IP Library › Granted Patent US 8,930,032
Granted Patent B2
US 8,930,032 · App. 13/302,987 · Granted Jan 6, 2015

System and method for wireless irrigation control with a remote application

Inventors: Deborah Gail Shupe (Highlands Ranch, CO); Michael Edward Shupe (Highlands Ranch, CO); Jeffery Stephen Bettcher (Highlands Ranch, CO); Anthony Carlo Zambai (Parker, CO)
Assignee: ZBS Technology, LLC
A01G25/16
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,930,032
App. No.
13/302,987
Granted
Jan 6, 2015
Kind
B2
Abstract

Provided are a system and method for wireless irrigation control with a remote application. The system includes a processor and plurality of interactive zone switches for connection to at least one irrigation device; each zone switch further operable to detect a state of a connected irrigation device. Non-volatile memory is coupled to the processor and provided with executable instructions to direct operation of each interactive zone switch. There is at least one remote application to establish a schedule within the non-volatile memory for operation for each interactive zone switch and to receive the schedule from the non-volatile memory in response to a users desire to review or modify the schedule. A wireless network component is coupled to the processor and the non-volatile memory and is in communication with the remote application to schedule operation of at least one interactive zone switch and at least one irrigation device.

Claims (46)

1. A system for wireless irrigation control with remote application, comprising:

a wireless network irrigation control module having a self containing housing enclosing;

a processor;

a plurality of independently controllable interactive zone switches for connection to a plurality of remote irrigation devices, each zone switch further structured and arranged to detect a diagnostic state of each irrigation device;

a non-volatile memory coupled to the processor having processor executable instructions to direct operation of each interactive zone switch;

a wireless network component coupled to the processor and the non-volatile memory;

at least one remote application to establish a schedule within the non-volatile memory for operation for each interactive zone switch and to receive the schedule from the non-volatile memory in response to a users desire to review or modify the schedule, the application further permitting direct control of each interactive zone switch.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the diagnostic state of each of the plurality of irrigation device is selected from the group consisting of connected, disconnected, open, and closed.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the schedule within the non-volatile memory of the controller is a master schedule, a plurality of remote applications harmoniously adjusting the schedule by retrieving the master schedule from the non-volatile memory before establishing a change to the schedule and uploading a new master schedule to the non-volatile memory.

4. The system of claim 3 , where each upload of a new master schedule is an atomic transaction.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein each zone switch directly senses the state of a current applied to activate each irrigation device.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the remote application is an application in a wireless ad-hock network.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the remote application is an application in a local area network apart from an Internet.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the remote application is provided by a computer in a local area network.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the remote application is provided by at least one remote server accessed via an Internet.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the remote application is provided by a smart phone, wirelessly communicating with the wireless network irrigation control module.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the remote application is not a web browser.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein a plurality of remote applications are in communication via the wireless network component with the irrigation controlling system.

13. The system of claim 1 , wherein the remote application is structured and arranged to control a plurality of distinct irrigation controlling systems.

14. The system of claim 1 , wherein a first remote application is used by a first user and a second remote application is used by a second user.

15. The system of claim 1 , wherein the schedule permits multiple activations of each zone switch per day.

16. A method for wireless irrigation control with remote application, comprising:

providing a wireless irrigation controller irrigation controller in a self containing protective case having;

a plurality of independently controllable interactive zone switches for connection a plurality of remote irrigation devices, each zone switch further structured and arranged to detect a diagnostic state of each irrigation device;

a non-volatile memory coupled to a processor, the memory having processor executable instructions to direct the operation of each interactive zone switch;

a wireless network component coupled to the processor and the non-volatile memory;

providing at least one remote application to establish via the wireless network component a schedule within the non-volatile memory for operation of each interactive zone switch, the application further permitting direct control of each interactive zone switch; and

in response to a user's desire to review or modify the schedule, retrieving the schedule from the non-volatile memory, and displaying the schedule to the user within the application.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein a plurality of remote applications harmoniously adjust the schedule by retrieving the master schedule from the non-volatile memory before establishing a change to the schedule and uploading a new master schedule to the non-volatile memory.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein each upload of a new master schedule is an atomic transaction.

19. The method of claim 16 , wherein each zone switch directly senses the state of a current applied to activate each irrigation device.

20. The method of claim 16 , wherein the state of each irrigation device is selected from the group consisting of connected, disconnected, open, and closed.

21. The method of claim 16 , wherein the remote application and the wireless network component communicate via a wireless ad-hock network.

22. The method of claim 16 , wherein the schedule permits multiple activations of each zone switch per day.

23. A system for wireless irrigation control with remote application, comprising:

a remote scheduler structured and arranged to provide a scheduling interface upon a display, the scheduling interface permitting a user to establish a schedule for a plurality of interactive zone switches coupled to a plurality of remote irrigation devices, and to directly control each interactive zone switch;

at least one wireless network irrigation controller, comprising:

a self containing housing substantially enclosing;

a processor;

a plurality of independently controllable interactive zone switches for connection to each remote irrigation device, each zone switch further structured and arranged to detect a diagnostic state of each irrigation device;

a non-volatile memory coupled to the processor having processor executable instructions to direct operation of each interactive zone switch; and

a wireless network component coupled to the processor and the non-volatile memory and in communication with the remote scheduler to receive direct control for the interactive zone switches and to exchange the schedule for the interactive zone switches and a plurality of irrigation devices, the schedule within the non-volatile memory being a master schedule.

24. The system of claim 23 , wherein a plurality of remote schedulers harmoniously adjusting the schedule by retrieving the master schedule from the non-volatile memory before establishing a change to the schedule and uploading a new master schedule to the non-volatile memory.

25. The system of claim 24 , where each upload of a new master schedule is an atomic transaction.

26. The system of claim 23 , wherein each zone switch directly senses the state of a current applied to activate each irrigation device.

27. The system of claim 23 , wherein the schedule permits multiple activations of each zone switch per day.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 7, 2019
From: ZBS TECHNOLOGY, LLC
To: BETTCHER, JEFFERY STEPHEN
Reel/Frame 048285/0420 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 22, 2011
From: SHUPE, DEBORAH GAIL; SHUPE, MICHAEL EDWARD; BETTCHER, JEFFERY STEPHEN; ZAMBAI, ANTHONY CARLO
To: ZBS TECHNOLOGY, LLC
Reel/Frame 027271/0465 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20130131874A1 · May 23, 2013