Wireless remote irrigation control

Abstract

Systems, apparatuses, and methods are provided herein related to irrigation control systems. In some embodiments, an irrigation control system includes a router, an access point, and irrigation controller, a wireless adapter, and a mobile device. The mobile device can communicate with the wireless adapter in a direct communication mode in which the wireless adapter creates a wireless network, a first indirect communication mode in which the mobile device and the wireless adapter communicate via the access point while the mobile device is within range of the access point, and a second indirect communication mode in which the mobile device and the wireless adapter communicate via the access point while the mobile device is out of range of the access point.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An irrigation control system comprising:
 an irrigation controller located within a coverage range of a first local wireless network and configured to control irrigation by outputting control signals to one or more water flow control devices;   a wireless adapter, wherein the wireless adapter comprises a processor, a memory and a wireless communication chipset; and   an irrigation control application, wherein the irrigation control application is configured to execute on a mobile device, and wherein the irrigation control application is configured to communicate with the irrigation controller via the wireless adapter to provide a remote user control interface to the irrigation controller;   wherein the wireless adapter is configured to communicate with the irrigation control application in any one of the following communication modes:   a direct communication mode between the wireless adapter and the mobile device where the wireless adapter creates a second local area network and the mobile device becomes a client of the second wireless area network;   a first indirect communication mode where the wireless adapter and the mobile device communicate via an access point using the first local area network, wherein the mobile device is within the coverage area of the first local area network; and   a second indirect communication mode where the wireless adapter communicates with the access point using the first local area network, where the mobile device communicates with the access point via a wide area network, wherein the mobile device is outside of the coverage area of the first local area network.   
     
     
         2 . The irrigation control system of  claim 1 , wherein the only required mode is the direct communication mode. 
     
     
         3 . The irrigation control system of  claim 1 , wherein the wireless adapter can be fully configured for communication with the irrigation control application in the direct communication mode. 
     
     
         4 . The irrigation control system of  claim 1 , wherein a user account registered with a remote server including user login data is not required for the mobile device to communicate with the wireless adapter in the direct communication mode, the first indirect communication mode, and the second indirect communication mode. 
     
     
         5 . The irrigation control system of  claim 1 , wherein the irrigation control system is not an account-based system having user accounts registered with a remote server including login data. 
     
     
         6 . The irrigation control system of  claim 1 , wherein the wireless adapter does not require transmission of a password from the mobile device when receiving communications in the direct communication mode. 
     
     
         7 . The irrigation control system of  claim 1 , wherein the wireless adapter requires transmission of a password from the mobile device when receiving communications in the first indirect communication mode and the second indirect communication mode. 
     
     
         8 . The irrigation control system of  claim 1 , wherein the wireless adapter is integrated with the irrigation controller. 
     
     
         9 . The irrigation control system of  claim 1 , wherein the wireless adapter is separable from the irrigation controller, and wherein the wireless adapter physically couples to the irrigation controller at a port of the irrigation controller. 
     
     
         10 . The irrigation control system of  claim 1 , wherein the first indirect communication mode is a default mode. 
     
     
         11 . The irrigation control system of  claim 1 , wherein the wireless adapter includes a physical input, wherein selection of the physical input forces the wireless adapter to communicate in the direct communication mode. 
     
     
         12 . The irrigation control system of  claim 1 , wherein the wireless adapter allows reset of a password without input of the password when in the direct communication mode. 
     
     
         13 . The irrigation control system of  claim 1 , wherein the wireless adapter is configured to receive a geographically-based weather adjustment factor. 
     
     
         14 . The irrigation control system of  claim 13 , wherein the irrigation control application allows a user to select at the mobile device whether then wireless adapter will output control signals to the irrigation controller responsive to receipt at the wireless adapter of the geographically-based weather adjustment factor. 
     
     
         15 . The irrigation control system of  claim 1 , wherein once configured at the irrigation controller, the wireless adapter can be disconnected from the irrigation controller and coupled to a second irrigation controller and operate with the irrigation control application at the second irrigation controller. 
     
     
         16 . The irrigation control system of  claim 1 , wherein a transition from one communication mode to another communication mode is one or more of: manually performed by a user interacting with the irrigation control application; and automatically performed in the operation between the wireless adapter and the irrigation control application. 
     
     
         17 . The irrigation control system of  claim 1 , wherein the irrigation control application allows a user to transmit encrypted credentials to a person, wherein the encrypted credentials allow the person to access the wireless adapter. 
     
     
         18 . The irrigation control system of  claim 17 , wherein the encrypted credentials allow the person to access the wireless adapter temporarily. 
     
     
         19 . A method for communicating between a mobile device and an irrigation controller, the method comprising:
 receiving, at a mobile device, user input, wherein the user input indicates a command for the irrigation controller; and   receiving at a wireless adapter that is within a coverage area of a first local area network, the command for the irrigation controller, wherein the command is received from:
 the mobile device when the wireless adapter is in a direct communication mode, wherein when in the direct communication mode the wireless adapter creates a second local area network and the mobile device becomes a client of the second local area network; 
 an access point when the wireless adapter is in a first indirect communication mode, wherein when the wireless adapter is in the first indirect communication mode the mobile device communicates directly with the access point and the mobile device is within the coverage area of the first local area network; and 
 the access point when the wireless adapter is in a second direct communication mode, wherein when in the second indirect communication mode the mobile device communicates indirectly with the access point via a wide area network and the mobile device is outside of the coverage area of the first local area network. 
   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the only required mode is the direct communication mode.