Abstract:
A weather monitor and irrigation override system for use with an irrigation control system. In a preferred embodiment, the weather monitor and irrigation override system comprises a controller transceiver couplable to an irrigation control system, an environmental sensor, a sensor transceiver coupled to the environmental sensor and configured to wirelessly and bi-directionally communicate with the controller transceiver, and a system identifier module coupled to the controller transceiver having a communications identifier unique to the sensor transceiver and the controller transceiver whereby the controller transceiver accepts wireless transmissions only from the sensor transceiver. A method of manufacturing the weather monitor and irrigation override system is also provided.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention is directed, in general, to irrigation controllers and, more specifically, to an automated wireless irrigation control system.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     Irrigation systems, both commercial and residential, have advanced from the earliest forms employing manual control to clock-driven, pre-programmed timed control (clock timer) by circuit. However, two major problems are encountered by all irrigation systems: freezing ambient temperatures and rainfall overlapping or preceding a programmed watering period. Because of water&#39;s property of expanding when frozen, freezing temperatures threaten any exposed plumbing, and may even threaten those portions of buried sprinkler systems commonly referred to as risers and sprinkler heads. Thus, underground irrigation systems generally employ an automatic drain valve at the lowest point of each circuit to drain water in the circuit all the way from the control valve to the sprinkler head, therby preventing freezing.  
         [0003]     One prior art device addressed the freezing temperature problem with devices that electrically couple an override control box to the clock timer. The override control box is further electrically coupled to a temperature sensor that provides an instantaneous temperature reading for the control box to act upon. When temperature is sensed to be approaching the freezing point of water, i.e., 32 or 0 , the override control box closes an indoor, electrically-operated water supply valve, thereby preventing additional water from entering the irrigation system. Further, the override control box opens selected sprinkler circuit valves. All of this requires additional wiring between the override control box, the temperature sensor, the indoor water supply valve and the clock timer.  
         [0004]     Other prior art devices addressed rainfall detection both for trace amounts of rain and for significant rainfall wherein a trace amount of rain results in a shortened override and significant rainfall results in an extended override. In many systems, prior rainfall is not considered, but the irrigation system is only overridden when rainfall is actually occurring during a pre-set irrigation period. In one system, necessary electrical power was obtained by tapping the output of the clock timer transformer. However, this system was also hard-wired and entirely outdoors, and therefore requires a weathertight box to protect the electrical/electronic parts.  
         [0005]     In suburban America, many homes are located in close proximity to one another and many of these homes are equipped with hard-wired automatic sprinkler systems. Frequently a single builder will build out a sub-division of homes, even to installing sprinkler systems in the lawn and landscaped areas. For ease of installation, single suppliers of appliances and equipment are often used for all of the homes, thereby keeping the builder&#39;s costs at a minimum. Most of the United States is susceptible to freezing temperatures and certainly receives rainfall, and would therefore benefit from an irrigation override system that would protect the sprinkler system or conserve water. In the close proximity of suburban America, only wired override systems have been practicable as prior art systems using wireless communications for temperature and rainfall override control have ignored the problem of a plurality of override systems within wireless range interfering with one another.  
         [0006]     Furthermore, prior art has accepted that information displayed is correct without a means to ascertain if the information is current. Such a configuration introduces uncertainty as to the freshness of the information displayed.  
         [0007]     Accordingly, what is needed in the art is a weather monitor and irrigation control system that does not suffer from the deficiencies of the prior art.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0008]     To address the above-discussed deficiencies of the prior art, the present invention provides a weather monitor and irrigation override system for use with an irrigation control system. In a preferred embodiment, the weather monitor and irrigation override system comprises a controller transceiver couplable to an irrigation control system, an environmental sensor, a sensor transceiver coupled to the environmental sensor and configured to wirelessly and bi-directionally communicate with the controller transceiver. In one embodiment, the weather monitor and irrigation override system further comprises a system identifier module coupled to the controller transceiver having a communications identifier unique to the sensor transceiver and the controller transceiver whereby the controller transceiver accepts wireless transmissions only from the system sensor transceiver. In another embodiment, the weather monitor and irrigation override system further comprises a display transceiver also having the unique communications identifier wherein the display transceiver is configured to wirelessly and bi-directionally communicate only with the controller transceiver. A method of manufacturing the weather monitor and irrigation override system is also provided.  
         [0009]     The foregoing has outlined preferred and alternative features of the present invention so that those skilled in the art may better understand the detailed description of the invention that follows. Additional features of the invention will be described hereinafter that form the subject of the claims of the invention. Those skilled in the art should appreciate that they can readily use the disclosed conception and specific embodiment as a basis for designing or modifying other structures for carrying out the same purposes of the present invention. Those skilled in the art should also realize that such equivalent constructions do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0010]     For a more complete understanding of the present invention, reference is now made to the following descriptions taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:  
         [0011]      FIG. 1  illustrates a schematic block diagram of a weather monitor and irrigation override system for use with an irrigation control system constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention;  
         [0012]      FIG. 2A  illustrates a front view of one embodiment of the display module of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0013]      FIG. 2B  illustrates a back view of the display module of  FIG. 1 ; and  
         [0014]      FIG. 3  illustrates a data flow diagram between the environmental sensor, the controller module and the display module.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0015]     Referring initially to  FIG. 1 , illustrated is a schematic block diagram of a weather monitor and irrigation override system  100  for use with an irrigation control system  190  constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention. In the interest of brevity, the weather monitor and irrigation override system  100  will henceforth be referred to as the override system  100 . The override system  100  comprises an environmental sensor  110 , a sensor transceiver  115 , a controller module  120 , a controller transceiver  125 , a display module  130  and a display transceiver  135 . The controller module  120  is electrically couplable to the irrigation control system  190 .  
         [0016]     The irrigation control system  190  may be a conventional sprinkler system control employing a time and date module, e.g., electronic clock, that activates and deactivates individual circuit valves  197  of an irrigation system  195  according to preset days of the week, times of day, and length of irrigation. One who is of skill in the art is familiar with conventional sprinkler control systems  190 . The controller module  120  is configured to interrupt, i.e., override, the irrigation control system  190  by preventing electrical current from flowing to the circuit valves  197  of the irrigation system  195  during times when a preset amount of rain has fallen or an ambient temperature that is below a selected value is sensed by the environmental sensor  110 .  
         [0017]     The environmental sensor  110  is co-located with the sensor transceiver  115  which are both powered by a sensor battery  111 . In one embodiment, the environmental sensor  110  may be a tip bucket  112 , i.e., a rain sensor. One who is of skill in the art understands how a tip bucket incrementally measures rainfall. In another embodiment, the environmental sensor  110  may be an electronic temperature sensor  113 . One who is of skill in the art is familiar with electronic temperature sensors. In a preferred embodiment, the environmental sensor  110  is both a rainfall sensor  112  and an electronic temperature sensor  113 . Of course, other environmental sensors may likewise be used in the present invention. In one embodiment, the sensor battery  111  is a conventional 9 volt battery. Specific types of batteries, e.g., lithium, alkaline, nickel-cadmium, nickel metal hydride, etc., may be preferred in accordance with their expected life when exposed to expected climatic conditions. One who is of skill in the art will be able to appropriately choose an appropriate battery type.  
         [0018]     In one embodiment, the controller module  120  comprises a controller  121 , a system identification module  123 , an override module  124  and the controller transceiver  125 . In a preferred embodiment, the controller  121  is the “brain” of the override system  100  as will be shown below. The controller transceiver  125  performs bi-directional communications at radio frequencies with both the sensor transceiver  115  and the display transceiver  135  as required. The system identification module  123  enables specific coding to be allocated to the modules  110 ,  120 ,  130  of the override system  100  so that neighboring override systems within radio frequency range do not interfere with the current system nor vice versa.  
         [0019]     In a preferred embodiment, the display module  130  comprises the display transceiver  135  and the display  133  and both are powered by a display module battery  131 . In one embodiment, the display module battery  131  is a conventional 9 volt battery. Specific types of batteries, e.g., alkaline, nickel-cadmium, lithium, nickel metal hydride, etc., may be preferred in accordance with their expected life. The display module  130 , being battery-powered, is portable, and may be placed in any convenient location within a building proximate the irrigation control system  190  and within radio frequency range of the controller module  120 . Details of the display module  130  are discussed below. Additionally, the display module  130 , being completely portable, may be carried to the vicinity of the irrigation control system  190  to facilitate testing of individual circuit valves  197  or the entire system  100 .  
         [0020]     In a preferred embodiment, the controller transceiver  125  communicates bi-directionally  127 ,  116  with the sensor transceiver  115  at radio frequencies as required. The controller transceiver  125  also communicates bi-directionally  126 ,  136  with the display transceiver  135  at radio frequencies as required. However, other suitable wireless communications, e.g., infrared, ultrasonic, etc., could also be used depending upon acceptable system limitations imposed by the type of wireless communication selected. One who is of skill in the art will understand the capabilities and limitations of the various short-range wireless communications systems. The controller module  120  acts as the brain of the override system  100  by sending information to and receiving information from both the display transceiver  135  and the sensor transceiver  115 . In a preferred embodiment, the controller module  120  draws electrical power for its operation from the electrical power system provided with the conventional irrigation control system  190 . Conventional irrigation control systems  190  customarily operate on 24 VAC obtained through use of a step-down transformer powered by conventional 110-115 VAC line voltage. Alternatively, the controller module  120  may have its own power transformer or operate on conventional line voltage.  
         [0021]     Referring now to  FIGS. 2A and 2B , illustrated are front and back views, respectively, of one embodiment of the display module  130  of  FIG. 1 . The display module  130  comprises a display area  210 , a control button area  220 , a battery compartment door  230 , and a mounting support panel  240 . The display module  130  is wireless and operates within about 300 feet of the controller module  120  (see  FIG. 1 ) if no significant structural interferences, e.g., steel, exist. The display module  130  can stand substantially upright on a desk or tabletop by pulling out the hinged mounting support panel  240 , or may be mounted on a wall using screws to cooperate with keyholes  241  in the mounting support panel  240 . The 9V display module battery  131  (see  FIG. 1 ) is installed or changed by removing the battery compartment door  230  and connecting the display battery  131  to the snap terminals (not shown) in a conventional manner.  
         [0022]     The control button area  220  comprises a time set button  221 , a date set button  222 , a delay set button  223 , a temperature set button  224 , a rain set button  225 , a scroll down button  226 , and a scroll up button  227 . Various parameters for the system are set using the control buttons  221 - 227  in conjunction with information shown in the display area  210 . Before describing the parameters and how to set them, the display area  210  will be discussed. Preset at the factory within the override system  100  is a unique system identifier (not shown). Each packet of communication between the sensor, controller and display transceivers  115 ,  125 ,  135  contains the system identifier. Thus, the sensor module  110 , controller module  120  and display module  130  are able to identify radio frequency transmissions and distinguish those emanating only from the instant system; thereby ignoring transmissions from neighboring systems that would have a different system identifier, and yet are within wireless range.  
         [0023]     The display area  210  comprises a rain level display  211 , a temperature display  212 , a date/time display  213 , a station ID/year display  214 , a sensor module low battery indicator  215 , a display module low battery indicator  216 , a no-signal indicator  217 , a freeze indicator  218 , a rain indicator  219 , an inches vs millimeters indicator  231 , a vs indicator  232 , and an AM vs PM time indicator  233 . In a preferred embodiment, the rain level display  211 , temperature display  212 , date/time display  213 , and station ID/year display  214  are liquid crystal displays (LCD).  
         [0024]     When setting any parameter for the system, the parameter being set will flash and pressing the scroll down button  226  or the scroll up button  227  once will incrementally change the parameter currently being set. Holding down the scroll down button  226  or the scroll up button  227  for more than 5 seconds will put the current parameter being set into a rapid-setting mode and the current parameter will decrement or increment much faster than normal. Releasing the scroll down button  226  or scroll up button  227  exits the rapid-setting mode. The scroll down button  226  and the scroll up button  227  can be used as required until the desired parameter is set. The parameter being set is accepted into the system when neither the scroll down button  226  nor the scroll up button  227  have been pressed for 5 seconds. The current parameter display will cease to flash at that time. Pushing the scroll up button  227  when no parameter is being set will cause the display module  130  to retrieve the previous day&#39;s total rainfall from the controller module  120 . Pushing the scroll down button  226  when no parameter is being set will cause the display module  130  to retrieve all of its readings and settings from the controller module  120  by sending a command  136  to the controller transceiver  125  to update the readings and settings. The controller transceiver  125  sends the readings and settings  126  to the display transceiver  135  for display by the display  133 .  
         [0025]     The time display  213  is set by first pressing the time set button  221 . The date/time display  213  will flash on and off with the current time in the system clock (not shown). The correct time may then be set as described above using the scroll down button  226  and the scroll up button  227 . Each time that the time is set on the display module  130 , the display module  130  transmits the new time to the controller module  120  as a command  136 . The date of the date/time display  213  is set by first pressing the date set button  222 . The date/time display  213  will flash on and off with the current date in the system clock. The correct date may then be set as described above using the scroll down button  226  and the scroll up button  227 . As with setting the time, each occasion that the date is set on the display  133 , the display module  130  transmits the new time as a command  136  to the controller module  120 . During normal operation, the date/time display  213  automatically alternates every 30 seconds between displaying the current system date and the current system time.  
         [0026]     A rainfall lockout amount, i.e., the amount of rain that must fall to cause the override system  100  to override the irrigation control system  190 , is set by first pressing the rain set button  225 . The rain level display  211  and the inches portion of the inches (in) vs millimeters (mm) indicator  231  will flash on and off. The system  100  may now be set to display rainfall in millimeters by pressing the rain set button  225  again making the mm indicator  231  flash. This will also set the vs indicator  232  to read in. The rainfall lockout amount may then be set as described above using the scroll up button  227  and the scroll down button  226 . When the scroll up button  227  and the scroll down button  226  have not been pressed for 5 seconds, the override system  100  will have accepted the rainfall lockout amount. To verify that the override system  100  has the correct rainfall lockout amount, pressing the rain set button  225  once will display the currently set rainfall lockout amount in the rain level display  211 . In one embodiment, the rain level display  211  is re-set to zero at midnight of each day. However, the previous day&#39;s total rainfall is retained in memory for display on command by pressing the scroll up button  227 . This enables the override system  100  to reflect daily rainfall as it accumulates. Thus, total rainfall that has occurred that day before a pre-set irrigation time is considered by the controller  121  when the irrigation system  190  must be overridden or allowed to irrigate. Additionally, the controller  121  downwardly adjusts the length of time for irrigation during a pre-set irrigation time that follows rainfall occurring since the previous midnight. This prevents overwatering by the irrigation system when significant rainfall has already occurred.  
         [0027]     A temperature lockout value, i.e., the low temperature that must occur to cause the override system  100  to override the irrigation control system  190 , is set by first pressing the temperature set button  224 . The current setting of the temperature display  212  and the portion of the vs indicator  232  will flash on and off. If not previously set, the display module  130  may now be set to display temperature in by pressing the temperature set button  224  again making the indicator flash. The temperature lockout value may then be set as described above using the scroll up button  227  and the scroll down button  226 . When the scroll up button  227  and the scroll down button  226  have not been pressed for 5 seconds, the override system  100  will have accepted the temperature lockout value. To verify that the override system  100  has the correct temperature lockout value, pressing the temperature set button  224  once will display the currently set temperature lockout value in the temperature display  212 . During normal operation, the current temperature at the rain/temperature sensor  112 ,  113  is displayed.  
         [0028]     A time delay or lockout period, i.e., the amount of time in hours that the irrigation control system  190  will be disabled after a rain or temperature event occurs, is set by first pressing the delay set button  223 . The current setting of the time delay will flash on and off in the time display  213 . The time delay amount may then be set as described above using the scroll up button  227  and the scroll down button  226 . When the scroll up button  227  and the scroll down button  226  have not been pressed for 5 seconds, the override system  100  will have accepted the time delay amount. To verify that the override system  100  has the correct time delay amount, pressing the delay set button  223  once will display the currently set time delay amount in the time display  213 . Setting the time delay or lockout period to zero (0) disables the override system&#39;s  100  ability to block the irrigation control system  190  while still allowing total rainfall and temperature to be displayed on the display module  130 .  
         [0029]     Provision is made to alert the user to a weakening state of the batteries that power the battery-powered modules  110 ,  130 . The sensor module low battery indicator  215  blinks when the sensor module battery  111  is in a low state of charge. When the sensor module battery  111  is dead, the sensor module low battery indicator  215  stays on steady. In a like manner, the display module low battery indicator  216  blinks when the display module battery  131  is in a low state of charge, i.e., a voltage of about 6 V. When the display module battery  131  is dead, i.e., a voltage of about 5 V, the display module low battery indicator  216  stays on steady. When the display module battery  131  is dead, i.e., a voltage of less than about 3 V, the entire display area  210  goes blank. However, the last values within the override system  100  are written to flash memory before the display module battery  131  dies and the display area  210  goes blank. The no-signal indicator  217  illuminates when the display module  130  is not receiving a signal from the controller transceiver  125 . In a like manner, the rain level display  211  and the temperature display  212  will not appear if the controller module  120  has not received a signal, i.e., data packet, from the sensor module  110 . The freeze indicator  218  illuminates when the override system  100  has disabled the irrigation control system  190  due to the occurrence of a temperature at or below the set temperature. Similarly, the rain indicator  219  illuminates when the override system  100  has disabled the irrigation control system  190  due to the override system  100  sensing rainfall greater than the rainfall lockout amount currently set.  
         [0030]     The station ID/year display  214  is designed to enable a plurality of environmental sensor modules  110  to be integrated with a single display module  130 . The station identifier display  214  indicates which of a plurality of environmental sensors  110  is supplying the data displayed by the display module  130 . Thus, a plurality of sensor modules  110  may be installed within range of the controller module  120  and sequentially supply information for the display module  130  and control of the irrigation system  190 . In applications where only one environmental sensor module  110  is employed within the override system  100 , the station ID/year display  214  can be used to display the current year when the date/time display  213  is displaying the date.  
         [0031]     Referring now to  FIG. 3  with continuing reference to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , illustrated is a data flow diagram  300  between the environmental sensor  110 , the controller module  120  and the display module  130 .  
         [0032]     When the override system  100  has been fully programmed with date, time, set temperature, and set rainfall, the sensor transceiver  115  transmits a sensor data packet  310  to the controller transceiver  125  whenever the sensed ambient temperature T c  or incremental rainfall RF i  changes. In a preferred embodiment, as the ambient temperature changes in the vicinity of the temperature sensor  113 , the sensor transceiver  115  transmits the sensor data packet  310  indicating the current ambient temperature T c  to the controller transceiver  125 . The sensor data packet  310  comprises a system identifier, current ambient temperature T c  sensed at the temperature sensor  113 , and incremental rainfall RF i , if any, sensed at the rainfall sensor  112 . If the sensor battery  111  is weakening, the sensor battery status is included in the sensor data packet  310 . The information in the sensor data packet  310  is relayed to the system identification module  123  from the controller transceiver  125  by the controller  121 . The sensor data packet  310  is first examined by the system identification module  123  to confirm that the sensor data packet  310  has originated from a sensor within the instant system. Then, if there has been incremental rainfall, the controller  121  updates the total rainfall RF T  since the previous midnight. The controller module  120  stores the current temperature T c  as relayed from the sensor transceiver  115  through the controller transceiver  125 . The controller  121  then directs the controller transceiver  125  to send a controller-to-display data packet  320  comprising the system identifier, current temperature T c  and current total rainfall RF T . Alternatively, if a change has occurred only in the current temperature T c  since the last sensor data packet  310  was received from the sensor transceiver  115 , the controller  121  directs the controller transceiver  125  to send a controller-to-display data packet  320  comprising the system identifier, current temperature T c  and current total rainfall RF T . The display transceiver  135  receives the current total rainfall RF T  and current temperature T c  from the display transceiver  135  and displays the same in the rain level display  211  and the temperature display  212 , respectively.  
         [0033]     When the date or time is set on the display module  130  as described above, the display module  130 , via the display transceiver  135  and the controller transceiver  125 , sends a display-to-controller data packet  330  comprising the system identifier and the new date/time to the controller module  120 . Furthermore, whenever the display unit  130  is operating normally, i.e., a parameter is not then being set, pressing the scroll up button  227  or the scroll down button  226  causes the display transceiver  135  to send an interrogation data packet  340  to the controller transceiver  125 . The interrogation data packet  340  comprises the system identifier and a request for the current status of all system internal and external information displayed in the display area  210 , i.e., current rain level, current temperature, current date and time, station ID/year, sensor module low battery, freeze indication, and rain indication. The controller transceiver  125  responds by sending a controller-to-display data packet  320  comprising the system identifier and the requested information.  
         [0034]     Refer now once again to  FIG. 1 . If the total rainfall RF T  equals or exceeds the rainfall lockout amount stored by the controller  121 , the controller  121  directs the override module  124  to override the circuit valves  197  of the irrigation system  195  for a period of time equal to the time delay amount previously set in the controller  121 . As the current to operate the circuit valves  197  is routed through the override module  124 , the override is accomplished by preventing current flow from the irrigation control system  190  to the individual circuit valves  197  thus conserving irrigation water. In a similar manner, if the current ambient temperature T c  equals or is less than the temperature lockout value stored by the controller, the controller  121  directs the override module  124  to override the circuit valves  197  of the irrigation system  195  until the current ambient temperature T c  is above the temperature lockout value stored by the controller  121 , thus protecting the irrigation system  190  from freezing conditions.  
         [0035]     Thus, a weather monitor and irrigation override system has been described. In one embodiment, the override system comprises a system identifier module that checks all inter-module communications to assure that the communication is from a transceiver that is part of the system, and not from a similar, nearby transceiver. When total rainfall equals or exceeds a set amount, the system overrides the conventional irrigation control system for a set period of time. When current ambient temperature at a remote sensor falls at or below a set temperature lockout value, the system overrides the conventional irrigation control system until the temperature rises above the set temperature lockout value.  
         [0036]     Although the present invention has been described in detail, those skilled in the art should understand that they can make various changes, substitutions and alterations herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention in its broadest form.