US 11,860,652 B1
Irrigation controller and associated methods
Brad J. Wardle, Kaysville, UT (US); Stuart J. Eyring, Bountiful, UT (US); and Jason R. Sims, New Braunfels, TX (US)
Assigned to HUSQVARNA AB
Filed by Husqvarna AB, Huskvarna (SE)
Filed on Feb. 13, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/109,092.
Application 18/109,092 is a continuation of application No. 17/222,898, filed on Apr. 5, 2021, granted, now 11,579,634.
Application 17/222,898 is a continuation of application No. 16/813,476, filed on Mar. 9, 2020, granted, now 10,969,798, issued on Apr. 6, 2021.
Application 16/813,476 is a continuation of application No. 15/640,244, filed on Jun. 30, 2017, granted, now 10,602,682, issued on Mar. 31, 2020.
Int. Cl. G05D 7/06 (2006.01); A01G 25/16 (2006.01); G05B 19/042 (2006.01); A01G 25/02 (2006.01)
CPC G05D 7/0623 (2013.01) [A01G 25/02 (2013.01); A01G 25/165 (2013.01); G05B 19/042 (2013.01); G05D 7/0629 (2013.01); G05B 2219/25419 (2013.01); G05B 2219/2625 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An irrigation controller comprising:
a valve communications component, wherein the valve communications component is configured to generate electrical signals to control one or more irrigation valves, each of the one or more irrigation valves controlling a flow of irrigation water to a watering zone of one or more watering zones of a property;
a catch cup component for receiving measurement values, each of the measurement values representing a quantity of water captured by one of a plurality of catch cups positioned within the watering zone during a test watering period, wherein the catch cup component is configured to cause a graphical user interface to display a visual representation of a particular catch cup of the plurality of catch cups and a visual representation of a water level within the particular catch cup, is further configured to alter the visual representation of the water level in response to upward or downward touch input provided to the graphical user interface such that a user may specify a measurement value corresponding to the particular catch cup, the measurement value corresponding to the particular catch cup comprising one of the measurement values, and is further configured to cause the graphical user interface to display a numeric value corresponding to the visual representation of the water level;
an average component for calculating an average of the measurement values;
a lowest quartile component for identifying one or more of the measurement values falling within a lowest quartile of the measurement values;
a lowest quartile average component for calculating a lowest quartile average, the lowest quartile average comprising an average of the measurement values within the lowest quartile of the measurement values;
an estimated irrigation rate component for calculating an estimated irrigation rate based on the lowest quartile average;
an in-soil water level component for calculating a first estimated in-soil water level for the watering zone at a first point in time;
a forecast evapotranspiration component for calculating or receiving forecast evapotranspiration data for the watering zone for an intermediate period of time extending between the first point in time and a subsequent, second point in time;
a forecast weather component for receiving forecast precipitation data for the watering zone for the intermediate period of time, wherein the in-soil water level component is further configured to calculate a second estimated in-soil water level at the second point in time based on the first estimated in-soil water level, the forecast precipitation data and the forecast evapotranspiration data;
a total scheduled watering time component for calculating a scheduled watering time for the watering zone based at least in part on a ratio between the lowest quartile average and the average of the measurement values using at least one of a group of one or more processors disposed within or in electronic communication with the irrigation controller; and
a watering schedule component for formulating a watering schedule for the watering zone based at least in part on the calculated scheduled watering time using at least one of the group of one or more processors.