Intelligent environmental sensor for irrigation systems

A regulator system for regulating the operation of an irrigation system, responsive to user programmed information, comprising

• a) a control element for issuing watering control signals to an irrigation system, comprising both (i) a rainfall detection sensor which is capable of sensing whether rain is currently falling or a rate of rainfall, and which wirelessly transmits control signals to the control element responsive to a rain currently falling condition, and (ii) a rainfall accumulation sensor which is capable of sensing a quantity of accumulated rainfall, and which wirelessly transmits a watering signal or a watering suspension signal to the control element;
• wherein each of the signals from the rainfall detection sensor and the rainfall accumulation sensor are independently recognized by the control element and independently cause a response by the control element;
• b) an irrigation system interface for connecting said control element with the irrigation system;
• c) a switch for conveying the control signals from the control element to the irrigation system via the irrigation system interface, for either permitting or prohibiting watering by the irrigation system, responsive to the control signals generated by and received from the control element.

A regulator system for regulating the operation of an irrigation system, responsive to user programmed information, comprising:

• a) a control element for issuing watering control signals to an irrigation system, comprising at least one of (i) a duration programming device for programming a minimum amount of time and a maximum amount of time for the suspension of watering by the irrigation system, and (ii) a user adjustable temperature programming device for programming a minimum allowed temperature for initiating a watering period by the irrigation system;
• b) an irrigation system interface for connecting said control element with the irrigation system;
• c) a switch included in said control element for conveying the control signals from the control element to the irrigation system via the irrigation system interface, for either permitting or prohibiting watering by the irrigation system, responsive to the control signals generated by and received from the control element;
• and,
• d) a rainfall accumulation sensor in communication with said control element, said rainfall accumulation sensor being capable of measuring a quantity of accumulated rainfall;
• and wherein said control element transmits a watering signal or a watering suspension signal to the irrigation system responsive to a quantity of accumulated rainfall condition.

A system for regulating an irrigation system comprising:

• an environmental sensor control assembly having at least one environmental sensor and a microprocessor device;
• said microprocessor device having a watering suspension routine;
• said watering suspension routine receiving signals from said at least one environmental sensor for determining whether to suspend watering of said irrigation system based on said signals;
• said watering suspension routine receiving manual inputs from a user setting a maximum and a minimum period within which said routine can suspend watering of said irrigation system in response to said signals;
• said environmental sensor control assembly being a separate and distinct unit from, and connectable to, an existing stand-alone central controller of said irrigation system.

A method of regulating an irrigation system comprising:

• manually inputting a minimum and maximum irrigation suspension time into an environmental sensor control assembly;
• generating at least one environmental signal based on the sensing of an environmental condition with at least one environmental sensor;
• determining whether irrigation should be suspended based on said at least one environmental signal;
• generating an irrigation suspension signal using said sensor control assembly;
• communicating said irrigation suspension signal to a preexisting stand-alone controller of said irrigation system, said stand-alone controller being separate and distinct from said sensor control assembly;
• causing said preexisting stand-alone controller to suspend irrigation for a period of time based on said minimum and maximum irrigation suspension times manually input into said sensor control assembly.