Open architecture modularity for irrigation controllers

A modular irrigation controller for controlling the operation of an irrigation system having valves, sensors, and the like, said controller comprising:

• a controller protective housing;
• a base unit mounted within said housing and including a control panel removably mounted to the housing and a back plane circuit board permanently mounted in the housing, said control panel including a releasable connection to said back plane circuit board and including a first microprocessor for sending control signals to said back plane circuit;
• a base module removably mounted within said housing and electrically coupled with said back plane circuit board, said base module including drivers and output switches for actuating irrigation valves in accordance with control signals received from said first microcontroller;
• and
• at least one expansion module removably mounted within said housing and electrically coupled with said back plane circuit board, said expansion module including a second microcontroller capable of communicating with said first microcontroller, and a plurality of drivers and output switches coupled with said second microcontroller for actuating irrigation system valves, said first and second microcontrollers operating together to control the operation of an irrigation system.

An expandable modular irrigation controller for controlling the operation of an irrigation system having valves, sensors and the like, said controller comprising:

• a controller protective housing having a rear cabinet portion and a front cover door, which together define an enclosed interior space, said cover door being openable to permit access to the interior space;
• a base controller unit mounted within said enclosed interior space and including a control panel removably mounted to the rear cabinet portion and a back plane circuit board permanently mounted to the rear cabinet portion;
• said control panel including:
• a releasable electrical connection with said back plane circuit board;
• a first microprocessor for receiving and storing irrigation program information and sending control signals to said back plane circuit through said releasable electrical connection;
• operational controls and indicators for permitting a user to input irrigation program information into said first microcontroller;
• and
• a battery coupled with said first microcontroller to provide electrical power to said first microcontroller when said control panel is removed from said housing, whereby said control panel can be completely removed from said housing and taken to a remote location for inputting and storing irrigation program information into said microcontroller through said operational controls;
• a base module removably mounted within said rear cabinet portion and electrically coupled with said back plane circuit board, said base module including a plurality of drivers and output switches for actuating irrigation valves in accordance with control signals received from said first microcontroller;
• and
• a plurality of expansion modules removably mounted within said rear cabinet portion and electrically coupled with said back plane circuit board, each of said expansion modules including a second microcontroller capable of communicating with said first microcontroller, and drivers and output switches coupled with said second microcontroller for actuating irrigation system valves, said first and second microcontrollers operating together in order to carry out irrigation system operations not capable of being performed by said first microcontroller alone.

An irrigation controller for controlling the operation of an irrigation system having valves, sensors, and the like, said controller comprising:

• a controller protective housing within which is mounted a base unit and a base module;
• said base unit including a control panel removably mounted to the housing and a back plane circuit board permanently mounted in the housing, said control panel being electrically coupled with said back plane circuit board by a releasable connector, and including a first microprocessor for sending control signals to said back plane circuit through said releasable connector;
• said back plane circuit board including a plurality of discrete output connector sets for transmitting signals from said first microcontroller;
• said base module being removably connected to a first one of said plurality of back plane circuit board output connector sets, and having drivers and output switches for actuating irrigation valves in accordance with control signals received from said first microcontroller;
• and
• a battery coupled with said first microcontroller to provide electrical power to said first microcontroller when said control panel is removed from said housing, whereby said control panel can be completely removed from said housing and taken to a remote location for inputting and storing irrigation program information into said microcontroller.

An expandable modular irrigation controller for controlling the operation of an irrigation system having valves, sensors, and the like, said controller comprising:

• a controller protective housing within which is mounted a base unit, a base module, and at least one expansion module;
• said base unit including a control panel mounted to the housing and a back plane circuit board permanently mounted in the housing, said control panel including a first microprocessor for sending control signals to said back plane circuit;
• said back plane circuit board including a plurality of discrete output connector pin sets for receiving signals from said first microcontroller and transmitting the received signals to modules contained within the housing;
• said base module being connected to a first one of said back plane circuit board output connector pin sets, and having drivers and output switches for actuating irrigation valves in accordance with control signals received from said first microcontroller;
• said at least one expansion modules having electrical connector sets for electrically coupling said expansion module with a second of said back plane circuit board output connector pin sets, and having output connectors for connection to the irrigation valves, sensors and the like;
• said expansion module including a second microcontroller capable of communicating with said first microcontroller, and a plurality of drivers and output switches coupled with said second microcontroller for actuating irrigation system valves, said first and second microcontrollers operating together to carry out irrigation system operations not capable of being performed by said first microcontroller alone;
• and
• a smart module electrically connected to a third of said back plane circuit board output connector pin sets, said smart module including a third microcontroller capable of communicating with said first microcontroller and operating together with said first microcontroller to control the operation of a variety of irrigation functions contained in the first microcontroller program that can not be performed by said base module and said expansion modules.