Closed loop control system, sensing apparatus and fluid application system for a precision irrigation device

An apparatus for the automatic irrigation of a field comprising:

• a movable irrigation device having a supply of fluent agricultural material, an elongated fluid flow conduit, and a delivery nozzle for distributing the fluent agricultural material to an agricultural field;
• a sensor supported on the movable irrigation device and configurable to detect field conditions within areas of interest on the agricultural field;
• a detector of moisture present within soil of the agricultural field and including an output on which signals representing detected soil moisture are placed;
• and
• a controller coupled to the detector and the sensor and including electronic circuitry that applies the detected output from the detector and a detected field condition from the sensor to cause the fluid delivery nozzle to release the fluent agricultural material in response to detected needs on areas of interest of the agricultural field.

An automatic field irrigation apparatus, comprising:

• a movable irrigation device having a delivery system for delivering a supply of fluent agricultural material to an agricultural field;
• a sensor supported by the movable irrigation device and configured to detect field conditions within areas of interest on the agricultural field;
• a detector of moisture associated with plants growing within the agricultural field and including an output on which signals representing the detected soil moisture are placed;
• and
• a controller coupled to the detector and the sensor and including electronic circuitry that applies the detected output from the detector and the detected field conditions from the sensor to cause the fluid delivery system to release the fluent agricultural material in response to detected needs on areas of interest of the agricultural field.

An automatic field irrigation apparatus, comprising:

• a movable irrigation device operative to deliver a supply of fluent agricultural material to an agricultural field;
• a sensor positioned within the agricultural field and configurable to detect field conditions within areas of interest on the agricultural field;
• a detector associated with plants growing within the agricultural field and including an output on which signals representing a plant condition indicating the amount of moisture present in the plant are placed;
• and
• electronic circuitry coupled to the detector and the sensor, configured to receive the output from the detector and a detected field condition from the sensor, and configured to cause the irrigation device to release the fluent agricultural material in response to detected needs on areas of interest of the agricultural field.