The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 07, 2006
Filed:
Dec. 30, 2003
Allan Morris Goldberg, Laguna Niguel, CA (US);
Larry Kent Hopkins, Escondido, CA (US);
Randall Pearson, Chino Hills, CA (US);
Larry Hawkes, San Diego, CA (US);
Michael James Grundy, Phelan, CA (US);
Allan Morris Goldberg, Laguna Niguel, CA (US);
Larry Kent Hopkins, Escondido, CA (US);
Randall Pearson, Chino Hills, CA (US);
Larry Hawkes, San Diego, CA (US);
Michael James Grundy, Phelan, CA (US);
The Toro Company, Bloomington, MN (US);
Abstract
A free-standing field irrigation controller is selectively programmed by a personal computer over a radio link. The computer is equipped with software that displays a screen with seven horizontal time bands representing one day each, arranged vertically to display one week's time. Box icons representing watering settings for a plurality of zones can be dragged and dropped onto the time bands, copied and modified thereon as desired, to form a freely selectable watering schedule. Other selectable screens allow odd-days or even-days watering, sophisticated interval watering, global watering time adjustment, and a variety of manual functions. Selectable portions of the main screen can be enlarged as desired. Based on the selected schedule, the computer calculates and displays the monthly cost of water. Selected zones can be temporarily disabled to deal with weather or maintenance issues. A handheld global shut-off and manual watering remote and/or a separate radio-linked computer may be used in field maintenance.