GPS guidance system for linear move irrigation apparatus
First Claim
1. A guidance system for providing movement control of a lateral move irrigation apparatus having an elongated irrigation boom connected to a supply of water and supported on at least two movable towers having drive motors and nonsteerable wheels, said system comprising:
- (a) A base unit located at a known position and including;
(1) a first satellite signal receiving means for receiving position information from a plurality of satellites and producing a correction factor representative of the difference between the known position of said base unit and the position information received from said satellites; and
;
(2) means for transmitting said correction factor;
(b) an irrigation boom control unit mounted on said irrigation apparatus and including;
(1) means for receiving said correction factor from said transmitting means;
(2) a second satellite receiving means for receiving position information signals from a plurality of satellites and producing corrected position information of said second receiving means based upon the position information signals received from said satellites as modified by said correction factor;
(c) computer processing means for storing position information representative of a desired straight line path of travel of said one of said movable tower and for comparing said corrected position information to said desired path of travel information and producing a drive signal output;
(d) drive control means that receives said drive signal output and controls the operation of the drive motor on one of said movable towers in response to said output by turning the drive motors on and off to generally maintain the movement of said tower along said desired path of travel.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system for controlling the movement of a linear irrigation apparatus having a boom that is supported on at least two drive towers. The guidance system includes through at least one GPS signal receiving unit associated with one of the drive towers for the apparatus. The signal receiving unit has a GPS receiving antenna mounted from the drive tower so that it is in a position forwardly of a nonsteerable wheel for the tower. When the apparatus deviates from a desired path of travel, a drive relay is actuated to vary the actuation of the drive motors on the towers to return the apparatus to the desired path of travel.
53 Citations
12 Claims
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1. A guidance system for providing movement control of a lateral move irrigation apparatus having an elongated irrigation boom connected to a supply of water and supported on at least two movable towers having drive motors and nonsteerable wheels, said system comprising:
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(a) A base unit located at a known position and including;
(1) a first satellite signal receiving means for receiving position information from a plurality of satellites and producing a correction factor representative of the difference between the known position of said base unit and the position information received from said satellites; and
;
(2) means for transmitting said correction factor;
(b) an irrigation boom control unit mounted on said irrigation apparatus and including;
(1) means for receiving said correction factor from said transmitting means;
(2) a second satellite receiving means for receiving position information signals from a plurality of satellites and producing corrected position information of said second receiving means based upon the position information signals received from said satellites as modified by said correction factor;
(c) computer processing means for storing position information representative of a desired straight line path of travel of said one of said movable tower and for comparing said corrected position information to said desired path of travel information and producing a drive signal output;
(d) drive control means that receives said drive signal output and controls the operation of the drive motor on one of said movable towers in response to said output by turning the drive motors on and off to generally maintain the movement of said tower along said desired path of travel. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A guidance system for providing movement control of a linear move irrigation apparatus having an elongated irrigation boom connected to a supply of water and supported on at least two movable towers having drive motors and nonsteerable wheels, said system comprising:
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(a) a satellite signal receiving means for receiving position information signals from a plurality of satellites and producing position information of said receiving means based upon the position information signals received from said satellite;
(b) computer processing means for storing position information representative of a desired straight line path of travel of said movable towers and for comparing said position information to said desired path of travel information and producing a drive signal output in response; and
(c) drive control means that receives said drive signal output and controls the operation of said drive motor on one of said movable towers in response to said output by turning the drive motor on and off to generally maintain the movement of said drive towers along said desired path of travel. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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Specification