Landscape irrigation management with automated water budget and seasonal adjust, and automated implementation of watering restrictions
First Claim
1. A method for controlling landscape irrigation by a controller comprising the steps of:
- a. automatically producing a water budget percentage without calculating reference evapotranspiration; and
b. automatically modifying at least one irrigation schedule of said controller using said percentage.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Embodiments of the present invention provide methods and apparatus for water conservation with landscape irrigation controllers, plug-in and add-on devices, and centralized systems. In embodiments of the invention, a water budget percentage is determined by comparing current local geo-environmental data with stored local geo-environmental data, and the preliminary irrigation schedule or station run times are automatically modified based upon that water budget percentage. Embodiments of the present invention also provide for automation of mandated landscape watering restrictions alone, or in various combinations with water budgeting methods and apparatus.
242 Citations
134 Claims
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1. A method for controlling landscape irrigation by a controller comprising the steps of:
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a. automatically producing a water budget percentage without calculating reference evapotranspiration; and b. automatically modifying at least one irrigation schedule of said controller using said percentage. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 76, 77, 78, 89, 90, 101, 102)
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10. A method of controlling landscape irrigation by a controller comprising the steps of:
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a. automatically producing a water budget percentage without calculating reference evapotranspiration, and b. automatically modifying at least one station run time of said controller using said percentage.
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11. A method for controlling landscape irrigation by a controller comprising the steps of:
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a. automatically producing periodic water budget percentages without calculating reference evapotranspiration; b. accumulating said periodic water budget percentages over time; and c. automatically allowing watering to take place when said accumulated percentages reach a threshold. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 79, 80, 91, 92, 103, 104)
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20. A method for controlling landscape irrigation by a controller comprising the steps of:
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a. receiving at least one schedule of restricted watering times; b. automatically producing periodic water budget percentages without calculating reference evapotranspiration; c. accumulating said periodic water budget percentages over time; and d. automatically preventing irrigation until said accumulated percentages reach a threshold, and then automatically preventing irrigation until allowed according to said at least one restricted schedule. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 122, 123)
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35. A method for controlling landscape irrigation by a controller comprising the steps of:
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a. said controller receiving a plurality of schedules of restricted watering times; b. said controller automatically selecting one of said restricted schedules by location; and c. said controller disabling at least one valve to prevent irrigation at times when not allowed according to said selected schedule, wherein said controller further comprises programming to produce at least one water budget percentage without calculating reference evapotranspiration and wherein at least one environmental sensor is in communication with said controller, further comprising the steps of; d. automatically producing a water budget percentage based on input from said at least one sensor in comparison to stored environmental data; and e. automatically adjusting at least one station run time according to said water budget percentage.
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36. A method of automatically adjusting landscape irrigation at a location comprising the steps of:
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a. establishing communication between a module and an irrigation controller at said location; b. said module automatically periodically producing a water budget percentage by comparing historical geo-environmental data for the location to current environmental data for the location; c. said module communicating said water budget percentage to said controller and automatically causing said controller to adjust watering according to said periodically produced water budget percentage. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39, 44, 45, 48, 49, 50, 51)
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40. A method of automatically adjusting landscape irrigation at a location comprising the steps of:
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a. establishing communication between a module and an irrigation controller at said location; b. said module automatically periodically producing a water budget percentage by comparing historical geo-environmental data for the location to current environmental data for the location; c. said module communicating said water budget percentage to said controller and automatically causing said controller to adjust watering according to said periodically produced water budget percentage wherein said step of producing a water budget percentage is performed without calculating reference evapotranspiration. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42, 43, 46, 47)
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52. A method of automatically adjusting at least one watering schedule within an irrigation controller comprising the steps of:
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a. Plugging a module into said controller, said module comprising a microprocessor and programming; b. Establishing a communication link between at least one environmental sensor and said module; c. Said module automatically producing a water budget percentage based on input from said at least one sensor in comparison to stored geo-environmental data; d. Said module communicating said water budget percentage to said controller; and e. Said controller adjusting at least one watering schedule according to said water budget percentage.
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53. A method of automatically adjusting at least one watering schedule within an irrigation controller comprising the steps of:
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a. Plugging a module into said controller, said module comprising a microprocessor and programming; b. Establishing a communication link between at least one environmental sensor and said module; c. Said module automatically producing a water budget percentage based on input from said at least one sensor in comparison to stored geo-environmental data; d. Said module communicating said water budget percentage to said controller; and e. Said controller adjusting at least one station run time according to said water budget percentage.
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54. An irrigation controller comprising:
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a. A microprocessor; b. At least one environmental sensor in communication with said microprocessor; c. programming in said microprocessor to determine a water budget percentage without calculating reference evapotranspiration by comparing data from said at least one environmental sensor to stored historical environmental data within said microprocessor; d. said microprocessor capable of adjusting watering schedules based upon said comparison. - View Dependent Claims (55, 56)
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- 57. A system for automatically adjusting a watering schedule in an irrigation controller at a location comprising programming in said controller to automatically determine a water budget percentage without calculating reference evapotranspiration, programming in said controller to automatically adjust at least one watering schedule in said controller according to such water budget percentage, and an input in said controller for receiving current environmental data.
- 63. A system for automatically adjusting a watering schedule of a controller at a location through a plug-in device comprising programming in said plug-in device to automatically determine a water budget percentage, programming in said plug-in device to automatically adjust at least one watering schedule of said controller according to such water budget percentage, and an input in said plug-in device for receiving current environmental data.
- 70. A system for automatically adjusting a watering schedule of a controller at a location through an add-on device comprising programming in said add-on device to automatically determine a water budget percentage without calculating reference evapotranspiration, programming in said add-on device to automatically adjust at least one watering schedule of said controller according to such water budget percentage by breaking an output line from said controller, and an input in said add-on device for receiving current environmental data.
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75. An irrigation control device comprising a programmable module provided between an irrigation controller and at least one electronically operated valve, said module further comprising:
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a. a microprocessor and a power supply; b. at least one input for communication with a controller output; c. at least one output for communication with said at least one valve; d. at least one separate input for receiving a schedule of restricted watering times; e. at least one environmental sensor in communication with said microprocessor; and f. programming in said microprocessor to calculate a water budget percentage without calculating reference evapotranspiration, to disable said controller output according to said water budget percentage, and to disable said controller output at times when watering is not allowed according to said restricted schedule.
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114. A central broadcasting system comprising:
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a. Programming to determine a water budget percentage without calculating reference evapotranspiration; b. At least one remotely located irrigation controller having a microprocessor; c. A means for communicating a water budget percentage from said central broadcasting system to said at least one controller; d. Each controller microprocessor being capable of adjusting one of station run times, irrigation schedules, watering intervals, watering days, start times, and combinations thereof, according to said communicated water budget percentage. - View Dependent Claims (115)
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116. A method of affecting the irrigation schedule of at least one remotely located irrigation controller from a central location comprising the steps of:
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a. Providing a central broadcasting device with water budget determining capability that does not calculate reference evapotranspiration; b. Locating at least one remote irrigation controllers within communication of said central broadcasting device; c. Transmitting a determined water budget to said remote controllers; and d. Said at least one controller receiving said determined water budget and each such controller adjusting its watering schedule according to said determined water budget. - View Dependent Claims (117)
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118. A method of using a controller, add-on or plug-in as a smart water device or as a time of use device comprising the steps of:
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a. Programming said device with historic geo-environmental data for a location; b. Providing said device with current environmental sensor data for said location; c. Automatically producing a water budget by comparing said historic data with said current sensor data at said location without calculating reference evapotranspiration; d. providing said device with restricted watering schedules including seasonal changes; and e. said device irrigating based upon one of said restricted seasonal watering schedules or said water budget. - View Dependent Claims (119, 120, 121)
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124. An irrigation system comprising:
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a. an irrigation controller having a microprocessor with a manual water budget feature; b. a separate apparatus having historical geo-environmental data; c at least one environmental sensor is in communication with said apparatus; d. said apparatus capable of automatically periodically determining a water budget percentage by comparing said historical geo-environmental data to current data from said at least one environmental sensor; e. said apparatus communicating said water budget percentage to said controller microprocessor by wired or wireless means; and f. programming in said controller microprocessor to automate said manual water budget feature with said periodically determined water budget percentage communicated from said apparatus. - View Dependent Claims (125, 126, 127)
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128. An irrigation system comprising:
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a. an irrigation controller having a microprocessor; b. a module separate from said controller, said module having a second microprocessor programmed with historical geo-environmental data, said second microprocessor being in communication with said controller microprocessor; c. at least one environmental sensor in communication with said second microprocessor; d. said second microprocessor having programming for periodically determining a water budget percentage by comparing said historical geo-environmental data to current environmental data from said sensor and communicating said percentage to said controller microprocessor; and f. said controller microprocessor having programming for adjusting a member selected from the group consisting of a station run time, a watering day, a watering interval, a start time, and combinations thereof, according to said communicated water budget percentage.
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129. An irrigation controller comprising:
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a. a microprocessor having a calendar and self-adjusting technology that is water budget percentage based, determined by comparing current environmental sensor data to historical geo-environmental data self-adjusting technology; b. at least one restricted watering schedule provided to said microprocessor; and c. said microprocessor being capable of operating by alternating between self-adjusting technology or said restricted watering schedule based on said calendar wherein said water budget percentage is determined without calculating evapotranspiration.
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130. A method of automatically adjusting an irrigation schedule comprising the steps of:
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a. installing a separate module upon an irrigation controller with appropriate software changes to the instruction set of the controller to communicate with said module; b. providing said module with historical geo-environmental data; c. providing current environmental sensor data to said module from at least one sensor; d. said module determining a water budget percentage by comparing said historical geo-environmental data to said current sensor data in said module; e. communicating said water budget percentage to said controller; and f. said controller automatically adjusting an irrigation schedule according to said communicated water budget percentage. - View Dependent Claims (131, 132)
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133. A method of automatically adjusting an irrigation schedule comprising the steps of:
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a. installing a separate module upon an irrigation controller with appropriate software changes to the instruction set of the controller to communicate with said module; b. providing said module with historical geo-environmental data; c. providing current environmental sensor data to said module from at least one sensor; d. said module determining a water budget percentage by comparing said historical geo-environmental data to said current sensor data in said module; e. communicating said water budget percentage to said controller; and f. said controller automatically adjusting an irrigation schedule according to said communicated water budget percentage wherein said water budget percentage is determined without calculating reference evapotranspiration.
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134. An irrigation system comprising:
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a. an irrigation controller having a microprocessor with a manual water budget feature; b. a separate apparatus having historical geo-environmental data; c at least one environmental sensor is in communication with said apparatus; d. said apparatus capable of automatically periodically determining a water budget percentage by comparing said historical geo-environmental data to current data from said at least one environmental sensor; e. said apparatus communicating said water budget percentage to said controller microprocessor by wired or wireless means; and f. programming in said controller microprocessor to automate said manual water budget feature with said periodically determined water budget percentage communicated from said apparatus wherein said water budget percentage is determined without calculating reference evapotranspiration.
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Specification