Patents by Inventor Steven W. Weiler
Steven W. Weiler 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).
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Patent number: 11957084Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: May 11, 2022Date of Patent: April 16, 2024Assignee: Rain Bird CorporationInventors: Steven W. Weiler, Harvey J. Nickerson
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Publication number: 20240012434Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: September 20, 2023Publication date: January 11, 2024Inventors: Steven W. Weiler, Joseph G. Porrazzo, JR.
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Publication number: 20230413745Abstract: Some embodiments provide systems for use in controlling irrigation, comprising: an irrigation controller configured to couple with one or more valves at a site and to control activation and deactivation of the one or more valves in accordance with an irrigation schedule stored in the irrigation controller; a wireless adapter directly communicationally coupled through a direct wired connection with the irrigation controller; and a network adapter wirelessly coupled over a point-to-point wireless communication path with the wireless adapter, wherein the network adapter is configured to further couple through a direct wired connection with a local router configured to provide communication over a distributed network to a remote server; wherein the wireless adapter is configured to poll the irrigation controller to acquire and locally store status information; and the wireless adapter is configured to communicate, over the point-to-point wireless channel, the status information to the server.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 5, 2023Publication date: December 28, 2023Inventors: Steven W. Weiler, David M. Redmond, Harvey J. Nickerson, Timothy J. Crist, Gregory W. Decker
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Patent number: 11803198Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: September 14, 2021Date of Patent: October 31, 2023Assignee: Rain Bird CorporationInventors: Steven W. Weiler, Joseph G. Porrazzo, Jr.
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Patent number: 11744195Abstract: Some embodiments provide systems for use in controlling irrigation, comprising: an irrigation controller configured to couple with one or more valves at a site and to control activation and deactivation of the one or more valves in accordance with an irrigation schedule stored in the irrigation controller; a wireless adapter directly communicationally coupled through a direct wired connection with the irrigation controller; and a network adapter wirelessly coupled over a point-to-point wireless communication path with the wireless adapter, wherein the network adapter is configured to further couple through a direct wired connection with a local router configured to provide communication over a distributed network to a remote server; wherein the wireless adapter is configured to poll the irrigation controller to acquire and locally store status information; and the wireless adapter is configured to communicate, over the point-to-point wireless channel, the status information to the server.Type: GrantFiled: September 3, 2021Date of Patent: September 5, 2023Assignee: Rain Bird CorporationInventors: Steven W. Weiler, David M. Redmond, Harvey J. Nickerson, Timothy J. Crist, Gregory W. Decker
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Publication number: 20220272915Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: May 11, 2022Publication date: September 1, 2022Inventors: Steven W. Weiler, Harvey J. Nickerson
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Patent number: 11357182Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: July 20, 2020Date of Patent: June 14, 2022Assignee: Rain Bird CorporationInventors: Steven W. Weiler, Harvey J. Nickerson
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Publication number: 20220004207Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: September 14, 2021Publication date: January 6, 2022Inventors: Steven W. Weiler, Joseph G. Porrazzo, JR.
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Publication number: 20210392830Abstract: Some embodiments provide systems for use in controlling irrigation, comprising: an irrigation controller configured to couple with one or more valves at a site and to control activation and deactivation of the one or more valves in accordance with an irrigation schedule stored in the irrigation controller; a wireless adapter directly communicationally coupled through a direct wired connection with the irrigation controller; and a network adapter wirelessly coupled over a point-to-point wireless communication path with the wireless adapter, wherein the network adapter is configured to further couple through a direct wired connection with a local router configured to provide communication over a distributed network to a remote server; wherein the wireless adapter is configured to poll the irrigation controller to acquire and locally store status information; and the wireless adapter is configured to communicate, over the point-to-point wireless channel, the status information to the server.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 3, 2021Publication date: December 23, 2021Inventors: Steven W. Weiler, David M. Redmond, Harvey J. Nickerson, Timothy J. Crist, Gregory W. Decker
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Patent number: 11119513Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: September 17, 2019Date of Patent: September 14, 2021Assignee: Rain Bird CorporationInventors: Steven W. Weiler, Joseph G. Porrazzo, Jr.
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Patent number: 11109546Abstract: Some embodiments provide systems for use in controlling irrigation, comprising: an irrigation controller configured to couple with one or more valves at a site and to control activation and deactivation of the one or more valves in accordance with an irrigation schedule stored in the irrigation controller; a wireless adapter directly communicationally coupled through a direct wired connection with the irrigation controller; and a network adapter wirelessly coupled over a point-to-point wireless communication path with the wireless adapter, wherein the network adapter is configured to further couple through a direct wired connection with a local router configured to provide communication over a distributed network to a remote server; wherein the wireless adapter is configured to poll the irrigation controller to acquire and locally store status information; and the wireless adapter is configured to communicate, over the point-to-point wireless channel, the status information to the server.Type: GrantFiled: May 9, 2019Date of Patent: September 7, 2021Assignee: Walmart Apollo, LLCInventors: Steven W. Weiler, David M. Redmond, Harvey J. Nickerson, Timothy J. Crist, Gregory W. Decker
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Publication number: 20200344964Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: July 20, 2020Publication date: November 5, 2020Inventors: Steven W. Weiler, Harvey J. Nickerson
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Patent number: 10757873Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: October 23, 2017Date of Patent: September 1, 2020Assignee: Rain Bird CorporationInventors: Steven W. Weiler, Harvey J. Nickerson
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Publication number: 20200012299Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: September 17, 2019Publication date: January 9, 2020Inventors: Steven W. Weiler, Joseph G. Porrazzo, JR.
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Patent number: 10444769Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: April 24, 2017Date of Patent: October 15, 2019Assignee: Rain Bird CorporationInventors: Steven W. Weiler, Joseph G. Porrazzo, Jr.
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Publication number: 20190297797Abstract: In some embodiments, systems and methods provide a water flow controlled irrigation system, comprising: an irrigation water flow sensor system comprising: a housing comprising a pipe nesting surface configured to be positioned adjacent with an irrigation pipe; an acoustic sensor secured with the housing proximate the pipe nesting surface; a sensor control circuit configured to receive acoustic data, and identify when a change in detected acoustic data is consistent with a first predefined acoustic pattern; and a flow indicator output communicatively coupled with the sensor control circuit and configured to further coupled with a separate irrigation controller that is configured to control irrigation valves of the irrigation system in accordance with an irrigation schedule, and wherein the sensor control circuit is configured to activate a first flow notification from the flow indicator output when the change in detected acoustic data is consistent with the first predefined acoustic pattern.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 3, 2019Publication date: October 3, 2019Inventors: Harvey J. Nickerson, Steven W. Weiler, Chong Wang Kwak, Steven D. Geerligs, Anderson I. Micu
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Publication number: 20190261585Abstract: Some embodiments provide systems for use in controlling irrigation, comprising: an irrigation controller configured to couple with one or more valves at a site and to control activation and deactivation of the one or more valves in accordance with an irrigation schedule stored in the irrigation controller; a wireless adapter directly communicationally coupled through a direct wired connection with the irrigation controller; and a network adapter wirelessly coupled over a point-to-point wireless communication path with the wireless adapter, wherein the network adapter is configured to further couple through a direct wired connection with a local router configured to provide communication over a distributed network to a remote server; wherein the wireless adapter is configured to poll the irrigation controller to acquire and locally store status information; and the wireless adapter is configured to communicate, over the point-to-point wireless channel, the status information to the server.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 9, 2019Publication date: August 29, 2019Inventors: Steven W. Weiler, David M. Redmond, Harvey J. Nickerson, Timothy J. Crist, Gregory W. Decker
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Patent number: 10292343Abstract: Some embodiments provide systems for use in controlling irrigation, comprising: an irrigation controller configured to couple with one or more valves at a site and to control activation and deactivation of the one or more valves in accordance with an irrigation schedule stored in the irrigation controller; a wireless adapter directly communicationally coupled through a direct wired connection with the irrigation controller; and a network adapter wirelessly coupled over a point-to-point wireless communication path with the wireless adapter, wherein the network adapter is configured to further couple through a direct wired connection with a local router configured to provide communication over a distributed network to a remote server; wherein the wireless adapter is configured to poll the irrigation controller to acquire and locally store status information; and the wireless adapter is configured to communicate, over the point-to-point wireless channel, the status information to the server.Type: GrantFiled: September 20, 2016Date of Patent: May 21, 2019Assignee: Rain Bird CorporationInventors: Steven W. Weiler, David M. Redmond, Harvey J. Nickerson, Timothy J. Crist, Gregory W. Decker
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Publication number: 20180310495Abstract: An irrigation controller, includes a housing, a microcontroller within the housing and configured to store and execute an irrigation schedule, a valve driver coupled to the microcontroller and configured to output a zone activation signal to an actuatable zone valve in response to signaling from the microcontroller, and a user interface. The user interface includes a plurality of user input devices coupled to the microcontroller and configured to provide signaling to the microcontroller based upon a user's engagement therewith, the plurality of user input devices configured to allow the user to create an irrigation schedule; and a user display coupled to the microcontroller and configured to display irrigation parameters associated with the irrigation schedule. The microcontroller is configured to cause the user display to display at least one of a next irrigation start day, a next irrigation start time, and a next zone to irrigate associated with the irrigation schedule.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 6, 2018Publication date: November 1, 2018Inventor: Steven W. Weiler
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Publication number: 20180303049Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: October 23, 2017Publication date: October 25, 2018Inventors: Steven W. Weiler, Harvey J. Nickerson