In-canopy sprinkler monitoring system for center pivot irrigation systems
AssigneeKansas State University Research Foundation
InventorsAaron Akin, Danny H. Rogers, Jonathan Aguilar
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Monitoring systems for center pivot irrigation systems and methods of irrigating an agricultural crop using the irrigation systems are provided. The irrigation systems may comprise a plurality of in-canopy sprinklers. The monitoring systems are configured to detect an operational condition of the plurality of in-canopy sprinklers, including whether individual sprinkler heads have become detached from the irrigation system main line, or whether an individual sprinkler head has become clogged, and alert an operator with a time and/or location of the occurrence of an event associated with one or more of the sprinklers.
Claims13
A center pivot agricultural irrigation system comprising:
- an irrigation main line that is connected to a source of water;
- a plurality of in-canopy sprinkler heads operably coupled to the irrigation main line by a plurality of respective sprinkler lines;
- and
- a sprinkler monitoring system that is operable to detect at least a state of attachment of the plurality of in-canopy sprinkler heads to the plurality of respective sprinkler lines and/or a state of attachment of the plurality of sprinkler lines to the irrigation main line,
- the sprinkler monitoring system comprising a plurality of sprinkler sensors, each of the plurality of sprinkler sensors being associated with a respective one of the plurality of in-canopy sprinkler heads, a master controller node, one or more sprinkler nodes coupled with the sprinkler sensors, and a digital compass node operable to detect the compass bearing of the irrigation system's path of travel,
- wherein the plurality of sprinkler sensors comprises a plurality of sprinkler head detachment sensors configured to detect detachment of each of the sprinkler heads from its respective sprinkler line, the sprinkler head detachment sensor comprising a switch operable to open or close a sensor circuit upon detachment of the sprinkler head from its respective sprinkler line,
- the sprinkler monitoring system being configured to detect a detachment of any of the plurality of in-canopy sprinkler heads from its respective sprinkler line and/or of any of the plurality of sprinkler lines to the irrigation main line and record a time that and a location where the in-canopy sprinkler head and/or sprinkler line detaches.
A method of irrigating an agricultural crop comprising:
- delivering a stream of water to a center pivot irrigation system, the center pivot irrigation system comprising an irrigation main line that is connected to a source of water, a plurality of in-canopy sprinkler heads operably coupled to and spaced along the irrigation main line by a plurality of respective sprinkler lines, and a sprinkler monitoring system comprising a plurality of sprinkler sensors, the sprinkler monitoring system being operable to detect at least a state of attachment of the plurality of in-canopy sprinkler heads to the plurality of respective sprinkler lines and/or a state of attachment of the plurality of sprinkler lines to the irrigation main line,
- wherein the plurality of sprinkler sensors comprises a plurality of sprinkler head detachment sensors configured to detect detachment of each of the sprinkler heads from its respective sprinkler line, the sprinkler head detachment sensor comprising a switch operable to open or close a sensor circuit upon detachment of the sprinkler head from its respective sprinkler line;
- dispensing water from the irrigation mainline, into the plurality of sprinkler lines, out of the plurality of sprinkler heads, and onto the agricultural crop;
- detecting with the sprinkler monitoring system at least a state of attachment of each of the plurality of sprinkler heads to the plurality of respective sprinkler lines and/or a state of attachment of each of the plurality of sprinkler lines to the irrigation main line;
- and
- alerting an operator using the sprinkler monitoring system upon at least a detachment of any of the plurality of sprinkler heads from its respective sprinkler lines and/or of a detachment of any of the plurality of sprinkler lines from the irrigation main line and transmit to the operator a time that and a location where the detachment occurred.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.