Irrigation system including a graphical user interface

• US 9,149,013 B2
• Filed: 08/01/2012
• Issued: 10/06/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lindsay Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lindsay Corporation
• Inventors: Andrews, Reece R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ali, Mohammad
• Assistant Examiner(s): AZAD, MD ABUL K
• Application Number:
  US13/564,344
• Publication Number:
  US 20140039696A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,161 Days
• Field of Search: 700/284, 700/17, 700/83, 239/70, 239/83, 239/99, 239/63, 715/771, 715/772
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 25/16 Control of watering
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/0426 Programming the control sequence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2625 Sprinkler, irrigation, watering
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 40/22 Improving land use; Improving water use or availability; Controlling erosion

Abstract

A system for managing irrigation equipment comprises a first irrigation system for applying water in a first irrigated area, a second irrigation system for applying water in a second irrigated area, a control system for controlling the irrigation systems, and a user interface for enabling a user to configure the control system. The user interface presents a map view of a geographic area including the irrigated areas and includes a first graphical element corresponding to the first irrigation system and a second graphical element corresponding to the second irrigation system. The user interface further presents a first interactive control panel for controlling the first irrigation system concurrently with the map view when the user selects the first graphical element, and presents a second interactive control panel for controlling the second irrigation system concurrently with the map view when the user selects the second graphical element.

Claims

1. An irrigation management system comprising:

a control system for controlling a first irrigation system that applies water in a first irrigated area and a second irrigation system that applies water in a second irrigated area, the control system comprising a computer-readable, non-transitory storage medium storing instructions, which, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to perform operations comprising;

displaying a user interface for enabling a user to configure the control system, the user interface presenting a map view of a geographic area including the first irrigated area and the second irrigated area, the map view including a first graphical element corresponding to the first irrigation system and a second graphical element corresponding to the second irrigation system and depicting a shape of each irrigated area and a position of each irrigation system within its irrigated area, each graphical element being an irrigation system status icon including a border approximately outlining its irrigated area, a first line indicating a starting position of its irrigation system, a second line indicating a current position of its irrigation system, and an arrow indicating a direction of travel of its irrigation system, and an indicator representing a number of continuous rotations its irrigation system has completed, each graphical element being at least partially colored wherein a first colored status indicates its irrigation system is currently irrigating, a second colored status indicates a special operation, a third colored status indicates an unanticipated event has occurred, a fourth colored status indicates its irrigation system is not irrigating or applying a chemical, and a fifth colored status indicates its irrigation system is not operating,

the user interface presenting a first interactive control panel for controlling the first irrigation system concurrently with the map view when the user selects the first graphical element, and presenting a second interactive control panel for controlling the second irrigation system concurrently with the map view when the user selects the second graphical element,

the first interactive control panel and the second interactive control panel each including controls for enabling the user to activate and deactivate movement of the respective irrigation system, select a direction of travel of the respective irrigation system, activate and deactivate a water dispensing function in each respective irrigation system, and set an automatic stop position for the respective irrigation system, and

the user interface presenting only one of the first interactive control panel and the second interactive control panel at a time, wherein selecting the second graphical element causes the first interactive control panel to be replaced by the second interactive control panel and selecting the first graphical element causes the second interactive control panel to be replaced by the first interactive control panel, the user interface presenting a marker of the irrigation system currently associated with the controls of the active interactive control panel;

displaying a user interface element for each irrigation system, each user interface element including additional information and additional control capabilities, the additional control capabilities comprising a control element for managing application of chemicals, a plurality of control elements for managing irrigation accessories, a control element for managing an automatic reverse function, a control element for managing an automatic restart function, and a plurality of control elements for managing operation of irrigation system end guns;

displaying an equipment table having a plurality of listings each representing a unit of irrigation equipment, each listing including;

a name uniquely identifying the unit;

a status entry including a descriptor relating to the current operation of the unit and a type icon representing a type of the unit, the type icon having a characteristic representative of a current progress of the unit if the unit is an irrigation system such that the user may determine the current progress of the irrigation system by viewing the type icon, the type icon having a characteristic representative of whether the unit is running or not if the unit is a pump, the status entry including a warning sign positioned near the type icon if an unanticipated event has been detected for the unit;

a current running time of the unit;

a connectivity icon representing a current wireless communication connectivity of the unit; and

a time that the listing was most recently updated;

determining a first input is received from the user indicating the first irrigation system;

displaying, in response to the first input, the first interactive control panel;

determining a second input is received from the user indicating the second irrigation system;

displaying, in response to the second input, the second interactive control panel;

determining a third input is received from the user indicating the user wishes to further control one of the irrigation systems; and

displaying, in response to the third input, the user interface element corresponding to the irrigation system that the user wishes to further control.

2. The system of claim 1, the map view including an aerial image of the geographic area.

3. The system of claim 1, the aerial image being a satellite image of the geographic area.

4. The system of claim 1, the user interface presented remotely from the irrigation systems via a computer network.

5. An irrigation system controlling method comprising:

a control system for controlling a first irrigation system that applies water in a first irrigated area and a second irrigation system that applies water in a second irrigated area, the control system comprising a computer-readable, non-transitory storage medium storing instructions, which, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to perform operations comprising;

displaying a user interface for enabling a user to configure the control system, the user interface presenting a map view of a geographic area including the first irrigated area and the second irrigated area, the map view including a first graphical element corresponding to the first irrigation system and a second graphical element corresponding to the second irrigation system and depicting a shape of each irrigated area and a position of each irrigation system within its irrigated area,

the user interface presenting a first interactive control panel for controlling the first irrigation system concurrently with the map view when the user selects the first graphical element, and presenting a second interactive control panel for controlling the second irrigation system concurrently with the map view when the user selects the second graphical element,

the first interactive control panel and the second interactive control panel each including controls for enabling the user to activate and deactivate movement of the respective irrigation system, select a direction of travel of the respective irrigation system, activate and deactivate a water dispensing function in each respective irrigation system, and set an automatic stop position for the respective irrigation system, and

the user interface presenting only one of the first interactive control panel and the second interactive control panel at a time, wherein selecting the second graphical element causes the first interactive control panel to be replaced by the second interactive control panel and selecting the first graphical element causes the second interactive control panel to be replaced by the first interactive control panel, the user interface presenting a marker of the irrigation system currently associated with the controls of the active interactive control panel;

displaying a user interface element for each irrigation system, each user interface element including additional information and additional control capabilities, the additional control capabilities comprising a plurality of control elements for managing irrigation accessories and a plurality of control elements for managing operation of irrigation system end guns;

displaying an equipment table having a plurality of listings each representing a unit of irrigation equipment, each listing including;

a name uniquely identifying the unit;

a status entry including a descriptor relating to the current operation of the unit and a type icon representing a type of the unit, the type icon having a characteristic representative of a current progress of the unit if the unit is an irrigation system such that the user may determine the current progress of the irrigation system by viewing the type icon, the type icon having a characteristic representative of whether the unit is running or not if the unit is a pump, the status entry including a warning sign positioned near the type icon if an unanticipated event has been detected for the unit;

a current running time of the unit;

a connectivity icon representing a current wireless communication connectivity of the unit; and

a time that the listing was most recently updated;

determining a first input is received from the user indicating the first irrigation system;

displaying, in response to the first input, the first interactive control panel;

determining a second input is received from the user indicating the second irrigation system;

displaying, in response to the second input, the second interactive control panel;

determining a third input is received from the user indicating the user wishes to further control one of the irrigation systems; and

displaying, in response to the third input, the user interface element corresponding to the irrigation system that the user wishes to further control.