Radio-Linked Irrigation Controllers for Complex Multi-Zone Scheduling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional irrigation controllers struggle to efficiently manage complex irrigation systems with varying plant life, soil types, and slopes, making it difficult to design and implement irrigation systems in areas such as landscaping on roadways and historic areas.
Innovation Solution
A centralized irrigation control system incorporating a central controller, satellite controllers, field transmitters, and microprocessor-based control modules with radio adapters, enabling remote management and coordination of irrigation schedules across a wide geographic area, including battery-operated modules that can operate independently and integrate with existing systems.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional program-based irrigation controllers are used, then irrigation scheduling can be implemented, but the programming becomes increasingly complex as the area to be irrigated increases and variations in plant life, soil type, and slope increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the irrigation control into multiple independent components: a central controller that manages overall scheduling and multiple satellite controllers that handle local zone execution. This segmentation allows complex irrigation areas to be broken down into manageable zones, each with its own controller that can be independently programmed and adjusted, reducing the overall programming complexity while maintaining adaptability to variations in plant life, soil type, and slope across different areas.
2Area of stationary object
If irrigation systems are designed for complex areas with large variations, then coverage area increases, but it becomes complicated to design and implement the irrigation system
Solution Approach 1:
The system architecture segments the irrigation network into a central controller and multiple satellite controllers, allowing large complex areas to be divided into smaller manageable zones. Each satellite controller can be independently designed and implemented for specific zones with particular plant life, soil type, and slope characteristics, making the overall system design and implementation more straightforward despite covering extensive varied terrain.
Solution Approach 2:
The central controller acts as an intermediary that coordinates between the master control system and multiple satellite controllers. It manages the distribution of irrigation schedules and data across the network, enabling complex irrigation areas to be controlled through a hierarchical structure that simplifies both design and implementation by providing a central point of management while allowing local autonomy at the satellite controller level.
3Ease of operation
If centralized control is implemented for wide geographic areas, then coordination improves, but system complexity and installation difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The control system is segmented into a central controller for remote management and multiple satellite controllers for local execution. This segmentation enables centralized coordination of irrigation schedules across wide geographic areas while keeping individual satellite controllers relatively simple in design, as they only need to execute received schedules locally rather than managing the entire system.
Solution Approach 2:
The satellite controllers are designed as universal units that can be deployed in multiple zones across the irrigation system. Each satellite controller performs the same core function of receiving and executing irrigation schedules, making them interchangeable and simplifying installation and configuration. This multi-functionality allows the same hardware design to serve various zones with different irrigation needs, reducing system complexity while maintaining centralized coordination capability.
Data Source
AI summary
Some embodiments provide irrigation systems comprising: a central irrigation controller; a radio module; a control module; and a radio adaptor in communication with the control module; where the control module comprises: a processor, a first communication interface, and one or more valve drivers, where the control module is configured to implement irrigation commands in implementing at least a portion of irrigation programming such that the one or more valve drivers are each configured to control a different irrigation valve in accordance with the irrigation programming; and the radio adapter comprises: a second communication interface communicationally coupled with the first communication interface, and a wireless radio frequency transceiver configured to provide wireless communication with the radio module where the radio adapter is configured to relay information between the radio module and the control module.