Smart Integrated System for Water Sourcing, Irrigation, and Fertigation with Adaptive Crop Advisory Channels

Abstract

Smart Integrated System for Water Sourcing, Irrigation, and Fertigation with Adaptive Crop Advisory Channels This invention is a smart irrigation and fertigation system with a master controller managing pumps, valves, sensors, and fertilizer injectors. It supports both wired and wireless connections and optimizes water collection based on real-time data. Fault detection, backup pump switching, and AI-driven environmental adjustments improve efficiency. A fertigation module automates precise nutrient delivery, while drone imaging aids crop monitoring. Integrated crop advisory channels provide tailored guidance, making it a scalable, cloud-based solution with mobile access for modern agricultural and landscaping needs.

Specification

Description:Field and Background of the Invention
The present invention pertains to the field of intelligent irrigation and fertigation systems, specifically targeting advanced irrigation, fertigation, and scheduling with multiple crop advisory services. Despite advancements in this sector, existing systems exhibit significant limitations that hinder their effectiveness in modern agricultural practices.
Limitations of the existing Systems
Source Pump Management Deficiencies:
Source pump management is particularly problematic in existing systems. Current systems lack the capability to monitor the status of source pumps, which collect water from various sources such as bore wells, rivers, or ponds. Without real-time monitoring and control, operators face challenges in managing water collection effectively.
Inadequate Monitoring of Water Sources:
Current systems lack effective monitoring of water tank levels and real-time control of multiple water sources, preventing optimal pump operation and prioritization. This results in inefficient resource use and limits effective water management.
Ineffective Pump Management:
Current irrigation systems lack robust pump management, often stopping schedules entirely when a pump fails without smoothly switching to backups. This causes crop stress from irregular watering and demands manual intervention to restore operations, affecting efficiency and reliability
Inflexibility in Resuming Operations:
When a dry run condition occurs, existing systems halt irrigation, requiring users to start a new program that often restarts the cycle rather than resuming where it left off. This leads to wasted water and higher labor costs, especially for farms using variable water sources like bore wells.
Lack of Comprehensive Power Monitoring:
Current irrigation systems lack real-time monitoring of pump power metrics like voltage, current, and fault status, leaving operators unaware of issues. This increases downtime and reduces efficiency, especially on large farms where managing multiple pumps without operational insights complicates system control.
Fragmented User Interface:
Current irrigation system interfaces are often complex and require users to switch between multiple screens to view pump status, making management time-consuming and prone to errors. The lack of an integrated dashboard means users may miss alerts, complicating effective oversight of multiple pumps and zones.
Lack of Comprehensive Nutrient/fertilizer Monitoring and Cumbersome Fertigation Processes:
Conventional fertigation systems require manual fertilizer calculations, increasing error risk, especially across multiple zones. Without validation features, users can't confirm accurate injection within irrigation times, leading to inefficiencies, over-fertilization, and environmental impact. Traditional systems limit fertilizer by EC values, which may not meet crops' needs, necessitating frequent monitoring and reapplication.
8.Poor Integration of AI and Data Analytics:
Some systems gather sensor data but lack AI to analyze it for optimizing water and fertilizer use. Without AI-driven adjustments, users miss chances to fine-tune irrigation based on environmental changes, leading to water waste and fertilizer runoff. The absence of predictive analytics also limits proactive management against environmental fluctuations.
Limited Adaptability to Environmental Changes:
Existing systems often can't adjust irrigation schedules to real-time environmental changes like temperature or humidity shifts, leading to inefficient watering and lower crop yields. Limited integration with advanced tools, such as drones, also restricts access to crucial visual data for better irrigation decisions.
Lack of multiple channel Crop Advisory Integration:
Current irrigation systems lack integrated crop advisory access, forcing farmers to seek external guidance, which is often unlinked to irrigation controls. While some providers offer basic advice, farmers need options from various advisors, specializing in organic or inorganic practices or specific crops, to tailor strategies effectively. This gap limits farmers' ability to access relevant, flexible crop advice.
Challenges of Integrating a flow sensor in parallel to the main pipe line.
Integrating a flow sensor into a bypass line alongside the main pipeline is possible with careful design for accurate measurements. In this setup, a fraction of the flow is directed through the smaller bypass containing the sensor, while the majority continues through the main pipeline.
Key Considerations:
Flow Proportionality: The flow through the bypass line must be proportional to the total flow in the main pipeline. Achieving this requires precise calibration and may involve installing flow restrictors or orifices to control the flow split between the main and bypass lines.
Pressure Drop Management: Introducing a bypass can alter the pressure dynamics of the system. It's essential to ensure that the pressure drop across both the main and bypass lines is balanced to maintain accurate flow measurements.
Maintenance and Calibration: Regular maintenance and calibration of both the flow sensor and the bypass system are crucial to ensure ongoing accuracy.
Objectives of the Invention
The objectives of the present invention are as follows:
Smart Pump Management: Provide an intelligent system for managing multiple pumps, including automatic switching, real-time fault detection, and maintenance alerts to ensure continuous operation.
Level-Based Pump Selection: Implement pump prioritization based on water levels to optimize water use and improve irrigation efficiency.
Automated Water Source Diversion: Enable automatic switching between pumps and water sources based on priority and water levels to maintain consistent irrigation.
Adaptive Irrigation Scheduling: Develop a scheduling system that resumes irrigation from the point of interruption to minimize water wastage.
Real-Time Monitoring: Integrate real-time monitoring for pump status, power usage, and system performance to quickly detect and address issues.
User-Friendly Interface: Offer a customizable interface on mobile and web platforms for easy control and management of irrigation processes.
Smart Scheduling for Irrigation and Fertigation: Automate and optimize irrigation and fertigation schedules based on real-time validation of the nutrient-carrying capacity of the water, ensuring accurate application.
Efficient Resource Management: Automatically adjust schedules based on feedback to optimize water and fertilizer use, reducing waste.
Artificial Intelligence Integration: Utilize AI to automatically modify water and fertilizer flow schedules in response to environmental changes.
Drone Technology for Monitoring: Integrate drones to capture thermal images for irrigation assessment, adjust flow based on needs, and monitor crop health.
Multiple Crop Advisory Options: Introduce a feature that allows farmers to choose from a variety of crop advisory companies directly within the irrigation system. This enables access to expert advice from different advisory services, whether organic, inorganic, or crop-specific. The system will provide tailored recommendations for optimal irrigation strategies, enhancing decision-making and improving crop yields.
Prior art patents are described below:
IN Patent No: 419765 - This patent discloses an IoT- and AI-based system for real-time monitoring and control of farm irrigation, fertigation, and water pH levels. It comprises sensor units, controllers, relay units for pumps, a pH dosing pump, and a remote valve unit. The system allows farmers to control and monitor soil moisture, air temperature, humidity, wind speed, rainfall, and evapotranspiration in real time, all powered by a solar supply and accessible via a portable device.
CN Patent No: CN108398929 - This patent describes a smart agriculture irrigation monitoring system with sensors, a data collection module, irrigation equipment, and a display module. The system detects soil conditions, transmits data to a cloud platform, and uses a control module to manage irrigation based on real-time data. The display module shows sensor and irrigation information, enabling real-time monitoring and efficient management of field conditions, thus enhancing agricultural productivity.
CN Patent No: CN108074195A - Automatic irrigated area and farm control system
The invention discloses an automatic irrigated area and arm control system. The system comprises an irrigation system function module, wherein the irrigation system function module comprises a field communication and monitor module, an information and resource library module, a decision making and forecasting module, an information publish and remote monitor module and a statement management module; and the information and resource library module comprises crop parameters, water resource parameters, weather parameters, soil parameters, fertilizer parameters, equipment working conditions, disease and insect pest information and irrigated area irrigation histories. According to automatic irrigated area and arm control system, much monitor information are obtained and information and a data bank are formed on the basis of the field communication and monitor module, so that an organic whole is formed by irrigated area management such as irrigation decision making and forecasting, information publish and remote monitor, statement management and the like.
CN Patent No: CN104521404A - This patent discloses an automatic control system for fertilization and water supply, including modules for CPU, I/O, soil sensors, fertilizer distribution, drip irrigation, and remote monitoring. The system integrates components for soil sampling, water sampling, and user interface, enabling automated drip irrigation and fertilization to optimize water, electricity, and labor usage in crop cultivation.
Summary of the Invention
The present invention provides a Smart Integrated System for Water Sourcing, Irrigation, and Fertigation with Adaptive Crop Advisory Channels, aimed at addressing limitations in existing agricultural and landscaping solutions. The system utilizes a master controller and irrigation controllers to manage various components, including but not limited to such as, valves, pumps, filters, fertilizer injectors, and sensors (e.g., pressure, flow, soil moisture, electrical conductivity (EC), and water quality (pH). Communication is facilitated through wired or wireless protocols, including but not limited to such as RS485, LoRa, Gsm, and Wi-Fi, enabling efficient data handling and control.
The system incorporates an automated pump management feature, allowing for intelligent control of source and irrigation pumps. Water is efficiently drawn from multiple sources (bore wells, rivers, ponds) into storage tanks, while irrigation pumps distribute water to fields. The controller monitors tank levels and prioritizes pump activation based on predefined settings to optimize water collection. Pump status, power metrics, and fault conditions are continuously monitored, with real-time alerts sent to users via mobile or web applications.
The invention presents an advanced irrigation and fertigation system featuring an automated pump management with a predefined main valve linked to each pump. This configuration allows for automatic switching to backup pumps during pump failures or dry runs, ensuring continuous operation and reducing downtime. To minimize irrigation disruptions, the system automatically switches to backup pumps if faults occur, resuming operation from the last point where the irrigation stopped. It features a predefined main valve associated with each pump, which facilitates automatic pump switching in cases of failure, ensuring continuous operation. This configuration reduces downtime and is particularly beneficial for managing complex water sources.
The fertigation system is a vital component of modern agricultural practices, designed to optimize the application of fertilizers alongside irrigation. By utilizing the venturi principle, an electric pump, or any other injection tool, this system allows for the efficient dosing of nutrients into the irrigation water. Unlike prior systems, this fertigation system includes water quality sensors, a Nutrient Readiness Check sensor, and Nutrient Balance Confirmation sensors. Specifically, the raw water entering the fertigation system is evaluated for its optimal quality before any nutrient adjustments are made, ensuring its ability to carry nutrients and maintain balanced nutrient levels.
The fertigation process is automated, with the system calculating and synchronizing the fertilization rate based on user-specified requirements. The invention introduces an intelligent scheduling system with a graphical user interface for real-time validation, enabling users to input irrigation and fertigation requirements. The system provides immediate feedback on errors and allows for schedule previews to confirm accuracy. The fertigation process is automated scheduler, calculating fertilizer rates based on irrigation flow, thereby reducing manual errors and improving nutrient delivery precision.
The system incorporates weather data for adaptive scheduling, using metrics including but not limited to such as wind speed, temperature, soil moisture and humidity to optimize water and fertilizer use. The invention also employs artificial intelligence to dynamically adjust irrigation and fertigation schedules in response to real-time environmental data, promoting sustainable practices. Additionally, drone technology is utilized for thermal imaging to assess crop needs, monitor growth, and provide crop advisory information, further enhancing resource management. The modular design allows for easy updates, making the system suitable for modern agricultural applications.
Furthermore, the present invention introduces a revolutionary feature: Multiple Crop Advisory channels integration, unlike traditional irrigation systems that require farmers to rely on external platforms for expert crop advice, this system incorporates a new option that allows users to select from multiple crop advisory services directly within the irrigation platform. This integration simplifies the process for farmers by providing them with a variety of advisory options within the same interface, ensuring that they have access to the most relevant and up-to-date crop management information.
Detailed Description of the Present Embodiments
The present invention introduces Smart Integrated System for Water Sourcing, Irrigation, and Fertigation with Adaptive Crop Advisory Channels (fig 1.1, 1.2,6.2 and 6.3) designed to enhance agricultural efficiency by integrating irrigation and fertigation processes into a unified platform. The system employs a Master Controller that interfaces through irrigation controllers, with including but not limited to such as valves [7], pumps [1 and 3], filters [4], fertilizer injectors [8], and an array of the sensors [10] to allow for real-time monitoring and automated adjustments. This integrated approach delivers precision and flexibility in managing water and nutrient delivery, addressing challenges that are common in traditional irrigation and fertigation systems.
Master Controller Functionality (fig 1.2)
At the core of the invention is the Master Controller (101), which acts as the central unit responsible for coordinating all the components of the irrigation and fertigation system. The Master Controller facilitates seamless communication between various irrigation controllers (102) using a range of communication protocols, including but not limited to such as RS485, LoRa, GPRS, and Wi-Fi. This connectivity allows the system to operate efficiently in diverse agricultural setups and environmental conditions while ensuring the real-time transmission of data and smooth system coordination.
Critical Operations Managed by the Master Controller:
Pump Integration (fig 2.2 and 1.2): The Master Controller [101] interfaces with both Source Pumps [1] and Irrigation Pumps [3] through irrigation controllers [102], ensuring that water is collected from diverse sources such as bore well, well and river, and delivered to the fields efficiently.
Fault Detection (fig 2.1): The controller continuously monitors vital operational parameters, including but not limited to such as voltage, current, power metrics, and pump status. In the event of a fault, such as a dry run or power failure, it immediately sends alerts to a centralized cloud server, enabling real-time notifications and remote interventions by users through the system's mobile and web interfaces.
Automated Scheduling (5.2 and 5.3): The Master Controller works in coordination with an advanced scheduling system to automatically manage irrigation and fertigation activities. By processing real-time sensor data, the system optimizes water and nutrient usage, ensuring precise delivery based on crop requirements and environmental conditions.
Integrated Pump Management (fig 2.2 and 1.2)
The invention introduces a Dual-Pump Control System, which manages two types of pumps-Source Pumps [1] and Irrigation Pumps [3]-under a single control framework. This system can operate in both manual and automatic modes, providing flexibility to farmers and enhancing overall system efficiency.
Source Pumps [1]: These pumps collect water from various sources such as borewells, rivers, and ponds and direct it to storage tanks[2]. The system continuously monitors the water levels in these tanks and adjusts the operation of the source pumps accordingly to avoid overflow or dry runs.
Irrigation Pumps [3]: These pumps are responsible for distributing the stored water to the irrigation fields. The system controls irrigation pumps based on the irrigation schedule, ensuring timely and efficient water delivery to the crops.
Operation Modes:
Manual Mode: Farmers can manually control the operation of both source and irrigation pumps via the system's mobile or web application, giving them complete flexibility in managing pump operations as needed.
Automatic Mode: In this mode, the system autonomously manages pump operations based on pre-configured schedules and real-time data such as tank levels and soil moisture. This automation reduces energy consumption and optimizes water use.
Key Features of the Dual-Pump Control System:
Integration of Two Pump Types (fig 2.2): The system seamlessly integrates the control of both source and irrigation pumps within a single platform, enhancing operational efficiency and simplifying system management.
Real-Time Fault Detection (fig 2.1): The system continuously monitors key operational parameters such as voltage, current, and power status. In the event of a fault, real-time notifications are sent via mobile or web alerts, allowing users to take immediate corrective action.
Cloud-Based Monitoring (fig 1.3): All operational data is stored on a cloud server, enabling users to remotely access real-time data via an intuitive dashboard. This cloud-based monitoring system provides comprehensive visibility into system performance, allowing for proactive management and troubleshooting.
The present invention introduces an integrated dual-pump control [1 and 3 in fig 1.2] system that enhances water sourcing and distribution in irrigation, offering reliable, adaptable management not found in existing smart irrigation and fertigation systems. Unlike standalone controllers, this integrated approach simplifies agricultural operations, setting it apart by improving efficiency and ease of use in agricultural settings.
Intelligent Source Pump Control System (fig 3.1)
The system incorporates an Intelligent Pump Control Mechanism for source pumps, prioritizing their activation based on preset priority values assigned to each pump. As the water level in the storage tank decreases, the pumps are activated sequentially according to their priority. This ensures that the most efficient pumps are utilized first, optimizing water collection and energy usage.
Key Features of the Intelligent Pump Control System:
Priority-Based Pump Activation (fig 3.1): The system activates source pumps based on preset priority levels and tank conditions. This dynamic prioritization prevents the simultaneous operation of unnecessary pumps, thereby conserving energy and improving operational efficiency.
Optimized Water Collection (fig 3.1): By prioritizing pump activation based on tank levels and preset priorities, the system ensures that water is collected efficiently from various sources, preventing wastage and minimizing energy consumption.
The Intelligent Pump Control System optimizes water collection and reduces energy consumption by activating pumps based on priority and demand, enhancing sustainable water management in agriculture. This unique feature distinguishes it from existing smart irrigation and fertigation systems by improving agricultural efficiency.
Automatic Irrigation Pump Transition Mechanism (fig 4.1 and 1.2)
A key innovation in this system is the Automatic Pump Transition Mechanism, which ensures the uninterrupted operation of the irrigation system in the event of pump failures, dry runs, or power faults. Each pump is connected to a predefined Main Valve, and when a fault is detected in the active pump, the system automatically switches to an alternative pump. This transition is orchestrated by an Irrigation Planning Scheduler, which maintains continuous irrigation without requiring manual intervention.
Key Features of the Automatic Pump Transition Mechanism:
Automatic Pump Transition (fig 4.1): When a fault such as a dry run, power failure, or mechanical issue is detected, the system automatically switches between pumps. This significantly reduces downtime and eliminates the need for manual pump replacement.
Main Valve Control (fig 4.1): The integration of main valves into the pump transition mechanism ensures that water continues to flow smoothly during a pump changeover, preventing interruptions in the irrigation process and enhancing overall irrigation efficiency.
The Automatic Pump Transition Mechanism enhances system reliability by preventing downtime from pump failures through seamless, automated pump switching. This unique integration within irrigation and fertigation systems improves operational stability and efficiency, setting it apart from existing solutions in agricultural efficiency
Fertigation Synchronization and Scheduling with Dynamic Water Quality and Nutrient Optimization System (fig 5.1 to 5.3 and 1.2)
The fertigation system [8] is a vital component of modern agricultural practices, designed to optimize the application of fertilizers alongside irrigation. By utilizing the Venturi principle, an electric pump, or any other injection tool, this system allows for the efficient dosing of nutrients into the irrigation water. Unlike prior systems, this fertigation system includes water quality sensors [13], Nutrient Readiness Check sensors14], and Nutrient Balance Confirmation sensors [14]. Specifically, the raw water entering the fertigation system is evaluated for its optimal quality before any nutrient adjustments are made, ensuring its ability to carry nutrients and maintain balanced nutrient levels.
After nutrients are added, simply adjusting the pH level to maintain water quality according to a preset value may not always ensure the optimal nutrient-carrying capacity of the water.
For example:
If the input water has a high pH value (8.0), an acid is typically added to balance the water quality to 6.5. However, this adjustment is not balancing the EC/TDS of the water.
A) One of the sources, called A, on the farm after pH correction has an EC value of 1.0.
B) Another source, called B, on the farm after pH correction has an EC value of 1.5.
Note: This increasing EC issue affects not only different sources of water but also the same source, which can vary seasonally (e.g., rainy season vs. summer season).
Now, for a particular vegetable crop, the targeted EC is below a value of 2.2. This invention now determines how much fertilizer can be carried by the water before adding the nutrient/fertilizer and then decides whether it is possible or not.
Example:
Case 1:
Calculations for Source A:
Nutrient carrying capacity = Targeted EC for a particular crop - Nutrient Readiness Check EC.
Nutrient carrying capacity = 2.2 - 1.0 = 1.2
Assume adding the fertilizer increases EC by 1.0.
The system allows the fertilizer/nutrients at this time because the fertilizer's increase in EC (1.0) is less than the carrying capacity (1.2).
Case 2:
Calculations for Source B:
Nutrient carrying capacity = Targeted EC for a particular crop - Nutrient Readiness Check EC.
Nutrient carrying capacity = 2.2 - 1.5 = 0.7
Assume adding the fertilizer increases EC by 1.0.
The system will split and inject the fertilizer/nutrients at this time because the fertilizer increases in EC (1.0) is greater than the carrying capacity (0.7). Remaining fertilizer/nutrients to be shared across the next schedule.
Unlike prior systems, this "nutrient carrying capacity " parameter in terms of EC provides a clear picture, allowing the fertilizer/nutrient to be shared across the next schedule. Alternatively, the system will recommend the use of low EC fertilizers/nutrients. Finally, this system prevents osmotic stress or nutrient imbalance in the crop root zone by using the nutrient-carrying capacity parameter.
Working Flow of the Invention:
Step 1: This system senses the water quality from the mainline input water.
Step 2: This system processes the pH correction of the water quality depending on the crop or preset value before adding the nutrients/fertilizers.
Step 3: This system senses the nutrient-carrying capacity using a TDS sensor or EC sensor before injecting the nutrient or fertilizer. The TDS value is not balanced nutrient data and gives a higher value due to any one of the nutrients dissolved heavily in natural or ground water. However, correcting dissolved nutrients is costly and a tedious job compared to pH correction. The nutrient carrying capacity is low, the system insists to get water test report which will helps to avoid the nutrients which is already available in the water naturally.
Step 4: This system calculates nutrient-carrying capacity of the water by using the crop-required targeted nutrients (provided by user input) and the Nutrient Readiness Check EC of the water before injecting the nutrient or fertilizer.
Nutrient carrying capacity = Targeted EC for a particular crop - Nutrient Readiness Check EC.
Step 5: This system compares the nutrient-carrying capacity EC and fertilizer increases EC after the sample injection the nutrient or fertilizer.
Step 6: if nutrient increases EC less than the nutrient-carrying capacity EC, the system allows the nutrient/fertilizer at this time, and check EC again and it will continue. if nutrient increases EC greater than the nutrient-carrying capacity EC, the system automatically or manually allows split and share the amount of fertilizer to the next irrigation schedule of the same crop and recommends using low EC fertilizers.
Step 7: Also, the system allows to monitor and control nutrients individually using NPK sensor [15] which is placed before and after the fertigation injection unit such as nitrogen(N), phosphorus(P), and potassium(K) limited by using the nutrient-carrying capacity parameter in terms of EC.
Note: The nutrient carrying capacity varies depending on the targeted EC, which differs from crop to crop and also varies depending on the crop's growth stage as set by the user.
The nutrient carrying capacity EC = Targeted EC of the crop - Nutrient Readiness Check EC.
In cases where the crop requires more nutrients, it becomes difficult to inject additional nutrients due to the water's already high EC. If the EC increases further by injecting more nutrients, the excessively high EC can negatively impact the root zone, potentially leading to osmotic stress or nutrient imbalance. To mitigate this, the system can help select low EC nutrients, ensuring that the water quality is maintained while still providing the necessary nutrients for the crop without overloading the root zone with salts.
This system is designed to continuously monitor and optimize water quality and nutrient delivery throughout the irrigation process. It ensures that water entering the irrigation network is of optimal quality, with precise adjustment of nutrient levels before and after the fertigation process, ensuring balanced and effective crop nourishment.
Key Features:
Mainline Water Quality Monitoring (Step 1):
A real-time water quality sensor is installed in the main irrigation line, monitoring the overall health of the water. This sensor analyzes key factors influencing crop growth, ensuring that the water being supplied meets the required standards for crop irrigation.
Purpose: Ensures that the raw water entering the system is of optimal quality before any nutrient adjustments are made.
Pre-Fertigation Nutrient Readiness Check (Step 2):
At the entry point of the fertigation unit, a Nutrient Readiness Sensor is deployed. This sensor measures the capacity of the water to integrate and distribute nutrients effectively during fertigation. It ensures that the water entering the fertigation process is balanced and capable of dissolving and delivering nutrients properly.
Purpose: Pre-fertigation water is evaluated for its ability to carry and distribute nutrients optimally, ensuring balanced nutrient mixing for the crops.
Post-Fertigation Nutrient Balance Confirmation (Step 3):
After the fertigation process, a Nutrient Balance Confirmation Sensor is used at the outlet of the fertigation unit. This sensor confirms that the nutrient solution is properly mixed and ready for field distribution. The system automatically fine-tunes the concentration levels to ensure the correct balance of water and nutrients.
Purpose: Ensures that the water exiting the fertigation unit has the optimal nutrient blend for distribution to the crops, reducing the risk of over- or under-fertilization.
Working Mechanism:
Mainline Quality Monitoring: As water flows through the mainline, the system ensures that it meets the baseline standards for effective irrigation.
Pre-Fertigation Readiness Check: Before the water enters the bypass fertigation unit, it is analyzed for its ability to carry and distribute nutrients. If necessary, adjustments are made to balance the water composition.
Post-Fertigation Balance Confirmation: After nutrients are mixed into the water, the system rechecks the balance to confirm the correct concentration and adjusts accordingly before the water is distributed to the fields.
Advanced Capabilities:
Smart Nutrient Distribution: Based on the data from the sensors, the system intelligently adjusts the nutrient mix to ensure precise delivery tailored to the crop's current needs.
Real-Time Alerts and Automation: If any irregularities are detected in the water quality or nutrient distribution, the system sends alerts and can automatically adjust the levels to restore balance.
Data Logging for Continuous Improvement: All data from the sensors is logged, allowing for historical analysis and continuous optimization of water quality and nutrient delivery over time.
Benefits:
Provides continuous monitoring and optimization of water quality and nutrient levels without explicitly mentioning traditional pH or EC terminology.
Ensures precise and balanced nutrient distribution, enhancing crop health and minimizing resource wastage.
Reduces manual intervention by automating adjustments and providing real-time feedback on water and nutrient conditions.
Further teaching of this invention, Accurate fertigation is crucial for optimizing resource use, and this system ensures that fertilizer application is synchronized with irrigation flow rates. For example, in a scenario where the total irrigation volume is 12,000 liters-1,000 liters are designated for pre-watering, 1,000 liters for post-watering, and 10,000 liters for fertigation-the system allows the user to specify the required fertilizer amount, such as 50 liters for the 10,000 liters of irrigation water. The system then automatically calculates the correct fertigation rate, seamlessly integrating it with the irrigation process.
This approach significantly reduces the likelihood of errors compared to traditional methods, where users manually calculate fertilizer quantities based on formulas like liters per 1,000 liters of water. Manual calculations often lead to inefficiencies and inaccuracies, but with this system, the process becomes streamlined and error-resistant.
Example Case:
If the system is programmed to deliver 10,000 liters of water within 10 minutes and requires 50 liters of fertilizer, which takes 5 minutes to inject, it automatically adjusts the fertigation cycle to ensure proper timing and nutrient delivery.
However, if the user inputs an incorrect amount, such as 150 liters of fertilizer, which would take 15 minutes to inject while the irrigation time is only 10 minutes, the system will detect the discrepancy and generate an error message. This validation feature ensures that all parameters in the fertilizer schedule are accurately planned, preventing both over- and under-application.
The system's graphical user interface (GUI) enhances user experience by providing a visual preview of the irrigation and fertigation schedules before the user confirms the final submission.
By integrating automated calculations and validation processes with the GUI, the system significantly minimizes user errors and enhances the precision of both irrigation and fertigation. This results in more efficient use of water and nutrients, ensuring the correct amounts are delivered at the right time, ultimately improving crop health and yields.
Weather Data Integration (fig 6.1 and fig 6.2 and 1.2)
To address environmental conditions effectively, the system integrates a weather Station [17] that incorporates metrics such as wind speed[17b], temperature[17c], rainfall[17d], humidity[17c], leaf wetness[17h], and soil moisture [16]. This feature aids in determining optimal irrigation schedules and fertilizer application rates, leading to enhanced resource conservation. Furthermore, the invention employs advanced artificial intelligence capabilities, enabling the system to adaptively adjust water flow and fertilization schedules based on real-time environmental data. This optimizes resource usage and significantly reduces waste, contributing to sustainable agricultural practices.
Water requirement calculations using weather data
Calculate ETo using the equation.
ETo = 6 mm/day (assuming the calculation gives this result)
Example For tomatoes at full growth stage, the Kc might be around 1.1.
ETc = 1.1 × 6 = 6.6 mm/day
Effective rainfall is 1 mm, so the NIR = 6.6 - 1 = 5.6 mm.
If your field is 5,000 m² and your irrigation system is 85% efficient:
Irrigation Volume = 5.6 × 5,000 × (1 / 0.85) = 32,941 liters/day
Adjust for Soil Moisture
The soil's water-holding capacity also influences irrigation scheduling. By using soil moisture sensors or using known soil properties, track the soil moisture level and adjust irrigation to maintain the optimal range for crops.
For example, if the soil moisture content is already high, can reduce irrigation even if the ETc suggests water is needed. This prevents over-irrigate and waste water.
Factor in Weather Forecast
To further optimize, If significant rainfall is expected, irrigation can be reduced or skipped to avoid over watering
By leveraging real-time weather data and AI, the system optimizes irrigation practices, contributing to sustainable agricultural operations while maximizing resource efficiency.


Drone Technology Integration (fig 6.1 ,6.2 and 1.2)
The system also integrates innovative drone technology for thermal imaging, allowing for precise assessment of irrigation needs. Drones [18] capture high-resolution images that process the specific water and fertilizer requirements of crops while also facilitating monitoring of crop health and growth. This capability extends to providing essential crop advisory information based on the visual data captured, significantly enhancing overall agricultural management.
Water requirement calculations using thermal image data
1.Collect thermal images and process them to extract the canopy temperature.
2.Calculate the Crop Water Stress Index (CWSI) based on the canopy temperature, well-watered crop temperature, and dry crop temperature.
CWSI=(T_c-T_w)/(T_d-T_w )
Tc = Canopy temperature (from the thermal image)
Tw = Temperature of a well-watered crop (usually lower, reference value)
Td = Temperature of a dry crop (maximum stress value, where transpiration is near zero)
Interpreting CWSI:
CWSI = 0: The crop is well-watered, and no irrigation is necessary.
CWSI = 1: The crop is under severe water stress, and immediate irrigation is required.
CWSI between 0 and 1: The crop experiences some degree of water stress, and the irrigation requirement can be determined accordingly.
1.Estimate the water deficit using CWSI and crop evapotranspiration (ETc).
2.Calculate the irrigation requirement Net Irrigation Requirement (NIR) and convert it to irrigation volume based on field size and system efficiency.

NIR=ETc×(1-CWSI)
3.Schedule irrigation based on the calculated water requirement and adjust over time using new thermal images.
Irrigation Volume=NIR×Field Area×1/Efficiency
The integration of drone technology offers a high-tech solution for assessing crop needs, promoting informed decision-making in irrigation and fertilization practices.
Multi-channel Crop Advisory Integration (fig 6.1,6.2 and 6.3 )
A major new feature introduced in this invention is the multiple Crop Advisory channel Integration. Unlike traditional irrigation systems that require farmers to rely on external platforms for expert crop advise or its own an advisory platform, this system incorporates a new option that allows users to select from multiple crop advisory services directly within the irrigation platform. Similar to how smart TVs allow users to choose from multiple streaming services, this system enables farmers to choose between different advisory companies (e.g., Company A, B, C, etc.). Each advisory service may specialize in areas like organic or inorganic farming or have expertise in specific crops, allowing farmers to receive tailored recommendations and implement the most effective irrigation strategies based on expert advice. This integration simplifies the process for farmers by providing them with a variety of advisory options within the same interface, ensuring that they have access to the most relevant and up-to-date crop management information. Additionally, this invention empowers farmers to run their own crop advisory channels, enabling them to share their expertise and knowledge with other farmers, which can serve as a source of additional income. By contributing their insights, farmers can also play a vital role in addressing national food requirements.
The system's integration of multiple Crop Advisory channels provides farmers with a versatile tool for informed decision-making, helping to boost income and support national food security. This unique feature differentiates it from existing smart irrigation and fertigation systems, enhancing agricultural efficiency. Additionally, it provides most appropriate recommendation using multiple advisory channels with AI data driven module.
, Claims:We Claim:
1. A Smart Integrated System for Water Sourcing, Irrigation, and Fertigation with Adaptive Crop Advisory Channels (Fig 1.1 to 1.3), comprising:
• a master controller or central processing unit (CPU) [101] is configured to monitor and control various irrigation components through wired or wireless irrigation controllers [102]. These components include, but are not limited to, valves[7], pumps[1 and 3], filters[4], fertilizer injectors[8], and sensors[10] such as pressure[11], flow[12], water level, soil moisture[16], EC[14], PH[13] and NPK[15] sensors. The system also governs an end-to-end application system, ensuring seamless management of all irrigation operations (Fig. 1.2).
• a Comprehensive Real-Time Management, the system includes a software application platform (mobile/web) that allows scheduling, monitoring, and management of irrigation and fertigation. It includes a graphical user interface (GUI) to assist users in scheduling and validating water/fertilizer applications, eliminating manual calculations;(Fig 1.3 and 5.2)
• a Dual-Control Pump Management ensures that both source and irrigation pumps are managed in real time by using integrated software to monitor and control them, designed to automate and optimize water collection and distribution. (Fig 2.1 and 2.2)
• a Level-Based Pump Selection with priority and fault monitoring feature allows users to manage source pumps and irrigation pumps effectively. (Fig 3.1)
• an Automatic Irrigation Pump Transition Mechanism, ensures the uninterrupted operation of the irrigation system in the event of pump failures, dry runs, over load or power faults. Each pump is connected to a predefined Main Valve, and when a fault is detected in the active pump, the system automatically switches to an alternative pump along with the corresponding main valve. (fig4.1)
• a water and fertilizer-saving feature, configured to automatically adjust irrigation flow and duration to match specific requirements, thereby conserving water, and dynamically modify fertilization schedules in response to changing environmental conditions, using data collected from various sensors and weather station[17], including but not limited to wind speed, temperature, rainfall, humidity, soil moisture[16] to minimize water and fertilizer wastage. (Fig 6.2 and 1.2)
• Thermal image capturing by drones, where the images are processed to assess irrigation needs, enabling automatic adjustments to fertilizer and water flow, as well as irrigation duration, based on precise requirements. Additionally, photo and video capture via drone, mobile camera, or any other form of image capture is used for monitoring crop health and growth, with the same information provided through selected crop advisory channels. (Fig 6.1 and 6.3)
• The multiple channel crop advisory hub incorporates a revolutionary option that allows users to select from various crop and agronomic advisory services directly within the irrigation platform. This crop advisory feature includes, but is not limited to, receiving recommendations such as crop information, crop health, and agronomic advice. (Fig. 6.1 and 6.3)
Wherein, the master controller or CPU communicates with irrigation controllers using wired or wireless communication protocols, including but not limited to RS485, LoRa, GPRS, and Wi-Fi, to manage the irrigation processes effectively.
2. The system of claim 1, wherein the source pump management feature allows the pump controller to monitor and control the status of source pumps used for drawing water from sources, including but not limited to bore wells, wells, rivers, and ponds. The system allows both manual operation via mobile or web applications and automatic operation based on real-time tank level data. The status of the source and irrigation pumps, including but not limited to voltage, current, energy consumption, frequency, power factor, and any other fault conditions, is transmitted to the server through the master controller or CPU, with appropriate notifications sent to mobile and web applications to reduce downtime and improve irrigation efficiency. (Fig 2.1 and 2.2)
3. The system of claim 1, wherein the master controller or CPU is configured to manage multiple source pumps based on tank level input, activating pumps sequentially or in parallel based on pre-established priority settings. This dynamic prioritization prevents the simultaneous operation of unnecessary pumps, thereby conserving energy and improving operational efficiency. (Fig 3.1)
4. The system of claim 1, wherein the pump controller automatically deactivates source and irrigation pumps when fault conditions, such as dry run, overload, or voltage irregularities, are detected. Pump status updates are made available on the mobile or web applications of the Integrated Irrigation and fertigation System, which reduces downtime. (Fig 2.1)
5. The system of claim 1, wherein if a selected irrigation pump encounters a fault condition, the system is configured to automatically switch to an alternative pump that meets the valve flow rate requirements and restart the operations from where the irrigation schedule was interrupted, thereby ensuring uninterrupted operation. (Fig 4.1)
6. The system of claim 1, wherein , introduces a "nutrient carrying capacity" parameter in terms of EC provides a clear picture, allowing the amount of fertilizer/nutrient to be split and share the nutrients across the next irrigation schedule for the same crop automatically or manually, when the nutrient or fertilizer increase EC is higher than nutrient carrying capacity EC of the water. Alternatively, the system will recommend the use of low EC fertilizers/nutrients. Finally, this system prevents osmotic stress or nutrient imbalance in the crop root zone by using the nutrient-carrying capacity parameter in terms of EC. (Fig 5.3)
7. The system of claim 1, wherein fertilization accuracy is enhanced by allowing users to input the total amount of fertilizer for a given irrigation volume, with the system automatically measuring and synchronizing the fertigation rate with the irrigation flow rate, thereby minimizing manual errors. This process is graphically represented in the user interface, providing clear visualization to the user. (Fig 5.2)
8. The system of claim 1, wherein the AI-driven module utilizes data gathered by the system to provide crop advisory, integrated into the irrigation platform (Fig. 6.3), for recommendations that adjust the amount of water and fertilizer in the irrigation schedule. This includes, but is not limited to, real-time sensor data such as NPK levels, EC, pH, temperature, soil moisture, humidity, wind speed, weather data received from local weather stations or an API provider, and thermal images captured by drones or obtained from an API provider. Additionally, this data is sent to the selected crop and advisory services integrated into the irrigation platform, which provides recommendations that are assessed by the AI-driven module to automatically or manually adjust irrigation and fertigation with the most appropriate recommendation ( Fig 6.1 and Fig 6.2)
9. The system of claim 1, wherein the system allows registered crop advisory channels to receive information such as farm and crop details, along with field sensor data. Additionally, photos and videos captured by drones or mobile applications are also sent to the registered crop advisory channels for crop health monitoring. These thermal and photo images are transmitted to the selected crop advisory services through the multiple crop advisory hub incorporated in the irrigation software application platform, which uses an AI-driven module to obtain appropriate recommendations for irrigation, fertigation details, spraying nutrients and pesticides, and other crop health-related information. (Fig. 6.1 and 6.2)
10. The system of claim 1, wherein this system is capable of integrating multiple crop advisory channel services. This system also enables farmers to share their agricultural expertise through this advisory channel. Additionally, the system uses an AI-driven module that consolidates data from various advisory channels. It processes this data to provide the most appropriate recommendations for specific crop needs. (Fig 6.1 ,6.2 and 6.3 )
11. The system of claim 1, wherein this system is capable of activating and deactivating the integrated multiple crop and agronomic advisory channel services, AI-driven module, and recommendation input to the irrigation and fertigation schedule program. This dynamic approach provides convenience in selecting the user's requirements. (Fig. 6.1 and 6.2 )
12. The system of claim 1, wherein the system enables registered farmers to share their agricultural expertise through this crop advisory hub and also receive recommendations using this multiple crop advisory hub without any charges. (Fig 6.1,6.2 and 6.3)

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