PC-Programmed Irrigation Control System

Abstract

A free-standing field irrigation controller is selectively programmed by a personal computer over a radio link. The computer is equipped with software that displays a screen with seven horizontal time bands representing one day each, arranged vertically to display one week's time. Box icons representing watering settings for a plurality of zones can be dragged and dropped onto the time bands, copied and modified thereon as desired, to form a freely selectable watering schedule. Other selectable screens allow odd-days or even-days watering, sophisticated interval watering, global watering time adjustment, and a variety of manual functions. Selectable portions of the main screen can be enlarged as desired. Based on the selected schedule, the computer calculates and displays the monthly cost of water. Selected zones can be temporarily disabled to deal with weather or maintenance issues. A handheld global shut-off and manual watering remote and/or a separate radio-linked computer may be used in field maintenance.

1 - 18 . (canceled) 
   
   
       19 . A method of operating an irrigation system comprising:
 providing a computer at a first location;   providing an irrigation controller at a second location; said irrigation controller coupled to at least one water valve for controlling passage of water to at least one sprinkler; said irrigation controller further configured to wirelessly receive, store and execute an irrigation schedule transmitted from said computer; said irrigation controller further configured to execute an irrigation schedule regardless of whether said irrigation controller is linked to said computer;   wirelessly transmitting a polling message from said computer to said irrigation controller;   wirelessly transmitting a status message in response to said polling message from said irrigation controller to said computer; and,   determining a status of said irrigation controller.   
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising displaying a status of said irrigation controller with irrigation software stored on and executed by said computer. 
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising displaying an icon with said computer; said icon communicating a status of said irrigation controller. 
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein said icon is displayed within a graphical display directed to modifying an irrigation schedule. 
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising a communications status indicator on said irrigation controller; said communications status indicator indicating a status of a communication link between said irrigation controller and said computer. 
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 23 , further comprising wirelessly transmitting a clock synchronization message from said computer to said irrigation controller. 
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising wirelessly transmitting a clock synchronization message from said computer to said irrigation controller. 
   
   
       26 . A method of operating an irrigation system comprising:
 executing irrigation software on a computer;   initiating a wireless connection with said irrigation software between said computer and an irrigation controller;   wirelessly transmitting a polling message with said irrigation software between said computer and said irrigation controller;   wirelessly transmitting a status message with said irrigation controller between said irrigation controller and said computer;   determining a status of said irrigation controller by said irrigation software;   determining an irrigation schedule with said irrigation software;   wirelessly transmitting said irrigation schedule to said irrigation controller; and,   executing said irrigation schedule with said irrigation controller.   
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 26 , further comprising displaying a status of said irrigation controller with said irrigation software. 
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein said icon is displayed within a graphical display directed to modifying an irrigation schedule. 
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein said status of said irrigation controller is a communications status of said irrigation controller. 
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 28 , further comprising wirelessly transmitting a clock synchronization message from said computer to said irrigation controller. 
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 26 , further comprising providing a user interface for said irrigation software. 
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein said user interface comprises a user-selectable control for globally adjusting said irrigation schedule. 
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein said user interface comprises a user-selectable control for calculating the cost of water used by said irrigation controller. 
   
   
       34 . A method of operating an irrigation system comprising:
 executing irrigation software on a computer;   initiating a wireless connection with said irrigation software between said computer and an irrigation controller;   wirelessly transmitting a polling message with said irrigation software between said computer and said irrigation controller;   wirelessly transmitting a time synchronization message from said computer to said irrigation controller;   updating a clock circuit within said irrigation controller;   determining an irrigation schedule with said irrigation software;   wirelessly transmitting said irrigation schedule to said irrigation controller; and,   executing said irrigation schedule with said irrigation controller; said irrigation schedule being executed according to a time of said clock circuit.   
   
   
       35 . The method of  claim 34 , further comprising wirelessly transmitting a status message with said irrigation controller between said irrigation controller and said computer; and determining a status of said irrigation controller by said irrigation software. 
   
   
       36 . The method of  claim 35 , further comprising displaying a status of said irrigation controller with said irrigation software. 
   
   
       37 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein said displaying a status of said irrigation controller further comprises displaying an icon. 
   
   
       38 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein said displaying an icon further comprises changing an appearance of said icon.