Fortel, Inc.

The Toro Company

T.a.d. Avanti, Inc.

Gerald L Mock

Bradford E Hanscom

Alberto D Benmergui

Scott Vincent Myers

Raymond G Bond

Jason Lester Hill

Paul A Standerfer

Kurt Maloney

Stanley C Campbell

Uzair Siddiqui

Richard H Bancroft

Leonard W Doup

John F Fuller

Russ Huffman

Stephan Crain

Steven A Snow

John C Pleska

Utah Iev

Ray Bond

Tu Minh Nguyen

Mark Faris

In one embodiment of the present invention, irrigation software is provided for an irrigation system. The irrigation software may include a hierarchical watering plan display, water pump adjustment, water pump efficiency profile use, a soil moisture interface, a historical flow interface, a demand ET interface, an instant program interface, an instant program interface, a manual irrigation interface, a precipitation management group interface, a rain schedule adjustment algorithm, a map-to-monitor button, a universal start time shift interface, and a conditional screen saver.

Central irrigation control system

An improved irrigation controller of solid state design utilizes a microcomputer which retains and executes a watering schedule. A plurality of analog data input devices are provided with one input device being assigned to input one value of at least one watering schedule parameter having a number of possible values. Each analog data input device comprises a potentiometer, connected between high and low reference voltages, which has a variable output voltage determined by the setting or position of the input device on the controller housing, with different output voltages representing different values of the parameter. The output voltage is determined by charging a capacitor using a constant current source and by timing how long it takes the capacitor to reach the output voltage. The same capacitor is used for all of the analog data input devices to remove any variability in how different capacitors charge. In addition, the actual instantaneous high and low reference voltages are also read when the output voltage of at least one analog data input device is read.

Irrigation controller with analog data input devices

An improved irrigation controller of solid state design utilizes a microcomputer which retains and executes a watering schedule input by a user through data input means. A rain delay push button may be pressed a number of times to suspend operation of the watering schedule for a number of days equal to the number of times the button is pressed. A blinking LED will indicate the remaining days in the rain delay period to the user. In addition, the controller includes an LCD display which normally displays the current day and time, but which will temporarily display a new irrigation parameter being input into the schedule by manipulation of one of the data input means. The controller also includes a self test feature in which the watering schedule execution is suspended and the operability of various controller components is verified.

Irrigation controller

Irrigation controller with rain delay feature

An irrigation controller contains a base unit having drivers and output switches for controlling a number of irrigation stations which is less than the maximum number of stations for which the controller is designed. Station expansion modules are provided having the drivers and output switches for incremental numbers of stations. The station expansion modules can be individually bought and connected to the base unit to expand the number of available irrigation stations up to the maximum number of stations. A microprocessor in the base unit can be programmed and controls all of the stations, both those in the base unit and those in the station expansion modules. Pump and accessory timer modules can also be provided for optionally driving a pump and/or an accessory device such as a lighting system.

Irrigation controller having expansion and pump modules

A reset system for a telephone answering machine which, in the event of power failure, or disconnection from the power source, will reset the telephone answering machine when power is restored to the condition it was in prior to the power failure. The system is applicable to both single tape machines in which the outgoing announcement and incoming messages are all recorded on one magnetic tape, and dual tape machines in which the outgoing announcements are recorded on one magnetic tape and the incoming messages are recorded on a second magnetic tape. The system of the invention serves to determine whether there were incoming messages on the incoming message tape when the power failed and if so, the end of the last recorded incoming message is located so that when power is restored the incoming message tape can be set to the same position it was in when power was lost.

Reset system for telephone answering machine in the event of a power

A reset system for a telephone answering machine which, in the event of a power failure, or should the telephone answering machine be disconnected from the power mains, will reset the telephone answering machine when power is restored to the condition it was in just prior to the power failure. In a specific embodiment to be described, when power is restored, an incoming message magnetic tape is set to rewind for a selected time interval (for example, 2 to 3 seconds), and the number of pulses generated by the magnetic tape mechanism during that period are examined. If the number of pulses exceeds a predetermined minimum, it is assumed that there are incoming messages recorded on the tape, and the tape is returned to the position it occupied prior to rewind. In addition, control and indicator mechanisms within the system are set to the state they were in just prior to the power failure.

Reset system for telephone answering machine in event of power failure

A telephone answering machine which upon initial power-up plays back a message recorded by the manufacturer on the incoming message tape. This message may be in the form of advertising, operational instructions, or the like. Subsequent use of the machine causes the initial message to be erased. The message is recorded at the beginning of the incoming message tape together with a pre-defined tone. Upon initial power-up, the incoming message tape is rewound to its home position by the microcomputer of the telephone answering machine and, if the tone is detected, the machine automatically plays back the recorded message. At the end of the playback, the incoming message tape is returned to its home position and the telephone answering machine is set by the microcomputer to its auto answer mode, ready to respond to the first telephone call. The first telephone call to be received and recorded on the incoming message tape causes the initial message and the tone to be erased, so that thereafter the machine operates in a conventional manner. However, the user can repeat the initial message prior to the receipt of the first telephone call by pressing the message recover button of the machine.

Telephone answering machine with an erasable message recorded on the

A telephone answering machine which records and displays the date and time of each recorded incoming message and, if required, displays the duration of each message. The telephone answering machine is microcomputer controlled, and when a call is received, the random access memory of the microcomputer stores a number equivalent to the time and date on which the telephone line was seized. The telephone answering machine then records the call in normal manner. At the end of the call, a second number representing the time at which the call terminated may also be stored in the random access memory. At that time, the microcomputer causes the message tape to rewind to a point past the beginning of the recorded message and causes the data and time at which the message was received to be recorded on a blank portion of the tape just before the beginning of the message. The microcomputer then causes the tape to move forward to the end of the message in preparation for taking the next call. In each case, a blank portion is provided on the tape between recorded messages for recording the data. On playback, the data is sensed and the microcomputer causes the data to be transferred to a visual display.

Telephone answering machine with automatic recording and visual display

A telephone answering machine which includes a speakerphone feature to enable the user to converse directly with a calling party through the machine. A microphone and a speaker are included in the machine together with interconnecting circuitry which may be activated by the user upon the receipt of a telephone call to enable the user to communicate with the calling party through the machine instead of having the calling party record his message on the machine in response to a recorded announcement.

Speakerphone telephone answering machine

A telephone answering system in which the calling party may record a message of any length within the recording capabilities of the message tape, and is not limited to any predetermined message time interval. The system is controlled by a microcomputer, and includes circuitry such that the microcomputer only responds to actual voice signals, so that the message recording interval is terminated when the calling party stops talking for a particular time interval, regardless of whether a tone signal or a busy signal then appears on the telephone line.

Voice operated telephone answering system

A telephone answering machine with remote control capabilities which responds to remote control signals received over the telephone line after the termination of an announcement interval (T.sub.1) to play back previously recorded messages over the telephone line to the calling party. The machine is susceptible to a number of controlled operations such as the playback of all previously recorded messages, playback of new messages only, remote changing of the announcement, remote backspacing control, selective erasure of the messages after playback, providing an indication to the calling party as to whether any new messages have been recorded since his last remote operation, and other controlled operations to be described.

Telephone answering machine with remote control capabilities

A telephone answering system which may be set to respond only after a predetermined number of rings have been received and which is automatically set to respond only after a greater number of rings are received in the event the message tape is full or broken. The system is controlled by a microcomputer, and includes circuitry such that the microcomputer responds to an indication that the message tape is not operational automatically to set the system to respond to a greater number of rings. This causes the casual caller to hang up, which is desired since the message tape is no longer capable of recording his message, but it still enables the owner to remote the system and have it read back the messages on the message tape.

Ring delay override for telephone answering system

A telephone answering system with remote control capabilities which responds to a control signal received over the telephone line during an announcement interval (T.sub.1) or during a message recording interval (T.sub.2) to play back messages over the telephone line to the calling party. The system is susceptible to a number of controlled operations such as the playback of all previously recorded messages, playback of new messages only, remote changing of the announcement, remote backspacing control, selective erasure of the messages after playback, providing an indication to the calling party as to whether any new messages have been recorded since his last remote operation, and other controlled operations to be described.

Growing community of inventors

Corona, CA, United States of America

Gerald L Mock