Prescribing a drip line for use in a field

• US 9,894,849 B2
• Filed: 01/15/2015
• Issued: 02/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trimble Inc.
• Original Assignee: Trimble Inc.
• Inventors: Rooney, Daniel James, Fitzpatrick, David, Wample, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): YANCHUS III, PAUL B
• Application Number:
  US14/597,954
• Publication Number:
  US 20160205877A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,132 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 25/02 Watering arrangements located above the soil which make use of perforated pipe-lines or pipe-lines with dispensing fittings, e.g. for drip irrigation
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 25/16 Control of watering
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 25/167 Control by humidity of the soil itself or of devices simulating soil or of the atmosphere; Soil humidity sensors

Abstract

Prescribing a drip line for use in a field includes: accessing soil conditions data that includes vertical transect data relating to at least one vertical transect of soil in a field; based on a plant type and a length of time between a first watering and a second watering of a plant via the drip line, determining, a desired plant available water content of a portion of the soil within the at least one vertical transect to be substantially achieved as a result of the first watering; and based on the vertical transect data, the determined desired plant available water content, climate conditions data and geographical conditions data, determining perforation spacing and flow rate for a set of emitters for the drip line such that the desired plant available water is substantially achieved in the portion of the soil.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for prescribing a drip line for use in a field, the method comprising:

determining, using one or more processors, soil conditions data for soil in a field, wherein the soil conditions data comprises vertical transect data relating to at least one vertical transect of the soil, wherein a vertical transect provides information about one or more types and layers of soil below a surface of the field at a corresponding field location, and wherein determining the soil conditions data includes surveying the field by inserting a geophysical probe having one or more soil sensors below a surface of the field at a plurality of locations in the field to measure soil physical characteristics and soil chemical characteristics at a range of depths below the surface of the field;

determining, using the one or more processors, a plant type of at least one plant for planting in the field and a length of time between a first watering and a second watering of the at least one plant via a drip line;

determining, using the one or more processors, a desired plant available water content of a portion of the soil within the at least one vertical transect to be substantially achieved as a result of the first watering, wherein determining the desired plant available water content include using the plant type and the length of time between the first watering and the second watering;

determining, using the one or more processors, climate conditions data and geographical conditions data for the field; and

determining, using the one or more processors, a perforation spacing and flow rate for a set of emitters for the drip line that will supply water during the first watering such that, along the drip line, the desired plant available water content is substantially achieved in the portion of the soil, wherein determining the perforation spacing and flow rate includes using the vertical transect data, the desired plant available water content, the climate conditions data, and the geographical conditions data.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the perforation spacing and flow rate for the set of emitters comprises:

determining, using the one or more processors, a water flow rate through the at least one vertical transect of the soil, wherein determining the water flow rate comprises;

identifying, using the one or more processors, soil type data relating to soil types of the at least one vertical transect of the soil;

identifying, using the one or more processors, water percolation data corresponding to each type of soil of the soil types; and

calculating, using the one or more processors, the water flow rate through the at least one vertical transect of the soil using the soil type data and the water percolation data.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein determining the perforation spacing and flow rate for the set of emitters further comprises:

determining, using the one or more processors, a volume of water required to be supplied, during a time period, from the drip line and to the at least one vertical transect of the soil such that the desired plant available water content is substantially achieved in the portion of the soil, wherein determining the volume of water includes using the water flow rate through the at least one vertical transect of the soil.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein determining the perforation spacing and flow rate for the set of emitters further comprises:

identifying, using the one or more processors, emitter specification data;

identifying, using the one or more processors, drip line specification data; and

determining, using the one or more processors, one or more emitters and a placement location of the one or more emitters along the drip line that enable the volume of water to be supplied to the soil through the drip line during the time period, wherein determining the one or more emitters and the placement location of the one or more emitters includes using the emitter specification data, the drip line specification data and the volume of water required to be supplied.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating, using the one or more processors, drip line prescription instructions, wherein the drip line prescription instructions correspond to instructions for placement of an emitter of the set of emitters with a corresponding flow rate at a corresponding location on the drip line according to the perforation spacing.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

visually displaying, using the one or more processors, the drip line prescription instructions.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the desired plant available water content comprises:

identifying plant data comprising plant type data relating to plant types;

identifying watering data comprising a predetermined time of initiation for the first watering and the second watering and a length of time of the first watering;

identifying plant available water content information; and

generating the desired plant available water content needed in the soil for the at least one plant to access between waterings, wherein generating the desired plant available water content includes using the plant data, the watering data, and the plant available water content information.

8. A system for prescribing a drip line for use in a field, the system comprising:

one or more processors;

a non-transitory computer readable storage medium in data communication with the one or more processors, the non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations including;

obtaining soil conditions data for soil in a field, wherein the soil conditions data comprises vertical transect data relating to at least one vertical transect of the soil, wherein a vertical transect provides information about one or more types and layers of soil below a surface of the field at a corresponding field location, wherein the soil conditions data is determined by surveying the field by inserting a geophysical probe having one or more soil sensors below a surface of the field at a plurality of locations in the field to measure soil physical characteristics and soil chemical characteristics at a range of depths below the surface of the field;

determining a plant type of at least one plant for planting in the field and a length of time between a first watering and a second watering of the at least one plant via a drip line;

determining a desired plant available water content of a portion of the soil within the at least one vertical transect to be substantially achieved as a result of the first watering, wherein determining the desired plant available water content include using the plant type and the length of time between the first watering and the second watering;

determining climate conditions data and geographical conditions data for the field; and

determining a perforation spacing and flow rate for a set of emitters for the drip line that will supply water during the first watering such that, along the drip line, the desired plant available water content is substantially achieved in the portion of the soil, wherein determining the perforation spacing and flow rate includes using the vertical transect data, the desired plant available water content, the climate conditions data, and the geographical conditions data.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein determining perforation spacing and flow rate for the set of emitters comprises:

determining a water flow rate through the at least one vertical transect of the soil, wherein determining the water flow rate comprises;

identifying soil type data relating to soil types of the at least one vertical transect of the soil;

identifying water percolation data corresponding to each type of soil of the soil types; and

calculating the water flow rate through the at least one vertical transect of the soil using the soil type data and the water percolation data.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein determining the perforation spacing and flow rate for the set of emitters further comprises:

determining a volume of water required to be supplied, during a time period, from the drip line and to the at least one vertical transect of the soil such that the desired plant available water content is substantially achieved in the portion of the soil, wherein determining the volume of water includes using the water flow rate through the at least one vertical transect of the soil.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein determining the perforation spacing and flow rate for the set of emitters further comprises:

identifying emitter specification data;

identifying drip line specification data; and

determining one or more emitters and a placement location of the one or more emitters along the drip line that enable the volume of water to be supplied to the soil through the drip line during the time period, wherein determining the one or more emitters and the placement location of the one or more emitters includes using the emitter specification data, the drip line specification data and the volume of water required to be supplied.

12. The system of claim 8, further comprising:

generating drip line prescription instructions, wherein the drip line prescription instructions correspond to instructions for placement of an emitter of the set of emitters with a corresponding flow rate at a corresponding location on the drip line according to the perforation spacing.

13. The system of claim 12, further comprising:

visually displaying the drip line prescription instructions.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein determining the desired plant available water content comprises:

identifying plant data comprising plant type data relating to plant types;

identifying watering data comprising a predetermined time of initiation for the first watering and the second watering and a length of time of the first watering;

identifying plant available water content information; and

generating the desired plant available water content needed in the soil for the at least one plant to access between waterings, wherein generating the desired plant available water content includes using the plant data, the watering data, and the plant available water content information.

15. A computer program product for prescribing a drip line for use in a field, the computer program product corresponding to a non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations including:

obtaining soil conditions data for soil in a field, wherein the soil conditions data comprises vertical transect data relating to at least one vertical transect of the soil, wherein a vertical transect provides information about one or more types and layers of soil below a surface of the field at a corresponding field location, wherein the soil conditions data is determined by surveying the field by inserting a geophysical probe having one or more soil sensors below a surface of the field at a plurality of locations in the field to measure soil physical characteristics and soil chemical characteristics at a range of depths below the surface of the field;

determining a plant type of at least one plant for planting in the field and a length of time between a first watering and a second watering of the at least one plant via a drip line;

determining a desired plant available water content of a portion of the soil within the at least one vertical transect to be substantially achieved as a result of the first watering, wherein determining the desired plant available water content include using the plant type and the length of time between the first watering and the second watering;

determining climate conditions data and geographical conditions data for the field; and

determining a perforation spacing and flow rate for a set of emitters for the drip line that will supply water during the first watering such that, along the drip line, the desired plant available water content is substantially achieved in the portion of the soil, wherein determining the perforation spacing and flow rate includes using the vertical transect data, the desired plant available water content, the climate conditions data, and the geographical conditions data.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein determining perforation spacing and flow rate for the set of emitters comprises:

determining a water flow rate through the at least one vertical transect of the soil, wherein determining the water flow rate comprises;

identifying soil type data relating to soil types of the at least one vertical transect of the soil;

identifying water percolation data corresponding to each type of soil of the soil types; and

calculating the water flow rate through the at least one vertical transect of the soil using the soil type data and the water percolation data.

17. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein determining the perforation spacing and flow rate for the set of emitters further comprises:

determining a volume of water required to be supplied, during a time period, from the drip line and to the at least one vertical transect of the soil such that the desired plant available water content is substantially achieved in the portion of the soil, wherein determining the volume of water includes using the water flow rate through the at least one vertical transect of the soil.

18. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein determining the perforation spacing and flow rate for the set of emitters further comprises:

identifying emitter specification data;

identifying drip line specification data; and

determining one or more emitters and a placement location of the one or more emitters along the drip line that enable the volume of water to be supplied to the soil through the drip line during the time period, wherein determining the one or more emitters and the placement location of the one or more emitters includes using the emitter specification data, the drip line specification data and the volume of water required to be supplied.

19. The computer program product of claim 15, further comprising:

generating drip line prescription instructions, wherein the drip line prescription instructions correspond to instructions for placement of an emitter of the set of emitters with a corresponding flow rate at a corresponding location on the drip line according to the perforation spacing; and

visually displaying the drip line prescription instructions.

20. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein determining the desired plant available water content comprises:

identifying plant data comprising plant type data relating to plant types;

identifying watering data comprising a predetermined time of initiation for the first watering and the second watering and a length of time of the first watering;

identifying plant available water content information; and

generating the desired plant available water content needed in the soil for the at least one plant to access between waterings, wherein generating the desired plant available water content includes using the plant data, the watering data, and the plant available water content information.