IL297321A - Sprinkler irrigation evaluation and control system - Google Patents

Description

SPRINKLER IRRIGATION EVALUATION AND CONTROL SYSTEM FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention generally pertains to a system and method for evaluating and controlling effectiveness of sprinkler irrigation of a field using a set of independent containers linked by wire or wireless electronic communication.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Many systems have been developed to water fields, including spray irrigation systems, flooding irrigation systems, and drip irrigation systems. Spray irrigation systems comprise sprinklers, micro sprinklers, center pivot sprinklers and laterally moving sprinklers. In most, the system is planned so that each portion of the field should receive the same amount of water, as the water is fed to the distribution system from a central reservoir by means of a series of pipes. Although such systems are, generally speaking, satisfactory, they can result in over- or under-watering of parts of fields. For example, if a field has a low portion, water can drain from the higher portions into the low portion, thus overwatering the low portion. Similarly, water can drain from an isolated high portion, leaving it underwatered. Similar problems of overwatering or under watering may also arise if the pressure of individual sprinklers is faulty or blocked. On occasions, high rainfall may reduce the need for watering, or low rainfall may increase the need for watering.

U.S. Granted Patent US9968038 discloses a plant irrigation system and method of use, wherein the system accepts a fluid and releases it over time to one or more plants. The system can be fed manually or via an irrigation network capable of feeding fluid to one or more containers. The irrigation network can feed fluid automatically or manually. Fluid flow into each individual container is controlled via a float valve or level switch. Fluid exits the container and waters the ground immediately below via a fluid release valve that can be manually set, regulating the flowrate out of the container. The containers are above the ground, each mounted upon a stake, and utilize a flexible impermeable membrane.

However, in US9968038, either each individual drip watering unit is fed manually, or all of them are fed by a system of pipes connected to a central reservoir.

It is therefore a long felt need to provide a system and method for evaluating and controlling effectiveness of sprinkler irrigation .

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the invention to provide a system for watering a field comprising a plurality of catchment devices , each of said plurality of catchment devices comprising: at the top, a l funneling water collector; a main body below the conical water collector, the main body comprising: a water storage volume in fluid communication with the conical water collector and with or without a tap, the tap allowing water to exit the each of said plurality of catchment devices, the tap controllable by a valve; a water height sensor narrow, air-filled tube in fluid communication at its lower end with a lower end of the water storage volume and in fluid communication at its upper end with a water level sensor; a local area network transmitter/receiver; and a battery configured to supply power to the local area network transmitter/receiver and the water level sensor; or solar or direct connection by power cable a stake at the bottom configured to hold the each of said plurality of catchment devices vertical in the soil; a master communicator in wired or wireless communication with a long-distance transmitter/receiver and in wireless communication with a local area network; and at least one processor in electronic communication with said long-distance transmitter/receiver, said processor configured to accept input of field, sprinkler and catchment device properties and sprinkler and catchment device locations, to calculate a watering protocol for the field, said watering protocol comprising at least one member selected from a group consisting of a water flow rate from said each of said plurality of catchment devices or rate of change of said each of said plurality of catchment devices , a duration of said watering protocol, or a distribution pattern for said plurality of catchment devices ; and to modify said watering protocol based on a measured parameter of a property of at least one location in said field; said at least one processor further configured to display and to store at least one parameter selected from a group consisting of said duration of watering, said distribution pattern, said flow rate, said water level, said wind speed, or any combination thereof; further wherein said system is configured to evaluate and control water to the soil such that, by the end of a watering session, soil in different locations in the field comprise equal amounts of water application rate. It is an object of the present invention to provide the aforementioned system wherein said valve is controllable manually, electronically, or any combination thereof. It is an object of the present invention to provide the aforementioned system, additionally comprising a sensor selected from a group consisting of a pH sensor, a light sensor, a conductivity sensor, a moisture sensor, a soil oxygen sensor, or any combination thereof. It is an object of the present invention to provide the aforementioned system wherein said sensor is configured to measure at least one property of a member of a group consisting of the water, the soil or any combination thereof. It is an object of the present invention to provide the aforementioned system wherein the battery is further configured to power said sensor. It is an object of the present invention to provide the aforementioned system wherein said field properties comprise at least one member selected from a group consisting of wind speed, field dimensions, soil pH at least one location in the field, soil moisture at least one location in the field, soil conductivity at at least one location in the field, or soil density at least one location in the field. It is an object of the present invention to provide the aforementioned system comprising a cell phone application or computer software configured for online calculations, conclusions and recommendations It is an object of the present invention to provide the aforementioned system wherein said system is configured to store data in a cloud based database.

It is an object of the present invention to disclose a method for watering a field comprising steps of obtaining the aforementioned system and operating it.

It is an object of the present invention to disclose the aforementioned method comprising steps of calculating a watering protocol for said field, said watering protocol comprising at least one member selected from a group consisting of a water flow rate from said each of said plurality of catchment devices or rate of change of said each of said plurality of catchment devices, a duration of said watering protocol, or a distribution pattern for said plurality of catchment devices; and modifying said watering protocol based on a measured parameter of a property of at least one location in said field; configuring said at least one processor to display and to store at least one parameter selected from the group consisting of said duration of watering, said distribution pattern, said flow rate, said rate of change of said flow rate said water level, said wind speed, or any combination thereof; BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES In order to better understand the invention and its implementation in practice, a plurality of embodiments will now be described, by way of non-limiting example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein Fig. 1A-B schematically illustrates a catchment device of the prior art; Fig. 2A-D illustrates an embodiment of a catchment device of the present invention; Fig. 2E-F shows the inside of a catchment device of the present invention Fig. 3 schematically illustrates the height (H) of the collector, its diameter (D) and the height of the water (h), as defined by ISO 15876-3; Fig. 4 schematically illustrates the communication and control system of the present invention; Fig. 5 illustrates an exemplary embodiment of a method of use for the system; Fig. 6A-B illustrates an exemplary table identifying different sprinklers operating at different pressures and flow rates, and an exemplary decrease of the radius of throw below certain a low operating pressure Fig. 7A-B schematically illustrates an even distribution of water at a recommended operating pressure; Fig. 8A-B schematically illustrates an uneven distribution of water at a low operating pressure; Fig. 9A-C schematically illustrates calculating the precipitation rate in every point in the irrigated filed; Fig. 10 shows an example of a location where the amount of deposited water is low; Fig. 11 shows an input screen with sprinklers in the four corners and the deposition rates for locations within the area between the sprinklers; Fig. 12A-C shows calculation of the CU from the data in Fig. 11; Fig. 13A-C shows calculation of the DU from the data in Fig. 11; Fig. 14 schematically illustrates the effect of wind speed on deposition from a sprinkler.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The following description is provided, alongside all chapters of the present invention, so as to enable any person skilled in the art to make use of said invention and sets forth the best modes contemplated by the inventor of carrying out this invention. Various modifications, however, will remain apparent to those skilled in the art, since the generic principles of the present invention have been defined specifically to provide a means and method for a system and method for evaluating and controlling effectiveness of sprinkler irrigation for watering of a field using independent sprinklers only linked by wireless electronic communication The term 'field' hereinafter refers to an area to be watered. The field can be outdoors or can be indoors, for non-limiting example, within a greenhouse or other covered area.

Fig. 1A-B illustrates the prior art, with Fig. 1A showing a single catchment device and Fig. 1B showing a set of catchment devices. Each of the catchment devices ( 100 ) comprises a flexible bag ( 101 ) for storing the water, with an inlet ( 106 ) for water near the top and a stake ( 102 ) insertable into the ground to hold the drip irrigator in position. Each drip irrigator ( 100 ) also has a faucet or spout ( 105 ) to allow removal of water from the flexible bag ( 101 ); the drip rate from the faucet or spout ( 105 ) can be adjusted by a tap or valve to allow the water to drip therefrom at a desired rate to water the soil. Chemicals ( 401 ) such as fertilizers can be stored in a container within the flexible bag ( 101 ); water entering the bag passes through the chemical storage container and dissolves some of the chemical, so that the irrigator can dispense fertilizers, soil treatment chemicals or insecticides with the water. Water enters the bag by means of an inlet ( 108 ) connected to water pipes ( 107 , 301 ), the water pipes being connected to a conventional water supply system. There is no computer control and, therefore, no means of controlling the amount of water supplied to the soil by a catchment device ( 100 ); all of the catchment devices will supply the same amount of water to the soil in their vicinity.

. . The present invention comprises a system for evaluation and controlling irrigation fields, where different amounts of water can be applied at each irrigation point. Advantages of the system of the present invention comprise: 1. Detection of dispersal problems during irrigation caused by: low water pressure, wind, blockages in one or more irrigators, or weather or environmental conditions. 2. Water savings - the actual amount of water applied at each irrigation point is measured and the required irrigation time is modified accordingly, thus ensuring even water distribution using a minimum of water. 3. An alert can be provided if there is a need to add to the watering time and prevent quantitative and / or qualitative crop damage. 4. Fertilizer usage can be reduced by detecting dispersal problems while providing fertilizer with the help of the field irrigation system – this provides financial and ecological savings. 5. The efficiency of the irrigation system can be checked in the first operation after its purchase, while the system is still under warranty. 6. Financial savings and prevention of lawsuits by discovering uniformity problems caused by non-uniform distribution of water in the field in the early stages of growth (germination). 7. Environmental savings - preventing over-fertilization by measuring the actual amount of fertilizer distributed at each irrigation point. 8. The pH of the water can be measured, thus allowing for correction of errors during irrigation 9. The electrical conductivity of the fertilizer can be measured, thus allowing for correction of errors during irrigation. 10. The oxygen level in the soil, the soil moisture and the amount of light can be measured. 11. The system can work with an electric sprinkler and can tune it in real time. 12. The system can communicate with other systems in the field. 13. The water distribution of an irrigation accessory such as a sprinkler can be measured. By scattering the catchment devices in the irrigation points along the scattering radius of the irrigation accessory (sprinkler) it is possible to measure the scattering curve along the radius or check the scattering of a sprinkler in a particular area 14. Reports can be provided over the life of the crop. Such reports can comprise actual watering dates, dispersion uniformity, PH, TDS. This can be an advantage for vegetable exporters.

The present invention comprises a comprises a system for evaluation and controlling irrigation fields where different amounts of water can be applied at each irrigation point. Each irrigation point comprises a catchment device ( 10 ), as shown in Figs. 2A-D . As shown in Fig. 2A , each catchment device ( 10 ) comprises a conical water collector ( 100 ) at the top, a main body ( 200 ) and a telescopic supporting stake ( 300 ) at the bottom.

As shown in Fig. 2B , the water collector ( 100 ) comprises a handle ( 110 ) for lifting and moving, a screen ( 120 ) to keep out dirt and debris, and a conical section ( 130 ) to collect the water.

In the embodiment shown, the stake ( 300 ) comprises a top portion ( 310 ) that fits slidably into a bottom portion ( 330 ), with a lockable portion ( 320 ) to retain the main body ( 200 ) and water collector ( 100 ) at the desired height. The stake can comprise any conventional height-adjusting device. The lockable portion ( 320 ) can be manually settable, as shown, or can be electronically controllable and automatically settable.

The diameter of the open top end of the conical water collector ( 100 ) is calculated according to mathematical formulas that ensure that the irrigation efficiency (see herein below) of the sprinklers in a field can be calculated within 3-5 minutes of starting operation of the system.

The slope of the sides of the conical water collector ( 100 ) is selected to ensure optimal movement of the water in the direction of the main body ( 200 ).

Figs. 2C-2Dschematically illustrate the interior of the main body ( 200 ). The conical section ( 130 ) is in fluid communication with the storage volume ( 260 ) in the main body via a hole ( 140 ) at the bottom, allowing the water in the conical section ( 130 ) to drain, by gravity, into the water storage volume ( 260 ) in the main body ( 200) .

The main body ( 200 ) has a casing ( 205 ) to contain and protect the working parts of the catchment device ( 10 ) The man body ( 200 ) comprises a connector pipe ( 250 ) fluidly connecting the water collector ( 100 ) with the water storage volume ( 260 ) and a valve or pump ( 280 ) for supplying water from the water storage volume ( 260 ) to a tap ( 290 ) from which either water drips or to which an irrigator pipe (not shown) is attached. At the bottom of the water storage volume ( 260 ), there is a narrow pipe, the air duct ( 230 ), oriented substantially vertically, at the top of which is a water level sensor ( 210 ).

A battery ( 270 ) is in electrical communication with the water level sensor ( 210 ) and the valve or pump ( 280 ). The battery ( 270 ) can be within the casing ( 205 ) or on the outside of the casing ( 205 ). If the battery ( 270 ) is within the casing ( 205 ), a conventional closable opening (not shown) enables replacement of the battery (when open) and protection of the other components (when closed). If the battery ( 270 ) is outside the casing ( 205 ), it can either be exposed to the elements or, as above, protected by a conventional closable opening.

In some embodiments of the present invention there may be direct electrical connection by cable or solar panel connections for each catchment device or direct electricity connection by cables or solar panel electricity for every collector.

Fig. 2E illustrates the exterior of the casing, with Fig. 2F illustrating an embodiment of the electronics providing the communication means ( 210 ) and the control means ( 210 ) for a valve or pump ( 280 ), as well as the water level sensor ( 220 ) and the air duct ( 230 ) fluidly connecting the water level sensor ( 210 ).with the connector pipe ( 250 ).The water collector of the catchment device ( 100 ) may have a screen ( 120 ) at the top, wide end, of the cone, the screen ( 120 ) configured to prevent entrance of debris such as, but not limited to, leaves, branches and twigs, into the water collector. Preferable, the screen bulges upward towards its center so that debris is likely to fall off it.

The stake ( 300 ) is telescopically attached to the main body so that the height of the water collector ( 100 ) can be adjusted, either manually or electronically, to reflect the height of the crop. In some embodiments the stake can be non telescopic. For non-limiting example, the water collector is kept high enough that its upper edge is above the tops of leaves or the plant in the crop, thereby ensuring that the irrigating water is not deflected by the leaves, missing the cup, and also minimizing the amount of debris that reaches the screen.

In a non limiting example the ratio of cup diameter to height is determined by ISO standard ISO 15876-3. From ISO 15886-3:2012: For collector design, the height of a collector shall be at least twice the maximum depth of the water collected during the test, but not less than 150 mm. The collectors shall have a circular opening with sharp edges free from deformities. The diameter shall be between 1/2 to 1 times the height, but not less than 85 mm. Fig.3 shows the height (H) of the collector, its diameter (D) and the height of the water (h), as defined by ISO 15876-3.

Water, typically from a sprinkler, falls into the water collector ( 100 ) and is collected there. From the water collector ( 100 ), it passes to a water storage volume ( 260 ) in the main body ( 200 ). At the bottom of the water storage volume ( 260 ) is an automatic, computer-controlled tap or pump ( 280 ) to control passage of water from the storage volume ( 260 ) through the tap ( 290 ) and into the soil.

Also connected to the water storage volume ( 260 ), preferably also at the bottom thereof, is a narrow water outlet (1-3 mm inside diameter) in fluid communication with an air duct ( 230 ) that is closed at the top; the air duct is preferably substantially vertical. At the top of the air duct ( 230 ) is a sensor ( 210 ) configured to measure the water level in the water storage volume. This method protects the water level sensor ( 210 ) and increases its lifetime, by minimizing or eliminating contact between the water level sensor and the water. It is well known in the art that water and chemicals such as agricultural chemicals in water can damage or block water level sensors.

The catchment device can comprise sensors, such as, but not limited to, a water level sensor for measurement of the water level in the storage volume (volume concept) or the change of water volume per time (flow rate concept), or measuring the weight of water or change of the weight of water per time, (or any other known concept) a moisture sensor for measuring soil moisture, a pH sensor, a soil oxygen sensor, and a light sensor.

Sensor data are transmitted to a remote app or remote processor, where they are analyzed. The results of the analysis can be transmitted to a user, stored, and used to control activation of the pump or valve.

The main body can comprise a pH sensor, an electrical conductivity sensor (TDS or EC), and any combination thereof. The sensors can be configured to measure properties of the soil, of the water, and any combination thereof.

The main body ( 200 ) comprises a transmitter-receiver ( 210 ) and can also comprise a processor. The transmitter-receiver ( 210 ) is configured to transmit sensor reading(s) to one or more remote processors, as disclosed below. The soil properties, water properties and any combination thereof, as determined from the sensor readings, can be used to determine functioning for each sprinkler individually. For non-limiting example, the processor can determine, for each individual sprinkler, how much water is pumped from the water storage volume to the soil, how much of one or more agricultural chemicals is added to the water, which agricultural chemical(s) are added to the water, and any combination thereof. The remote processor is configured to transmit control commands to each of the sprinklers, so that the amount of water or agricultural chemical dispensed need not be the same for any pair of sprinklers.

Power for the pump, sensors, processor (if present) and transmitter-receiver may be provided by a battery ( 270 ). The battery can be of any conventional type, single use, rechargeable solar cell, or any combination thereof.

Preferably, the catchment device also comprises an on/off switch (not shown).

When a plurality of catchment devices are emplaced for use, after they have been turned on, they will automatically connect electronically, automatically generating a wireless communication net. As disclosed below, a single master catchment device will be, wirelessly or by cable, connected to a transmitter-receiver and, in some embodiments, a processor; all communication with the remote processor(s) is via the master catchment device . This enables the catchment devices to communicate via low-power transmitter-receivers, thus minimizing the power needed to keep the catchment devices in communication with the remote processor(s).

The system can accept input, via the remote processor(s), as to the system configuration, comprising a number of catchment devices s, a distance between catchment devcies , a configuration of a field (length, width, shape), a desired soil moisture level, a desired soil chemical level, or any combination thereof. Preferably, the system is configured to provide an alert if one or more inputs is likely to generate an improper irrigation process.

Typically, communication will be via a 3G network. However, other network protocols such as, but not limited to, 4G or 5G, can be used. Communication is preferably in real time.

Fig.4 schematically illustrates the communication and control system of the present invention. A plurality of catchment devices ( 10 ) are distributed in a field. They are in wireless communication ( 12 ) with each other and with a master communicator ( 121 ). The preferred communication network is a mesh network, a local area network topology in which the infrastructure nodes (i.e. bridges, switches, and other infrastructure devices) connect directly, dynamically and non-hierarchically to as many other nodes as possible and cooperate with one another to efficiently route data to and from each other. The master communicator ( 121 ) which can be mounted to a master catchment device or can be a separate unit, is in wired communication with a long-distance transmitter-receiver ( 122 ). The long-distance transmitter-receiver ( 122 ) communicates via the cloud ( 123 ) or via any other conventional communication means with a processor ( 124 ), which can be in a laptop, in a handheld device, or any other conventional processing means.

All of the catchment devices except the master communicator, which is connected by wire to the network, are in wireless communication with each other and all of the catchment devices and the master communicator connect to each other automatically. The preferred technology for communication is the mesh network technology.

Mesh technology • A mesh network is a type of network topology in which each node serves as both a source of information and a relay for messages transmitted between its neighbors. The MESH network relies on the readiness of each node to transmit messages for other nodes in order to maintain the network connectivity. The Internet is actually built in the MESH topology with each router being a part of it.

• The mesh network can operate using a message overflow mechanism or a message routing mechanism. In the routing method, a message spreads along the path, by skipping from node to node to its destination. In order to maintain the ability to send a message to any node on the network, the routing algorithm must constantly monitor the condition of all ribs in the network and know how to bypass ribs that have been found to be broken or blocked. In the flooding method, any message received by a router is retransmitted in its vicinity. A counter that is part of the message itself is reduced on each retransmission in order to prevent infinite transmission of the message and in fact determines the radius of spread of the message from its source of creation - assuming the destination node at the small distance blocks the number of retransmissions.

Advantages of the mesh network technology comprise: • Only one unit needs to be wiredly connected to the network. All other units are wirelessly connected to the network.

• Load plots and routing of the information are done by a number of units and do not load a single access point.

• In the event of a fault or load on one access point, the network knows how to skip it and route the information through other units.

• Network routing is dynamic and the network can route the information in the most efficient way.

• Since routing is dynamic and rerouting around a faulty or overloaded access point is automatic, the network is self healing; failure of one or a few access points does not cause failure of the network.

In some embodiments, wireless communication between the catchment devices is by means of a Bluetooth protocol, although any convention local area network (LAN) protocol can be used. The distance between catchment devices is limited by the sidewards flow of water in the soil and by the reception range of the Bluetooth (or other LAN protocol).

Bluetooth's reception range is divided into three levels according to energy consumption in milliwatts and loudness in decibels, measured in milliwatts (dBm). Table I summarizes the reception range in meters supported by Bluetooth up to version 5.

Table I Reception Range in Meters Supported by Bluetooth up to Version Properties Bluetooth BR/EDR Bluetooth low consumption Before version 4.1 Version 4.1 or higher Before version 4.Version 4.2 or higher RF physical channel channels with 1 MHz gain 40 channels with 2 MHz gain Discovery/ Connection request/browse Inquiry Number of Piconet channels active out of 255 Unlimited Device address privacy Not available Privacy available maximum rate 1-3 megabytes per second 1 Mbps in GFSK modulation Conjugation Algorithm Before Version 2.1: E21/E22/SAFER+ Versions 2.1 to 4.0: Elliptic curve P-192/HMAC-SHA-2 Elliptic curve P-256 with HMAC-SHA-2 AES-1 Elliptic curve P-256 with AES-CMAC Device authentication algorithm E1 / SAFER+ AES-CCM AES-CCM encryption algorithm E1 / SAFER+ AES-CCM AES-CCM Reception range Up to 30 m Up to 50 m maximum energy 100 milliwatts (20 dBm) 10 milliwatts (10 dBm) The data arrives to application in cellular phone or to a software in a computer. Online calculations findings, conclusions, and suggestions can be provided and transmitted to users.

The data can be fed to a cloud server to be saved creating a database.

The data arrives to a cell phone application or to software in a computer in the form of online calculations, conclusions and recommendations. In some embodiments of the invention, the system is configured to store data in a cloud based database.

An efficient irrigation system is characterized by:  Supplying a desired amount of water to each irrigation point. The amount of water delivered to the irrigation points need not be the same, as the desired outcome is to have all portions of the soil receiving the same application rate mm/hr  Supplying the water to the irrigation points at the right time, so as to maintain receiving the same application rate mm/hr  Delivering an accurately-determined amount of fertilizer to each irrigation point. In some embodiments, the amount of fertilizer depends on the soil characteristics at the irrigation point. In some embodiments, the amount of fertilizer depends on a predetermined determination of a needed amount of fertilizer for a field. In some embodiments, a combination of dependence on soil characteristics at one or more irrigation points and dependence on an averaged needed amount of fertilizer is used.

By using efficient irrigation, a, high yield and high -quality crop can be generated while, at the same time optimizing the amount of water and fertilizer used and reducing the labor needed, thus saving money (on labor, water and fertilizer) and reducing the stress on the environment caused by the farming practices.

Efficient irrigation involves not only the amount of delivered water, but also the size and intensity of the droplets.

High-intensity droplet fall can cause generation of a crust at the surface of the soil, restricting development of the young shoots after germination. High intensity droplets can also cause splash of sand, pesticides and fertilizers; splash of pesticides and fertilizers onto leaves and shoots can harm the crop.

Low kinetic energy droplets have less impact and can prevent damage to the plant and the soil, enabling higher yield, and better quality and quantity crops.

A low irrigation rate on the order of 3-5 mm per hour allows for good movement of the water to the side inside the root ball, thereby ensuring that all roots are in contact with the moisture, thus generating an optimal environment at the root ball for the supply of water and nutrients to the plant.

Uniformity of distribution is also of importance. Non-uniform distribution of water can result in:  An uneven amount of water in the soil, which can damage the crop reducing both its quality and its quantity.  An uneven distribution of fertilizer in the soil, which can damage the crop, reducing both its quality and its quantity.  If the water distribution is too uneven during the germination phase, there can be widespread failure to grow, from failure to germinate due to underwatering and rot due to overwatering, resulting in loss of most or all of the crop.

However, if a problem of uneven distribution is detected soon enough, then all of the above can be corrected in real time.

Three factors are typically used to determine a watering schedule, the Christiansen coefficient of uniformity (CU), the distribution uniformity (DU) and the scheduling coefficient (SC).

The Christiansen coefficient of uniformity (CU)is calculated as: ?? = 100% (1 −Average Deviation from the Average Depth of Application Overall Average Depth of Application) where CU is expressed as a percent. The average deviation from the average depth of application is calculated by averaging the absolute values of the differences between each of the individual depths and the average depth.

The distribution uniformity (DU) in irrigation is a measure of how uniformly water is applied. DU is calculated as the ratio of the depth measured in the low quarter of the irrigated area to the overall average depth applied: ?? = 100%Average Low Quarter Depth of ApplicationOverall Average Depth of Application where DU is expressed as a percent. The average low quarter depth is determined by inspecting the data collected and calculating the average of the smallest 1/4 of the measured depths. The overall average is the arithmetic average of all of the catch can data.

The scheduling Coefficient relates to the uniformity of coverage and how to operate the system to adequately irrigate the entire area. It indicates the amount of extra watering time needed to adequately irrigate the driest areas. The scheduling coefficient (SC) is a run time multiplier. The average depth of the application is divided by the single low "dry window" or lowest depth or volume to tell the grower how much extra water must be applied (over-irrigation) to ensure the dry area is wetted enough.

Fig. 5 illustrates an exemplary embodiment of a method of use for the system. In this embodiment, the method comprises steps of: 1. Selecting a field and setting up the criteria and desired irrigation parameters for a watering cycle for a field. The criteria and parameters are provided as preprogrammed or processed by AI and/or by the software, using terminology that the user, typically a farmer, will be familiar with so that the farmer can input desired parameters 2. Inserting the catchment devices in the field in the desired distribution pattern and activating all of the sprinklers. Activation can be manual or electronic. Activation of the sprinklers automatically connects them to the controller. 3. Starting watering of the field , and launching the app , thereby controlling the sprinklers by the processor. 4. The system does a tare for each of the catchment devices , measuring the water level in each catchment device and, in some embodiments, the moisture level in the soil. The amount of water in each catchment device is automatically measured and is transmitted to the controller.

The tare is continuously measured for the duration of the watering.

. The software: A. Measures the real amount of water in every catchment B. Calculates the CU irrigation efficiency. The first value is typically obtained after minutes; time for the first value can be in a range from 1 minute to 10 minutes.

C. Calculates the CU irrigation efficiency.

D. DU E. May calculate SC F. Provides recommendations and/or decisions on whether to continue irrigation / fertilization.

G. Adds or subtract programmed watering time.

H. Provides sensor readings, and graphs (eg pH TDS etc. such as but not limited to, readings of PH and TDS or EC, soil moisture, amount of light, soil oxygen level and any combination thereof for the farmer to compare and support decisions I. Stores, displays and any combination thereof of the results, the sensor reading(s) and any combination thereof.

J. Prepares stores and sends report during the growing season (can be used as marketing and distribution information). 6. At the end of the watering, the system is shut down, either manually or automatically.

Figs. 6A-B, 7A-B and 8A-B are illustrative examples of even ( Figs. 7A-B ) and uneven ( Figs. 8A- B ) distribution of water. Fig. 6A illustrates the water distribution profile of a sprinkler at a recommended working pressure. Fig. 7A illustrates the distance between four sprinklers. Fig. 7B illustrates the even water distribution when working at a recommended working pressure.

Fig. 6Billustrates the water distribution profile of a sprinkler at a low and non-recommended working pressure. Fig. 8A illustrates the distance between four sprinklers. Fig. 8B illustrates the uneven water distribution when working at a non-recommended working pressure.

Figs. 7Aand 8A show the flow patterns in the soil, while Figs. 7Band 8B show the amount of soil water.

For Figs. 7and 8 , the desired values of CU, DU and SC are: [CU%] > 90% [DU%] > 80% [SC] <= 1.

In Fig. 7A-B , the calculated values of CU, DU and SC are: [CU%] = 95% [DU%] = 92% [SC] = 1.

These values are within the desired ranges, and, as seen in Fig. 7B , the distribution is very even.

However, in Fig. 8A-B , the calculated values of CU, DU and SC are: [CU%] = 79% [DU%] = 58% [SC] = 4.

These values are significantly outside the desired ranges and the distribution is notably uneven, as seen in Fig. 8B .

In addition, in Fig. 8A-B , the pressure has dropped to just 2 bar; The radius of throw is short and does not cover the required area combined with wind speed above 16 km/hr can strongly affect the distribution, as discussed below.

Fig. 9A-Cschematically illustrates calculating the irrigation parameters. Fig. 9A illustrates the amount of precipitation rate in mm/hr as a function of distance from a sprinkler Fig. 9B illustrates the amount of water from each of the four sprinklers in the four corners of the square (circles 1, 2, 3, and 4). For a point A in the square area between the sprinklers, the distance of Point A from each of the sprinklers is: Distance from Sprinkler 1 = √(1) + 3= √10 = 3.2? Distance from Sprinkler 2 = √(9) + 3= √90 = 9.5? Distance from Sprinkler 3 = √(9) + 7= √130 = 11.4? Distance from Sprinkler 4 = √(1) + 7= √50 = 7.1? The precipitation rate at point A from each of the sprinklers is: Precipitation rate from Sprinkler 1 = 3.0 mm/Hr Precipitation rate from Sprinkler 2 = 0 mm/Hr Precipitation rate from Sprinkler 3 = 0 mm/Hr Precipitation rate from Sprinkler 4 = 1.6 mm/Hr Therefore, the total amount of water reaching point A from the four sprinklers is 3.0 + 0 + 0 + 1.6 = 4.6 mm/Hr Therefore, a table ( Fig. 9C ) can be generated, showing the amount of water reaching each point in the area between a set of sprinklers, in this exemplary table, the area between four sprinklers at the corners of a square. It should be noted that the number of sprinklers need not be four and the area need not be square; it can be triangular, pentagonal or other polygonal. However, there will be a sprinkler at each vertex of the polygon. It is also presumed that no water from sprinklers external to the polygon reaches a point within the polygon.

In the table shown in Fig. 9C , the area is 10m X 10m, or 100 m; there is a measurement every 0.25 m, so that the table provides 40X40 =1600 points within the square where values of precipitation per hour have been calculated.

Returning to Christiansen's coefficient of uniformity, the Uniformity Coefficient (CU) is an estimate of the uniformity of the sprinkler pattern based on an average of the entire area.

CU (%) = (1-D/M) X 100% If an area is being wetted by rain, then M, the mean application of water to the area, is: M = (1/n) ΣXi (Mean) = 4.0 mm/Hr The average absolute deviation from the mean, D, is: D = (1/n) Σ|Xi-M| (Average of Deviation from Mean) = 0 (Rain) where Xi = Individual Application Amounts M = Mean Application (Total Average) n = Number of Individual Application Amounts so that, for rain, CU is CU% = (1-0/4.0) X 100% = 100% On the other hand, an example of CU if the water is coming from sprinklers or other water sources, rather than from rain.

For the same the mean application of water to the area, M: M = (1/n) ΣXi (Mean) = 4.0 mm/Hr The average absolute deviation from the mean, D, is: D = (1/n) Σ|Xi-M| (Average of Div. from Mean) = 0.65 mm/Hr And CU becomes CU% = (1-0.65/4.0) X 100% = 83.7% In an open field, it is typically desired that CU be greater than 90%.

Returning to DU, the Low Quarter Distribution Uniformity, DU (%) = (L / M) X 100% where L = Average of the lower 25% of the total numbers in pattern M = Mean Application (Average of total numbers in pattern) In an open field, it is typically desired that DU>= For non-limiting example, for: L = 3.2 mm/Hr (Average of lower 400 numbers) M = 4.0 mm/Hr (Average of total 1600 numbers) then DU (%) = (L / M) X 100% = (3.2/4.0) X 100% = 80% In other words, 25% of the area gets 20% less than average amount of water.

Returning to the scheduling coefficient, SC, the scheduling coefficient is always greater than 1.

Fig. 10 shows an example of a location where the amount of deposited water is low. The arrow points to the squares marking the driest windows, namely the windows with lowest average of deposited water. In this driest window area, the average amount of deposited water, W, is 3.mm/hr. Therefore, the SC is 4.0/3.4, or 1.2. Therefore, in this area, the soil receives 20% less water than the mean of the rest of the field and that area needs to have 20% more watering time in order to receive the same amount of water as the rest of the field.

Another option is to change the average deposition rate, by increasing the deposition rate from one or more of the corner catchment devices, by reducing the spacing between two or more of the catchment devices, or by changing the watering profile of one or more of the corner catchment devices.

By examining the deposition table, either manually or automatically and preferably automatically, the spacing of the sprinklers can be determined and dry areas fixed.

Typically, the windows occupy 1% to 10% of the area of the field. Table II shows typical values for the window size for different types of waterable area.

Table II Typical Window Sizes for Different Types of Waterable Area Type of Watered Area Window Size Example SC for 100 m Area Open field 10% 10 m Greenhouse 5% 5 m GH Holland 1% 1 m Fig. 1 1 shows an input screen for the system. On this input screen, the sprinkler locations are in the four corners and the locations within the area are indicated by the deposition rate from the sprinklers at each location.

Fig. 12A shows the deposition rates and their average, 68.33, while Fig. 12B shows the deviation from the average at each location, well as the grand average of the deviations, 3.98. From these, as shown in Fig. 12C , the CU can be determined to by 94.2%, which is less than 1.

For the same input as in Fig. 11 , Fig. 13A-Cshows an exemplary calculation of the DU. Fig. 13Ashows deposition rates, with the lowest 25% of the deposition rates circled, and the average of all the deposition rates, 68.33. Fig. 13B shows the lowest 25% of the deposition rates only, and the average of the lowest 25%, 62.333. From these, ( Fig. 13C ), the DU is calculated to be 91.2%.

Wind also affects the deposition rates in a field. Fig. 14A-C schematically illustrates the effect of wind. If there is no wind ( Fig. 14A ), the sprinklers have oval deposition patterns, overlapping significantly in a lateral direction and overlapping slightly in a direction perpendicular to the lateral direction.

As shown in Fig. 14B , if the wind is parallel to the lateral direction, the ovals are elongated so that there is more overlap in the lateral direction, but no overlap in the perpendicular direction.

As shown in Fig. 14C , the wind is perpendicular to the lateral direction, the ovals are widened, reducing the overlap in the lateral direction and increasing it in the perpendicular direction.

Table III illustrates the effect of wind velocity on uniformity and on the spacing of the sprinklers. As can be seen, the greater the wind velocity, the closer together the sprinklers need to be.

Wind Velocity Effect on uniformity Max. Spacing between Sprinklers Rectangular Spacing No Wind – 6 km/h – 13 km/h – 16 km/h Above 16 km/h No effect Small effect Big effect Very big effect ----- 60% of wetted diameter 50% of wetted diameter 40% of wetted diameter 30% of wetted diameter Not recommended Triangular Spacing No Wind – 6 km/h – 13 km/h – 16 km/h Above 16 km/h No effect Small effect Big effect Very big effect ----- 65% of wetted diameter 55% of wetted diameter 45% of wetted diameter 35% of wetted diameter Not recommended ABSTRACT A system and method for watering a field comprising a plurality of catchment devices a master communicator in wired or wireless communication with a long-distance transmitter/receiver and in wireless communication with a local area network; and at least one processor in electronic communication with said long-distance transmitter/receiver, said processor configured to accept input of field, sprinkler and catchment device properties and sprinkler and catchment device locations, to calculate a watering protocol for the field. 25

Claims (10)

CLAIMS:

1. A system for watering a field comprising a plurality of catchment devices , each of said plurality of catchment devices comprising: at the top, a funneling water collector; a main body below the conical water collector, the main body comprising: a water storage volume in fluid communication with the conical water collector and with or without a tap, the tap allowing water to exit the each of said plurality of catchment devices, the tap controllable by a valve; a water height sensor narrow, air-filled tube in fluid communication at its lower end with a lower end of the water storage volume and in fluid communication at its upper end with a water level sensor; a local area network transmitter/receiver; and a battery configured to supply power to the local area network transmitter/receiver and the water level sensor; or solar or direct connection by power cable a stake at the bottom configured to hold the each of said plurality of catchment devices vertical in the soil; a master communicator in wired or wireless communication with a long-distance transmitter/receiver and in wireless communication with a local area network; and at least one processor in electronic communication with said long-distance transmitter/receiver, said processor configured to accept input of field, sprinkler and catchment device properties and sprinkler and catchment device locations, to calculate a watering protocol for the field, said watering protocol comprising at least one member selected from a group consisting of a water flow rate from said each of said plurality of catchment devices or rate of change of said each of said plurality of catchment devices , a duration of said watering protocol, or a distribution pattern for said plurality of catchment devices ; and to modify said watering protocol based on a measured parameter of a property of at least one location in said field; said at least one processor further configured to display and to store at least one parameter selected from a group consisting of said duration of watering, said distribution pattern, said flow rate, said water level, said wind speed, or any combination thereof; further wherein said system is configured to evaluate and control water to the soil such that, by the end of a watering session, soil in different locations in the field comprise 23 equal amounts of water application rate.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said valve is controllable manually, electronically, or any combination thereof.

3. The system of claim 1, additionally comprising a sensor selected from a group consisting of a pH sensor, a light sensor, a conductivity sensor, a moisture sensor, a soil oxygen sensor, or any combination thereof.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein said sensor is configured to measure at least one property of a member of a group consisting of the water, the soil or any combination thereof.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the battery is further configured to power said sensor.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said field properties comprise at least one member selected from a group consisting of wind speed, field dimensions, soil pH at least one location in the field, soil moisture at least one location in the field, soil conductivity at at least one location in the field, or soil density at least one location in the field.

7. The system of claim 1 comprising a cell phone application or computer software configured for online calculations, conclusions and recommendations

8. The system of claim 7 wherein said system is configured to store data in a cloud based database.

9. A method for watering a field comprising steps of obtaining said system of claim 1 and operating said system and any embodiment thereof.

10. The method of claim 9 comprising steps of calculating a watering protocol for said field, said watering protocol comprising at least one member selected from a group consisting of a water flow rate from said each of said plurality of catchment devices or rate of change of said each of said plurality of catchment devices, a duration of said watering protocol, or a distribution pattern for said plurality of catchment devices; and modifying said watering protocol based on a measured parameter of a property of at least one location in said field; configuring said at least one processor to display and to store at least one parameter selected from the group consisting of said duration of watering, said distribution pattern, said flow rate, said rate of change of said flow rate said water level, said wind speed, or any combination thereof;