Irrigation controller and associated methods
An irrigation controller is disclosed together with associated methods and computer program products. The irrigation controller may calculate a first estimated in-soil water level at a first point in time and a second estimated in-soil water level at a second point in time with the second point in time comprising a beginning of an impermissible watering period for one watering zone. The irrigation controller may set a watering schedule, based on an estimated irrigation rate and the difference between the second estimated in-soil water level and an in-soil water capacity, for the one watering zone of a property such that the second estimated in-soil water level is elevated to the estimated in-soil water capacity based on the estimated irrigation rate for the one watering zone during a permissible watering period immediately before the impermissible watering period.
1. An irrigation controller comprising:
a valve communications component in electronic communication with one or more processors, wherein the valve communications component is configured to generate electric signals to control one or more irrigation valves, each of the one or more irrigation valves controlling a flow of irrigation water to one or more watering zones of a property;
an in-soil water level component configured to calculate a first estimated in-soil water level for one watering zone of the one or more of the watering zones at a first point in time;
an in-soil water capacity component configured to calculate an estimated in-soil water capacity of the one watering zone;
based on received forecast weather data, a forecast evapotranspiration component configured to calculate or receive forecast evapotranspiration data for the one watering zone for an intermediate period of time extending between the first point in time and a subsequent, second point in time, the second point in time being later than the first point in time, the second point in time comprising a beginning of an impermissible watering period for the one watering zone;
a forecast precipitation component configured to receive forecast precipitation data for the one watering zone for the intermediate period of time;
the in-soil water level component being further configured to calculate a second estimated in-soil water level for the one watering zone at the second point in time based on the forecast precipitation data and the forecast evapotranspiration data;
an estimated irrigation rate component configured to determine an estimated irrigation rate for the one watering zone;
a water level difference component configured to identify a difference between the second estimated in-soil water level and the estimated in-soil water capacity for the one watering zone; and
a watering schedule component configured to set a watering schedule, based on the difference and the estimated irrigation rate, for the one watering zone such that the second estimated in-soil water level is elevated to the estimated in-soil water capacity on or before the second point in time during a permissible watering period immediately before the impermissible watering period.
2. The irrigation controller of claim 1 , further comprising a watering time compression component configured to proportionally reduce an actual watering time for each of the one or more watering zones within the property if a total desired watering time for all of the one or more watering zones exceeds a total permissible watering time within a temporal period.
3. The irrigation controller of claim 1 , further comprising a start watering time adjustment component configured to move a start time for watering away from a user-requested start time based on an analysis of permissible and impermissible watering periods.
4. The irrigation controller of claim 1 , further comprising an adjustment of in-soil water level component configured to adjust the second estimated in-soil water level when historical weather data is inconsistent with the forecast weather data.
5. The irrigation controller of claim 1 , further comprising an adjustment of in-soil water level component configured to alter an estimated in-soil water level for a point in time based at least in part on the forecast evapotranspiration data for a period of time preceding the point in time to an altered estimated in-soil water level for the point in time based at least in part on differences between the forecast evapotranspiration data for the period of time and historical evapotranspiration data for the period of time.
6. The irrigation controller of claim 1 , further comprising a catch cup component configured to receive one or more measurement values representing a quantity of water captured by each catch cup positioned within the one watering zone during a test watering period and to automatically adjust the watering schedule, without additional human intervention beyond inputting the one or more measurement values, based on the one or more measurement values.
7. The irrigation controller of claim 1 , wherein the in-soil water capacity component is configured to calculate the estimated in-soil water capacity for the one watering zone, based at least in part on user input specifying a soil type for the one watering zone.
8. A method for irrigating a property having one or more watering zones, the method comprising:
at one or more processors disposed within or in electronic communication with an irrigation controller for irrigating at least a portion of the property, calculating a first estimated in-soil water level for one watering zone of the one or more watering zones on the property at a first point in time;
at the one or more processors, calculating an estimated in-soil water capacity of the one watering zone;
at the one or more processors, based on received forecast weather data, calculating or receiving forecast evapotranspiration data for the one watering zone for an intermediate period of time extending between the first point in time and a subsequent, second point in time, the second point in time being later than the first point in time, the second point in time comprising a beginning of an impermissible watering period for the one watering zone;
at the one or more processors, receiving forecast precipitation data for the one watering zone for the intermediate period of time;
at the one or more processors, based on the forecast precipitation data and the forecast evapotranspiration data, calculating a second estimated in-soil water level for the one watering zone at the second point in time;
at the one or more processors, determining an estimated irrigation rate for the one watering zone;
at the one or more processors, identifying a difference between the second estimated in-soil water level and the estimated in-soil water capacity for the one watering zone; and
at the one or more processors, setting a watering schedule, based on the difference and the estimated irrigation rate, for the one watering zone such that the second estimated in-soil water level is elevated to the estimated in-soil water capacity on or before the second point in time during a permissible watering period immediately before the impermissible watering period.
9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising operating a sprinkling system for the property in accordance with the watering schedule.
10. The method of claim 8 , further comprising proportionally reducing an actual watering time for each of the one or more watering zones within the property if a total desired watering time for all of the one or more watering zones exceeds a total permissible watering time within a temporal period.
11. The method of claim 8 , further comprising moving a start time for watering away from a user-requested start time based on an analysis of permissible and impermissible watering periods.
12. The method of claim 8 , further comprising adjusting the second estimated in-soil water level when historical weather data is inconsistent with the forecast weather data.
13. The method of claim 8 , further comprising altering an estimated in-soil water level for a point in time based at least in part on the forecast evapotranspiration data for a period of time preceding the point in time to an altered estimated in-soil water level for the point in time based at least in part on differences between the forecast evapotranspiration data for the period of time and historical evapotranspiration data for the period of time.
14. The method of claim 8 , further comprising receiving one or more measurement values representing a quantity of water captured by each catch cup positioned within the one watering zone during a test watering period and automatically adjusting the watering schedule, without additional human intervention beyond inputting the one or more measurement values, based on the one or more measurement values.
15. A computer program product for irrigating a property having one or more watering zones, the computer program product comprising:
a non-transitory computer readable medium; and
computer program code, encoded on the non-transitory computer readable medium, configured to cause one or more processors to perform the steps of:
at the one or more processors disposed within or in electronic communication with an irrigation controller for irrigating the property, calculating a first estimated in-soil water level for one watering zone of the one or more watering zones on the property at a first point in time;
at the one or more processors, calculating an estimated in-soil water capacity of the one watering zone;
at the one or more processors, based on received forecast weather data, calculating or receiving forecast evapotranspiration data for the one watering zone for an intermediate period of time extending between the first point in time and a subsequent, second point in time, the second point in time being later than the first point in time, the second point in time comprising a beginning of an impermissible watering period for the one watering zone;
at the one or more processors, receiving forecast precipitation data for the one watering zone for the intermediate period of time;
at the one or more processors, based on the forecast precipitation data and the forecast evapotranspiration data, calculating a second estimated in-soil water level for the one watering zone at the second point in time;
at the one or more processors, determining an estimated irrigation rate for the one watering zone;
at the one or more processors, identifying a difference between the second estimated in-soil water level and the estimated in-soil water capacity for the one watering zone; and
at the one or more processors, setting a watering schedule, based on the difference and the estimated irrigation rate, for the one watering zone such that the second estimated in-soil water level is elevated to the estimated in-soil water capacity on or before the second point in time during a permissible watering period immediately before the impermissible watering period.
16. The computer program product of claim 15 , further comprising a step of operating a sprinkling system for the property in accordance with the watering schedule.
17. The computer program product of claim 15 , further comprising a step of proportionally reducing an actual watering time for each of the one or more watering zones within the property if a total desired watering time for all of the one or more watering zones exceeds a total permissible watering time within a temporal period.
18. The computer program product of claim 15 , further comprising a step of moving a start time for watering away from a user-requested start time based on an analysis of permissible and impermissible watering periods.
19. The computer program product of claim 15 , further comprising a step of adjusting the second estimated in-soil water level when historical weather data is inconsistent with the forecast weather data.
20. The computer program product of claim 15 , further comprising a step of altering an estimated in-soil water level for a point in time based at least in part on the forecast evapotranspiration data for a period of time preceding the point in time to an altered estimated in-soil water level for the point in time based at least in part on differences between the forecast evapotranspiration data for the period of time and historical evapotranspiration data for the period of time.