Telecommunications – Transmitter and receiver at separate stations
Reexamination Certificate
1997-10-14
2002-01-08
Cumming, William (Department: 2749)
Telecommunications
Transmitter and receiver at separate stations
C340S315000, C454S256000, C331S065000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06337971
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to systems for controlling and monitoring agricultural field equipment such as irrigation pivots and potato storage cellars.
2. Statement of the Problem
A need exists to provide two-way remote communication between agriculture field equipment such as pivot irrigation systems and a mobile operator such as a farmer in a truck to report the status of the equipment and to provide command control over it. This is especially true when a farmer (or pivot irrigator) manages a large number of pivots (e.g., with a 20-mile radius). Pivot irrigation systems require frequent setup changes in response to weather changes, and since breakdowns are common, to confirm that they are running. While many conventional systems provide a central control computer (or base station) to report on the status of the equipment and to execute command signals, a need exists to immediately provide similar information to a mobile operator (such as a farmer in a truck) remote from the central control computer.
A number of prior patented approaches exist in the pivot irrigation technology. U.S. Pat. No. 4,396,149 (Hirsch) discloses an irrigation control apparatus using soil moisture sensors connected to a radio transmission apparatus located on the upper portion of the irrigation mast for continuously transmitting data concerning the status of soil moisture. A farmer obtains reports from a telephone or radio. The data from the moisture sensors (or a weather station) are delivered to a remote computer such as through radio transmission, which processes the data and in turn communicates it to the farmer.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,899,934 issued to Krisle sets forth a sensor on a pivot irrigation system for monitoring stoppage of the pivots. When stoppage is detected, a radio transmitter at the pivot delivers a signal to a remote receiver or beeper carried by the farmer. When stoppage of the pivot or angular displacement of sections of the pivot occurs, a signal is generated which is delivered to a radio transmitter at the pivot for transmitting a signal to a detached signal receiver or beeper carried by the farmer.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,856,047 issued to Saunders teaches an automated remote telemetry paging system where operators carrying remote pagers are notified of alarms at a specific site location. The operator carrying the pager can take appropriate repair or corrective action to remedy the alarm situation. In the '047 patent, the status of the monitored functions is continuously monitored every 26 microseconds. The input status values are compared against a reference field stored in memory and if a deviation occurs, an alarm is issued to the remote pager identifying the location with the alarm.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,962,522 issued to Marian provides a pager at each pivot to receive command signals from a remote phone to control activities at the pivot. A farmer at a phone in a vehicle calls a paging station and enters an identification code and a message. The message is delivered to the pager at the irrigation site, is decoded, and causes a function to occur at the site (such as to increase watering or to decrease watering).
U.S. Pat. No. 5,255,857 issued to Hunt sets forth use of a master control computer at each pivot, which communicates to a central computer. The central computer monitors the pivot and allows the operator to program the system. The computer at the pivot may be controlled by a radio device such as a VHF transmitter or a cellular telephone system. Hunt provides an operational personal computer-based irrigation network facility so as to provide complete irrigation management. This allows management from any location on the farm or elsewhere. The personal computer displays the current status of all pivots in the network and allows any settings to be changed.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,626,984 issued to Unruh discloses a central computer for monitoring control in a number of pivots. In an alternate embodiment of Unruh, a portable base unit could be separately transported by the farmer to input and monitor each intelligent remote unit. Hence, a farmer can, through a portable base unit, directly control and monitor the intelligent remote control at a pivot or pivots.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,146,216 to DeLuca et al., permits a pager to receive a graphic address command to display on the pager a desired graphic.
A number of prior commercially available systems for managing irrigation pivots are also available. Valmont Industries, Inc. sells a computer-aided management system, which includes a radio telemetry package, located at the irrigation pivot to provide two-way communication via a radio link to a remote central computer. The remote central computer enables the farmer to change all system operations from his office. Up to 100 pivots operate from one remote computer. The remote computer is interrogated by the central computer to obtain status changes for direction, running condition (run/stop), speed, water depth, and whether chemical is being applied. Communication range is a line of sight communication up to 15 miles and provides monitoring and control 24 hours per day. In the case of an alarm, an auto-dialer for the farm's two-way radio can be used to alert remote individuals. Valmont offers the Valley Remote Link which provides 24 hour control via a cellular phone, business band radio, or touch-tone phone. This allows the farmer to direct pivot functions from a remote location.
Lockwood Corporation provides an automated panel located at each pivot to allow the user to have computerized control over a particular pivot. When something goes wrong with a pivot, the Lockwood system will attempt to correct the problem at the remote central control and if unable to correct it, it will call a preprogrammed list of numbers until the farmer is reached.
T-L Irrigation Company provides a computer control for a hydrostatic drive pivot.
Reinke Manufacturing Company provides an automated management system having control panels at each pivot which may communicate with a remote computer control via a radio link.
Lindsey Manufacturing Company provides an automated irrigation management system which provides remote control and monitoring via a telemetry network with corresponding controls at each pivot. Lindsey provides a remote monitor alarm and control system that links the farmer with a pivot over the business band radio or cellular phone. It permits the farmer to poll any pivot and to provide the farmer with an instant report of operating conditions including an automatic trouble alarm. The farmer can start, stop, change direction and perform other control functions from the remote location. This system utilizes a UHF or VHF business band radio. A code is keyed on the microphone tone pad of the business band radio or cell phone. A code is keyed on the microphone tone pad of the business band radio telephone. This is received at the pivot and the pivot will respond with its call letters and unit number. The farmer then keys in the proper code to bring up one of hundreds of voice message combinations to obtain the exact operating status of the pivot system. These are status reports. The remote monitor alarm system will also automatically broadcast alarm messages such as when the pump shuts down prematurely.
Sensing and Control, Inc. also provides a computerized control at each pivot. However, a communications package provides communications to a remote central computer via a spread spectrum radio or telephone modem.
K&S Systems, Inc. provides a control display panel at each pivot and a two-way radio communications system link with a remote computer command system.
Dexter Fortson Associates, Inc. provides a control panel at each pivot. The control panel upon detecting a change in status immediately reports this to a remote base station. The base station computer can be set up to request updates such as every ten minutes from each control panel. The system interfaces with hand-held computer and telephone voice or digital to multi-frequency (DTMF) tone pad interfa
Cumming William
Dorr, Carson , Sloan & Birney, P.C.
LandOfFree
System for controlling and monitoring agricultural field... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with System for controlling and monitoring agricultural field..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and System for controlling and monitoring agricultural field... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2836140