Decoder systems and methods for irrigation control
AssigneeHunter Industries, Inc.
InventorPeter John Woytowitz
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An irrigation system comprises an irrigation controller that receives user input and provides a power signal and command and message data to an encoder. The encoder encodes the command and message data onto the power signal to provide a data encoded power waveform that is sent over a two-wire path. The irrigation system further comprises one or more decoders in communication with the two-wire path to receive the data encoded power waveform and one or more irrigation valves in communication with the one or more decoders. The data encoded power waveform provides power to the decoders and the decoders decode the command and message data from the data encoded power waveform to control the irrigation valves according to the user input.
Claims13
A landscape system to selectively power and activate devices along two-wire communication networks using data encoded power waveforms, the landscape system comprising:
- a landscape controller comprising:
- a processor configured to generate a control signal responsive to user information, the control signal having a first state and a second state;
- a power supply configured to receive an input power signal and provide an AC power signal;
- first driver circuitry configured to receive the control signal and the AC power signal, and output the data encoded waveforms, the first driver circuitry communicating with the processor to receive the control signal, pass the AC power signal in-phase when the control signal is in the first state and shift a invert the phase of the AC power signal when the control signal is in the second state;
- and
- second driver circuitry configured to receive the control signal and the AC power signal, and output the data encoded waveforms, the first driver circuitry communicating with the processor to receive the control signal, pass the AC power signal in-phase when the control signal is in the first state and shift a invert the phase of the AC power signal when the control signal is in the second state;
- a first two-wire communication network in communication with the landscape controller to receive the data encoded power waveform from the first driver circuitry;
- a second two-wire communication network in communication with the landscape controller to receive the data encoded power waveform from the second driver circuitry;
- at least one first decoder in communication with the first two-wire network and at least one first device, the at least one first decoder addressable over the first two-wire communication network and configured to receive the data encoded waveform and control the at least one first device in response to the data encoded power waveform;
- and
- at least one second decoder in communication with the second two-wire network and at least one second device, the at least one second decoder addressable over the second two-wire communication network and configured to receive the data encoded waveform and control the at least one second device in response to the data encoded power waveform.
A landscape controller to selectively power and activate devices along two-wire communication networks using data encoded power waveforms, the landscape controller comprising:
- a processor configured to generate a control signal responsive to user information, the control signal having a first state and a second state;
- a power supply configured to receive an input power signal and provide an AC power signal;
- and
- a plurality of bridge circuits, each bridge circuit of the plurality of bridge circuits associated with a two-wire communication network of a plurality of two-wire communication networks, each two-wire communication network independent of other two-wire communication networks of the plurality of two-wire communication networks, each bridge circuit configured to receive the control signal and the AC power signal, and to output the data encoded waveforms, each bridge circuit communicating with the processor to receive the control signal, pass the AC power signal in-phase when the control signal is in the first state, and a invert the phase of the AC power signal when the control signal is in the second state, each bridge circuit outputting the in-phase AC power signal on its associated two-wire communication network when the control signal is in the first state and outputting the phase-inverted AC power signal its associated two-wire communication network when the control signal is in the second state.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.