Patents by Inventor Douglas H. Callison

Douglas H. Callison 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).

  • Patent number: 11730095
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: Rain Bird Corporation
    Inventors: Jonathan I. Marsters, Douglas H. Callison
  • Publication number: 20220124994
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2022
    Publication date: April 28, 2022
    Inventors: Jonathan I. Marsters, Douglas H. Callison
  • Patent number: 11234379
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: Rain Bird Corporation
    Inventors: Jonathan I. Marsters, Douglas H. Callison
  • Patent number: 11083146
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: Rain Bird Corporation
    Inventors: Jonathan I. Marsters, Harvey J. Nickerson, Sundarraj Karthikeyan, Douglas H. Callison, Steven A. Hollington, Darin K. Price
  • Publication number: 20200245575
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2020
    Publication date: August 6, 2020
    Inventors: Jonathan I. Marsters, Harvey J. Nickerson, Sundarraj Karthikeyan, Douglas H. Callison, Steven A. Hollington, Darin K. Price
  • Patent number: 10653081
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignee: Rain Bird Corporation
    Inventors: Jonathan I. Marsters, Harvey J. Nickerson, Sundarraj Karthikeyan, Douglas H. Callison, Steven A. Hollington, Darin K. Price
  • Publication number: 20190364752
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: August 16, 2019
    Publication date: December 5, 2019
    Inventors: Jonathan I. Marsters, Douglas H. Callison
  • Patent number: 10420295
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2019
    Assignee: Rain Bird Corporation
    Inventors: Jonathan I. Marsters, Douglas H. Callison
  • Publication number: 20180242537
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2018
    Publication date: August 30, 2018
    Inventors: Jonathan I. Marsters, Harvey J. Nickerson, Sundarraj Karthikeyan, Douglas H. Callison, Steven A. Hollington, Darin K. Price
  • Patent number: 9980442
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: Rain Bird Corporation
    Inventors: Jonathan I. Marsters, Harvey J. Nickerson, Sundarraj Karthikeyan, Douglas H. Callison, Steven A. Hollington, Darin K. Price
  • Publication number: 20160353678
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2016
    Publication date: December 8, 2016
    Inventors: Jonathan I. Marsters, Douglas H. Callison
  • Patent number: 9445556
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: Rain Bird Corporation
    Inventors: Jonathan I. Marsters, Douglas H. Callison
  • Publication number: 20150150201
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2015
    Publication date: June 4, 2015
    Inventors: Jonathan I. Marsters, Douglas H. Callison
  • Patent number: 8989908
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: Rain Bird Corporation
    Inventors: Jonathan I. Marsters, Douglas H. Callison
  • Publication number: 20150045973
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2014
    Publication date: February 12, 2015
    Inventors: Jonathan I. Marsters, Harvey J. Nickerson, Sundarraj Karthikeyan, Douglas H. Callison, Steven A. Hollington, Darin K. Price
  • Patent number: 8897899
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Rain Bird Corporation
    Inventors: Jonathan I. Marsters, Harvey J. Nickerson, Sundarraj Karthikeyan, Douglas H. Callison, Steven A. Hollington, Darin K. Price
  • Publication number: 20140094977
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2013
    Publication date: April 3, 2014
    Applicant: Rain Bird Corporation
    Inventors: Jonathan I. Marsters, Douglas H. Callison
  • Patent number: 8630743
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2014
    Assignee: Rain Bird Corporation
    Inventors: Jonathan I. Marsters, Douglas H. Callison
  • Publication number: 20130060389
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: September 1, 2011
    Publication date: March 7, 2013
    Applicant: Rain Bird Corporation
    Inventors: Jonathan I. Marsters, Douglas H. Callison
  • Publication number: 20120016497
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2010
    Publication date: January 19, 2012
    Applicant: RAIN BIRD CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jonathan I. Marsters, Harvey J. Nickerson, Sundarraj Karthikeyan, Douglas H. Callison, Steven A. Hollington, Darin K. Price