Irrigation system

• US 7,596,429 B2
• Filed: 12/10/2003
• Issued: 09/29/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Et Water Systems Inc. (JAIN Irrigation Systems Limited)
• Original Assignee: Et Water Systems Inc. (JAIN Irrigation Systems Limited)
• Inventors: Fogarty, Michael, Berkowitz, Gregor A., Cardinal, Bruce J., Stewart, Gordon A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bahta; Kidest
• Application Number:
  US10/732,911
• Publication Number:
  US 20040181315A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,120 Days
• Field of Search: 700/284, 700 83- 85, 700 15- 16, 239/64, 239/69, 239/63, 705/37, 707/124.1, 707/7, 702/3, 137/1
• US Class Current: 700/284
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 25/167 Control by humidity of the soil itself or of devices simulating soil or of the atmosphere; Soil humidity sensors

Abstract

A technique for controlling an irrigation system is disclosed. The technique comprises receiving landscape information, receiving environmental information, deriving an irrigation schedule based on the landscape information and the environmental information, and sending the irrigation schedule to an irrigation control unit.

Claims

1. A method of controlling an irrigation system, comprising:

receiving at a central control system configured to control with respect to each of a plurality of properties, each owned by a different property owner, one or more irrigation control units associated with that property, a first landscape information associated with a first irrigation site associated with a first property owner and a second landscape information associated with a second irrigation site associated with a second property owner;

receiving a first environmental information associated with the first irrigation site and a second environmental information associated with the second irrigation site;

deriving a first individual station irrigation schedule for the first irrigation site based on the first landscape information and the first environmental information and a second individual station irrigation schedule for the second irrigation site based on the second landscape information and the second environmental information; and

sending the first individual station irrigation schedule to a first irrigation control unit associated with the first irrigation site and the second individual station irrigation schedule to a second irrigation control unit associated with the second irrigation site;

wherein the first property owner and the second property owner are included in a plurality of users of the central control system;

the central control system is configured to communicate with a plurality of hosts, each associated with one or more users, and to provide access via such hosts to a user interface associated with the central control system; and

the central control system is configured to provide to each user who uses one of the plurality of hosts to access the user interface information and controls only for those properties with which that user is associated.

2. A method of controlling an irrigation system as recited in claim 1, wherein the first individual station irrigation schedule is sent to the first irrigation control unit via a network.

3. A method of controlling an irrigation system as recited in claim 1, wherein the first individual station irrigation schedule is sent to the first irrigation control unit via the Internet.

4. A method of controlling an irrigation system as recited in claim 1, wherein the first individual station irrigation schedule is sent to the first irrigation control unit via a telephone line.

5. A method of controlling an irrigation system as recited in claim 1, wherein the first landscape information and the first environmental information are provided to a central control system.

6. A method of controlling an irrigation system as recited in claim 1, wherein providing the first landscape information includes configuring a landscape parameter via a web interface.

7. A method of controlling an irrigation system as recited in claim 1, further comprising updating the first environmental information.

8. A method of controlling an irrigation system as recited in claim 1, wherein the first landscape information includes soil type.

9. A method of controlling an irrigation system as recited in claim 1, wherein the first landscape information includes slope information.

10. A method of controlling an irrigation system as recited in claim 1, wherein the first landscape information includes plant type.

11. A method of controlling an irrigation system as recited in claim 1, wherein the first landscape information includes age of plant.

12. A method of controlling an irrigation system as recited in claim 1, wherein the first environmental information includes evapotranspiration (ET) information.

13. A method of controlling an irrigation system as recited in claim 1, wherein the first environmental information includes weather information.

14. A method of controlling an irrigation system as recited in claim 1, wherein the first individual station irrigation schedule includes a restriction on the amount of water used.

15. A method of controlling an irrigation system as recited in claim 1, wherein the first individual station irrigation schedule includes a valve command.

16. A method of controlling an irrigation system as recited in claim 1, further comprising updating the first environmental information.

17. A method of controlling an irrigation system as recited in claim 1, wherein deriving the first individual station irrigation schedule and the second individual station irrigation schedule includes balancing usage with other sites.

18. A method of controlling an irrigation system as recited in claim 1, wherein deriving the first individual station irrigation schedule and the second individual station irrigation schedule includes providing biasing information.

19. A method of controlling an irrigation system as recited in claim 1, wherein deriving the first individual station irrigation schedule and the second individual station irrigation schedule includes accounting for needs of the most demanding plant.

20. A method of controlling an irrigation system as recited in claim 1, wherein deriving the first individual station irrigation schedule and the second individual station irrigation schedule includes selecting an algorithm used for deriving an irrigation schedule from a plurality of algorithms.

21. A method of controlling an irrigation system as recited in claim 1, wherein the first irrigation control unit is connected to Internet via a local point of presence (POP).

22. A method of controlling an irrigation system as recited in claim 1, wherein the first individual station irrigation schedule is sent to the first irrigation control unit via Internet.

23. A method of controlling an irrigation system as recited in claim 1, wherein sending the first individual station irrigation schedule to the first irrigation control unit is initiated by the first irrigation control unit.

24. A method of controlling an irrigation system as recited in claim 1, wherein sending the first individual station irrigation schedule to the first irrigation control unit is initiated by the first irrigation control unit and the first irrigation control unit uses a pull model to request the first individual station irrigation schedule.

25. A method of controlling an irrigation system as recited in claim 1, wherein the first irrigation control unit communicates with a watering station via a shared phone line.

26. A method of controlling an irrigation system as recited in claim 1, in the event that sending the first individual station irrigation schedule fails, further comprising providing an alert.

27. A method of controlling an irrigation system as recited in claim 1, in the event that sending the first individual station irrigation schedule fails, further comprising performing irrigation using a stored irrigation schedule on the first irrigation control unit.

28. A method of controlling an irrigation system as recited in claim 1, further comprising providing analysis of water usage to a water agency.

29. A method of controlling an irrigation system as recited in claim 1, further comprising uploading meter data from the first irrigation control unit to a central control.

30. A method of controlling an irrigation system as recited in claim 1, further comprising viewing the first landscape information and/or the first individual station irrigation schedule via a web interface.

31. A method of controlling an irrigation system as recited in claim 1, further comprising modifying the first landscape information and/or the first individual station irrigation schedule via a web interface.

32. A method of controlling an irrigation system as recited in claim 1, further comprising viewing landscape information and/or irrigation schedules for a plurality of geographically dispersed sites via a web interface.

33. A method of controlling an irrigation system as recited in claim 1, further comprising modifying landscape information and/or irrigation schedules for a plurality of geographically dispersed sites via a web interface.

34. A method of controlling an irrigation system as recited in claim 1, wherein the first landscape information includes irrigation method.

35. A method of controlling an irrigation system as recited in claim 1, wherein the first landscape information includes precipitation rate.

36. A method of controlling an irrigation system as recited in claim 1, wherein the first landscape information includes distribution uniformity.

37. A method of controlling an irrigation system as recited in claim 1, wherein the first landscape information includes root depth of plant.

38. A method of controlling an irrigation system as recited in claim 1, wherein the first landscape information includes dripline diameter of plant.

39. A method of controlling an irrigation system as recited in claim 1, wherein the first landscape information includes number of emitters per plant.

40. A method of controlling an irrigation system as recited in claim 1, wherein the first landscape information includes flow rate of emitter.

41. A method of controlling an irrigation system as recited in claim 1, wherein the first landscape information includes sun exposure information.

42. A method of controlling an irrigation system as recited in claim 1, wherein the first landscape information includes plant coefficient by month.

43. A method of controlling an irrigation system as recited in claim 1, wherein the first individual station irrigation schedule is optimized for one or more stations.

44. A method of controlling an irrigation system as recited in claim 1, wherein the first individual station irrigation schedule includes multiple stations operating simultaneously.

45. A method of controlling an irrigation system as recited in claim 1, wherein the first individual station irrigation schedule is derived using station flow rates and maximum allowable system flow.

46. A method of controlling an irrigation system as recited in claim 1, wherein the first individual station irrigation schedule is automatically adjusted for rainfall.

47. A method of controlling an irrigation system as recited in claim 1, wherein deriving the first individual station irrigation schedule and the second individual station irrigation schedule includes minimizing runoff.

48. A method of controlling an irrigation system as recited in claim 1, wherein the first individual station irrigation schedule includes hourly restrictions.

49. A method of controlling an irrigation system as recited in claim 1, wherein the first individual station irrigation schedule includes non-watering days.

50. A method of controlling an irrigation system as recited in claim 1, wherein deriving the first individual station irrigation schedule includes accounting for the priority of stations.

51. A method of controlling an irrigation system as recited in claim 1, wherein the first landscape information includes seasonality of plants.

52. A method of controlling an irrigation system as recited in claim 1, wherein the first individual station irrigation schedule is derived using station flow rates provided by a flow sensor.

53. A method of controlling an irrigation system as recited in claim 1, wherein the first individual station irrigation schedule is optimized to fit within a user-defined water window.

54. A method of controlling an irrigation system as recited in claim 1, wherein the first individual station irrigation schedule includes individual station schedules derived using a plurality of algorithms.

55. A method of controlling an irrigation system as recited in claim 1, wherein deriving the first individual station irrigation schedule includes selecting an algorithm based on an irrigation method.

56. A method of controlling an irrigation system as recited in claim 1, wherein deriving the first individual station irrigation schedule includes selecting an algorithm based on geographic location.

57. A method of controlling an irrigation system as recited in claim 1, wherein the first individual station irrigation schedule is derived using station flow rates provided by a water meter.

58. A method of controlling an irrigation system as recited in claim 1, further comprises uploading meter data from a water meter to the first irrigation control unit.

59. A method of controlling an irrigation system as recited in claim 1, further including displaying an effect of modifying the first individual station irrigation schedule, including displaying a change to a water bill.

60. A method of controlling an irrigation system as recited in claim 1, wherein there are a plurality of individual station irrigation schedules accessible via a web interface, the first user has a first access privilege to the plurality of individual irrigation schedules via the web interface, and the second user has a second access privilege to the plurality of individual irrigation schedules via the web interface.

61. A method of controlling an irrigation system as recited in claim 1, wherein the first individual station irrigation schedule that is sent to the first irrigation control unit specifies, without reference to a default or reference schedule, a watering schedule to be implemented at the first irrigation site.

62. A method of controlling an irrigation system as recited in claim 1, wherein the first individual station irrigation schedule specifies one or more of a start flow time and a stop flow time of a first individual station valve associated with the first irrigation control unit.

63. A method of controlling an irrigation system as recited in claim 1, wherein:

a third user has access to at least one of (1) the first landscape information, (2) the first environmental information, or (3) the first individual station irrigation schedule and access to at least one of (1) the second landscape information, (2) the second environmental information, or (3) the second individual station irrigation schedule.

64. A method of controlling an irrigation system as recited in claim 63, wherein the third user has access to trend data associated with the first and second irrigation sites.

65. An irrigation system comprising:

a memory coupled with the processor, wherein the memory is configured to provide the processor with instructions which when executed cause the processor to;

receive at a central control system configured to control with respect to each of a plurality of properties, each owned by a different property owner, one or more irrigation control units associated with that property, a first landscape information associated with a first irrigation site associated with a first property owner and a second landscape information associated with a second irrigation site associated with a second user property owner;

receive a first environmental information associated with the first irrigation site and a second environmental information associated with the second irrigation site;

derive a first individual station irrigation schedule for the first irrigation site based on the first landscape information and the first environmental information and a second individual station irrigation schedule for the second irrigation site based on the second landscape information and the second environmental information; and

send the first individual station irrigation schedule to a first irrigation control unit associated with the first irrigation site and the second individual station irrigation schedule to a second irrigation control unit associated with the second irrigation site;

wherein the first property owner and the second property owner are included in a plurality of users of the central control system;

the central control system is configured to communicate with a plurality of hosts, each associated with one or more users, and to provide access via such hosts to a user interface associated with the central control system; and

the central control system is configured to provide to each user who uses one of the plurality of hosts to access the user interface information and controls only for those properties with which that user is associated.

66. A computer program product for controlling an irrigation system, the computer program product being embodied in a computer readable medium and comprising computer instructions for:

receiving at a central control system configured to control with respect to each of a plurality of properties, each owned by a different property owner, one or more irrigation control units associated with that property, a first landscape information associated with a first irrigation site associated with a first property owner and a second landscape information associated with a second irrigation site associated with a second property owner;

receiving a first environmental information associated with the first irrigation site and a second environmental information associated with the second irrigation site;

deriving a first individual station irrigation schedule for the first irrigation site based on the first landscape information and the first environmental information and a second individual station irrigation schedule for the second irrigation site based on the second landscape information and the second environmental information; and

sending the first individual station irrigation schedule to a first irrigation control unit associated with the first irrigation site and the second individual station irrigation schedule to a second irrigation control unit associated with the second irrigation site;

wherein the first property owner and the second property owner are included in a plurality of users of the central control system;

the central control system is configured to communicate with a plurality of hosts, each associated with one or more users, and to provide access via such hosts to a user interface associated with the central control system; and

the central control system is configured to provide to each user who uses one of the plurality of hosts to access the user interface information and controls only for those properties with which that user is associated.