System and method for variable rate, high speed irrigation control

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11140838-B2
Application number	US-201916524227-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 29, 2019
Priority date	Aug 10, 2017
Publication date	Oct 12, 2021
Grant date	Oct 12, 2021

Abstract

The present invention provides a system and method which combines sensor inputs, control systems, field mapping, motor controls, and high speed and variable speed motor designs within an irrigation machine. According to a preferred embodiment, the present invention provides systems which are capable of full torque operation, even at speeds less than the rated speed of the motor. According to further preferred embodiments, the present invention utilizes a combination of motor types including Switch Reluctance, DC Permanent Magnet and AC Permanent Magnet motors in combination with Variable Frequency Drives.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A control system for use with a mechanized irrigation system, wherein the mechanized irrigation system includes at least a first conduit secured to a first span which is supported by a first drive tower having a first drive tower controller, a first drive motor and a first drive wheel; and a second conduit secured to a second span which is supported by a second drive tower which includes a second drive tower controller, second drive motor and a second drive wheel; the control system comprising:
a first motor control system, wherein the first motor control system receives inputs and adjusts the operational status of the first drive motor; and
a second motor control system, wherein the second motor control system receives inputs and adjusts the operational status of the second drive motor;
wherein the first and second motor control systems are configured to vary a drive motor characteristic in response to a drive command; wherein the drive motor characteristic is selected from the group of drive motor characteristics comprising: electrical pulse rate, voltage, RPM, current and frequency; wherein the drive command comprises a commanded speed of the irrigation machine;
a drive control system, wherein the drive control system transmits drive commands to the first motor control system and the second motor control system; wherein the drive control system determines the commanded speed based on detected input condition data; wherein the detected input condition data comprises data selected from the group of detected input condition data comprising: slope of terrain, soil moisture levels, precipitation levels, soil compaction, obstacles, wind speed, wind direction, crop height, time remaining to start new irrigation cycle, irrigation scheduling forecast, crop type, growth stage, weather forecast, irrigation history, soil type, measured soil moisture, field equipment location, obstacle detection, chemical concentration levels, fertilizer concentration levels, chemical type, fertilizer type, NDVI, and Crop Water Stress Index;
wherein the drive control system is configured to adjust a system parameter based on the commanded speed; wherein the system parameter is selected from the group of parameters comprising: alignment tolerance, timing of alignment checks, and timing of alignment corrections;
wherein the alignment tolerance comprises a threshold limit for the angle between the first span and the second span.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the alignment tolerance is lowered in response to a higher commanded speed.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the alignment data is reported more frequently in response to a higher commanded speed.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the drive control system is configured to transmit an alert if at least one system parameter exceeds a threshold for the commanded speed.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the first drive motor is a motor capable of providing full-speed torque at speeds lower than the rated speed of the motor.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the first and second drive motors are capable of an RPM rate that will produce a ground speed of an irrigation system tower structure in excess of 36 ft./min.

7. A control system for use with a mechanized irrigation system, wherein the mechanized irrigation system includes at least a first conduit secured to a first span which is supported by a first drive tower having a first drive tower controller, a first drive motor and a first drive wheel; and a second conduit secured to a second span which is supported by a second drive tower which includes a second drive tower controller, second drive motor and a second drive wheel; the control system comprising:
a first motor control system, wherein the first motor control system receives inputs and adjusts the operational status of the first drive motor; and
a second motor control system, wherein the second motor control system receives inputs and adjusts the operational status of the second drive motor;
wherein the first and second motor control systems are configured to vary a drive motor characteristic in response to a drive command; wherein the drive motor characteristic is selected from the group of drive motor characteristics comprising: electrical pulse rate, voltage, RPM, current and frequency; wherein the drive command comprises a commanded speed of the irrigation machine;
a drive control system, wherein the drive control system transmits drive commands to the first motor control system and the second motor control system; wherein the drive control system determines the commanded speed based on detected input condition data; wherein the detected input condition data comprises data selected from the group of detected input condition data comprising: slope of terrain, soil moisture levels, precipitation levels, soil compaction, obstacles, wind speed, wind direction, crop height, time remaining to start new irrigation cycle, irrigation scheduling forecast, crop type, growth stage, weather forecast, irrigation history, soil type, measured soil moisture, field equipment location, obstacle detection, chemical concentration levels, fertilizer concentration levels, chemical type, fertilizer type, NDVI, and Crop Water Stress Index;
wherein the drive control system is configured to adjust a system parameter based on the commanded speed; wherein the system parameter is selected from the group of parameters comprising: alignment tolerance, timing of alignment checks, and timing of alignment corrections;
wherein the alignment tolerance comprises a threshold limit for the angle between the first span and the second span;
wherein the detected input condition data comprises the slope of the terrain to be irrigated.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the detected input condition data comprises the precipitation levels of the area to be irrigated.

9. The system of claim 7 , wherein the detected input condition data comprises the presence of an obstacle within the area to be irrigated.

10. The system of claim 7 , wherein the detected input condition data comprises the wind speed and the wind direction within the area to be irrigated.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the detected input condition data comprises the wind speed within the area to be irrigated.

12. The system of claim 7 , wherein the detected input condition data comprises the time remaining to start a new irrigation cycle within the area to be irrigated.

13. The system of claim 7 , wherein the detected input condition data comprises the irrigation scheduling forecast for the area to be irrigated.

14. The system of claim 7 , wherein the detected input condition data comprises the crop type and growth stage for a crop within the area to be irrigated.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the detected input condition data comprises the crop height within the area to be irrigated.

16. The system of claim 7 , wherein the detected input condition data comprises the Crop Water Stress Index for the area to be irrigated.

17. The system of claim 7 , wherein the detected input condition data comprises the soil type within the area to be irrigated.

18. The system of claim 7 , wherein the detected input condition data comprises the type and concentration level of a chemical to be applied within the area to be irrigated.

19. The system of claim 7 , wherein the detected input condition data comprises the type and concentration level of a fertilizer to be applied within the area to be irrigated.

20. The system of claim 7 , where

Assignees

• Valmont Industries

Inventors

• Kastl John

Classifications

• G05B2219/2625

  Sprinkler, irrigation, watering · CPC title

• A01G25/09

  Watering arrangements making use of movable installations on wheels or the like · CPC title

• G05B19/0426

  Programming the control sequence · CPC title

• A01G25/092 Primary

  movable around a pivot centre · CPC title

• A01G25/02

  Watering arrangements located above the soil which make use of perforated pipe-lines or pipe-lines with dispensing fittings, e.g. for drip irrigation · CPC title