Patents Assigned to RACHIO, INC.
  • Patent number: 12284950
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a method for improving lawn health is disclosed. The method includes receiving, by a processing element of a user device, vegetation specifications and zone data of a lawn; generating, by the processing element, a lawn enhancement plan based on the vegetation specifications and the zone data, the lawn enhancement plan includes an application time frame and an application frequency for applying one or more treatments to the lawn and a watering plan for the lawn; transmitting, to a sprinkler controller, the watering plan for execution by the sprinkler controller; and updating, by the processing element, the lawn enhancement plan based on application information corresponding to an application of the one or more treatments to the lawn, wherein the application information is based on one or more of the watering plan or information received from a user device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2025
    Assignee: RACHIO, INC.
    Inventors: Emil Motycka, Christopher M. Klein
  • Patent number: 11856900
    Abstract: A method of delivering a consumable to an irrigation area may include determining application characteristics for applying the consumable to the irrigation area based on irrigation area characteristics of the irrigation area, generating an irrigation schedule for the irrigation area based on consumable characteristics of the consumable and the application characteristics, and transmitting the irrigation schedule to a local control to selectively activate one or more water outlets to the irrigation area based on the irrigation schedule.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: RACHIO, INC.
    Inventors: Christopher M. Klein, Emil Motycka, Simon Hill, Franz David Garsombke
  • Patent number: 11849680
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a method to increase drought tolerance for grass is disclosed. The method includes estimating by a server a root depth of grass watered by an irrigation system based on one or more of historical watering data of the grass, grass type characteristics, or soil characteristics of soil in which the grass is growing; determining by the server a target water depletion threshold of the grass based on the root depth; generating by the server an irrigation schedule based on the target water depletion threshold and weather information; and transmitting by the server the irrigation schedule to an irrigation controller to selectively activate the irrigation system based on the irrigation schedule.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: RACHIO, INC.
    Inventors: Emil Motycka, Christopher M. Klein
  • Patent number: 11838824
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a method of granting a remote device access to a smart home network connected device is disclosed. An example method includes receiving an access request including identifying information related to the remote device; generating a digital security token that is encrypted and provides the remote device with access to the smart home network connected device without divulging network credentials; transmitting the digital security token to the remote device; receiving the decrypted digital security token from the remote device, the decrypted digital security token validating permissions of the remote device to access the smart home network connected device; and transmitting a remote access authorization to the remote device based on the decrypted digital security token, the remote access authorization providing the remote device with access to the smart home network connected device to connect the smart home network connected device to the network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: RACHIO, INC.
    Inventors: Christopher Michael Klein, Franz David Garsombke
  • Patent number: 11720981
    Abstract: Apparatuses, systems, and methods for collecting utility meter data are described. An example system may include a flow controller and a server. The flow controller is configured to communicate with a water meter for a property and connected to at least one water outlet of a plurality of water outlets. The server is coupled to one or more infrastructure databases and the flow controller. The server includes a non-transitory computer readable media and is configured to execute instructions stored on the non-transitory computer readable media. The instructions include receiving water usage data from the flow controller and transmitting the water usage data from the water meter for the property to a water utility company.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: RACHIO, INC.
    Inventor: Christopher M. Klein
  • Patent number: 11676261
    Abstract: Systems and methods for diagnosing and facilitating repair of system components and/or improving watering schedules are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method of diagnosing a sprinkler system component is disclosed that includes initiating a sprinkler system zone run for a particular zone of a sprinkler system, capturing image data for the sprinkler system run, uploading the image data to a network node, processing the image data at the network node to produce data on the sprinkler system or a sprinkler system component, and generating an action item for the sprinkler system or sprinkler system component based on the data produced at the network node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: RACHIO, INC.
    Inventor: Christopher M. Klein
  • Patent number: 11675375
    Abstract: Disclosed embodiments can provide a system and method for controlling irrigation schedules for a sprinkler system for at least one irrigation zone. The embodiments include automatically updating irrigation schedules based at least in part on watering restriction data from a water authority, such as a water utility authority, and water usage data for a property including the at least one irrigation zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: RACHIO, INC.
    Inventors: Christopher Michael Klein, Franz David Garsombke, Matthew B. Reisman
  • Patent number: 11656640
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for optimizing downstream processes for a plurality of flow controllers includes determining a water budget for the plurality of flow controllers based on utility information and a water amount used by the flow devices controlled by the plurality of flow controllers; determining, by a processing element, a run time water amount used by the flow devices controlled by the plurality of flow controllers during a watering run time of the flow devices; modifying, by the processing element, watering schedules for the flow devices controlled by the plurality of flow controllers when the water amount used deviates from the water budget; and transmitting, by the processing element, the modified watering schedules to the plurality of flow controllers to vary the operation of the flow devices controlled by the plurality of flow controllers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: RACHIO, INC.
    Inventors: Christopher M. Klein, Bradley W. Alcorn
  • Patent number: 11631149
    Abstract: Apparatuses, systems, and methods for collecting utility meter data are described. An example system may include a flow controller and a server. The flow controller is configured to communicate with a water meter for a property and connected to at least one water outlet of a plurality of water outlets. The server is coupled to one or more infrastructure databases and the flow controller. The server includes a non-transitory computer readable media and is configured to execute instructions stored on the non-transitory computer readable media. The instructions include receiving water usage data from the flow controller and transmitting the water usage data from the water meter for the property to a water utility company.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: RACHIO, INC.
    Inventor: Christopher M. Klein
  • Patent number: 11464178
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a method for generating a dynamic watering plan that reduces water consumption requirements for vegetation is disclosed. An example method includes estimating root depth of vegetation watered by a watering system; determining an allowed water depletion threshold of the vegetation based on the root depth; determining a training watering plan to increase the root depth of the vegetation over time based on the root depth and the allowed water depletion threshold; and transmitting the training watering plan to a flow controller for execution by the watering system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: RACHIO, INC.
    Inventors: Emil Motycka, Christopher M. Klein
  • Patent number: 11150672
    Abstract: Disclosed embodiments can provide a system and method for controlling irrigation schedules for a sprinkler system for at least one irrigation zone. The embodiments include automatically updating irrigation schedules based at least in part on watering restriction data from a water authority, such as a water utility authority, and water usage data for a property including the at least one irrigation zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: Rachio, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Michael Klein, Franz David Garsombke, Matthew B. Reisman
  • Patent number: 10970832
    Abstract: Systems and methods for diagnosing and facilitating repair of system components and/or improving watering schedules are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method of diagnosing a sprinkler system component is disclosed that includes initiating a sprinkler system zone run for a particular zone of a sprinkler system, capturing image data for the sprinkler system run, uploading the image data to a network node, processing the image data at the network node to produce data on the sprinkler system or a sprinkler system component, and generating an action item for the sprinkler system or sprinkler system component based on the data produced at the network node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: RACHIO, INC.
    Inventor: Christopher M. Klein
  • Patent number: 10932423
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods and systems for improving performance of sprinkler control systems using aggregations of flow controllers. As an example, to facilitate control of multiple controllers, a system may generate a virtual flow controller by aggregating the two or more flow controllers. A schedule for the virtual controller is set or received and then translated into schedules for the aggregated controllers. In another example, schedules may be set for individual watering zones, which are then translated into watering schedules for flow controllers corresponding to the zones. The system then transmits these schedules to a respective flow controller, which then carries out an irrigation routine according to the schedule.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: RACHIO, INC.
    Inventors: Christopher Michael Klein, Bradley Wilson Alcorn, Franz David Garsombke, Nikolay Gennadyevich Sarychev
  • Patent number: 10939227
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a method of granting a remote device access to a smart home network connected device is disclosed. An example method includes receiving an access request including identifying information related to the remote device; generating a digital security token that is encrypted and provides the remote device with access to the smart home network connected device without divulging network credentials; transmitting the digital security token to the remote device; receiving the decrypted digital security token from the remote device, the decrypted digital security token validating permissions of the remote device to access the smart home network connected device; and transmitting a remote access authorization to the remote device based on the decrypted digital security token, the remote access authorization providing the remote device with access to the smart home network connected device to connect the smart home network connected device to the network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: RACHIO, INC.
    Inventors: Christopher Michael Klein, Franz David Garsombke
  • Patent number: 10901438
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for optimizing downstream processes for a flow controller controlling various devices in a flow system is disclosed. The method includes receiving by a processing element historical data corresponding to flow characteristics for one or more flow devices controlled by the flow controller; evaluating by the processing element one or more current run settings based on the historical data; modifying by the processing element the one or more current run settings based on the historical data; and transmitting by the processing element the modified run settings to the flow controller to vary the operation of the one or more flow devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: RACHIO, INC.
    Inventors: Christopher M. Klein, Bradley W. Alcorn
  • Patent number: 10772268
    Abstract: Apparatuses, systems, and methods for optimizing and adjusting water usage are described. An example method may include receiving water usage data and determining a peaking factor for water usage. The peaking factor may be associated with water usage at a flow controller. A flow controller can control various types of water outlets, such as a water sprinkler for a residential home. The flow controller may be positioned along a main water supply to a property or home. The method may also include determining that the peaking factor passes a threshold water usage for the flow controller and adjusting a watering schedule of the flow controller based partly on the determination that the peaking factor passed the threshold water usage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: RACHIO, INC.
    Inventors: Christopher Michael Klein, Richard Clayton Kraus, Franz David Garsombke
  • Patent number: 10743484
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to methods and systems for varying irrigation schedules for a watering system (e.g., sprinkler system) based on detected precipitation. In one example, a system includes a rain sensor for detecting rain in a location where the rain sensor outputs a continuous rain signal when saturated with a threshold level of rain. The system also includes a sprinkler controller communicatively coupled to the rain sensor. The sprinkler controller opens one or more sprinkler valves based on a watering schedule. When the threshold level of rain is received, the sprinkler controller receives the rain signal during a saturation window of the rain sensor and varies the watering schedule based on rain detected by the rain sensor, where the variation to the watering schedule occurs outside of the saturation window of the rain sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: RACHIO, INC.
    Inventors: Christopher M. Klein, Robert W. Selover
  • Patent number: 10397731
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a method of controlling a sprinkler system is provided. An example method includes receiving an access request to grant control of the sprinkler system to a device, responsive to receiving the access request, transmitting an authorization including a first digital security token, storing a local copy of the first digital security token, receiving a request to control the sprinkler system from the device, wherein the request includes a second digital security token, comparing the second digital security token to the local copy of the first digital security token to determine whether the second digital security token matches the local copy of the first digital security token, and responsive to determining that the second digital security token matches the local copy of the first digital security token, granting control of the sprinkler system to the device based.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: RACHIO, INC.
    Inventors: Christopher Michael Klein, Franz David Garsombke
  • Publication number: 20190250646
    Abstract: Disclosed embodiments can provide a system and method for controlling irrigation schedules for a sprinkler system for at least one irrigation zone. The embodiments include automatically updating irrigation schedules based at least in part on watering restriction data from a water authority, such as a water utility authority, and water usage data for a property including the at least one irrigation zone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2019
    Publication date: August 15, 2019
    Applicant: RACHIO, INC.
    Inventors: Christopher Michael Klein, Franz David Garsombke, Matthew B. Reisman
  • Patent number: D850297
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignee: Rachio, Inc.
    Inventors: Bradley W. Alcorn, Grant D. Miller, Erol Searfoss, Thomas J. Dooley, J. Daniel Massam, Mark R. Clark