Automated flood irrigation system and method of using the same

• US 10,254,728 B2
• Filed: 08/17/2015
• Issued: 04/09/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thomas S. Hill
• Original Assignee: Thomas S. Hill
• Inventors: Hill, Thomas S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Fiorello, Benjamin F
• Application Number:
  US14/828,053
• Publication Number:
  US 20160048135A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,331 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 25/00 Watering gardens, fields, sports grounds or the like special apparatus or adaptations for fertilising-liquids A01C23/00; nozzles or outlets, spraying apparatus B05B
• 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: G05B 19/042 using digital processors G05B19/05 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2625 Sprinkler, irrigation, watering

Abstract

A method for flood irrigation includes releasing water from a riser valve for flooding a portion of a field through a control of a corresponding riser device of a plurality of riser devices, wherein the corresponding riser device is deployed at a location proximate to the riser valve, receiving a wireless signal from a corresponding sensor device of a plurality of sensor devices for a detection of a flood condition, wherein the corresponding sensor device is deployed at a location proximate to where the water from the riser valve is expected to flood; and stopping the release of the water from the riser valve.

Claims

1. A riser assembly, comprising:

a support structure;

an actuation mechanism coupled to the support structure for opening and closing a lid assembly, wherein the lid assembly impedes a flow of water from a riser valve in a closed position and releases the flow of water from the riser valve in an opened position; and

an electronic control for controlling the actuation mechanism to open and close the lid assembly, the electronic control comprising;

a processor; and

a wireless communication interface;

the wireless communication interface is configured to receive a signal from a corresponding sensor assembly when the corresponding sensor assembly senses a flood condition to control the actuation mechanism to close the lid assembly,

wherein the actuation mechanism comprises a compressed gas mechanism,

wherein the compressed gas mechanism comprises a compressed gas vessel, a gas regulator, and an air spring, wherein the air spring compresses to open the lid assembly and decompresses to close the lid assembly,

wherein the riser assembly is deployed at a location proximate to the riser valve to release water of a water source from the riser valve for flooding a portion of a sloped field of a plurality of sloped fields, wherein the riser assembly is deployed at a higher end of the sloped field,

wherein a flood irrigation system includes the riser assembly and one or more additional riser assemblies, the additional riser assemblies are each deployed at a location proximate to a corresponding riser value to release the water of the water source from the corresponding riser valve for flooding a portion of a corresponding sloped field of the plurality of sloped fields, wherein the additional riser assemblies are each deployed at a higher end of the corresponding sloped field,

wherein a corresponding sensor device is deployed at a lower end of the corresponding sloped field and at a location proximate to where the water from the riser valve is expected to flood,

wherein at most one riser assembly of the riser assembly and each of the additional riser assemblies is configured to release the water of the water source at a time in accordance to a pre-determined pattern.

2. The riser assembly of claim 1, further comprising a power supply.

3. The riser assembly of claim 1, wherein the gas regulator includes a solenoid, the solenoid controlling a path of gas from the compressed gas vessel for compressing or decompressing the air spring.

4. The riser assembly of claim 3, wherein the solenoid comprises a 3-way normally open (3WNO) magnetic latching solenoid valve.

5. A flood irrigation system comprising the riser assembly of claim 1 and the corresponding sensor assembly, wherein the riser assembly is deployed at a location proximate to the riser valve and the sensor assembly is deployed at a location proximate to where water from the riser valve is expected to flood.

6. A flood irrigation system, comprising:

a plurality of riser devices; and

a plurality of corresponding sensor devices each in wireless communication with one of the riser device, wherein

each of the riser device is deployed at a location proximate to a riser valve to release water of a water source from the riser valve for flooding a portion of a corresponding sloped field of a plurality of sloped fields, wherein the riser device is deployed at a higher end of the corresponding sloped field, wherein

the corresponding sensor device is deployed at a lower end of the corresponding sloped field and at a location proximate to where the water from the riser valve is expected to flood, wherein

the corresponding sensor device is configured to send a wireless signal to the riser device that the corresponding sensor device is in wireless communication with to stop releasing the water when the corresponding sensor device senses a flood condition, wherein

at least one of the riser devices is in wireless communication with at least another one of the riser devices, and wherein the one riser device is configured to send a wireless signal to the another one riser device to release water from the riser valve corresponding to the another one riser device when the one riser device stops releasing the water, and wherein

at most one of the riser devices of the system is configured to release the water of the water source at a time.

7. The flood irrigation system of claim 6, wherein the another one riser device is in wireless communication with a second one of the riser devices, and wherein the another one riser device is configured to send a wireless signal to the second one riser device to release water from the riser valve corresponding to the second one riser device when the another one riser device stops releasing the water in accordance to a pre-determined pattern.

8. The flood irrigation system of claim 6, wherein at least one of the riser devices comprises:

a support structure;

an actuation mechanism coupled to the support structure for opening and closing a lid assembly, wherein the lid assembly impedes a flow of water from the riser valve corresponding to the riser device in a closed position and releases the flow of water from the riser valve in an opened position; and

an electronic control for controlling the actuation mechanism to open and close the lid assembly, the electronic control comprising;

a processor; and

a wireless communication interface;

the wireless communication interface is configured to receive the wireless signal from the corresponding sensor device.

9. The flood irrigation system of claim 8, wherein the actuation mechanism comprises one of a motor driven screw mechanism and a scissor jack mechanism.

10. The flood irrigation system of claim 8, wherein the actuation mechanism comprises a compressed gas vessel, a gas regulator, and an air spring, wherein the air spring compresses to open the lid assembly and decompresses to close the lid assembly.

11. The flood irrigation system of claim 10, wherein the gas regulator includes a solenoid, the solenoid controlling a path of gas from the compressed gas vessel for compressing or decompressing the air spring.

12. The flood irrigation system of claim 11, wherein the solenoid comprises a 3-way normally open (3WNO) magnetic latching solenoid valve.

13. A method for flood irrigation, comprising (A)-(E):

(A) transmitting a signal to a first riser device for controlling a release of water of a water source from a first riser valve of the first riser device of a plurality of riser devices for flooding a portion of a first sloped field of a plurality of sloped fields, wherein the first riser device is deployed at a higher end of the first sloped field;

(B) subsequently, receiving a wireless signal from a first sensor device of a plurality of sensor devices for a detection of a flood condition, wherein the first sensor device is deployed at a lower end of the first sloped field and at a location proximate to where the water released from the first riser valve is expected to flood;

(C) subsequently, transmitting a signal to the first riser device for controlling a stop of the release of the water from the first riser valve;

(D) subsequently, performing the following (a)-(c) for a next riser device of the plurality of riser devices, a next sensor device of the plurality of sensor devices, and a next sloped field of the plurality of sloped fields;

(a) subsequently, transmitting a signal to the next riser device for controlling a release of water of the water source from the next riser valve of the next riser device for flooding a portion of a next sloped field of the plurality of sloped fields, wherein the next riser device is deployed at a higher end of the next sloped field;

(b) subsequently, receiving a wireless signal from the next sensor device for a detection of a flood condition, wherein the next sensor device is deployed at a lower end of the next sloped field and at a location proximate to where the water released from the next riser valve is expected to flood; and

(c) subsequently, transmitting a signal to the next riser device for controlling a stop of the release of the water from the next riser valve; and

(E) repeating (D) for another riser device of the plurality of riser devices as the next riser device, another sensor device of the plurality of sensor devices as the next sensor device, and another sloped field of the plurality of sloped fields as the next sloped field until a last riser device of the plurality of riser devices, a last sensor device of the plurality of sensor devices, and a last sloped field of the plurality of sloped fields based on a sequence comprising a pre-determined pattern.

14. The method for flood irrigation of claim 13, wherein the sequence comprises an ordering starting from a first one of the riser devices to a last one of the riser devices.

15. The method for flood irrigation of claim 13, wherein the first riser device comprises:

a support structure;

an actuation mechanism coupled to the support structure for opening and closing a lid assembly, wherein the lid assembly impedes a flow of the water from the first riser valve in a closed position and releases the flow of the water from the first riser valve in an opened position; and

an electronic control for controlling the actuation mechanism to open and close the lid assembly, the electronic control comprising;

a processor; and

a wireless communication interface;

the wireless communication interface is configured to receive the wireless signal.

16. The method for flood irrigation of claim 15, wherein the actuation mechanism comprises a compressed gas vessel, a gas regulator, and an air spring, wherein the air spring compresses to open the lid assembly and decompresses to close the lid assembly.

17. The method for flood irrigation of claim 16, wherein the gas regulator includes a solenoid, the solenoid controlling a path of gas from the compressed gas vessel for compressing or decompressing the air spring.

18. The method of claim 13, further comprising, responsive to a determination that a pre-determined time has elapsed without a transmission from the next sensor device for the detection of the flood condition, transmitting a signal to the next riser device for controlling a stop of the release of the water from the next riser valve.

19. The method of claim 13, further comprising, responsive to a determination that a pre-determined time has elapsed from the release of water from the next riser valve, transmitting a signal to the next riser device for controlling a stop of the release of the water from the next riser valve.

20. The method of claim 13, further comprising, responsive to a determination that an exception has occurred with one of the riser devices and the sensor devices, transmitting a signal for a service call of the exception through a network.