Irrigation System Having Terrain Compensation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016309667-A1
Application number	US-201615135208-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 21, 2016
Priority date	Apr 22, 2015
Publication date	Oct 27, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A control system for an irrigation system is disclosed that is configured to prevent a substantial positional change of the irrigation system while the system is traversing a substantially non-flat terrain, or surface. In an implementation, an irrigation system includes multiple interconnected spans that are supported by multiple tower structures. Each tower structure includes a drive unit for driving a tower structure at a selected speed. The irrigation system also includes a position-determining module configured to determine an actual position of the main section assembly. The irrigation system also includes a control device configured to determine an actual position of the main section assembly, compare the actual position with a desired position of the main section assembly, and to determine that the main section assembly is traversing a substantially non-flat surface.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method comprising:
determining an actual position of an irrigation system by way of an irrigation position-determining module; comparing the actual position of the irrigation system with a desired position of the irrigation system; determining that the irrigation system is traversing a substantially non-flat surface; and adjusting a positional value to prevent substantial positional change of the irrigation system in response to determining that the irrigation system is traversing the substantially non-flat surface.

2 . The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the positional value is adjusted at least one percent.

3 . The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising causing a guidance device to steer of at least one wheel of the irrigation system when the desired position and the actual position deviate by greater than a predetermined threshold.

4 . The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the irrigation position-determining module comprises a Global-Positioning System (GPS) receiver.

5 . An irrigation system comprising:
a main section assembly including a plurality of interconnected spans; a plurality of tower structures for supporting the interconnected spans, each one of the plurality of tower structures including a drive unit for driving a tower structure at a selected speed; a position-determining module configured to determine an actual position of the main section assembly; a control device communicatively coupled to the position-determining component, the control device configured to: determine an actual position of the main section assembly; and compare the actual position with a desired position of the main section assembly; determine that the main section assembly is traversing a substantially non-flat surface; and adjust a position value to prevent substantial positional change of the irrigation system in response to determining that the main section assembly is traversing the substantially non-flat surface, the positional value representing an actual position of the irrigation main section assembly.

6 . The irrigation system as recited in claim 5 , wherein the positional value is adjusted at least one percent.

7 . The irrigation system as recited in claim 5 , further comprising a guidance device configured to steer at least one wheel of the irrigation system when the desired position and the actual position deviate by greater than a predetermined threshold.

Assignees

• Valmont Industries

Inventors

• Kreikemeier Bruce

Classifications

• A01G25/09 Primary

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

• A01G25/16

  Control of watering · CPC title

• Y02A40/22

  Improving land use; Improving water use or availability; Controlling erosion · CPC title