Driver guidance for guided maneuvering

• US 10,168,165 B2
• Filed: 10/18/2017
• Issued: 01/01/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Modular Mining Systems Incorporated (Komatsu Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Modular Mining Systems Incorporated (Komatsu Ltd.)
• Inventors: Lewis, Michael W., Van Latum, Lucas, Rottig, Andree, Casson, William
• Primary Examiner(s): Butler, Rodney A
• Application Number:
  US15/787,445
• Publication Number:
  US 20180038702A1
• Time in Patent Office: 440 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3407 specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3461 Preferred or disfavoured areas, e.g. dangerous zones, toll or emission zones, intersections, manoeuvre types, segments such as motorways, toll roads, ferries
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/14 specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0278 using satellite positioning signals, e.g. GPS
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/248 generated by satellites, e.g. GPS
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0816 Indicating performance data, e.g. occurrence of a malfunction
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0841 Registering performance data recording measured values G01D; information storage G11B
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0962 having an indicator mounted inside the vehicle, e.g. giving voice messages
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096716 where the received information does not generate an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096725 where the received information generates an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096741 where the source of the transmitted information selects which information to transmit to each vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096775 where the origin of the information is a central station

Abstract

A system and method for driver guidance are presented. A position sensor is mounted to a vehicle. The position sensor is configured to identify a position of the vehicle and a heading of the vehicle. A device is configured to generate a plurality of outputs. A controller is connected to the position sensor and the display device. The controller is configured to access, via a wireless communications network, a database to identify a target loading location for the vehicle, determine a location and a heading of the target loading location for the vehicle, and modify at least one of the plurality of outputs of the display device based upon at least one of the location and the heading of the target loading location.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a position sensor configured to identify a location of a vehicle;

an interface device configured to generate feedback; and

a controller connected to the position sensor and the interface device, the controller being configured to;

identify a destination for the vehicle,

determine a location of the destination, the location of the destination being at least partially determined by a location of a shovel and a loading radius of the shovel,

determine a heading of the destination, the heading of the destination being at least partially determined by an orientation of a bucket of the shovel when the bucket is positioned over the destination,

compare the location of the vehicle to the location of the destination to determine a location difference,

compare a heading of the vehicle to the heading of the destination to determine a heading offset, and

generate feedback on the interface device, wherein the feedback is determined by the location difference and the heading offset.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the interface device includes a plurality of lights and the controller is configured to illuminate a number of the plurality of lights based upon the location difference.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the interface device includes a plurality of lights and the controller is configured to:

determine a horizontal location offset by determining a difference between the location of the destination and the location of the vehicle in a direction perpendicular to a direction of travel of the vehicle; and

illuminate a number of the plurality of lights based upon the horizontal location offset.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the position sensor includes an electronic compass configured to determine the heading of the vehicle.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the destination for the vehicle is a target loading location.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the location and the heading of the destination for the vehicle are determined by an operator of a second vehicle.

7. A system, comprising:

a position sensor configured to identify a position of a vehicle and a heading of the vehicle;

an interface device configured to provide feedback to an operator of the vehicle; and

a controller connected to the position sensor and the interface device, the controller being configured to;

access a database to identify a target location for the vehicle,

determine an orientation of a bucket of a shovel when the bucket is positioned over the target location,

determine a location and a heading of the target location for the vehicle, the heading of the target location being at least partially determined by the orientation of the bucket of the shovel, and

modify an output of the interface device to generate feedback to the operator of the vehicle based upon at least one of the location and the heading of the target location.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the controller is configured to:

compare the position of the vehicle to the location of the target location to determine a location offset; and

modify the output of the interface device based upon the location offset.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the controller is configured to:

compare the heading of the vehicle to the heading of the target location to determine a heading offset, and

modify the output of the interface device based upon the heading offset.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the interface device includes a plurality of lights and the controller is configured to illuminate a number of the plurality of lights based upon the at least one of the location and the heading of the target location.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the interface device includes a plurality of lights and the controller is configured to:

determine a horizontal location offset by determining a difference between the location of the target location and the position of the vehicle in a direction perpendicular to the heading of the target location; and

illuminate a number of the plurality of lights based upon the horizontal location offset.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein the position sensor includes an electronic compass configured to determine the heading of the vehicle.

13. A method, comprising:

identifying a destination for a vehicle, the vehicle including a position sensor, the position sensor being configured to identify a location of the vehicle,

determining a location of the destination for the vehicle, the location of the destination being at least partially determined by a location of a shovel and a loading radius of the shovel,

determining a heading of the destination, the heading of the destination being at least partially determined by an orientation of a bucket of the shovel when the bucket is positioned over the destination,

comparing the location of the vehicle to the location of the destination to determine a location difference,

comparing a heading of the vehicle to the heading of the destination to determine a heading offset, and

generating feedback on an interface device, wherein the feedback is at least partially determined by the location difference and the heading offset.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the interface device includes a plurality of lights, and including illuminating a number of the plurality of lights based upon the location difference.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the interface device includes a plurality of lights, and including:

determining a horizontal location offset by calculating a difference between the location of the destination and the location of the vehicle in a direction perpendicular to a direction of vehicle travel; and

illuminating a number of the plurality of lights based upon the horizontal location offset.