Patent ID: 6490505
Filing Date: 2002-12-03
Classification: A01G,Y10T

Abstract:
An irrigation timer of a type including a controller coupleable to a power source, a user input providing an input to the controller, the controller comprising output signal terminals coupleable to irrigation valve actuators and an internal clock, each irrigation valve actuator coupleable to an irrigation valve for a watering zone, said controller comprising a watering period setting for each said watering zone during a watering cycle, an improvement comprising:a user-actuated multiplexing mode number-selection switch for the user selection of a multiplexing mode integer n greater than 1; said controller, when in a multiplexing mode, dividing said watering period setting for each said watering zone by n to obtain fractional watering periods by which each zone is watered for its factional watering period during a first fractional watering cycle prior to beginning a second fractional watering cycle, n of said fractional watering cycles constituting said watering cycle; whereby said fractional watering periods help to spread out the watering over a longer period of time for each watering zone.