Patent ID: 7953517

Claim:
A landscape controller, comprising: a control panel for entering and/or selecting a watering schedule, the control panel including a first portion of a connecting device; a memory having a stored operational program including a watering program for executing the watering schedule; a plurality of switch circuits for energizing a plurality of valves; a processor connected to the memory and configured to execute the operational program and control the switch circuits in accordance with the watering schedule; and at least one feature module including a second portion of the connecting device for mating with the first portion of the connecting device for operatively connecting the feature module to the processor, the feature module having at least one feature selected from the group consisting of: a) programming for unlocking at least a portion of a comprehensive set of functional features of the operational program, b) additional memory to execute additional features not otherwise executable by the processor, c) new programming for execution by the processor, and d) a microcontroller and programming to enable the feature module to communicate with sensors.