Irrigation system and method for operating thereof
AssigneeKatharina Arthur Hilton
InventorWendell Gayle Hilton
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention discloses an irrigation system comprising a plurality of valve stations that are operatively coupled with a controller operative to control the operation of the plurality of valve stations. The valve stations are grouped into a plurality of valve station groups, each group comprising at least two valve stations. The at least two valve stations are operatively coupled in parallel with a hotwire to a respective output port of the controller; and the at least two valve stations respective of the plurality of valve station groups are operatively coupled in parallel with a common wire to a corresponding input port of the controller. The controller is operative to change the operational mode of a selected one of the valve stations.
Claims20
An irrigation controller for operating a plurality of electrically activatable irrigation valve stations each having first and second electrical pole connectors, the controller comprising:
- a first set of a plurality of selectively energizeable electrical ports;
- a second set of a plurality of selectively energizeable electrical ports, each of the second set of ports configured to form an electrical circuit when connected with a port of the first set of ports;
- an electrical logic circuit configured to selectively energize or deenergize the ports of the first and second set to selectively activate or deactivate a single selected valve station of all electrically connected valve stations, when
- a) the valve stations are electrically arranged in a plurality of groups, each group containing a plurality of valve stations,
- b) the first pole of all valve stations in a group is electrically connected by a wire to a single one of the ports of the first set of ports, each group connected to a unique port of the first set of ports, and
- c) the second pole of each valve station in a group is electrically connected by a wire to a unique port of the second set of ports,
- e) one of the ports of the first set, and one of the ports of the second set, are energized or deenergized to activate or deactivate a selected valve station to thereby starts flow of water or stop of water a flow of water from at least one of the plurality of electrically activatable irrigation valve stations.
An irrigation controller for operating a plurality of electrically activatable irrigation stations each having first and second electrical pole connectors, the controller comprising:
- a first set of a plurality of selectively energizeable electrical ports;
- a second set of a plurality of selectively energizeable electrical ports, each of the second set of ports configured to form an electrical circuit when connected with a port of the first set of ports;
- an electrical logic circuit configured to selectively energize or deenergize the ports of the first and second set to selectively activate a single selected irrigation station of all electrically connected irrigation stations, when
- a) the irrigation stations are electrically arranged in a plurality of groups, each group containing a number of irrigation stations not higher in number than the number of ports in the second set,
- b) the first pole of all irrigation stations in a group is electrically connected to a single one of the ports of the first set of ports,
- c) each group of irrigation stations is electrically connected to a unique port of the first set of ports, and
- d) the second pole of each irrigation station in the group is electrically connected to a unique port of the second set of ports,
- e) one of the ports of the first set, and one of the ports of the second set, are energized to thereby start irrigation.
A method of performing irrigation using a plurality of electrically activatable irrigation valve stations each having first and second electrical pole connectors, the method comprising:
- connecting a controller to a plurality of valve stations each opened or closed during activation deactivation to start or stop a flow of water, the controller having
- a first set of a plurality of selectively energizeable electrical ports;
- a second set of a plurality of selectively energizeable electrical ports, each of the second set of ports configured to form an electrical circuit when connected with a port of the first set of ports;
- an electrical logic circuit configured to selectively energize or deenergize the ports of the first and second set to selectively activate or deactivate a single selected valve station of all electrically connected valve stations, when
- a) the valve stations are electrically arranged in a plurality of groups, each group containing a plurality of valve stations,
- b) the first pole of all valve stations in a group are electrically connected together, and to a unique port of the first set of ports with respect to the first poles of all other groups of valve stations, and
- d) the second pole of each valve station in the group is electrically connected by a wire to a unique port of the second set of ports,
- e) one of the ports of the first set, and one of the ports of the second set, are energized or deenergized to activate or deactivate a selected valve station to start or stop a flow of water.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.