Method for detecting a malfunction in an automated irrigation system
First Claim
1. A method for detecting a malfunction in an irrigation system, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing a first irrigation unit and a spaced apart second irrigation unit, each irrigation unit including a corresponding single nozzle;
comparing a fluid condition at a first point along an irrigation line with the fluid condition at each of a plurality of second points, each second point being located at a corresponding spaced apart irrigation unit of the irrigation system to determine whether a disparity of at least a predetermined percentage in the fluid conditions exists, the first point being spaced apart from the second point; and
selectively activating the irrigation units so that irrigation fluid alternately flows through one irrigation unit at a time to measure the fluid condition at each irrigation unit to determine when a disparity in the fluid condition exists between the irrigation units to facilitate a determination of a breach in the irrigation line.
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Abstract
A method for detecting a breach in an irrigation line (32) of an irrigation system (10) includes comparing a fluid condition at a first point along the irrigation line (32) with the fluid condition at a second point located at an irrigation unit (20) to determine whether a disparity of at least a predetermined percentage in the fluid conditions exists. The fluid condition can include a measurement of irrigation fluid pressure, quantity of irrigation fluid (19), rate of flow of the irrigation fluid (19), voltage and/or electrical current through the irrigation fluid (19). The method can include selectively monitoring the fluid condition at the irrigation unit (20) over time using a main control system (22). In another embodiment, the method includes comparing the fluid condition at the first point along the irrigation line (32) with the fluid condition at each of a plurality of second points. In still another embodiment, the method includes the main control system (22) selectively activating one or more of the irrigation units (20) so that irrigation fluid (19) flows to or through one or more of the irrigation units (20) to measure the fluid condition.
103 Citations
37 Claims
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1. A method for detecting a malfunction in an irrigation system, the method comprising the steps of:
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providing a first irrigation unit and a spaced apart second irrigation unit, each irrigation unit including a corresponding single nozzle; comparing a fluid condition at a first point along an irrigation line with the fluid condition at each of a plurality of second points, each second point being located at a corresponding spaced apart irrigation unit of the irrigation system to determine whether a disparity of at least a predetermined percentage in the fluid conditions exists, the first point being spaced apart from the second point; and selectively activating the irrigation units so that irrigation fluid alternately flows through one irrigation unit at a time to measure the fluid condition at each irrigation unit to determine when a disparity in the fluid condition exists between the irrigation units to facilitate a determination of a breach in the irrigation line. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method for detecting a malfunction in an irrigation system for irrigating an area with an irrigation fluid, the method comprising the steps of:
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providing a plurality of spaced apart irrigation units, each of the irrigation units including a single nozzle; measuring a fluid condition at at least two of the irrigation units of the irrigation system; and determining whether a malfunction in the irrigation system exists based on whether a disparity in the fluid conditions exists above a predetermined percentage between the at least two of the plurality of irrigation units. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. An irrigation system for irrigating an area, the irrigation system comprising:
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a plurality of spaced apart irrigation units, each of the irrigation units including a single nozzle and a fluid condition sensor for measuring a fluid condition at the irrigation unit; and a system that receives information from the fluid condition sensors and determines whether a disparity in the fluid condition exists above a predetermined percentage between at least two of the plurality of irrigation units to determine whether a malfunction in the irrigation system exists. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. An irrigation system for irrigating an area with an irrigation fluid from a fluid source, the irrigation system comprising:
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an irrigation unit including (i) a housing, (ii) a nozzle positioned at least partially within the housing, and (iii) a sensor for measuring a fluid condition at the irrigation unit; an irrigation line that guides the irrigation fluid between the fluid source and the irrigation unit; and a system that receives and compares fluid condition data from the sensor at a first point in time and at a second point in time, the system monitoring whether a disparity in the fluid condition at the first point in time relative to the second point in time is above a predetermined percentage to determine whether a breach in the irrigation line exists. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. An irrigation system for irrigating an area with an irrigation fluid from a fluid source, the irrigation system comprising:
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an irrigation unit including (i) a housing, and (ii) a nozzle positioned at least partially within the housing; an irrigation line that guides the irrigation fluid between the fluid source and the irrigation unit; a sensor that measures a fluid condition; and a system that receives and compares fluid condition data at a first point in time and at a second point in time from the sensor, the system determining whether a disparity in the fluid condition at the first point in time relative to the second point in time is above a predetermined percentage to determine whether a breach in the irrigation line exists. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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Specification