GNSS navigation for a mechanized irrigation corner system

• US 9,069,071 B1
• Filed: 05/16/2013
• Issued: 06/30/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: T-L Irrigation Co.
• Original Assignee: T-L Irrigation Co.
• Inventors: Schlautman, Neal J., Pohlmann, Brent A., Nelson, David A., Schueler, Kent E., Tiemeyer, Phill J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Edwards, Jerrah
• Application Number:
  US13/895,465
• Time in Patent Office: 775 Days
• Field of Search: 701/50, 701/469, 701/470, 700/284
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 69/00 Steering of agricultural machines or implements; Guiding agricultural machines or implements on a desired track
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 25/092 movable around a pivot centre
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/14 specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/40 Correcting position, velocity or attitude
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/43 using carrier phase measurements, e.g. kinematic positioning; using long or short baseline interferometry

Abstract

A GNSS based steering control system for a mechanized irrigation corner arm utilizing waypoint navigation.

Claims

1. The method of irrigating a field, comprising the steps of:

providing a mechanized center pivot irrigation system including a center pivot structure having a main arm, with inner and outer ends, extending outwardly from said center pivot structure which is supported upon and driven in either a forwardly or rearwardly direction around the center pivot structure by a plurality of non-steerable drive units;

providing a corner irrigation system including an elongated corner arm pivotally secured to said outer end of the main arm which is supported upon a steerable drive unit having first and second drive wheels;

creating latitude and longitudinal path navigation waypoints which correspond to the correct latitude and longitudinal position of the steerable drive unit as the main arm and the corner arm move over the field;

mounting a rover GNSS antenna on the steerable drive unit;

mounting a rover navigation box on the steerable drive unit with the rover navigation box having a GNSS receiver, which is in communication with the rover GNSS antenna, and a printed circuit board;

loading and storing the navigation latitude and longitudinal path waypoints in the printed circuit board of the rover navigation box;

operatively coupling the rover navigation box to first and second drive wheels of the steerable drive units for steering the first and second drive wheels of the steerable drive unit;

mounting a base GNSS antenna on the center pivot irrigation system at the center pivot structure;

mounting a base navigation box on the center pivot irrigation system at the center pivot structure with the base navigation box having a GNSS receiver, which is in communication with the base GNSS antenna, and a printed circuit board;

computing the latitude and longitudinal position of the base navigation box utilizing RTK and sending latitude and longitudinal position corrections to the rover navigation box so that the rover navigation box is able to compute its corrected latitude and longitudinal position as the steerable drive unit moves around the field whereby the corrected latitude and longitudinal position of the steerable drive unit is compared to the two closest navigation latitude and longitudinal path waypoints to determine the steering direction of the first and second drive wheels and the amount of steering time to ensure that the steerable drive unit stays on its intended path.

2. In combination:

a mechanized corner irrigation system, having inner and outer ends, including a center pivot structure, a main arm, having inner and outer ends, extending outwardly from said center pivot structure which is supported upon and driven in either a forwardly or rearwardly direction around a field by a plurality of non-steerable drive units, an elongated corner arm pivotally secured to said outer arm end of said main arm which is supported upon and driven by a steerable drive unit, with the field having latitude and longitudinal path waypoints which correspond to the correct position of the steerable drive unit as it moves around the field;

said steerable drive unit comprising;

(a) a horizontally disposed main beam, having first and second ends, positioned below said corner arm and being disposed transversely with respect to said corner arm;

(b) a first drive wheel support positioned at said first end of said main beam and being rotatable with respect thereto about a vertical axis;

(c) a second drive wheel support positioned at said second end of said main beam and being rotatable with respect thereto about a vertical axis;

(d) a first drive wheel mounted on said first drive wheel support;

(e) a second drive wheel mounted on said second drive wheel support;

(f) a first horizontally disposed crank arm having inner and outer ends;

(g) said inner end of said first crank arm being fixed to said first drive wheel support;

(h) a second horizontally disposed crank arm having inner and outer ends;

(i) said inner end of said second crank arm being fixed to said second drive wheel support;

(j) an elongated connecting rod having first and second ends;

(k) said first end of said connecting rod being pivotally secured to said outer end of said first crank arm;

(l) said second end of said connecting rod being pivotally secured to said outer end of said second crank arm;

(m) a steering actuator mounted on said main beam which is operatively connected to one of said first and second crank arms for pivotally moving said first and second drive wheel supports and said drive wheels thereon between first and second positions to steer said steerable drive unit as said corner irrigation system is moved around the field;

a rover navigation box positioned on said steerable drive unit;

said rover navigation box including a GNSS receiver mounted on a printed circuit board;

a rover GNSS antenna mounted on said steerable drive unit which is in communication with said GNSS receiver in said rover navigation box;

said navigation latitude and longitudinal path waypoints being programmed in said rover navigation box;

said rover navigation box operatively connected to said steering actuator to control the operation of said steering actuator;

a base navigation box positioned on said center pivot irrigation system at said center pivot structure;

said base navigation box including a GNSS receiver mounted on a printed circuit board;

a base GNSS antenna mounted on said center pivot irrigation system at said center pivot structure which is in communication with said GNSS receiver in said base navigation box;

said base navigation box configured to compute its latitude and longitudinal position utilizing RTK to send corrections to said rover navigation box whereby said rover navigation box continuously computes its corrected latitude and longitudinal position as said steerable drive unit moves around the field whereby the corrected latitude and longitudinal position of said steerable drive unit is compared to the two closest navigation latitude and longitudinal path waypoints to determine the steering direction of the steering actuator and the amount of steering time to ensure that the steerable drive unit stays on its intended path.