Patents by Inventor Harvey J. Nickerson
Harvey J. Nickerson has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 8244404Abstract: 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 some embodiments, authentication procedures are provided for one or both of a modular irrigation controller and an expansion module to determine if they are authorized to operate together.Type: GrantFiled: October 25, 2010Date of Patent: August 14, 2012Assignee: Rain Bird CorporationInventor: Harvey J. Nickerson
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Publication number: 20120191261Abstract: Methods and devices are provided to automatically determine plant water requirements and adjust irrigation in order to make efficient use of water. In one implementation, an irrigation control unit comprises a memory storing historical values of a plurality of variables used at least in part in calculating plant water requirements, and at least one input adapted to receive signals corresponding to current values of one or more of the plurality of variables. The unit also comprises a processor coupled to the at least one input and the memory, the processor adapted to determine the plant water requirements at least in part using, for each of the plurality of variables, a current value in the event the current value is available and at least in part using, for each of the plurality of variables, a stored historical value in the event the current value is not available.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 3, 2012Publication date: July 26, 2012Applicant: RAIN BIRD CORPORATIONInventor: Harvey J. Nickerson
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Patent number: 8200368Abstract: Methods and devices are provided to automatically determine plant water requirements and adjust irrigation in order to make efficient use of water. In one implementation, an irrigation control unit comprises at least one input adapted to be coupled to and receive signals from a rainfall sensor and a temperature sensor, the signals corresponding to current values of an amount of rainfall and temperature. The unit also includes a memory storing historical values of a plurality of variables and a processor coupled to the at least one input and the memory. The processor is adapted to determine plant water requirements at least in part using the historical values of the plurality of variables and the current values of the temperature and the amount of rainfall.Type: GrantFiled: December 10, 2008Date of Patent: June 12, 2012Assignee: Rain Bird CorporationInventors: Harvey J. Nickerson, John R. German
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Patent number: 8170721Abstract: Methods and devices are provided to automatically determine plant water requirements and adjust irrigation in order to make efficient use of water. In one implementation, an irrigation control unit comprises a memory storing historical values of a plurality of variables used at least in part in calculating plant water requirements, and at least one input adapted to receive signals corresponding to current values of one or more of the plurality of variables. The unit also comprises a processor coupled to the at least one input and the memory, the processor adapted to determine the plant water requirements at least in part using, for each of the plurality of variables, a current value in the event the current value is available and at least in part using, for each of the plurality of variables, a stored historical value in the event the current value is not available.Type: GrantFiled: August 16, 2010Date of Patent: May 1, 2012Assignee: Rain Bird CorporationInventor: Harvey J. Nickerson
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Publication number: 20120016497Abstract: A method and programming chart having viewable indicia thereon for programming a decoder-based controller is disclosed. The programming chart comprises a specific portion comprising a station number area for one or more stations being controlled by a decoder-based irrigation controller, a decoder address area adapted to receive an entry indicating an address of a decoder being associated with each of the one or more stations and a plurality of other information areas for each of the one or more stations to receive information pertaining to each of the one or more stations. Furthermore, a method is provided for programming a decoder-based irrigation controller comprising associating a decoder unit with at least a first station, removing a decoder address indicator provided with the decoder unit and recording the decoder address indicator onto a programming chart onto an area designated for a decoder address associated with the first station.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 15, 2010Publication date: January 19, 2012Applicant: RAIN BIRD CORPORATIONInventors: Jonathan I. Marsters, Harvey J. Nickerson, Sundarraj Karthikeyan, Douglas H. Callison, Steven A. Hollington, Darin K. Price
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Publication number: 20110270449Abstract: 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.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 13, 2011Publication date: November 3, 2011Applicant: RAIN BIRD CORPORATIONInventors: Harvey J. Nickerson, Russel D. Leatherman, Andrew M. Nguyen, Susan E. Basch, Sergio R. Perez Araujo, Jose Macias Galarza, Bill Merkt, Adam A. Dunford
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Patent number: 7996115Abstract: 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.Type: GrantFiled: September 4, 2008Date of Patent: August 9, 2011Assignee: Rain Bird CorporationInventors: Harvey J. Nickerson, Russel D. Leatherman, Andrew M. Nguyen, Susan E. Basch, Sergio R. Perez Araujo, Jose Macias Galarza, Bill Merkt, Adam A. Dunford
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Publication number: 20110077785Abstract: Methods and devices are provided to automatically determine plant water requirements and adjust irrigation in order to make efficient use of water. In one implementation, the invention may be characterized as a method comprising: receiving, user entered historical values of one or more environmental variables, wherein the historical values correspond to a geographic region and storing the historical values in a memory; receiving current values of one or more environmental variables useful in determining the plant water requirements from one or more sensors, the values corresponding to a geographic region and the other environment variables being different from the one or more environmental variables and storing the current values in the memory; and determining the plant water requirements based at least in part on the user entered historical values and the current values of the one or more other environmental variables.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 28, 2010Publication date: March 31, 2011Applicant: Rain Bird CorporationInventors: Harvey J. Nickerson, John R. German
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Publication number: 20110040415Abstract: Described herein are several embodiments relating to modular irrigation controllers. In many implementations, methods of implementing irrigation control are provided that detect a presence of a first module coupled with a control unit of an irrigation controller, the control unit operating in accordance with a bootloader set of code and a first set of code to implement irrigation control, identify that the first module stores a second set of code, and activate the bootloader set of code to replace the first set of code with the second set of code. Also described are various different types of modular controllers, 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 the controller and these modules in the controller.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 25, 2010Publication date: February 17, 2011Applicant: RAIN BIRD CORPORATIONInventors: Harvey J. Nickerson, Nicholas N. Lapshov, Russel Dean Leatherman, James R. Musselman, Andrew M. Nguyen
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Publication number: 20110040416Abstract: 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 some embodiments, authentication procedures are provided for one or both of a modular irrigation controller and an expansion module to determine if they are authorized to operate together.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 25, 2010Publication date: February 17, 2011Applicant: Rain Bird CorporationInventor: Harvey J. Nickerson
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Publication number: 20100312404Abstract: Methods and devices are provided to automatically determine plant water requirements and adjust irrigation in order to make efficient use of water. In one implementation, an irrigation control unit comprises a memory storing historical values of a plurality of variables used at least in part in calculating plant water requirements, and at least one input adapted to receive signals corresponding to current values of one or more of the plurality of variables. The unit also comprises a processor coupled to the at least one input and the memory, the processor adapted to determine the plant water requirements at least in part using, for each of the plurality of variables, a current value in the event the current value is available and at least in part using, for each of the plurality of variables, a stored historical value in the event the current value is not available.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 16, 2010Publication date: December 9, 2010Applicant: RAIN BIRD CORPORATIONInventor: Harvey J. Nickerson
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Patent number: 7844369Abstract: 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 some embodiments, authentication procedures are provided for one or both of a modular irrigation controller and an expansion module to determine if they are authorized to operate together.Type: GrantFiled: July 31, 2008Date of Patent: November 30, 2010Assignee: Rain Bird CorporationInventor: Harvey J. Nickerson
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Patent number: 7844367Abstract: Described herein are several embodiments relating to modular irrigation controllers. In many implementations, methods of implementing irrigation control are provided that detect a presence of a first module coupled with a control unit of an irrigation controller, the control unit operating in accordance with a bootloader set of code and a first set of code to implement irrigation control, identify that the first module stores a second set of code, and activate the bootloader set of code to replace the first set of code with the second set of code. Also described are various different types of modular controllers, 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 the controller and these modules in the controller.Type: GrantFiled: June 22, 2007Date of Patent: November 30, 2010Assignee: Rain Bird CorporationInventors: Harvey J. Nickerson, Russel Dean Leatherman, James R. Musselman, Andrew M. Nguyen, Nicholas N. Lapshov
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Patent number: 7805221Abstract: Methods and devices are provided to automatically determine plant water requirements and adjust irrigation in order to make efficient use of water. In one implementation, an irrigation control unit comprises a memory storing historical values of a plurality of variables used at least in part in calculating plant water requirements, and at least one input adapted to receive signals corresponding to current values of one or more of the plurality of variables. The unit also comprises a processor coupled to the at least one input and the memory, the processor adapted to determine the plant water requirements at least in part using, for each of the plurality of variables, a current value in the event the current value is available and at least in part using, for each of the plurality of variables, a stored historical value in the event the current value is not available.Type: GrantFiled: May 17, 2007Date of Patent: September 28, 2010Assignee: Rain Bird CorporationInventor: Harvey J. Nickerson
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Publication number: 20100145530Abstract: Methods and devices are provided to automatically determine plant water requirements and adjust irrigation in order to make efficient use of water. In one implementation, an irrigation control unit comprises at least one input adapted to be coupled to and receive signals from a rainfall sensor and a temperature sensor, the signals corresponding to current values of an amount of rainfall and temperature. The unit also includes a memory storing historical values of a plurality of variables and a processor coupled to the at least one input and the memory. The processor is adapted to determine plant water requirements at least in part using the historical values of the plurality of variables and the current values of the temperature and the amount of rainfall.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 10, 2008Publication date: June 10, 2010Applicant: Rain Bird CorporationInventors: Harvey J. Nickerson, John R. German
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Publication number: 20100145531Abstract: 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 some embodiments, authentication procedures are provided for one or both of a modular irrigation controller and an expansion module to determine if they are authorized to operate together.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 15, 2009Publication date: June 10, 2010Applicant: Rain Bird CorporationInventors: Harvey J. Nickerson, Russel D. Leatherman, James R. Musselman, Andrew M. Nguyen, Ken R. Venegas, Roger S. Neitzel, Susan E. Basch
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Publication number: 20100100247Abstract: 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 some embodiments, a serial communication bus is provided between a control unit of a modular irrigation controller and an expansion module.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 23, 2009Publication date: April 22, 2010Applicant: Rain Bird CorporationInventors: Harvey J. Nickerson, Russel D. Leatherman, James R. Musselman
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Patent number: 7640079Abstract: 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.Type: GrantFiled: December 23, 2004Date of Patent: December 29, 2009Assignee: Rain Bird CorporationInventors: Harvey J. Nickerson, Russel D. Leatherman, James R. Musselman, Andrew M. Nguyen, Ken R. Venegas, Roger S. Neitzel, Robert Jenkins, Susan E. Basch, Kenneth D. Vail
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Publication number: 20080319585Abstract: 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.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 4, 2008Publication date: December 25, 2008Applicant: Rain Bird CorporationInventors: Harvey J. Nickerson, Russel D. Leatherman, Andrew M. Nguyen, Susan E. Basch, Sergio R. Perez Araujo, Jose Macias Galarza, Bill Merkt, Adam A. Dunford
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Publication number: 20080288116Abstract: Methods and devices are provided to automatically determine plant water requirements and adjust irrigation in order to make efficient use of water. In one implementation, an irrigation control unit comprises a memory storing historical values of a plurality of variables used at least in part in calculating plant water requirements, and at least one input adapted to receive signals corresponding to current values of one or more of the plurality of variables. The unit also comprises a processor coupled to the at least one input and the memory, the processor adapted to determine the plant water requirements at least in part using, for each of the plurality of variables, a current value in the event the current value is available and at least in part using, for each of the plurality of variables, a stored historical value in the event the current value is not available.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 17, 2007Publication date: November 20, 2008Applicant: RAIN BIRD CORPORATIONInventor: Harvey J. Nickerson