Programmable irrigation computer

Claim 2

A programmable sprinkler operating computer comprising power means supplying a sequence of stepping pulses in a first mode and sprinkler operating pulses in a second mode; and a programmer for establishing said pulses in a predetermined sequence including a matrix of gate means enabling said second mode, one gate means corresponding to each of a series of sprinklers and operable by coincidence of at least two control signals, sprinkler address means providing a first interrogation control signal to said matrix in sequence for each sprinkler of the series and enabling said power means in its first mode; and a programmable register providing to said matrix a second timing control signal for each sprinkler of the series to be operated in preselected sequence and for a preselected duration.

Claim 3

The programmable sprinkler operating computer of claim 1 wherein the power means supplies said stepping pulses at an intermediate voltage level and said operating pulses at a higher voltage level.

Claim 4

The programmable sprinkler operating computer of claim 1 wherein the timing control signals provided by said programmable register are adjustable in duration.

Claim 5

The programmable sprinkler operating computer of claim 1 wherein the programmable register includes time base means providing a continuous series of pulses having a constant repetition rate; time gate means converting said series of pulses into a plurality of timing control signals of differing but fixed duration; a set of output lines to said matrix of gate means, one line for the gate means of each sprinkler of the series; and at least one pin board means enabling those of said lines corresponding to each sprinkler to be operated with one of said timing control signals in preselected sequence.

Claim 6

The programmable sprinkler operating computer of claim 1 wherein the programmable register further includes means adjustably modifying the repetition rate of said pulses to establish a different time base for them.

Claim 7

The programmable sprinkler operating computer of claim 1 wherein the sprinkler address means includes a set of output lines to said matrix of gate means, one of the set for each gate means in the matrix for each of the series of sprinklers; counter means For supplying an interrogation control signal to each of the set of output lines in sequence; an oscillator, which is responsive to an output from any of said gate means in the matrix, for incrementing said counter means when there is no output from any of said gate means and for setting said counter means in sequence at each gate means address in the matrix where there is an output.

Claim 8

The programmable sprinkler operating computer of claim 1 wherein the power means includes an output module supplying said stepping pulses in a first mode and said operating pulses in a second mode; and output module control means responsive to an output from any of said gate means in the matrix for enabling the output module in its first mode when there is no output from any of said gate means and in its second mode when there is an output.

Claim 9

The programmable sprinkler operating computer of claim 7 wherein the power means further includes an encoder for the outputs of said gate means of said matrix providing a coded output corresponding to the number of gate means in the matrix that have previously enabled said second mode; an oscillator in the output module control means enabling the output module in its first mode and simultaneously producing a counter decrement pulse for each stepping pulse; and a downcounter for the output of said encoder which is decremented by said oscillator decrement pulses and is set by the encoder to disable said oscillator and to enable the output module in its second mode.

Claim 10

The programmable sprinkler operating computer of claim 8 wherein the output module control includes delay means inhibiting both modes of said output module for a sprinkler control unit reset time following each sprinkler operating pulse.

Claim 11

In a sprinkler operating computer having power means supplying a sequence of stepping pulses in a first mode and sprinkler operating pulses in a second mode, a programmer for establishing said pulses in a predetermined sequence including a matrix of gate means enabling said second mode, one gate means corresponding to each of a series of sprinklers and operable by coincidence of at least two control signals; sprinkler address means providing a first interrogation control signal to said matrix in sequence for each sprinkler of the series and enabling said power means in its first mode; and a programmable register providing to said matrix a second timing control signal for each sprinkler of the series to be operated in preselected sequence and for a predetermined duration.

Claim 12

In a sprinkler operating computer having power means supplying a sequence of stepping pulses in a first mode and sprinkler operating pulses in a second mode, a programmer for establishing said pulses in a predetermined sequence including a matrix of gate means enabling said second mode, one gate means corresponding to each of a series of sprinklers and operable by coincidence of at least two control signals; sprinkler address means providing a first interrogation control signal to said matrix in sequence for each sprinkler of the series and enabling said power means in its first mode; and a programmable register providing to said matrix a second timing control signal for each sprinkler of the series to be operated in preselected sequence and for a predetermined duration.

Claim 13

The programmer of claim 10 comprising a matrix of gate means enabling said second mode, one gate means corresponding to each of a series of sprinklers and operable by coincidence of at least two control signals; sprinkler address means providing a first interrogation control signal to said matrix in sequence for each sprinkler of the series and enabling said power means in its first mode including a set of output lines to said matrix of gate means, one of the set for each gate means in the matrix for each of the series of sprinklers, counter means for supplying an interrogation control signal to each of the set of output lines in sequence, an oscillator, which is responsive to an output from any of said gate means in the matrix, for incrementing said counter means when there is no output from any of said gate means and for setting said counter means in sequence at each gate means address in the matrix where there is an output; and a programmable register providing to said matrix a second timing control signal for each sprinkler of the series to be operated in preselected sequence and for a predetermined duration including time base means providing a continuous series of pulses having a constant repetition rate, time gate means converting said series of pulses into a plurality of timing control signals of differing but fixed duration, a set of output lines to said matriX of gate means, one line for the gate means of each sprinkler of the series; and at least one pin board means enabling those of said lines corresponding to each sprinkler to be operated with one of said timing control signals in preselected sequence.