Wireless apparatus, system, and method for controlling a valve

A wireless water timer and valve control system, said system comprising:

• a control unit configured to be in wireless communication with a router via a network of the router;
• a valve unit configured to be in wireless communication with the control unit and configured to connect to a faucet, said valve unit including a valve that is operated wirelessly via a signal received by the control unit, wherein valve unit is dumb and configured to only open and close the valve when the control unit commands it or when a user pushes or touches a switch or a push button of the valve unit,
• said control unit being configured to communicate through said router over the Internet to a server external to the network of the router,
• said control unit being configured to operate the valve unit based at least on a schedule sent to the control unit by said server;
• said server being configured to communicate with multiple control units that are each operated by different users and to receive schedule information from each respective user via the respective user's device, wherein each respective user's device includes a mobile device or computer having a graphical user interface via which the respective user enters said schedule information, and to send said schedule to the control unit based on said schedule information, and said server being configured such that before the respective user is able to input the schedule information via the graphical user interface of the mobile device or computer, the respective user must register the control unit with a control unit serial number or ID code via the graphical user interface of the mobile device or computer, and said server being configured such that a respective user also registers the valve unit by entering a valve unit serial number or ID code via the graphical user interface of the mobile device or computer;
• said valve unit being configured to wirelessly communicate with a moisture sensor and to relay a moisture sensor status received from a moisture sensor to the control unit, and the control unit being configured to operate a valve unit based on a moisture sensor status relayed from the valve unit;
• and
• said valve unit being configured to shut off the valve if the valve unit loses contact with the control unit for a predetermined amount of time.

A wireless water timer and valve control system, said system comprising:

• a control unit configured to be in wireless communication with a router via a network of the router;
• a valve unit configured to be in wireless communication with the control unit and designed to connect to a faucet, wherein the valve unit includes a valve that is operated wirelessly via a signal received by the control unit, and wherein the valve unit is dumb and configured to only open and close the valve when the control unit commands it or when a user pushes or touches a switch or a push button of the valve unit,
• said control unit is configured to communicate through said router over the Internet to a server external to the network of the router,
• said server is configured to receive user input from a user via a user's device containing instructions for operating of the valve, and said server is configured to transmit messages to said control unit based on said user input for operating of the valve, and said control unit is configured to transmit a valve operation command signal to the valve unit based on said messages received from said server,
• said server is configured to communicate with multiple control units that are each operated by different users and is configured to a) check messages received from the control units to identify a particular control unit corresponding to a particular user from which a message is received and to b) create messages for a particular control unit corresponding to a particular user including identification of the particular control unit, and
• said server being configured such that before receiving said user input from a user via a user's device containing instructions for operating of the valve, the user must register the control unit with the server with a control unit serial number or ID code via the user's device, and further including
• said user's device including a user's mobile device,
• said user's mobile device having a wireless water timer and sprinkler system mobile software application,
• said server being configured to receive user input from a user via said user's mobile device by the user downloading and installing the wireless water timer and sprinkler system mobile software application on the user's mobile device via which the user a) creates a personal account and during setup processes b) registers i) the control unit by entering a serial number or ID code of the control unit and ii) the valve unit by entering a serial number or ID code of the valve unit,
• said system being configured such that user enters a watering schedule for valves of the valve unit via the wireless water timer and sprinkler system mobile software application of the user's mobile device that is received by the server, and the server sends the watering schedule to the user's control unit, and
• said valve unit being configured to shut off the valve if the valve unit loses contact with the control unit.