SOLID-STATE SPAN ALIGNMENT AND PIVOT POSITIONING

摘要

A center-pivot irrigation system having a plurality of towers interconnected by a plurality of spans actuatable about a center pivot, a plurality of solid-state sensors each mounted in fixed alignment with one of the spans or towers, and a control system communicably coupled with the solid-state sensors. The solid-state sensors may send acceleration, angular acceleration, angular rotation, heading, and/or angle measurements to the control system, which may use these measurements to calculate alignment of the spans relative to each other and/or the center pivot and to calculate locations of the spans or towers using a known location of the center pivot. The solid-state sensors may be solid-state gyroscopes, solid-state accelerometers, digital compass, and/or an inertial measurement unit (IMU).

主权项

1. A sensor system for use on an irrigation system having a plurality of towers configured to travel over portions of a field, a plurality of spans each extending between and connected to adjacent ones of the towers, and a fluid delivery system attached to or integral with the spans for outputting water into the field, the sensor system comprising:
a plurality of solid-state sensors each configured to be mounted in fixed alignment with at least one of the spans or towers and each configured to measure at least one of acceleration, angular acceleration, angular rotation, heading, and an angle with respect to a predefined reference direction, wherein the solid-state sensors comprise at least one of a digital compass, a solid-state gyroscope, a solid-state accelerometer, and an inertial measurement unit (IMU); and a control system configured to receive measurements from each of the solid-state sensors, and to calculate at least one of alignment, rotational position, and location of at least one of the spans.