Patent classifications
A01G25/167
AUTONOMOUS SOLAR-POWERED IRRIGATION SYSTEM
Disclosed is a system for providing autonomous solar-powered irrigation for a selected wetland site. The system comprises an array of solar PV panels with a charge controller; a deep-cycle battery with a battery monitor; a switchboard with off/on switches for the array of solar PV panels and a deep-cycle battery; a submersible water pump and pump controller; a data logger in communication with the array of one or more solar PV panels, the deep-cycle battery, the charge controller, the battery monitor, the pump controller, and plurality of ambient environmental conditions sensors; and a water-tight container for housing therein the deep-cycle battery, the charge controller, the battery monitor, the pump controller, and the PLC data logger. The PLC data logger is configured for wireless communication with a remote microprocessor having installed a computer-implemented program configured for receiving wireless communications from the PLC data logger, and processing, summarizing and reporting the wireless communications, to an operator.
Efficient updates to schedules in irrigation controllers
A system and method for managing a schedule on an irrigation controller is claimed. For each irrigation zone, out of a set of one or more irrigation zones, the process begins by receiving input for an irrigation controller for both i) an offset from an irrigation cycle start time according to a master clock in the irrigation controller and ii) a length of run time. Next the offset from the irrigation cycle start timer and the length of runtime is stored in a data structure such as an ordered array. An overall multiplier for the data structure is also stored. Continuing further the data structure with or without the overall multiplier is wirelessly transmitted to the irrigation controller. In one example the set of the one or more irrigation zones are in numerical order. In another example the set of one more irrigation zones is out of numerical order.
Programmable electronically controlled rotary sprinkler system and method of operation
A programmable, electronically controlled sprinkler system has a hermetically sealed internal chamber which encloses all of the internal water flow, valves, mechanical and rotational components and a plurality of magnetic coupling arrangements which allow external motors to control operation of the internal mechanical components without requiring any hydraulic seals.
Sprinkler With Internal Compartments
A sprinkler includes a compartment that surrounds its riser portion in an offset or asymmetrical configuration. More specifically, the distance of the compartments walls from those of the riser vary (i.e., increase or decrease) at different locations surrounding the riser. Put another way, the riser is closer to one side of the compartment than other sides of the compartment. This non-concentric configuration allows larger components to fit inside the compartment than would otherwise fit if the riser was symmetrically surrounded by the compartment.
IRRIGATION SYSTEM INCLUDING ELECTRONIC INDEPENDENT OBSERVER INTEGRATION WITH FERTIGATION SYSTEM
A monitoring system for an irrigation system that includes a nozzle and a product source that supports a product for mixing with water from a water source to which the irrigation system is operably coupled. The monitoring system includes: a sensor configured to generate a first electrical signal indicative of a travel speed and/or a travel direction of the irrigation system; a fluid pressure sensor configured to generate a second electrical signal indicative of a flow rate, a processor, a memory, and a variable speed pump or a valve. The memory includes instructions, which when executed by the processor cause the monitoring system to: receive the first and second generated electrical signals, determine an applied rate of the irrigation fluid over a predetermined irrigation area based on the first and second electrical signals, and adjust the flow rate of the irrigation fluid through the at least one nozzle.
System and method for adjusting irrigation system scheduling based on estimated soil water depletion
An irrigation system and method of controlling operations of the irrigation system are provided. The method includes determining, via a control system, a soil water depletion at a first location based on soil data captured via a sensor; determining, via the control system, a difference in irrigation amounts at the first location and a second location; determining, via the control system, a difference in precipitation amounts at the first location and the second location; determining, via the control system, a difference in evapotranspiration values of crops at the first location and the second location; calculating an estimated soil water depletion at the second location based, at least in part, on the soil water depletion at the first location, the difference in irrigation amounts at the first location and the second location, the difference in precipitation amounts at the first location and the second location, and the difference in evapotranspiration values of crops at the first location and the second location; and directing, via the control system, the irrigation system to apply an amount of water at the second location based, at least in part, on the estimated soil water depletion at the second location. The irrigation system may comprise a fluid-carrying conduit, a plurality of support towers with one or more controllable motors, water emitters, a controllable valve, and a control system that performs one or more of the aforementioned method steps.
Systems and methods for site traversability sensing
One or more techniques and/or systems are disclosed for identifying traversability of a site. Site conditions of a target site affecting traversability can be identified using real-time or historical data. Soil conditions, weather conditions, moisture levels, and other factors may be used to determine whether a target site is traversable by a target piece of equipment. The traversability information can be identified for a target area, that comprises a target site, and a traversability map can be generated for the site. Target equipment specifications can be used to determine whether the target equipment may effectively traverse the target site based on the traversability map. Further, a traversability path may be generated for a piece of target equipment based on the traversability map, site conditions, and the equipment specifications. Additionally, site management may be enhanced using the site condition data to plan traversability of target equipment at the target site.
In-ground agricultural liquid capture tray and agricultural liquid conservation system
A liquid capture tray and conservation system for capturing agricultural liquids which would otherwise be wasted and could contaminate groundwater. The liquid capture tray has a tray body and a reservoir matrix across the tray body. The reservoir matrix has a plurality of adjacent interconnected concave liquid capture cups, each with a sidewall and bottom wall defining an upwardly disposed reservoir. The tray is positioned below the root zone of a plant growing area to capture liquids that pass through the root zone into the reservoirs of the cups. Apertures in the tray body allow excess liquids to drain from the tray. A connecting mechanism can be utilized to connect two trays together. Cut-outs in the sidewalls of the cups allow liquid to move from one cup to another to disperse liquid across the reservoir matrix. The system includes a growing area, root zone, liquid and liquid capture tray.
AUTOMATED CONTROL SYSTEM
Aspects of the disclosure relate to a method that may include receiving a watering restriction for a location, detecting that a sprinkler controller is associated with a property within the location, and transmitting, to the sprinkler controller, the watering restriction. Additionally, a method may include receiving, at a sprinkler controller, a watering restriction for a location, the sprinkler controller associated with a property within the location, and adjusting, in response to the watering restriction, a sprinkling schedule for the property. Furthermore, a method may include receiving weather prediction information associated with a property, updating, in response to the weather prediction information, a sprinkling schedule for a sprinkler system associated with the property, receiving, after a time period, updated weather prediction information for the property, and updating the sprinkling schedule based on a comparison between the sprinkling schedule and the weather prediction information over the time period.
Irrigation controller with relays
In some embodiments, systems and methods provide an irrigation control system, comprising: an irrigation controller comprising an irrigation control unit; a power source; a microcontroller; and a modulator, wherein the modulator is configured to output modulated power signals; a plurality of switches coupled to an output of the modulator and independently controlled by the microcontroller; and a plurality of two-wire path output connectors each coupled to a corresponding one of the plurality of switches, wherein each of the plurality of two-wire path output connectors is configured to be connected to a corresponding two-wire path of a plurality of two-wire paths to which multiple decoder-based irrigation control units can be connected and controlled, wherein the microcontroller is further configured to operate the plurality of switches to couple and decouple the modulated power signals from the output of the modulator to one or more of the plurality of two-wire path output connectors.