WO2002082203A1 - Systeme et procede d'avertissement d'irrigation - Google Patents

Systeme et procede d'avertissement d'irrigation Download PDF

Info

Publication number
WO2002082203A1
WO2002082203A1 PCT/US2001/010617 US0110617W WO02082203A1 WO 2002082203 A1 WO2002082203 A1 WO 2002082203A1 US 0110617 W US0110617 W US 0110617W WO 02082203 A1 WO02082203 A1 WO 02082203A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
irrigation
irrigation system
value
warning
entered
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/US2001/010617
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
John Addink
Sylvan Addink
Original Assignee
Aqua Conservation Systems, Inc.
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Aqua Conservation Systems, Inc. filed Critical Aqua Conservation Systems, Inc.
Priority to PCT/US2001/010617 priority Critical patent/WO2002082203A1/fr
Publication of WO2002082203A1 publication Critical patent/WO2002082203A1/fr

Links

Classifications

    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A01—AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
    • A01G—HORTICULTURE; CULTIVATION OF VEGETABLES, FLOWERS, RICE, FRUIT, VINES, HOPS OR SEAWEED; FORESTRY; WATERING
    • A01G25/00—Watering gardens, fields, sports grounds or the like
    • A01G25/16—Control of watering

Definitions

  • the field of the invention is irrigation systems.
  • the irrigation user can interface with the irrigation controller and change the irrigation controller's settings. Such changes would typically be made when the user thinks that the automated controls are providing under- or over-irrigation of the landscape.
  • an initial irrigation program is inputted into the controller.
  • the controller automatically varies the irrigation applications based on this initial inputted irrigation program. If left to its own devices, the irrigation system would generally vary the irrigation applications to meet the water requirements of the irrigated plants.
  • the user may think that the landscape is not receiving adequate water, and tries to compensate by resetting the initial irrigation program so that more water will be applied to the landscape. The user may base that decision on brown spots in the irrigated area and assume that the brown spots resulted from insufficient watering.
  • the brown spots may be due to insects, diseases, or other non-water related problems - even though they disappear with the additional watering. Since the brown spots disappeared with watering, the user assumes the brown spots were due to lack of water so he/she leaves the irrigation controller settings at the new, higher setting. The irrigation system continues to over-water into the future, probably causing damage to the foliage, and at the very least wasting water.
  • the present invention provides an irrigation system having a microprocessor that is programmed to issue a warning when an irrigation user enters an irrigation value that is different from a stored value by at least a first threshold amount, or when the entered value is used to produce an output that is different from a stored value by at least a second threshold amount.
  • the irrigation system is preferably a residential system, although agricultural and horticultural irrigation systems are also contemplated.
  • the microprocessor is disposed in an irrigation controller.
  • the microprocessor may be disposed in a personal computer, or other suitable device that controls the irrigation system or is otherwise coupled to the irrigation controller.
  • the warning may be manifested by any suitable device, including a sound producing device and a visual display.
  • the 'entered value' is preferably inputted directly into an irrigation controller, but may alternatively be inputted into a personal computer or any other suitable device.
  • Especially contemplated entered values include new watering durations, a change in watering day(s), and deactivation of an accumulation mechanism.
  • Especially contemplated outputs include a new watering duration schedule.
  • the threshold amounts may include nominal, percentage, trend line, or any other differences.
  • Figure 1 is a schematic of an irrigation controller according to an aspect of the present invention.
  • FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an irrigation system according to an aspect of the present invention.
  • FIG. 3 is a flow chart of a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Description
  • FIG 1 is a schematic of an irrigation controller 200 according to an aspect of the present invention that generally includes a microprocessor 220, an on-board memory 210 (preferably EPROM), some manual input devices 230 through 232 (buttons and/or knobs) that includes a device for adding a day of watering, an input/output (I/O) circuitry 221 connected in a conventional manner, a display screen 250, a communications port 240, a serial, parallel or other communications connection 241 coupling the irrigation controller to other devices, such as personal computers, etc., electrical connectors 260 which are connected to a plurality of irrigation stations 270 and a power supply 280, a rain detection device 291, a flow sensor 292, a pressure sensor 293 and a temperature sensor 294.
  • a microprocessor 220 preferably EPROM
  • some manual input devices 230 through 232 buttons and/or knobs
  • display screen 250 a communications port 240
  • the controller has one or more common communication internal bus(es).
  • the bus can use a standard or custom protocol to communicate between devices. There are several suitable communication protocols, which can be used for this purpose. At present, experimental versions have been made using an I C serial data communication, and it is contemplated that this communication method would be satisfactory for production models.
  • This bus is used for internal data transfer to and from the EEPROM memory, and is used for communication with peripheral devices and measurement equipment including but not limited to water flow sensors, water pressure sensors, and temperature sensors.
  • a single irrigation controller 200 operates two irrigation stations 400. It will be understood that these stations 400 are indicative of any two or more irrigation stations, and are not to be interpreted as limiting the number or configuration of stations. It is contemplated that the irrigation stations may be part of an underground installed irrigation system, such as those used on residential sites, commercial sites, golf courses, public parks, and so forth. Alternatively, the irrigation stations may be part of center pivot systems, wheel type systems, solid set systems, or any other irrigation system used in the irrigating of plants.
  • the irrigation controller 200 operates solenoids (not shown), which open the station valves 350 to allow irrigation water to flow from the water source 300 to be distributed to the various irrigation stations 400 and thereby irrigate the landscape through one or more (four are shown for each irrigation station but it may be any number) irrigation sprinkler heads 360.
  • Efficient irrigation systems apply water to an irrigated site to meet the water requirements of the plants being irrigated with very little waste of water. If any changes to the irrigation schedule are required, they should only be minor changes with very little, if any, affect on the efficiency of the irrigation system. For example, the irrigation user may observe an area of the irrigated site that appears to be lacking in water. The irrigation user enters a change in the setting of the station irrigating the effected area by adding one day of water to the present irrigation schedule. After the extra day of water has been applied the station returns to the regular irrigation schedule.
  • Figure 3 is a flow chart that illustrates what occurs, according to an aspect of the present invention, when an irrigation user enters a value that differs significantly from a previous value.
  • irrigation controller when the irrigation controller is initially installed an irrigation program will be inputted into the controller and stored in the memory.
  • the microprocessor generates irrigation schedules based on the inputted initial irrigation program and on other information such as, ETo data. It is assumed that these irrigation schedules would provide efficient watering of the irrigated site.
  • the irrigation controller then executes the irrigation schedules to the irrigated site ( Figure 3, step 10).
  • the irrigation user may feel the executed irrigation schedules are not providing the right amount of water to the irrigated site and therefore the irrigation user modifies the settings on the irrigation controller by entering a value (entered value) into the irrigation controller 20.
  • the irrigation user may enter the 'entered value' into a personal computer or some other device that either controls the irrigation system or is coupled to the irrigation controller.
  • the irrigation user believes that the entered value will result in the generating of a new irrigation schedule that will apply an amount of water that will more closely meet the water requirements of the plants than the irrigation schedule that was previously being applied to the irrigated site.
  • the entered value may be a new watering duration.
  • the entered value may be a change in watering day(s), deactivation of the accumulation mechanism or any other entered value that may potentially affect the efficiency of the irrigation system.
  • the entered value is compared to the stored value 30.
  • the microprocessor issues a warning 252, Figure 1 if the entered value differs by at least a threshold amount from the stored value 40, Figure 3.
  • the summer run-time minutes are 10 minutes and they are inputted into the irrigation controller when the irrigation controller is installed. It can be appreciated that the summer run time minutes or any of the installed values could be inputted at the time when the irrigation controller is installed, prior to installation at the factory or at any other time.
  • the summer run-time minutes are preferably stored in a non- volatile memory. During the remainder of the year the irrigation schedule is partly based on the summer run-time minutes and partly derived from ETo data.
  • the irrigation schedule may be partly derived from data other than ETo data, such as, crop data, soil moisture data or other data that results in water applications that closely approximate the water requirements of the plants. If the summer run-time minutes, are either increased or decreased, there will generally be an increase or decrease, respectively, in the future watering amounts of all irrigations unless the run-time minutes are set back to the previously inputted summer run-time minutes. Further, assume that the irrigation user observes a brown spot developing in the irrigated site and believes it is due to lack of water. The irrigation user changes the summer run-time minutes for the station that is irrigating the area, where the brown spot is observed, from 10 minutes to 13 minutes.
  • the microprocessor is programmed to warn the irrigation user when an entered value for summer run-time minutes exceeds a stored value for summer run-time minutes by an amount of 2 or more. Therefore, in this example, a warning would be issued and communicated to the irrigation user and may be communicated to an interested third party 80.
  • the microprocessor can be programmed to issue a warning when the output value that is based partly on the entered value differs from the stored value by at least a threshold amount. For example, a warning could be issued if entered values are likely to negatively impact the efficiency of the irrigation system. Therefore, the watering amounts or the watering durations (output values) of the newly generated irrigation schedules that are based partly on the change in the irrigation controller's settings (entered value), is what we are most concerned with. Most of the irrigation user's entered values can be quantified or some term can be used to define the difference between the entered values and the stored values as to the affect the entered values will have on the efficiency of the irrigation system. However, there may be some entered values, where it is difficult to define the difference between the entered value and the stored value as to the affect the entered value will have on the efficiency of the irrigation system.
  • the output values that are based partly on the entered values, it will be easy to define the difference between the output value and the stored value. For example, when the irrigation user makes a change in the irrigation controller's settings (entered value) this will generate a new irrigation schedule (step 50) that will generally result in either more or less water being applied to the irrigated site than would have been applied, if no changes had been made to the irrigation controller's settings.
  • the output value may therefore be the quantity of water applied or alternatively, the duration of an irrigation application.
  • the stored value may be the quantity of water that would have been applied or alternatively, the duration of the irrigation application had there been no entered value.
  • the output value is compared to the stored value 60. If the output value differs by at least a threshold amount from the stored value the microprocessor issues a warning 70.
  • the warning is communicated to an irrigation user and/or a third party 80. It is further contemplated that the issuing of a warning, based on an output value, may be advantageous in circumstances other than that mentioned in the previous paragraph. For example, the irrigation user makes a change to the irrigation controller's settings (entered value) and a warning is issued. However, the irrigation user ignores the warning and the entered value is not modified or changed back to the previous setting. If the entered value resulted in excessive water being applied to the irrigated site, the irrigation system will continue to apply excessive water to the irrigated site, into the future.
  • a warning may be issued whenever the output value differs from the stored value by at least a threshold amount. For example, assume the irrigation controller has been installed for at least one year and the previous years watering times are now stored in the memory. It is contemplated that the microprocessor would be programmed to issue a warning, if during the current year the output values that are based on the entered values exceed the stored values for last years run times by at least a threshold amount.
  • the "amount" by which the entered value and stored value or output value and stored value must differ may be a percent figure, a number, a threshold, or any other suitable parameter that sufficiently designates a difference between either the entered value and the stored value or the output value and the stored value. It is contemplated that the amount difference may be converted into a price figure and displayed to the irrigation user so the irrigation user is made aware that there may be an added water cost because of the value they entered.
  • the microprocessor that issues the warning is disposed in the irrigation controller.
  • the microprocessor 220, Figure 1 may be disposed in a personal computer or other suitable device that either controls the irrigation system or is coupled to the irrigation controller.
  • the irrigation user is a natural person that uses the irrigation system locally, or is responsible for local monitoring or controlling of the irrigation system at the property.
  • the irrigation user is usually the homeowner or a renter.
  • the irrigation user is usually the owner, manager, leaser, or an employee.
  • Formal title of irrigation users is not important, as the irrigation user at a commercial property may be referred to as an engineer, building supervisor, etc.
  • the third party is contemplated to be a legal person, other than the irrigation user, that has an interest in the irrigating done by the irrigation user.
  • a third party need not be a natural person, and may instead be merely a legal person such as a water district or other government agency, or a company involved in the care or management of the property.
  • the warning may be communicated to the irrigation user and the third parties through a display.
  • Displays can be any reasonable size, shape, composition, and so forth.
  • Display 250 in Figure 1 is a few inches on a side, and is an LED or liquid crystal type display.
  • Other displays may be located away from the irrigation controller, such as in a personal computer.
  • Some irrigation systems don't use automatic irrigation controllers, for example, agricultural irrigation systems and therefore the display would likely be located in a personal computer.
  • the information may be communicated to the irrigation user and third parties through means other than liquid crystal type displays, such as through printed material, audible messages, such as via a telephone system or any other suitable means that would communicate the warning to the irrigation users and third parties.
  • an irrigation system can be operated by: providing an irrigation controller with a microprocessor programmed to issue a warning when an irrigation user enters an irrigation value that is different from a stored value by at least a threshold amount; informationally coupling a warning device to the irrigation controller; and using the warning device to communicate the warning signal.
  • Preferred embodiments may include an option step of providing a printer and printing the warning signal using the printer.
  • the step of using the warning device may include sounding an audible alarm, visually displaying a warning on the display, or carrying an instruction regarding the warning signal over a computer network.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Water Supply & Treatment (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Environmental Sciences (AREA)
  • Cultivation Of Plants (AREA)

Abstract

L'invention concerne un système d'irrigation équipé d'un microprocesseur (220) programmé de manière à envoyer un avertissement lorsqu'un utilisateur d'irrigation entre une valeur d'irrigation différente d'une valeur stockée de l'ordre d'au moins une première quantité de seuil (40), ou lorsque la valeur entrée est utilisée afin d'obtenir un résultat qui est différent d'une valeur stockée de l'ordre d'au moins une seconde quantité de seuil (70). Le microprocesseur (220) est de préférence installé dans le contrôleur d'irrigation (200). L'avertissement peut se faire par n'importe quel dispositif adéquat, y compris un dispositif émetteur de son et un affichage visuel. La « valeur entrée » est de préférence directement introduite dans un contrôleur d'irrigation (200), mais elle peut également être introduite dans un ordinateur personnel ou dans n'importe quel autre dispositif adéquat. Plus précisément, les valeurs introduites prévues comprennent de nouvelles périodes d'arrosage, un changement du jour / des jours d'arrosage, et la désactivation d'un mécanisme d'accumulation. Plus précisément, les résultats prévus comprennent un nouvel horaire des périodes d'arrosage. Les valeurs de seuil peuvent inclure des différences nominales, des différences de pourcentage, des différences de lignes de tendance, et d'autres différences.
PCT/US2001/010617 2001-04-02 2001-04-02 Systeme et procede d'avertissement d'irrigation WO2002082203A1 (fr)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
PCT/US2001/010617 WO2002082203A1 (fr) 2001-04-02 2001-04-02 Systeme et procede d'avertissement d'irrigation

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
PCT/US2001/010617 WO2002082203A1 (fr) 2001-04-02 2001-04-02 Systeme et procede d'avertissement d'irrigation

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2002082203A1 true WO2002082203A1 (fr) 2002-10-17

Family

ID=21742459

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/US2001/010617 WO2002082203A1 (fr) 2001-04-02 2001-04-02 Systeme et procede d'avertissement d'irrigation

Country Status (1)

Country Link
WO (1) WO2002082203A1 (fr)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20150081113A1 (en) * 2013-07-01 2015-03-19 Skydrop, Llc Communicating with users through controller outputs

Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4209131A (en) * 1978-05-12 1980-06-24 Motorola, Inc. Computer-controlled irrigation system
US4755942A (en) * 1985-05-17 1988-07-05 The Standard Oil Company System for indicating water stress in crops which inhibits data collection if solar insolation exceeds a range from an initial measured value
US5139044A (en) * 1991-08-15 1992-08-18 Otten Bernard J Fluid control system
US5479339A (en) * 1994-09-02 1995-12-26 Miller; Ralph W. Irrigation control and management system
US5956130A (en) * 1994-05-03 1999-09-21 Aquintel Corporation Method of surgical fluid analysis
US6209576B1 (en) * 1999-08-05 2001-04-03 Dan Davis Automatic fluid flow shut-off device

Patent Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4209131A (en) * 1978-05-12 1980-06-24 Motorola, Inc. Computer-controlled irrigation system
US4755942A (en) * 1985-05-17 1988-07-05 The Standard Oil Company System for indicating water stress in crops which inhibits data collection if solar insolation exceeds a range from an initial measured value
US5139044A (en) * 1991-08-15 1992-08-18 Otten Bernard J Fluid control system
US5956130A (en) * 1994-05-03 1999-09-21 Aquintel Corporation Method of surgical fluid analysis
US5479339A (en) * 1994-09-02 1995-12-26 Miller; Ralph W. Irrigation control and management system
US6209576B1 (en) * 1999-08-05 2001-04-03 Dan Davis Automatic fluid flow shut-off device

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20150081113A1 (en) * 2013-07-01 2015-03-19 Skydrop, Llc Communicating with users through controller outputs

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
US20010049563A1 (en) Irrigation management system
US6944523B2 (en) Recording and processing utility commodity usage
US6895987B2 (en) Device that modifies irrigation schedules of existing irrigation controllers
US20030182022A1 (en) Interactive irrigation system
US8145359B2 (en) Systems and methods of reducing peak water usage
US20040015270A1 (en) Interactive irrigation system
US6947811B2 (en) Automatic adjustment of irrigation schedule according to condition of plants
US6314340B1 (en) Irrigation controller
US7203576B1 (en) Moisture sensor timer
US6950728B1 (en) Interactive irrigation system
US7317972B2 (en) Management of peak water use
US8620480B2 (en) Irrigation water conservation with automated water budgeting and time of use technology
US6892113B1 (en) Irrigation controller using regression model
US7048204B1 (en) Irrigation controller using estimated solar radiation
US20150164009A1 (en) System and method for garden monitoring and management
US20020010516A1 (en) Irrigation controller using regression model
CN102591290B (zh) 作物病虫害智能监测管理系统
US20020100814A1 (en) Method and means for controlling the functions of an irrigation system and ancillary equipment
US20210176931A1 (en) Soil sensor grid
US20230210068A1 (en) Landscaper integration
US20040089164A1 (en) Device that modifies irrigation schedules of existing irrgation controllers
JP2002233255A (ja) 散水システム
Boman et al. Control and automation in citrus microirrigation systems
JPH06141710A (ja) 緑地管理システム
WO2002082203A1 (fr) Systeme et procede d'avertissement d'irrigation

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
AK Designated states

Kind code of ref document: A1

Designated state(s): AU US

AL Designated countries for regional patents

Kind code of ref document: A1

Designated state(s): AT BE CH CY DE DK ES FI FR GB GR IE IT LU MC NL PT SE TR

DFPE Request for preliminary examination filed prior to expiration of 19th month from priority date (pct application filed before 20040101)
121 Ep: the epo has been informed by wipo that ep was designated in this application
122 Ep: pct application non-entry in european phase