Irrigation controller water management with temperature budgeting
First Claim
1. A system for automatically adjusting a preliminary watering schedule of an irrigation controller comprising a module in communication with said controller, said module having programming to automatically determine a water budget percentage, programming to automatically adjust said preliminary watering schedule according to such water budget percentage, and an input in said module for receiving current environmental data, wherein said preliminary irrigation schedule is determined without using current reference evapotranspiration.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention provides methods for water conservation with irrigation controllers based upon the ambient temperature and extraterrestrial radiation of a particular geographical area. It receives a preliminary irrigation schedule from the operator and computes a water budget ratio by comparing current local geo-environmental data with stored local geo-environmental data, then modifying the preliminary irrigation schedule based upon that ratio. The present invention utilizes fewer variables, is less complex, and is much easier to install and maintain than the current evapotranspiration-based controllers.
257 Citations
78 Claims
- 1. A system for automatically adjusting a preliminary watering schedule of an irrigation controller comprising a module in communication with said controller, said module having programming to automatically determine a water budget percentage, programming to automatically adjust said preliminary watering schedule according to such water budget percentage, and an input in said module for receiving current environmental data, wherein said preliminary irrigation schedule is determined without using current reference evapotranspiration.
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16. A method of automatically adjusting an irrigation schedule of an irrigation controller comprising the steps of:
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a. installing a module with compatible software upon said controller; b. providing said module with historical geo-environmental data; c. providing said controller with a preliminary irrigation schedule that has been determined without using current reference evapotranspiration data; d. providing current environmental sensor data to said module from at least one sensor; e. said module determining a water budget percentage by comparing said historical geo-environmental data to said current environmental sensor data; f. communicating said water budget percentage to said controller; and g. said controller automatically adjusting said preliminary irrigation schedule according to said communicated water budget percentage. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. An irrigation system comprising:
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a. an irrigation controller having a preliminary irrigation schedule that has been determined without using current reference evapotranspiration data; b. a module having stored historical geo-environmental data in communication with said controller; c. an air temperature sensor in communication with said module for providing current environmental data; and d. a microprocessor in said module having programming to periodically determine a water budget percentage by comparing said current environmental data to said stored geo-environmental data and to communicate said percentage to said controller. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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38. A method of adjusting an irrigation schedule of a controller comprising the steps of:
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a. placing a module comprising a microprocessor having compatible software upon said controller; b. providing said controller with a preliminary irrigation schedule that has been determined without using current reference evapotranspiration data; c. providing said module with historical geo-environmental data; d. providing an air temperature sensor in communication with said module through an available input port; e. said microprocessor determining a water budget percentage and communicating it to said controller; and f. said controller using said water budget percentage to adjust said preliminary irrigation schedule. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40)
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41. A method of automating a water budget feature of an irrigation controller comprising the steps of:
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a. providing an irrigation controller having a water budget feature; b. determining a preliminary irrigation schedule without using current reference evapotranspiration data and providing said schedule to said controller; c. providing a module with historical geo-environmental data in communication with said controller through an input port; d. providing at least one environmental sensor for communicating current sensor data to said module; e. said module periodically determining a water budget percentage in said module by comparing said historical geo-environmental data to said current sensor data; f. said module communicating said water budget percentage to said controller; and g. said controller automating its water budget feature by adjusting said preliminary irrigation schedule according to said water budget percentage. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43, 44, 45)
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46. An irrigation system comprising:
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a. an irrigation controller having a microprocessor with a water budget feature and a preliminary irrigation schedule that has been determined without using current reference evapotranspiration data; b. a module in communication with said controller having historical geo-environmental data; c at least one environmental sensor is in communication with said module for providing current environmental data to said module; d. said module being capable of automatically periodically determining a water budget percentage by comparing said historical geo- environmental data to said current environmental data; e. said module communicating said water budget percentage to said controller microprocessor; and f. programming in said controller microprocessor to automate said water budget feature using said water budget percentage.
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47. A self-adjusting irrigation system comprising:
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a. an irrigation controller having a preliminary irrigation schedule that has been determined without using current reference evapotranspiration data; b. a module in communication with said controller; c. historical geo-environmental data programmed into said module; d. at least one environmental sensor in communication with said module for providing current environmental data to said module; and e. said module having programming for comparing said stored geo-environmental data to said current environmental data to periodically determine a water budget percentage and communicating said percentage to said controller to periodically adjust said preliminary irrigation schedule. - View Dependent Claims (48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55)
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56. A system for automatically adjusting a watering schedule of a controller comprising a module in communication with said controller, said module having programming to automatically determine a water budget percentage, programming to automatically adjust at least one watering schedule of said controller according to such water budget percentage, and an input in said module for receiving current environmental data wherein the water budget percentage is determined without calculating reference evapotranspiration.
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57. A system for automatically adjusting a watering schedule of a controller comprising a module in communication with said controller, said module having programming to automatically determine a water budget percentage, programming to automatically adjust at least one watering schedule of said controller according to such water budget percentage, and an input in said module for receiving current environmental data wherein the water budget percentage is determined without using current evapotranspiration data.
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58. A system for automatically adjusting a watering schedule of a controller comprising a module in communication with said controller, said module having programming to automatically determine a water budget percentage, programming to automatically adjust at least one watering schedule of said controller according to such water budget percentage, and an input in said module for receiving current environmental data wherein the water budget percentage is determined without using evapotranspiration data.
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59. A system for automatically adjusting a watering schedule of a controller comprising a module in communication with said controller, said module having programming to automatically determine a water budget percentage, programming to automatically adjust at least one watering schedule of said controller according to such water budget percentage, and an input in said module for receiving current environmental data wherein said controller and module are located within an outdoor ground mounted enclosure and further comprising a temperature sensor located near ground level within said ground mounted enclosure in communication with said module.
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60. A system for automatically adjusting a watering schedule of a controller comprising a module in communication with said controller, said module having programming to automatically determine a water budget percentage, programming to automatically adjust at least one watering schedule of said controller according to such water budget percentage, and an input in said module for receiving current environmental data wherein the water budget percentage is determined without using historical evapotranspiration data.
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61. A method of automatically adjusting an irrigation schedule of an irrigation controller comprising the steps of:
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a. installing a module with compatible software upon said controller; b. providing said module with historical geo-environmental data; c. providing current environmental sensor data to said module from a temperature sensor; d. said module determining a water budget percentage by comparing said historical geo-environmental data to said current environmental sensor data; e. communicating said water budget percentage to said controller; f. said controller automatically adjusting an irrigation schedule according to said communicated water budget percentage; g. placing said controller and module within an outdoor located ground mounted enclosure; and h. placing said temperature sensor near ground level within said ground mounted enclosure.
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62. An irrigation system comprising:
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a. an irrigation controller having an irrigation schedule; b. a module having stored historical geo-environmental data in communication with said controller; c. an air temperature sensor in communication with said module; and d. a microprocessor in said module having programming to determine a water budget percentage and communicate said percentage to said controller, wherein said controller and module are located within an outdoor ground mounted enclosure, and wherein said temperature sensor is located near ground level within said enclosure.
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63. An irrigation system comprising:
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a. a controller having a preliminary irrigation schedule that has been determined without using current reference evapotranspiration data; b. said controller being programmed with historical geo-environmental data; c. at least one environmental sensor in communication with said controller for providing current environmental data; d. programming in said controller for determining a water budget percentage by comparing said current environmental data to said stored historical geo-environmental data, and automatically adjusting said preliminary irrigation schedule according to said water budget percentage. - View Dependent Claims (64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 78)
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72. A method of adjusting an irrigation schedule of a controller comprising the steps of:
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a. providing said controller with a preliminary irrigation schedule that has been determined without using current reference evapotranspiration data; b. providing said controller with historical geo-environmental data; c. providing said controller with current environmental data from at least one sensor; d. periodically determining a water budget percentage by comparing said historical geo-environmental data to said current environmental data; and e. automatically adjusting said preliminary irrigation schedule according to said determined water budget percentage. - View Dependent Claims (73, 74, 75, 76, 77)
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Specification