Remote Irrigation Control With Fault Detection for Water Waste
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Solution Overview
Problem
Inefficient irrigation methods lead to significant water waste in landscape maintenance, as businesses and individuals lack expertise and face high costs for sophisticated irrigation systems, deterring them from adopting more efficient solutions.
Innovation Solution
A remote irrigation management system that includes a central computer connected to multiple irrigation controllers, allowing for customized water application plans, real-time monitoring, fault detection, and dynamic adjustments based on weather conditions, ensuring water conservation and a guaranteed return on investment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If sophisticated irrigation systems are installed to reduce water waste, then water usage efficiency is improved, but system cost and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The irrigation system automatically monitors soil moisture levels, weather conditions, and plant water needs to self-adjust irrigation schedules without requiring expert intervention or complex manual programming, thereby reducing water waste while maintaining system simplicity
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates sensors that continuously monitor soil moisture and environmental conditions, providing real-time feedback to automatically adjust irrigation timing and duration, improving water efficiency through data-driven decisions rather than complex predetermined schedules
2Loss of energy
If expert irrigation management is implemented to conserve water, then water usage efficiency is improved, but service cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs self-diagnosis and self-adjustment of irrigation parameters based on sensor data, eliminating the need for expensive expert irrigation managers while maintaining high water efficiency through automated decision-making
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces human expert intervention with automated electronic control systems that use sensors, microcontrollers, and algorithms to manage irrigation, substituting mechanical/electronic systems for human expertise to reduce service costs
3Productivity
If remote monitoring and control systems are deployed across multiple properties, then water management efficiency is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses a standardized remote control platform that can manage multiple different irrigation systems across various properties through universal communication protocols and interfaces, improving water management efficiency across the portfolio without requiring separate complex systems for each property
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines multiple irrigation system controls into a single centralized remote platform that manages all properties through one interface, merging previously separate control functions to improve overall water management efficiency while reducing total system complexity through consolidation
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method for providing irrigation management services is disclosed. The system may include a plurality of controllers, where each controller controls application of water by an irrigation system associated with the controller. A central computer that is remote from each of the controllers may be configured to implement an irrigation management plan that is individualized to each location and based, at least in part, upon one or more characteristics of the location as determined by an on-site visit. The irrigation manager may guarantee that the system will provide a return on investment within a predefined period of time. The system may also detect faults in the irrigation systems using water usage data from the controllers and diagnose the faults. A technician may be notified and dispatched to repair the faults.