Targeted irrigation using a central pivot irrigation system with a sensor network
First Claim
1. A method comprising:
- acquiring, by a computer, data from a wireless sensor network comprising a plurality of optical sensors, a plurality of in-ground sensors and a gateway device, the data corresponding to an irrigation area of a field,wherein the plurality of optical sensors are located along one or more of a plurality of pipe segments joined together end to end and supported above the ground on wheeled framed towers, the plurality of optical sensors comprising a down facing camera system comprising a wireless mote, a fisheye lens, and an integrated set of automatically adjustable filters located in front of the fisheye lens, the automatically adjustable set of filters comprising two or more narrow band filters that allow light on a specific bandwidth to pass through the fisheye lens to obtain spectrally distributed images of a crop, wherein each filter in the automatically adjustable set of filters is associated with a soil property or a vegetation property, the plurality of optical sensors continuously capture and transmit soil data and vegetation data to the computer via the wireless mote,wherein the plurality of in-ground sensors are at least partially embedded into the soil within the irrigation area, the plurality of in-ground sensors detect soil properties,wherein the gateway device is attached to one or more of the wheeled framed towers and wirelessly transmits the detected soil properties from the plurality of in-ground sensors to the computer; and
integrating, by the computer using real time analytics, soil and vegetation properties from the plurality of optical sensors, soil moisture properties from the plurality of in-ground sensors, soil properties from the plurality of microwave devices and external data to determine current soil moisture and crop conditions.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system includes a plurality of optical sensors located along at least one pipe segment of a rotating arm that pivots around an irrigation area of a field, the plurality of optical sensors continuously monitors soil and vegetation conditions and transmits sensed data to a central computer, and a plurality of in-ground sensors scattered in the irrigation area of the field, the plurality of in-ground sensors continuously monitors soil conditions and transmits sensed data to a plurality of gateway devices located in the rotating arm, the plurality of gateway devices transmits data from the plurality of in-ground sensors to the central computer where data from the plurality of optical sensors and the plurality of in-ground sensors is integrated with external data to determine water and fertilizer needs based on which an irrigation schedule is created.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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acquiring, by a computer, data from a wireless sensor network comprising a plurality of optical sensors, a plurality of in-ground sensors and a gateway device, the data corresponding to an irrigation area of a field, wherein the plurality of optical sensors are located along one or more of a plurality of pipe segments joined together end to end and supported above the ground on wheeled framed towers, the plurality of optical sensors comprising a down facing camera system comprising a wireless mote, a fisheye lens, and an integrated set of automatically adjustable filters located in front of the fisheye lens, the automatically adjustable set of filters comprising two or more narrow band filters that allow light on a specific bandwidth to pass through the fisheye lens to obtain spectrally distributed images of a crop, wherein each filter in the automatically adjustable set of filters is associated with a soil property or a vegetation property, the plurality of optical sensors continuously capture and transmit soil data and vegetation data to the computer via the wireless mote, wherein the plurality of in-ground sensors are at least partially embedded into the soil within the irrigation area, the plurality of in-ground sensors detect soil properties, wherein the gateway device is attached to one or more of the wheeled framed towers and wirelessly transmits the detected soil properties from the plurality of in-ground sensors to the computer; and integrating, by the computer using real time analytics, soil and vegetation properties from the plurality of optical sensors, soil moisture properties from the plurality of in-ground sensors, soil properties from the plurality of microwave devices and external data to determine current soil moisture and crop conditions. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A computer program product comprising:
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a computer readable non-transitory article of manufacture tangibly embodying computer readable instructions which, when executed, cause a computer to carry out a method comprising; acquiring, by a computer, data from a wireless sensor network comprising a plurality of optical sensors, a plurality of in-ground sensors and a gateway device, the data corresponding to an irrigation area of a field, wherein the plurality of optical sensors are located along one or more of a plurality of pipe segments joined together end to end and supported above the ground on wheeled framed towers, the plurality of optical sensors comprising a down facing camera system comprising a wireless mote, a fisheye lens, and an integrated set of automatically adjustable filters located in front of the fisheye lens, the automatically adjustable set of filters comprising two or more narrow band filters that allow light on a specific bandwidth to pass through the fisheye lens to obtain spectrally distributed images of a crop, wherein each filter in the automatically adjustable set of filters is associated with a soil property or a vegetation property, the plurality of optical sensors continuously capture and transmit soil data and vegetation data to the computer via the wireless mote, wherein the plurality of in-ground sensors are at least partially embedded into the soil within the irrigation area, the plurality of in-ground sensors detect soil properties, wherein the gateway device is attached to one or more of the wheeled framed towers and wirelessly transmits the detected soil properties from the plurality of in-ground sensors to the computer; and integrating, by the computer using real time analytics, soil and vegetation properties from the plurality of optical sensors, soil moisture properties from the plurality of in-ground sensors, soil properties from the plurality of microwave devices and external data to determine current soil moisture and crop conditions. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification