초록 ▼

A system for optimizing the operation of a plurality of irrigation systems includes at least one control computer, a storage device coupled to the control computer for storing data, a plurality of irrigation device controllers remotely coupled to each of the control computers, and a grid power monit

A system for optimizing the operation of a plurality of irrigation systems includes at least one control computer, a storage device coupled to the control computer for storing data, a plurality of irrigation device controllers remotely coupled to each of the control computers, and a grid power monitor coupled to the computers for providing power grid demand and usage data. The system may also include GPS and GIS receivers to determine remotely position and soil condition and/or a plurality of sensors located in each of the irrigated fields which transmit soil information directly to the control computers. The control computers each in turn generate priorities of operation for the irrigation systems based on the soil condition information and most economical load operating periods from the electrical power utility. The system is optimized by generating position data for each of the irrigation systems, generating soil condition data at the position of the irrigation system, including current and/or historical weather data and crop information either manually inputted or determined from remote sensors or satellites, and calculating a required period and priority of each irrigation system operation based on the soil conditions at the location of each of the irrigation systems, the historical and/or predicted weather data, the crop data, and finally, automatically scheduling the irrigation system operations based on input from the electrical utility command computer as to the most economical time period for operation.

대표청구항 ▼

[ What is claimed is:] [1.] A system for optimizing operation of a plurality of independent soil irrigation systems comprising in combination:a global positioning system (GPS) receiver receiving GPS satellite transmission position information for one or more of said irrigation systems to generate a

[ What is claimed is:] [1.] A system for optimizing operation of a plurality of independent soil irrigation systems comprising in combination:a global positioning system (GPS) receiver receiving GPS satellite transmission position information for one or more of said irrigation systems to generate a map;a geographical information systems (GIS) receiver receiving GIS satellite transmitted soil condition information for said irrigation systems on said map;a programmable computer having a data storage device for storing data coupled to said GPS and GIS receivers for mapping said soil condition information onto said map;a software program means in said computer for integrating said position information and said soil condition information to produce a priority schedule for operation of each of said irrigation systems in accordance with predetermined irrigation criteria; anda transmission means coupled to said computer and to each of said irrigation systems for sending a control signal to each of said irrigation systems in accordance with said priority schedule.