(12) United States Patent
`US 6,337,971 B1
`(10) Patent N0.:
`Abts
`
`(45) Date of Patent: *Jan. 8, 2002
`
`U5006337971B1
`
`OTHER PUBLICATIONS
`
`(54) SYSTEM FOR CONTROLLING AND
`MONITORING AGRICULTURAL FIELD
`EQUIPMENT AND METHOD
`
`(76)
`
`Inventor:
`
`Gerald L. Ahts, 567 Steele St., Denver,
`CO (US) 80206
`
`(*) Notice:
`
`This patent issued on a continued pros-
`ecution application filed under 37 CFR
`1.53(d), and is subject to the twenty year
`patent
`term provisions of 35 U.S.C.
`154(a)(2).
`
`Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this
`patent is extended or adjusted under 35
`U.S.C. 154(b) by 9 days.
`
`.
`
`. ”,
`
`.
`
`. ”, p. 22, Jan.
`
`Sensing and Control, Inc., “Flexible Pivot Automation .
`Sep. 27, 1995.
`Lockwood Corporation, “Lockwood Electronic Automated
`Panel,” Sep. 5, 1991.
`Irrigation Advances, “Voice from Pivots .
`1992.
`Valley, “C:A:M:S Base Station,” Dec. 1992.
`Valmont Industries, Inc., “New High—Tech Tool
`Summer 1996, p. 4.
`Lindsay Manufacturing Co., “Introducing RiMAC,” Jan.
`1990.
`Irrigation Advances, “Irrigation is Automatic .
`1994, pp. 12714.
`Reinke Irrigation Systems, Inc., “Master Control,” Dec.
`1995, p. 10.#jf139##
`
`.
`
`.
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`.
`
`,”
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`.
`
`. ,” Spring
`
`(21) Appl. No: 08/950,323
`
`(22)
`
`Filed:
`
`Oct. 14, 1997
`
`Primary Extmtincr—William Cumming
`(74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Dorr, Carson, Sloan &
`Birney, RC.
`
`(51)
`
`Int. Cl.7 .................................................. H04Q 7/14
`
`(57)
`
`ABSTRACT
`
`(52) US. Cl.
`
`................................ 455/31.1; 340/310.01;
`454/256; 331/65
`(58) Field of Search ................................ 455/311, 256;
`340/3101; 331/65; 119/498
`
`(56)
`
`References Cited
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`3,289,165 A
`4,396,149 A
`4,477,809 A
`4,602,340 A *
`4,626,984 A
`4,856,047 A
`4,899,934 A
`4,962,522 A
`5,146,216 A
`5,182,553 A *
`5,194,860 A
`5,246,164 A
`5,255,857 A
`
`
`
`11/1966 Hawley et a1.
`............. 340/151
`8/1983 Hirsch ......
`239/63
`
`340/825.54
`10/1984 Bose .....
`
`7/1986 Appelberg
`340310.01
`12/1986 Unruh et a]
`. 364/132
`8/1989 Saunders ..
`379/57
`2/1990 Krisle
`........... 239/1
`10/1990 Marian .......................... 379/5
`9/1992 DeLuca et al.
`340/825.52
`
`1/1993 Kung ..........
`340/825.44
`
`340/37002
`3/1993 Jones et al.
`
`
`9/1993 McCann et a1.
`239/11
`.......................... 239/731
`10/1993 Hunt
`
`Apager system for monitoring the operation of a plurality of
`controllers in each one of a plurality of agricultural field
`equipment in a group. Aplurality of sensors are provided at
`each location of agricultural field equipment wherein a
`sensor connects through an isolation device to one of the
`controllers for issuing a status signal corresponding to the
`present status of the connected controller. Whenever the
`status of a controller changes,
`the remote terminal unit
`immediately transmits the changed status symbol as well as
`the status of the other sensors to a central control computer.
`The central control computer analyzes the transmitted status
`signals for generating a changed status paging message and
`delivers the changed status paging message, identifying the
`agricultural field equipment having the changed status, as
`well as the unchanged status messages from all remaining
`agricultural field equipment in the group. The paging mes-
`sages are delivered to a pager held by an operator at a remote
`location with the changed status paging message marked so
`that the operator can identify which piece of agricultural
`field equipment had its status changed.
`
`(List continued on next page.)
`
`19 Claims, 7 Drawing Sheets
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`Lindsay Corporation
`IPR2015—01039
`
`Exhibit 1008 - 1
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`Lindsay Corporation
`IPR2015-01039
`
`Exhibit 1008 - 1
`
`

`

`US 6,337,971 B1
`
`Page 2
`
`US. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`5,339,051 A +
`5379030 A
`5,438,329 A
`5,488,817 A *
`5,530,438 A *
`
`8/1994 Koehler 61 al.
`.331/65
`
`
`1/1995 Nolan er a1
`240,82; 03
`8/1995 Gastouuiotisetal. .. 340/870.02
`.. 56/102R
`2/1996 Paqucl ct a1~
`
`....... 340652534
`6/1990 Bickham e1 31.
`
`5,596,315 A *
`5.631.635 A 1
`_’
`’
`5,706,211 A *
`5708781 A "
`579177405 A ’1‘
`5924924 A 1
`
`............. 340/82503
`1/1997 Oldsetal.
`1 1. 340/82541
`5/1997 R h
`1
`0 67m" C a
`
`........... 340/3111
`1/1998 Beletlc 61211.
`
`”1998 011351116“
`340/8544
`6/1999 Joao ...............
`340/426
`7/1999 Richardson ................. 454/256
`
`Llndsay Corporatlon
`IPR2015—01039
`
`Exhlblt 1008 - 2
`
`Lindsay Corporation
`IPR2015-01039
`
`Exhibit 1008 - 2
`
`

`

`US. Patent
`
`Jan. 8,2002
`
`Sheet 1 of 7
`
`US 6,337,971 B1
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`
`
`Lindsay Corporation
`IPR2015—01039
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`Exhibit 1008 - 3
`
`Lindsay Corporation
`IPR2015-01039
`
`Exhibit 1008 - 3
`
`

`

`US. Patent
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`Lindsay Corporation
`IPR2015—01039
`
`Exhibit 1008 - 4
`
`Lindsay Corporation
`IPR2015-01039
`
`Exhibit 1008 - 4
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`

`

`US. Patent
`
`Jan. 8,2002
`
`Sheet 3 of 7
`
`US 6,337,971 B1
`
`Fig. 3
`
`300
`
`Customer Information
`
`Max. Retrys.
`
`3
`
`Customer.
`
`Gerry Abts 4400
`
`4 40b
`
`440C
`
`440d
`
`CELLAR CONTROL
`
`Lindsay Corporation
`IPR2015—01039
`
`Exhibit 1008 - 5
`
`Lindsay Corporation
`IPR2015-01039
`
`Exhibit 1008 - 5
`
`

`

`US. Patent
`
`Jan. 8,2002
`
`Sheet 4 of 7
`
`US 6,337,971 B1
`
`Fig. 5
`
`05 Gerry Abts
`
`©0090 |32
`
`540
`
`10/30/96
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`550
`
`W No Radio Contact
`
`Wet, Pivot Stopped
`
`On Dry
`
`Lindsay Corporation
`IPR2015—01039
`
`Exhibit 1008 - 6
`
`Lindsay Corporation
`IPR2015-01039
`
`Exhibit 1008 - 6
`
`

`

`US. Patent
`
`Jan. 8,2002
`
`Sheet 5 of 7
`
`US 6,337,971 B1
`
`700
`
`710
`
`720
`
`730
`
`715
`
`TRANSMIT
`\ STATUS SIGNAL
`
`
`
`
`RECEIVE
`STATUS SIGNAL
`
`
`
`
`
`GENERATE
`
`STATUS PAGING
`MESSAGES
`
`
`740
`
`ANALYZE
`STATUS SIGNAL
`
`750
`
`760
`
` DELIVER
`STATUS PAGING
`
`MESSAGES
`
`770
`
`
`
`
`
`DISPLAY
`STATUS PAGING
`MESSAGES
`
`Fig. 7
`
`Lindsay Corporation
`IPR2015—01039
`
`Exhibit 1008 - 7
`
`Lindsay Corporation
`IPR2015-01039
`
`Exhibit 1008 - 7
`
`

`

`US. Patent
`
`Jan. 8,2002
`
`Sheet 6 of 7
`
`US 6,337,971 B1
`
`800
`
`
` ISSUE
`COMMAND
`
`SIGNAL
`
`
`
`81°
`
`
`DELIVER COMMAND
`SIGNAL
`
`820
`
` TRANSMIT
`COMMAND SIGNAL
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`COMMAND
`OPERATION
`
`830
`
`To Step 700
`in
`Fig. 7
`
`Fig. 8
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`Lindsay Corporation
`IPR2015—01039
`
`Exhibit 1008 - 8
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`Lindsay Corporation
`IPR2015-01039
`
`Exhibit 1008 - 8
`
`

`

`US. Patent
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`Jan. 8,2002
`
`Sheet 7 of 7
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`US 6,337,971 B1
`
`900
`
`910
`
`920
`
`930
`
`
`
`ISSUE
`DISABLE
`SIGNAL
`
`DELIVER DISABLE
`SIGNAL
`
`RECEIVE DISABLE
`SIGNAL
`
`TRANSMIT DISABLE
`SIGNAL
`
`940\ DISABLE OPERATION
`
`950
`
`960
`
`970
`
`980
`
`ISSUE ENABLE
`SIGNAL
`
`DELIVER
`ENABLE SIGNAL
`
`Fig. 9
`————
`
`RECEIVE
`ENABLE SIGNAL
`
`990
`
`TRANSMIT
`ENABLE SIGNAL
`
`ENABLE
`
`OPERATION
`
`Lindsay Corporation
`IPR2015—01039
`
`Exhibit 1008 - 9
`
`Lindsay Corporation
`IPR2015-01039
`
`Exhibit 1008 - 9
`
`

`

`US 6,337,971 B1
`
`1
`SYSTEM FOR CONTROLLING AND
`MONITORING AGRICULTURAL FIELD
`EQUIPMENT AND METHOD
`RELATED INVENTION
`
`This application claims the benefit of “PivaTracTM For
`Controlling and Monitoring Irrigation and Other Field
`Equipment Using Two-Way Radio Telemetry, Single Com-
`puters and Telephone Pagers," Disclosure Document No,
`383437 filed Oct. 16, 1995, and claims the benefit of US,
`Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/030,272 filed Nov. 1,
`1996.
`
`10
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`
`1. Field of the Invention
`
`The invention relates to systems for controlling and
`monitoring agricultural field equipment such as irrigation
`pivots and potato storage cellars.
`2. Statement of the Problem
`
`Aneed exists to provide two-way remote communication
`between agriculture field equipment such as pivot irrigation
`systems and a mobile operator such as a farmer in a truck to
`report the status of the equipment and to provide command
`control over it, This is especially true when a farmer (or
`pivot irrigator) manages a large number of pivots (e.g., with
`a 20-mile radius). Pivot irrigation systems require frequent
`setup changes in response to weather changes, and since
`breakdowns are common, to confirm that they are running
`While many conventional systems provide a central control
`computer (or base station) to report on the status of the
`equipment and to execute command signals, a need exists to
`immediately provide similar in formation to a mobile opera—
`tor (such as a farmer in a truck) remote from the central
`control computer.
`A number of prior patented approaches exist in the pivot
`irrigation technology. US. Pat. No. 4,396,149 (Hirsch)
`discloses an irrigation control apparatus using soil moisture
`sensors connected to a radio transmission apparatus located
`on the upper portion of the irrigation mast for continuously
`ransmitting data concerning the status of soil moisture. A
`armer obtains reports from a telephone or radio. The data
`rom the moisture sensors (or a weather station) are deliv-
`ered to a
`remote computer such as through radio
`ransmission, which processes the data and in turn commu—
`nicates it to the farmer.
`US. Pat. No. 4,899,934 issued to Krisle sets forth a sensor
`on a pivot irrigation system for monitoring stoppage of the
`Jivots. When stoppage is detected, a radio transmitter at the
`3ivot delivers a signal to a remote receiver or beeper carried
`3y the farmer. When stoppage of the pivot or angular
`displacement of sections of the pivot occurs, a signal is
`generated which is delivered to a radio transmitter at the
`oivot for transmitting a signal to a detached signal receiver
`or beeper carried by the farmer.
`US. Pat. No. 4,856,047 issued to Saunders teaches an
`automated remote telemetry paging system where operators
`carrying remote pagers are notified of alarms at a specilic
`site location. The operator carrying the pager can take
`appropriate repair or corrective action to remedy the alarm
`situation. In the ’047 patent, the status of the monitored
`functions is continuously monitored every 26 microseconds.
`The input status values are compared against a reference
`field stored in memory and if a deviation occurs, an alarm is
`issued to the remote pager identifying the location with the
`alarm.
`
`
`
`30
`
`L»’J\
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`40
`
`45
`
`50
`
`anan
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`60
`
`65
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`2
`US. Pat. No. 4,962,522 issued to Marian provides a pager
`at each pivot to receive command signals from a remote
`phone to control activities at the pivot. A farmer at a phone
`in a vehicle calls a paging station and enters an identification
`code and a message. The message is delivered to the pager
`at the irrigation site, is decoded, and causes a function to
`occur at the site (such as to increase watering or to decrease
`watering).
`US. Pat. No. 5,255,857 issued to Hunt sets forth use of a
`master control computer at each pivot, which communicates
`to a central computer. The central computer monitors the
`pivot and allows the operator to program the system. The
`computer at the pivot may be controlled by a radio device
`such as a VHF transmitter or a cellular telephone system.
`Hunt provides an operational personal computer-based irri—
`gation network facility so as to provide complete irrigation
`management. This allows management from any location on
`the farm or elsewhere. The personal computer displays the
`current status of all pivots in the network and allows any
`settings to be changed.
`US. Pat. No. 4,626,984 issued to Unruh discloses a
`central computer for monitoring control in a number of
`pivots. In an alternate embodiment of Unruh, a portable base
`unit could be separately transported by the farmer to input
`and monitor each intelligent remote unit. Hence, a farmer
`can,
`through a portable base unit, directly control and
`monitor the intelligent remote control at a pivot or pivots.
`U.S. Pat. No. 5,146,216 to DeLuca et al., permits a pager
`to receive a graphic address command to display on the
`pager a desired graphic.
`A number of prior commercially available systems for
`managing irrigation pivots are also available. Valmont
`Industries, Inc, sells a computer-aided management system,
`which includes a radio telemetry package, located at the
`irrigation pivot to provide two—way communication via a
`radio link to a remote central computer. The remote central
`computer enables the farmer to change all system operations
`from his ollice. Up to 100 pivols operate from one remote
`computer. The remote computer is interrogated by the cen—
`tral computer to obtain status changes for direction, running
`condition (run/stop), speed, water depth, and whether
`chemical is being applied. Communication range is a line of
`sight communication up to 15 miles and provides monitor-
`ing and control 24 hours per day. In the case of an alarm, an
`auto-dialer for the farm’s two-way radio can be used to alert
`remote individuals. Valmont offers the Valley Remote Link
`which provides 24 hour control via a cellular phone, busi-
`ness band radio, or touch-tone phone. This allows the farmer
`to direct pivot functions from a remote location.
`Lockwood Corporation provides an automated panel
`located at each pivot to allow the user to have computerized
`control over a particular pivot. When something goes wrong
`with a pivot, the Lockwood system will attempt to correct
`the problem at the remote central control and if unable to
`correct it, it will call a preprogrammed list of numbers until
`the farmer is reached.
`T—I. Irrigation Company provides a computer control for
`a hydrostatic drive pivot.
`Reinke Manufacturing Company provides an automated
`management system having control panels at each pivot
`which may communicate with a remote computer control via
`a radio link.
`Lindsey Manufacturing Company provides an automated
`irrigation management system which provides remote con-
`trol and monitoring via a telemetry network with corre-
`sponding controls at each pivot. Lindsey provides a remote
`
`Lindsay Corporation
`IPR2015—01039
`
`Exhibit 1008 - 10
`
`Lindsay Corporation
`IPR2015-01039
`
`Exhibit 1008 - 10
`
`

`

`US 6,337,971 B1
`
`
`
`3
`monitor alarm and control system that links the farmer with
`a pivot over the business band radio or cellular phone. It
`Jermits the farmer to poll any pivot and to provide the
`armer with an instant report of operating conditions includ-
`ing an automatic trouble alarm. The farmer can start, stop,
`change direction and perform other control functions from
`he remote location. This system utilizes a UIIF or VIIF
`Jusiness band radio. Acode is keyed on the microphone tone
`3ad of the business band radio or cell phone. Acode is keyed
`on the microphone tone pad of the business band radio
`elephone. This is received at the pivot and the pivot will
`respond with its call letters and unit number. The farmer then
`(eys in the proper code to bring up one of hundreds of voice
`message combinations to obtain the exact operating status of
`he pivot system. These are status reports. The remote
`monitor alarm system will also automatically broadcast
`alarm messages such as when the pump shuts down prema—
`urely.
`Sensing and Control, Inc. also provides a computerized
`control at each pivot. However, a communications package
`rovides communications to a remote central computer via
`a spread spectrum radio or telephone modem.
`K&S Systems, Inc. provides a control display panel at
`each pivot and a two-way radio communications system link
`with a remote computer command system.
`Dexter FortsonAssociates, Inc. provides a control panel at
`each pivot. The control panel upon detecting a change in
`status immediately reports this to a remote base station. The
`base station computer can be set up to request updates such
`as every ten minutes from each control panel. The system
`interfaces with hand—held computer and telephone voice or
`digital to multi—frequency (DTMF) tone pad interface units
`to enable the farmer to monitor and control functions from
`vehicles, tractors, or homes within the radio range or from
`any touch tone telephone.
`A need exists to provide a pager at the central control
`computer to receive remote commands from a mobile farmer
`to perform a function at an individual pivot managed by the
`central control computer. After the remote commands are
`performed, a need exists to provide feedback verifying the
`completion of the function to the farmer in the form of status
`signals displayed in a pager held by the farmer. Finally, a
`need exists for the farmer to be immediately paged when-
`ever a change in the status of any one pivot occurs and to be
`updated on the status of all pivots with changes in status
`clearly marked. The Hirsch, Hunt and Unruh patents and the
`Valmont, Iockwood, Lindsey, and Dexter systems all teach
`providing a computer at each pivot in communication with
`a central computer and a portable unit (phone, radio, or
`computer) carried by the farmer for communication to the
`computer at the pivot, or in the case of Dexter, to the centra
`computer. Saunders and Krisle teach providing equipment a
`the pivot for directly reporting status information to a pager
`carried by a farmer. Marian teaches sending commands from
`a phone carried by a farmer to a pager at the remote pivot.
`However, none of these approaches provide a solution to al
`of the above three needs.
`
`A need also exists to continuously monitor the status 0
`the AC power being delivered to each pivot, to continuously
`monitor whether each pivot is dry or wet, to monitor whether
`a pivot is moving or not, and to monitor the status 0
`fertilizer and chemical injection equipment being operated a
`a pivot site.
`A need further exists to issue a status signal when the
`central control computer has not communicated with a pivo
`for a predetermined period of time.
`
`
`
`4
`A need also exists to monitor the status of the “AC power
`interruption device” often used by rural power providers to
`“load manage” their power distribution systems. Running
`pivots are “shed" for periods of time in order to reduce
`power consumption at peak periods. There is a need to alert
`irrigators to these status changes, particularly to advise when
`power interruption is curtailed.
`Aneed also exists to permit the farmer at a remote mobile
`location to control the pivot by “killing” a particular pivot by
`stopping the pivot from moving and delivering water. For
`example, when a thunder and lighting storm is nearby a
`pivot, it is often desirable to stop the operation of the pivot
`and the need exists for a kill control to remotely stop the
`pivot from operation.
`A need also exists to have the farmer review all paged
`statuses for all pivots delivered to the pager during a past
`predetermined number of page transmissions.
`A need also exists for the continuous updating of time and
`date stamped records of each monitored pivot’s status to the
`central computer. These data base records are to facilitate the
`reporting of text and graphic reports of changes to pivot
`status over time. Selected summary reports can also be
`“paged.”
`In addition to pivot management, there is a similar need
`to remotely monitor status and control process functions of
`grain and produce conditioning and storage facilities such as
`potato cellars. These facilities are often scattered and remote
`to the central headquarters of a farm operation. Knowing the
`status of the ventilation, drying, and stirring equipment is
`critical to establishing and maintaining the optimal environ-
`mental conditions for stored crops.
`3. Solution to the Problem
`The system of the present invention for controlling and
`monitoring agricultural and storage field equipment pro-
`vides a solution to all of the above-described needs. The
`system of the present invention provides a pager at a central
`control to receive remote commands from any of a plurality
`of mobile farmers in order to enable a function to occur at
`an individual pivot monitored by the central control. The
`performance of the commanded function is detected at the
`pivot and delivered back to the central control in the form of
`a status value. The change in status at the commanded pivot
`is then converted to a status “symbol” and delivered along
`with the status of all of the other pivots to the respective
`farmer via a hand-held pager that the farmer can clearly
`view. The pivot having the change (or the pivots having the
`changes) are clearly marked so that the farmer can instantly
`verify, in real time, the change in status as well as the status
`of all other pivots. Hence, with each page, the status of all
`pivots is delivered to the farmer at a remote location. Those
`pivots having a change in status are clearly marked. The
`farmer can, by viewing his pager, continuously monitor
`whether each pivot in the group of observed pivots is wet or
`dry or is moving or not or has lost AC power or has been
`“load shed” or is receiving chemical or fertilizer injection.
`Furthermore, the system of the present invention issues a
`status signal when the central control computer has not
`communicated with a pivot for a predetermined period of
`time (such as 45 minutes). The farmer needs to know of a
`failure in communication link at any pivot.
`Furthermore, the system of the present invention enables
`the farmer at the remote location to control certain functions
`of the pivot such as “killing” a particular pivot by stopping
`the pivot from moving and delivering water, such as when
`a nearby thunderstorm or heavy rainstorm occurs.
`Finally, the system provides storage in the pager at the
`farmer’s remote location of a predetermined number of prior
`
`10
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`30
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`L»’J\
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`40
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`45
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`50
`
`anan
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`60
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`65
`
`Lindsay Corporation
`IPR2015—01039
`
`Exhibit 1008 - 11
`
`Lindsay Corporation
`IPR2015-01039
`
`Exhibit 1008 - 11
`
`

`

`US 6,337,971 B1
`
`5
`pages to enable the farmer to scan through such prior pages
`to review time tracked changes in status that have occurred
`in the past. The system provides a complete backup of status
`information and of all pages delivered and received for each
`piece of field equipment at the central computer.
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`
`A pager method system for monitoring the operation of a
`plurality of controllers in each one of a plurality of agricul-
`tural field equipment (i.e., a group) is disclosed. The pager
`method system of the present invention includes a plurality
`of isolation devices at each location of agricultural field
`equipment, such isolation relay devices providing optical
`isolation between the relay and the sensors and between the
`relay and the electronic circuitry of RTU 50. A plurality of
`sensors are provided at each location of agricultural field
`equipment wherein a sensor connects through an isolation
`relay device to one of the controllers for issuing a status
`signal corresponding to the present status of the connected
`controller. For example,
`in the case of pivot
`irrigation
`equipment, a power sensor could be interconnected through
`an isolation device such as an optical isolator to wet/dry
`
`
`control switch. The sensor continuously monitors whether or
`
`
`not
`the wet/dry switch is on or 0
`through the optical
`isolation relay device.
`The sensors of the present invention are interconnected to
`a remote terminal unit. Whenever the status of a controller
`changes, the remote terminal unit transmits the changed
`status symbol as well as the status of the other sensors to a
`central control computer. The “inputs” to the remote termi—
`nal unit
`include appropriate time delays to prevent
`the
`reporting of intermittent or “spike” signals.
`The central control computer receives the transmitted
`status signals from the transmitting remote terminal unit,
`identifies the field unit and the data with a defined group, and
`analyzes the status signals for generating at
`least one
`changed status paging message for the respective group of
`equipment. In noisy environments, several redundant mes—
`sages are sent. The central control computer delivers the
`changed status paging message, identifying the group and
`the agricultural field equipment having the changed status,
`as well as the unchanged status messages from all remaining
`agricultural field equipment in the respective group. The
`changed status and the unchanged status paging messages
`are delivered to a paging terminal for redelivery to a pager
`(or group of pagers) held by an operator of the defined group
`of equipment at a remote location. The pager notifies the
`operator of the page, and the operator views the displayed
`changed and unchanged status paging message. The piv0t(s)
`with changed status is marked so that the operator can easily
`identify which piece of agricultural field equipment had its
`status changed for the current page.
`The method of the present invention for monitoring the
`operation of a number of controllers and for commanding
`the operation of at least one power circuit in each one of the
`plurality of agricultural field equipment includes the follow-
`ing steps:
`issuing a command signal for an identified agricultural
`field equipment in an identified group from a phone at
`a remote location,
`delivering the issued commands by way of commercial
`paging services to a first pager located at a central
`control computer,
`the central control computer transmitting by way of radio
`telemetry the delivered command signal to the power
`circuit (or other control points) at the identified agri-
`cultural field equipment,
`
`10
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`anan
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`the central
`
`6
`commanding the operation of the power circuit at the
`identified agricultural field equipment,
`issuing status signals corresponding to the changed and
`unchanged status of the plurality of controllers,
`transmitting the issued status signals by radio telemetry to
`a central control computer whenever one status signal
`changes such as in response to the commanded
`operation,
`receiving the transmitted status signals at
`control computer,
`analyzing the received status signals at the central control
`computer,
`generating a changed status paging message identifying
`the location and status of the agricultural field equip—
`ment having the one status signal change and including
`the unchanged status of the remaining agricultural field
`equipment locations in the group,
`delivering the paging message to a second pager carried
`by a remote operator by way of commercial paging
`services,
`displaying said changed and unchanged status paging
`message in the operator’s pager,
`the changed status
`paging message being marked when displayed thereby
`marking the agricultural field equipment issuing tie
`changed status paging message.
`The same sequence of system events is carried out when
`an individual pivot has a change in status of a monitored
`input
`(event). The status signals corresponding to tie
`changed and unchanged status of a plurality of controllers
`are immediately transmitted to the central computer so as to
`cause a new page message to the operator’s pager displaying
`the changed and unchanged status of all pivots in tae
`respective group.
`The method of the present invention for monitoring 116
`operation of a number of controllers also includes a means
`for each remote terminal unit to transmit a “self report” of
`current status of all inputs (control points being monitored)
`to the central computer. Such self reports provide a “backu a”
`to any missed “event" reports. The frequency of self reports
`is adjustable. Self reports also verify continued radio func-
`tions.
`
`
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
`
`FIG. 1 is an illustration showing the various major com—
`ponents of the system of the present invention and their
`communication paths.
`FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the remote terminal unit of
`the present invention at a conventional pivot.
`FIG. 3 is the screen presentation at the central control
`computer for defining a group.
`FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the potato cellar control of
`the present invention.
`FIG. 5 is a pager display illustrating the status information
`as graphic icons.
`FIG. 6 is an illustration where the shape of the graphical
`icon identifies the type of field equipment.
`FIG. 7 is a flow chart illustrating a method to issue status
`messages to a pager.
`FIG. 8 is a flow chart illustrating a method to command
`operation of a power circuit in the agricultural field equip—
`ment.
`
`FIG. 9 is a flow chart illustrating a method to disable/
`enable an auto restart controller in the agricultural field
`equipment.
`
`Lindsay Corporation
`IPR2015—01039
`
`Exhibit 1008 - 12
`
`Lindsay Corporation
`IPR2015-01039
`
`Exhibit 1008 - 12
`
`

`

`US 6,337,971 B1
`
`7
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE
`INVENTION
`
`1. Overview
`In FIG. 1,
`the system 10 of the present invention is
`generally shown. A center irrigation pivot 20 operates in a
`field 30. Such pivot irrigation systems 20 are conventionally
`available from a number of sources. Pivots 20 are typically
`under control of control circuits 40 which control direction
`of the pivot, the rate of application (i.e., the speed by which
`the pivot 20 moves over the ground 30), Whether chemicals
`such as fertilizer are to be added, and other operational
`parameters. It is to be expressly understood that the pivot
`control 40 and the pivot 20 in operation on a field 30 is
`conventional.
`
`The present invention interfaces with a remote terminal
`unit (RTU) 50 which provides a radio link 60 to a transceiver
`70 at a central location 80. The transceiver 70 is connected
`to a central computer 90 by means of a conventional radio
`modem (not shown) and provides a two-way communication
`link 60 between the central control computer 90 and the
`remote terminal unit 50. The central control computer 90 can
`receive status signals from the RTU 50 concerning the status
`of the various operational parameters of the pivot 20 and can
`deliver control signals from the central control computer 90
`over the link 60 to the RTU 50 for controlling certain
`operational functions of the pivot 20. Again, the provision of
`a RTU 50 with the capabilities of two-way transmission 60
`to a central control computer 90 is conventional and can be
`found in, for example, the Valmont system discussed above.
`However, under the teachings of the present invention and as
`will be explained later, particular status signals and control
`signals are provided and delivered over the two—way com—
`munication link 60 in accordance with the teachings of the
`present invention.
`Central control computer 90, under the teachings of the
`present invention, is capable of establishing a communica—
`tion link 100 to an alpha port paging terminal 110 through
`a telephone modem (not shown). The communication link
`100 may be a standard telephony link over phone lines
`connected to the central control computer 90. Again, com—
`munication path 100 and paging terminal 110 are conven—
`tional. The paging terminal 110 transmits a paging signal
`120 which is received by a pager 130 at a remote location
`140. Remote location 140 could be a truck moving along a
`road many miles away from locations 30 and 80. This
`communication link 120, under the teachings of the present
`invention, delivers the current status of all pivots 20 in a
`defined group, when a status of any one pivot in the group
`has changed, and displays 132 all the statuses of the group
`in the pager 130.
`Under the teachings of the present invention, a cellular or
`toucli—tone phone 150 is used to transmit control signals over
`a communication link 160 which is delivered through con-
`ventional telephony channels to the paging terminal 110 for
`retransmission as paging signal 170 to the control pager 180
`located at the central control computer 90. The control pager
`180 has a serial connection 190 to the central control
`computer 90.
`In operation, as illustrated in FIG. 7, and assuming there
`are three center pivots 20 (only one of which is shown in
`FIG. 1), the RTU 50 continuously monitors in steps 700, 710
`and 715 the status of select operational parameters 011 the
`pivot 20. These status signals are delivered in step 700
`through the communication channel 60 into the transceiver
`70 for processing by the central control computer 90.
`Whenever a monitored input has a change in status (e.g., off
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`to on) 712 the RTU immediately sends a “data packet” of all
`monitored status to the computer 90 in steps 720 and 730.
`When the central control computer 90 detects a change in the
`status of one pivot in step 740, computer 90 assembles the
`status signals of all units in the group of three in step 750 and
`delivers all of them in a group as a page message over the
`communication link 100 marking the unit that has changed
`in step 760. Also in step 760, the paging terminal 110, in
`turn, redelivers the status signals as a page over communi-
`cation links 120 to the remote pager 130 and displays 770
`them as a page message in the display 132.
`For example, in FIG. 1. “01 s” in the display 132 indicates
`to the operator of the pager 130 that pivot “01” is in a
`standby (or “stopped”) mode “s.” The pager display 132 also
`indicates to the holder of pager 130 that the second pivot
`“02" is wet “w” indicating it is moving and sprinkling the
`field 30 and that the third pivot “03W" is also in the wet
`status stage. The parenthesis ( ) around “03w” indicates to
`the oper