to determine whether the plunger is in one of the open and closed positions in response to whether the resonant response is generated.

12. A method of controlling irrigation valves, the method comprising:

determining, at an irrigation valve control circuitry, whether a voltage on a multi-wire path is less than a first threshold, wherein the irrigation valve control circuitry is coupled with the multi-wire path obtains power from the multi-wire path to open and close an irrigation valve;

activating a boost circuitry in response to determining that the voltage on the multi-wire path is less than the first threshold;

generating a boost voltage, through the boost circuitry, that is greater than the voltage on the multi-wire path when the voltage on the multi-wire path is less than the first threshold;

charging, through the boost voltage, a first charge storage circuitry to a first voltage that is greater than the voltage on the multi-wire path in response to the boost voltage; and

discharging the first charge storage circuitry to drive a current through a solenoid controlling movement of a plunger to change positions to one of the open and closed position, wherein moving the plunger controls the irrigation valve such that water is allowed to pass through the valve when the plunger is in an open position and water is prevented from passing the valve when the plunger is in a closed position.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

discharge the first charge storage circuitry into a solenoid to induce movement of a plunger causing the plunger to change positions resulting in opening or closing a valve such that water is allowed to pass through the valve when the plunger is in an open position and water is prevented from passing the valve when the plunger is in a closed position.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the determining whether the voltage on the multi-wire path is less than a first threshold further comprises monitoring voltage across the first charge storage circuitry as a function of the voltage on the multi-wire path, and to activate the boost circuitry to increase the voltage stored by the first charge storage circuitry when the voltage across the first charge storage circuitry is less than a voltage threshold corresponding to a voltage to cause the plunger to change to the closed position.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the activating the boost circuitry comprises:

sequentially triggering a switching circuitry coupled with a power inductor coupled with the first charge storage circuitry, inducing a change in current over time through the power inductor coupled with the first charge storage circuitry, and producing a boost voltage applied to the first charge storage circuitry.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

generating a pulse width modulated (PWM) signal that is applied to the switching circuitry to implement the sequential triggering of the switching circuitry in response to the PWM signal to induce the change in current over time through the power inductor corresponding to a frequency of the PWM signal.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the generating the pulse width modulated signal comprises generating the PWM signal as a fixed PWM signal without monitoring the PWM signal and without adjusting the PWM signal.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

detecting, through an emission protection circuitry cooperated with the switching circuitry, a rate at which a current is drawn through the switching circuitry and controlling electromagnetic interference (EMI).

19. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

causing an input stimulus to be applied to a solenoid at a time while a plunger drive signal is not being applied to the solenoid, wherein the solenoid is configured to cooperate with a plunger and to receive the plunger drive signal that induces a magnetic field relative to the solenoid that causes the plunger to change positions between open and closed positions, and wherein the input stimulus does not cause the plunger to change a position;

taking one or more voltage measurements across the solenoid in response to the input stimulus being applied to the solenoid, wherein the voltage of the one or more voltage measurements are dependent upon the position of the plunger relative to the solenoid in response to the input stimulus applied to the solenoid;

evaluating the one or more voltage measurements; and

determining whether the plunger is in one of the open and closed positions based on the one or more voltage measurements.

20. An irrigation control apparatus comprising:

charge storage circuitry electrically coupled with a multi-wire path, wherein the charge storage circuitry is configured to be charged by a voltage on the multi-wire path;

boost circuitry coupled to the charge storage circuitry and configured to increase a voltage stored by the charge storage circuitry when the voltage on the multi-wire path is below a threshold;

a solenoid configured to cooperate with a plunger and to receive a plunger drive signal produced through a discharge of at least the charge storage circuitry; and

plunger position detection circuitry configured to determine whether the plunger is in one of an open position and a closed position.

21. The irrigation control apparatus of claim 20 further comprising:

control circuitry configured to determine the voltage on the multi-wire path and activate the boost circuitry to increase the voltage stored by the charge storage circuitry when the voltage on the multi-wire path is below the threshold.

22. The irrigation control apparatus of claim 20 wherein the plunger position detection circuitry is configured to apply an input stimulus into the solenoid and to determine whether the plunger is in one of the open position and the closed position in response to applying the input stimulus.