Abstract: An irrigation system includes a series of spaced mobile towers; support structure connecting the mobile towers to each other; a water-carrying conduit supported by the mobile towers and the support structure; and a plurality of water emitters connected to the conduit for delivering water to a ground surface. At least one of the mobile towers includes an integrated motor and wheel assembly for driving the mobile tower. The integrated motor and wheel assembly includes a wheel; a tire, track or other ground-engaging component mounted on the wheel; and a direct drive motor positioned in or adjacent the wheel for directly driving the wheel. The direct drive motor drives the wheel without a drive shaft and right-angle gear boxes.

Abstract: An irrigation pipe and method of fabrication that utilizes a pipe that is made of a durable material, e.g., stainless steel or aluminum. During fabrication, the pipe is equipped with a plurality of components, i.e., a flange assembly, a truss mount, and an outlet, without drilling, welding, or the like. In this manner, a method of fabrication is provided that enables a plurality of components to be assembled to the pipe without compromising the integrity of the pipe material or treated surface so that galvanizing or painting is not required after the plurality of components have been fitted to the pipe.

Abstract: An irrigation system and method of controlling operations of the irrigation system are provided.

Abstract: A non-intrussive monitoring terminal that monitors operating states of an irrigation system and transmits related data to a remote irrigation monitoring system. The monitoring terminal may be installed on any irrigation system without connecting to the irrigation system's existing control system, electrical system, or water distribution system and includes a housing that may be attached to a water pipe or other component of the irrigation system; a sensor mounted in the housing that senses vibrations of the irrigation system and generates a corresponding sensor signal; and an electronic circuit electrically coupled with the sensor to evaluate attributes of the sensor signal to determine operating states of the irrigation system.

Abstract: An airless flexible tire comprising a belt, drive lugs, and traction lugs. The drive lugs extend inwardly from the belt and form annularly spaced, rigid, high torque points. The traction lugs extend outwardly from the belt and are annularly offset from the drive lugs so as to form flexible sections that deflect radially inwardly when the tire engages the ground. Each traction lug has an effective height as a function of its actual height, the angle that the traction lug extends relative to a radial axis, the angle of the traction lug's distal surface, and the amount the tire deflects radially inwardly near the traction lug so as to at least partially equalize a rolling radius of the wheel to reduce torque generated near the high torque points.

Abstract: A joint assembly for joining first and second pipes of adjacent elevated spans of an irrigation system, the joint assembly comprising a tower end extension, a pivot end extension, an alignment ring, and an alignment bracket. The tower end extension connects to a tower end of the first pipe. The pivot end extension connects to a pivot end of a second pipe. The alignment ring is connected to the tower end extension and is configured to pivot about a yaw axis. The alignment bracket is connected to the pivot end extension and the alignment ring. The alignment bracket is configured to pivot about a pitch axis relative to the alignment ring and to rotate about a roll axis relative to the pivot end extension.

Abstract: An irrigation system broadly comprising a number of irrigation spans and a control system configured to operate single speed drive motors of the irrigation spans in a start-up mode, full speed mode, and wind-down mode. In the start-up mode, the motor controller gradually increases the drive motor speed from 0 rpms to a full speed by ramping a voltage applied to the drive motor from a starting voltage to a full speed voltage according to a start-up voltage profile over a start-up time interval. In the full speed mode, the motor controller operates the drive motor at a full speed voltage. In the wind-down mode, the motor controller gradually decreases the drive motor speed from full speed to 0 rpms by ramping the voltage applied to the drive motor from the full speed voltage to an ending voltage according to a wind-down voltage profile over a wind-down time interval.

Abstract: A method for controlling a plurality of mobile agricultural devices that includes establishing electronic communication with a plurality of transceivers mounted to the mobile agricultural devices. The method also includes building a three-dimensional model including a virtual representation of each of the mobile agricultural devices and displaying the three-dimensional model at a user interface having a display. The method further includes receiving location data regarding the mobile agricultural devices via the transceivers and adjusting at least one of the virtual representations of the mobile agricultural devices within the model to reflect the location data.

Abstract: A method for controlling a plurality of mobile agricultural devices that includes establishing electronic communication with a plurality of transceivers mounted to the mobile agricultural devices and building a model including a virtual representation of each of the mobile agricultural devices. The method also includes displaying the model at a user interface including a display and a gesture sensor. The method further includes receiving location data regarding the mobile agricultural devices via the transceivers and adjusting at least one of the virtual representations of the mobile agricultural devices within the model to reflect the location data.

Abstract: A wheel assembly comprising a rigid wheel including a radially outer rim wall presenting a polygonal shape with a plurality of outermost vertices connecting a plurality of planar faces, and a flexible tire mounted on the outer rim wall. The tire is supported by the vertices of the rim wall and is separated from the rim faces by a space, portions of the tire located between the vertices being configured to flex inwardly when subject to ground engaging pressure.

Abstract: An irrigation system broadly comprising a number of irrigation spans and a control system configured to operate single speed drive motors of the irrigation spans in a start-up mode, full speed mode, and wind-down mode. In the start-up mode, the motor controller gradually increases the drive motor speed from 0 rpms to a full speed by ramping a voltage applied to the drive motor from a starting voltage to a full speed voltage according to a start-up voltage profile over a start-up time interval. In the full speed mode, the motor controller operates the drive motor at a full speed voltage. In the wind-down mode, the motor controller gradually decreases the drive motor speed from full speed to 0 rpms by ramping the voltage applied to the drive motor from the full speed voltage to an ending voltage according to a wind-down voltage profile over a wind-down time interval.

Abstract: A lateral move irrigation system more effectively irrigates a field by minimizing the portions of the field that receive no irrigation. The irrigation system includes a plurality of mobile towers, a plurality of elongated support structures attached to and extending between the towers, and a fluid delivery system. Each mobile tower has wheels and a motor for driving the wheels. A safety circuit stops the motors on all the mobile towers when any of the towers reaches an end-of-run position. Location determining components determine locations of the mobile towers as they traverse a field, and a control system stops or slows any of the towers before they trigger the safety circuit so that lagging mobile tower may catch up before the safety circuit shuts down or reverses all the motors.

Abstract: An irrigation system for providing irrigation to a crop comprising a plurality of mobile support towers, a conduit, a plurality of drive motors, a plurality of sensors, and a control system. The conduit carries fluid and is supported by the mobile support towers. The conduit includes a valve which can be opened to allow fluid flow through the conduit and closed to prevent fluid flow through the conduit. The drive motors propel the mobile support towers. The sensors generate data regarding the amount of fluid used to irrigate the crop. The control system controls the operation of the valve and the drive motors and is configured to calculate a price of forecasted yield loss, calculate a cost of irrigation, and terminate irrigation if the cost of irrigation is greater than the price of the forecasted yield loss.

Abstract: An irrigation system for providing irrigation to a crop comprising a plurality of mobile support towers, a conduit, a plurality of drive motors, a plurality of sensors, and a control system. The conduit carries fluid and is supported by the mobile support towers. The conduit includes a valve which can be opened to allow fluid flow through the conduit and closed to prevent fluid flow through the conduit. The drive motors propel the mobile support towers. The sensors generate data regarding the amount of fluid used to irrigate the crop. The control system controls the operation of the valve and the drive motors and is configured to calculate a price of forecasted yield loss, calculate a cost of irrigation, and terminate irrigation if the cost of irrigation is greater than the price of the forecasted yield loss.

Abstract: An irrigation system includes a central pivot and a series of mobile towers connected to the central pivot and to one another by support structure. Each mobile tower has wheels and a motor for driving at least one of the wheels. A control system operates the motors to maintain alignment of the mobile towers and the central pivot while preventing power usage of the system from exceeding a maximum power threshold. The control system determines in which sequence to operate the motors to maintain alignment of the mobile towers while operating no more than a selected number of the motors simultaneously.

Abstract: A control system for a low-volume irrigation system includes a plurality of valve controllers for opening and closing valves; an irrigation system controller for controlling the valve controllers in accordance with an irrigation plan; and a graphical user interface for allowing a user to interact with the irrigation controller and to create the irrigation plan. The graphical user interface displays an irrigation zone list, an irrigation set list, and an irrigation plan field. The user interface has drag and drop functionality that permits an irrigation zone listing from the irrigation zone list to be dragged and dropped into any of the irrigation set listings in the irrigation set list and that permits an irrigation zone listing or an irrigation set listing to be dragged and dropped into the irrigation plan to create irrigation steps within the irrigation plan.

Abstract: A control system for monitoring a motor and wheel drive gearbox of an irrigation system drive train. The control system includes a motor sensor for sensing an operating state of the motor and a gearbox sensor for sensing an operating state of the wheel drive gearbox. If the motor operating state exceeds a motor operating state threshold or changes too quickly, or if the wheel drive gearbox operating state exceeds a wheel drive gearbox operating state threshold or changes too quickly, the control system operates the drive train at a reduced capacity or in a modified mode such that the operating state is not exceeded or does not change too quickly.

Abstract: An irrigation system includes a plurality of mobile support towers driven my motors; a fluid-carrying conduit supported by the mobile towers; a number of water-emitters connected to the conduit; one or more valves which can be opened or closed to control fluid flow through the water emitters; and a control system. The control system controls the speed of the mobile towers and the flow of water through the water emitters in accordance with one or more irrigation scheduling plans. The control system also receives crop growth data from one or more sensors and aerial image data from one or more remote imaging systems and detects significant crop events from the data and improves irrigation scheduling in response to such detections.

Abstract: A control system for monitoring a motor and wheel drive gearbox of an irrigation system drive train. The control system includes a motor sensor for sensing an operating state of the motor and a gearbox sensor for sensing an operating state of the wheel drive gearbox. If the motor operating state exceeds a motor operating state threshold or changes too quickly, or if the wheel drive gearbox operating state exceeds a wheel drive gearbox operating state threshold or changes too quickly, the control system operates the drive train at a reduced capacity or in a modified mode such that the operating state is not exceeded or does not change too quickly.

Abstract: A system and method for calibrating an irrigation system to account for variations in flow rates caused by field elevation changes, pipe friction losses, water emitter nozzle wear, pressure-regulator inaccuracies, and other factors. A calibration map is created to account for the flow rate variations and then consulted to control operation of the irrigation system.