US 11,832,560 B1
System and method for detecting and aligning the orientation of an irrigation system within a display
Tracy A. Thatcher, Gretna, NE (US); and Mark Moeller, Valley, NE (US)
Assigned to Valmont Industries, Inc.
Filed by Valmont Industries, Inc., Omaha, NE (US)
Filed on Jul. 9, 2020, as Appl. No. 16/924,788.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/884,220, filed on Aug. 8, 2019.
Int. Cl. G06F 3/14 (2006.01); A01G 25/16 (2006.01); G05D 1/02 (2020.01); A01G 25/09 (2006.01); G06F 3/03 (2006.01); G01C 17/28 (2006.01)
CPC A01G 25/16 (2013.01) [A01G 25/092 (2013.01); G05D 1/0231 (2013.01); G06F 3/03 (2013.01); G06F 3/14 (2013.01); G01C 17/28 (2013.01); G05D 2201/0201 (2013.01)] 13 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for detecting and aligning the orientation of a displayed irrigation system, wherein the method comprises:
initializing a controller of an irrigation system;
polling sensors and initiating the detection of a center pivot location;
detecting the position of an outer drive tower;
calculating the relative orientation between the center pivot and the outer drive tower; wherein the irrigation system calculates the orientation of an irrigation span using a digital compass;
detecting and recording the position of magnetic north;
calculating image display data for the irrigation span, wherein the image display data comprises data indicating the orientation of the irrigation span;
transmitting the image display data to a display device;
displaying the irrigation span at a user selected azimuth and displaying other displayed items at an angle offset from the user selected azimuth; wherein the angle offset is determined based at least in part on the image display data;
monitoring changes in the orientation of the irrigation system;
recalculating image display data when an orientation change is detected; and
retransmitting updated image display data.