Sensor-based interruption of an irrigation controller
US10444769B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 24, 2017 |
| Grant date | Oct 15, 2019 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 4, 2037 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG05B2219/2625
- WIPO fieldControl
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
Some embodiments provide a system and method for interfacing with an irrigation controller based on rainfall, the system comprising: an interface unit including a housing and a control unit within the housing and configured to: cause an interruption of one or more watering schedules executed by the irrigation controller, which is separate from the interface unit, based on signaling received from a rain sensor including hygroscopic material, when a sensed expansion of the hygroscopic material is above a set rainfall accumulation threshold parameter, the rain sensor being separate from the interface unit and the hygroscopic material being configured to expand in response to being contacted by the rainfall and to contract in response to an absence of the rainfall; and remove the interruption after a completion of a predetermined interval of time after a sensed contraction of the hygroscopic material indicative of a rainfall stop.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.