Patent ID: 6290151
Filing Date: 2001-09-18
Classification: A01G

Abstract:
A guidance system for providing a steering control for a swing arm water conduit on a center pivot irrigation system having a main arm water conduit with one end pivotally connected to a central point of water supply at a known location and supported on at least one movable tower, said system comprising:(a) a base unit located at a known position relative to said central water point and including:(1) a first satellite signal receiving means for simultaneously receiving position information signals from a plurality of satellites and producing a position correction factor representative of the difference between the known position of said means and the position information received from said satellites;(2) means for transmitting said correction factor;(b) a rover unit associated with said swing arm and having:(1) means for receiving said correction factor from said transmitting means;(2) a second satellite receiving means for simultaneously receiving position information signals from a plurality of satellites and producing corrected position information of the rover unit based upon the position information signals received from said satellites as modified by said correction factor that is supplied by said first receiving means;(c) Computer processing means for storing position information representative of the desired path of travel of said rover unit and for comparing said corrected position information to said desired path of travel information and producing differential position information that is used to properly steer said swing arm generally on the desired path of travel by the calculation of a virtual position which the rover unit will reach in the event that the steering of said swing arm remains constant.