Generating and optimizing protocols

• US 9,901,042 B2
• Filed: 06/25/2014
• Issued: 02/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SD Acquisition, LLC
• Original Assignee: Skydrop Holdings, LLC
• Inventors: Endrizzi, Clark, Romney, Matt, Dalley, Mack, Mars, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): HARTMAN JR, RONALD D
• Application Number:
  US14/315,252
• Publication Number:
  US 20150005958A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,343 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 25/165 Cyclic operations, timing systems, timing valves, impulse operations
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/042 using digital processors G05B19/05 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25056 Automatic configuration of monitoring, control system as function of operator input, events
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25205 Encrypt communication
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2625 Sprinkler, irrigation, watering
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31422 Upload, download programs, parameters from, to station to, from server
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/32126 Hyperlink, access to program modules and to hardware modules in www, web server, browser
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 7/0664 the plurality of throttling means being arranged for the control of a plurality of diverging flows from a single flow G05D7/0652 takes precedence; ratio control G05D11/13

Abstract

The disclosure extends to methods, systems, and computer program products for generating and optimizing irrigation protocols. The disclosure also extends to methods, systems and computer program products for providing automated irrigation.

Claims

1. An environmental control system comprising:

a dedicated server comprising processors and memory for executing computing instructions that is in electronic communication with a controller, wherein the controller actuates operable components of an environmental system;

a web account facilitated by the server and provided to a user for receiving inputted data from the user;

a network interface in electronic communication with the controller and providing communication with the web account, such that the web account and the controller are securely paired over a network;

a protocol of computer operable instructions for the controller derived from at least data stored on a third party database and user input data, wherein the generation of the protocol is initiated in part in response to an input by a user at either the controller or web account, wherein the response is based on a system initiated query to the user requesting a subjective evaluation from the user; and

wherein the controller comprises a unique identifier, such that when a network connection is established the controller electronically communicates with the server by self-identification and requests a pairing code from the server.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is a dedicated controller electronically and directly connected to a control valve and configured for sending actuation signals to the control valve thereby controlling water flow through a plumbing system;

wherein the controller comprises a user interface allowing a user to enter irrigation data;

wherein pairing of the controller and web account aggregates user input data entered at the controller and through the web account; and

wherein the protocol comprises instructions for the controller derived from at least weather data stored on a weather database and user input data.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the user irrigation data comprises soil type of an irrigation zone.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the user irrigation data comprises plant type of an irrigation zone.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein the user irrigation data comprises an irrigation start time.

6. The system of claim 2, wherein the user irrigation data comprises sprinkler type of an irrigation zone.

7. The system of claim 2, wherein the user irrigation data comprises slope type of an irrigation zone.

8. The system of claim 2, wherein the user irrigation data comprises shade type of an irrigation zone.

9. The system of claim 2, wherein the user irrigation data comprises an irrigation interval of time in which irrigation takes place.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is in electronic communication with an irrigation plumbing system, wherein the irrigation plumbing system comprises a plurality of control valves wherein each control valve corresponds to an irrigation zone.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the system further comprises sending a plurality of pairing codes for pairing a plurality of controllers to the web account.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the system further comprises an irrigation protocol server and a mobile application on a mobile device configured for communicating with the irrigation protocol server.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the system further comprises a predetermined interval for initiating at least one query to a user.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the system further comprises an expert portal for third party landscaping service providers.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the system prompts a user to input a language through which to communicate with the controller.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the system prompts a user to input a geographic information where the controller and at least one irrigation zone is geographically located.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the system prompts a user to input a zip code or other specific area location data.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the system prompts a user to connect the controller to the network over the internet.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the system prompts a user to input a network name and security type for a custom network.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the system displays a list of all visible networks for selection by a user.

21. The system of claim 1, wherein the irrigation server comprises a pairing code protocol generator, wherein the irrigation server electronically communicates with the controller by receiving the request for the pairing code, wherein the pairing code protocol generator generates the pairing code and provides said pairing code to the controller.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the user inputs the pairing code into the web account to pair said controller and said web account.

23. The system of claim 1, wherein the system prompts a user to input a date and time and further prompts the user to input one of days to run the protocol or intervals to run the protocol.

24. A method for providing automated environmental control of a system comprising:

electronically connecting a controller to a system, wherein the controller electronically actuates operable components of the system;

providing computing instructions to the controller from a dedicated server comprising processors and memory;

wherein the controller comprises a user interface allowing a user to enter data corresponding to the system;

wherein the controller further comprises a unique identifier, such that when a network connection is established the controller electronically communicates with the server by self-identification and requests a pairing code from the server;

providing a network interface that is in electronic communication with said controller;

generating a protocol of computer operable instructions for the controller derived from at least data stored on a third party database and user input data;

sending the protocol to the controller; and

querying the user for a subjective evaluation and receiving data comprising subjective information provided by the user in response to the query.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the method further comprises electronically connecting a plumbing system having an electronically actuated control valve for controlling the flow of water through said plumbing system to a dedicated controller electronically and directly connected to said control valve and configured for sending actuation signals to the control valve thereby controlling water flow through the plumbing system;

providing computing instructions to the controller from an irrigation server comprising processors and memory;

providing a web account facilitated by the irrigation server to a user;

receiving inputted data from the user;

wherein the controller comprises a user interface allowing a user to enter irrigation data;

providing communication with the web account such that the web account and the controller are securely paired over the network;

pairing of the controller and web account aggregates user input data entered at the controller and through the web account;

generating an irrigation protocol comprising instructions for the controller derived from at least weather data stored on a weather database and user input data; and

sending the irrigation protocol to the controller, wherein the generation of an irrigation protocol is initiated in part in response to an input by a user at either the controller or web account.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the user irrigation data comprises soil type of an irrigation zone.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein the user irrigation data comprises plant type of an irrigation zone.

28. The method of claim 25, wherein the user irrigation data comprises an irrigation start time.

29. The method of claim 25, wherein the user irrigation data comprises sprinkler type of an irrigation zone.

30. The method of claim 25, wherein the user irrigation data comprises slope type of an irrigation zone.

31. The method of claim 25, wherein the user irrigation data comprises shade type of an irrigation zone.

32. The method of claim 25, wherein the user irrigation data comprises an irrigation interval of time in which irrigation takes place.

33. The method of claim 24, wherein the method further comprises electronically connecting the controller to a plurality of control valves wherein each control valve corresponds to an irrigation zone.

34. The method of claim 24, wherein the method further comprises an irrigation protocol server and a mobile application on a mobile device configured for communicating with the irrigation protocol server.

35. The method of claim 25, wherein the method further comprises initiating at least one query to the user at a predetermined interval.

36. The method of claim 25, wherein the method further comprises providing an expert portal for third party landscaping service providers.

37. The method of claim 25, wherein the method further comprises prompting a user to input a language through which to communicate with the controller.

38. The method of claim 25, wherein the method further comprises prompting a user to input geographic information where the controller and at least one operating zone is geographically located.

39. The method of claim 25, wherein the method further comprises prompting a user to input a zip code or other specific area location data.

40. The method of claim 25, wherein the method further comprises prompting a user to connect the controller to the network over the internet.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein the method further comprises prompting a user to input a network name and security type for a custom network.

42. The method of claim 40, wherein the method further comprises displaying a list of all visible networks for selection by a user.

43. The method of claim 25, wherein the method further comprises generating the pairing code using a pairing code protocol generator that is located at the server, wherein the server electronically communicates with the controller by receiving the request for the pairing code, wherein the pairing code protocol generator generates the pairing code and provides said pairing code to the controller.

44. The method of claim 43, wherein the user inputs the pairing code into a web account to pair said controller and said web account.

45. The method of claim 25, wherein the method further comprises prompting a user to input a date and time and further prompting the user to input one of days to run the irrigation protocol or intervals to run the irrigation protocol.

46. The method of claim 25, wherein the method further comprises sending a plurality of pairing codes for pairing a plurality of controllers to a web account.

47. A method for providing automated irrigation comprising:

electronically connecting a plumbing system having an electronically actuated control valve for controlling the flow of water through said plumbing system to a dedicated controller electronically and directly connected to said control valve and configured for sending actuation signals to the control valve thereby controlling water flow through the plumbing system;

providing computing instructions to the controller from an irrigation server comprising processors and memory;

providing a web account facilitated by the irrigation server to a user;

receiving inputted data from the user;

wherein the controller comprises a user interface allowing a user to enter irrigation related data;

wherein the controller further comprises a unique identifier, such that when a network connection is established the controller electronically communicates with the server by self-identification and requests a pairing code from the server;

providing a network interface that is in electronic communication with said controller and providing communication with the web account such that the web account and the controller are securely paired over the network;

pairing of the controller and web account aggregates user input data entered at the controller and through the web account;

generating an irrigation protocol comprising instructions for the controller derived from at least weather data stored on a weather database and user input data;

sending the irrigation protocol to the controller, wherein the generation of an irrigation protocol is initiated in part in response to an input by a user at either the controller or web account; and

querying the user for a subjective evaluation and receiving data comprising subjective information provided by the user in response to the query.