US 12,324,380 B1
System and method of flow rate management and control within an irrigation corner assembly
Andrew T. Olson, Omaha, NE (US)
Assigned to Valmont Industries, Inc., Omaha, NE (US)
Filed by Valmont Industries, Inc., Omaha, NE (US)
Filed on Feb. 1, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/590,341.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/154,920, filed on Mar. 1, 2021.
Int. Cl. A01G 25/16 (2006.01); A01G 25/09 (2006.01)
CPC A01G 25/16 (2013.01) [A01G 25/09 (2013.01)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for creating and executing an irrigation plan by a self-propelled irrigation system configured to create and execute an irrigation plan; the self-propelled irrigation system having at least one span and a drive system for moving the span, wherein the method comprises:
recording irrigation system and irrigation field data by a data recording module; wherein the recorded data comprises: sprinkler ratings corner span dimensions, main span dimensions and field data;
performing a simulated pass around a field by a simulation module; wherein the simulation module further executes a simulated irrigation plan along a selected corner guidance path;
the simulation module determining a current and a maximum sprinkler area for selected sprinklers at selected points/increments along the selected corner guidance path; wherein the selected sprinklers comprise one or more corner sprinklers;
the simulation module determining a current and a maximum extension ratio for the selected sprinklers at the selected increments;
calculating a first set of duty cycles by a duty cycle calculation module; wherein the duty cycle calculation module is configured to calculate the first set of duty cycles for each selected sprinkler at each selected increment along the corner guidance path based on the determined sprinkler areas and extension ratios; wherein the duty cycle calculation module records duty cycles for each selected sprinkler at a first set of reference pivot angles;
recording the first set of duty cycles in a look-up table;
executing the irrigation plan by a control module; wherein the control module is configured to execute the irrigation plan by setting a first set of valve duty cycles for each selected sprinkler to the calculated first set of duty cycles at the corresponding first set of reference pivot angles during operation; and
moving at least one span of the irrigation system by the drive system; wherein the drive system moves the irrigation system according to the selected corner guidance paths.