Code replacement for irrigation controllers

US7844367B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Rain Bird Corporation · US

Inventors

• Harvey J. Nickerson · San Diego, US
• Russel D. Leatherman · Albion, US
• James R. Musselman · Marion, US
• Andrew M. Nguyen · San Diego, US
• Nicholas N. Lapshov · San Diego, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jun 22, 2007
• Grant date: Nov 30, 2010
• Expiry date: Dec 31, 2028

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y10T137/86389
• WIPO field: Control
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

Described herein are several embodiments relating to modular irrigation controllers. In many implementations, methods of implementing irrigation control are provided that detect a presence of a first module coupled with a control unit of an irrigation controller, the control unit operating in accordance with a bootloader set of code and a first set of code to implement irrigation control, identify that the first module stores a second set of code, and activate the bootloader set of code to replace the first set of code with the second set of code. Also described are various different types of modular controllers, 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 the controller and these modules in the controller.