Simplified interface and operation for watering systems

Abstract

To provide a watering system that provides simplified interface and operation, capable of providing a capability for intelligent control or management of a number of assets in connection with yard maintenance with the assistance or inclusion of a user terminal.SOLUTION: A user terminal 50 may be configured to communicate with a gateway 40. The gateway 40 may be configured to communicate with sensor equipment 30 including one or more sensors and watering equipment 20 via a first network. The gateway 40 may also be configured to communicate with the user terminal 50 via a second network. The user terminal 50 may include processing circuitry that is configured to provide a remote interface for communication with the sensor equipment 30 and the watering equipment 20 via the gateway 40.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] Exemplary embodiments relate generally to intelligent systems, and more particularly to a system for intelligent watering that includes components configured to facilitate easy interface and operation. [Background technology]

[0002] Soil care and maintenance tasks may include lawn care and / or landscaping tasks related to promoting growth and trimming a lawn or garden that is desired to thrive as a result of those efforts. Promoting growth generally requires the daily attention of an individual to ensure that growing conditions are suitable for plant growth and to provide the necessary care and maintenance tasks to further enhance growth. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0003] As technological capabilities improve, various devices or sensors have been developed that can be used to monitor various aspects of growing conditions. Thus, gardeners can use sensors or devices in specific locations to monitor and, if necessary, correct growing conditions. However, even with improvements in monitoring devices or sensors, gardeners are still often required to perform a relatively manual effort to place and / or operate the devices or sensors. [Means for solving the problem]

[0004] Thus, some illustrative embodiments may provide the capability for intelligent control or management of multiple resources related to yard maintenance with the assistance or incorporation of a user terminal. Thus, for example, the operation of sensor equipment and watering equipment (with or without a robotic rover) may be remotely coordinated for efficient landscaping and lawn care.

[0005] In an exemplary embodiment, a user terminal for intelligent control of yard maintenance functions is provided. The user terminal may be configured to communicate with a gateway. The gateway may be configured to communicate with sensor equipment including one or more sensors and watering equipment via a first network. The gateway may also be configured to communicate with the user terminal via a second network. The user terminal may include processing circuitry configured to provide a remote interface for communicating with the sensor equipment and watering equipment via the gateway.

[0006] In another exemplary embodiment, a system for intelligent control of yard maintenance functions is provided. The system may include a sensor device including one or more sensors disposed on a parcel of land, a watering device disposed on the parcel and configured to selectively water the parcel, a user terminal, and a gateway. The gateway may be configured to communicate with the sensor device and the watering device over a first network and with the user terminal over a second network. The user terminal may include processing circuitry configured to provide a remote interface for communicating with the sensor device and the watering device via the gateway.

[0007] Some illustrative embodiments may improve an operator's ability to maximize the beauty and productivity of their yard and garden, and may do so in a user-friendly and intuitive manner.

[0008] Having thus described the invention in general terms, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, which are not necessarily to scale. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 is a block diagram of a system according to an exemplary embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of deployed components of a system according to an illustrative embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 10 illustrates deployed components replicated for multiple water pipes according to an illustrative embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a block diagram of a processing circuit that may be used in a deployed component, according to an exemplary embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a processing circuit that may be used in a user terminal according to an exemplary embodiment. [Figure 6] 1 is a flowchart of various operations associated with controlling a watering computer in accordance with an illustrative embodiment; [Figure 7] 1 is a flow diagram of various operations associated with adding a device to a network and monitoring battery and / or connection status according to an example embodiment. [Figure 8] 1 is a flow diagram of various operations associated with monitoring the battery status of a deployed component, according to an exemplary embodiment; [Figure 9A] 1 illustrates an exemplary interface console or screen that may be generated at a user terminal according to an exemplary embodiment. [Figure 9B] 1 illustrates an exemplary interface console or screen that may be generated at a user terminal according to an exemplary embodiment. [Figure 9C] 1 illustrates an exemplary interface console or screen that may be generated at a user terminal according to an exemplary embodiment. [Figure 10] 10 is a chart for relating moisture or specific humidity ranges to corresponding cycle times for taking measurements at a sensor, according to an exemplary embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] Some exemplary embodiments will now be described more fully below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which some, but not all, exemplary embodiments are illustrated. Indeed, the examples described and depicted herein should not be construed as limiting with respect to the scope, applicability, or configuration of the present disclosure. Rather, these exemplary embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will satisfy applicable legal requirements. Like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout. Furthermore, as used herein, the term "or" should be interpreted as a logical operator that produces a true result whenever one or more of its operands are true. Additionally, the term "yard maintenance" is intended to relate to any outdoor ground improvement or maintenance-related activity and need not specifically apply to activities directly tied to grass, turf, or turf care. Thus, yard maintenance should be understood to include landscaping, lawn care, combinations thereof, and / or the like. As used herein, operably coupled should be understood to relate to a direct or indirect connection, in either case enabling functional interconnection of components operably coupled to one another.

[0011] Exemplary embodiments may provide an intelligent system for monitoring and / or maintaining yard conditions (i.e., lawn and / or garden conditions) at any of what may be multiple locations throughout a particular plot, allowing an operator to flexibly interface with devices within the system. Furthermore, devices in the system may be configured to adjust their activities and / or adapt to their environment, or at least to current conditions or stimuli present within their environment. In some cases, the actions and / or monitoring performed may be accomplished with the assistance of mobile resources, such as robotic rovers. In this regard, for example, the system may utilize a communications network to collect information about growing conditions from sensor devices and associate this information with the area in which it was collected. The system may also employ interface mechanisms that allow an operator significant flexibility in remotely controlling various components of the system and programming such components via processing circuitry in each individual component. Thus, while programming may be adjusted remotely, at least some of that programming may also be stored locally, allowing the system to operate with or without connectivity. In some cases, the connectivity aspects of the system may utilize home network components and wide area network components (e.g., the Internet), but may also include gateways configured to interface between deployed components (e.g., components within the yard / garden or otherwise related to yard maintenance) and the home network / wide area network components. As described above, processing aspects may be distributed between local and remote management components, such that some aspects of yard maintenance may utilize remote resources, or at least incorporate information obtained from the field, while other aspects may be managed locally.In any event, adaptability and ease of interface and control are attributes of the present system that are improved by using the exemplary embodiments.

[0012] Thus, the system may use any combination of fixed and / or mobile resources to collect data related to specific segments of the plot, each of which may correspond to a different area. A particular segment may have different types of plants within it and, therefore, optimally, different desirable growing conditions associated with each individual segment. The owner / operator may program operational instructions to guide the deployed components in operating within a particular segment, which may be referred to as a "zone." In some cases, the processing circuitry may be configured to allow the user to define specific operating parameters, so that the system can adapt current conditions to operate in accordance with those operating parameters. In some cases, provided an internet connection is available, the system may be used to correlate desired growing conditions with identified plants based on stored information associated with each plant from a database or online resource. Thus, each zone may have corresponding growing condition parameters associated with it, and a user may view the growing condition parameters associated with various areas and program the operation of system components in connection with maintaining desired growing conditions (e.g., moisture levels, temperature, lighting levels, pH, and / or the like) for the corresponding zone. In some cases, schedules between deployed components may be avoided or otherwise coordinated to prevent damage to components, ineffective use of resources, or substantially reduced performance. Deployed components associated with a zone may provide reports and / or alerts to an operator via the gateway, allowing the operator to intervene in certain situations, or the components may simply respond and notify the operator of their response via the gateway.

[0013] FIG. 1 illustrates a block diagram of a system 10 that may be used to accomplish the basic operations described above, according to an exemplary embodiment. Within the context of FIG. 1, it should be understood that certain tasks, such as mowing, applying chemicals, visual monitoring, and / or the like, may be performed by a robot or robotic rover 15. Because the system may operate without the robotic rover 15, the robotic rover 15 is shown in dashed lines in FIG. 1. Robots or other devices may also be involved in performing certain other yard maintenance tasks, such as raking, fertilizing, lighting, placing wildlife, and / or the like.

[0014] Other tasks, such as watering the lawn, may be performed by sprinkler heads and / or a watering computer interfacing with the sprinkler heads. The sprinkler heads may be attached to hoses, and the watering computer may provide a central shut-off valve for the hoses to control the on / off watering at each sprinkler head location. The hoses, sprinkler heads, and / or watering computer may together form watering equipment 20.

[0015] Meanwhile, various sensors may be used to monitor soil or other growing conditions (e.g., light levels, moisture levels, pH, temperature, video or image data, etc.) by inserting such sensors into the soil. Accordingly, these sensors may be understood to take various forms within system 10. Generally speaking, however, the sensors may have a connection to system 10 to enhance the operation of system components based on soil and / or growing condition information collected by the sensors. Regardless of the particular configuration or deployment paradigm, various sensors may represent sensor equipment 30 as described above.

[0016] The sensor device 30, and possibly one or more of the devices that make up the watering device 20, may communicate with the gateway 40 via wired or wireless connections. The gateway 40 may in turn have a wired or wireless connection to an access point (AP) 45, which may be directly or indirectly connectable to a user terminal 50. The AP 45 may be a router in an operator's home network. In some cases, the direct connection of the AP 45 to the user terminal 50 may be provided by a short-range wireless communication method (e.g., Bluetooth, WiFi, and / or the like). The indirect connection of the AP 45 to the user terminal 50 may occur via a network 60. Network 60 may be a data network (e.g., a local area network (LAN), a metropolitan area network (MAN), a wide area network (WAN) (e.g., the Internet), a wireless personal area network (WPAN), and / or the like) that may couple devices (e.g., deployed components) and devices such as processing elements (e.g., personal computers, server computers, or the like) and / or databases such as user terminals 50. Communication between network 60 and other devices in system 10 may be achieved by either wired or wireless communication mechanisms and corresponding communication protocols. Thus, for example, some or all of the sensors of sensor equipment 30, watering equipment 20, and / or robotic rover 15 may be connected to user terminal 50 by wired and / or wireless communication means.

[0017] Although the robotic rover 15 is shown separately in Figure 1, it should also be understood that the robotic rover 15 may function as one or both of a portion of the sensor equipment 30 and a portion of the watering equipment 20. However, the robotic rover 15 is shown separately in Figure 1 given that the ability of the robotic rover 15 to function as one or both of a portion of the sensor equipment 30 and a portion of the watering equipment 20, and the ability of the robotic rover 15 to perform other tasks (e.g., mowing grass), may be combined with or independent of the sensor equipment 30 and the watering equipment 20.

[0018] The gateway 40 may be a translation agent configured to interface with any or all of the deployed components via wired or wireless communications. In some embodiments, the gateway 40 may include a high-performance antenna to enable the gateway 40 to communicate wirelessly with the deployed components via an 868 mHz wireless link (e.g., a first wireless link). However, in other cases, other wireless links may be used. The first wireless link and the components connected by the first wireless link may be part of a first network (e.g., a backyard network) or deployed component network that extends outdoors. Components within the home or business and extending to the user terminal 50 may form a second network. Thus, the gateway 40 may be a translation agent between the first network and the second network. The gateway 40 may be an aggregation point and communication center for communications in both networks.

[0019] Thus, gateway 40 may be provided within an operator's home or other indoor environment, still in wireless communication with deployed components (via a first wireless link) to translate instructions from the operator to the components, which may be provided to AP 45 via a second wireless link. In an exemplary embodiment, the wireless communication may be secured by using encryption or other security techniques. Gateway 40 may also provide secure cloud data storage through its connection to network 60 (e.g., via AP 45). In some examples, the first and second wireless links may be different wireless links using different communication protocols and / or frequencies.

[0020] The gateway 40 may also provide the ability for an operator to interface with the user terminal 50, such as by using the user terminal 50 to monitor, control, program, or otherwise interact with each of the deployed components. In particular, in some cases, the user terminal 50 may be configured to run an application (or app) adapted for easy setup and / or providing an easy-to-use interface for interacting with the gateway 40 (and corresponding deployed components reachable through the gateway 40). Accordingly, the user terminal 50 may be a smartphone or other mobile terminal, a laptop computer, a PC, or other computing / communication device. As such, the user terminal 50 may include processing circuitry enabled to interface with corresponding processing circuitry of the gateway 40 and / or the deployed components to program, control, or otherwise interact with the deployed components in a manner described in more detail below.

[0021] Interaction between the user terminal 50 and the gateway 40 to facilitate programming, control, or interaction with the deployed components can create an interactive, fully connected garden system for irrigation and / or mowing control / regulation. Apps that can run on the user terminal 50 can be configured for real-time or programmatic control of any or all of the deployed components. The resulting system can be a holistic, connected, and automated garden system. Additionally, connection to content on the Internet via the network 60 can allow educational content to be integrated into the system's operation, providing the operator with an improved interface and more control over achieving a satisfying landscaping experience.

[0022] 2 and 3 illustrate water movement paths that may be implemented with respect to exemplary embodiments. However, it should be understood that some of the components may be removed in simpler exemplary embodiments, and some components may be added in other exemplary embodiments to provide more complex architectures. Thus, the examples of FIGS. 2 and 3 are not provided to be limiting with respect to the components included in the system, but merely to illustrate various examples of some components that may be included in one exemplary system. Furthermore, it should be understood that FIG. 3 is illustrated merely to show one way in which multiple water supply pipes may be provided to serve a plot or yard. The fact that FIG. 3 shows only two water pipes is not intended to suggest that the exemplary embodiment may operate with only two pipes. To the contrary, the exemplary embodiment may be implemented with any number of pipes and separate and / or different water sources.

[0023] 2 and 3, the water source 100 may be used to fill a first water line 110 via a watering computer 120. In some cases (see FIG. 3), the water source 100 may also fill a second water line 112 via a second watering computer 122. The first water line 110 and the second water line 112 may each be a flexible watering hose or a garden hose. The first watering computer 120 and the second watering computer 122 may each be one of the deployed components forming one component of the watering device 20 of FIG. 1. The first watering computer 120 and the second watering computer 122 may be attached directly to the water source 100 such that the water source 100 is a faucet or tap supplied with a pressurized water supply in a home or other structure. However, in other examples, hoses or other connectors may be provided between the first watering computer 120 and the second watering computer 122 and the water source 100. An example of such an alternative connector is shown in FIG. 3, which illustrates an example in which a splitter 125 is provided to divide water between a first watering computer 120 and a second watering computer 122, and a first water pipe 110 and a second water pipe 112, which may otherwise be identical or similar to each other in their assembly and operation.

[0024] In the exemplary embodiment, one or more sprinklers (e.g., first sprinkler 130 and second sprinkler 132) may receive water from first water conduit 110 and second water conduit 112, respectively. First water conduit 110 may be selectively filled to provide water for spraying from first sprinkler 130 under the control of first irrigation computer 120. Similarly, second water conduit 112 may be selectively filled to provide water for spraying from second sprinkler 132 under the control of second irrigation computer 122. When first water conduit 110 is filled, first sprinkler 130 is provided with pressurized water to be dispensed therethrough, and second sprinkler 132 may similarly be provided with water depending on the operation of second irrigation computer 122. First sprinkler 130 and second sprinkler 132 may typically be components that are not provided with any local intelligence. Instead, first sprinkler 130 and second sprinkler 132 may be controllable to turn their watering functions on and off only through the operation of first irrigation computer 120 and second irrigation computer 122, respectively. However, first sprinkler 130 and second sprinkler 132 may, in some cases, have intelligent components and / or control aspects provided therein.

[0025] One or more sensors (e.g., first sensor 140 and second sensor 142) may also be provided at various locations within the section served by the sprinklers to detect or sense conditions proximate the corresponding sensor. First sensor 140 and second sensor 142 may each correspond to a respective one of first sprinklers 130 and second sprinklers 132, and an app on user terminal 50 may be configured to note such correspondence so that information received from each one of first sensor 140 or second sensor 142 may be correlated to action that may be commanded to first watering computer 120 or second watering computer 122, if necessary, based on this information.

[0026] In some examples, some of the deployed components may include a power source (P / S) 150 local to the corresponding deployed component. Each component's P / S 150 may be a battery or battery pack. Each powered deployed component may also include a communications circuit (C / C) 160 including processing circuitry for controlling the individual respective component and an antenna for enabling the deployed component to communicate with gateway 40 via a first wireless link (or alternatively, via a wired connection). Robotic rover 15 may also be an example of a deployed component, and thus robotic rover 15 may also include a P / S 150 and a C / C 160. However, it should be understood that the various power source and communications circuitry components may have different sizes, structures, and configuration characteristics.

[0027] First watering computer 120 and second watering computer 122 may each further include a valve 170 that may be operated to isolate and operably couple water source 100 from first water line 110 and / or second water line 122, respectively. Valve 170 may be operated based on instructions received through gateway 40 or based on schedule information stored or otherwise accessible via C / C 160 of first watering computer 120 or second watering computer 122. First watering computer 120 and second watering computer 122 may provide facilities for operation of system 10. This is because first watering computer 120 and second watering computer 122 can be controlled from any location and / or at any time via an app on user terminal 50, by programming a schedule in user terminal 50, or by manually directing the operation of first watering computer 120 and second watering computer 122. However, in some cases, the app can also be used to program watering computer 120 for automatic operation of valve 170 based on sensor data received from first sensor 140 or second sensor 142.

[0028] In an exemplary embodiment, C / C 160 may include processing circuitry 210, as shown in FIG. 4. Processing circuitry 210 may be configured to process data, perform control functions, and / or perform other processing and management services in accordance with exemplary embodiments of the present invention. In some embodiments, processing circuitry 210 may be embodied as a chip or chip set. In other words, processing circuitry 210 may comprise one or more physical packages (e.g., chips) containing materials, components, and / or wiring on a structural assembly (e.g., baseboard). This structural assembly may provide physical strength, size conservation, and / or electrical interaction limitations for the component circuits contained thereon. Thus, processing circuitry 210 may, in some cases, be configured to implement embodiments of the present invention on a single chip or as a single “system-on-chip.” As such, in some cases, a chip or chip set may constitute a means for performing one or more operations to provide the functionality described herein.

[0029] In an exemplary embodiment, processing circuitry 210 may include one or more instances of processor 212 and memory 214, which may communicate with or otherwise control device interface 220. As such, processing circuitry 210 may be embodied as a circuit chip (e.g., an integrated circuit chip) configured (e.g., by hardware, software, or a combination of hardware and software) to perform the operations described herein. In some embodiments, processing circuitry 210 may communicate with first and second watering computers 120 and 122, first and second sensors 140 and 142, and / or internal electronic components of robotic rover 15, and enable external communication with other components.

[0030] Device interface 220 may include one or more interface mechanisms for enabling communication with other devices via gateway 40. In some cases, device interface 220 may be any means, such as a device or circuit embodied in either hardware or a combination of hardware and software, configured to receive data from and / or transmit data to gateway 40, such that device interface 220 can send and receive messages via gateway 40. In some exemplary embodiments, device interface 220 may provide an interface for communication with components of system 10 or outside of system 10 via gateway 40. If C / C 160 is for a sensor, device interface 220 may further interface with the sensor (e.g., a temperature sensor, a pH sensor, a light sensor, a moisture sensor, and / or the like) to obtain sensor data for communication to another device (e.g., a watering computer). On the other hand, if C / C 160 is for a watering computer, device interface 220 may provide an interface to other on-board components (e.g., a user interface including lights and main buttons as described below).

[0031] Processor 212 may be embodied in several different ways. For example, processor 212 may be embodied as various processing means, such as one or more of a microprocessor or other processing element, a coprocessor, a controller, or various other computing or processing devices (e.g., an integrated circuit such as an ASIC (application-specific integrated circuit), an FPGA (field-programmable gate array), or the like). In an exemplary embodiment, processor 212 may be configured to execute instructions stored in memory 214 or otherwise accessible to processor 212. Thus, whether configured by hardware or a combination of hardware and software, processor 212 represents an entity (e.g., physically embodied in a circuit, in the form of processing circuit 210) capable of performing operations according to embodiments of the present invention, and may be configured accordingly. Thus, for example, if processor 212 is embodied as an ASIC, FPGA, or the like, processor 212 may be hardware specifically configured to perform the operations described herein. Alternatively, as another example, if processor 212 is embodied as an executor of software instructions, the instructions may specifically configure processor 212 to perform the operations described herein.

[0032] In exemplary embodiments, processor 212 (or processing circuit 210) may be embodied as, include, or otherwise control C / C 160. As such, in some embodiments, processor 212 (or processing circuit 210) may be said to cause each of the operations described in connection with C / C 160 (and corresponding distributed components with which C / C 160 is associated) by directing C / C 160 to undertake the corresponding function in response to execution of instructions or algorithms that configure processor 212 (or processing circuit 210) accordingly. As an example, C / C 160 of a sensor may be configured to detect environmental parameters (e.g., sensor data) and report the sensor data to gateway 40 via a first wireless link (and ultimately to an app on user terminal 50 or to storage in the cloud via network 60). In some cases, the sensor C / C 160 may be configured to determine the difference between a previous set of sensor data (e.g., the magnitude of a previous sensor measurement) and a current set of sensor data (e.g., the magnitude of the most recent sensor measurement). This amount of difference may then be used to determine whether the sensor should report the current set of sensor data. If the difference is small (e.g., less than a threshold amount), the sensor may not report new values. However, if the difference is sufficiently large (e.g., greater than a threshold amount), the sensor may report new values. As such, the sensor C / C 160 may be configured to implement battery conservation techniques in connection with reporting sensor data. The sensor C / C 160 may also be configured to report sensor data (or make a determination as to whether to report based on the criteria discussed above) on a given schedule or in response to certain activities or events. When a trigger event occurs (e.g., a temporal trigger or an action-based trigger), the sensor C / C 160 may make a determination of the current sensor data and determine whether to report the sensor data.

[0033] The irrigation computer C / C 160 may be configured to control the operation of the valve 170 based on schedule information stored locally in the memory 214 of the C / C 160. The irrigation computer C / C 160 may also allow changes to be made to the execution of schedules, other programming operations, and / or real-time control over the position of the valve 170. Thus, for example, an operator may be enabled to remotely monitor the current valve 170 position and / or programming settings and make changes to either. In some embodiments, the irrigation computer C / C 160 may be programmed to water when sensor data is received that falls within or exceeds certain ranges or thresholds. Thus, for example, if sensor data indicates that soil moisture is below a given threshold, the irrigation computer may be configured to open the valve 170 to provide water to the sprinklers.

[0034] The C / C 160 of the robotic rover 15 may be configured to control the movement and operation of the robotic rover 15. Additionally, the C / C 160 of the robotic rover 15 may enable the gateway 40 to allow user access to modify the schedule of operation of the robotic rover 15 and / or to exercise real-time control over various operations of the robotic rover 15. In an exemplary embodiment, the app on the user terminal 50 may be used to adjust watering schedules and mowing schedules and / or avoid collisions. Additionally or alternatively, when an operator makes changes to the schedule or exercises real-time control of one or more components, the app on the user terminal 50 may provide warnings to indicate that the proposed changes to the schedule or current operation may be problematic, or may prevent such changes from being made. Thus, for example, if the robotic rover 15 is mowing in an area where sensors indicate low soil moisture values ​​that would normally trigger the opening of valve 170 via programming the watering computer, a warning may be provided to indicate that the robotic rover 15 should change its operation or that the opening of valve 170 may be delayed.

[0035] In an exemplary embodiment, a deployed electronic component (e.g., a component having P / S 150) may further include a reset button 230 provided in a secure portion thereof. In some cases, the reset button 230 may be provided in or near the battery compartment of the corresponding device. The reset button 230 may trigger different functions through programming of the processing circuit 210 for different corresponding situations and / or methods of operation. For example, a short press of the reset button 230 may cause the corresponding device to enter pairing mode. Once in pairing mode, the device may be discoverable by the gateway 40 and / or other devices for a given period of time. An app on the user terminal 50 may be used to discover devices in pairing mode, and once discovered, the app may be used to pair the device with another device (e.g., of the first network, i.e., the deployed component network). As a result, the gateway 40 and the corresponding device C / C 160 may be able to communicate with each other over the first wireless link continuously, event-driven, or on a scheduled basis. Thus, for example, the first sensor 140 may be configured to provide sensor data to the first irrigation computer 120 (e.g., via the gateway 40). In some cases, the first sensor 140 may be paired with the first irrigation computer 120 via a setup procedure and then communicate on a scheduled or activity / event-driven basis. In some cases, a simple battery replacement or insertion for power-up may be an additional or alternative method for initiating pairing mode.

[0036] In some cases, a long press of the reset button 230 (e.g., pressing the reset button 230 for more than five seconds) may result in the device being restored to its factory settings. In that manner, the contents of the memory 214 may be erased or otherwise reset to an initial factory setting or state. Other functions may also or alternatively be provided. Furthermore, some devices may have additional buttons or operable members. For example, the first irrigation computer 120 may have a main button on the housing of the first irrigation computer 120, as described in more detail below.

[0037] Communication between the gateway 40 and the sensors or watering computers may occur for pairing purposes and to facilitate operational activities for which the system 10 is ultimately configured. Thus, for example, an operator may use an app on the user terminal 50 to connect to the gateway 40 and may be provided with one or more control consoles or interface screens that provide options for interacting with and / or programming the deployed components. In some cases, initial setup of the system may be facilitated by placing each deployed component (sequentially or simultaneously) into pairing mode. As a result, the deployed components become discoverable via a first wireless link and may be added to the first network. Once added to the first network, the deployed components may be considered resources of the first network with which they can interact / be programmed and / or the like. The deployed components may then be paired with each other and configured for individual and / or cooperative functional performance.

[0038] In an exemplary embodiment, first irrigation computer 120 may be paired with second irrigation computer 122, robotic rover 15, and / or first sensor 140. When first irrigation computer 120 is paired with and connected to first sensor 140, an operator may have options provided (e.g., via an app) to select instructions or scheduling options for intelligent irrigation. Thus, first irrigation computer 120 may be instructed regarding a particular stimulus that may be received from first sensor 140 to trigger the opening of valve 170. Additionally, first irrigation computer 120 may be provided (e.g., in memory 214) with a schedule or list of event triggers that cause first irrigation computer 120 to “ping” or otherwise attempt to communicate with the first sensor to initiate communications to receive sensor data. Based on the received sensor data (e.g., whether a certain threshold parameter has been reached or not), the valve 170 may be opened.

[0039] When the first watering computer 120 is paired with and connected to the robotic rover 15, automatic adjustment of the schedule may be achieved, at least in connection with ensuring that mowing and watering do not occur in the same area at the same time. The app on the user terminal 50 may ensure that it is not possible to schedule mowing during a watering period (or vice versa). However, provided that an operator can take control of the watering computer and / or the robotic rover 15 and initiate operation, the app on the user terminal 50 may further prevent any attempt to initiate operation of the watering computer or the robotic rover 15 in real time when the other is operating in the same area.

[0040] When a first watering computer 120 is paired with and connected to a second watering computer 122, watering schedules or operations can be adjusted to manage or prevent under-pressure situations. For example, as shown in FIG. 3 , when the first watering computer 120 and the second watering computer 122 are connected to a splitter 125, there may be insufficient water pressure to effectively fill both the first water line 110 and the second water line 112 simultaneously. Thus, by allowing the first watering computer 120 and the second watering computer 122 to communicate with each other, the operation of one can be communicated to the other (e.g., via gateway 40) so that the second watering computer 122 does not open its valve 170 while the first watering computer 120 is currently engaged in a watering operation.

[0041] The deployed components of various exemplary embodiments may be adaptive to various conditions or situations. Furthermore, the adaptive nature of the deployed components may be provided as programmable functions, in which case an operator may use the user terminal 50 to program specific adaptive behaviors that are adjustable parameters, relationships, or responses. In the context of some examples, the programmable functions should be understood to be remotely programmable via the gateway 40 (i.e., programmable from an app and / or user terminal 50 that is remote from the component being programmed). In other examples, the adaptive nature of the deployed components may be provided as default functions. Thus, the adaptive capabilities of the deployed components may be connection-dependent (e.g., connection-dependent) for remote programming, or connection-independent (e.g., default programming exists or is provided in the absence of connection or in response to loss of connection).

[0042] In some embodiments, battery power levels are communicated to the gateway 40, and signal strength values ​​associated with communications with the sensors and / or irrigation computers may also be determined at the gateway 40. This information (along with sensor data) may be provided to an app on the user terminal 50 to alert an operator when battery power or signal strength is low. Battery replacement and / or sensor relocation may then be undertaken to remedy the situation. As described above, in some cases, sensors may also adaptively trigger reporting in response to their surroundings. In an exemplary embodiment, the irrigation computer may ping the sensor via the gateway 40 to attempt to trigger reporting of sensor data. However, the sensor may be configured to determine (e.g., via the C / C 160) the amount of change in the requested parameter before determining whether to respond to the ping. In some embodiments, a change of at least a certain amount or percentage (e.g., 5%) may be required before the sensor reports sensor data via wireless transmission. Because wireless transmission consumes more power than internal operations (e.g., determining the amount of change and current sensor data), battery life can be substantially extended by saving some transmission cycles when there are few data changes. If a ping is sent and no response is received, the most recently received value can be substituted and communicated to the operator (e.g., via an app).

[0043] The operator may wake up the irrigation computers and / or sensors by sending a ping or wake-up message to either component via the app. The wake-up message may be used to verify whether the device is still responsive and active, or to request specific data from or initiate actions in real time on such components. Additionally, in some cases, the operator may send a wake-up or setup signal to cause the corresponding device to transmit a beacon for at least a predetermined period of time (e.g., three minutes). During this time, these devices may be deployed, and the operator may check the app to see what signal strength is detected by the gateway 40. Thus, the operator can deploy these devices in real time and ensure that the location where a device is currently installed is a good location in terms of its ability to communicate with the gateway 40.

[0044] In some embodiments, one or more of the deployed components may further include frost warning capabilities. In particular, it should be understood that because a water distribution computer typically has pressurized water near valve 170, freezing of water within the body of the water distribution computer can be harmful to valve 170. Accordingly, C / C 160 of one or more components (particularly the water distribution computer) may be configured to identify potential frost conditions that could damage the water distribution computer. In some embodiments, if the temperature reaches a predetermined threshold interval (e.g., 5 degrees Celsius or approximately 5.6 degrees Celsius (10 degrees Fahrenheit)) from freezing, an alert may be issued (e.g., via an app on user terminal 50) to alert an operator that damage to the water distribution computer (and / or sensors) should be avoided. The predetermined threshold may be factory-set or may be set by the operator. In either case, however, the ability to identify current temperature conditions and alert an operator to a possible frost event is another example of how deployed components can be configured (by operator programming or by default) to be adaptive to their surroundings and / or conditions.

[0045] Another example of the adaptability of deployed components relates to the inability to connect to or loss of connectivity to the first network. For example, while the watering schedule may be maintained in the cloud, on user terminal 50, or elsewhere, in some cases, the watering schedule (or at least a portion thereof) may be stored locally at the watering computer. For example, memory 214 may be configured to record at least the most recently used watering schedule information. Thus, if power is lost at gateway 40 or another system component, thereby causing connectivity to be disabled, first watering computer 120 and second watering computer 122 may each store information indicative of at least their respective most recently used watering schedule. Thus, for example, if a first watering computer 120 opens valve 170 at 1300 and closes it at 1305, while a second watering computer 122 opens its valve 170 at 1305 and closes it at 1318, if a connection to the watering schedule cannot be achieved or the connection is lost, each of the first watering computer 120 and the second watering computer 122 will continue watering at the previously provided schedule.

[0046] In an exemplary embodiment, the user interface for the system may be provided primarily through a user terminal 50. As described above, the user terminal 50 may be a mobile device (e.g., a smartphone) or a fixed terminal (e.g., a PC). However, the user terminal 50 may also be other devices, such as a tablet, laptop computer, and / or the like. In any case, the user terminal 50 may be configured to provide a simple and intuitive interface for allowing an operator to control the operation of the system 10. FIG. 5 shows a block diagram of some components of the user terminal 50 that may configure the user terminal to provide an app for control of the system 10.

[0047] As shown in FIG. 5, user terminal 50 may include processing circuitry 310, processor 312, memory 314, and device interface 320, which may be similar in form and / or function to processing circuitry 210, processor 212, memory 214, and device interface 220 described above. The specific structure, form, and size of such components may differ. However, the overall capabilities may be similar, and therefore these components will not be described again in detail. Instead, it should be understood that these components are generally similar except for variations in their specific configuration, content, and structure. As shown in FIG. 5, user terminal 50 may further include a user interface 330 and an operation manager 340.

[0048] The user interface 330 (if implemented) may communicate with the processing circuit 310 to receive indications of user input at the user interface 330 and / or to provide audible, visual, mechanical, or other output to the user. To that end, the user interface 330 may include, for example, a display (e.g., a touchscreen display), one or more buttons or keys (e.g., function buttons or a keyboard), and / or other input / output mechanisms (e.g., a microphone, mouse, speaker, cursor, joystick, light, and / or the like). The user interface 330 may be configured to provide warnings, alerts, and / or notifications to a user or operator in response to various trigger conditions detected (e.g., via the sensor device 30 or other components). System malfunctions, damage to or tampering with the equipment, theft of the equipment, and other component-related stimuli may also be defined as triggers for generating warnings, alerts, and / or notifications. In some cases, user interface 330 may be configured to generate such warnings, alerts, and / or notifications in response to plant growing conditions being out of specification or recommended ranges, or in response to system components having schedule or operational conflicts. This notification may be provided regarding general status, current conditions, and / or the like. This warnings, alerts, and / or notifications may be generated by lights, sounds, visual displays, or other devices that may be connected to or part of operation manager 340. In some cases, this notification may be provided by text message or email.

[0049] In an exemplary embodiment, processing circuitry 310 may be configured to process data, perform control functions, and / or perform other processing and management services in accordance with exemplary embodiments of the present invention. As such, it may be understood that processing circuitry 310 may be configured to control or be embodied as operation manager 340. Operation manager 340 may be configured to receive sensor information from sensor devices 30 and / or watering devices 20 and make decisions regarding information to be provided to an owner / operator and / or instructions to be provided to sensor devices 30 and / or watering devices 20. Processing circuitry 310 may, in some cases, process status information received from sensor devices 30 and compare the status information to growing condition parameters stored in memory 314 for a given zone.

[0050] In an exemplary embodiment, memory 314 may be configured to store information, data, applications, instructions, or the like to enable operation manager 340 to perform various functions in accordance with exemplary embodiments of the present invention. For example, memory 314 may be configured to buffer input data for processing by processor 312. Additionally or alternatively, memory 314 may be configured to store instructions for execution by processor 312. As yet another alternative, memory 314 may include one or more databases that may store a variety of data sets in response to input from a sensor network. Among the contents of memory 314, applications may be stored for execution by processor 312 to perform functions associated with each individual application. In some cases, these applications may include an application for generating a control console to provide options for control of the system. In some cases, these applications may also or alternatively include an application for receiving information regarding component activity / status, environmental parameters, schedule information, device pairings, and / or the like, allowing operation manager 340 to define responses to that information (e.g., based on predefined programming or user input). Those information / parameters may be entered by an operator, received from deployed components, or extracted or retrieved from a database or source accessible via the internet based on input of the ID of the plant vegetation in a given zone.

[0051] Thus, operation manager 340 may provide an interface mechanism for control of the operation of, for example, the watering computer. FIG. 6 illustrates a block diagram of one example of operations that may be facilitated by operation manager 340, according to an illustrative embodiment. As shown in FIG. 6, the watering computer (WC) may initially be closed, and user terminal 50 may present a control console (or a series of control consoles) through which an operator can provide instructions to initiate the operations of FIG. 6. In operation 400, an instruction to open the watering computer's valve (i.e., valve 170) may be provided. Then, in operation 402, a determination may be made as to whether robotic rover 15 is active in the area (or at all). If robotic rover 15 is active, in operation 404, an alert may be issued in user interface 330 of user terminal 50. The operator may then determine whether to allow the valve to open in operation 406. If the operator decides not to open the valve, flow returns to the initial state. If the operator decides to allow the valve to open anyway (e.g., by overriding or ignoring the alarm), then the operator may be asked to enter the duration for which the valve will be open in operation 408. Note that instead of entering a duration, the operator may also have the option to cancel at this point to return to the initial state.

[0052] Assuming the duration has been entered, an activation signal may be issued from the user terminal to the watering computer in operation 410 to command the valve to open. As a result, the valve may remain open until the duration expires, at which point the valve may close and the flow may return to its initial state. However, in operation 412, the operator may insert a command to manually close the valve. A determination may then be made in operation 414 as to whether this manual closure is before or overlaps with the scheduled start time. If this manual closure (off-schedule) defines an end time that is before the next scheduled start time, the schedule may be maintained in operation 416, and the valve may close in operation 420, causing the flow to return to its initial state ready to open again according to the schedule. However, if this manual valve closure corresponds to a scheduled start time, then this schedule may be skipped at operation 418 and the valve may close at operation 420, returning the flow to the initial state ready to open again when the next scheduled open time arrives. On the other hand, from the initial state, if the scheduled open time is reached at operation 422, the valve may open at the corresponding time at operation 410 and close as the time expires at operation 424. Similarly, from the initial state, if the valve opening is triggered by sensor data at operation 426, the valve may open at operation 410 and then close after a predetermined period of time has expired at operation 424 or if a condition is met at operation 428. It should be noted that the operator may manually open or close the valve 170 by operating a local button on the watering computer. If a manual (local) operation is performed, the actions described above may still occur, and the time the valve remains open (or until the next programmed opening) may again be defined by the schedule information entered into the action manager 340.

[0053] In some cases, the irrigation computers (e.g., first irrigation computer 120 and second irrigation computer 122) may include a limited user interface in the form of a main button and a light assembly provided on their front panel. The light assembly may include three LEDs, which may be capable of continuously or flashing red, green, and yellow. These LEDs may serve to provide status information associated with attempts to pair the irrigation computer with another device, battery status, valve status, and / or the like. FIG. 7 illustrates a block diagram of some operations associated with performing a pairing operation and how information is displayed on the irrigation computers during such operations.

[0054] In an exemplary embodiment, the user interface 330 of the user terminal 50 is used to initially provide a control console option for adding devices to the first network so that they can be discovered by the gateway 40 and recognized by the operation manager 340. In this manner, the irrigation computer may be added in operation 500. If pairing mode is initiated for the irrigation computer in operation 502 (e.g., by inserting a battery into a deployed component, by pressing a reset button, or by selecting an option on the user terminal 50), the irrigation computer may be discovered by the gateway 40, which may communicate the discovered irrigation computer's ID to the user operation manager 340, so that information indicative of the discovered irrigation computer may be displayed in the user interface 330. In operation 504, a determination is made as to whether pairing is possible. If the irrigation computer is discovered and capable of pairing, a green flashing LED light output may be provided (at the irrigation computer) in operation 506. The user interface 330 of the user terminal 50 may additionally or alternatively provide an indication of the detection of the watering computer. If the gateway 40 is unable to locate the watering computer, then in operation 508 a red LED light output may be generated for a predetermined duration (e.g., 20 continuous seconds).

[0055] Once the gateway 40 discovers the irrigation computer and is able to pair with it, the LED light output during pairing mode (which may last for three minutes or some other predetermined period) may be changed to a signal strength indicator. Again, a similar indication may be provided at the user terminal 50. If the signal strength is strong (e.g., above a threshold amount), the LED light output may remain green at operation 510. If the irrigation computer is a sufficient distance away, is shielded from communication with the gateway 40, or otherwise has signal strength below the threshold, the LED light output may change to yellow at operation 512. In both cases, the color may remain lit for 20 seconds or some other predetermined period. However, if the gateway 40 loses contact with the irrigation computer, flow may proceed from operation 504 to operation 508, and the LED light output may again become red.

[0056] In some examples, the signal strength indication may only be presented for a given period of time (e.g., 20 seconds). After the given period of time has expired, an LED light output may generally indicate the battery status of the watering computer at operation 514. The battery status may be provided only if a query is received to preserve battery life. However, the battery status indication may also indicate that a connection to gateway 40 is still available. Thus, the connection status may be monitored at operation 516, and if the connection is lost, a red flashing LED light output may be presented at operation 518.

[0057] In an exemplary embodiment, battery capacity may be checked at any time, remotely or locally. FIG. 8 illustrates several operations that may be associated with such activity. In an exemplary embodiment, a battery check may be initiated in operation 530 via the operation manager 340 by interacting with the operation manager 340 at the user terminal 50, or via the main button on the irrigation computer itself. A check is then performed on the battery status of the irrigation computer's battery pack in operation 532. If the battery capacity is estimated to be greater than four weeks, the LED light output may indicate (or flash) green for 20 seconds in operation 534. If the battery capacity is less than four weeks but greater than two weeks, the LED light output may indicate yellow by flashing for 20 seconds in operation 536. If the battery capacity is less than two weeks, the LED light output may indicate red by flashing for 20 seconds in operation 538. If the valve is in the off position, the LED light output may be a continuous red (only responsive to pings) in operation 540.

[0058] In some exemplary embodiments, the robotic rover 15 may be configured to operate within an area defined by boundary wires or in some other manner. The robotic rover 15 then moves around within the bounded area to ensure that the entire area is serviced. The robotic rover 15 may operate to mow grass on a parcel (i.e., a plot of land) or in a zone, the boundaries of which may be defined using one or more physical boundaries (e.g., fences, walls, curbs, and / or the like), learned positional boundaries, boundary wires, or a combination thereof. The robotic rover 15 may be controlled, at least in part, through on-board control circuitry. This control circuitry may include, among other things, the ability to detect boundary wires in order to redirect the robotic rover 15 to other areas within the parcel. This control circuitry may also control a positioning module that uses GPS, radio beacon triangulation, odometry, or other means to determine location (e.g., its own location or the location of an encountered device).

[0059] In an exemplary embodiment, the robotic rover 15 may be battery-powered via one or more rechargeable batteries. Accordingly, the robotic rover 15 may be configured to return to a charging station, which may be located at a location on a parcel, to recharge the batteries. The batteries may power the drive system and function control system of the robotic rover 15. However, the control circuitry of the robotic rover 15 may selectively control the provision of power or other control signals to the drive system and / or function control system to direct operation of the drive system and / or function control system. Thus, the movement and operation of the robotic rover 15 on a parcel may be controlled by the control circuitry in a manner that allows the robotic rover 15 to systematically traverse the parcel while operating to perform functions on the parcel's work area. In some embodiments, the control circuitry may be configured to wirelessly communicate with the user terminal 50 via the gateway 40 to allow an operator to exercise control over the operation of the robotic rover 15 via the operation manager 340. As such, an operator may be enabled to remotely provide programming instructions or exercise real-time control of one or more aspects of the operation (e.g., mowing, positioning, etc.) of the robotic rover 15 through the first network and the second network.

[0060] As described above, the operation manager 340 may be configured to provide interface mechanisms for control of the operation of the watering computers. In some cases, these interface mechanisms may be provided via one or more control consoles or display screens that allow an operator to interact with, request, or view data obtained via the gateway 40. As such, the operation manager 340 may interact with components of the second network to access the gateway 40, which translates whatever communication protocol is used in the second network into the corresponding protocol of the first network (e.g., the garden network) to access information for display on the user terminal 50. However, the operation manager 340 may also interact in a similar manner with the gateway 40 to provide programming instructions to the robotic rover 15, watering computers, sensors, and / or the like of deployed components that are part of the first network. Additionally, the operation manager 340 may enable real-time control or data extraction to occur. The operations manager 340 may also receive alerts or warnings from deployed components relating to battery status, signal status, weather-related alerts (e.g., frost alerts), and / or the like.

[0061] FIG. 9, including FIGS. 9A-9C, illustrates several example interface screens or control consoles that may be provided by operations manager 340 in some embodiments. FIG. 9A shows a basic start screen illustrating the app's home page 600. The app may display a general sensor data section 610, which may display current garden conditions (e.g., temperature, lighting conditions, soil moisture, pH, and / or the like). In some cases, the app may also display device status information 620, which may show each device in the first network along with corresponding status information (e.g., battery status, operational status, and / or the like). In an exemplary embodiment, an option to add a new device may also be provided in box 630.

[0062] In some cases, selecting the sensor data section 610 (or an individual sensor) may provide various individual or collective screens showing the status of each sensor. FIG. 9B shows an exemplary sensor status screen 650 that may be accessed in response to selecting the sensor data section 610. In some embodiments, the sensor status screen 650 may include a current sensor data section 660 that may display current sensor data. A historical sensor data section 670 may also be provided to show past data over a given period of time (which may be user-selectable). Settings adjustment options 680 may also be provided to allow the operator to select various sensor settings. Sensor settings may relate to trigger points for triggering the watering computer, pairing activity, signal strength, battery level, identification of nearby plant types, identification of soil types, and / or the like.

[0063] In some embodiments, a robotic rover or irrigation computer may be selected and controlled in the same manner as described above for sensors. That is, after adding a device (e.g., via the add new device box 630), the device may be paired in the manner described above. As a result, the device and its status may appear as a selectable device in the device status information 620. FIG. 9C shows an example device status screen 700 for a irrigation computer. After pairing, or at any time after a device is added, corresponding settings may be provided for the device. The settings may include an indication of signal strength (e.g., for placement and setup) at 710, options for pairing with sensors at 720, or options for schedule adjustment (including manual initiation) at 730. If the device is a robotic rover 15, an additional option for selecting a camera view (e.g., in real time) may also be provided. Additionally, the operation manager 340 may be further configured to store image data for images captured by the robotic rover 15. In some cases, the operations manager 340 may store such images in a library of images that can be selected and reviewed by an operator via the user terminal 50 .

[0064] In some embodiments, additional design features may be used to attempt to avoid unnecessary measurements and, therefore, unnecessary energy consumption. For example, in some cases, the C / C 160 of the sensor 140 may be configured with an intelligent measurement cycle. The intelligent measurement cycle may be adaptive based on the results of previous measurements. For example, the intelligent measurement cycle may be adaptive based on the results of the most recent measurement and / or the results of multiple measurements immediately prior to the current situation. In the context of an intelligent measurement cycle, the measurement interval may be extended for various conditions. For example, if the soil moisture level is high, the measurement interval may be increased because moist soil is generally considered good for plants. For drier soil, the measurement interval may be decreased to avoid not detecting rain or manual watering. In an exemplary embodiment, a soil moisture measurement may be taken before a planned (e.g., system-programmed) irrigation event, regardless of the results of previous measurements. This may ensure that the land condition is known before an irrigation decision is made.

[0065] In some cases, multiple cycle times may be defined for various corresponding moisture content levels or specific humidity ranges. For example, a chart such as that shown in FIG. 10 may be provided to define corresponding cycle times 800 for different moisture or humidity ranges 810. In this chart, value ranges are simply listed as TBD to indicate that any desired ranges may be entered for these values. An interface provided by the operations manager 340 may be used to define these values. While several corresponding example cycle times 800 are listed, these are merely exemplary and not intended to be limiting. Furthermore, it should be understood that in some cases, a mathematical functional relationship between soil moisture and cycle time may be defined in lieu of a chart. In this manner, in some cases, even more precise adjustment of cycle time may be possible.

[0066] Accordingly, embodiments of the present invention may be implemented using one or more devices, such as the devices depicted in Figures 1-5. Thus, an exemplary embodiment system may include a sensor device having one or more sensors disposed on a parcel of land, a watering device disposed on the parcel and configured to selectively apply water to the parcel, and a gateway configured to provide communication with the sensor device and the watering device. The gateway may interface between a first network and a second network. The first network may include at least the watering device and the sensor device. The system may also include a user terminal comprising a processing circuit configured to provide a remote interface for communicating with the sensor device and the watering device via the gateway.

[0067] The system may further include a similarly adaptively configured robotic rover. In an exemplary embodiment, the watering equipment may include a watering computer comprising a valve assembly. The watering computer may be operably coupled to the water source and the water pipe, whereby the valve assembly may be operable by the watering computer to alternately couple the water source to the water pipe and isolate the water source from the water pipe. In some embodiments, provision is made for setup of the sensor equipment and the watering equipment by enabling pairing of the sensor equipment and the watering equipment with each other and with the gateway. In an exemplary embodiment, the processing circuit may be configured to provide an interface for current sensor data and historical sensor data. Alternatively or additionally, the processing circuit may be configured to provide an interface for adding new devices to the first network and an interface for displaying device status. Alternatively or additionally, the processing circuit may be configured to provide an interface for system setup comprising an indication of signal strength of devices of the first network to the gateway. Alternatively or additionally, the processing circuit may be configured to provide an interface for adjusting the watering schedule of the watering computer. Alternatively or additionally, the processing circuitry may be configured to enable remote coordination of the operation of the robotic rover with the operation of the irrigation computer. Alternatively or additionally, the processing circuitry may be configured to provide alerts to an operator based on battery status, schedule conflicts, and weather issues. In an exemplary embodiment, the battery status of the irrigation computer is displayable at the user terminal via the processing circuitry. Alternatively or additionally, the connection status of the irrigation computer may be displayable at the user terminal via the processing circuitry.

[0068] Many modifications and other embodiments of the inventions set forth herein will suggest themselves to one skilled in the art to which these inventions pertain having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing descriptions and the associated drawings. It is therefore to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the particular embodiments disclosed, and that modifications and other embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims. Furthermore, while the foregoing description and associated drawings describe exemplary embodiments in the context of certain illustrative combinations of elements and / or features, it is to be understood that different combinations of elements and / or features may be provided in alternative embodiments without departing from the scope of the appended claims. In this regard, for example, combinations of elements and / or features different from those expressly described above are also contemplated as being set forth in some of the appended claims. When advantages, benefits, or solutions to problems are described herein, it is to be understood that such advantages, benefits, and / or solutions may be applicable to some, but not necessarily all, exemplary embodiments. Therefore, any advantage, benefit, or solution described herein should not be considered essential, required, or essential for all embodiments or for all that are claimed herein. Although specific terms are employed herein, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation.

Claims

[Claim 1] a sensor device (30) comprising one or more sensors (140, 142) disposed on a parcel of land; a watering device (20) disposed in the compartment and configured to selectively apply water to the compartment; A user terminal (50); A system (10) comprising a gateway (40) configured to communicate with the sensor device (30) and the watering device (20) having a watering computer via a first network, and to communicate with the user terminal (50) via a second network, The user terminal (50) comprises a processing circuit (310) configured to provide a remote interface for communicating with the sensor device (30) and the watering device (20) via the gateway (40); the sensor device collects plant growth condition information, including at least one of moisture level, temperature, light level, and pH, associated with plants within a particular segment of the compartment; The user terminal (50) further comprises a user interface configured to generate at least one of an alert, a warning, and a notification in response to the plant growing conditions being out of specification or outside of a recommended range; the watering computer has a user interface for a user to manually control the watering computer even when the remote interface is available; the user interface of the irrigation computer includes a main button and a light assembly provided on a front panel of the irrigation computer; The user interface of the watering computer is controlled so that the main button can be manually operated to open or close a valve to start or stop watering; The system (10), wherein the light assembly is configured to provide status information associated with an attempt to pair the watering computer with another device, a battery, or a valve.

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