GNSS CONTROL SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR IRRIGATION AND RELATED APPLICATIONS
First Claim
1. A GNSS-based control system for irrigation equipment including a boom assembly with a main boom section, an extension boom section hingedly connected to the main boom section and boom drives mounted on said main and extension boom sections respectively, which control system includes:
- a first GNSS antenna mounted on the boom assembly;
a GNSS receiver mounted on the boom assembly and connected to the first GNSS antenna;
a second GNSS antenna mounted on the extension boom section and connected to the receiver;
a controller including a processor connected to and receiving input signals from said receiver, said processor being adapted for computing position solutions for said antennas using the GNSS ranging signals received by said receiver; and
said controller being adapted for controlling said extension boom section drive using said position solutions.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A global navigation satellite sensor system (GNSS) control system and method for irrigation and related applications is provided for a boom assembly with main and extension boom sections, which are hingedly connected and adapted for folding. The control system includes an antenna and a receiver connected to the antenna. A rover antenna is mounted on the boom extension section and is connected to the receiver. A processor receives GNSS positioning signals from the receiver and computes locations for the antennas, for which a vector indicating an attitude of the extension boom section can be computed. Various boom arrangements and field configurations are accommodated by alternative aspects of the control system.
105 Citations
30 Claims
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1. A GNSS-based control system for irrigation equipment including a boom assembly with a main boom section, an extension boom section hingedly connected to the main boom section and boom drives mounted on said main and extension boom sections respectively, which control system includes:
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a first GNSS antenna mounted on the boom assembly; a GNSS receiver mounted on the boom assembly and connected to the first GNSS antenna; a second GNSS antenna mounted on the extension boom section and connected to the receiver; a controller including a processor connected to and receiving input signals from said receiver, said processor being adapted for computing position solutions for said antennas using the GNSS ranging signals received by said receiver; and said controller being adapted for controlling said extension boom section drive using said position solutions. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 25, 29)
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13. A GNSS-based system for positioning a center-pivot irrigation boom assembly including a boom drive for rotating the boom assembly around a center-pivot water source, which system includes:
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a first GNSS antenna mounted on the boom assembly; a GNSS receiver mounted on the boom assembly and connected to the first GNSS antenna; a second GNSS antenna mounted on the boom assembly in spaced relation outwardly from said first GNSS antenna and connected to the receiver; said second GNSS antenna forming a baseline with said first GNSS antenna; a controller including a processor connected to and receiving input signals from said receiver, said processor being adapted for computing position solutions for said antennas using the GNSS ranging signals received by said receiver; said processor being adapted for computing a vector projecting from said baseline using said position solutions; and said controller being adapted for controlling the boom drive using said vector and said position solutions. - View Dependent Claims (14)
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15. A GNSS-based control system for a center-pivot irrigation boom assembly with a main boom section, an extension boom section hingedly connected to the main boom section and boom drives mounted on said main and extension boom sections respectively, which control system includes:
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a first GNSS antenna mounted on the boom assembly; a GNSS receiver mounted on the boom assembly and connected to the first GNSS antenna; a second GNSS antenna mounted on the extension boom section and connected to the receiver; a controller including a processor connected to and receiving input signals from said receiver, said processor being adapted for computing position solutions for said antennas using the GNSS ranging signals received by said receiver; and said controller being adapted for controlling said extension boom section drive using said position solutions; a radio frequency (RF) correction signal receiver connected to said controller; an RTK base including a base GNSS antenna, a base RTK receiver connected to said base antenna and a base RTK transmitter connected to said base antenna; said RTK base being located in spaced relation from said irrigation equipment and transmitting RTK correction signals to said correction signal receiver; said irrigation equipment having a center-pivot configuration with a central water source and said boom assembly main section having a proximate end pivotally connected to said water source; said main boom section having a distal end; said extension boom section having a proximate end hingedly connected to said main boom distal end and an extension boom section distal end; said first antenna being located at said hinged connection of said boom sections; said second antenna being located on said extension boom section in spaced relation from said extension boom section proximate end; said drive mechanisms comprising drive towers attached to said main and extension boom sections; said extension boom section drive tower being steerable; and said processor steering said extension boom section drive tower. - View Dependent Claims (24, 26, 27, 28, 30)
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23. A method of guiding an articulated, center-pivot irrigation equipment boom assembly including:
- a main boom section with a proximate end connected to a center-pivot water source, a distal end and a main boom section drive; and
an extension boom section having a proximate end hingedly connected to said main boom section distal end, a distal end and an extension boom section drive, which method includes the steps of;mounting a first GNSS antenna on the boom assembly; mounting a GNSS receiver on the boom assembly and connecting said receiver to said first GNSS antenna; mounting a second GNSS antenna on the extension boom section and connecting said second GNSS antenna to said receiver; providing a controller including a processor; connecting said processor to said receiver and providing input signals from said receiver to said processor; computing position solutions for said antennas with said receiver using GNSS ranging signals received by said receiver; and controlling said extension section boom drive using said position solutions.
- a main boom section with a proximate end connected to a center-pivot water source, a distal end and a main boom section drive; and
Specification