Method of controlling irrigation systems using smart cards

• US 20020059005A1
• Filed: 06/04/2001
• Published: 05/16/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Tucor Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Tucor Incorporated
• Inventors: Sarver, Larry C.
• Application Number:
  US09/873,775
• Publication Number:
  US 20020059005A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/86
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/0426 Programming the control sequence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23417 Read program from pluggable memory card

Abstract

A method of providing process control instructions to an irrigation site using a smart card. Instructions for adjusting equipment of an irrigation system are stored on a smart card at a remote location. The smart card is transported to the irrigation site. The stored instructions are read from the smart card and downloaded to a control computer. The computer adjusts the process conditions for the irrigation system based on the downloaded instructions.

Claims

1. A method of transmitting process control instructions from a remote site to a site of process control comprising the steps of:

a) storing process control instructions on a portable memory card at one location;

b) transporting the memory card to another location;

c) transferring the process control instructions from the memory card to a memory card reader;

d) transferring the process control instructions from the memory card reader to a computer;

e) storing the process control instructions in the computer of step (d); and

f) operating a process system by the computer of step (d) according to the process control instructions stored in step (e).

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said memory card is a smart card.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the process control instructions comprise a schedule for delivering water in an irrigation system.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the process control instructions comprise a schedule for opening a valve on an irrigation water line.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein the process control instructions comprise flow rate for water in an irrigation water line.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein step (c) comprises entering a security code into the memory card reader to allow transfer of the process control instructions to the memory card reader.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein step (c) comprises entering a security code into the smart card reader to allow transfer of the irrigation control instructions to the smart card reader.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the process data comprises flow rate, totalized flow, equipment status, or environmental conditions at the irrigation site.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising a step of adjusting process conditions for the irrigation system based on the process data transferred to the other location.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein said step of adjusting the process conditions comprises:

i) storing irrigation control instructions on a smart card at the remote site;

ii) transporting the smart card to the irrigation site;

iii) transferring the irrigation control instructions from the smart card to a smart card reader;

iv) transferring the irrigation control instructions from the smart card reader to a computer;

v) storing the irrigation control instructions in the computer of step (iv); and

vi) adjusting the irrigation system according to the instructions stored in step (i) in response to the process data collected in step (a).

7. A method of transmitting irrigation control instructions from a remote site to an irrigation site comprising the steps of:

a) storing irrigation control instructions on a smart card at one location;

b) transporting the smart card to another location;

c) transferring the irrigation control instructions from the smart card to a smart card reader;

d) transferring the irrigation control instructions from the smart card reader to a computer;

e) storing the irrigation control instructions in the computer of step (d); and

f) operating an irrigation system by the computer of step (d) according to the irrigation control instructions stored in step (e).

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the irrigation control instructions comprise a schedule for delivering water in an irrigation system.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the irrigation control instructions comprise a schedule for opening a valve on an irrigation water line.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein the irrigation control instructions comprise flow rate for water in an irrigation water line.

12. A method of monitoring an irrigation site comprising the steps of.

a) collecting process data from an irrigation system at one location;

b) storing the process data of step (a) on a smart card;

c) transporting the smart card to another location; and

d) transferring the process data stored on the smart card of step (c) to a computer at the other location.