Nelson Irrigation Corporation

Other

Project 088 LLC

Ensemble Solutions LLC

Mark A Bauman

Travis A Griggs

Craig B Nelson

Chad Daniel Leinweber

Meade M Neal

Graham L Hutchinson

Maxwell N Bauman

James D Nolan

Joseph Daniel Sinden

Rex Daniel Ness

Robert L Rupar

Tom J Young

A sprinkler controller is cooperable with a sprinkler assembly that receives fluid input from a pipe span. The sprinkler controller includes a microcontroller circuit, a motion sensor coupled with the microcontroller circuit, and a valve assembly including a modulator coupled with the microcontroller circuit and a valve coupled with the sprinkler assembly. The valve meters or controls an amount of fluid output from the sprinkler assembly, and the microcontroller circuit is programmed to control the valve assembly based on input from the motion sensor. With a series of sprinkler controllers in a center pivot irrigation system, the drop numbers for each of the sprinkler assemblies can be determined based on input from the motion sensors.

Variable rate irrigation using motion sensor

An irrigation system includes a network hub and a plurality of remote terminal units configured for wireless communication with the network hub. The remote terminal units are connected to a device for irrigation control or sensing, such as a valve for a sprinkler. The network hub is configured to transmit a wireless broadcast to the remote terminal units, in which the wireless broadcast includes a plurality of individual packets transmitted in succession, each of the plurality of individual packets including a network identifier associated with the network hub, a time remaining in a broadcast period of time, and an assignment map indicative of an assigned state for each of the plurality of remote terminal units.

Wireless network

This disclosure includes a compact directional antenna array that has a low profile, is easy to deploy and provides a directional response over a wide range of frequencies. The array includes one or more pairs of equal length conductors that are arranged radially about the center of the array. The conductors follow the surface of a lossy medium and are each referenced to a conductive rod that is inserted into the medium. The directional response of the array is selectable by means of a series of configurable relays or switches that route some signals through a delay network to a combiner and other signals directly to the combiner.

Compact and low-profile directional antenna array

An irrigation control system having an irrigation controller with a unique identifier and configured to execute irrigation schedules, collect, store and forward watering metrics and determine global time, together with a power source, a global time receiver in communication with the microcontroller and configured to provide time from an outside source to the microcontroller and a transceiver in communication with the microcontroller configured to send messages including its unique identifier, predefined irrigation schedules, stored watering metrics and current global time. The system further includes a mobile computer having a microprocessor, a wireless transceiver configured to receive the messages from the irrigation controller transceiver and transmit instructions to the irrigation controller via a communication link and a memory coupled to the microprocessor and configured to store predefined irrigation schedules, and watering metrics. Methods for providing watering metrics and controlling an irrigation control system or value controller are also disclosed.

Proximity programmed, globally synchronized irrigation controller and system

An agile irrigation controller enables any number of programs to be added, limited only by available memory, and is similarly adaptable to control any number of valves or similar irrigation devices in a network. Stored programs within the memory include pointers to next programs in memory, linking the programs together. The memory further stores groups of valves, with links to additional groups of valves.

Agile irrigation controller

A linear irrigation system includes a linear irrigator movable in a first direction along a path of travel and including plural towers supporting a truss assembly extending laterally in a direction substantially perpendicular to the path of travel. The truss assembly carries a plurality of sprinklers connected to a water supply pipe. A plurality of hydrants are spaced along the water supply pipe, each hydrant having a valve, and a pair of laterally adjacent trolleys are mounted on an elongated frame for movement in two opposite directions, each trolley having a docking station and hydrant valve actuator, the docking stations resiliently suspended from said trolleys for movement in at least three mutually perpendicular directions and adapted to engage and disengage, successively, the plurality of hydrants on the supply pipe extending below and between the pair of trolleys. The trolleys and docking stations may be carried on a mobile cart or incorporated into the linear irrigator.

Continuous-feed linear irrigator with separate or integrated docking devices and related method

A distributed control system is provided wherein a master controller inductively delivers power and data to a plurality of remote slave modules or controllers via a plurality of coupling loops formed along a length of transmission line. Each of the remote slave modules, in turn, inductively delivers return data to the master controller via the plurality of coupling loops. The use of inductive coupling provides an advantage over the state of the art because no direct galvanic electrical connection is required between the transmission line and the remote slave modules which promise to simplify installation and enhance long-term reliability. Example applications for the control system described herein include agricultural irrigation systems where individual sprinkler and valve components may be controlled collectively, individually, or in groups or subsets, to vary application rates according to prescribed irrigation parameters.

Inductively coupled distributed control system

An irrigation system is composed of a mobile sprinkler cart; a system water supply pipe supporting a plurality of hydrants adapted to be engaged by the mobile sprinkler cart and to supply water to a sprinkler supported on the cart; and an addressable electronic ID tag mounted on each hydrant. A main controller is programmed to control operation of the mobile sprinkler cart, and the ID tag is adapted to send at least hydrant identifying data to the main controller to thereby enable the main controller to move the mobile sprinkler cart to the hydrant.

Irrigation system with smart hydrants and related method

The creation and implantation of an artificial nail in the treatment of deformed or missing nails includes preparing the nail bed. A polypropylene mesh is applied and anchored to the nail bed. Nail restoration material is applied to the polypropylene mesh. The nail restoration material is secured by regenerated nail tissue growing through the openings of the mesh whereby the mesh acts as an interface for the nail bed and the nail restoration material.

Creation and implantation of an artificial nail for the treatment of deformed or missing nails

The present invention is a compact directional receiving antenna utilizing true-time-delay methods to achieve a wide pattern bandwidth and small real estate footprint. In one embodiment, two right-triangular-shaped loops are positioned in mirrored relation, one to another, with less than 1/100 wavelength spacing. In another embodiment, two of these pairs of loops are positioned in an orthogonal manner to form an electronically rotatable antenna array. In yet another embodiment, a single loop is provided with a pair of spaced couplers. Finally, in another embodiment, a pair of single loops is arranged in orthogonal relation to form an electronically rotatable array.

Compact directional receiving antenna

A laptop computer paper support device that includes a shelf member for engaging a laptop computer case, a support member secured to the shelf member for supporting a document, and an extension member pivotally or otherwise adjustably secured to the support member for providing additional support for the document. The extension member may rotate relative to the support member.

Laptop computer paper support device

A laptop computer paper support device for removably setting on the top of a laptop computer case and for holding at least one document above a screen on a laptop computer. The laptop computer paper support device comprises a support member and shelf member. The support member includes a front surface, a top edge, a bottom edge, a left edge, a right edge and a connection axis passing through the left edge and the right edge. The connection axis is substantially perpendicular to the left edge. The shelf member is pivotally attached at the connection axis to the front surface of the support member. The shelf member includes a top surface and a bottom surface. The shelf member also includes a shelf ledge adapted for maintaining a document upon the top surface of the shelf member. The shelf ledge is attached to the top surface and extends upwardly from the top surface at a non-zero angle. The shelf member further includes a shelf flange adapted for setting on the top of a laptop computer case. The shelf flange is attached to the bottom surface and extends downwardly from the bottom surface at a non-zero angle. The shelf member is moveable between an open position where the shelf is substantially perpendicular to the support member and a closed position where the shelf member is substantially parallel to the support member.

Growing community of inventors

Walla Walla, WA, United States of America

Mark A Bauman