Universal remote terminal unit and method for tracking the position of self-propelled irrigation systems

1. In a pivot irrigation system wherein a control circuit controls movement of the pivot irrigation system, the improvement comprising:

a universal remote terminal unit independent of and not interfacing with said control circuit, said universal remote terminal unit comprising:

a global positioning satellite receiver mounted within a self-contained housing, said self-contained housing mounted to an outer moving portion of said pivot irrigation system, said global positioning satellite receiver including an antenna mounted on said self-contained housing, said global positioning satellite receiver generating output data signals indicative of the location coordinates of the universal remote terminal unit which over a series of timed readings is indicative of the movement of the pivot irrigation system;

a microprocessor in said self-contained housing and connected to receive said output signals from said global positioning satellite receiver, said microprocessor processing the output data signals to determine whether the pivot irrigation system is moving or not moving and preparing status data indicative of a movement change;

telemetry in said self-contained housing and connected to said microprocessor, said telemetry sending the status data from the microprocessor over a wireless communication path so as to alert an operator of an operational change in the movement of the irrigation system.

2. The improvement of claim 1 wherein the housing is encapsulated and further comprising the encapsulated housing mounted to an outer wheel drive tower of the pivot irrigation system whose movement is indicative of the operation of the irrigation system.

3. A method of monitoring field movement of a pivot irrigation system independently of a control circuit located on the pivot irrigation system, the control circuit at least controlling field movement of the pivot irrigation system, the method comprising the steps of:

generating coordinate data at predetermined time intervals in a global positioning system receiver located in a self-contained unit independent of and not interfacing with the control circuit on an outer moving portion of the pivot irrigation system;

determining operational data based on the generated coordinate data in a computer located in the self-contained unit independent of the control circuit and not interfaced with the control circuit when movement of the pivot irrigation system changes;

delivering the operational data from the self-contained unit independent of the control circuit and not interfaced with the control circuit to a communications network and into a service computer, the service computer remotely located from said pivot irrigation system;

generating in the remote service computer at least one type of information message on movement change based on the delivered operational data; and

receiving the generated information message on movement change in at least one mobile operator device.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising the step of:

placing the self-contained unit on a pipe span above an outer drive tower of the pivot irrigation system.

5. The method of claim 3 further comprising the step of:

determining at least one operational parameter, for the at least one type of information message; on movement change from the operational data in the computer located in the self-contained unit.

6. The method of claim 3 further comprising the step of:

determining at least one operational parameter, for the at least one type of information message on movement change from the operational data in the remote service computer.

7. The method of claim 3 wherein the at least one generated information message on movement change contains information as to the speed of the moving pivot irrigation system.

8. The method of claim 3 wherein the at least one generated information message on movement change contains information as to the direction of movement of the pivot irrigation system.

9. The method of claim 3 further comprising the steps of:

comparing, in the computer in the self-contained unit, coordinate data during a current predetermined time interval with prior coordinate data obtained during at least one prior predetermined interval;

delivering the current coordinate data as the operational data from the self-contained unit to the communications network when the current coordinate data has changed from the prior coordinate data in response to the step of comparing; and

determining, in the service computer, movement status of the pivot irrigation system from the delivered current coordinate data in the operational data.

10. The method of claim 3 further comprising the steps of:

comparing, in the computer in the self-contained unit, coordinate data during a current predetermined time interval with prior coordinate data obtained during at least one prior predetermined interval;

determining, in the computer in the self-contained unit, movement status of the pivot irrigation system when the current coordinate data has changed from the prior coordinate data in response to the step of comparing; and

delivering movement status in the operational data from the self-contained unit to the communications network.

11. The method of claim 3 wherein the step of delivering further comprises:

delivering the operational data from the self-contained unit to a communications satellite in communication with the communications network.

12. The method of claim 3 wherein the step of delivering further comprises:

delivering the operational data from the self-contained unit to a terrestrial telemetry in communication with the communications network.