An expansion joint for a pivot irrigation system includes an inner support member having an elongate body terminating in ends having diameters that are larger than a diameter of the elongate body, a first external support member, and a second external support member. Each of the first external support member and the second external support member define an open interior that is configured to slidingly receive a respective end of the inner support member. Each of the first external support member and the second external support member in a stop member positioned on either end of the open interior that limit a range of movement of the respective end of the inner support member.

A mobile tower for use with an irrigation system comprises a frame, first and second spindles, a first height adjustment assembly, and a second height adjustment assembly. The frame is configured to support a fluid-carrying conduit of the irrigation system. The first and second spindles each include a generally upright beam. The first height adjustment assembly is rigidly connected to a first side of the frame and movably coupled to the first spindle. The first height adjustment assembly includes a first mechanism configured to raise or lower the first side of the frame relative to the first spindle. The second height adjustment assembly is rigidly connected to a second side of the frame and movably coupled to the second spindle. The second height adjustment assembly includes a second mechanism configured to raise or lower the second side of the frame relative to the second spindle.

A joint assembly for joining first and second pipes of adjacent elevated spans of an irrigation system, the joint assembly comprising a tower end extension, a pivot end extension, an alignment ring, and an alignment bracket. The tower end extension connects to a tower end of the first pipe. The pivot end extension connects to a pivot end of a second pipe. The alignment ring is connected to the tower end extension and is configured to pivot about a yaw axis. The alignment bracket is connected to the pivot end extension and the alignment ring. The alignment bracket is configured to pivot about a pitch axis relative to the alignment ring and to rotate about a roll axis relative to the pivot end extension.

A system and method for providing power and alignment control within an irrigation system having at least two spans and a drive system for moving the spans. According to a first preferred embodiment, the present invention includes a method for maintaining the alignment which includes the steps of: receiving a first set of Global Positing System (GPS) location data and second set of Real-Time Kinematics (RTK) error data; comparing the first set of GPS location data with the second set of RTK error data; calculating RTK error correction data; transmitting RTK error correction data to the intermediate drive towers and the last drive tower; calculating the location of the last drive tower using GPS data and RTK error correction data; calculating a straight, center line between the center pivot and the last drive unit; calculating the relative distances between each intermediate drive tower and the calculated center line using a linear regression algorithm; and controlling the average speed over time of each intermediate drive tower to reduce distance between their current locations the calculated center line The present invention provides a system for aligning drive towers within an irrigation system.

The system and method of watering crops with a variable rate irrigation system provides a means to formulate a watering prescription map even when some required input data is unavailable. In the preferred embodiment, the unavailable input data is measured canopy temperature data from infrared thermometers mounted on a center pivot irrigation pipe. The system is the irrigation scheduling supervisory control and data acquisition system (ISSCADAS) and the method is an Artificial Neural Network (ANN) modeling method that substitutes data from trained existing data sets to estimate the unavailable variable when actual variable measurements are missing or invalid.

Aspects of the technology described herein provide a system for improved control and monitoring of a movable tower in an irrigation system. A computer controller associated with a tower of an irrigation system receives an indication of parameter modification. The system is then able to change parameters at a component of the tower control system based on the received parameters. The system stores the current angle sensed between two adjacent span members. If the stored angle is between two threshold levels, a drive signal is provided to a motor. The system is operable to selectively apply a drive signal at a tower in an align mode. The system provides the ability to digitally modify a threshold that is used in a machine run-mode to operate the motor at a tower.

A system and method for calibrating an irrigation system to account for variations in flow rates, motor operating parameters, and other parameters caused by field elevation changes, pipe friction losses, water emitter nozzle wear, pressure-regulator inaccuracies, and other factors. A calibration map is created to account for the flow rate variations or other parameters and then consulted to control operation of the irrigation system.

A computer-implemented method and computer program for designing and cost-estimating irrigation systems according to weather data, soil data, topography data, aerial imagery, and past yield data. Irrigation metrics such as evapotranspiration, irrigation system flow rate requirements, expected annual total water requirements, expected annual irrigation water requirements, supply point required pressure, end point required pressure, maximum irrigation acreage and crop yield and/or market value of lost yield under limited flow rate conditions, electric power generator size, pump size, pipeline supply system size, annual irrigation system usage, related equipment usage, operating costs, a sprinkler configuration, and other aspects of the irrigation systems may be optimized via an interactive user interface.

The present invention relates generally to a system and method for detecting and adjusting the position of an irrigation span. More particularly, the present invention provides a system and method for detecting and removing deflection stresses from irrigation spans caused by corner arm positioning.

An electronic device is described, including memory and a processor coupled to the memory. The processor is configured to receive center pivot irrigation system information corresponding to a center pivot irrigation system and to request map data. The processor is also configured to a user interface with a map of the center pivot irrigation system. The processor is further configured to receive an input via the user interface indicating an input point. The processor is additionally configured to render an alteration point marker at a first position, the alteration point marker representing an alteration point for the pivot, the alteration point corresponding to a first radial position of the pivot at which a change in operation of the pivot is set to occur. The processor is also configured to control the center pivot irrigation system to alter operation of the pivot at the first radial position.