Patent Publication Number: US-2015073607-A1

Title: Networked irrigation controller

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/841,828, filed on Jul. 1, 2013, and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/924,154, filed on Jan. 6, 2014, which are hereby incorporated by reference herein in their entireties, including but not limited to those portions that specifically appear hereinafter, the incorporation by reference being made with the following exception: In the event that any portion of the above-referenced applications is inconsistent with this application, this application supersedes said above-referenced applications. 
     This application is a continuation-in-part of co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/315,264, filed Jun. 25, 2014, entitled “COMPENSATING FOR MUNICIPAL RESTRICTIONS WITHIN IRRIGATION PROTOCOLS,” and this application is also a continuation-in-part of co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/315,267, filed Jun. 25, 2014, entitled “BACKUP WATERING INSTRUCTIONS AND IRRIGATION PROTOCOLS WHEN CONNECTION TO A NETWORK IS LOST,” which are hereby incorporated by reference herein in their entireties, including but not limited to those portions that specifically appear hereinafter, the incorporation by reference being made with the following exception: In the event that any portion of the above-referenced applications is inconsistent with this application, this application supersedes said portion of said above-referenced applications. 
    
    
     FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     Not Applicable. 
     BACKGROUND 
     With the increased desire for water conservation while maintaining healthy yard and crops, it has become important to use the advances in technology and communication systems to provide efficient use of water resources. Many irrigation systems and irrigation hardware are crude or unduly complicated resulting in the existing systems being used at non-optimal levels. 
     What is needed are methods, systems, and computer program implemented products for regulating irrigation in areas that are predictable and often over watered because caretakers and/or older irrigations systems are not responsive enough to effectively conserve water while maintaining aesthetically pleasing or healthy landscapes. The disclosure addresses the above needs by providing methods, systems, and computer program implemented products for regulating the use of water over a computer network by generating irrigation protocols and sending those protocols over the computer network. The disclosure relates in particular to, but not exclusively to, an improved controller having advanced features that provide ease of optimization and use. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Non-limiting and non-exhaustive implementations of the disclosure are described with reference to the following figures, wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the various views unless otherwise specified. Advantages of the disclosure will become better understood with regard to the following description and accompanying drawings where: 
         FIG. 1  illustrates an embodiment of a control unit in accordance with the teachings and principles of the disclosure; 
         FIG. 2  illustrates an overhead view of a landscaped yard surrounding a house with a zoned irrigation system in accordance with the teachings and principles of the disclosure; 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a schematic diagram of an optimized irrigation control system that communicates over a network in accordance with the teachings and principles of the disclosure; 
         FIG. 4  illustrates a schematic diagram of a crop root zone that will be optimally watered by an irrigation system in accordance with the teachings and principles of the disclosure; 
         FIG. 5  illustrates a front view of an embodiment of a control unit in accordance with the teachings and principles of the disclosure; 
         FIG. 6  illustrates a phantom line first side view of an embodiment of a control unit in accordance with the teachings and principles of the disclosure; 
         FIG. 7  a phantom line second side view of an embodiment of a control unit in accordance with the teachings and principles of the disclosure; 
         FIG. 8  illustrates a block diagram of an example computing device in accordance with the teachings and principles of the disclosure; 
         FIG. 9  illustrates an embodiment of a control unit and an adaptor in accordance with the teachings and principles of the disclosure; 
         FIG. 10  illustrates an exploded view of a control unit and an adaptor in accordance with the teachings and principles of the disclosure; 
         FIG. 11  illustrates a rear view of an implementation of a controller in accordance with the teachings and principles of the disclosure; 
         FIG. 12  illustrates an exploded view of an implementation of an adaptor in accordance with the teachings and principles of the disclosure; 
         FIG. 13  illustrates an implementation of an adaptor wired to components of an irrigation system in accordance with the teachings and principles of the disclosure; 
         FIG. 14  illustrates an exploded view of an implementation of a controller having an annular user interface in accordance with the teachings and principles of the disclosure; 
         FIG. 15  illustrates an exploded view of an implementation of an annular user interface in accordance with the teachings and principles of the disclosure; 
         FIG. 16  illustrates an exploded view of an implementation of an annular user interface and supporting circuitry in accordance with the teachings and principles of the disclosure; 
         FIG. 17  illustrates a detailed view of an embodiment of a user input consistent with the features of the disclosure; 
         FIG. 18  illustrates an implementation of a method for initializing optimal irrigation in an irrigation system having a controller configured to be connected to an irrigation server over a computer network in accordance with the teachings and principles of the disclosure; and 
         FIG. 19  illustrates an implementation of a method for providing optimal irrigation in an irrigation system having a controller configured to be connected to an irrigation server over a computer network in accordance with the teachings and principles of the disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The disclosure extends to apparatuses, methods, systems, and computer program products for optimizing water usage in growing plants for yard and crops. The disclosure also extends to apparatuses, methods, systems, and computer program implemented products for regulating the use of water over a computer network by generating irrigation protocols and sending those protocols over the computer network. The disclosure discloses embodiments and implementations of improved control units optimizing water use and additional environmental conditions. In the following description of the disclosure, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration specific implementations in which the disclosure may be practiced. It is to be understood that other implementations may be utilized and structural changes may be made without departing from the scope of the disclosure. 
     It will be appreciated that the disclosure also extends to methods, systems, and computer program products for smart watering utilizing up-to-date weather data, interpreting that weather data, and using that interpreted weather data to send irrigation protocols with computer implemented instructions to a controller. The controller may be electronically and directly connected to a plumbing system that may have at least one electronically actuated control valve for controlling the flow of water through the plumbing system, where the controller may be configured for sending actuation signals to the at least one control valve thereby controlling water flow through the plumbing system in an efficient and elegant manner to effectively conserve water while maintaining aesthetically pleasing or healthy landscapes. 
     As used herein, the terms “environment” and “environmental” are used to denote areas and conditions that can be influenced and adjusted by operable components of a system. For example, a landscape environment can be optimally irrigated or lit with operable components of corresponding systems, such as sprinkler systems and lighting systems. 
     Referring now to the figures,  FIG. 1  illustrates an embodiment of an irrigation controller, also referred to sometimes herein as a control unit, that may be used within a system for executing irrigation protocols by causing operable irrigation components to actuate in accordance to the irrigation protocol. As can be seen in the figure, a control unit  10  may comprise a housing  12  and a user input  20 . In an implementation, the user input may have a generally circular or annular form factor that is easily manipulated by a user to input data and to provide responses to queries. As will be discussed in more detail below, the user input may provide/receive a plurality of input movements, such as for example, rotation, speed of rotation, push and click, click duration, double click, and the like. The control unit  10  may further comprise an electronic visual display  14 , either digital or analog, for visually outputting information to a user. Additionally, it should be noted that an embodiment may comprise a plurality of visual outputs, and other components of the control unit  10 , such as the user input  20  may be configured to output visual information. Analog visual outputs may be provided by components such as bulbs and the like. Digital visual outputs may be provided by components such as, liquid crystal displays, light emitting diodes, electro-luminescent devices, to name a few. It will be appreciated that all such analog and digital sources are within the scope of the disclosure. 
     In an embodiment, the control unit  10  may further comprise an electronic audible device  16 , either digital or analog, for audibly outputting information to a user. Additionally, it should be noted that an embodiment may comprise a plurality of audible outputs, and other components of the control unit  10  may be configured to output audible information. Analog audible outputs may be provided by components such as speakers, mechanical clicks, etc. Digital audible outputs may be provided by components such as, piezo-electric circuits and speakers. It will be appreciated that other analog audible outputs and other digital audible outputs may be utilized without departing from the scope of the disclosure. 
     It should also be appreciated that the housing  12  may be configured to be substantially weather resistant such that it can be installed and used outdoors. In an implementation, the control unit  10  may be located within a weather resistant box to substantially protect the control unit  10  from weather and the elements of the outdoors. It will be appreciated that the controller  10  may be electronically and directly connected to a plumbing system, such as an irrigation sprinkler system, that may have at least one electronically actuated control valve for controlling the flow of water through the plumbing system. Additionally, the controller  10  may be configured for sending actuation signals to the at least one control valve thereby controlling water flow through the plumbing system in an efficient and elegant manner to effectively conserve water while maintaining aesthetically pleasing or healthy landscapes. It should be understood that in an implementation, the controller  10  may further comprise memory for recording irrigation iteration data for a plurality of iterations after a plurality of irrigation protocols have been executed. In an implementation, the controller  10  of a system and method may further record irrigation iteration data into memory in case communication with an irrigation server is interrupted. 
       FIG. 2  illustrates an overhead view of a landscaped yard surrounding a house. As can be seen in the figure, the yard has been divided into a plurality of zones. For example, the figure is illustrated as having ten zones, but it will be appreciated that any number of zones may be implemented by the disclosure. It will be appreciated that the number of zones may be determined based on a number of factors, including soil type, plant type, slope type, area to be irrigated, etc. which will help determine the duration that needed for each zone. It will be appreciated that the controller and its zonal capacity may determine the number of zones that may be irrigated. For example, a controller may have a capacity of eight, meaning that the controller can optimize eight zones (i.e., Zone 1-Zone 8). However, it will be appreciated that any zonal capacity may be utilized by the disclosure without departing from the spirit or scope of the disclosure. 
     In an implementation, each zone may have different watering needs. Each zone may be associated with a certain control valve  115  that allows water into the plumbing that services each area, which corresponds to each zone. As can be seen in the figure, a zone may be a lawn area, a garden area, a tree area, a flower bed area, a shrub area, another plant type area, or any combination of the above. It will be appreciated that zones may be designated using various factors. In an implementation, zones may be designated by the amount of shade an area gets. In an implementation, zones may be defined according to soil type, amount of slope present, plant or crop type and the like. In some implementations, one or more zones may comprise drip systems, or one or more sprinkler systems, thereby providing alternative methods of delivering water to a zone. 
     It will be appreciated, as illustrated in  FIG. 2 , that a landscape may have a complex mix of zones or zone types, with each zone having separate watering needs. Many current watering systems employ a controller, such as controller  110 , for controlling the timing of the opening and closing of the valves within the plumbing system, such that each zone may be watered separately. These controllers or control systems usually run on low voltage platforms and control solenoid type valves that are either completely open or completely closed by the actuation from a control signal. Often control systems may have a timing device to aid in the water intervals and watering times. Controllers have remained relatively simple, but as disclosed herein below in more detail, more sophisticated controllers or systems will provide optimization of the amount of water used through networked connectivity and user interaction as initiated by the system. 
       FIG. 3  illustrates a schematic diagram of an optimized irrigation control system  200  that communicates over network in order to benefit from user entered and crowd sourced irrigation related data stored and accessed from a database  226 . As illustrated in the figure, a system  200  for providing automated irrigation may comprise a plumbing system, such as a sprinkler system (all elements are not shown specifically, but the system is conceptualized in landscape  200 ), having at least one electronically actuated control valve  215 . The system  200  may also comprise a controller  210  that may be electronically connected to or in electronic communication with the control valve  215 . The controller  210  may have a display  211  or control panel and an input  255  for providing information to and receiving information from the user. The controller  210  may comprise a display or a user interface  211  for allowing a user to enter commands that control the operation of the plumbing system. The system  200  may also comprise a network interface  212  that may be in electronic communication with the controller  210 . The network interface  212  may provide network  222  access to the controller  210 . The system  200  may further comprise an irrigation protocol server  225  providing a web based user interface  231  on a display or computer  230 . The system  200  may comprise a database  226  that may comprise data such as weather data, location data, user data, operational historical data, and other data that may be used in optimizing an irrigation protocol from an irrigation protocol generator  228 . 
     The system  200  may further comprise a rule/protocol generator  228  using data from a plurality of databases for generating an irrigation protocol, wherein the generation of an irrigation protocol is initiated in part in response to at least an input by a user. It should be noted that the network  222  mentioned above could be a cloud-computing network, and/or the Internet, and/or part of a closed/private network without departing from the scope of the disclosure. 
     In an implementation, access may be granted to third party service providers through worker terminals  234  that may connect to the system through the network  222 . The service providers may be granted pro-status on the system and may be shown more options through a user interface because of their knowledge and experience, for example, in landscaping, plumbing, and/or other experience. In an implementation, worker terminals may be a portable computing device such as portable computer, tablet, smart phone, PDA, and/or the like. 
     An additional feature of the system  200  may be to provide notices or notifications to users of changes that impact their irrigation protocol. For example, an implementation may provide notice to a home owner/user that its professional lawn service has made changes through a worker terminal  234 . An implementation may provide a user the ability to ratify changes made by others or to reject any changes. 
     In an implementation, an irrigation system  200  may comprise a plurality of control valves  215 , wherein each control valve corresponds to a zone of irrigation. 
     In an implementation, user communication may be facilitated through a mobile application on a mobile device configured for communicating with the irrigation protocol server  225 . One or more notifications may be provided as push notifications to provide real time responsiveness from the users to the system  200 . 
     The system  200  may further comprise an interval timer for controlling the timing of when the notifications are sent to users or customers, such that users/customers are contacted at useful intervals. For example, the system  200  may initiate contact with a user after predetermined interval of time has passed for the modifications to the irrigation protocol to take effect in the landscape, for example in plants, shrubs, grass, trees and other landscape. 
     In an implementation, the notifications may ask the user to provide information or indicia regarding such things as: soil type of a zone, crop type of a zone, irrigation start time, time intervals during which irrigation is occurring, the condition of each zone, or other types of information or objective indicia. 
     Illustrated in  FIG. 4  is an exemplary crop (e.g., grass) root zone showing roots in various soil types. Referring to  FIG. 4 , it will be appreciated that the optimization of the irrigation and plumbing system is to provide the requisite water needed to maintain a healthy landscape and no more. Thus, the general understanding is that the amount of water that is lost during evapotranspiration per zone must be replenished at each irrigation start and run time. It will be appreciated that evapotranspiration is the amount of water lost from the sum of transpiration and evaporation. The U.S. Geological Survey defines evapotranspiration as water lost to the atmosphere from the ground surface, evaporation from the capillary fringe of the groundwater table, and the transpiration of groundwater by plants whose roots tap the capillary fringe of the groundwater table. Evapotranspiration may be defined as loss of water from the soil both by evaporation from the soil surface and by transpiration from the leaves of the plants growing on it. It will be appreciated and understood that factors that affect the rate of evapotranspiration include the amount of solar radiation, atmospheric vapor pressure, temperature, wind, and soil moisture. Evapotranspiration accounts for most of the water lost from the soil during the growth of a plant or crop. Accurately estimating evapotranspiration rates is an advantageous factor in not only planning irrigation schemes, but also in formulating irrigation protocols to be executed by a controller to efficiently use water resources. 
     Illustrated in  FIG. 4  is an example of grass  410  and its root zone  420 . Also illustrated is an example of the various soil types that may be present per zone, such as clay  432 , silt  434 , or sand  436 , etc. It will be appreciated that the landscape may be considered healthy and water use and conservation may be considered optimal, when the irrigation and plumbing system function or operate to replenish the water in the root zone  420  when water is present at about 50% in the root zone  420 . Thus, when water is present in the root zone  420  in an amount greater than about 50% then the duration of the watering for that zone is shortened. Conversely, when water is present in the root zone  420  in an amount less than about 50% then the duration of the watering for that zone is increased. The objective is to replenish the soil with water in the root zone  420  to 100% and no more to optimize and conserve the amount the water used to maintain a healthy landscape. It will be appreciated that any amount of water over 100% saturation in the root zone  420  leads to water runoff that is not efficiently used. Thus, it will be appreciated that the ability to accurately determine the amount of water present in the soil may be advantageous for optimizing irrigation in an irrigation system. 
       FIG. 5  illustrates a front view of a controller having an annular user input having an opening that extends through the entire width of the controller (or control unit portion). As can be seen in the figure, the control unit  510  may comprise a housing  512  and a user input  520 . In an implementation, the user input  520  may have a generally circular or annular form factor that is easily manipulated by a user to input data and to provide responses to queries. During use, the user input  520  may revolve around an axis such that a user may rotate the dial to quickly enter large data ranges of values by simply spinning the dial. In an embodiment, the user input  520  may have a cylindrical hole/opening  525  that is coaxial with the axis of rotation of the user input  520  as illustrated in in  FIG. 6  (illustrated as dashed line  555 ). The hole/opening  525  may be defined by a sidewall  526  (illustrated best in  FIG. 6 ) that may be substantially orthogonal with respect to the front plane of the control unit  510 , or substantially parallel to the axis  555 . In an embodiment, the user input  520  may be illuminated such that the opening  525  glows in an attractive and oft informative manner such that the illumination patterns could be employed to convey the status of the system. The user input  520  may be configured to correspond with the display  514  such that manipulation of the user input causes corresponding changes in the display  514 . The user input  520  may provide/receive a plurality of input movements, such as for example, rotation, speed of rotation, push and click, click duration, double click, and the like. 
     The control unit  510  may further comprise an electronic visual display  514 , either digital or analog, for visually outputting information to a user. Additionally, it should be noted that an embodiment may comprise a plurality of visual outputs, and other components of the control unit  510 , such as the user input  520  may be configured to output visual information. Analog visual outputs may be provided by components such as bulbs and the like. Digital visual outputs may be provided by components such as, liquid crystal displays, light emitting diodes, electro-luminescent devices, to name a few. It will be appreciated that other analog or digital sources may be utilized without departing from the scope of the disclosure. 
     In an embodiment, the control unit  510  may further comprise an electronic audible device  516 , either digital or analog, for audibly outputting information to a user. Additionally, it should be noted that an embodiment may comprise a plurality of audible outputs, and other components of the control unit  510  may be configured to output audible information. Analog audible outputs may be provided by components such as speakers, mechanical clicks, etc. Digital audible outputs may be provided by components such as, piezo-electric circuits and speakers. It should also be appreciated that the housing  512  may be configured to be substantially weather resistant such that it can be installed and used outdoors. It will be appreciated that the controller  510  may be electronically and directly connected to a plumbing system, such as an irrigation sprinkler system, that may have at least one electronically actuated control valve for controlling the flow of water through the plumbing system. Additionally, the controller  510  may be configured for sending actuation signals to the at least one control valve thereby controlling water flow through the plumbing system in an efficient and elegant manner to effectively conserve water while maintaining aesthetically pleasing or healthy landscapes. 
     It should be understood that in an implementation, the controller  510  may further comprise memory for recording irrigation iteration data for a plurality of iterations after a plurality of irrigation protocols have been executed. In an implementation, the controller  510  of the system and method may further record irrigation iteration data into memory in case communication with an irrigation server is interrupted. 
       FIG. 6  illustrates a first side view of a controller  510  showing the coaxial relationship of the axis of rotation  555  of the annular user input  520  with the opening  520 . As can be seen in the figure, an axis of rotation  555  corresponding to the annular user input  520  is coaxial with the cylindrical opening  525  that is defined by sidewall  526 , which is illustrated with phantom lines. It will be appreciated that in an embodiment the controller  510  may have an opening that is not cylindrical in shape. It will be appreciated that whatever shape is chosen for the opening, the opening may have an axis of rotation such that the opening can be aligned with the axis of rotation of the user input. 
       FIG. 7  illustrates a second side view of a controller and also illustrates the axis  555  of rotation of the user input  520  from the opposite side. It will be appreciated that the axis of rotation  555  is coaxial with the axis of the cylindrical opening  525 . 
     It will be appreciated that implementations of the disclosure may comprise or utilize a special purpose or general-purpose computer, including computer hardware, such as, for example, one or more processors and system memory as discussed in greater detail below. Implementations within the scope of the disclosure also include physical and other computer-readable media for carrying or storing computer-executable instructions and/or data structures. Such computer-readable media can be any available media that can be accessed by a general purpose or special purpose computer system. Computer-readable media that store computer-executable instructions are computer storage media (devices). Computer-readable media that carry computer-executable instructions are transmission media. Thus, by way of example, and not limitation, implementations of the disclosure can comprise at least two distinctly different kinds of computer-readable media: computer storage media (devices) and transmission media. 
     Computer storage media (devices) includes RAM, ROM, EEPROM, CD-ROM, solid state drives (“SSDs”) (e.g., based on RAM), Flash memory, phase-change memory (“PCM”), other types of memory, other optical disk storage, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium which can be used to store desired program code means in the form of computer-executable instructions or data structures and which can be accessed by a general purpose or special purpose computer. 
     A “network” is defined as one or more data links that enable the transport of electronic data between computer systems and/or modules and/or other electronic devices. When information is transferred or provided over a network or another communications connection (either hardwired, wireless, or a combination of hardwired or wireless) to a computer, the computer properly views the connection as a transmission medium. Transmission media can include a network and/or data links, which can be used to carry desired program code means in the form of computer-executable instructions or data structures and which can be accessed by a general purpose or special purpose computer. Combinations of the above should also be included within the scope of computer-readable media. 
     Further, upon reaching various computer system components, program code means in the form of computer-executable instructions or data structures can be transferred automatically from transmission media to computer storage media (devices) (or vice-versa). For example, computer-executable instructions or data structures received over a network or data link can be buffered in RAM within a network interface module (e.g., a “NIC”), and then eventually transferred to computer system RAM and/or to less volatile computer storage media (devices) at a computer system. RAM can also include solid-state drives (SSDs or PCIx based real time memory tiered storage, such as FusionIO). Thus, it should be understood that computer storage media (devices) can be included in computer system components that also (or even primarily) utilize transmission media. 
     Computer-executable instructions comprise, for example, instructions and data, which, when executed at a processor, cause a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, or special purpose processing device to perform a certain function or group of functions. The computer executable instructions may be, for example, binaries, intermediate format instructions such as assembly language, or even source code. 
     Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the disclosure may be practiced in network computing environments with many types of computer system configurations, including, personal computers, desktop computers, laptop computers, message processors, hand-held devices, multi-processor systems, microprocessor-based or programmable consumer electronics, network PCs, minicomputers, mainframe computers, mobile telephones, PDAs, tablets, pagers, routers, switches, various storage devices, commodity hardware, commodity computers, and the like. The disclosure may also be practiced in distributed system environments where local and remote computer systems, which are linked (either by hardwired data links, wireless data links, or by a combination of hardwired and wireless data links) through a network, both perform tasks. In a distributed system environment, program modules may be located in both local and remote memory storage devices. 
     Implementations of the disclosure can also be used in cloud computing environments. In this description and the following claims, “cloud computing” is defined as a model for enabling ubiquitous, convenient, on-demand network access to a shared pool of configurable computing resources (e.g., networks, servers, storage, applications, and services) that can be rapidly provisioned via virtualization and released with minimal management effort or service provider interaction, and then scaled accordingly. A cloud model can be composed of various characteristics (e.g., on-demand self-service, broad network access, resource pooling, rapid elasticity, measured service, or any suitable characteristic now known to those of ordinary skill in the field, or later discovered), service models (e.g., Software as a Service (SaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS), Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)), and deployment models (e.g., private cloud, community cloud, public cloud, hybrid cloud, or any suitable service type model now known to those of ordinary skill in the field, or later discovered). Databases and servers described with respect to the disclosure can be included in a cloud model. 
     Further, where appropriate, functions described herein can be performed in one or more of: hardware, software, firmware, digital components, or analog components. For example, one or more application specific integrated circuits (ASICs) can be programmed to carry out one or more of the systems and procedures described herein. Certain terms are used throughout the following description and claims to refer to particular system components. As one skilled in the art will appreciate, components may be referred to by different names. This document does not intend to distinguish between components that differ in name, but not function. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 8 , a block diagram of an example computing device  900  such as a controller/control unit is illustrated. Computing device  900  may be used to perform various procedures, such as those discussed herein. Computing device  900  can function as a server, a client, or any other computing entity. Computing device  900  can perform various monitoring functions as discussed herein, and can execute one or more application programs, such as the application programs described herein. Computing device  900  can be any of a wide variety of computing devices, such as a desktop computer, a notebook computer, a server computer, a handheld computer, tablet computer and the like. 
     Computing device  900  includes one or more processor(s)  902 , one or more memory device(s)  904 , one or more interface(s)  906 , one or more mass storage device(s)  908 , one or more Input/Output (I/O) device(s)  910 , and a display device  930  all of which are coupled to a bus  912 . Processor(s)  902  include one or more processors or controllers that execute instructions stored in memory device(s)  904  and/or mass storage device(s)  908 . Processor(s)  902  may also include various types of computer-readable media, such as cache memory. 
     Memory device(s)  904  include various computer-readable media, such as volatile memory (e.g., random access memory (RAM)  914 ) and/or nonvolatile memory (e.g., read-only memory (ROM)  916 ). Memory device(s)  904  may also include rewritable ROM, such as Flash memory. 
     Mass storage device(s)  908  include various computer readable media, such as magnetic tapes, magnetic disks, optical disks, solid-state memory (e.g., Flash memory), and so forth. As shown in  FIG. 8 , a particular mass storage device is a hard disk drive  924 . Various drives may also be included in mass storage device(s)  908  to enable reading from and/or writing to the various computer readable media. Mass storage device(s)  908  include removable media  926  and/or non-removable media. 
     I/O device(s)  910  include various devices that allow data and/or other information to be input to or retrieved from computing device  900 . Example I/O device(s)  910  include cursor control devices, keyboards, keypads, microphones, monitors or other display devices, speakers, printers, network interface cards, modems, annular jog dials, and the like. 
     Display device  930  includes any type of device capable of displaying information to one or more users of computing device  900 . Examples of display device  930  include a monitor, display terminal, video projection device, and the like. 
     Interface(s)  906  include various interfaces that allow computing device  900  to interact with other systems, devices, or computing environments. Example interface(s)  906  may include any number of different network interfaces  920 , such as interfaces to local area networks (LANs), wide area networks (WANs), wireless networks, and the Internet. Other interface(s) include user interface  918  and peripheral device interface  922 . The interface(s)  906  may also include one or more user interface elements  918 . The interface(s)  906  may also include one or more peripheral interfaces such as interfaces for printers, pointing devices (mice, track pad, or any suitable user interface now known to those of ordinary skill in the field, or later discovered), keyboards, and the like. 
     Additionally, Bus  912  may allow sensors  911  to communicate with other computing components. Sensors may alternatively communicate through other components, such as I/O devices and various peripheral interfaces. 
     Bus  912  allows processor(s)  902 , memory device(s)  904 , interface(s)  906 , mass storage device(s)  908 , and I/O device(s)  910  to communicate with one another, as well as other devices or components coupled to bus  912 . Bus  912  represents one or more of several types of bus structures, such as a system bus, PCI bus, IEEE 1394 bus, USB bus, and so forth. 
     For purposes of illustration, programs and other executable program components are shown herein as discrete blocks, although it is understood that such programs and components may reside at various times in different storage components of computing device  900 , and are executed by processor(s)  902 . Alternatively, the systems and procedures described herein can be implemented in hardware, or a combination of hardware, software, and/or firmware. For example, one or more application specific integrated circuits (ASICs) can be programmed to carry out one or more of the systems and procedures described herein. 
       FIG. 9  illustrates an embodiment of a controller that comprises a control unit portion and an irrigation adaptor portion. As illustrated, the controller  1000  may comprise a control unit  1010  for interfacing with users and networks, and an irrigation adaptor  1012  for electronically actuating irrigation components. As discussed above, a control unit  1010  may comprise a housing  1011  and a user input  1020 . In an implementation the user input may have a generally circular or annular form factor that is easily manipulated by a user to input data and to provide responses to queries. As will be discussed in more detail below, the user input may provide/receive a plurality of input movements, such as for example, rotation, speed of rotation, push and click, click duration, double click, and the like. The control unit  1010  may further comprise an electronic visual display  1014 , either digital or analog, for visually outputting information to a user. Additionally, it should be noted that an embodiment may comprise a plurality of visual outputs, and other components of the control unit  1010 , such as the user input  1020  may be configured to output visual information. Analog visual outputs may be provided by components such as bulbs and the like. Digital visual outputs may be provided by components such as, liquid crystal displays, light emitting diodes, electro-luminescent devices, to name a few. In an embodiment, the control unit  1010  may further comprise an electronic audible device  1016 , either digital or analog, for audibly outputting information to a user. Additionally, it should be noted that an embodiment may comprise a plurality of audible outputs, and other components of the control unit  1010  may be configured to output audible information. Analog audible outputs may be provided by components such as speakers, mechanical clicks, etc. Digital audible outputs may be provided by components such as, piezo-electric circuits and speakers. 
     It should also be appreciated that the housing  1011  may be configured to be substantially weather resistant, such that it can be installed and used outdoors. It will be appreciated that the controller  1010  may be electronically and directly connected to a plumbing system, such as an irrigation sprinkler system, that may have at least one electronically actuated control valve for controlling the flow of water through the plumbing system. Additionally, the control unit  1010  may be configured for sending actuation signals to the at least one control valve thereby controlling water flow through the plumbing system in an efficient and elegant manner to effectively conserve water while maintaining aesthetically pleasing or healthy landscapes. 
     It should be understood that in an implementation, the controller  1010  may further comprise memory for recording irrigation iteration data for a plurality of iterations after a plurality of irrigation protocols have been executed. In an implementation, the controller  1010  of a system and method may further record irrigation iteration data into memory in case communication with an irrigation server is interrupted. 
     The control unit  1010  may communicate with the adaptor  1012  through an electronic connector in a stacked configuration. As can be seen in  FIG. 9 , adaptor  1012  may comprise an adaptor housing  1021  for protecting inside components. Electronic access to internal components of the adaptor  1012  may be provided by a wire access port  1023 , whereby one or more wires may carry electric actuation signals from the adaptor  1012  to operable components of an irrigation system, such as solenoids through the housing (as illustrated further in  FIG. 13 ). 
     In an embodiment, an irrigation adaptor may comprise analog audible outputs. Audible outputs may be provided by components such as speakers, mechanical clicks, etc. Digital audible outputs may be provided by components such as, piezo-electric circuits and speakers. It should also be appreciated that the housing  1011  may be configured to be substantially weather resistant such that it can be installed and used outdoors. 
     In an embodiment, an irrigation adaptor may comprise wireless communication interfaces for communication with other components such as, sprinklers, drippers, control units, and servers. 
       FIG. 10  illustrates an embodiment wherein the adaptor  1012  and control unit  1010  are configured to be stacked, such that the back side of the control unit mates with the front side of the adaptor  1012 . In an implementation, a back side of the adaptor  1012  may be mounted to a wall and wired to components of an irrigation system. The back side of the control unit  1010  may then be mated with the front side of the adaptor  1012 , in a stacked configuration. 
     As can be seen in  FIGS. 10 and 11 , an embodiment of the adaptor  1012  may comprise attachment structures  1055  (of  FIG. 10 ) that correspond to complimentary control unit attachment structures  1065  (of  FIG. 11 ). The attachments may be configured with any known or yet to be discovered attachment means. For example, the attachment structures  1055 ,  1065  may comprise male and female portions that interact and mate mechanically. Magnets may be used for physically connecting a control unit to an adaptor. Other examples include all manner of fasteners such as screws, bolts, nails, and the like. 
     Additionally, in an embodiment the control unit  1010  is in electronic communication with the irrigation adaptor  1012  through an electronic connector. As can be seen in  FIGS. 10 and 11 , the adaptor  1012  may comprise a first half of an electronic connector  1060  while the control unit  1010  comprises a corresponding second half of an electronic connector  1070 . In a stacked embodiment, for example, the attachment structures  1055 ,  1065  may be configured so as to cause the alignment of the first and second halves of the electronic connectors  1060 ,  1070 . 
     It should be appreciated that in some embodiments the irrigation adaptor and the control unit may communicate wirelessly with each other. 
       FIG. 12  illustrates an exploded view of an embodiment of an irrigation adaptor  1210  in greater detail for use with a corresponding control unit. It should be understood that in some implementations an irrigation adaptor may replace an already installed standard sprinkler controller, and as such, the irrigation adaptor will comprise terminals and powering controls similar to the sprinkler controller it replaces. Additionally, an irrigation adaptor may also be referred to as a wall unit as it may typically be mounted to a wall upon installation. As can be seen in the figure, an irrigation adaptor  1210  may comprise a housing  1211  for substantially enclosing the internal components that may work best when protected from the environment. The housing  1211  may comprise a back plate  1213  configured to aid in enclosing the internal components and may be further configured for mounting to various surfaces. In an embodiment, the irrigation adaptor  1210  may comprise a circuit board  1215  for electronically connecting the electrical components of the adaptor  1210 . The circuit board  1215  may comprise a bus like structure for enabling the electronic communication among components connected to the circuit board  1215 . The irrigation adaptor  1210  may comprise terminals  1220  for receiving wiring therein. As discussed above, an electronic connector  1233  may be included on the circuit board  1215  so as to provide electronic communication connections between the terminals  1220  and a corresponding control unit (not pictured), thereby providing optimized control of irrigation components that control the flow of water. 
     As seen in the figure, an embodiment of an irrigation adaptor  1210  may further comprise a membrane layer  1235  for providing weather resistance. It should be understood that the membrane layer  1235  may comprise openings therein for allowing wires, mechanical connections, and electrical connections to pass there through. In some embodiments, a plurality of membranes may be used. As can be seen in  FIG. 12 , a wire port  1240  may comprise a membrane therein to provide some weather resistance where the irrigation system wires (illustrated best in  FIG. 13 ) enter the irrigation adaptor  1210 . 
     In an embodiment, an irrigation adaptor may have a wire port on the back surface of the irrigation adaptor housing in order to hide the entry of wires. It will be appreciated that it is within the scope of this disclosure to include ports on any side of the adaptor depending on the immediate needs of the installation. 
       FIG. 13  illustrates one implementation of an irrigation adaptor and its schematic connections to various operational components of an irrigation system. As illustrated in the figure, the irrigation adaptor  1310  may be electronically connected to solenoids within an irrigation system via wires A,B,C,D that connect four solenoids  1380 ,  1381 ,  1382 ,  1383  to the adaptor&#39;s terminals  1320 ,  1321 ,  1322 ,  1323  respectively. As can be seen in the figure, the wires A,B,C,D are physically connected at one end to the solenoids  1380 ,  1381 ,  1382 ,  1383 , and then pass through wire port  1340 , then pass through membrane openings  1360 , 1361 , 1362 , 1363  and finally connect to terminals  1320 ,  1321 ,  1322 ,  1323 . In this implementation the terminals  1320 ,  1321 ,  1322 ,  1323  are electrically connected to an electronic connecter  1333  that is configured to correspond to an electronic connector on the back of a control unit. The above discussed connectivity allows a control unit to control components of an irrigation system through an irrigation adaptor  1310 . 
       FIG. 14  illustrates an exploded view implementation of a controller  1400 . As can be seen in the figure, the controller  1400  may comprise a control unit  1420  that itself comprises a plurality of components, and an irrigation adaptor  1412  that itself comprises a plurality of components. As illustrated, the various components of the control unit  1410  correspond and align with the various components of the irrigation adaptor  1412 . Such a configuration allows the controller system to be separated into self-contained modules that may be stacked and assembled in various configurations to suit various scenarios of use. 
     Illustrated in  FIG. 15  is an exploded detailed view of a user input  1600 . As can be seen in the figure a user input  1600  may comprise a plurality of coaxially aligned components. An implementation of the user input  1600  may comprise a contact ring  1615  that is configured to be in contact with a user&#39;s hand during use. An implementation may further comprise a position ring  1617  that aids in the incremental digitalization of a user&#39;s input as discussed below. An embodiment of the user input  1600  may comprise a light tube  1620  and light diffuser  1655  that work together to transmit and control the quality of illumination from an internal light source or plurality of light sources. Additionally, the annular user input  1600  may further comprise a float ring  1635  that is configured to provide consistent movement of the user input and to provide selection protrusions thereon to aid users in making selections with the annular user input  1600  as discussed in more detail below. 
     Illustrated in  FIG. 16  is an exploded view of the working components of an annular user input  1600  as it interacts with a circuit board  1650  housed within a control unit. The circuit board  1650  may comprise a single substrate supporting a plurality of light emitting diodes and at least one positions sensing circuit. As discussed above, the light emitting diodes  1660  may provide light to the annular user input to provide ease of use and visual cues. The user input may comprise a light tube  1620  for collecting the light of the LEDs  1660 . A diffuser ring  1655  may be employed to evenly distribute the light from the LEDs. The user input may comprise a position ring  1616  having a plurality of evenly place protrusions  1617  thereon that correspond to the positions sensor  1666  to detect the rotation of the position ring  1616  in order to digitize a user&#39;s desired information for storage in computer memory within the system (illustrated in further detail in  FIG. 17 ). 
     The user input  1600  may also comprise a float ring  1630  that provides smooth and consistent operation of the user input by producing predictable friction and even spacing during operation. Additionally, the float ring  1630  may comprise selection protrusions  1635  thereon for actuating receptors on the circuit board  1650  when a user pushes the user input to make a selection. It should be appreciated that a float ring  1630  may comprise a plurality of selection protrusions  1635  in order to provide consistent selection operation throughout the entire circumference of the annular user input. 
       FIG. 17  illustrates a detailed view of position ring  1616 . As can be seen in the figure, incremental protrusions  1617  may be separated by gaps “G” so that as the ring is rotated sensor  1666  senses the order in which a plurality of emitted beams of electromagnetic energy “EE” are reflected by the protrusions  1617  (or allowed to pass through the gaps G) as the user input  1600  is rotated. It will be appreciated that supporting circuitry may count the incrementally returned energy EE so as to digitize a user&#39;s input for use by the computing components of the controller and system. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 18 , there is illustrated an implementation pairing between a user&#39;s control unit and an account, such as a web account.  FIG. 18  illustrates, a method for initiation of an irrigation optimization system having the features of the disclosure. The method  1800 , may initiate at  1810  by determining the language the user will use in interacting with the system. The user selection will be recorded into computer memory on the system. At  1820 , the geographical location of the user may then be determined, and at  1830  the geographical location may be further refined more specific questions, such as the zip code or other refined geographic location data. Once the location has been established, the system may then establish connectivity with a cloud network at  1840 . 
     At  1850 , the network connectivity may be skipped and at  1851  a user may be asked to manually set up a watering protocol by responding to questions from the control panel. At  1852 , a watering protocol of instructions will be generated and at  1869  irrigation may begin automatically. 
     Alternatively, a user may be presented with available Wi-Fi connection options at  1860  and may choose the desired connection, or at  1870  a user may enter custom network settings to connect to the network cloud at  1863 . Once connected to the network cloud, at  1865  the control panel may be paired with an online account previously (or concurrently) set up through a web interface. 
     At  1867 , a watering protocol may be generated and transmitted through the cloud to the paired controller, wherein the watering instruction are formulated from user responses to quires output from the system through the web account or through the control panel user interface. At  1869 , the system may begin the watering protocol that has been received from the cloud network. 
       FIG. 19  illustrates a method of initiating a smart irrigation system comprising specific logic when initializing a new control panel. After a control panel has been wired to a plurality of control valves, the user/customer may be lead through a series of quires by a control panel interface. In order to initialize the interface and language of communication may be selected at  1901 . Next, at  1903 , the user may be prompted to select the country in which they and the property to be watered resides, and the user may be prompted for further refinement of location at  1905 . 
     At  1907 , the user may be prompted to set up a connection to a cloud network through a Wi-Fi internet connection. At  1909 , the user may be prompted to choose whether or not connect to the cloud or run the irrigation system manually from the control panel. 
     If the user decides not to connect to the internet, at  1915  the user will be prompted to enter data in manually, such as data and time. At  1917  the user may be prompted to manually select or enter an irrigation interval or days to water. If the user chooses to enter an interval, at  1919  the user will be prompted to enter the interval. Alternatively, if the use selects to irrigate according to days, at  1921  the user will be prompted to enter the days for irrigation. It should be noted that in an implementation the user may be able to select both irrigation days and irrigation intervals. 
     At  1923 , the user will be prompted to enter a duration and/or day for each of the zones controlled by the control panel. At  1909 , if the user had chosen connect to a network the user would be prompted to select from available networks at  1910 , or enter security information for a custom network at  1912 . At  1914 , the user may be prompted for a password. At  1916  if the password fails the user will be redirected to  1910  or  1912  to retry the network security information. At  1916 , if connecting to the internet is successful, at  1925  a pairing request will be sent to the control panel that will pair a cloud base web account to the control panel. Additionally, at  1927  pairing codes may be established for a plurality of computing devices comprising: additional controllers, mobile devices, computers, etc. 
     It will be appreciated that a system of providing optimal irrigation in an irrigation system having a controller configured to be connected to an irrigation server over a computer network may comprise a computer network that itself may comprise an irrigation server and a protocol generator. The system may further comprise a controller. It will be appreciated that the controller may be in electronic communication with the plumbing of the irrigation system. The controller may also be in communication with the irrigation server over the computer network. Thus, when a communication connection between the controller and the server is established information and data may be exchanged between the server and the controller. For example, the server may formulate, generate and otherwise develop an irrigation protocol and/or a historical operational backup protocol and may send one or more of those protocols to the controller. 
     The controller, in return, may generate a transcript or other data relating to an iteration of the irrigation or watering event that may have just occurred. The transcript or other operational data may be sent from the controller to the irrigation server and the cloud or network service. 
     Additionally, in an implementation data may be stored and written, such as the irrigation protocol, into computer memory of the controller and/or server. The irrigation server may receive data reported back from the controller relating to an iteration of the irrigation protocol that has been executed. The protocol generator may use the reported back data to generate a historical backup protocol. The irrigation server may send the historical backup protocol to the controller wherein the historical backup protocol may be stored or written to the computer memory of the controller. The controller may retrieve the historical backup protocol from memory and may then execute the historical protocol if or when a connection between the irrigation server and the controller is not established. 
     In an implementation, the controller records irrigation iteration data into computer memory after the irrigation protocol has been executed by the controller. In an implementation, the controller records irrigation iteration data into computer memory until communication between the irrigation server and controller is reestablished. In an implementation, the controller may record irrigation iteration data for a plurality of iterations into computer memory after a plurality of irrigation protocols have been executed by the controller. In an implementation, the controller may record irrigation iteration data into computer memory until communication between the irrigation server and controller is reestablished. 
     In an implementation, the irrigation server may initiate and receive one or more notifications that may be output from the controller regarding the connection that was not established. In an implementation, the notification may be a visual output from the controller that operates as a visual cue to a user. In an implementation, the notification may be an audible signal output from the controller that operates as an audio cue to a user. 
     the system and method may generate a first start time that may act as a calendar item to send a follow-up query or notification to the user, for example a week later, to determine whether the user is pleased or otherwise satisfied with the health of the landscape, and if so, the system may reduce the amount of water a second time. The system and method may generate a calendar item to send a follow-up query or notification to the user, for example a week later, to determine whether the user is pleased or otherwise satisfied with the health of the landscape. If the user is satisfied, then the system may maintain the current duration for that zone. 
     The weather information may include current weather information and may be for a specific location that corresponds with the location of the controller of the plumbing system. The weather information may include data relating to current humidity, current temperature, current solar radiation, and/or current wind speed. The weather information may also provide additional data without departing from the scope of the disclosure. 
     In an implementation, the irrigation server may aggregate weather data from a single source or from a plurality of sources. In an implementation, the system and method may comprise a user web account, wherein the user web account is paired with the controller. In an implementation, the system may further comprise a notice generator that generates notifications for a user regarding events within the system, wherein the irrigation server transmits the notifications to the user prompting the user to enter data relating to the irrigation system and/or one or more irrigation zones of the irrigation system. In an implementation, the irrigation server may electronically communicate with the user through the web account located on a database and displayed using a general purpose computer, through a mobile device, and/or through the controller to send the notifications to the user. 
     It will be appreciated that the cloud or network service may perform many of the calculations and generate the irrigation protocols and other instructions that may be sent directly to the controller. Thus, it is the cloud or network service that provides the processing via one or more servers of the data obtained from one or more various aggregated weather sources or databases. In an implementation, the irrigation server may perform various computer implemented steps to utilize the current weather data that is provided at a regular predetermined interval, such as at one hour intervals, and generate the irrigation protocols that may be sent to the controller for actuation of the irrigation or plumbing system. 
     The irrigation server may electronically communicate with the controller. The irrigation server may also send one or more irrigation protocols to the controller over the computer network where the irrigation protocol is written into computer memory of the controller for execution by the controller. In an implementation, the system and method may utilize a clock that may be configured for providing time stamp data to events within the system. The one or more irrigation protocols may comprise time stamp data. Once the controller has received the one or more irrigation protocols, the controller executes the irrigation protocols to thereby actuate the irrigation or plumbing system. 
     In an implementation, the system and method the irrigation server may determine a slope of the ground, current temperature, and/or the geographical region type if there is no solar radiation data provided to the protocol generator. In an implementation, the irrigation server determines the slope of the ground, temperature, and/or the geographical region type prior to the protocol generator determining the amount of water needed to replenish the root zone for the given irrigation zone. 
     In an implementation, the system and method may further comprise initiating a notification to a user&#39;s communication device regarding the connection that was not established. In an implementation, the user communication device may be a computing device connected over a network. In an implementation, the network may comprise cellular network functionality. In an implementation, the user communication device may be a mobile device or other communication device capable of receiving notifications from a network. In an implementation, the system and method may further comprise initiating and receiving a notification output from the controller regarding the connection that was not established. It will be appreciated that in an implementation, the notification may be a visual output from the controller. In an implementation, the notification may be an audible signal output from the controller. In an implementation, the system and method may further comprise rechecking for network connectivity between the irrigation server and the controller. 
     Although the subject matter has been described in language specific to structural features and/or methodological acts, it is to be understood that the subject matter defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the described features or acts described above. Rather, the described features and acts are disclosed as example forms of implementing the claims. 
     The foregoing description has been presented for the purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure to the precise form disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. Further, it should be noted that any or all of the aforementioned alternate implementations may be used in any combination desired to form additional hybrid implementations of the disclosure. 
     Further, although specific implementations of the disclosure have been described and illustrated, the disclosure is not to be limited to the specific forms or arrangements of parts so described and illustrated. The scope of the disclosure is to be defined by the claims appended hereto, any future claims submitted here and in different applications, and their equivalents.