Patent ID: 6666384
Filing Date: 2003-12-23
Classification: A01G

Abstract:
An apparatus for application of treating liquids to a desired portion of a field to be treated with the liquids, the apparatus comprising:a plurality of irrigation units including a plurality of nozzles arranged into a plurality of nozzle sections, each section independently applying an adjustable amount of liquid over a section of the field, according to an application map; motor means for moving the irrigation units over the ground, liquid delivering means connected to the nozzles, a main control panel, and control means for controlling the operation of the nozzles in order to prevent the nozzles of a nozzle section from applying liquid over a field section overlapping an immediate field section that received an immediate last application of liquid, the control means comprising: i) a computer unit in the main control panel for inputting data and for operating the control means, ii) an independent control module in each of the irrigation units, the module being connected to a plurality of sensors for detecting several parameters of the unit, and connected to valves for delivering signal orders for controllably operating the nozzles, and iii) an interface module in the main control panel and connected to each of the independent control modules and to the computer unit for providing an interface communication between the independent control modules and the computer unit, wherein the independent control modules are operable to record information from the several sensors, provide information to the computer unit only upon request from the computer unit, and receive order signals from the computer unit to operate the nozzles, the independent control modules of the units being connected to each other by two conductors, the two conductors connecting all the independent control modules are also connected to the interface module, the two conductors carrying the data from the several sensors via the independent control modules to the computer via the interface module, and the order signals from the computer unit via the interface module to the nozzles via the independent control modules.