Irrigation Controller and System Integrating No-Watering Restrictions and an Empirically-Derived Evapotranspiration Local Characteristic Curve

• US 20110270448A1
• Filed: 04/05/2011
• Published: 11/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bruce Bragg, Connie Ruby Masters, Philip A Kantor
• Original Assignee: Bruce Bragg, Connie Ruby Masters, Philip A Kantor
• Inventors: Masters, Connie Ruby, Kantor, Philip A., Bragg, Bruce
• Granted Patent: US 8,565,904 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/284
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 25/06 Watering arrangements making use of perforated pipe-lines located in the soil
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 25/16 Control of watering
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 25/165 Cyclic operations, timing systems, timing valves, impulse operations
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/042 using digital processors G05B19/05 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2625 Sprinkler, irrigation, watering

Abstract

A convenient, easy-to-use, water-saving, and labor-saving FROG irrigation controller and system are provided, which determine the appropriate water budget and schedule for the property'"'"'s landscaping based on evapotranspiration data for the geographic area, regulation data (mandated and voluntary watering restrictions), and property-specific data (such as type of plant, zone number, emitter type, and plant environment), with consideration given to reduction in watering days, increase in soil watering depth, and day of year. Once set, the FROG provides incremental adjustments over the course of the year; the homeowner no longer needs to re-set the watering program seasonally to comply with local mandated and voluntary watering restrictions. Compliance is automatic and obligatory, meeting the water saving goals of the local water authority. Optionally presented is a web-based wizard used to determine a customized water budget/schedule that is input into the FROG controller through a data storage unit or wireless input.

Claims

1. An add-on irrigation controller for controlling water control valves for utilizing with an existing controller set with initial start times and initial run-time durations, comprising:

a housing,

a microcontroller housed within said housing and programmed with a microcontroller program operative to receive and transmit data and to determine said initial start times and said initial run-time durations from said existing controller;

a data input system configured to allow data to be imported into said add-on irrigation controller;

wherein said data input system comprises a data input receiver operable to receive evapotranspiration data and regulation data;

wherein said evapotranspiration data comprises an evapotranspiration local characteristic curve for at least one locality;

wherein said regulation data comprises local mandatory watering restrictions for said at least one locality;

wherein said evapotranspiration data and regulation data are accessible to said microcontroller program; and

wherein said microcontroller program is configured to calculate a FROG watering budget and schedule based on at least said said evapotranspiration data, said regulation data, on said initial start times, and on said initial run-time durations; and

wherein said microcontroller program is capable of utilizing said FROG watering schedule to control said water control valves;

at least one non-volatile storage medium configured to receive and to store data from said microcontroller; and

a real-time clock operatively connected to said microcontroller.

2. The add-on irrigation controller, as recited in claim 1, wherein said data input receiver comprises a wireless receiver.

3. The add-on irrigation controller, as recited in claim 1, wherein said data input receiver comprises an SD card reader.

4. The add-on irrigation controller, as recited in claim 1, wherein:

said add-on irrigation controller is programmed to allow a voluntary watering restriction; and

said regulation data further comprises said voluntary watering restriction.

5. The add-on irrigation controller, as recited in claim 4, wherein said FROG watering budget and schedule is further based on the total water volume as delivered by said existing controller over a particular number of days near the day of watering, as determined from said initial start times and said initial run-time durations, proportioned to the number of allowed watering days near the day of watering as defined by said regulation data.

6. The add-on irrigation controller, as recited in claim 1, further comprising an environmental sensor configured to sense at least one environmental factor, wherein said microcontroller program further bases said FROG watering schedule on said sensor data.

7. An irrigation controller for regulating water control valves corresponding to watering zones, comprising:

a microcontroller and configured to receive and transmit data;

a non-volatile storage medium configured to receive, to send, and to store data from said microcontroller; and

a data input system configured to allow a customized water budget and schedule based on evapotranspiration data and regulation data to be input into said irrigation controller;

wherein said data input system comprises a data input receiver operable to receive said customized water budget and schedule;

wherein said customized water budget and schedule is received by said microcontroller and executed by said microcontroller to control the operation of said water control valves.

8. An irrigation controller, as recited in claim 7, wherein said irrigation controller is an add-on controller.

9. An irrigation controller, as recited in claim 7, wherein said irrigation controller is a standalone add-on controller.

10. An irrigation controller, as recited in claim 7, wherein:

said evapotranspiration data comprises an evapotranspiration local characteristic curve for at least one locality; and

said regulation data comprises local mandatory watering restrictions for said at least one locality.

11. An irrigation controller, as recited in claim 10, wherein said regulation data further comprises a voluntary watering restrictions.

12. An irrigation controller, as recited in claim 7, wherein said data input receiver comprises a wireless receiver.

13. An irrigation controller, as recited in claim 7, wherein said data input receiver comprises an SD card reader.

14. A method to use an irrigation controller to control water control valves, comprising:

wiring said irrigation controller to said water control valves;

inputting evapotranspiration data comprising an evapotranspiration local characteristic curve for at least one locality into a microprocessor of said irrigation controller; and

inputting regulation data comprising local mandatory watering restrictions for said at least one locality into said microprocessor, wherein said microprocessor is configured with a microcontroller program configured to derive a FROG watering budget and schedule based on said evapotranspiration data and said regulation data.

15. The method to use an irrigation controller to control water control valves, as recited in claim 14, wherein said inputting evapotranspiration data comprises receiving said evapotranspiration data through a data input receiver.

16. The method to use an irrigation controller to control water control valves, as recited in claim 15, wherein said data input receiver comprises a wireless receiver.

17. The method to use an irrigation controller to control water control valves, as recited in claim 15, wherein said data input receiver comprises a SD card reader.

18. The method to use an irrigation controller to control water control valves, as recited in claim 14, wherein said inputting regulation data comprises receiving said regulation data through a data input receiver.

19. The method to use an irrigation controller to control water control valves, as recited in claim 18, wherein said data input receiver comprises a wireless receiver.

20. The method to use an irrigation controller to control water control valves, as recited in claim 18, wherein said data input receiver comprises a SD card reader.

21. A method to use an irrigation controller to control water control valves, comprising:

wiring said irrigation controller to said water control valves;

logging onto a website supplying a customization wizard configured to execute a FROG algorithm to create a customized water budget and schedule upon input of property-specific data, wherein said FROG algorithm is based on evapotranspiration data, on regulation data, and said property-specific data;

receiving a customized water budget and schedule from said customization wizard; and

inputting said customized water budge and schedule into said irrigation controller, wherein said irrigation controller controls said water valves based on said customized water budget and schedule.