Soil management system

• US 10,015,938 B1
• Filed: 03/14/2013
• Issued: 07/10/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Valmont Industries Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Valmont Industries Incorporated
• Inventors: Malsam, Craig S., LaRue, Jacob L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hall, Arthur O
• Assistant Examiner(s): ROGERS, ADAM JAMES
• Application Number:
  US13/803,639
• Time in Patent Office: 1,944 Days
• Field of Search: 239 63- 65
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 25/167 Control by humidity of the soil itself or of devices simulating soil or of the atmosphere; Soil humidity sensors
• CPC Class Codes: C05G 3/50 Surfactants; Emulsifiers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 40/22 Improving land use; Improving water use or availability; Controlling erosion

Abstract

An irrigation system is disclosed that includes a control system for determining whether to apply a soil conditioning agent to an agricultural field is disclosed. In an implementation, the control system includes memory operable to store one or more modules and a processor coupled to the memory. The processor is operable to execute the one or more modules to cause the processor to receive one or more signals representing a soil moisture characteristic from a soil sensor. The processor is also operable to determine whether to apply a soil conditioning agent to a soil based upon the soil moisture characteristic and to initiate operation of the irrigation assembly to apply the soil conditioning agent to the soil in response when the soil requires the soil conditioning agent.

Claims

1. A control system for controlling operation of an irrigation assembly, the control system comprising:

a memory operable to store one or more modules;

a processor coupled to the memory, the processor operable to execute the one or more modules to cause the processor to;

receive one or more signals from a soil sensor for determining the threshold soil recharge rate for the soil, wherein the threshold recharge rate represents the time it takes for applied moisture to move into, and then out of, a root zone for a selected crop;

determine whether to apply a soil conditioning agent to the soil based upon the determined threshold soil recharge rate for the selected crop;

initiate operation of the irrigation assembly to apply the soil conditioning agent to the soil; and

determine and schedule when the soil requires reapplication of the soil conditioning agent based at least in part on the threshold soil recharge rate.

2. The control system as recited in claim 1, wherein the initiate operation of the irrigation assembly to apply the soil conditioning agent to the soil in response when the soil required the soil conditioning agent further comprises cause actuation of a control valve to allow the soil conditioning agent to mix with water disposed within the irrigation assembly.

3. The control system as recited in claim 2, wherein the soil conditioning agent is stored within a repository configured to store the soil conditioning agent, the repository in fluid communication with the irrigation assembly.

4. The control system as recited in claim 3, wherein the repository comprises as storage tank.

5. The control system as recited in claim 1, wherein the one or more signals represent an electrical conductivity of the soil.

6. The control system as recited in claim 1, wherein the one or more signals represent a volumetric soil moisture content of the soil.

7. A method of operating an irrigation assembly, the method comprising:

receiving one or more signals representing a soil moisture characteristic within an agricultural field from at least one soil sensor positioned within the agricultural field;

determining a soil recharge rate of the agricultural field based upon the one or more signals, the soil recharge rate representing a moisture value of the soil corresponding to when the soil requires a reapplication of a soil conditioning agent;

determining whether to apply the soil conditioning agent to the agricultural field based upon the soil moisture characteristic compared with respect to the soil recharge rate; and

initiating operation of the irrigation assembly to disperse the soil conditioning agent over the agricultural field when a determination has been made to apply the soil conditioning agent.

8. The method as recited in claim 7, further comprising actuating a control valve to cause the soil conditioning agent to mix with water disposed within the irrigation assembly.

9. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein the soil conditioning agent is stored within a repository in fluid communication with the irrigation assembly, the control valve operatively coupled to the repository.

10. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein the repository is a storage tank configured to store the soil conditioning agent.

11. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein the one or more signals represent an electrical conductivity of the soil.

12. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein the one or more signals represent a volumetric soil moisture characteristic of the soil.