Wireless irrigation control

• US 10,194,599 B2
• Filed: 03/22/2016
• Issued: 02/05/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rain Bird Corporation
• Original Assignee: Rain Bird Corporation
• Inventors: Ensworth, Mark M., Booth, Barbara E., Thornton, Dean C., Hern, Randall A., Napier, Malcolm N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hartman, Jr., Ronald D
• Application Number:
  US15/077,813
• Publication Number:
  US 20160198646A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,050 Days
• Field of Search: 700284
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 25/16 Control of watering
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/18 Numerical control [NC], i.e. automatically operating machines, in particular machine tools, e.g. in a manufacturing environment, so as to execute positioning, movement or co-ordinated operations by means of programme data in numerical form G05B19/418 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2625 Sprinkler, irrigation, watering
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/00 Devices specially adapted for wireless communication networks, e.g. terminals, base stations or access point devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 40/22 Improving land use; Improving water use or availability; Controlling erosion
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/1866 For controlling soil irrigation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/189 Soil moisture sensing

Abstract

Several embodiments provide wireless irrigation control and related methods. In one implementation, an irrigation control system includes a transmitter unit including a controller and a connector to be coupled to an irrigation controller having station actuation output connectors. The controller is can receive an indication that the irrigation controller has activated an irrigation station, and can cause the transmitter unit to transmit a wireless activation signal responsive to the indication. A receiver unit is coupled to an actuator coupled to an actuatable device, such as an irrigation valve, the actuator configured to actuate the irrigation valve to control the flow of water therethrough. The receiver unit receives the wireless activation signal and in response, causes the actuator to actuate the actuatable device.

Claims

1. A method for use in controlling irrigation comprising:

programming, at a transmitter unit coupled with an irrigation controller, a first irrigation station of a plurality of irrigation stations to be associated with a first one or more wireless receiver units located remotely from the transmitter unit, wherein the transmitter unit has a user interface comprising one or more user inputs;

programming, at the transmitter unit, a second irrigation station of the plurality of irrigation stations to be associated with a second one or more wireless receiver units;

receiving, at the transmitter unit, an indication that the irrigation controller has activated the first irrigation station; and

causing, responsive to the indication, transmission from the transmitter unit a wireless activation signal, wherein the wireless activation signal is configured for receipt at the first one or more wireless receiver units, wherein each of the first one or more wireless receiver units is coupled to an actuator and an actuatable device.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the actuatable device comprises an irrigation valve controlling flow of water therethrough.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein a connector of the transmitter unit includes a power connection configured to be coupled to the irrigation controller to receive operational power.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the irrigation controller is contained within a first housing and the transmitter unit is contained within a second housing separate from the first housing.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving, at a signal receiver of a first wireless receiver unit of the first one or more wireless receiver units, the wireless activation signal from the transmitter unit;

receiving, at a second controller coupled to the signal receiver, a message contained in the wireless activation signal; and

causing, responsive to the message, an activation circuit coupled to the second controller to output signaling; and

causing, responsive to the output signaling, the actuator associated with the first wireless receiver unit to actuate the actuatable device associated with the first wireless receiver unit.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the actuatable device comprises an irrigation valve controlling flow of water therethrough.

7. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

receiving the wireless activation signal at one or more additional receiver units of the first one or more wireless receiver units, each configured to be coupled to an additional actuator coupled to an additional actuatable device, the additional actuator configured to actuate the additional actuatable device; and

causing, at each of the one or more additional receiver units and in response to the receiving, the additional actuator to actuate the additional actuatable device.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more user inputs comprise one or more buttons.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising changing an operational state of the transmitter unit when the one or more user inputs are manipulated by a user.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the user interface further comprises a display screen.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the transmitter unit comprises a connector coupled to the irrigation controller, wherein the connector comprises an input connector configured to be coupled by wireline to an output connector of the irrigation controller.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the transmitter unit comprises a connector coupled to the irrigation controller, wherein the connector comprises an input connector configured to be coupled to one or more of station actuation output connectors of the irrigation controller.

13. A method for use in controlling irrigation comprising:

programming, at a transmitter unit coupled with an irrigation controller, a first irrigation station of a plurality of irrigation stations to be associated with a first one or more wireless receiver units located remotely from the transmitter unit, wherein the transmitter unit has a user interface comprising one or more user inputs;

programming, at the transmitter unit, a second irrigation station of the plurality of irrigation stations to be associated with a second one or more wireless receiver units;

receiving, at a first controller of the transmitter unit, a first indication that an irrigation controller has activated one or more irrigation stations of a first one or more irrigation stations;

receiving, at the first controller, a second indication that the irrigation controller has activated one or more irrigation stations of a second one or more irrigation stations;

causing the transmitter unit to transmit a first wireless activation signal responsive to the first indication, the first wireless activation signal being configured to be received by a first receiver unit associated with the first one or more irrigation stations, the first receiver unit configured to be coupled to a first actuator coupled to a first actuatable device, the first actuator configured to actuate the first actuatable device, the first receiver unit configured to cause the first actuator to actuate a first irrigation valve in response to receiving the first wireless activation signal; and

causing the transmitter unit to transmit a second wireless activation signal responsive to the second indication, the second wireless activation signal being configured to be received by a second receiver unit associated with the second one or more irrigation stations, the second receiver unit configured to be coupled to a second actuator coupled to a second actuatable device, the second actuator configured to actuate the second actuatable device, the second receiver unit configured to cause the second actuator to actuate a second irrigation valve in response to receiving the second wireless activation signal.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the user interface comprises a display screen.