Valmont Industries, Inc.
System and method for detecting and identifying power line carrier controlled devices within an irrigation system

Abstract:

A system and method for detecting and identifying power line carrier controlled devices within an irrigation system having a PLC BUS and a plurality of PLC powered devices. A preferred method includes: initializing a controller; transmitted an identification signal onto the PLC BUS; receiving the transmitted identification signal by a first powered device in the transmission line; recording the signal strength of the received identification signal by the first powered device; reducing the level of the received identification signal by a given increment; receiving the transmitted identification signal by a second powered device in the transmission line; recording the signal strength of the received identification signal by the second powered device; reducing the level of the received identification signal by a given increment; and receiving the transmitted identification signal at the controller.