Patents by Inventor John C. Miller

John C. Miller 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).

  • Publication number: 20250091967
    Abstract: A method of increasing delivery of irrigation water and optionally a fertilizer to a predetermined depth in soil containing agricultural crops is disclosed. The method includes introducing formic acid to irrigation water to form a formate-enhanced irrigation water having a formate concentration of from about 10 ppm to about 10,000 ppm, and distributing the formate-enhanced irrigation water to the soil in an amount sufficient to (i) increase a flow rate of the irrigation water through the soil, (ii) reduce a compaction of the soil, and/or (iii) reduce a calcium concentration in the soil. Methods of making a formate salt from carbon dioxide, a hydrogen source and an alkali metal, alkaline earth metal, or ammonia source and generating carbon credits are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 25, 2024
    Publication date: March 20, 2025
    Applicant: Deerpoint Group, Inc.
    Inventors: John C. MILLER, Deborah L. MILLER, Trevor J. MORGAN
  • Publication number: 20250066267
    Abstract: A method of increasing delivery of irrigation water and optionally a fertilizer to a predetermined depth in soil containing agricultural crops is disclosed. The method includes introducing formic acid to irrigation water to form a formate-enhanced irrigation water having a formate concentration of from about 10 ppm to about 10,000 ppm, and distributing the formate-enhanced irrigation water to the soil in an amount sufficient to (i) increase a flow rate of the irrigation water through the soil, (ii) reduce a compaction of the soil, and/or (iii) reduce a calcium concentration in the soil.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2023
    Publication date: February 27, 2025
    Applicant: Deerpoint Group, Inc.
    Inventors: John C. MILLER, Deborah L. MILLER, Trevor J. MORGAN
  • Patent number: 12221395
    Abstract: A method of increasing delivery of irrigation water and optionally a fertilizer to a predetermined depth in soil containing agricultural crops is disclosed. The method includes introducing formic acid to irrigation water to form a formate-enhanced irrigation water having a formate concentration of from about 10 ppm to about 10,000 ppm, and distributing the formate-enhanced irrigation water to the soil in an amount sufficient to (i) increase a flow rate of the irrigation water through the soil, (ii) reduce a compaction of the soil, and/or (iii) reduce a calcium concentration in the soil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2025
    Assignee: Deerpoint Group, Inc.
    Inventors: John C. Miller, Deborah L. Miller, Trevor J. Morgan
  • Publication number: 20240092704
    Abstract: A method of fertilizing and/or irrigating a field with water containing potassium bisulfate is disclosed. The method includes adding a predetermined amount of potassium bisulfate to irrigation water for the field, and delivering the mixture of potassium bisulfate and irrigation water to the field. Alternatively, the method may provide potassium bisulfate to crops by applying or spreading the potassium bisulfate onto ground near or proximate to the crops, and allowing water to carry the potassium bisulfate into the ground.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2022
    Publication date: March 21, 2024
    Inventors: John C. MILLER, Deborah L. MILLER
  • Patent number: 11919829
    Abstract: A method of fertilizing and/or irrigating a field with water containing potassium bisulfate is disclosed. The method includes adding a predetermined amount of potassium bisulfate to irrigation water for the field, and delivering the mixture of potassium bisulfate and irrigation water to the field. Alternatively, the method may provide potassium bisulfate to crops by applying or spreading the potassium bisulfate onto ground near or proximate to the crops, and allowing water to carry the potassium bisulfate into the ground.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Inventors: John C. Miller, Deborah L. Miller
  • Publication number: 20240027577
    Abstract: A system for processing data, comprising a signal processing system configured to receive and process a reflected wireless data signal from a remote source and a noise suppression system configured to receive the wireless data signal and to detect and suppress harmonic components associated with reflected noise from a local source from the wireless data signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2023
    Publication date: January 25, 2024
    Applicant: Applied Concepts, Inc.
    Inventors: Stanley A. Walker, Steven F. Hocker, Zhigang Jin, John C. Miller
  • Patent number: 11739012
    Abstract: A water treatment system, a water treatment monitoring and/or control system, and a method of monitoring and/or controlling treatment of water are disclosed. The water treatment system generally includes a water pump configured to supply water from a water source to an intake pipe, a chlorine source pump configured to supply a chlorine source from a storage vessel to a chlorine source feed line, a water flow and/or pressure switch configured to detect a positive water flow and/or pressure in the intake pipe, a chlorine flow monitor, and logic or circuitry configured to notify a user and optionally automatically disable or turn off the water pump when (1) the water flow and/or pressure switch detects the positive water flow and/or pressure in the intake pipe and (2) the chlorine source flow monitor detects either that (i) the chlorine source pump is not primed or (ii) there is no flow in the chlorine source feed line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: Deerpoint Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Deborah L. Miller, John C. Miller, Matthew Coney, Brandon Nimon, Armen Melidonian
  • Patent number: 10645868
    Abstract: An automated irrigation and/or fertigation apparatus, including a container, a plurality of pumps in the container, and a controller operably connected to each of the plurality of pumps is disclosed. Each of the pumps is configured to provide a unique fertilizer, nutrient and/or micronutrient to irrigation water. The controller is configured to control settings of each of the pumps to provide a predetermined amount of each unique fertilizer, nutrient and/or micronutrient to the irrigation water over a predetermined period of time. Corresponding methods of fertilizing a field and of making the automated irrigation and/or fertigation apparatus are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Inventors: John C. Miller, Deborah L. Miller
  • Patent number: 10632508
    Abstract: A micro-irrigation system cleaning method adds a formulation which contains a water-soluble organic acid which has a pK(1)a of less than about 4.0, and optionally a water-soluble phosphonate dispersant. The cleaning continues for a time period of from three to twenty-four hours in a static environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Inventors: John C. Miller, Deborah L. Miller
  • Patent number: 10493499
    Abstract: A micro-irrigation system cleaning method adds a formulation which contains a water-soluble organic acid which has a pK(1)a of less than about 4.0, and optionally a water-soluble phosphonate dispersant. The cleaning continues for a time period of from three to twenty-four hours in a static environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Inventors: John C. Miller, Deborah L. Miller
  • Publication number: 20190246558
    Abstract: An automated irrigation and/or fertigation apparatus, including a container, a plurality of pumps in the container, and a controller operably connected to each of the plurality of pumps is disclosed. Each of the pumps is configured to provide a unique fertilizer, nutrient and/or micronutrient to irrigation water. The controller is configured to control settings of each of the pumps to provide a predetermined amount of each unique fertilizer, nutrient and/or micronutrient to the irrigation water over a predetermined period of time. Corresponding methods of fertilizing a field and of making the automated irrigation and/or fertigation apparatus are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2019
    Publication date: August 15, 2019
    Inventors: John C. MILLER, Deborah L. MILLER, John PENCZAK, Jason G. CHOW
  • Patent number: 10271474
    Abstract: An automated irrigation and/or fertigation apparatus, including a container, a plurality of pumps in the container, and a controller operably connected to each of the plurality of pumps is disclosed. Each of the pumps is configured to provide a unique fertilizer, nutrient and/or micronutrient to irrigation water. The controller is configured to control settings of each of the pumps to provide a predetermined amount of each unique fertilizer, nutrient and/or micronutrient to the irrigation water over a predetermined period of time. Corresponding methods of fertilizing a field and of making the automated irrigation and/or fertigation apparatus are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Inventors: John C Miller, Deborah L. Miller, John Penczak, Jason G. Chow
  • Patent number: 10233128
    Abstract: An agricultural potassium-fertigation method for emitter-irrigation potassium-plus fertigation feeds a potassium-plus nutrient feedstock comprised of potassium formate and additional yield-assist constituent(s) and water to an active emitter-irrigation system discontinuously, at levels of 0.15 to 50 gal./min, during one to six nonconsecutive irrigation days during a crop cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Inventors: John C. Miller, Deborah L. Miller
  • Patent number: 10046369
    Abstract: A micro-irrigation system cleaning method adds a formulation which contains a water-soluble organic acid which has a pK(1)a of less than about 4.0, and optionally a water-soluble phosphonate dispersant. The cleaning continues for a time period of from three to twenty-four hours in a static environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2018
    Inventors: John C. Miller, Deborah L. Miller
  • Patent number: 9856179
    Abstract: An agricultural potassium-fertigation method for emitter-irrigation potassium-plus fertigation feeds a potassium-plus nutrient feedstock comprised of potassium formate and additional yield-assist constituent(s) and water to an active emitter-irrigation system discontinuously, at levels of 0.15 to 50 gal./min, during one to six nonconsecutive irrigation days during a crop cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Inventors: John C. Miller, Deborah L. Miller
  • Patent number: 9474215
    Abstract: An agricultural potassium-fertigation method for emitter-irrigation potassium fertigation feeds a potassium-nutrient feedstock comprised of potassium formate and water to an active emitter-irrigation system during one to all irrigation days during a crop cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Inventors: John C. Miller, Deborah L. Miller
  • Patent number: 9439345
    Abstract: An agricultural micro-fertigation water includes a phosphate fertilizer, a water-soluble organic acid and a water-soluble organophosphonate, and is prepared by a method wherein the phosphate fertilizer is added to the irrigation water as a chaser to (addition with or after components of) the combination of a water-soluble organic acid and water-soluble organophosphonate to fully prevent precipitation and thus prevent plugging of a micro-irrigation system despite the addition of phosphate fertilizer in water having a precipitation factor of from 125 to 1,000 ppm, wherein said precipitation factor is a combined level of total alkalinity (as CaCO3) in ppm and total hardness (as CaCO3) in ppm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Inventors: John C. Miller, Deborah L. Miller
  • Publication number: 20160185673
    Abstract: An agricultural potassium-fertigation method for emitter-irrigation potassium-plus fertigation feeds a potassium-plus nutrient feedstock comprised of potassium formate and additional yield-assist constituent(s) and water to an active emitter-irrigation system discontinuously, at levels of 0.15 to 50 gal./min, during one to six nonconsecutive irrigation days during a crop cycle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2016
    Publication date: June 30, 2016
    Inventors: John C. Miller, Deborah L. Miller
  • Publication number: 20150377619
    Abstract: A gradient measuring apparatus includes a gimbal assembly operably supported in a construction vehicle for viewing by an operator to see gradient indications in fore-aft and sideways directions. The gimbal assembly includes an outer orb with pointer that moves with the vehicle, and an inner orb with concentric circles that stays in a true vertical by gravitational forces, the combination of which simultaneously accurately reflects a fore-aft and sideways grade at which a ground surface is being cut in an excavating process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 2, 2015
    Publication date: December 31, 2015
    Inventor: John C. Miller
  • Patent number: RE49085
    Abstract: An agricultural potassium-fertigation method for emitter-irrigation potassium fertigation feeds a potassium-nutrient feedstock comprised of potassium formate and water to an active emitter-irrigation system continuously, or substantially continuously, at low levels, during the entire time, or substantially the entire time, that irrigation water is sufficiently flowing through the irrigation system during a prolonged term.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Inventors: John C. Miller, Deborah L. Miller