Irrigation controller

• US 7,123,993 B1
• Filed: 08/28/2003
• Issued: 10/17/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SendThisFile, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Aaron L. Freeman, Michael G. Freeman
• Inventors: Freeman, Aaron Lloyd, Freeman, Michael Goerner
• Primary Examiner(s): Paladini, Albert W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): KASENGE, CHARLES R
• Application Number:
  US10/650,631
• Time in Patent Office: 1,146 Days
• Field of Search: 700/283, 700/284, 700/241, 700/19, 700/65, 239/63, 239/64, 239/69, 239/723, 340/286.01, 340/540, 709/203, 709/219, 702/188
• US Class Current: 700/284
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 25/16 Control of watering

Abstract

The irrigation controller is for directing the times and duration of the flow of water to a set of irrigation zones within an irrigation system in accordance with irrigation program and schedule data. The irrigation controller includes a microprocessor and a memory which are programmed with an embedded Web server. The embedded Web server can send and receive irrigation program and schedule data in the hypertext mark-up language (HTML) format. The irrigation controller communicates HTML formatted program and schedule data through an on-board Ethernet chipset to a local area network (LAN). Accordingly, irrigation controller program and schedule data may be interactively accessed from any network accessing device having a standard Web browser which is connected to the LAN, such as for example a personal computer with a Web browser connected to the LAN. Moreover, if the LAN is connected to the Internet, the program and schedule data may be viewed or changed from a web accessing device connected to the Internet.

Claims

1. In combination with an irrigation system having system components including a water supply and at least one valve for selectively directing water to at least one irrigation device in at least one irrigation zone, an irrigation controller comprising:

(a) a microprocessor and a memory for storing irrigation program data and schedule data corresponding to the time and duration of the flow of water to said at least one irrigation zone, said microprocessor for producing control signals, said microprocessor and said memory including an embedded Web server for communicating said irrigation program data and schedule data to and from HTML formats,

(b) at least one relay in communication with said microprocessor, said relay adapted for receiving said control signals from said microprocessor and for switching electrical currents to said at least one valve in response to said control signals for activation of said at least one valve, whereby said water supply and said at least one valve for selectively directing water to said at least one irrigation device may be selectively activated or deactivated,

(c) an on-board Ethernet chipset for connecting said microprocessor to a LAN, whereby a network accessing device having a Web browser connected to said LAN may be used to interactively access said embedded Web server of said irrigation controller for viewing and changing of said irrigation program and schedule data, and,

(d) at least one weather sensor connected to said microprocessor and said memory storing weather data from said at least one weather sensor so that said network accessing device may be used to view said weather data said at least one weather sensor including a rain detector which produces a stop signal when rain is detected and wherein said microprocessor is programmed to stop the operation of said irrigation system when receiving said stop signal.

2. The irrigation controller of claim 1, further comprising;

a network accessing device connected to said LAN programmed to automatically access said program data and said weather data and change said program data in response to changes in said weather data.

3. The irrigation controller of claim 1, wherein,

said LAN is also connected to the Internet such that a network accessing device connected to the Internet and having a Web browser may be used to interactively access said embedded Web server of said irrigation controller for viewing and changing of said irrigation program and schedule data.

4. The irrigation controller of claim 1, wherein,

said LAN is also connected to the Internet and said irrigation control system further comprises a server adapted for communication using HTML connected to the Internet for interactively accessing said embedded Web server of said irrigation controller to automatically adjust said program data and said schedule data in response to changes in said weather data.

5. The irrigation controller of claim 1, wherein,

said at least one relay is a triac.

6. The irrigation controller of claim 1, further comprising:

a server adapted for communication using HTML connected to said Internet and accessible by said microprocessor via said LAN, said server receiving and storing weather data from said at least one sensor connected to said microprocessor and maintaining additional weather data, said server programmed to compare said weather data and said additional weather data against standard seasonal weather conditions and then modify said program data of said irrigation controller in response to variance of said weather data and said additional weather data from standard seasonal weather conditions.

7. In combination with an irrigation system having system components including a water supply at least one valve for selectively directing water to at least one irrigation device in at least one irrigation zone, an irrigation controller comprising:

(a) a microprocessor and a memory for storing irrigation program data and schedule data corresponding to the time and duration of the flow of water to said at least one irrigation zone, said microprocessor for producing control signals, said microprocessor and said memory including an embedded Web server for communicating said irrigation program data and schedule data to and from HTML formats,

(b) at least one relay in communication with said microprocessor, said relay adapted for receiving said control signals from said microprocessor and for switching electrical currents to said at least one valve in response to said control signals for activation of said at least one valve, whereby said water supply and said at least one valve for selectively directing water to said at least one irrigation device may be selectively activated or deactivated,

(c) an on-board Ethernet chipset for connecting said microprocessor to a LAN, whereby a network accessing device having a Web browser connected to said LAN may be used to interactively access said embedded Web server of said irrigation controller for viewing and changing of said irrigation program and schedule data, and,

(d) at least one weather sensor connected to said microprocessor and said memory storing weather data from said at least one weather sensor so that said network accessing device may be used to view said weather data, the at least one weather sensor including a temperature gage which produces a stop signal when the measured temperature falls below the freezing point of water, said stop signal communicated to sad microprocessor and said microprocessor is programmed to stop the operation of said irrigation system when receiving said stop signal.

8. The irrigation controller of claim 7, wherein,

the at least one weather sensor further includes a rain detector which produces a stop signal when rain is detected, said stop signal communicated to sad microprocessor and said microprocessor is programmed to stop the operation of said irrigation system when receiving said stop signal resulting from the detection of rain.

9. The irrigation controller of claim 7, further comprising;

a network accessing device connected to said LAN programmed to automatically access said program data and said weather data and change said program data in response to changes in said weather data.

10. The irrigation controller of claim 7, wherein,

said LAN is also connected to the Internet such that a network accessing device connected to the Internet and having a Web browser may be used to interactively access said embedded Web server of said irrigation controller for viewing and changing of said irrigation program and schedule data.

11. The irrigation controller of claim 7, wherein,

said LAN is also connected to the Internet and said irrigation control system further comprises a server adapted for communication using HTML connected to the Internet for interactively accessing said embedded Web server of said irrigation controller to automatically adjust said program data and said schedule data in response to changes in said weather data.

12. The irrigation controller of claim 7, wherein,

said at least one relay is a triac.

13. The irrigation controller of claim 7, further comprising:

a server adapted for communication using HTML connected to said Internet and accessible by said microprocessor via said LAN, said server receiving and storing weather data from said at least one sensor connected to said microprocessor and maintaining additional weather data, said server programmed to compare said weather data and said additional weather data against standard seasonal weather conditions and then modify said program data of said irrigation controller in response to variance of said weather data and said additional weather data from standard seasonal weather conditions.

15. The irrigation controller of claim 7, wherein:

(a) said remote server gathers weather data and uses said weather data for changing said irrigation program and schedule data.

14. In combination with an irrigation system having system components including a water supply and at least one valve for selectively directing water to at least one irrigation device in at least one irrigation zone, an irrigation controller comprising:

(a) a microprocessor and a memory for storing irrigation program data and schedule data corresponding to the time and duration of the flow of water to said at least one irrigation zone, said microprocessor for producing control signals, said microprocessor and said memory including an embedded Web server for communicating said irrigation program data and schedule data to and from HTML formats,

(b) at least one relay in communication with said microprocessor, said relay adapted for receiving said control signals from said microprocessor and for switching electrical currents to said at least one valve in response to said control signals for activation of said at least one valve, whereby said water supply and said at least one valve for selectively directing water to said at least one irrigation device may be selectively activated or deactivated,

(c) an on-board Ethernet chipset for connecting said microprocessor to a LAN, whereby a network accessing device having a Web browser connected to said LAN may be used to interactively access said embedded Web server of said irrigation controller for viewing and changing of said irrigation program and schedule data, and,

(d) a remote server in communication with said embedded Web server, said remote server programmed to change said irrigation program and schedule data of said embedded Web server.