Patents by Inventor Jonathan I. Marsters
Jonathan I. Marsters 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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Publication number: 20240008431Abstract: In some embodiments, systems and methods provide an output unit for an irrigation controller comprising: a housing; an input port; a microcontroller; a modulator; a plurality of switches coupled to an output of the modulator and independently controlled by the microcontroller; and a plurality of two-wire path output connectors each coupled to a corresponding one of the plurality of switches, wherein each of the plurality of two-wire path output connectors is configured to be connected to a corresponding two-wire path of a plurality of two-wire paths which extend out of the irrigation controller and to which multiple decoder-based irrigation control units can be connected and controlled, wherein the microcontroller is further configured to operate the plurality of switches to couple and decouple the modulated power signals from the output of the modulator to one or more of the plurality of two-wire path output connectors.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 20, 2023Publication date: January 11, 2024Inventors: Anderson Micu, Andrew M. Nguyen, Jonathan I. Marsters, Harvey J. Nickerson, Daniel B. Zimet
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Patent number: 11793129Abstract: In some embodiments, systems and methods provide an irrigation control system, comprising: an irrigation controller comprising an irrigation control unit; a power source; a microcontroller; and a modulator, wherein the modulator is configured to output modulated power signals; a plurality of switches coupled to an output of the modulator and independently controlled by the microcontroller; and a plurality of two-wire path output connectors each coupled to a corresponding one of the plurality of switches, wherein each of the plurality of two-wire path output connectors is configured to be connected to a corresponding two-wire path of a plurality of two-wire paths to which multiple decoder-based irrigation control units can be connected and controlled, wherein the microcontroller is further configured to operate the plurality of switches to couple and decouple the modulated power signals from the output of the modulator to one or more of the plurality of two-wire path output connectors.Type: GrantFiled: December 13, 2021Date of Patent: October 24, 2023Assignee: Rain Bird CorporationInventors: Anderson Micu, Andrew M. Nguyen, Jonathan I. Marsters, Harvey J. Nickerson, Daniel B. Zimet
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Patent number: 11730095Abstract: Some embodiments provide systems and methods of controlling irrigation, comprising: communicating an assumption broadcast from a first irrigation controller to each of a plurality of other irrigation controllers defining assumed states of control elements, wherein the control elements are shared with one or more of the first irrigation controller and the other irrigation controllers; determining whether a reply is received from one or more of the other irrigation controllers in reply to the assumption broadcast; identifying, from the reply, a correction to a state corresponding to a first control element; updating state information corresponding to the first control element in response to the identifying the correction; and communicating a subsequent notification from the first irrigation controller to each of the plurality of other irrigation controllers of the irrigation system, where the subsequent notification comprises the updated state information corresponding to the first control element.Type: GrantFiled: January 10, 2022Date of Patent: August 22, 2023Assignee: Rain Bird CorporationInventors: Jonathan I. Marsters, Douglas H. Callison
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Publication number: 20220304263Abstract: In some embodiments, apparatuses and methods are provided herein useful to providing power and data to an irrigation device. In some embodiments, a decoder unit for an irrigation system that receives power and data from an irrigation control unit over a multi-wire path comprises an input interface configured to couple to the multi-wire path of a decoder-based irrigation control system and to receive an output AC signal modulated with data and transmitted by an encoder of the irrigation control unit over the multi-wire path; a switch coupled to the input interface; a decoder circuit connected to the input interface. In some embodiment, the decoder circuit comprises a control circuit configured to decode the data from the received output AC signal; determine that the irrigation device is to be activated; and output a control signal to the switch.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 14, 2022Publication date: September 29, 2022Inventors: Harvey J. Nickerson, Bradley H. Dolbin, Jonathan I. Marsters, Anderson Micu
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Patent number: 11357181Abstract: In some embodiments, apparatuses and methods are provided herein useful to providing power and data to an irrigation device. In some embodiments, encoder for an irrigation control unit that provides power and data to an irrigation device over a multi-wire path comprises: an AC to DC converter to convert an input AC signal into a DC voltage; an AC signal generator to generate an output AC signal modulated with data; a control circuit to provide a modulation control signal to the AC signal generator to control generation and modulation of the output AC signal, the data modulated on the output AC signal comprising commands in accordance with irrigation programming; and a multi-wire interface coupled to the AC signal generator to electrically couple to a multi-wire path extending into a landscape and to which irrigation devices may be connected.Type: GrantFiled: February 12, 2021Date of Patent: June 14, 2022Assignee: Rain Bird CorporationInventors: Harvey J. Nickerson, Bradley H. Dolbin, Jonathan I. Marsters, Anderson Micu
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Publication number: 20220124994Abstract: Some embodiments provide systems and methods of controlling irrigation, comprising: communicating an assumption broadcast from a first irrigation controller to each of a plurality of other irrigation controllers defining assumed states of control elements, wherein the control elements are shared with one or more of the first irrigation controller and the other irrigation controllers; determining whether a reply is received from one or more of the other irrigation controllers in reply to the assumption broadcast; identifying, from the reply, a correction to a state corresponding to a first control element; updating state information corresponding to the first control element in response to the identifying the correction; and communicating a subsequent notification from the first irrigation controller to each of the plurality of other irrigation controllers of the irrigation system, where the subsequent notification comprises the updated state information corresponding to the first control element.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 10, 2022Publication date: April 28, 2022Inventors: Jonathan I. Marsters, Douglas H. Callison
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Publication number: 20220095557Abstract: In some embodiments, systems and methods provide an irrigation control system, comprising: an irrigation controller comprising an irrigation control unit; a power source; a microcontroller; and a modulator, wherein the modulator is configured to output modulated power signals; a plurality of switches coupled to an output of the modulator and independently controlled by the microcontroller; and a plurality of two-wire path output connectors each coupled to a corresponding one of the plurality of switches, wherein each of the plurality of two-wire path output connectors is configured to be connected to a corresponding two-wire path of a plurality of two-wire paths to which multiple decoder-based irrigation control units can be connected and controlled, wherein the microcontroller is further configured to operate the plurality of switches to couple and decouple the modulated power signals from the output of the modulator to one or more of the plurality of two-wire path output connectors.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 13, 2021Publication date: March 31, 2022Inventors: Anderson Micu, Andrew M. Nguyen, Jonathan I. Marsters, Harvey J. Nickerson, Daniel B. Zimet
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Patent number: 11234379Abstract: Some embodiments provide systems and methods of controlling irrigation, comprising: communicating an assumption broadcast from a first irrigation controller to each of a plurality of other irrigation controllers defining assumed states of control elements, wherein the control elements are shared with one or more of the first irrigation controller and the other irrigation controllers; determining whether a reply is received from one or more of the other irrigation controllers in reply to the assumption broadcast; identifying, from the reply, a correction to a state corresponding to a first control element; updating state information corresponding to the first control element in response to the identifying the correction; and communicating a subsequent notification from the first irrigation controller to each of the plurality of other irrigation controllers of the irrigation system, where the subsequent notification comprises the updated state information corresponding to the first control element.Type: GrantFiled: August 16, 2019Date of Patent: February 1, 2022Assignee: Rain Bird CorporationInventors: Jonathan I. Marsters, Douglas H. Callison
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Patent number: 11234380Abstract: In some embodiments, systems and methods provide an irrigation control system, comprising: an irrigation controller comprising an irrigation control unit; a power source; a microcontroller; and a modulator, wherein the modulator is configured to output modulated power signals; a plurality of switches coupled to an output of the modulator and independently controlled by the microcontroller; and a plurality of two-wire path output connectors each coupled to a corresponding one of the plurality of switches, wherein each of the plurality of two-wire path output connectors is configured to be connected to a corresponding two-wire path of a plurality of two-wire paths to which multiple decoder-based irrigation control units can be connected and controlled, wherein the microcontroller is further configured to operate the plurality of switches to couple and decouple the modulated power signals from the output of the modulator to one or more of the plurality of two-wire path output connectors.Type: GrantFiled: September 27, 2019Date of Patent: February 1, 2022Assignee: Rain Bird CorporationInventors: Anderson Micu, Andrew M. Nguyen, Jonathan I. Marsters, Harvey J. Nickerson, Daniel B. Zimet
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Publication number: 20210243972Abstract: In some embodiments, apparatuses and methods are provided herein useful to providing power and data to an irrigation device. In some embodiments, encoder for an irrigation control unit that provides power and data to an irrigation device over a multi-wire path comprises: an AC to DC converter to convert an input AC signal into a DC voltage; an AC signal generator to generate an output AC signal modulated with data; a control circuit to provide a modulation control signal to the AC signal generator to control generation and modulation of the output AC signal, the data modulated on the output AC signal comprising commands in accordance with irrigation programming; and a multi-wire interface coupled to the AC signal generator to electrically couple to a multi-wire path extending into a landscape and to which irrigation devices may be connected.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 12, 2021Publication date: August 12, 2021Inventors: Harvey J. Nickerson, Bradley H. Dolbin, Jonathan I. Marsters, Anderson Micu
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Patent number: 11083146Abstract: A decoder-based irrigation controller comprising a controller housing; a first microcontroller within the controller housing; a decoder interface coupled to the first microcontroller; and a handheld user device, wherein the handheld user device comprises an optical imaging device configured to read an optically readable pattern from each of the plurality of decoder units, wherein the handheld user device is configured to cause data read from the optically readable pattern of the plurality of decoder units to be transferred to the first microcontroller, and wherein the data read comprises an address of each of the plurality of decoder units.Type: GrantFiled: April 24, 2020Date of Patent: August 10, 2021Assignee: 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: 20200245575Abstract: A decoder-based irrigation controller comprising a controller housing; a first microcontroller within the controller housing; a decoder interface coupled to the first microcontroller; and a handheld user device, wherein the handheld user device comprises an optical imaging device configured to read an optically readable pattern from each of the plurality of decoder units, wherein the handheld user device is configured to cause data read from the optically readable pattern of the plurality of decoder units to be transferred to the first microcontroller, and wherein the data read comprises an address of each of the plurality of decoder units.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 24, 2020Publication date: August 6, 2020Inventors: Jonathan I. Marsters, Harvey J. Nickerson, Sundarraj Karthikeyan, Douglas H. Callison, Steven A. Hollington, Darin K. Price
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Patent number: 10653081Abstract: A decoder-based irrigation controller comprising a controller housing; a first microcontroller within the controller housing; a decoder interface coupled to the first microcontroller; a first connector coupled to the first microcontroller; a removable cartridge configured to removably and detachably coupled to the first connector to fit into the controller housing, wherein the removable cartridge comprises a second microcontroller; and a handheld barcode reader, wherein the handheld barcode reader comprises an optical reader configured to read an optically readable pattern from each of the plurality of decoder units, wherein the handheld barcode reader is configured to transfer data read from the optically readable pattern of the plurality of decoder units to the second microcontroller of the removable cartridge, and wherein the data read comprises an address of each of the plurality of decoder units.Type: GrantFiled: April 30, 2018Date of Patent: May 19, 2020Assignee: 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: 20200100440Abstract: In some embodiments, systems and methods provide an irrigation control system, comprising: an irrigation controller comprising an irrigation control unit; a power source; a microcontroller; and a modulator, wherein the modulator is configured to output modulated power signals; a plurality of switches coupled to an output of the modulator and independently controlled by the microcontroller; and a plurality of two-wire path output connectors each coupled to a corresponding one of the plurality of switches, wherein each of the plurality of two-wire path output connectors is configured to be connected to a corresponding two-wire path of a plurality of two-wire paths to which multiple decoder-based irrigation control units can be connected and controlled, wherein the microcontroller is further configured to operate the plurality of switches to couple and decouple the modulated power signals from the output of the modulator to one or more of the plurality of two-wire path output connectors.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 27, 2019Publication date: April 2, 2020Inventors: Anderson Micu, Andrew M. Nguyen, Jonathan I. Marsters, Harvey J. Nickerson, Daniel B. Zimet
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Publication number: 20190364752Abstract: Some embodiments provide systems and methods of controlling irrigation, comprising: communicating an assumption broadcast from a first irrigation controller to each of a plurality of other irrigation controllers defining assumed states of control elements, wherein the control elements are shared with one or more of the first irrigation controller and the other irrigation controllers; determining whether a reply is received from one or more of the other irrigation controllers in reply to the assumption broadcast; identifying, from the reply, a correction to a state corresponding to a first control element; updating state information corresponding to the first control element in response to the identifying the correction; and communicating a subsequent notification from the first irrigation controller to each of the plurality of other irrigation controllers of the irrigation system, where the subsequent notification comprises the updated state information corresponding to the first control element.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 16, 2019Publication date: December 5, 2019Inventors: Jonathan I. Marsters, Douglas H. Callison
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Patent number: 10420295Abstract: Some embodiments provide systems and methods of controlling irrigation, comprising: communicating an assumption broadcast from a first irrigation controller to each of a plurality of other irrigation controllers defining assumed states of control elements, wherein the control elements are shared with one or more of the first irrigation controller and the other irrigation controllers; determining whether a reply is received from one or more of the other irrigation controllers in reply to the assumption broadcast; identifying, from the reply, a correction to a state corresponding to a first control element; updating state information corresponding to the first control element in response to the identifying the correction; and communicating a subsequent notification from the first irrigation controller to each of the plurality of other irrigation controllers of the irrigation system, where the subsequent notification comprises the updated state information corresponding to the first control element.Type: GrantFiled: August 22, 2016Date of Patent: September 24, 2019Assignee: Rain Bird CorporationInventors: Jonathan I. Marsters, Douglas H. Callison
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Publication number: 20180242537Abstract: A decoder-based irrigation controller comprising a controller housing; a first microcontroller within the controller housing; a decoder interface coupled to the first microcontroller; a first connector coupled to the first microcontroller; a removable cartridge configured to removably and detachably coupled to the first connector to fit into the controller housing, wherein the removable cartridge comprises a second microcontroller; and a handheld barcode reader, wherein the handheld barcode reader comprises an optical reader configured to read an optically readable pattern from each of the plurality of decoder units, wherein the handheld barcode reader is configured to transfer data read from the optically readable pattern of the plurality of decoder units to the second microcontroller of the removable cartridge, and wherein the data read comprises an address of each of the plurality of decoder units.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 30, 2018Publication date: August 30, 2018Inventors: Jonathan I. Marsters, Harvey J. Nickerson, Sundarraj Karthikeyan, Douglas H. Callison, Steven A. Hollington, Darin K. Price
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Patent number: 9980442Abstract: A method and decoder-based irrigation controller, and method and programming chart, are provided. In some embodiments, a decoder-based irrigation controller comprises a microcontroller; and a first connector coupled to the microcontroller and configured to couple to a reader, wherein the reader comprises an optical reader configured to read an optically readable pattern, wherein the first connector is further configured to couple an input from the reader to the microcontroller; and wherein the microcontroller is configured to interpret the input from the reader and perform an action at the decoder-based irrigation controller according to the input.Type: GrantFiled: October 22, 2014Date of Patent: May 29, 2018Assignee: 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: 20160353678Abstract: Some embodiments provide systems and methods of controlling irrigation, comprising: communicating an assumption broadcast from a first irrigation controller to each of a plurality of other irrigation controllers defining assumed states of control elements, wherein the control elements are shared with one or more of the first irrigation controller and the other irrigation controllers; determining whether a reply is received from one or more of the other irrigation controllers in reply to the assumption broadcast; identifying, from the reply, a correction to a state corresponding to a first control element; updating state information corresponding to the first control element in response to the identifying the correction; and communicating a subsequent notification from the first irrigation controller to each of the plurality of other irrigation controllers of the irrigation system, where the subsequent notification comprises the updated state information corresponding to the first control element.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 22, 2016Publication date: December 8, 2016Inventors: Jonathan I. Marsters, Douglas H. Callison
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Patent number: 9445556Abstract: Some embodiments provide systems and methods of controlling irrigation, comprising: communicating an assumption broadcast from a first irrigation controller to each of a plurality of other irrigation controllers defining assumed states of control elements, wherein the control elements are shared with one or more of the first irrigation controller and the other irrigation controllers; determining whether a reply is received from one or more of the other irrigation controllers in reply to the assumption broadcast; identifying, from the reply, a correction to a state corresponding to a first control element; updating state information corresponding to the first control element in response to the identifying the correction; and communicating a subsequent notification from the first irrigation controller to each of the plurality of other irrigation controllers of the irrigation system, where the subsequent notification comprises the updated state information corresponding to the first control element.Type: GrantFiled: February 12, 2015Date of Patent: September 20, 2016Assignee: Rain Bird CorporationInventors: Jonathan I. Marsters, Douglas H. Callison