# US 12,213,416 B2 · Auto-assignment of devices of a multi-wire irrigation control system to irrigation zones > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,213,416 B2 - Document ID: US12213416B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/513,172 - Filed: 2023-11-17 - Published: 2024-03-14 - Granted: 2025-02-04 - Earliest claimed: 2021-05-14 - Assignees: Rain Bird Corporation - Applicants: Rain Bird Corporation - Inventors: Harvey J. Nickerson; Larry J. Martin - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12213416B2 ## CPC - A01G 25/16: Control of watering - A01G 25/167: {Control by humidity of the soil itself or of devices simulating soil or of the atmosphere; Soil humidity sensors} - A01G 25/165: {Cyclic operations, timing systems, timing valves, impulse operations} - G05B 19/0423: {Input/output} - H04L 61/00: Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming - H04L 61/5038: for local use, e.g. in LAN or USB networks, or in a controller area network [CAN] - G05B 2219/2625: Sprinkler, irrigation, watering - A01G: HORTICULTURE; CULTIVATION OF VEGETABLES, FLOWERS, RICE, FRUIT, VINES, HOPS OR SEAWEED; FORESTRY; WATERING (picking of fruits, vegetables, hops or the like A01D46/00; propagating unicellular algae C12N1/12) - G05B: CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS (systems for controlling or regulating non-electric variables G05D; systems for regulating electric or magnetic variables G05F; control devices or systems insofar as characterised by mechanical features only G05G) - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) ## Abstract In some embodiments, apparatuses and methods are provided herein useful to use with irrigation devices connected to a multi-wire path in an irrigation system. In some embodiments, there is provided a system for use with irrigation devices including a control circuit and an application including computer program code configured to be executed by the control circuit to perform steps. The steps includes obtaining a listing of unique addresses not already assigned to irrigation zones, each unique address corresponding to a respective one of the irrigation devices, the irrigation devices connected to the multi-wire path of the irrigation system; and assigning each unique address of the listing of unique addresses sequentially to available irrigation zones. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An irrigation control unit for use with irrigation devices connected to a multi-wire path in an irrigation system comprising: a control circuit; and an application comprising computer program code configured to be executed by the control circuit to perform steps comprising: obtain a listing of unique addresses not already assigned to irrigation zones, each unique address corresponding to a respective one of the irrigation devices, the irrigation devices connected to the multi-wire path of the irrigation system; and assign each unique address of the listing of unique addresses sequentially to available irrigation zones. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The irrigation control unit of claim 1, wherein the steps further comprise: sort the listing of unique addresses not already assigned to the irrigation zones into an ordered listing of unique addresses; and wherein the assign step comprises assign each unique address of the ordered listing of unique addresses sequentially to the available irrigation zones. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The irrigation control unit of claim 1, wherein the steps further comprise determine the listing of unique addresses not already assigned to the irrigation zones. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The irrigation control unit of claim 1, wherein the steps further comprise: receive a listing of all unique addresses detected as being connected to the multi-wire path; and remove unique addresses already assigned to a respective irrigation zone from the listing of all unique addresses resulting in the listing of unique addresses not already assigned to the irrigation zones. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The irrigation control unit of claim 1, wherein the available irrigation zones comprise one or both of: one or more irrigation zones that have not yet been assigned to any unique address, and one or more lost irrigation zones that were previously assigned to a unique address of an irrigation device that is no longer connected to the multi-wire path. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The irrigation control unit of claim 1, wherein the assign each unique address step comprises assign each unique address of the listing of unique addresses sequentially to the available irrigation zones starting with a lowest value of the available irrigation zones assigned to a lowest value of the listing of unique addresses. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The irrigation control unit of claim 1, wherein the assign each unique address step comprises assign each unique address of the listing of unique addresses sequentially to the available irrigation zones such that a unique address corresponding to a master valve is assigned a lowest number of the available irrigation zones. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The irrigation control unit of claim 1, wherein the steps further comprise output control signals to cause a display of the listing of unique addresses having been assigned to the available irrigation zones via a user interface. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The irrigation control unit of claim 1, further comprising a user interface. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The irrigation control unit of claim 1, wherein the steps further comprise: receive user input via a user interface, the user input indicating to change an irrigation zone assignment of a first irrigation zone assigned to a first unique address to a second irrigation zone assigned to a second unique address; and switch the irrigation zone assignment such that the first irrigation zone is assigned to the second unique address and the second irrigation zone is assigned to the first unique address. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The irrigation control unit of claim 1, wherein the steps further comprise receive user input via a user interface, the user input indicating to change an irrigation zone assignment of a first irrigation zone assigned to a first unique address. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The irrigation control unit of claim 1, wherein the steps further comprise receive user input via a user interface, the user input indicating to remove an irrigation zone assignment of a first irrigation zone assigned to a first unique address, such that the first unique address is not assigned to an irrigation zone. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The irrigation control unit of claim 12, wherein the steps further comprise receive additional user input via the user interface, the additional user input indicating to assign the first unique address to an available irrigation zone. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The irrigation control unit of claim 1, further comprising a user interface configured to receive a first user input causing the control circuit to execute the steps. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The irrigation control unit of claim 1, wherein the steps further comprise initiate execution of an automated device discovery process to detect all unique addresses of devices connected to the multi-wire path, wherein the listing of unique addresses not already assigned to the irrigation zones matches a listing of all unique addresses detected as being connected to the multi-wire path or is a subset of the listing of all unique addresses detected as being connected to the multi-wire path. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The irrigation control unit of claim 1, further comprising: a signal modulator configured to provide an output power signal modulated with data; and a multi-wire interface coupled to the signal modulator and configured to electrically couple to the multi-wire path extending into a landscape and to which the irrigation devices are connected, the irrigation devices each configured to derive operational power from the output power signal and demodulate the data, wherein an automated device discovery process causes the signal modulator to modulate data comprising iterations of discovery messages on the output power signal, the discovery messages each indicating a respective portion of an address to match and prompting a response from one or more of the irrigation devices in which a corresponding portion of the unique address matches the respective portion of the address to match, and wherein responses to each iteration of a discovery message result in a modification of the respective portion of the address to match for subsequent discovery messages, and wherein the automated device discovery process ends when a complete unique address is matched for each of the irrigation devices connected to the multi-wire path. ### Claim 17 A method for use with irrigation devices connected to a multi-wire path in an irrigation system comprising: executing, by a control circuit of an irrigation control unit of the irrigation system, a computer program code of an application to perform steps comprising: obtaining a listing of unique addresses not already assigned to irrigation zones, each unique address corresponding to a respective one of the irrigation devices, the irrigation devices connected to the multi-wire path of the irrigation system; and assigning each unique address of the listing of unique addresses sequentially to available irrigation zones. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the steps further comprise: sorting the listing of unique addresses not already assigned to the irrigation zones into an ordered listing of unique addresses; wherein the assigning of each unique address step comprises assigning each unique address of the ordered listing of unique addresses sequentially to the available irrigation zones. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the steps further comprise determining the listing of unique addresses not already assigned to the irrigation zones. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the steps further comprise: receiving a listing of all unique addresses detected as being connected to the multi-wire path; and removing unique addresses already assigned to a respective irrigation zone from the listing of all unique addresses resulting in the listing of unique addresses not already assigned to the irrigation zones. ### Claim 21 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the available irrigation zones comprise one or both of: one or more irrigation zones that have not yet been assigned to any unique address, and one or more lost irrigation zones that were previously assigned to a unique address of an irrigation device that is no longer connected to the multi-wire path. ### Claim 22 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the assigning of each unique address step comprises assigning each unique address of the listing of unique addresses sequentially to the available irrigation zones starting with a lowest value of the available irrigation zones assigned to a lowest value of the listing of unique addresses. ### Claim 23 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the assigning of each unique address step comprises assigning each unique address of the listing of unique addresses sequentially to the available irrigation zones such that a unique address corresponding to a master valve is assigned a lowest number of the available irrigation zones. ### Claim 24 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the steps further comprise outputting control signals to cause a display of the listing of unique addresses having been assigned to the available irrigation zones via a user interface. ### Claim 25 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the executing of the computer program code is initiated by a user input via a user interface. ### Claim 26 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the steps further comprise: receiving user input via a user interface, the user input indicating to change an irrigation zone assignment of a first irrigation zone assigned to a first unique address to a second irrigation zone assigned to a second unique address; and switching the irrigation zone assignment such that the first irrigation zone is assigned to the second unique address and the second irrigation zone is assigned to the first unique address. ### Claim 27 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the steps further comprise receiving a user input via a user interface, the user input indicating to change an irrigation zone assignment of a first irrigation zone assigned to a first unique address. ### Claim 28 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the steps further comprise receiving a user input via a user interface, the user input indicating to remove an irrigation zone assignment of a first irrigation zone assigned to a first unique address, such that the first unique address is not assigned to an irrigation zone. ### Claim 29 (depends on 28) The method of claim 28, wherein the steps further comprise receiving an additional user input via the user interface, the additional user input indicating to assign the first unique address to an available irrigation zone. ### Claim 30 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the steps further comprise receiving, via a user interface, a first user input causing the control circuit to execute the steps. ### Claim 31 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the steps further comprise initiating execution of an automated device discovery process to detect all unique addresses of devices connected to the multi-wire path, wherein the listing of unique addresses not already assigned to the irrigation zones matches a listing of all unique addresses detected as being connected to the multi-wire path or is a subset of the listing of all unique addresses detected as being connected to the multi-wire path. ### Claim 32 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the steps further comprise: providing, by a signal modulator, an output power signal modulated with data; and electrically coupling, at a multi-wire interface coupled to the signal modulator, to the multi-wire path extending into a landscape and to which the irrigation devices are connected, the irrigation devices each configured to derive operational power from the output power signal and demodulate the data, wherein an automated device discovery process causes the signal modulator to modulate data comprising iterations of discovery messages on the output power signal, the discovery messages each indicating a respective portion of an address to match and prompting a response from one or more of the irrigation devices in which a corresponding portion of the address matches the respective portion of the address to match, and wherein responses to each iteration of a discovery message result in a modification of the respective portion of the address to match for subsequent discovery messages, and wherein the automated device discovery process ends when a complete unique address is matched for each of the irrigation devices connected to the multi-wire path.