초록 ▼

An irrigation control system and a related method for controlling a large number of valves in accordance with a plurality of schedules of instructions provided by the user of the system. Schedules of instructions may be created or modified during normal operation of the system by utilizing a variety

An irrigation control system and a related method for controlling a large number of valves in accordance with a plurality of schedules of instructions provided by the user of the system. Schedules of instructions may be created or modified during normal operation of the system by utilizing a variety of command sequences on a keyboard and display device, and schedules may also be reviewed or monitored during operation. The control system includes apparatus for processing a plurality of digital inputs by means of which the conditions of sensing devices located in the field are monitored and can be used to condition execution of the schedules of instructions. The control system is disclosed for use with a two-wire irrigation system in which on/off control signals are encoded into a power signal for transmission along a pair of wires to which decoding units are connected. The control system includes an input/output service module which transmits on/off control signals to the decoding units repeatedly, as rapidly as the two-wire system will permit, to ensure that the valves remain switched in the manner intended.

대표청구항 ▼

An interactive irrigation control system comprising: digital control means for controlling a plurality of irrigation valves in accordance with a plurality of independent and repeatable schedules of instructions; and means for creating or modifying schedules of instructions concurrently with, and wit

An interactive irrigation control system comprising: digital control means for controlling a plurality of irrigation valves in accordance with a plurality of independent and repeatable schedules of instructions; and means for creating or modifying schedules of instructions concurrently with, and without disrupting, operation of said digital control means, said means for creating or modifying schedules of instructions including schedule storage means, for storing a plurality of schedules of instructions for control of the irrigation valves, operator input and output means, and operator input/output service means, for interpreting operator instructions and deriving therefrom schedules for storage in said schedule storage means, and for initiating operator output messages, said operator input/output service means being operable simultaneously with, and without disruption of said digital control means, to provide operator communication without disturbing execution of the schedules of instructions.