Modular and irrigation controller supporting modules having different station counts

Abstract

Described herein are several embodiments relating to modular irrigation controllers. In many implementations, the irrigation controllers are modular in that various functional components of the irrigation controller are implemented in removable modules that when inserted into position within the controller, expand the capabilities of the controller. Also described are various different types of expansion modules that may be coupled to the modular controller, having as variety of functions and features, as well as related methods of use and configuration of these modules in the controller. In some embodiments, a modular controller supports expansion modules received in any one of the plurality module mounting locations, the expansion modules having different numbers of the station output connectors.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A modular irrigation controller comprising:
 a housing;   a control unit within the housing, the control unit including a first microcontroller configured to execute stored irrigation programs; and   a plurality of module mounting locations within the housing, each module mounting location electrically coupled to the first microcontroller and configured to removably and interchangeably receive one of a plurality of expansion modules, each of the plurality of expansion modules including driver circuitry and a number of station output connectors for actuating irrigation valves in accordance with control signals received from the first microcontroller,   wherein the first microcontroller is configured to operate with and control expansion modules having different numbers of the station output connectors when received in any one of the plurality module mounting locations.   
     
     
         3 . The modular irrigation controller of  claim 2  further comprising:
 a first expansion module mounted to a first module mounting location; and 
 a second expansion module mounted to a second module mounting location, wherein the first expansion module and the second expansion module have a different number of the station output connectors, 
 wherein the first microcontroller is configured to operate with and control the first expansion module and the second expansion module. 
 
     
     
         4 . The modular irrigation controller of  claim 3  wherein the first expansion module comprises four station output connectors and the second expansion module comprises eight station output connectors. 
     
     
         5 . The modular irrigation controller of  claim 2  wherein the first microcontroller is configured to determine the number of station output connectors of at least one of the plurality of expansion modules received at a module mounting location. 
     
     
         6 . The modular irrigation controller of  claim 2  wherein the first microcontroller is configured to adjust its functionality based on the number of station output connectors present in a given expansion module after the given expansion module has been received at a given module mounting location. 
     
     
         7 . The modular irrigation controller of  claim 2  wherein the first microcontroller is configured to receive information from the plurality of expansion modules indicating the number of station output connectors available in each of the plurality of expansion modules. 
     
     
         8 . The modular irrigation controller of  claim 2  wherein at least one of the plurality of expansion modules is configured to provide the first microcontroller information about the capability of the at least one of the plurality of expansion modules. 
     
     
         9 . The modular irrigation controller of  claim 2  wherein the first microcontroller is configured to receive communications initiated by at least one of the plurality of expansion modules when received at a mounting location. 
     
     
         10 . The modular irrigation controller of  claim 2  wherein the first microcontroller is configured to operate with and control the expansion modules having the different numbers of the station output connectors when received in any one of the plurality module mounting locations without restarting the control unit. 
     
     
         11 . The modular irrigation controller of  claim 2  wherein the first microcontroller is configured to automatically operate with and control each of a first expansion module and a second expansion module having a different number of the station output connectors when the first expansion module is received in one module mounting location, removed and the second expansion module is then received in the one module mounting location. 
     
     
         12 . The modular irrigation controller of  claim 2  wherein the first microcontroller is configured to automatically operate with and control each of a first expansion module connected to a first module mounting location and a second expansion module connected to a second module mounting location and having a different number of the station output connectors than the first expansion module, and
 wherein the first microcontroller is configured to automatically operate with and control each of the first expansion module when connected to the second module mounting location and the second expansion module when connected to the first module mounting location. 
 
     
     
         13 . The modular irrigation controller of  claim 2 , wherein each of the module mounting locations are arranged in a sequential order,
 wherein the first microcontroller is configured to automatically operate with and control a first expansion module connected to a given ordered module mounting location when a prior ordered module mounting location has no expansion module connected thereto, wherein the first expansion module can have one of multiple numbers of the station output connectors.   
     
     
         14 . The modular irrigation controller of  claim 2 , wherein each of the module mounting locations are arranged in a sequential order including a first module mounting location, at least one subsequent module mounting location and a last module mounting location,
 wherein the first microcontroller is configured to operate with and control the expansion modules having the different numbers of the station output connectors when received in at least one of the first module mounting location and the at least one subsequent module mounting location.   
     
     
         15 . The modular irrigation controller of  claim 2 , wherein the plurality of module mounting locations within the housing are arranged in a sequential order including a first module mounting location, at least one subsequent module mounting location and a last module mounting location; and
 wherein the first microcontroller is configured to operate with and control the expansion modules having the different numbers of the station output connectors when received in at least one of the first module mounting location and the at least one subsequent module mounting location.   
     
     
         16 . The modular irrigation controller of  claim 2 , wherein the first microcontroller is configured to increment a number of total available stations in a programming menu to include the number of station output connectors included in the plurality of expansion modules received in the plurality of module mounting locations. 
     
     
         17 . The modular irrigation controller of  claim 2 , wherein a connection of any respective expansion module to a respective module mounting location is independent of a connection of other expansion modules to other ones of the plurality of module mounting locations and the number of station output connectors present in the other expansion modules. 
     
     
         18 . A method for use with a modular irrigation controller comprising:
 removably mounting a plurality of expansion modules to a plurality of expansion module mounting locations within a housing of a control unit of the modular irrigation controller, the control unit including a first microcontroller configured to execute stored irrigation programs, where each of the plurality of module mounting locations is electrically coupled to the first microcontroller, wherein each of the plurality of expansion modules comprises a driver circuitry and a number of station output connectors for actuating irrigation valves in accordance with control signals received from the first microcontroller; and wherein at least two of the plurality of expansion modules have different numbers of the station output connectors; and   outputting signaling from the first microcontroller to control the plurality of expansion modules mounted to any one of the plurality module mounting locations in accordance with a stored irrigation program.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18  wherein a first expansion module comprises four station output connectors and a second expansion module comprises eight station output connectors. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18  further comprising determining, by the first microcontroller, the number of station output connectors of the plurality of expansion modules having been removably mounted to the plurality of expansion module mounting locations. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 18  further comprising, adjusting, by the first microcontroller, its functionality based on the number of station output connectors present in a given expansion module after the given expansion module has been mounted at a given module mounting location. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 18  further comprising receiving, at the first microcontroller, information from the plurality of expansion modules indicating the number of station output connectors available in each of the plurality of expansion modules. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 18  further comprising providing, by each of the plurality of expansion modules to the first microcontroller, information about the capability of each of the plurality of expansion modules. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 18  further comprising receiving, at the first microcontroller, communications initiated by at least one of the plurality of expansion modules. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 18  wherein the outputting signaling step further comprises outputting signaling from the first microcontroller to control the at least two of the plurality of expansion modules having the different numbers of the station output connectors after the removably mounting step without restarting the control unit. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 18  further comprising:
 removing a first expansion module from one module mounting location; 
 removably mounting a second expansion module into the one module mounting location, the second expansion module having a different number of station output connectors than the first expansion module; and 
 automatically operating and controlling, by the first microcontroller, the second expansion module. 
 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 18  wherein the outputting signaling step further comprises outputting signaling from the first microcontroller to operate with and control the expansion modules having the different numbers of the station output connectors when received in any one of the plurality module mounting locations. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein each of the module mounting locations are arranged in a sequential order,
 wherein the outputting the signaling step comprises outputting signaling from the first microcontroller to control a first expansion module connected to a given ordered module mounting location when a prior ordered module mounting location has no expansion module mounted thereto, wherein the first expansion module can have one of multiple numbers of the station output connectors.   
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein each of the module mounting locations are arranged in a sequential order including a first module mounting location, at least one subsequent module mounting location and a last module mounting location,
 wherein the outputting the signaling step comprises outputting the signaling to control the plurality of expansion modules having the different numbers of the station output connectors when mounted in at least one of the first module mounting location and the at least one subsequent module mounting location.   
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the plurality of module mounting locations within the housing are arranged in a sequential order including a first module mounting location, at least one subsequent module mounting location and a last module mounting location; and
 wherein the outputting the signaling step comprises outputting the signaling to control the plurality of expansion modules having the different numbers of the station output connectors when mounted in at least one of the first module mounting location and the at least one subsequent module mounting location.   
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 incrementing, by the first microcontroller, a number of total available stations in a programming menu to include the number of station output connectors included in the plurality of expansion modules mounted in the plurality of module mounting locations.   
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein a mounting connection of any respective expansion module to a respective module mounting location is independent of a mounting connection of other expansion modules to other ones of the plurality of module mounting locations and the number of station output connectors present in the other expansion modules.