Intelligent sprinkler irrigation system
First Claim
1. An intelligent sprinkler irrigation system for attachment to a pressurized fluid source for delivering fluid to an arbitrarily-shaped area, said system comprising:
- at least one programmable sprinkler head fluidly connected to said fluid source, said sprinkler head comprising;
an inlet for receiving said fluid;
a valve component fluidly connected to said inlet for regulating emission of said pressurized fluid;
a multidirectional movement component configured to vector position said sprinkler head;
at least one sensor strategically located about said arbitrarily-shaped area to define one or more irrigation boundaries and to output one or more signals to define a pre-determined sprinkler function, said sensor being selected from one or a combination of a force sensor that detects application of force provided by said fluid as emitted from said valve component, and an optical sensor that detects an optical signal output by an optical signal transceiver in said sprinkler head, said optical signal transceiver receives a corresponding optical signal as returned by said optical sensor;
a computer system configured to receive said signals from said sensors and control said sprinkler head according to a said pre-determined sprinkler function, said computer system comprising;
a teach mode, wherein a plurality of control parameters are learned and recorded via said sensor to control said sprinkler head, said plurality of control parameters defining said pre-determined sprinkler function; and
an operation mode for executing said pre-determined sprinkler function to precisely deliver said fluid to at least a portion of said arbitrarily-shaped area.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention features an intelligent sprinkler irrigation system for delivering fluid to an arbitrarily-shaped area in a precise manner. In general, the system comprises (a) a fluid source comprising a pressurized fluid; (b) at least one programmable sprinkler head fluidly connected to the fluid source; and (c) a computer system configured to control the sprinkler head to precisely deliver fluid according to a pre-determined sprinkler function. The computer system comprises a teach mode, wherein a plurality of drive parameters are learned and recorded. These drive parameters function to dictate the specific vector positioning of the sprinkler head during execution of the sprinkler component. The teach mode is further configured to learn and record a plurality of flow parameters, which function to control the fluid delivery component of the sprinkler head (e.g., the valve or nozzle), and more particularly, the manner in which the fluid is delivered or emitted from this component.
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Citations
63 Claims
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1. An intelligent sprinkler irrigation system for attachment to a pressurized fluid source for delivering fluid to an arbitrarily-shaped area, said system comprising:
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at least one programmable sprinkler head fluidly connected to said fluid source, said sprinkler head comprising; an inlet for receiving said fluid; a valve component fluidly connected to said inlet for regulating emission of said pressurized fluid; a multidirectional movement component configured to vector position said sprinkler head; at least one sensor strategically located about said arbitrarily-shaped area to define one or more irrigation boundaries and to output one or more signals to define a pre-determined sprinkler function, said sensor being selected from one or a combination of a force sensor that detects application of force provided by said fluid as emitted from said valve component, and an optical sensor that detects an optical signal output by an optical signal transceiver in said sprinkler head, said optical signal transceiver receives a corresponding optical signal as returned by said optical sensor; a computer system configured to receive said signals from said sensors and control said sprinkler head according to a said pre-determined sprinkler function, said computer system comprising; a teach mode, wherein a plurality of control parameters are learned and recorded via said sensor to control said sprinkler head, said plurality of control parameters defining said pre-determined sprinkler function; and an operation mode for executing said pre-determined sprinkler function to precisely deliver said fluid to at least a portion of said arbitrarily-shaped area. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. An intelligent sprinkler system comprising:
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a programmable sprinkler head for use within an intelligent sprinkler irrigation system, said programmable sprinkler head comprising; an inlet for receiving said fluid from a fluid source; a fluid directory device fluidly connected to said inlet for dictating and delivering a particular type of emission of said fluid; a computer processor operable with the sprinkler head and configured to execute a pre-determined sprinkler function to precisely deliver said fluid to at least a portion of an arbitrarily-shaped area; and at least one sensor strategically located about said arbitrarily-shaped area, said sensor being positioned to define one or more irrigation boundaries, and to communicate data to said computer processor of said programmable sprinkler head for the purpose of defining said sprinkler function, wherein said programmable sprinkler head is caused to emit said fluid into said area to contact said sensor, said sensor detects said fluid emission and communicates corresponding data to said computer processor, wherein said computer processor processes said data to learn said boundary and to define a sprinkler function based on said data, said sprinkler head being configured to operate based on said sprinkler function. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
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42. A method for irrigating an arbitrarily-shaped area comprising:
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identifying an area to be irrigated; providing a fluid source configured to deliver a pressurized fluid; providing a programmable sprinkler head having a fluid directory device fluidly connected to said inlet for regulating emission of said pressurized fluid, a computer processor operable with the sprinkler head and configured to execute a pre-determined sprinkler function for delivering said fluid according to the pre determined sprinkler function; connecting said programmable sprinkler head to said fluid source; positioning said sprinkler head in a strategic position in relation to said area; locating a plurality of sensors about said area, said sensors being positioned to define one or more irrigation boundaries; causing said programmable sprinkler head to emit said fluid and to contact said plurality of sensors, said sensors detecting said emission of said fluid and communicating data to said computer processor to learn said boundary and define said sprinkler function; operating said programmable sprinkler head to execute said pre-determined sprinkler function to precisely deliver said fluid to and irrigate at least a portion of said arbitrarily-shaped area. - View Dependent Claims (43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55)
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56. A method for teaching a programmable sprinkler head to deliver fluid according to a pre-determined sprinkler function, said method comprising:
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obtaining a programmable sprinkler head configured to deliver a fluid; identifying an area to be irrigated; positioning said programmable sprinkler head in a strategic location in relation to said area; locating a plurality of sensors about said area, said sensors being positioned to define one or more irrigation boundaries; activating a teach mode configured to electronically program said programmable sprinkler head; causing said programmable sprinkler head to emit said fluid and to contact said plurality of sensors, said sensors detecting said emission of said fluid and communicating data to said computer processor to learn said boundary and define said sprinkler function, wherein a plurality of drive parameters are assigned to a plurality of particular vector positions of said sprinkler head, respectively, said vector positions corresponding to respective pre-determined and identified locations within said arbitrarily-shaped area, and wherein a plurality of flow parameters coinciding with said plurality of drive parameters are assigned at each of said vector positions of said sprinkler head, said drive parameters and said flow parameters providing a basis for a pre-determined sprinkler function for precise irrigation of at least a portion of said arbitrarily-shaped area. - View Dependent Claims (57, 58, 59)
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60. A computer program product for use within an intelligent sprinkler irrigation system, said computer program product comprising:
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a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied in said medium for causing a programmable sprinkler head to deliver fluid according to a pre-determined sprinkler function, said computer readable program code means comprising; computer readable program code means for causing a computer to receive a series of input signals within a teaching mode that correspond to a particular fluid flow path to be followed when irrigating at least a portion of said area, said input signals generated by a plurality of sensors located about said area to define one or more irrigation boundaries, said sensors outputting a signal corresponding to one or a combination of a physical application of force by said fluid on said sensor, and an optical input signal, each as provided by said programmable sprinkler head, said sensors communicating data to said computer processor to learn said boundary and define said sprinkler function; computer readable program code means for causing said computer to process said input signals to establish a pre-determined sprinkler function and to store said pre-determined sprinkler function on a memory storage device; computer readable program code means for causing said computer to communicate said pre-determined sprinkler function to said programmable sprinkler head; and computer readable program code means for causing said computer to actuate said programmable sprinkler head to precisely deliver said fluid to at least a portion of said area according to said pre-determined sprinkler function. - View Dependent Claims (61, 62)
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63. An intelligent sprinkler system comprising:
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a programmable sprinkler head for use within an intelligent sprinkler irrigation system, said programmable sprinkler head comprising; an inlet for receiving said fluid from a fluid source; a fluid directory device fluidly connected to said inlet for dictating and delivering a particular type of emission of said fluid; a computer processor operable with the sprinkler head and configured to execute a pre-determined sprinkler function to precisely deliver said fluid to at least a portion of an arbitrarily-shaped area; and at least one sensor strategically located about said arbitrarily-shaped area, said sensor being positioned to define one or more irrigation boundaries, and to communicate data to said computer processor of said programmable sprinkler head, wherein said sensor is an optical sensor, and wherein said sprinkler head comprises an optical signal transceiver configured to output an optical signal to be received by said optical sensor and to receive said optical signal as returned by said optical sensor, to define said sprinkler function.
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Specification