Canal control system

A canal control system for controlling the water level or water flow in a canal system, comprising:

• (a) a centralized master controller,
• (b) a local slave controller,
• (c) a wireless communication system between the centralized master controller and the local slave controller,
• (d) a fixed reference point or a movable marker relating to the water level or water flow in the canal system, and
• (e) an adjustable actuator in the canal system,
• whereby the local slave controller comprises a mobile wireless device comprising (i) technical means for viewing or recording a measurement of the water level or water flow relative to the fixed reference point or the movable marker in the canal system, (ii) technical means for sending the measurement of the water level or water flow as an input signal to the centralized master controller, (iii) technical means for receiving an output control signal from the centralized master controller, and (iv) a user interface for displaying a human-readable instruction based on the output signal received from the centralized master controller, wherein the human-readable instruction is to be implemented by a human operator with respect to the adjustable actuator,
• wherein the centralized master controller and the local slave controller are configured to interact mutually in the execution of a predictive control algorithm using a mathematical model of the canal system using software that comprises code for a model of predictive control adapted for use with a mobile device, the software additionally comprises code for updating the model of predictive control adapted for use with the mobile device, and the code for updating the model of predictive control comprises code implementing Kalman filtering.

A method of controlling the water level or water flow in a canal system using a canal control system comprising:

• a centralized master controller, a local slave controller, a wireless communication system between the centralized master controller and the local slave controller, a fixed reference point or a movable marker relating to the water level or water flow in the canal system, and an adjustable actuator in the canal system, whereby the local slave controller comprises a mobile wireless device comprising (i) technical means for viewing or recording a measurement of the water level or water flow relative to the fixed reference point or the movable marker in the canal system, (ii) technical means for sending the measurement of the water level or water flow as an input signal to the centralized master controller, (iii) technical means for receiving an output control signal from the centralized master controller, and (iv) a user interface for displaying a human-readable instruction based on the output signal received from the centralized master controller, the human-readable instruction is to be implemented by a human operator with respect to the adjustable actuator, the method comprises the phases of:
• (A) taking a measurement of the water level or water flow relative to the reference point or the marker in the canal system using the mobile wireless device and verifying of the particular reference point or marker at which a measurement is being taken, by sending a view of the means of digitally-readable identifier, including a bar code or a QR-code, positioned at or near the reference point or marker in the canal system, to the centralized master controller;
• (B) sending the measurement of phase A to the centralized master controller for processing, updating the mathematical model of the canal system, execution of a predictive control algorithm using a mathematical model of the canal system for calculating the control setting for the reference point or marker of which the measurement was sent, and sending the calculated control setting from the centralized master controller to the local slave controller;
• and
• (C) reading of the calculated control setting by a person operating the local slave controller, and adjustment of the adjustable actuator in the canal system including an adjustable gate or pump accordingly.

A control system for controlling the water level and/or water flow in a canal system, the control system comprising:

• a user adjustable actuator disposed in the canal system and configured to control water level and/or water flow in the canal system;
• a centralized master controller;
• and
• a hand-held device including a processing system and a wireless transceiver configured to wirelessly communicate with the centralized master controller, the processing system configured to at least:
• in response to an input on the hand-held device, capture, using a camera, an image of a fixed reference point and a movable marker in the canal system, the fixed reference point and the movable marker providing a measurement of the water level and/or water flow relative to a fixed reference point and/or the movable marker in the canal system;
• transmit, via the wireless transceiver, the captured image as an input signal to the centralized master controller for determining the water level and/or water flow relative to a fixed reference point and/or the movable marker in the canal system;
• receive, via the wireless transceiver, an output control signal from the centralized master controller;
• and
• display, via a user interface displayed on a display of the hand-held device, human-readable instructions based on the output signal received from the centralized master controller, the human-readable instructions providing instructions for controlling the user adjustable actuator.