Patents by Inventor Marvin J. Pitts

Marvin J. Pitts 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).

  • Apparatus and method for measuring the mass of vegetation or fruit supported on a trellis
    Patent number: 6854337
    Abstract: The present disclosure concerns apparatus and methods useful in estimating crop yields of plants that are supported on a trellis. According to one aspect, a method for measuring the mass of trellised plant structures includes measuring the tension of a support wire of the trellis structure on which the plant structures are supported, such as with a load cell placed in-line with the support wire. The tension of the support wire is converted into the mass of new plant growth supported on the support wire, using, for example, an empirically derived algorithm specific to the trellis structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2005
    Assignees: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Agriculture, Washington State University Research Foundation
    Inventors: Julie M. Tarara, John C. Ferguson, Francis J. Pierce, Marvin J. Pitts, Gary M. Hyde, Robert L. Wample, Andre L. Baritelle