Irrigation Verification via Digital Registry and Mobile Scanning
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Solution Overview
Problem
In agriculture irrigation systems, there is a need for efficient design, registration, and verification of irrigation system components, particularly sprinkler head and nozzle placement, to ensure optimal water application and minimize installation errors, which are often time-consuming and costly to correct.
Innovation Solution
An Internet-accessible system with a user interface and proprietary registry database for registering and verifying sprinkler package configurations, combined with mobile devices equipped with GPS and RFID/barcode scanning capabilities, allows for on-site verification of irrigation system components against stored design specifications.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If manual verification of sprinkler head and nozzle placement is performed, then installation can proceed without specialized equipment, but verification is time-consuming and error-prone
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual visual inspection and physical measurement with automated optical scanning and image processing systems. The system uses cameras to capture images of sprinkler heads and nozzles, then automatically analyzes their positions and configurations to verify placement accuracy, eliminating time-consuming manual verification while maintaining high precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates digital copies (images) of the physical sprinkler system components and their placements. By capturing images of the installed sprinkler heads and nozzles and comparing them against design specifications in a database, the system enables rapid verification without physically measuring each component, significantly reducing verification time while ensuring accuracy.
2Measurement precision
If detailed design specifications are stored and accessed remotely, then verification accuracy improves, but system complexity and infrastructure requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a centralized database system that stores design specifications for multiple irrigation projects and can be accessed by various verification systems across different locations. This universal database serves multiple functions: storing design data, enabling verification, and supporting multiple projects simultaneously, which reduces overall system complexity compared to maintaining separate verification systems for each project.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a database as an intermediary between the physical sprinkler system and the verification process. The database stores design specifications and acts as a reference point that the imaging system compares against actual installations, simplifying the verification process by separating data storage from the verification operation and enabling remote access without increasing on-site complexity.
3Reliability
If comprehensive component tracking is implemented, then system maintenance and error detection improve, but data management complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements an automated feedback system where the imaging and verification process automatically compares actual sprinkler head and nozzle placements against design specifications, then provides immediate feedback on any deviations or errors. This automated feedback loop improves reliability by ensuring accurate installation and maintenance while reducing data management complexity compared to manual tracking methods.
Data Source
AI summary
Internet-accessible system and method for customized design and on-site verification of agriculture irrigation systems includes one or more of: 1) sprinkler package configuration software operable on a user's PC or accessible via an Internet website, 2) Internet-accessible proprietary irrigation system registry database and user interface, 3) computer-controlled automated component selection and labeling system for placing barcode or RFID information on components, and 4) portable wireless location-aware communication device operable at or near an irrigation site for accessing the registry database and obtaining sprinkler package configuration information specific to a particular irrigation system based on location and/or a particular irrigation system component detected in proximity to the portable communication device.