Abstract: Some embodiments provide an interface unit interfacing with an irrigation controller, comprising: a housing; a controller configured to instruct an interruption of a watering schedule executed by the irrigation controller, the interruption based on one or both of sensed temperature and sensed rainfall amount, and based on one or both of user entered temperature and rainfall threshold parameters; a switching device coupled with the controller, and configured to cause the interruption in response to signaling from the controller; and a user interface comprising: a plurality of user input devices configured to provide signaling to the controller based upon user's engagement, and configured to allow the user to define the temperature and rainfall threshold parameters; and a user display comprising a display screen; wherein the controller is configured to cause the display screen to display a plurality of pictorial representations that in combination convey whether irrigation is being interrupted.

Abstract: A tube connector having a body and a coupler is provided. The body defines a fluid flow path therethrough. The coupler has an annular body including an outer wall and an inner surface. An end of the outer wall is mounted on the body at one end of the flow path. The inner surface is supported by the outer wall and defines a central opening for receiving an end portion of a tube. The coupler includes a barb protruding radially inward from the inner surface to engage the end portion of the tube to secure the tube to the coupler. The coupler includes a protrusion extending radially outward from the outer wall.

Abstract: An emitter outlet defining an ingress channel having a first volume and area, and having a first portion that is substantially perpendicular to a second portion located downstream of the first portion which causes fluid flowing through the ingress channel to make a first fluid velocity reducing turn, and a first opening located off of the second portion that causes at least a portion of the fluid flowing through the ingress channel to make a second fluid velocity reducing turn, and an outlet bath with a second volume and area that is larger than the first volume and area of the ingress channel so as to cause further pressure and/or velocity reduction of the fluid entering into the outlet bath. In addition, emitters, drip lines and various methods relating to such an emitter outlet configuration are also disclosed.

Abstract: A multi-mode sprinkler adjustable for part or full circle operation to irrigate a selected area is provided. The sprinkler includes a nozzle for dispensing fluid, a set of gears for rotating the nozzle and an arc setting mechanism that cooperates with the set of gears. The arc setting mechanism comprises a fixed trip for switching to a first direction for the nozzle and an adjustable trip movable relative to the fixed trip for setting an arc of rotation for the nozzle in the part circle mode. The arc setting mechanism also includes a toggle for engaging the fixed trip and the adjustable to switch between a first direction and a second direction when in the part circle mode. In the full circle mode, the adjustable trip overlaps at least in part the fixed trip, such that the fixed trip deflects the toggle radially inward, allowing continuous rotation of the nozzle.

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.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide systems and methods of controlling irrigation, comprising: communicating an assumption broadcast from a first irrigation controller to each of a plurality of other irrigation controllers defining assumed states of control elements, wherein the control elements are shared with one or more of the first irrigation controller and the other irrigation controllers; determining whether a reply is received from one or more of the other irrigation controllers in reply to the assumption broadcast; identifying, from the reply, a correction to a state corresponding to a first control element; updating state information corresponding to the first control element in response to the identifying the correction; and communicating a subsequent notification from the first irrigation controller to each of the plurality of other irrigation controllers of the irrigation system, where the subsequent notification comprises the updated state information corresponding to the first control element.

Abstract: An irrigation control device is provided that includes adjacent terminal connector rows having a ridge portion between the rows, where the ridge portion is configured to support and guide wires to the terminal connectors of one row, and to support these wires above wires retained in another row of terminal connectors. In some embodiments, one of the terminal connector rows includes a plurality of risers coupled to the terminal connectors positioned in that row. The risers provide a vertical offset between the adjacent terminal connector rows, as well as a secure electrical and mechanical connection point for the wires to connect to the circuit board directly, or alternatively to the corresponding electrical pads coupled to the circuit board. The housing may include divider walls that each provide an additional barrier or isolation between side-by-side electrical connection pads, terminal connectors and their associated wires.

Abstract: In some embodiments, provide an irrigation sensor system, comprising: a rain funnel comprising an upper opening and at least one wall tapering from the upper opening to a lower aperture; and a tipping bucket positioned to receive water falling from the lower aperture while the tipping bucket is positioned such that a central longitudinal axis of the tipping bucket is not aligned with an axis extending through the lower aperture of the funnel.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide hydro-power generation systems for irrigation systems. In some embodiments, a system comprises a generator comprising a turbine at least partially inserted into a fluid flow path of a conduit of the irrigation system and to be activated by a fluid flow in the conduit, wherein the generator is to output an electrical power signal; a control circuit to: determine a characteristic of the electrical power signal; determine, based on the characteristic, a load impedance selected from a plurality of load impedances; and output a control signal to select the load impedance. The system also comprises a variable load circuit to: receive the control signal; and provide the load impedance, where an impedance of the variable load circuit is based on the characteristic to provide power generation over various flow rates of fluid in the fluid flow path.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide an irrigation flow sensor system, comprising: a housing forming a fluid channel to cooperate with conduits of an irrigation system; a paddle wheel device with at least a first blade of a set of the blades comprises a magnetic element; the paddle wheel device is positioned with at least a portion of the blades extends into the fluid channel as the blades rotate about an axis; a magnetic sensor proximate a pathway of the magnetic element as it rotates configured to provide a sensor output every time the magnetic element passes the magnetic sensor; a switch coupled to the magnetic sensor and a current loop, wherein the switch in an activate state is configured to temporarily change the current in the current loop in response to the sensor output, with a rate of change in current corresponding to a flow rate of the fluid flowing.

Abstract: In some embodiments, apparatuses and methods are provided herein useful to use with irrigation devices connected to a multi-wire path in an irrigation system. In some embodiments, there is provided a system for use with irrigation devices including a control circuit and an application including computer program code configured to be executed by the control circuit to perform steps. The steps includes obtaining a listing of unique addresses not already assigned to irrigation zones, each unique address corresponding to a respective one of the irrigation devices, the irrigation devices connected to the multi-wire path of the irrigation system; and assigning each unique address of the listing of unique addresses sequentially to available irrigation zones.

Abstract: In some embodiments, systems and methods provide an output unit for an irrigation controller comprising: a housing; an input port; a microcontroller; a modulator; a plurality of switches coupled to an output of the modulator and independently controlled by the microcontroller; and a plurality of two-wire path output connectors each coupled to a corresponding one of the plurality of switches, wherein each of the plurality of two-wire path output connectors is configured to be connected to a corresponding two-wire path of a plurality of two-wire paths which extend out of the irrigation controller and to which multiple decoder-based irrigation control units can be connected and controlled, wherein the microcontroller is further configured to operate the plurality of switches to couple and decouple the modulated power signals from the output of the modulator to one or more of the plurality of two-wire path output connectors.

Abstract: In some embodiments, apparatuses and methods are provided herein useful to providing power and data to an irrigation device. In some embodiments, a decoder unit for an irrigation system that receives power and data from an irrigation control unit over a multi-wire path comprises an input interface configured to couple to the multi-wire path of a decoder-based irrigation control system and to receive an output AC signal modulated with data and transmitted by an encoder of the irrigation control unit over the multi-wire path; a switch coupled to the input interface; a decoder circuit connected to the input interface. In some embodiment, the decoder circuit comprises a control circuit configured to decode the data from the received output AC signal; determine that the irrigation device is to be activated; and output a control signal to the switch.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide systems for use in controlling irrigation, comprising: an irrigation controller configured to couple with one or more valves at a site and to control activation and deactivation of the one or more valves in accordance with an irrigation schedule stored in the irrigation controller; a wireless adapter directly communicationally coupled through a direct wired connection with the irrigation controller; and a network adapter wirelessly coupled over a point-to-point wireless communication path with the wireless adapter, wherein the network adapter is configured to further couple through a direct wired connection with a local router configured to provide communication over a distributed network to a remote server; wherein the wireless adapter is configured to poll the irrigation controller to acquire and locally store status information; and the wireless adapter is configured to communicate, over the point-to-point wireless channel, the status information to the server.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for checking emitter bonds in an irrigation drip line and for manufacturing drip line in a manner that allows the bond between the in-line emitter and surrounding conduit to be checked. In one form, a downstream in-line vacuum tester is provided for monitoring the amount of air escaping from outlet openings in the drip line to detect excessive air associated with poorly bonded emitters.

Abstract: An irrigation control device comprises a coil adapted to develop an electromagnetic flux sufficient to cause actuation of irrigation equipment. Control circuitry is electrically coupled to the coil to receive control signals from an irrigation control unit and to control the flux at the coil. A housing covers at least a portion of both the coil and the control circuitry, the housing including a threaded end configured to thread the irrigation control device to a valve assembly to be actuated by the electromagnetic flux of the coil.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide methods and systems of controlling irrigation. Some of these systems comprise: a connector of a controller interface (CI) coupled with an irrigation controller, wherein the connector is configured to receive a valve activation signal activated by the irrigation controller; a user interface of the CI; a processor of the CI configured to obtain valve transceiver (VT) programming with VT programming being received from inputs through the user interface, determine a station identifier, and identify as defined in the VT programming a remote valve associated with the station identifier and controlled by a remote VT; and a wireless transceiver configured to wirelessly transmit a wireless activation signal configured to be wirelessly received by the VT controlling the valve associated by the VT programming with the station identifier such that the VT is configured to control an actuator to actuate the valve.

Abstract: A spout clip is provided including a spout and a tube clip. The spout is coupled to the tube clip. The tube clip is configured to attach to a sidewall of a water supply line to secure the spout to the line. The water supply line may include a water discharge hole, and the spout clip may be positioned at the hole. An emitter inside the line may also be positioned at the hole. The spout clip may be attached to the fluid supply tube at the hole to bring the spout of the spout clip into fluid communication with the outlet of the emitter and to distribute water from the line from a location spaced apart from the line.

Abstract: In some embodiments, a system for controlling irrigation comprises an irrigation control unit comprising: an input configured to receive a user entered number of watering passes for a rotary sprinkler configured to repetitively rotate about an arc and irrigate an area of an irrigation site, wherein each rotation about the arc comprises a watering pass; a memory to store the number of watering passes and arc rotation data for the rotary sprinkler corresponding to a time duration for the rotary sprinkler to make the watering pass about the arc; and a control circuit configured to: receive the number of watering passes; receive the arc rotation data; determine a run time that will result in irrigation by the rotary sprinkler about the arc for the user entered number of passes; and store the run time.

Abstract: The present embodiments provide systems, processes and/or methods of controlling irrigation. In some embodiments, methods are provided that receive (4112) water usage information corresponding to a first volumetric water usage at a site location having an irrigation controller (130), wherein the first volumetric water usage corresponds to volumetric water usage from a beginning of a budget period of time to a first time within the budget period of time; determine (4114) automatically whether a volumetric water budget at the site location will be met for the budget period of time based on at least the first volumetric water usage, the volumetric water budget corresponding to a specified volume of water for use during the budget period of time; determine (4116) automatically, in the event the volumetric water budget will not be met, an adjustment to the irrigation by the irrigation controller; and output (4118) signaling to effect the adjustment.