Patents by Inventor Timothy J. Crist

Timothy J. Crist 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: 9681610
    Abstract: An integrated irrigation valve control device has a coil adapted to develop an electromagnetic flux sufficient to cause actuation of irrigation equipment. Control circuitry is electrically coupled to the coil to control the flux at the coil. A housing covers at least a portion of the coil and at least a portion of the control circuitry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: Rain Bird Corporation
    Inventors: Timothy J. Crist, Matthew S. Prucinsky, Michael A. Lorenz
  • Publication number: 20170094918
    Abstract: An integrated irrigation valve control device has a coil adapted to develop an electromagnetic flux sufficient to cause actuation of irrigation equipment. Control circuitry is electrically coupled to the coil to control the flux at the coil. A housing covers at least a portion of the coil and at least a portion of the control circuitry.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2016
    Publication date: April 6, 2017
    Inventors: Timothy J. Crist, Matthew S. Prucinsky, Michael A. Lorenz
  • Publication number: 20170059274
    Abstract: A detector monitors the presence, absence, insertion, and/or removal of an object in a holster. The detector broadcasts a message to an electronic device reporting whether the object, such as a weapon, has been removed from the holster and/or if the holster lock has been unlocked. The detector repeatedly probes for the presence of the object in the holster. The electronic device, in response to authenticating the message, may control the recording of audio, video, and/or other data in conjunction with the insertion or withdrawal. The detector stores information about when an object has been removed or inserted from the holster and provides it the electronic device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2016
    Publication date: March 2, 2017
    Applicant: TASER International, Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy J. Crist, Daniel J. Wagner, Mark A. Hanchett, Matthew J. Morstad
  • Publication number: 20170006787
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2016
    Publication date: January 12, 2017
    Inventors: Steven W. Weiler, David M. Redmond, Harvey J. Nickerson, Timothy J. Crist, Gregory W. Decker
  • Patent number: 9468162
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: Rain Bird Corporation
    Inventors: Steven Weiler, David M. Redmond, Harvey J. Nickerson, Timothy J. Crist, Gregory Decker
  • Publication number: 20150088324
    Abstract: An integrated irrigation valve control device has a coil adapted to develop an electromagnetic flux sufficient to cause actuation of irrigation equipment. Control circuitry is electrically coupled to the coil to control the flux at the coil. A housing covers at least a portion of the coil and at least a portion of the control circuitry.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2014
    Publication date: March 26, 2015
    Inventors: Timothy J. Crist, Matthew S. Prucinsky, Michael A. Lorenz
  • Publication number: 20150019031
    Abstract: An irrigation control device comprises a coil adapted to develop an electromagnetic flux sufficient to cause actuation of irrigation equipment. Control circuitry is electrically coupled to the coil to receive control signals from an irrigation control unit and to control the flux at the coil. A housing covers at least a portion of both the coil and the control circuitry, the housing including a threaded end configured to thread the irrigation control device to a valve assembly to be actuated by the electromagnetic flux of the coil.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2014
    Publication date: January 15, 2015
    Inventors: Timothy J. Crist, Matthew S. Prucinsky
  • Patent number: 8909381
    Abstract: An irrigation control device having a modulator that modulates data onto an alternating power signal by distorting amplitude of a first leading portion of selected cycles of the alternating power signal, and permit effectively a full amplitude of the alternating power signal on a following portion of the selected cycles, wherein the first leading portion and the following portion are either both on a high side of a cycle or both on a low side of a cycle of the alternating power signal. The irrigation control device further includes an interface configured to couple the modulator to a multi-wire interface coupled to a plurality of irrigation devices to permit the alternating power signal to be applied to the multi-wire interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Rain Bird Corporation
    Inventor: Timothy J. Crist
  • Patent number: 8851447
    Abstract: An integrated irrigation valve control device has a coil adapted to develop an electromagnetic flux sufficient to cause actuation of irrigation equipment. Control circuitry is electrically coupled to the coil to control the flux at the coil. A housing covers at least a portion of the coil and at least a portion of the control circuitry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Rain Bird Corporation
    Inventors: Timothy J. Crist, Matthew S. Prucinsky, Michael A. Lorenz
  • Patent number: 8840084
    Abstract: An irrigation control device comprises a coil adapted to develop an electromagnetic flux sufficient to cause actuation of irrigation equipment. Control circuitry is electrically coupled to the coil to receive control signals from an irrigation control unit and to control the flux at the coil. A spacer is configured to maintain the coil at a predetermined position relative to the control circuitry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: Rain Bird Corporation
    Inventors: Timothy J. Crist, Matthew S. Prucinsky
  • Patent number: 8659183
    Abstract: Methods for controlling irrigation devices coupled to and receiving operational power from a multi-wire interface of an irrigation system, and related irrigation devices, are provided. In some forms, the methods define initialization of the irrigation devices having received operational power, including the timing of charging, discharging and recharging of the irrigation devices in order to provide a time staggered recharging of the energy reserves of the irrigation devices. In some forms, the methods involve the use of different delay periods at different irrigation devices coupled to irrigation valves to place multiple irrigation valves into a known position. In some embodiments, these methods spread out the usage of charging energy drawn from the multi-wire interface by the irrigation devices coupled thereto to reduce inrush currents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: Rain Bird Corporation
    Inventors: Timothy J. Crist, Kenneth J. Dietz
  • Publication number: 20140039698
    Abstract: An irrigation control device having a modulator that modulates data onto an alternating power signal by distorting amplitude of a first leading portion of selected cycles of the alternating power signal, and permit effectively a full amplitude of the alternating power signal on a following portion of the selected cycles, wherein the first leading portion and the following portion are either both on a high side of a cycle or both on a low side of a cycle of the alternating power signal. The irrigation control device further includes an interface configured to couple the modulator to a multi-wire interface coupled to a plurality of irrigation devices to permit the alternating power signal to be applied to the multi-wire interface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2013
    Publication date: February 6, 2014
    Applicant: Rain Bird Corporation
    Inventor: Timothy J. CRIST
  • Patent number: 8532831
    Abstract: An irrigation control device having a modulator that modulates data onto an alternating power signal by distorting amplitude of a first leading portion of selected cycles of the alternating power signal, and permit effectively a full amplitude of the alternating power signal on a following portion of the selected cycles, wherein the first leading portion and the following portion are either both on a high side of a cycle or both on a low side of a cycle of the alternating power signal. The irrigation control device further includes an interface configured to couple the modulator to a multi-wire interface coupled to a plurality of irrigation devices to permit the alternating power signal to be applied to the multi-wire interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: Rain Bird Corporation
    Inventor: Timothy J. Crist
  • Publication number: 20120303169
    Abstract: An irrigation control device having a modulator that modulates data onto an alternating power signal by distorting amplitude of a first leading portion of selected cycles of the alternating power signal, and permit effectively a full amplitude of the alternating power signal on a following portion of the selected cycles, wherein the first leading portion and the following portion are either both on a high side of a cycle or both on a low side of a cycle of the alternating power signal. The irrigation control device further includes an interface configured to couple the modulator to a multi-wire interface coupled to a plurality of irrigation devices to permit the alternating power signal to be applied to the multi-wire interface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2012
    Publication date: November 29, 2012
    Applicant: Rain Bird Corporation
    Inventor: Timothy J. Crist
  • Patent number: 8295985
    Abstract: An irrigation device including an actuator configured to control water flow to at least one water delivery device, a first stored energy source configured to power the actuator to effect irrigation via the at least one water delivery device, and a second stored energy source which is separate from the first stored energy source, wherein the second stored energy source is configured to power the actuator to terminate the irrigation via the at least one water delivery device. The irrigation devices further includes a controller configured to cause the first stored energy source to power the actuator to effect the irrigation, responsive to an instruction to provide irrigation, and to cause the second stored energy source to power the actuator to terminate the irrigation responsive to a termination condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Rain Bird Corporation
    Inventor: Timothy J. Crist
  • Patent number: 8260465
    Abstract: An irrigation control device having a modulator that modulates data onto an alternating power signal by distorting amplitude of a first leading portion of selected cycles of the alternating power signal, and permit effectively a full amplitude of the alternating power signal on a following portion of the selected cycles, wherein the first leading portion and the following portion are either both on a high side of a cycle or both on a low side of a cycle of the alternating power signal. The irrigation control device further includes an interface configured to couple the modulator to a multi-wire interface coupled to a plurality of irrigation devices to permit the alternating power signal to be applied to the multi-wire interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: Rain Bird Corporation
    Inventor: Timothy J. Crist
  • Publication number: 20110017845
    Abstract: An irrigation control device comprises a coil adapted to develop an electromagnetic flux sufficient to cause actuation of irrigation equipment. Control circuitry is electrically coupled to the coil to receive control signals from an irrigation control unit and to control the flux at the coil. A spacer is configured to maintain the coil at a predetermined position relative to the control circuitry.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2009
    Publication date: January 27, 2011
    Applicant: Rain Bird Corporation
    Inventors: Timothy J. Crist, Matthew S. Prucinsky
  • Publication number: 20110015800
    Abstract: An irrigation control device having a modulator that modulates data onto an alternating power signal by distorting amplitude of a first leading portion of selected cycles of the alternating power signal, and permit effectively a full amplitude of the alternating power signal on a following portion of the selected cycles, wherein the first leading portion and the following portion are either both on a high side of a cycle or both on a low side of a cycle of the alternating power signal. The irrigation control device further includes an interface configured to couple the modulator to a multi-wire interface coupled to a plurality of irrigation devices to permit the alternating power signal to be applied to the multi-wire interface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2009
    Publication date: January 20, 2011
    Applicant: Rain Bird Corporation
    Inventor: Timothy J. Crist
  • Publication number: 20110015793
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for controlling an irrigation device coupled to and receiving operational power from a multi-wire interface of an irrigation system comprises: receiving power at the device where the device is one of a plurality of devices receiving power substantially simultaneously; charging an energy reserve of the device using the power, wherein the energy reserve of each device is charged and adapted to supply power to an actuator coupled to a valve; identifying a delay period for the device, the delay period different than a delay period of at least one other device, the delay period defining a period of time that the device is to delay before the energy reserve is discharged; discharging the energy reserve after the delay period lapses; and recharging the energy reserve by drawing current from the multi-wire interface to provide a time staggered recharging of the energy reserves of the devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2009
    Publication date: January 20, 2011
    Applicant: Rain Bird Corporation
    Inventors: Timothy J. Crist, Kenneth J. Dietz
  • Patent number: 7819087
    Abstract: A remote controlled animal training system includes a wireless transmitter capable of transmitting a plurality of wireless signals non-concurrently. Each wireless signal of the plurality of signals is representative of one of a plurality of predetermined stimulus levels. A wireless receiver is capable of receiving the wireless signal from the transmitter. A demodulator is in communication with the RF receiver, demodulating the wireless signal to produce a digital signal. A microprocessor is in communication with the demodulator for receiving the digital signal from the demodulator and producing a pulse signal therefrom. A first output device is in communication with the microprocessor. The first output device produces a stimulus of intensity relative to a characteristic of the pulse signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2010
    Assignee: Tri-Tronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Francisco J. Napolez, Timothy J. Crist