U.S. patent application number 17/351697 was filed with the patent office on 2021-10-07 for simplified interface and operation in a watering system.
The applicant listed for this patent is HUSQVARNA AB. Invention is credited to Sonja Gilliam, Stefan Keller, Christian Kienzle, Thomas Schabel, Sandra Weiser.
Application Number | 20210307264 17/351697 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 1000005665892 |
Filed Date | 2021-10-07 |
United States Patent
Application |
20210307264 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Gilliam; Sonja ; et
al. |
October 7, 2021 |
Simplified Interface and Operation in a Watering System
Abstract
A user terminal may be configured to communicate with a gateway.
The gateway may be configured to communicate with sensor equipment
including one or more sensors and watering equipment via a first
network. The gateway may also be configured to communicate with the
user terminal via a second network. The user terminal may include
processing circuitry that is configured to provide a remote
interface for communication with the sensor equipment and the
watering equipment via the gateway.
Inventors: |
Gilliam; Sonja; (Ulm,
DE) ; Keller; Stefan; (Neu-Ulm, DE) ; Schabel;
Thomas; (Burgrieden, DE) ; Kienzle; Christian;
(Ehingen, DE) ; Weiser; Sandra; (Ulm, DE) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
HUSQVARNA AB |
HUSKVARNA |
|
SE |
|
|
Family ID: |
1000005665892 |
Appl. No.: |
17/351697 |
Filed: |
June 18, 2021 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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15565537 |
Oct 10, 2017 |
11039582 |
|
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PCT/EP2015/057846 |
Apr 10, 2015 |
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17351697 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A01G 25/165 20130101;
B05B 12/004 20130101; A01G 25/167 20130101 |
International
Class: |
A01G 25/16 20060101
A01G025/16; B05B 12/00 20060101 B05B012/00 |
Claims
1. A system comprising: a sensor equipment including one or more
sensors configured to be disposed on a parcel of land; a watering
equipment disposed on the parcel and configured to selectively
apply water to the parcel; a user terminal; and a gateway
configured to communicate with the sensor equipment and the
watering equipment via a first network, and communicate with the
user terminal via a second network; wherein the user terminal
comprises processing circuitry configured to provide a remote
interface for communication with the sensor equipment and the
watering equipment via the gateway; wherein the sensor equipment is
configured to implement an intelligent measurement cycle that
adapts a timing between sensor measurements based on a result of a
previous sensor measurement.
2. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor equipment comprises,
and is powered by, a battery.
3. The system of claim 2, wherein the sensor equipment is
configured to implement the intelligent measurement cycle to
increase the timing between sensor measurements to reduce energy
consumption from the battery.
4. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the one or more
sensors of the sensor equipment is a moisture sensor; wherein the
sensor measurements comprise moisture measurements; wherein the
sensor equipment is configured to implement the intelligent
measurement cycle to increase the timing between the moisture
measurements in response to a previous moisture measurement being
above a high moisture threshold.
5. The system of claim 4, wherein the sensor equipment is
configured to implement the intelligent measurement cycle to
decrease the timing between the moisture measurements in response
to the previous moisture measurement being below a low moisture
threshold.
6. The system of claim 5, wherein the sensor equipment is
configured to override the intelligent measurement cycle regardless
of a value of a previous moisture measurement and perform a
moisture measurement before the watering equipment begins a planned
irrigation event.
7. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor equipment is
configured to implement the intelligent measurement cycle to
increase the timing between the sensor measurements in response to
the previous sensor measurement being above a high threshold.
8. The system of claim 7, wherein the sensor equipment is
configured to implement the intelligent measurement cycle to
decrease the timing between the sensor measurements in response to
the previous sensor measurement being below a low threshold.
9. A sensor equipment for a watering system, the sensor equipment
comprising: a sensor configured to be disposed on a parcel of land,
the sensor being further configured to take sensor measurements for
vegetation maintenance on the parcel of land; processing circuitry;
and a device interface configured to communicate at least the
sensor measurements to a gateway within a garden network; wherein
the processing circuity is configured to: receive sensor
measurements from the sensor; and implement an intelligent
measurement cycle that adapts a timing between the sensor
measurements based on a result of a previous sensor
measurement.
10. The sensor equipment of claim 9 further comprising a battery
configured to power the sensor equipment.
11. The sensor equipment of claim 10, wherein the processing
circuity is configured to implement the intelligent measurement
cycle to increase the timing between sensor measurements to reduce
energy consumption of the battery.
12. The sensor equipment of claim 9, wherein the sensor is a
moisture sensor; wherein the sensor measurements are moisture
measurements; wherein the processing circuity is configured to
implement the intelligent measurement cycle to increase the timing
between the moisture measurements in response to a previous
moisture measurement being above a high moisture threshold.
13. The sensor equipment of claim 12, wherein the processing
circuity is configured to implement the intelligent measurement
cycle to decrease the timing between the moisture measurements in
response to the previous moisture measurement being below a low
moisture threshold.
14. The sensor equipment of claim 13, wherein the processing
circuity is configured to override the intelligent measurement
cycle regardless of a value of a previous moisture measurement and
perform a moisture measurement before a planned irrigation event
occurs.
15. The sensor equipment of claim 9, wherein the processing
circuity is configured to implement the intelligent measurement
cycle to increase the timing between the sensor measurements in
response to the previous sensor measurement being above a high
threshold.
16. The sensor equipment of claim 15, wherein the processing
circuity is configured to implement the intelligent measurement
cycle to decrease the timing between the sensor measurements in
response to the previous sensor measurement being below a low
threshold.
17. A method comprising: performing, by a sensor of a sensor
equipment disposed on a parcel of land, sensor measurements for
vegetation maintenance on the parcel of land; receiving, at
processing circuity of the sensor equipment, sensor measurements
from the sensor communicating, via a device interface, the sensor
measurements to a gateway within a garden network; and
implementing, by the processing circuitry, an intelligent
measurement cycle that adapts a timing between the sensor
measurements based on a result of a previous sensor
measurement.
18. The method of claim 17 further comprising powering the sensor
equipment via a battery.
19. The method of claim 18, further comprising implementing the
intelligent measurement cycle to increase the timing between sensor
measurements to reduce energy consumption of the battery.
20. The method claim 17, wherein the sensor is a moisture sensor;
wherein the sensor measurements are moisture measurements; wherein
the method further comprises implementing the intelligent
measurement cycle to increase the timing between the moisture
measurements in response to a previous moisture measurement being
above a high moisture threshold.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser.
No. 15/565,537, filed on Oct. 10, 2017 which is the national phase
of International Application number PCT/EP2015/057846 filed Apr.
10, 2015. The entire contents of the above are incorporated herein
by reference.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] Example embodiments generally relate to intelligent systems
and, more particularly, relate to a system for intelligent watering
that includes components configured to facilitate easy interface
and operation.
BACKGROUND
[0003] Grounds care maintenance tasks may include lawn care and/or
gardening tasks related to facilitating growth and manicuring the
lawns or gardens that hopefully prosper as a result of those
efforts. Facilitating growth has commonly required individuals to
focus routine attention on ensuring growing conditions are
appropriate for the vegetation being grown, and on providing the
necessary care and grooming tasks to further enhance growth.
[0004] As technological capabilities have improved, various devices
or sensors have been developed that are capable of employment to
monitor various aspects of growing conditions. Gardeners have
therefore been enabled to employ the sensors or devices in specific
locations to monitor and correct, if needed, the growing
conditions. However, even with the improvement of monitoring
devices or sensors, gardeners are still often required to employ a
high degree of manual interaction to place and/or operate the
devices or sensors.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF SOME EXAMPLES
[0005] Some example embodiments may therefore provide a capability
for intelligent control or management of a number of assets in
connection with yard maintenance with the assistance or inclusion
of a user terminal. Thus, for example, sensor equipment and
watering equipment operation (with or without a robotic rover) may
be coordinated remotely for efficient gardening and lawn care.
[0006] In an example embodiment, a user terminal for intelligent
control of yard maintenance functions is provided. The user
terminal may be configured to communicate with a gateway. The
gateway may be configured to communicate with sensor equipment
including one or more sensors and watering equipment via a first
network. The gateway may also be configured to communicate with the
user terminal via a second network. The user terminal may include
processing circuitry that is configured to provide a remote
interface for communication with the sensor equipment and the
watering equipment via the gateway.
[0007] In another example embodiment, a system for intelligent
control of yard maintenance functions is provided. The system may
include sensor equipment including one or more sensors disposed on
a parcel of land, watering equipment disposed on the parcel and
configured to selectively apply water to the parcel, a user
terminal, and a gateway. The gateway may be configured to
communicate with the sensor equipment and the watering equipment
via a first network, and communicate with the user terminal via a
second network. The user terminal may include processing circuitry
configured to provide a remote interface for communication with the
sensor equipment and the watering equipment via the gateway.
[0008] Some example embodiments may improve the ability of
operators to maximize the beauty and productivity of their yards
and gardens, but do so in a user friendly and intuitive way.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)
[0009] Having thus described the invention in general terms,
reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, which are
not necessarily drawn to scale, and wherein:
[0010] FIG. 1 illustrates a block diagram of a system in accordance
with an example embodiment;
[0011] FIG. 2 illustrates a block diagram of deployed components of
the system according to an example embodiment;
[0012] FIG. 3 illustrates the deployed components duplicated for
multiple water lines in accordance with an example embodiment;
[0013] FIG. 4 illustrates a block diagram of processing circuitry
that may be employed in the deployed components according to an
example embodiment;
[0014] FIG. 5 illustrates a block diagram of processing circuitry
that may be employed in a user terminal according to an example
embodiment;
[0015] FIG. 6 illustrates a flow diagram of various operations
associated with control of a watering computer in accordance with
an example embodiment;
[0016] FIG. 7 illustrates a flow diagram of various operations
associated with adding devices to a network and monitoring battery
and/or connectivity status in accordance with an example
embodiment;
[0017] FIG. 8 illustrates a flow diagram of various operations
associated with monitoring battery status of a deployed component
in accordance with an example embodiment;
[0018] FIG. 9, which includes FIGS. 9A, 9B and 9C, illustrates
example interface consoles or screens that may be generated at the
user terminal according to an example embodiment; and
[0019] FIG. 10 illustrates a chart for relating moisture or
specific humidity ranges to corresponding cycle times for making
measurements at a sensor in accordance with an example
embodiment.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0020] Some example embodiments now will be described more fully
hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which
some, but not all example embodiments are shown. Indeed, the
examples described and pictured herein should not be construed as
being limiting as to the scope, applicability or configuration of
the present disclosure. Rather, these example embodiments are
provided so that this disclosure will satisfy applicable legal
requirements. Like reference numerals refer to like elements
throughout. Furthermore, as used herein, the term "or" is to be
interpreted as a logical operator that results in true whenever one
or more of its operands are true. Additionally, the term "yard
maintenance" is meant to relate to any outdoor grounds improvement
or maintenance related activity and need not specifically apply to
activities directly tied to grass, turf or sod care. Thus, yard
maintenance should be appreciated to encompass gardening, lawn
care, combinations thereof, and/or the like. As used herein,
operable coupling should be understood to relate to direct or
indirect connection that, in either case, enables functional
interconnection of components that are operably coupled to each
other.
[0021] Example embodiments may provide an intelligent system for
monitoring and/or maintaining yard conditions (i.e., lawn and/or
garden conditions) at any of what may potentially be a number of
locations throughout a particular parcel, and allowing the operator
to interface with devices within the system in a flexible way.
Moreover, the devices of the system may be coordinated in their
activities and/or may be configured to adapt to their environment
or at least to the current conditions or stimuli that are present
in their environment. In some cases, the operations conducted
and/or monitoring may be accomplished with the assistance of a
mobile asset such as a robotic rover. In this regard, for example,
the system may utilize a communication network that gathers
information on growing conditions from sensor equipment for
association of the information with the areas from which the
information was gathered. The system may also employ an interface
mechanism that allows the operator to have a great deal of
flexibility with remotely controlling various components of the
system and programming such components via processing circuitry at
each respective component. Programming may therefore be coordinated
remotely, but at least some of the programming may also be stored
locally so that the system can operate with or without
connectivity. In some cases, the connectivity aspects of the system
may utilize home network components and wide area network
components (e.g., the internet), but may also include a gateway
that is configured to interface between the deployed components
(e.g., components in the yard/garden or otherwise related to yard
maintenance) and the home network/wide area network components. As
mentioned above, the processing aspects may be distributed between
local and remote management components so that some aspects of yard
maintenance may utilize remote assets or at least incorporate
information available from abroad, while other aspects can be
managed locally. In any case, adaptability and ease of interface
and control are characteristics of the system that are improved by
employing example embodiments.
[0022] The system may therefore employ any combination of fixed
and/or mobile assets that gather data that relates to specific
segments of the parcel that may correspond to respective different
areas. The specific segments may have different types of plants
therein, and therefore may optimally have different growing
conditions desirable in connection with each respective one of the
segments. The owner/operator may program operating instructions to
guide the deployed components relative to operations in the
specific segments, which may be referred to as "zones." In some
cases, the processing circuitry may be equipped to allow the user
to define specific operating parameters and the system may then
adapt to the current conditions to operate according to the
operating parameters. Given that internet connectivity is possible,
in some cases, the system may be employed to correlate desirable
growing conditions to an identified plant species based on stored
information associated with each plant species from a database or
online resource. Accordingly, each zone may have corresponding
growing condition parameters associated therewith, and the user can
see the growing condition parameters relative to the various areas
and program operation of system components accordingly relative to
maintaining desired growing conditions (e.g., any or all of
moisture level, temperature, lighting level, pH, and/or the like)
for the corresponding zone. In some cases, schedules among deployed
components may be deconflicted or otherwise organized to prevent
damage to components, ineffective use of resources, or efficiency
reducing behaviors. The deployed components associated with the
zones may provide the operator with reports and/or warnings via the
gateway to enable the operator to intercede in certain situations,
or the components may simply respond and inform the operator of
their responses via the gateway.
[0023] FIG. 1 illustrates a block diagram of a system 10 that may
be employed to accomplish the basic operations described above in
accordance with an example embodiment. Within the context of FIG.
1, it should be appreciated that certain tasks, like grass cutting,
chemical application, visual monitoring and/or the like may be
performed by a robot or robotic rover 15. Because the system could
operate without the robotic rover 15, the robotic rover 15 is shown
in dashed lines in FIG. 1. Robots or other devices could also be
engaged to perform certain other yard maintenance tasks such as
raking, fertilizing, lighting, wildlife dispersion and/or the
like.
[0024] Other tasks, like lawn watering, may be performed by
sprinkler heads and/or a watering computer that interfaces
therewith. The sprinkler heads may be attached to hoses and the
watering computer may provide a mechanism by which to control the
turning on/off of water application at the respective sprinkler
head locations by providing a central shut off valve for the hoses.
The hoses, sprinkler heads and/or watering computer may together
form watering equipment 20.
[0025] Meanwhile, various sensors may be employed by insertion of
such sensors into soil for monitoring soil or other growing
conditions (e.g., lighting levels, moisture levels, pH,
temperature, video or image data, etc.). These sensors may
therefore be understood to take various forms within the system 10.
However, generally speaking, the sensors may have connectivity to
the system 10 in order to enhance operation of system components on
the basis of the soil and/or growing condition information gathered
by the sensors. Regardless of the specific configuration or
placement paradigm, the various sensors may represent sensor
equipment 30, as described above.
[0026] The sensor equipment 30, and in some cases also one or more
of the devices that comprise the watering equipment 20, may be in
communication with a gateway 40 via wired or wireless connections.
The gateway 40 may subsequently have wired or wireless connection
to an access point (AP) 45, which may be directly or indirectly
connectable to a user terminal 50. The AP 45 may be a router of a
home network of the operator. In some cases, direct connection of
the AP 45 to the user terminal 50 may be provided via short range
wireless communication methods (e.g., Bluetooth, WiFi and/or the
like). Indirect connection of the AP 45 to the user terminal 50 may
occur via a network 60. The network 60 may be a data network, such
as a local area network (LAN), a metropolitan area network (MAN), a
wide area network (WAN) (e.g., the internet), a wireless personal
area network (WPAN), and/or the like, which may couple devices
(e.g., the deployed components) to devices such as processing
elements (e.g., personal computers, server computers or the like)
and/or databases such as the user terminal 50. Communication
between the network 60 and other devices of the system 10 may be
accomplished by either wireline or wireless communication
mechanisms and corresponding communication protocols. As such, for
example, some or all of the sensors of the sensor equipment 30, the
watering equipment 20 and/or the robotic rover 15, may be connected
to the user terminal 50 by wire and/or be wireless communication
means.
[0027] It should also be appreciated that although the robotic
rover 15 is illustrated separately in FIG. 1, the robotic rover 15
may act as one or both of a piece of sensor equipment 30 or a piece
of watering equipment 20. However, given the ability of the robotic
rover 15 to act as either or both of a piece of sensor equipment 30
or a piece of watering equipment 20 and the ability of the robotic
rover 15 to perform other tasks (e.g., grass cutting) in
combination with or independent of the sensor equipment 30 and the
watering equipment 20, the robotic rover 15 is shown separately in
FIG. 1.
[0028] The gateway 40 may be a translation agent configured to
interface with any or all of the deployed components via wired or
wireless communication. In some embodiments, the gateway 40 may
include a high performance antenna to enable the gateway 40 to
communicate wirelessly with deployed components via an 868 mHz
radio link (e.g., a first wireless link). However, other radio
links may be employed in other cases. The first wireless link, and
the components connected thereby, may be part of a first network
(e.g., a garden network) or deployed component network that extends
outdoors. Components internal to the house or business, and
extending to and between the user terminal 50 may form a second
network. As such, the gateway 40 may be a translation agent between
the first and second networks. The gateway 40 may be an aggregation
point and communications center for communications in both
networks.
[0029] As such, the gateway 40 may be provided within the home or
otherwise indoor environment of the operator, and still wirelessly
communicate with the deployed components (via the first wireless
link) to translate instructions thereto from the operator, which
may be provided via a second wireless link to the AP 45. In an
example embodiment, the wireless communications may be secured by
employing encryption or other security techniques. The gateway 40
may also provide secure cloud data storage through connection to
the network 60 (e.g., via the AP 45). In some examples, the first
and second wireless links may be different wireless links that
employ different communication protocols and/or frequencies.
[0030] The gateway 40 may also provide the ability for each of the
deployed components to be monitored, controlled, programmed or
otherwise interfaced with by an operator using the user terminal
50. In particular, in some cases, the user terminal 50 may be
configured to execute an application (or app) that is tailored to
providing an easy setup and/or easy to use interface for
interaction with the gateway 40 (and the corresponding deployed
components that are reachable through the gateway 40). The user
terminal 50 may therefore be a smartphone or other mobile terminal,
or a laptop, PC, or other computing/communication device. As such,
the user terminal 50 may include processing circuitry that is
enabled to interface with corresponding processing circuitry of the
gateway 40 and/or the deployed components to program, control or
otherwise interact with the deployed components in a manner
described in greater detail below.
[0031] The interaction between the user terminal 50 and the gateway
40 to facilitate programming of, control of, or interaction with
the deployed components may create an interactive and fully
connectable garden system for irrigation and/or mowing
control/coordination. The app that may be executed at the user
terminal 50 may be configured for control of any or all of the
deployed components on a real time or programmed basis. The
resulting system may be a holistic and connected automatic garden
system. Moreover, the connection to content on the internet via
network 60 may allow educational content to be integrated into the
system's operation to provide operators with an improved interface
and more control over gaining full satisfaction of their gardening
experience.
[0032] FIGS. 2 and 3 illustrate a water migration path that may be
practiced in connection with an example embodiment. However, it
should be appreciated that some of the components may be removed in
simpler example embodiments, and some components may be added to
provide more complex architectures in other example embodiments.
Thus, the examples of FIGS. 2 and 3 not provided to be limiting in
relation to the components included in the system, but merely to
show various examples of some components that may be included in
one example system. Moreover, it should be appreciated that FIG. 3
is merely shown to illustrate one way in which multiple water
delivery lines can be provided to service a parcel or yard. The
fact that FIG. 3 only shows two water lines is not meant to imply
that example embodiments may only work with two lines. To the
contrary, example embodiments may be practiced with any number of
lines, and with separate and/or different water sources.
[0033] Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 3, a water source 100 may be
used to charge a first water line 110 via a watering computer 120.
In some cases (see FIG. 3), the water source 100 may also charge a
second water line 112 via a second watering computer 122. The first
and second water lines 110 and 112 may each be a flexible water
hose or garden hose. The first and second watering computers 120
and 122 may each be one of the deployed components that forms one
component of the watering equipment 20 of FIG. 1. The first and
second watering computers 120 and 122 may be directly attached to
the water source 100 such that the water source 100 is a tap or
spigot to which the pressurized water supply of a house or other
structure is supplied. However, in other examples, a hose or other
connector may be provided between the first and second watering
computers 120 and 122 and the water source 100. An example of such
other connector is shown in FIG. 3, which illustrates an example in
which a splitter 125 is provided to split water between the first
and second watering computers 120 and 122 and the first and second
water lines 110 and 112 that may otherwise be identical or similar
to each other in their makeup and operation.
[0034] In an example embodiment, one or more sprinklers (e.g., a
first sprinkler 130 and a second sprinkler 132) may receive water
from the first water line 110 and second water line 112,
respectively. The first water line 110 may be selectively charged
under control of the first watering computer 120 to provide water
for spraying from the first sprinkler 130. Likewise, the second
water line 112 may be selectively charged under control of the
second watering computer 122 to provide water for spraying from the
second sprinkler 132. When the first water line 110 is charged, the
first sprinklers 130 may be provided with pressurized water that is
distributed therethough, and the second sprinkler 132 may be
similarly provided with water responsive to operation of the second
watering computer 122. The first and second sprinklers 130 and 132
may typically be components that are not provided with any local
intelligence. Instead, the first and second sprinklers 130 and 132
may only be controllable via operation of the first and second
watering computers 120 and 122, respectively, to turn on and off
watering functions. However, it is possible that the first and
second sprinklers 130 and 132 could have intelligent components
and/or control aspects provided therein in some cases.
[0035] One or more sensors (e.g., first sensor 140 and second
sensor 142) may also be provided at various locations in the parcel
that is served by the sprinklers to detect or sense conditions
proximate to the corresponding sensors. The first and second
sensors 140 and 142 may each correspond to a respective one of the
first and second sprinklers 130 and 132, and the app at the user
terminal 50 may be configured to note such correspondence so that
information received from a respective one of the first or second
sensor 140 or 142 can be correlated to actions that may be ordered
to the first watering computer 120 or the second watering computer
122, if needed, based on the information.
[0036] In some examples, some of the deployed components may
include a power supply (P/S) 150 that is local to the corresponding
ones of the deployed components. The P/S 150 f each component may
be a battery or battery pack. Each powered one of the deployed
components may also include communication circuitry (C/C) 160 that
includes processing circuitry for controlling each respective
component and an antenna for enabling the deployed components to
communicate with the gateway 40 via the first wireless link (or
alternatively via a wired connection). The robotic rover 15 may
also be an example of the deployed components, and thus the robotic
rover 15 may also include the P/S 150 and the C/C 160. However, it
should be appreciated that the various power supply and
communication circuitry components may have different scale,
structure and configuration features.
[0037] The first and second watering computers 120 and 122 may each
further include a valve 170, which may be operated to respectively
isolate and operably couple the water source 100 from/to the first
water line 110 and/or the second water line 122, respectively. The
valve 170 may be operated based on instructions received through
the gateway 40 or based on schedule information stored or otherwise
accessible via the C/C 160 of the first or second watering
computers 120 or 122. The first and second watering computers 120
and 122 may provide convenience to operation of the system 10 since
the first and second watering computers 120 and 122 can be
controlled from anywhere and/or at anytime via the app at the user
terminal 50 by programming a schedule or manually directing
operation of the first and second watering computers 120 and 122 at
the user terminal 50. However, in some cases, the app can also be
used to program the watering computer 120 for automatic operation
of the valves 170 based on sensor data received from the first or
second sensor 140 or 142.
[0038] In an example embodiment, the C/C 160 may include processing
circuitry 210, as shown in FIG. 4. The processing circuitry 210
that may be configured to perform data processing, control function
execution and/or other processing and management services according
to an example embodiment of the present invention. In some
embodiments, the processing circuitry 210 may be embodied as a chip
or chip set. In other words, the processing circuitry 210 may
comprise one or more physical packages (e.g., chips) including
materials, components and/or wires on a structural assembly (e.g.,
a baseboard). The structural assembly may provide physical
strength, conservation of size, and/or limitation of electrical
interaction for component circuitry included thereon. The
processing circuitry 210 may therefore, in some cases, be
configured to implement an embodiment of the present invention on a
single chip or as a single "system on a chip." As such, in some
cases, a chip or chipset may constitute means for performing one or
more operations for providing the functionalities described
herein.
[0039] In an example embodiment, the processing circuitry 210 may
include one or more instances of a processor 212 and memory 214
that may be in communication with or otherwise control a device
interface 220. As such, the processing circuitry 210 may be
embodied as a circuit chip (e.g., an integrated circuit chip)
configured (e.g., with hardware, software or a combination of
hardware and software) to perform operations described herein. In
some embodiments, the processing circuitry 210 may communicate with
internal electronic components of the first and second watering
computers 120 and 122, the first or second sensors 140 and 142
and/or the robotic rover 15, and enable communication externally
with other components.
[0040] The device interface 220 may include one or more interface
mechanisms for enabling communication with other devices via the
gateway 40. In some cases, the device interface 220 may be any
means such as a device or circuitry embodied in either hardware, or
a combination of hardware and software that is configured to
receive and/or transmit data from/to the gateway 40 by virtue of
the device interface 220 being capable of sending and receiving
messages via the gateway 40. In some example embodiments, the
device interface 220 may provide interfaces for communication of
components of or external to the system 10 via the gateway 40. If
the C/C 160 is for a sensor, the device interface 220 may further
interface with a sensor (e.g., a temperature sensor, a pH sensor, a
light sensor, a moisture sensor and/or the like) to obtain sensor
data for communication to other devices (e.g., the watering
computers). Meanwhile, if the C/C 160 is for a watering computer,
the device interface 220 may provide interfaces to other onboard
components (e.g., a user interface including lights and a main
button as described below).
[0041] The processor 212 may be embodied in a number of different
ways. For example, the processor 212 may be embodied as various
processing means such as one or more of a microprocessor or other
processing element, a coprocessor, a controller or various other
computing or processing devices including integrated circuits such
as, for example, an ASIC (application specific integrated circuit),
an FPGA (field programmable gate array), or the like. In an example
embodiment, the processor 212 may be configured to execute
instructions stored in the memory 214 or otherwise accessible to
the processor 212. As such, whether configured by hardware or by a
combination of hardware and software, the processor 212 may
represent an entity (e.g., physically embodied in circuitry--in the
form of processing circuitry 210) capable of performing operations
according to embodiments of the present invention while configured
accordingly. Thus, for example, when the processor 212 is embodied
as an ASIC, FPGA or the like, the processor 212 may be specifically
configured hardware for conducting the operations described herein.
Alternatively, as another example, when the processor 212 is
embodied as an executor of software instructions, the instructions
may specifically configure the processor 212 to perform the
operations described herein.
[0042] In an example embodiment, the processor 212 (or the
processing circuitry 210) may be embodied as, include or otherwise
control the C/C 160. As such, in some embodiments, the processor
212 (or the processing circuitry 210) may be said to cause each of
the operations described in connection with the C/C 160 (and
corresponding distributed component with which the C/C 160 is
associated) by directing the C/C 160 to undertake the corresponding
functionalities responsive to execution of instructions or
algorithms configuring the processor 212 (or processing circuitry
210) accordingly. As an example, the C/C 160 of the sensors may be
configured to detect environmental parameters (e.g., sensor data)
and report the sensor data via the first wireless link to the
gateway 40 (and ultimately to the app on the user terminal 50 or to
storage in the cloud via the network 60). In some cases, the C/C
160 of the sensors may be configured to determine a difference
between a prior set of sensor data (e.g., the magnitude of a
previous sensor measurement) and the current set of sensor data
(e.g., the magnitude of a most recent sensor measurement). The
amount of difference may then be used to determine whether or not
the sensor will report the current set of sensor data. If the
difference is small (e.g., less than a threshold amount) the sensor
may not report the new value. However, if the difference is large
enough (e.g., larger than the threshold amount), then the sensor
may report the new value. As such, the C/C 160 of the sensors may
be configured to perform battery conservation techniques relative
to reporting of sensor data. The C/C 160 of the sensors may also be
configured to otherwise report (or make a determination on whether
to report based on the criteria discussed above) sensor data on a
given schedule or responsive to certain activities or events. When
a trigger event (e.g., temporal or action based trigger) occurs,
the C/C 160 of the sensor may make a determination of the current
sensor data and decide whether or not to report the sensor
data.
[0043] The C/C 160 of the watering computers may be configured to
control the operation of the valve 170 on the basis of schedule
information stored locally in the memory 214 of the C/C 160. The
C/C 160 of the watering computers may also allow modifications to
the schedule, other programming operations, and/or the real-time
taking of control over the position of the valve 170. Thus, for
example, the operator may be enabled to remotely monitor current
valve 170 position and/or program settings and make modifications
to either. In some embodiments, the C/C 160 of the watering
computers may be programmed to water when sensor data falling
within or exceeding certain ranges or thresholds is received. Thus,
for example, if the sensor data indicates that soil moisture is
below a given threshold, the watering computers may be configured
to open the valve 170 to deliver water to the sprinklers.
[0044] The C/C 160 of the robotic rover 15 may be configured to
control the travels and operations of the robotic rover 15.
Moreover, the C/C 160 of the robotic rover 15 may allow the gateway
40 to grant user access to modification of the schedule of
operations of the robotic rover 15 and/or to take real-time control
over various operations of the robotic rover 15. In an example
embodiment, the app at the user terminal 50 may be employed to
coordinate and/or de-conflict watering schedules and mowing
schedules. Additionally or alternatively, if the operator makes a
modification to a schedule or takes real-time control of one or
more components, the app at the user terminal 50 may provide alerts
to indicate that the proposed changes to the schedule or current
operations may be problematic, or may prevent the making of such
changes. Thus, for example, if the robotic rover 15 is mowing in an
area in which a sensor indicates a low soil moisture value that
would normally trigger opening of the valve 170 via the watering
computer's programming, an alert may be provided to indicate that
the robotic rover 15 should have its operations changed, or the
opening of the valve 170 may be delayed.
[0045] In an example embodiment, the electronic deployed components
(e.g., components having a P/S 150) may further include a reset
button 230 provided at a secure portion thereof. In some cases, the
reset button 230 may be provided in or near a battery compartment
of the corresponding device. The reset button 230 may trigger
different functionalities through the programming of the processing
circuitry 210 for corresponding different situations and/or
actuation methods. For example, a short press of the reset button
230 may cause the corresponding device to go into a pairing mode.
Once in the pairing mode, the device may be detectable by the
gateway 40 and/or other devices for a given period of time. The app
on the user terminal 50 may be used to detect the device in pairing
mode and, once detected, the app may also be used to pair the
device to another device (e.g., of the first network--the deployed
component network). The gateway 40 and the C/C 160 of the
corresponding devices may then be capable of communication with
each other on a continuous, event driven or scheduled basis via the
first wireless link. Thus, for example, the first sensor 140 may be
configured to provide sensor data to the first watering computer
120 (e.g., via the gateway 40). In some cases, the first sensor 140
may be paired with the first watering computer 120 via a setup
procedure and communicate thereafter on a schedule or an
activity/event driven basis. In some cases, simple replacement or
insertion of a battery to power up the device may be an additional
or alternative method by which to initiate the pairing mode.
[0046] In some cases, a long press of the reset button 230 (e.g.,
greater than five seconds of holding the reset button 230) may
result in returning the device to factory settings. As such,
contents of the memory 214 may be cleared or otherwise reset to
initial settings or conditions. Other functions may also or
alternatively be provided. Moreover, some devices may have
additional buttons or operable members. For example, the first
watering computer 120 may have a main button on a housing of the
first watering computer 120 as described in greater detail
below.
[0047] Communication between the gateway 40 and the sensors or
watering computers may occur for pairing purposes and to facilitate
the operational activities for which the system 10 is ultimately
configured. Thus, for example, the operator may use the app at the
user terminal 50 to connect to the gateway 40 and may be provided
with one or more control console or interface screens that provide
options for interacting with deployed components and/or for
programming the deployed components. In some cases, initial setup
of the system may be facilitated by placing individual deployed
components (either sequentially or simultaneously) in a pairing
mode. The deployed components are then discoverable via the first
wireless link and can be added to the first network. Once added to
the first network, the deployed components are considered to be
assets of the first network that can be interacted with/programmed
and/or the like. The deployed components can then be paired with
each other and configured for individual and/or cooperative
functional performance.
[0048] In an example embodiment the first watering computer 120 may
be paired with the second watering computer 122, with the robotic
rover 15 and/or the first sensor 140. When the first watering
computer 120 is paired with and connected to the first sensor 140,
the operator may have options provided (e.g., via the app) to
select instructions or scheduling options for intelligent
irrigation. The first watering computer 120 may therefore be
instructed regarding the specific stimuli that may be received from
the first sensor 140 to trigger opening the valve 170.
Additionally, the first watering computer 120 may be provided with
(e.g., in the memory 214) a schedule or listing of event triggers
which cause the first watering computer 120 to "ping" or otherwise
reach out to the first sensor to initiate communication to receive
sensor data. Based on the sensor data received (e.g., if certain
threshold parameters are reached or not), the valve 170 may be
opened.
[0049] When the first watering computer 120 is paired with and
connected to the robotic rover 15, automatic coordination of
schedules may be accomplished at least relative to ensuring that
mowing and watering are not conducted in the same area at the same
time. The app on the user terminal 50 may ensure that scheduling of
mowing during watering (or vice versa) is not possible. However,
given that the operator can take control of the watering computers
and/or the robotic rover 15 to initiate operations, the app on the
user terminal 50 may further prevent any attempts to initiate
operations of watering computers or the robotic rover 15 in
real-time when the other is also operating in the same area.
[0050] When the first watering computer 120 is paired with and
connected to the second watering computer 122, watering schedules
or operations can be coordinated to manage or prevent
under-pressure situations. For example, if the first and second
watering computers 120 and 122 are connected to the splitter 125,
as shown in FIG. 3, it may be possible for water pressure to be
insufficient to effectively charge both the first water line 110
and the second water line 112 at the same time. Thus, by allowing
the first and second watering computers 120 and 122 to be in
communication with each other, operations of one may be
communicated to the other (e.g., via the gateway 40) so that the
second watering computer 122 will not open its valve 170, while the
first watering computer 120 is currently engaged in watering
operations.
[0051] The deployed components of various example embodiments may
be adaptive to various conditions or situations. Moreover, the
adaptive nature of the deployed components may be provided as a
programmable feature, where the operator can use the user terminal
50 to program specific adaptive behaviors that are adjustable
parameters, relationships or responses. In the context of some
examples, the programmable feature should be understood to be
remotely programmable (i.e., programmable from the app and/or the
user terminal 50 remote from the component being programmed) via
the gateway 40. In other examples, the adaptive nature of the
deployed components may be provided as a default feature. Thus, the
adaptive capabilities of the deployed components may either be
dependent upon connectivity (e.g., connectivity dependent) for
remote programming, or may be connectivity independent (e.g.,
default programming that exists or is instituted when there is no
connectivity or responsive to a loss of connectivity.
[0052] In some embodiments, battery power levels may be
communicated to the gateway 40 and signal strength values relating
to communication with the sensors and/or watering computers may
also be determined at the gateway 40. This information (along with
sensor data) may be provided to the app at the user terminal 50 to
alert the operator when battery power is low, or signal strengths
are low. Battery replacement and/or sensor repositioning may then
be undertaken to improve the situation. As mentioned above, in some
cases, the sensor may also adaptively respond to its surroundings
to trigger reports. In an example embodiment, the water computer
may attempt to ping the sensor via the gateway 40 to trigger a
report of sensor data. However, the sensor may be configured (e.g.,
via the C/C 160) to determine the amount of change in the requested
parameter before deciding whether to respond to the ping. In some
embodiments, a change of at least a specific amount or percentage
(e.g., 5%) may be required before the sensor will report sensor
data via wireless transmission. Since wireless transmission
consumes more power than internal operation (e.g., to determine the
amount of change and current sensor data), by saving several
transmission cycles when there is little data change, battery life
can be substantially extended. When a ping is sent and no response
is received, the last value received may be substituted and
communicated to the operator (e.g., via the app).
[0053] The operator can wake up the watering computers and/or
sensors by sending a ping or wake up message to either component
via the app. The wake up message may be used to see if the devices
are still reacting and active, or to request specific data from or
initiate actions at such components in real time. Moreover, in some
cases, the operator can send a wakeup, or setup signal to have the
corresponding device beacon for at least a predetermined amount of
time (e.g., three minutes). During this time, the devices may be
positioned and the operator may check the app to see what signal
strength is detected by the gateway 40. The operator can therefore
position the devices in real time and make sure that the position
in which a device is currently located is a good location from the
perspective of its ability to communicate with the gateway 40.
[0054] In some embodiments, one or more of the deployed components
may further include frost warning capability. In particular, since
the watering computers typically have pressurized water proximate
to the valve 170, it should be appreciated that freezing of water
in the body of the watering computers may be destructive to the
valve 170. Accordingly, the C/C 160 of one or more components
(especially the watering computers) may be configured to identify
situations where there is a potential for frost that may damage the
watering computers. In some embodiments, if the temperature reaches
a predetermined threshold distance from the freezing point (e.g., 5
degrees C., or 10 degrees F.), an alert may be issued (e.g.,
through the app at the user terminal 50) to warn the operator that
the watering computer (and/or sensors) should be brought in to
avoid damage. The predetermined threshold may be a factory setting,
or may be set by the operator. However, in either case, the ability
to identify a present temperature condition to alert the operator
of a possible frost event is another example of how the deployed
components may be configured (by operator program or by default) to
be adaptive relative to their surroundings and/or
circumstances.
[0055] Another example of the adaptability of the deployed
components relates to the inability to connect to the first network
or a loss of connection to the first network. For example, although
the watering schedules could be maintained in the cloud, on the
user terminal 50 or elsewhere, in some cases, the watering schedule
(or at least a portion thereof) may be stored locally at the
watering computers. For example, the memory 214 may be configured
to record at least the last water schedule information employed.
Thus, power is lost at the gateway 40 or at another system
component that thereby renders connectivity impossible, the first
and second watering computers 120 and 122 may each store at least
the information indicative of their respective last watering
schedules. Thus, for example, if the first watering computer 120
opened the valve 170 at 1300 and shut the valve at 1305, while the
second watering computer 122 opened its valve 170 at 1305 and
closed it at 1318, if no connection to the watering schedule can be
achieved, or if connectivity is lost, each of the first and second
watering computers 120 and 122 will continue to water on the
previously provided schedule.
[0056] In an example embodiment, the user interface for the system
may be largely provided via the user terminal 50. As mentioned
above, the user terminal 50 could be a mobile device (e.g., a
smartphone) or a fixed terminal (e.g., a PC). However, the user
terminal 50 could also be other devices such as a tablet, laptop
and/or the like. In any case, the user terminal 50 may be
configured to provide a simple and intuitive interface for enabling
the operator to control operation of the system 10. FIG. 5
illustrates a block diagram of some components of the user terminal
50 that may configure the user terminal to provide the app for
control of the system 10.
[0057] As shown in FIG. 5, the user terminal 50 may include
processing circuitry 310, a processor 312, memory 314 and device
interface 320 that may be similar in form and/or function to the
processing circuitry 210, processor 212, memory 214 and device
interface 220 described above. Specific structures, forms and
scales of such components may differ. However, the general
capabilities may be similar so these components will not be
described in detail again in detail. Instead, it should be
appreciated that except for changes in specific configuration,
content and structure, these components are generally similar. As
shown in FIG. 5, the user terminal 50 may further include a user
interface 330 and an operation manager 340.
[0058] The user interface 330 (if implemented) may be in
communication with the processing circuitry 310 to receive an
indication of a user input at the user interface 330 and/or to
provide an audible, visual, mechanical or other output to the user.
As such, the user interface 330 may include, for example, a display
(e.g., a touch screen display), one or more buttons or keys (e.g.,
function buttons or a keyboard), and/or other input/output
mechanisms (e.g., microphone, mouse, speakers, cursor, joystick,
lights and/or the like). The user interface 330 may be configured
to provide alerts, warnings and/or notifications to the user or
operator responsive to various trigger conditions being detected
(e.g., via the sensor equipment 30 or other components). System
malfunctions, damage or tampering with equipment, equipment theft
and other component related stimuli may also be defined as triggers
for generation of the alerts, warnings and/or notifications. In
some cases, the user interface 330 may be configured to generate
such alerts, warnings and/or notifications in response to plant
growing conditions being out of specification or out of recommended
ranges, or in response to system components having schedule or
operational conflicts. Notifications may also be provided regarding
general status, current conditions and/or the like. The alerts,
warnings and/or notifications may be generated via light, sound,
visual display, or other devices that may be connected to or part
of the operation manager 340. In some cases, the notifications may
be provided by text message or email.
[0059] In an example embodiment, the processing circuitry 310 may
be configured to perform data processing, control function
execution and/or other processing and management services according
to an example embodiment of the present invention. As such, it may
be appreciated that the processing circuitry 310 may be configured
to control or be embodied as the operation manager 340. The
operation manager 340 may be configured to receive sensor
information from the sensor equipment 30 and/or the watering
equipment 20 and make decisions regarding information to be
provided to the owner/operator and/or instructions to be provided
to the sensor equipment 30 and/or the watering equipment 20. The
processing circuitry 310 may, in some cases, process the condition
information received from the sensor equipment 30 and compare the
condition information to growing condition parameters that are
stored in the memory 314 for a given zone.
[0060] In an exemplary embodiment, the memory 314 may be configured
to store information, data, applications, instructions or the like
for enabling the operation manager 340 to carry out various
functions in accordance with exemplary embodiments of the present
invention. For example, the memory 314 could be configured to
buffer input data for processing by the processor 312. Additionally
or alternatively, the memory 314 could be configured to store
instructions for execution by the processor 312. As yet another
alternative, the memory 314 may include one or more databases that
may store a variety of data sets responsive to input from the
sensor network. Among the contents of the memory 314, applications
may be stored for execution by the processor 312 in order to carry
out the functionality associated with each respective application.
In some cases, the applications may include applications for
generation of control consoles for providing options for control of
the system. In some cases, the applications may also or
alternatively include applications for receiving information
regarding component activity/status, environmental parameters,
schedule information, device pairing, and/or the like to allow the
operation manager 340 to define responses to the information (e.g.,
based on predefined programming or user input). The
information/parameters may be entered by the operator, received
from deployed components, or may be extracted or retrieved from
databases or sources accessible via the internet based on entry of
an identity of the plant vegetation in a given zone.
[0061] The operation manager 340 may therefore, for example,
provide interface mechanisms for control of the operation of the
watering computers. FIG. 6 illustrates a block diagram of one
example of operations that may be facilitated by the operation
manager 340 in accordance with an example embodiment. As shown in
FIG. 6, the watering computer (WC) may initially be closed, but the
user terminal 50 may present a control console (or series of
control consoles) via which the operator can provide instructions
to initiate the operations of FIG. 6. An instruction may be
provided at operation 400 to open the watering computer's valve
(i.e., valve 170). A determination may then be made at operation
402 as to whether the robotic rover 15 is active in the area (or at
all). If the robotic rover 15 is active, a warning may be issued at
the user interface 330 of the user terminal 50 at operation 404.
The operator may then determine whether to allow opening of the
valve or not at operation 406. If the operator decides not the open
the valve, flow returns to the initial state. If the operator
decides to allow opening of the valve anyway (e.g., overriding or
disregarding the warning), the operator may then be asked to enter
a time duration for opening of the valve at operation 408. Of note,
the operator may also have the option to cancel to return to the
initial state at this time instead of entering the time
duration.
[0062] Assuming the time duration is entered, an activation signal
may be issued from the user terminal to the watering computer to
direct the valve to be opened at operation 410. The valve may then
remain in an open state until the time duration expires, at which
time the valve may close and flow returns to the initial state.
However, the operator may also insert instructions to manually
close the valve at operation 412. A determination may then be made
as to whether the manual closure is before or overlaps with a
scheduled start time at operation 414. If this manual closure (off
schedule) defines an end time that is before the scheduled next
start time, the schedule may be maintained at operation 416 and the
valve may close at operation 420 so that flow may return to the
initial state to be ready for opening again in accordance with the
schedule. However, if the manual closure corresponds with a
scheduled start time, then the schedule may be skipped at operation
418 and the valve may close at operation 420 so that flow may
return to the initial state to be ready for opening again when the
next scheduled opening time arrives. Meanwhile, from the initial
state, if the scheduled opening time is reached at operation 422,
the valve may open at operation 410 at the corresponding time, and
responsive to time expiring at operation 424, the valve may close.
Likewise, from the initial state, if an opening is triggered by
sensor data at operation 426, the valve may open at operation 410
and then close after a predetermined period of time expires at
operation 424 or when the condition clears at operation 428. Of
note, the operator may also manually open or close the valve 170 by
operating a local button at the watering computer. If manual
(local) operation is performed, the operations described above may
still be performed and the times for remaining opening (or a next
programmed opening) may again be governed by the schedule
information input into the operation manager 340.
[0063] In some cases, the watering computers (e.g., first watering
computer 120 and second watering computer 122) may include a
limited user interface in the form of a main button provided on a
front panel thereof, and a light assembly. The light assembly may
include three LEDs the LEDs may be capable of expressing red, green
and yellow colors in a solid or flashing manner. The LEDs may be
useful for providing status information associated with attempts to
pair the watering computer with another device, battery status,
valve status, and/or the like. FIG. 7 illustrates a block diagram
of some operations associated with conducting a pairing operation
and how information is displayed at the watering computer during
such operations.
[0064] In an example embodiment, the user interface 330 of the user
terminal 50 may be employed initially to provide control console
options for adding devices to the first network so that they are
discovered by the gateway 40 and are recognized by the operation
manager 340. Thus, the watering computer may be added at operation
500. When the pairing mode is initiated (e.g., by battery insertion
into a deployed component, or by pressing the reset button, or by
selection of an option on the user terminal 50) for the watering
computer at operation 502, the watering computer may be discovered
by the gateway 40 and the gateway 40 may communicate the identity
of the discovered watering computer to the user operation manager
340 so that information indicative of the discovered watering
computer can be displayed at the user interface 330. A
determination is made as to weather pairing is possible at
operation 504. If watering computer is discovered and able to be
paired, a green blinking LED lighting output may be provided at
operation 506 (at the watering computer). The user interface 330 of
the user terminal 50 may also or alternatively provide an
indication of detection of the watering computer. If the gateway 40
is unable to find the watering computer, a red LED lighting output
may be generated at operation 508 for a predetermined time duration
(e.g., solid for 20 seconds).
[0065] Once the gateway 40 has discovered and is able to be paired
with the watering computer, the LED lighting outputs during the
pairing mode (which may last three minutes or some other
predetermined period of time) may be converted to a signal strength
indicator. Again similar indications could also be provided at the
user terminal 50. If signal strength is strong (e.g., above a
threshold amount), then the LED lighting output may remain green at
operation 510. If, the watering computer is moved a sufficient
distance away, is shielded from communication with the gateway 40
or otherwise has signal strength fall below the threshold, then the
LED lighting output may turn to yellow at operation 512. In both
cases, the solid color may be maintained for 20 seconds or some
other predetermined time period. However, if the gateway 40 loses
contact with the watering computer, flow may proceed to operation
508 from operation 504 and the LED lighting output may again be
red.
[0066] In some examples, the indications regarding signal strength
may only be presented for a given period of time (e.g., 20
seconds). After expiry of the given period of time, the LED
lighting output may generally be indicative of the battery state of
the watering computer at operation 514. The battery state may only
be provided when a query is received in order to preserve battery
life. However, the battery state indication could also indicate
that connectivity to the gateway 40 is also still available. As
such, connection status may be monitored at operation 516 and, if
connectivity is lost, a red flashing LED lighting output may be
presented at operation 518.
[0067] In an example embodiment, battery capacity can be checked
remotely or locally at any time. FIG. 8 illustrates some operations
that may be associated with such activity. In an example
embodiment, the battery check can be initiated at operation 530 via
the operation manager 340 by interacting therewith at the user
terminal 50 or via the main button at the watering computer itself.
Thereafter, a check is conducted for battery state at the battery
pack of the watering computer at operation 532. If battery capacity
is estimated to be greater than 4 weeks, the LED lighting output
may indicate green (or flash) for twenty seconds at operation 534.
If battery capacity is less than 4 weeks, but greater than two
weeks, the LED lighting output may indicate yellow by flashing for
twenty seconds at operation 536. If battery capacity is less than 2
weeks, the LED lighting output may indicate red by flashing for
twenty seconds at operation 538. If the valve is in the off
position, the LED lighting output may be solid red (only responsive
to a ping) at operation 540.
[0068] In some example embodiments, the robotic rover 15 may be
configured to operate within an area that is defined by a boundary
wire or by some other method. The robotic rover 15 then roams
within the bounded area to ensure that the entire area is serviced.
The robotic rover 15 may operate to cut grass on the parcel (i.e.,
a land lot) or in a zone, the boundaries of which may be defined
using one or more physical boundaries (e.g., a fence, wall, curb
and/or the like), learned positional boundaries, a boundary wire or
combinations thereof. The robotic rover 15 may be controlled, at
least in part, via control circuitry located onboard. The control
circuitry may include, among other things, the ability to detect
the boundary wire to redirect the robotic rover 15 to other areas
within the parcel. The control circuitry may also control a
positioning module that uses GPS, radio beacon triangulation,
odometry or other means to determine location (e.g., its own, or
the location of devices encountered).
[0069] In an example embodiment, the robotic rover 15 may be
battery powered via one or more rechargeable batteries.
Accordingly, the robotic rover 15 may be configured to return to a
charge station that may be located at some position on the parcel
in order to recharge the batteries. The batteries may power a drive
system and a functional control system of the robotic rover 15.
However, the control circuitry of the robotic rover 15 may
selectively control the application of power or other control
signals to the drive system and/or the functional control system to
direct the operation of the drive system and/or functional control
system. Accordingly, movement and operation of the robotic rover 15
over the parcel may be controlled by the control circuitry in a
manner that enables the robotic rover 15 to systematically traverse
the parcel while operating to perform a function on the work area
of the parcel. In some embodiments, the control circuitry may be
configured to communicate wirelessly with the user terminal 50 via
the gateway 40 to allow the operator to take control over robotic
rover 15 operation via the operation manager 340. As such, the
operator may be enabled to provide programming instructions
remotely through the first and second networks or to take real-time
control of one or more aspects of robotic rover 15 operation (e.g.,
mowing, positioning, etc.).
[0070] As mentioned above, the operation manager 340 may be
configured to provide interface mechanisms for control of the
operation of the watering computers. In some cases, these interface
mechanisms may be provided via one or more control consoles or
display screens to that allow the operator to interact with data,
request data or view data that is retrieved via the gateway 40. As
such, the operation manager 340 may interact with components of the
second network in order to access the gateway 40, which translates
from whatever communication protocols are employed in the second
network into the corresponding protocols of the first network
(e.g., the garden network) to access information for display at the
user terminal 50. However, the operation manager 340 may also
interact with the gateway 40 in similar fashion to provide
programming instructions to the robotic rover 15, watering
computers, sensors and/or the like of the deployed components that
are part of the first network. Moreover, the operation manager 340
may also enable real time control or data extraction to be
undertaken. Additionally, the operation manager 340 may receive
alerts or warnings from the deployed components relating to battery
status, signal status, weather-related warnings (e.g., frost
warnings), and/or the like.
[0071] FIG. 9, which includes FIGS. 9A-9C, illustrates some
examples of interface screens or control consoles that may be
provided by the operation manager 340 in some embodiments. FIG. 9A
illustrates a basic start screen showing a home page 600 for the
app. The app may display a general sensor data section 610, which
may display current garden conditions (e.g., temperature, lighting
situation, soil moisture, pH, and/or the like). In some cases, the
app may also display device status information 620, which may show
each device of the first network along with corresponding status
information such as, for example, battery status, operational
status, and/or the like. In an example embodiment, an option may
also be provided for adding new devices in box 630.
[0072] In some cases, by selecting the sensor data section 610 (or
an individual sensor), various individual or collective screens
showing the status of each sensor may be provided. FIG. 9B
illustrates an example sensor status screen 650 that may be
accessed responsive to selecting the sensor data section 610. In
some embodiments, the sensor status screen 650 may include a
current sensor data section 660 that may display current sensor
data. A historical sensor data section 670 may also be provided to
show past data over a given period of time (that may be user
selectable). A settings adjustment option 680 may also be provided
to allow the operator to select various sensor settings. The sensor
settings may relate to trigger points to trigger the watering
computer, pairing activity, signal strength, battery levels,
identifying plant types nearby, identifying soil type and/or the
like.
[0073] In some embodiments, the robotic rover or a watering
computer may be selected and similarly controlled to the manner
described above for the sensor. That is, after adding the device
(e.g., via the new device addition box 630), the device may be
paired in a manner described above. The device and its status may
then be visible as a selectable device in the device status
information 620. FIG. 9C illustrates an example device status
screen 700 for a watering computer. After pairing, or at any time
after the device is added, corresponding settings may be provided
for the device. The settings may include an indication of signal
strength at 710 (e.g., for placement and setup), options for
pairing with a sensor at 720, or options for schedule adjustment
(including manual start) at 730. When the device is the robotic
rover 15, additional options for selecting a camera view (e.g., in
real time) may also be provided. Moreover, the operation manager
340 may be further configured to store image data for images
captured by the robotic rover 15. In some cases, the operation
manager 340 may store such images in a library of images that is
selectable and reviewable by the operator via the user terminal
50.
[0074] In some embodiments, further design features may be employed
to attempt to avoid unnecessary measurements and therefore also
avoid unnecessary energy consumption. For example, in some cases,
the C/C 160 of the sensor 140 may be configured with an intelligent
measurement cycle. The intelligent measurement cycle may be
adaptable based on results of previous measurements. For example,
the intelligent measurement cycle may be adaptable based on the
result of the last measurement and/or of the last measurements of
the current situation. In the context of the intelligent
measurement cycle, the time between measurements may be extended
for various situations. Foe example, if soil moisture levels are
high, the time between measurements may be increased since moist
soil is generally regarded as being good for plants. For drier
soil, the time between measurements may be decreased in order to
avoid not detecting rain or manual watering. In an example
embodiment, before a planned (e.g., system programmed) irrigation
event, a soil moisture measurement may be performed regardless of
the outcome of a previous measurement. This may ensure that the
ground state before the irrigation decision is made is known.
[0075] In some cases, a plurality of cycle times may be defined for
various corresponding moisture content levels or specific humidity
ranges. For example, a chart such as the chart shown in FIG. 10 may
be provided to define corresponding cycle times 800 for different
moisture or humidity ranges 810. In the chart, the value ranges are
simply listed as TBD to illustrate that any desirable ranges can be
input for these values. The interface provided by the operation
manager 340 may be used to define these values. Some corresponding
example cycle times 800 are listed, but these are merely exemplary
and are not intended to be limiting. Moreover, it should be
appreciated that, in some cases, a mathematical functional
relationship between soil moisture and cycle time may be defined
instead of a chart. Thus, even more precise adjustment of cycle
times may be possible in some cases.
[0076] Embodiments of the present invention may therefore be
practiced using one or more apparatuses such as the ones depicted
in FIGS. 1-5. As such, a system of an example embodiment may
include sensor equipment having one or more sensors disposed on a
parcel of land, watering equipment disposed on the parcel and
configured to selectively apply water to the parcel, and a gateway
configured to provide for communication with the sensor equipment
and the watering equipment. The gateway may interface between a
first network and a second network. The first network may include
at least the watering equipment and the sensor equipment. The
system may also include a user terminal including processing
circuitry configured to provide a remote interface for
communication with the sensor equipment and the watering equipment
via the gateway.
[0077] The system may further include a robotic rover that is also
adaptively configured. In an example embodiment, the watering
equipment may include a watering computer including a valve
assembly. The watering computer may be operably coupled to a water
source and a water line such that the valve assembly is operable,
by the watering computer, to alternately couple the water source to
and isolate the water source from the water line. In some
embodiments, the provide for setup of the sensor equipment and the
watering equipment by enabling pairing of the sensor equipment and
the watering equipment with each other and the gateway. In an
example embodiment, the processing circuitry may be configured to
provide an interface for current sensor data and historical sensor
data. Alternatively or additionally, the processing circuitry may
be configured to provide an interface for adding a new device to
the first network and an interface for displaying device status.
Alternatively or additionally, the processing circuitry may be
configured to provide an interface for system setup including a
display of signal strength of devices of the first network relative
to the gateway. Alternatively or additionally, the processing
circuitry may be configured to provide an interface for adjusting a
watering schedule of the watering computer. Alternatively or
additionally, the processing circuitry may be configured to enable
remote coordination of robotic rover operation with operation of
the watering computer. Alternatively or additionally, the
processing circuitry may be configured to provide warnings to the
operator based on battery status, schedule conflicts, and weather
issues. In an example embodiment, battery status of the watering
computer is displayable at the user terminal via the processing
circuitry. Alternatively or additionally, connectivity status of
the watering computer may be displayable at the user terminal via
the processing circuitry.
[0078] Many modifications and other embodiments of the inventions
set forth herein will come to mind to one skilled in the art to
which these inventions pertain having the benefit of the teachings
presented in the foregoing descriptions and the associated
drawings. Therefore, it is to be understood that the inventions are
not to be limited to the specific embodiments disclosed and that
modifications and other embodiments are intended to be included
within the scope of the appended claims. Moreover, although the
foregoing descriptions and the associated drawings describe
exemplary embodiments in the context of certain exemplary
combinations of elements and/or functions, it should be appreciated
that different combinations of elements and/or functions may be
provided by alternative embodiments without departing from the
scope of the appended claims. In this regard, for example,
different combinations of elements and/or functions than those
explicitly described above are also contemplated as may be set
forth in some of the appended claims. In cases where advantages,
benefits or solutions to problems are described herein, it should
be appreciated that such advantages, benefits and/or solutions may
be applicable to some example embodiments, but not necessarily all
example embodiments. Thus, any advantages, benefits or solutions
described herein should not be thought of as being critical,
required or essential to all embodiments or to that which is
claimed herein. Although specific terms are employed herein, they
are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for
purposes of limitation.
* * * * *