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 GNSS ranging signals received by said receiver;
said controller being adapted for controlling said extension boom section drives using said position solutions;
said boom assembly including multiple spray nozzles;
each said spray nozzle having a variable discharge rate;
said processor being adapted for selectively and individually controlling said spray nozzle discharge rates based on GNSS-defined positions of said extension boom section;
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 adapted to service multiple fields located in proximity to said RTK base;
said controller being programmed with a GNSS-defined location of an obstacle located in a field in the path of said boom assembly;
said extension boom section having a stop position in proximity to said GNSS-defined obstacle location; and
said stop position being GNSS-defined.
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.
454 Citations
23 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 GNSS ranging signals received by said receiver; said controller being adapted for controlling said extension boom section drives using said position solutions; said boom assembly including multiple spray nozzles; each said spray nozzle having a variable discharge rate; said processor being adapted for selectively and individually controlling said spray nozzle discharge rates based on GNSS-defined positions of said extension boom section; 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 adapted to service multiple fields located in proximity to said RTK base; said controller being programmed with a GNSS-defined location of an obstacle located in a field in the path of said boom assembly; said extension boom section having a stop position in proximity to said GNSS-defined obstacle location; and said stop position being GNSS-defined. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. 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 GNSS ranging signals received by said receiver; said processor being adapted for computing a vector projecting from said baseline using said position solutions; said controller being adapted for controlling the boom drive using said vector and said position solutions; said boom assembly including multiple spray nozzles; each said spray nozzle having a variable discharge rate; and said processor being adapted for selectively and individually controlling said spray nozzle discharge rates based on GNSS-defined positions of said antennas and vectors of said boom assembly.
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12. 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 drives 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 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; boom drives comprising drive towers attached to said main and extension boom sections; said extension boom section drive tower being steerable; said processor steering said extension boom section drive tower; said boom assembly including multiple spray nozzles; each said spray nozzle having a variable discharge rate; and said processor being adapted for selectively and individually controlling said spray nozzle discharge rates based on GNSS-defined positions of said extension boom section. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. 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; controlling said extension section boom drive using said position solutions; providing said boom assembly with multiple spray nozzles; providing each said spray nozzle with a variable discharge rate; said processor selectively and individually controlling said spray nozzle discharge rates based on GNSS-defined positions of said extension boom section; servicing multiple fields with an RTK base; providing each said field with a respective GNSS-based control system controlling said irrigation equipment; wherein each said field has a generally elongated rectangular configuration; and said processor guiding said irrigation equipment along a linear travel path between innings of each said field wherein said extension boom section partially extends into corners of each said field. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23)
- 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