Water reduction optimizing irrigation protocols

• US 9,907,238 B2
• Filed: 06/25/2014
• Issued: 03/06/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SD Acquisition, LLC
• Original Assignee: Skydrop Holdings, LLC
• Inventors: Endrizzi, Clark, Romney, Matt, Dalley, Mack, Mars, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): HARTMAN JR, RONALD D
• Application Number:
  US14/315,255
• Publication Number:
  US 20150005959A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,350 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 25/165 Cyclic operations, timing systems, timing valves, impulse operations
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/042 using digital processors G05B19/05 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25056 Automatic configuration of monitoring, control system as function of operator input, events
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25205 Encrypt communication
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2625 Sprinkler, irrigation, watering
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31422 Upload, download programs, parameters from, to station to, from server
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/32126 Hyperlink, access to program modules and to hardware modules in www, web server, browser
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 7/0664 the plurality of throttling means being arranged for the control of a plurality of diverging flows from a single flow G05D7/0652 takes precedence; ratio control G05D11/13

Abstract

The disclosure extends to methods, systems, and computer program products for generating and optimizing irrigation protocols. The disclosure extends to methods, systems, and computer program products for optimizing water usage in growing plants for yard and crops. The disclosure also extends to methods, systems and computer program products for providing automated irrigation.

Claims

1. A method for optimizing irrigation in an irrigation system having a controller connected to an irrigation server over computer network comprising:

prompting a user through a user interface on a computing device for a zone selection;

receiving the zone selection and storing the zone selection in computer memory;

prompting a user for zone characteristic data;

receiving zone characteristic data and storing the zone characteristic data in computer memory;

receiving and aggregating weather data from a plurality of databases;

generating a suggested irrigation protocol based in part on the zone characteristic data and the aggregated weather data;

generating a notification regarding the suggested irrigation protocol and conveying said notification to a corresponding user for confirmation;

receiving a confirmation of the suggested irrigation protocol;

writing the confirmed irrigation protocol into computer memory of a controller that is in electronic communication with plumbing of the irrigation system;

querying the user for a subjective evaluation regarding the effectiveness of the irrigation protocol; and

receiving data comprising subjective information provided by the user in response to the query and storing the subjective information in computer memory.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing a schedule for events within the irrigation system.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein an event is a reduction in water usage.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein an event is a modification of the irrigation protocol requested by a user.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein an event is a notification to be sent to the user.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein an event is a predetermined set of queries regarding current characteristics of the zone.

7. The method of claim 2, further comprising starting a feedback clock corresponding to the schedule of events, such that notifications are sent to users in accordance to the schedule of events.

8. The method of claim 2, further comprising modifying the schedule of events to accommodate an unscheduled event.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising terminating communication between the controller and the irrigation server after the irrigation protocol has been written to controller memory.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising suggesting a first water reduction followed by a scheduled query to a user regarding the health of plants within the corresponding zone.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising suggesting a second water reduction followed by second scheduled query to a user regarding the health of plants within the corresponding zone.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein zone characteristic data comprises soil type.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein zone characteristic data comprises plant type.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein zone characteristic data comprises shade data.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein zone characteristic data comprises sprinkler head type.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein zone characteristic data comprises slope data.

17. A method for optimizing environmental control system having a controller connected to a dedicated server over a computer network comprising:

prompting a user through a user interface on a computing device for a zone selection;

receiving the zone selection and storing the zone selection in computer memory;

prompting a user for zone characteristic data;

receiving zone characteristic data and storing the zone characteristic data in computer memory;

receiving and aggregating environmental data from a plurality of databases;

generating a suggested environmental control protocol based in part on the zone characteristic data and the aggregated environmental data;

generating a notification regarding the suggested protocol and conveying said notification to the user for ratification;

conveying the suggested protocol to the controller that is in electronic communication with operable components of the system, such that the controller

executes the protocol by actuating the operable components of the system;

querying the user for a subjective evaluation regarding the effectiveness of the protocol; and

receiving data comprising subjective information provided by the user in response to the query and storing the subjective information in computer memory.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

initiating the query at a predetermined interval after execution of the protocol.