Modular and expandable irrigation controller

Abstract

Described herein are several embodiments relating to modular irrigation controllers. In many implementations, the irrigation controllers are modular in that various functional components of the irrigation controller are implemented in removable modules that when inserted into position within the controller, expand the capabilities of the controller. Also described are various different types of expansion modules that may be coupled to the modular controller, having as variety of functions and features, as well as related methods of use and configuration of these modules in the controller. In one implementation, an expansion module is provided that includes a microcontroller capable of sending and receiving data communications to and from a main microcontroller of the controller that executed irrigation programs, the data communications relating to an irrigation program.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A modular irrigation controller comprising:
 a housing;   a control unit within the housing, the control unit including a first microcontroller for executing stored irrigation programs;   a first expansion module removably mounted within the housing and electrically coupled to the first microcontroller, the first expansion module including driver circuitry for actuating irrigation valves in accordance with control signals received from the first microcontroller; and   a second expansion module removably mounted within the housing and electrically coupled to the first microcontroller, the second expansion module including a second microcontroller configured to send and receive data communications to and from the first microcontroller, the data communications relating to an irrigation program.   
     
     
         2 . The modular irrigation controller of  claim 1  wherein the control unit and the second expansion module share data relating to the irrigation program. 
     
     
         3 . The modular irrigation controller of  claim 1  wherein the first microcontroller is configured to monitor user manipulation of user inputs of the modular irrigation controller and transmit one or more signals providing indications of the user manipulation to the second microcontroller. 
     
     
         4 . The modular irrigation controller of  claim 1  wherein the one or more data value, variable and/or constant are stored in a first memory associated with the first microcontroller. 
     
     
         5 . The modular irrigation controller of  claim 1  wherein the data communications relating to the irrigation program include at least a portion of the irrigation program. 
     
     
         6 . The modular irrigation controller of  claim 1  wherein the first expansion module and the second expansion module are contained entirely within the housing of the modular irrigation controller. 
     
     
         7 . The modular irrigation controller of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a plurality of expansion module mounting locations within the housing and configured to removably receive expansion modules, each expansion mounting location electrically coupled to the first microcontroller, 
 wherein the first expansion module is coupled to a first one of the expansion module mounting locations and the second expansion module is coupled to a second one of the expansion module mounting locations, and 
 wherein the first microcontroller is configured to operate with the first expansion module and the second expansion module if the first expansion module was alternatively coupled to the second one of the expansion module mounting locations and the second expansion module was alternatively coupled to the first one of the expansion module mounting locations. 
 
     
     
         8 . The modular irrigation controller of  claim 1 , wherein the second expansion module includes driver circuitry for a decoder output, the second microcontroller configured to transmit an actuation signal to the decoder output to selectively actuate a plurality of irrigation valves, wherein the second expansion module functions as a decoder module. 
     
     
         9 . A modular irrigation controller comprising:
 a housing;   a control unit within the housing, the control unit including a main microcontroller for executing stored irrigation programs;   a plurality of expansion module mounting locations within the housing configured to removably receive expansion modules, each expansion mounting location electrically coupled to the main microcontroller; and   a first expansion module removably mounted to a first expansion module mounting location and electrically coupled to the main microcontroller, the first expansion module including a first microcontroller, the first microcontroller configured to operate with the main microcontroller and provide additional functionality not present in the capabilities of the main microcontroller.   
     
     
         10 . The modular irrigation controller of  claim 9  further comprising:
 a second expansion module removably mounted to a second expansion module mounting location and electrically coupled to the main microcontroller, the second expansion module including driver circuitry for actuating irrigation valves in accordance with control signals received from the main microcontroller. 
 
     
     
         11 . The modular irrigation controller of  claim 9  wherein the first expansion module includes driver circuitry for actuating irrigation valves in accordance with control signals received from the main microcontroller. 
     
     
         12 . The modular irrigation controller of  claim 9  wherein the main microcontroller is programmed to be able to perform a first set of functionality, wherein the first microcontroller is programmed to operate with the main microcontroller, wherein the additional functionality is not included in the first set of functionality, such that the modular irrigation controller can perform the first set of functionality and the additional functionality. 
     
     
         13 . The modular irrigation controller of  claim 12  wherein the first set of functionality includes the ability to control driver circuitry of one or more expansion modules removably coupled to one or more expansion module mounting locations, the driver circuitry for actuating irrigation valves in accordance with control signals received from the main microcontroller. 
     
     
         14 . The modular irrigation controller of  claim 12  wherein the additional functionality comprises one or more functions selected from a group consisting of: adjust irrigation based on the evapotranspiration (ET) data; provide a direct current (DC) pulse to a latching solenoid; transmit a wireless signal; provide a cycle and soak feature; and communicate a fault condition. 
     
     
         15 . The modular irrigation controller of  claim 9  wherein the first expansion module includes an input to receive data, wherein the additional functionality includes processing the data. 
     
     
         16 . The modular irrigation controller of  claim 9  wherein the first expansion module is contained entirely within the housing of the modular irrigation controller. 
     
     
         17 . The modular irrigation controller of  claim 9  wherein the main microcontroller is configured to alternatively function with a second expansion module removably mounted to the first expansion module mounting location, the second expansion module including driver circuitry for actuating irrigation valves in accordance with control signals received from the main microcontroller. 
     
     
         18 . An expansion module for a modular irrigation controller comprising:
 a housing;   an electrical connector configured to removably connect to one of a plurality of expansion module mounting locations of a modular irrigation controller; and   a microcontroller within the housing and coupled to the electrical connector, the microcontroller configured to operate with a control unit of the modular irrigation controller and provide additional control functionality not present in the capabilities of the control unit.   
     
     
         19 . The expansion module of  claim 18  wherein the electrical connector is configured to removably connect to any one of the plurality of expansion module mounting locations of the modular irrigation controller. 
     
     
         20 . The expansion module of  claim 18  wherein the control unit is programmed to be able to perform a first set of functionality, wherein the microcontroller is programmed to operate with the control unit, wherein the additional control functionality is not included in the first set of functionality, such that the modular irrigation controller can perform the first set of functionality and the additional control functionality.