Patents by Inventor Joseph G. Porrazzo, JR.

Joseph G. Porrazzo, JR. 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: 11874149
    Abstract: Some embodiments provide an irrigation flow sensor system, comprising: a housing forming a fluid channel to cooperate with conduits of an irrigation system; a paddle wheel device with at least a first blade of a set of the blades comprises a magnetic element; the paddle wheel device is positioned with at least a portion of the blades extends into the fluid channel as the blades rotate about an axis; a magnetic sensor proximate a pathway of the magnetic element as it rotates configured to provide a sensor output every time the magnetic element passes the magnetic sensor; a switch coupled to the magnetic sensor and a current loop, wherein the switch in an activate state is configured to temporarily change the current in the current loop in response to the sensor output, with a rate of change in current corresponding to a flow rate of the fluid flowing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: Rain Bird Corporation
    Inventors: Steven D. Geerligs, Russell Churchill, Randy R. Montgomery, Chong Wang Kwak, Joseph G. Porrazzo, Jr., Michael A. Landis, Angel Reyes Archundia
  • Publication number: 20240012434
    Abstract: Some embodiments provide a system and method for interfacing with an irrigation controller based on rainfall, the system comprising: an interface unit including a housing and a control unit within the housing and configured to: cause an interruption of one or more watering schedules executed by the irrigation controller, which is separate from the interface unit, based on signaling received from a rain sensor including hygroscopic material, when a sensed expansion of the hygroscopic material is above a set rainfall accumulation threshold parameter, the rain sensor being separate from the interface unit and the hygroscopic material being configured to expand in response to being contacted by the rainfall and to contract in response to an absence of the rainfall; and remove the interruption after a completion of a predetermined interval of time after a sensed contraction of the hygroscopic material indicative of a rainfall stop.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2023
    Publication date: January 11, 2024
    Inventors: Steven W. Weiler, Joseph G. Porrazzo, JR.
  • Patent number: 11803198
    Abstract: Some embodiments provide a system and method for interfacing with an irrigation controller based on rainfall, the system comprising: an interface unit including a housing and a control unit within the housing and configured to: cause an interruption of one or more watering schedules executed by the irrigation controller, which is separate from the interface unit, based on signaling received from a rain sensor including hygroscopic material, when a sensed expansion of the hygroscopic material is above a set rainfall accumulation threshold parameter, the rain sensor being separate from the interface unit and the hygroscopic material being configured to expand in response to being contacted by the rainfall and to contract in response to an absence of the rainfall; and remove the interruption after a completion of a predetermined interval of time after a sensed contraction of the hygroscopic material indicative of a rainfall stop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: Rain Bird Corporation
    Inventors: Steven W. Weiler, Joseph G. Porrazzo, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20220004207
    Abstract: Some embodiments provide a system and method for interfacing with an irrigation controller based on rainfall, the system comprising: an interface unit including a housing and a control unit within the housing and configured to: cause an interruption of one or more watering schedules executed by the irrigation controller, which is separate from the interface unit, based on signaling received from a rain sensor including hygroscopic material, when a sensed expansion of the hygroscopic material is above a set rainfall accumulation threshold parameter, the rain sensor being separate from the interface unit and the hygroscopic material being configured to expand in response to being contacted by the rainfall and to contract in response to an absence of the rainfall; and remove the interruption after a completion of a predetermined interval of time after a sensed contraction of the hygroscopic material indicative of a rainfall stop.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2021
    Publication date: January 6, 2022
    Inventors: Steven W. Weiler, Joseph G. Porrazzo, JR.
  • Publication number: 20210333135
    Abstract: Some embodiments provide an irrigation flow sensor system, comprising: a housing forming a fluid channel to cooperate with conduits of an irrigation system; a paddle wheel device with at least a first blade of a set of the blades comprises a magnetic element; the paddle wheel device is positioned with at least a portion of the blades extends into the fluid channel as the blades rotate about an axis; a magnetic sensor proximate a pathway of the magnetic element as it rotates configured to provide a sensor output every time the magnetic element passes the magnetic sensor; a switch coupled to the magnetic sensor and a current loop, wherein the switch in an activate state is configured to temporarily change the current in the current loop in response to the sensor output, with a rate of change in current corresponding to a flow rate of the fluid flowing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2021
    Publication date: October 28, 2021
    Inventors: Steven D. Geerligs, Russell Churchill, Randy R. Montgomery, Chong Wang Kwak, Joseph G. Porrazzo, JR., Michael A. Landis
  • Patent number: 11119513
    Abstract: Some embodiments provide a system and method for interfacing with an irrigation controller based on rainfall, the system comprising: an interface unit including a housing and a control unit within the housing and configured to: cause an interruption of one or more watering schedules executed by the irrigation controller, which is separate from the interface unit, based on signaling received from a rain sensor including hygroscopic material, when a sensed expansion of the hygroscopic material is above a set rainfall accumulation threshold parameter, the rain sensor being separate from the interface unit and the hygroscopic material being configured to expand in response to being contacted by the rainfall and to contract in response to an absence of the rainfall; and remove the interruption after a completion of a predetermined interval of time after a sensed contraction of the hygroscopic material indicative of a rainfall stop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: Rain Bird Corporation
    Inventors: Steven W. Weiler, Joseph G. Porrazzo, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20200012299
    Abstract: Some embodiments provide a system and method for interfacing with an irrigation controller based on rainfall, the system comprising: an interface unit including a housing and a control unit within the housing and configured to: cause an interruption of one or more watering schedules executed by the irrigation controller, which is separate from the interface unit, based on signaling received from a rain sensor including hygroscopic material, when a sensed expansion of the hygroscopic material is above a set rainfall accumulation threshold parameter, the rain sensor being separate from the interface unit and the hygroscopic material being configured to expand in response to being contacted by the rainfall and to contract in response to an absence of the rainfall; and remove the interruption after a completion of a predetermined interval of time after a sensed contraction of the hygroscopic material indicative of a rainfall stop.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2019
    Publication date: January 9, 2020
    Inventors: Steven W. Weiler, Joseph G. Porrazzo, JR.
  • Patent number: 10444769
    Abstract: Some embodiments provide a system and method for interfacing with an irrigation controller based on rainfall, the system comprising: an interface unit including a housing and a control unit within the housing and configured to: cause an interruption of one or more watering schedules executed by the irrigation controller, which is separate from the interface unit, based on signaling received from a rain sensor including hygroscopic material, when a sensed expansion of the hygroscopic material is above a set rainfall accumulation threshold parameter, the rain sensor being separate from the interface unit and the hygroscopic material being configured to expand in response to being contacted by the rainfall and to contract in response to an absence of the rainfall; and remove the interruption after a completion of a predetermined interval of time after a sensed contraction of the hygroscopic material indicative of a rainfall stop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: Rain Bird Corporation
    Inventors: Steven W. Weiler, Joseph G. Porrazzo, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20180307253
    Abstract: Some embodiments provide a system and method for interfacing with an irrigation controller based on rainfall, the system comprising: an interface unit including a housing and a control unit within the housing and configured to: cause an interruption of one or more watering schedules executed by the irrigation controller, which is separate from the interface unit, based on signaling received from a rain sensor including hygroscopic material, when a sensed expansion of the hygroscopic material is above a set rainfall accumulation threshold parameter, the rain sensor being separate from the interface unit and the hygroscopic material being configured to expand in response to being contacted by the rainfall and to contract in response to an absence of the rainfall; and remove the interruption after a completion of a predetermined interval of time after a sensed contraction of the hygroscopic material indicative of a rainfall stop.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2017
    Publication date: October 25, 2018
    Inventors: Steven W. Weiler, Joseph G. Porrazzo, JR.
  • Patent number: D890106
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: Rain Bird Corporation
    Inventors: John E. Price, Joseph G. Porrazzo, Jr., Scott M. Cline, Edward M. Gandelman
  • Patent number: D891376
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: Rain Bird Corporation
    Inventors: John E. Price, Joseph G. Porrazzo, Jr., Scott M. Cline, Edward M. Gandelman