System and method for transmitting data within an irrigation system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11452268-B2
Application number	US-202016885543-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 28, 2020
Priority date	Jun 27, 2019
Publication date	Sep 27, 2022
Grant date	Sep 27, 2022

Abstract

The present invention provides a fiber-optic communication system that allows high-bandwidth communications between components of an irrigation machine. In accordance with a preferred embodiment, the present invention teaches a system and method for providing a two-way communications link between a pivot controller panel and distributed irrigation machine components. According to further preferred embodiments, the two-way communications link of the present invention may also convert optical signals to electrical signals and route those signals to the appropriate connected devices.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for providing two-way communications between components of an irrigation machine which includes at least a first drive tower and a second drive tower, the system comprising:
a pivot controller, wherein the pivot controller comprises a pivot control board;
a first optical signal converter, wherein the first optical signal converter is configured to receive electrical signals from the pivot control board; wherein the first optical signal converter is configured to convert the received electrical signals into optical signals and to transmit the optical signals;
a fiber optic rotary joint slip ring, wherein the fiber optic rotary joint slip ring is configured to receive optical signals from the first optical signal converter and to transmit the received signals onto a first optical cable;
a first optical component, wherein the first optical component is a first optical splitter; wherein the first optical splitter is configured to receive the optical signals from the first optical cable; further wherein the first optical splitter is configured to direct the optical signals to a first drive tower control box and to a second optical cable;
wherein the first drive tower control box comprises a first drive unit controller and a first optical converter; wherein the first optical converter is configured to receive the optical signals from the first optical cable, convert the received optical signals into first control signals, and direct the first control signals to the first drive unit controller; and
a second optical component, wherein the second optical component is a second optical splitter; wherein the second optical splitter is configured to receive the optical signals from the second optical cable; further wherein the second optical splitter is configured to direct the optical signals to a second drive tower control box and to a third optical cable;
wherein the second drive tower control box comprises a second drive unit controller and a second optical converter; wherein the second optical converter is configured to receive the optical signals from the second optical cable, convert the received optical signals into second control signals, and direct the second control signals to the second drive controller.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first drive tower control box comprises a first transceiver; wherein the first transceiver is configured to transmit data to the pivot controller and to receive data from the pivot controller.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the first transceiver is further configured to transmit data to the second drive tower control box and to receive data from the second drive tower control box.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the first transceiver is configured to transmit multiple signals to multiple control boxes at the same time.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the fiber optic joint slip ring comprises a drum slip ring.

6. The system of claim 4 , wherein the fiber optic joint slip ring comprises a flat slip ring.

7. The system of claim 4 , wherein the first drive unit controller produces first drive unit data; wherein the first transceiver is configured to transmit the first drive unit data back to the pivot controller.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the first transceiver is configured to transmit the first drive unit data back to the pivot controller wirelessly.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the first transceiver is a short hop radio transceiver.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the pivot controller, the first drive unit controller and the second drive unit controller are configured to broadcast data between each other.

11. The system of claim 10 , where the pivot controller comprises a pivot amplifier circuit, wherein the pivot amplifier circuit is configured to amplify one or more received signals.

12. The system of claim 11 , where the first drive unit controller comprises a first amplifier circuit, wherein the first amplifier circuit is configured to amplify one or more received signals.

13. The system of claim 12 , where the second drive unit controller comprises a second amplifier circuit, wherein the second amplifier circuit is configured to amplify one or more received signals.

14. A system for providing two-way communications between components of an irrigation machine which includes at least a first drive tower and a second drive tower, the system comprising:
a pivot controller, wherein the pivot controller comprises a pivot control board and a short hop radio transceiver; wherein the short hop radio transceiver is configured to receive electrical signals from the pivot controller board and convert the received electrical signals into wireless transmission signals; wherein the short hop radio transceiver is configured to transmit the wireless transmission signals to one or more drive towers;
a first drive tower control box, wherein the first drive tower control box comprises a first drive unit transceiver, a first drive unit controller, a first optical converter, and a first optical transmitter; wherein the first drive unit transceiver is configured to receive the wireless transmission signals from the short hop radio transceiver; wherein the first drive unit transceiver is configured to convert the received wireless transmission signals into first control signals and to direct the first control signals to the first drive unit controller; wherein the first optical converter is configured to convert at least a portion of the first control signals into first optical signals; wherein the first optical transmitter is configured to direct the first optical signals to a first optical cable; and
a second drive tower control box, wherein the second drive tower control box comprises a second drive unit controller, a second optical converter, and a second optical transmitter; wherein the second optical converter is configured to convert the first optical signals into second control signals and to transmit the second control signals to the second drive unit controller; wherein the second drive unit controller is configured to receive the second control signals; wherein the second optical transmitter is configured to transmit at least a portion of the second optical signals to a second optical cable.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the first drive unit controller produces first drive unit data; wherein the first drive unit controller is configured to transmit the first drive unit data back to the pivot controller.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the first drive unit controller is configured to transmit the first drive unit data back to the pivot controller wirelessly via the first drive unit transceiver.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the first drive unit controller is configured to transmit the first drive unit data to the second drive tower control box.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the pivot controller, the first drive unit controller, and the second drive unit controller are configured to broadcast data to each other.

19. The system of claim 18 , where the pivot controller comprises a pivot amplifier circuit, wherein the pivot amplifier circuit is configured to amplify one or more received signals.

20. The system of claim 19 , where the first drive unit controller comprises a first amplifier circuit, wherein the first amplifier circuit is configured to amplify one or more received signals.

21. The system of claim 20 , where the second drive unit controller comprises a second amplifier circuit, whe

Assignees

• Valmont Industries

Inventors

• Thatcher Tracy A
• Kastl John

Classifications

• H04B10/2589

  Bidirectional transmission · CPC title

• A01G25/092 Primary

  movable around a pivot centre · CPC title

• H04B10/40

  Transceivers · CPC title

• G02B6/3604

  Rotary joints allowing relative rotational movement between opposing fibre or fibre bundle ends · CPC title

• A01G25/02 Primary

  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