Irrigation control utilizing water authority data
AssigneeRachio, Inc.
InventorsChristopher Michael Klein, Franz David Garsombke, Matthew B. Reisman
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Disclosed embodiments can provide a system and method for controlling irrigation schedules for a sprinkler system for at least one irrigation zone. The embodiments include automatically updating irrigation schedules based at least in part on watering restriction data from a water authority, such as a water utility authority, and water usage data for a property including the at least one irrigation zone.
Claims20
A method of generating an irrigation schedule for a sprinkler controller associated with a first landscape characteristic, the method comprising:
- receiving, by a processor, watering restriction data from a database associated with a water authority;
- receiving, by the processor, a second irrigation schedule for a second sprinkler controller, wherein the second sprinkler controller is associated with at least a second landscape characteristic;
- comparing, by the processing element, the first landscape characteristic and the second landscape characteristic to determine a similarity between the first landscape characteristic and the second landscape characteristic, wherein determining the similarity is based at least in part on a favorable qualitative indicator associated with one of the first landscape characteristic or the second landscape characteristic;
- generating, by the processor, the irrigation schedule for the sprinkler controller based at least in part on the watering restriction data and the similarity between the first landscape characteristic and the second landscape characteristic;
- and
- transmitting, by the processor, the irrigation schedule to the sprinkler controller, wherein the sprinkler controller actuates one or more sprinkler valves based on the irrigation schedule.
A sprinkler system comprising:
- a sprinkler valve that controls water flow to an irrigation zone, the irrigation zone associated with a first landscape characteristic;
- a meter data collection device associated with a water authority that collects water usage data for a property including the irrigation zone;
- a central controller that generates an irrigation schedule based at least in part on the water usage data, watering restriction data from a database of the water authority, and a comparison of the first landscape characteristic and a second landscape characteristic for a second irrigation schedule for a second irrigation zone, wherein the central controller determines a similarity between the first landscape characteristic and the second landscape characteristic, and wherein determining the similarity is based at least in part on a favorable qualitative indicator associated with one of the first landscape characteristic or the second landscape characteristic;
- and
- a sprinkler controller configured to control the sprinkler valve based at least in part on the irrigation schedule.
A central controller for generating irrigation schedules for a sprinkler controller for an irrigation zone, the central controller comprising:
- a processor configured to:
- receive water usage data associated with the sprinkler controller and a first landscape characteristic associated with the sprinkler controller;
- receive water restriction data associated with the irrigation zone;
- receive a second irrigation schedule for a second sprinkler controller, wherein the second sprinkler controller is associated with at least a second landscape characteristic;
- comparing, the first landscape characteristic and the second landscape characteristic to determine a similarity between the first landscape characteristic and the second landscape characteristic, wherein determining the similarity is based at least in part on a favorable qualitative indicator associated with one of the first landscape characteristic or the second landscape characteristic;
- generate an irrigation schedule for the sprinkler controller based, at least in part, on the water usage data, the water restriction data and the similarity between the first landscape characteristic and the second landscape characteristic;
- and
- transmit the irrigation schedule to the sprinkler controller.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.