IRRIGATION SYSTEM AND METHOD

• US 20140252114A1
• Filed: 08/15/2013
• Published: 09/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Hamann, Hendrik F., Klein, Levente I., Rodriguez, Sergio A. Bermudez, Schappert, Michael A.
• Granted Patent: US 9,173,354 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 239/11
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 25/02 Watering arrangements located above the soil which make use of perforated pipe-lines or pipe-lines with dispensing fittings, e.g. for drip irrigation
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 25/16 Control of watering
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 25/162 Sequential operation
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 12/04 for sequential operation or multiple outlets

Abstract

A method of operating an irrigation system is provided and includes coupling one or more lateral driplines to a main irrigation line, dividing each lateral dripline into zones and providing each lateral dripline with a plurality of replaceable emitters at each zone, disposing a plurality of controllable valves along each of the one or more lateral driplines at zone borders and actuating each one of the plurality of controllable valves to thereby activate corresponding emitters in the associated zone.

Claims

1. A method of operating an irrigation system, the method comprising:

coupling one or more lateral driplines to a main irrigation line;

dividing each lateral dripline into zones and providing each lateral dripline with a plurality of replaceable emitters at each zone;

disposing a plurality of controllable valves along each of the one or more lateral driplines at zone borders; and

actuating each one of the plurality of controllable valves to thereby activate corresponding emitters in the associated zone.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the actuating comprises time-multiplexing each one of the plurality of controllable valves to vary an amount of fluid deliverable in the associated zones.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the actuating further comprises replacing the emitters in one or more zones.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising selectively actuating each one of the controllable valves.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the selective actuating of each one of the controllable valves is in accordance with at least one of a predefined schedule, historical data and current atmospheric conditions.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising associating multiple lateral driplines with similar zones.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein each emitter in each zone has a similar emission rate.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the emitters in zones remote from the main irrigation line have higher emission rates than emitters in zones proximate to the main irrigation line and further comprising activating the emitters in the zones remote from the main irrigation line for a shorter time than the emitters in the zones proximate to the main irrigation line.

9. A method of operating an irrigation system, the method comprising:

coupling a lateral dripline to a main irrigation line;

dividing the lateral dripline into zones and providing the lateral dripline with a replaceable emitter at each zone;

disposing a controllable valve along the lateral dripline at a zone border; and

actuating the controllable valve to thereby activate a corresponding emitter in the associated zone.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the actuating comprises time-multiplexing the controllable valve to vary an amount of fluid deliverable in the associated zone.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the actuating further comprises replacing the emitter in a zone.

12. The method according to claim 9, further comprising selectively actuating a controllable valve.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the selective actuating of the controllable valve is in accordance with at least one of a predefined schedule, historical data and current atmospheric conditions.