Self-propelled civil engineering machine system with field rover

• US 10,180,322 B2
• Filed: 03/04/2015
• Issued: 01/15/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wirtgen GmbH (Deere & Company)
• Original Assignee: Wirtgen GmbH (Deere & Company)
• Inventors: Fritz, Matthias, Barimani, Cyrus, Berning, Christian
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, John H
• Application Number:
  US14/637,532
• Publication Number:
  US 20150176990A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,413 Days
• Field of Search: 702150, 701 25, 701 50, 404 841, 404 842, 404 8405, 342 3527, 34235732, 34235734, 342357527, 34235724, 34235727
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 19/004 Devices for guiding or controlling the machines along a predetermined path for graders or bulldozers E02F3/841; for other soil-shifting machines E02F9/2045
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 19/42 Machines for imparting a smooth finish to freshly-laid paving courses other than by rolling, tamping or vibrating for distributing only E01C19/12; hand-actuated smoothing tools E01C19/44
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 23/088 Rotary tools, e.g. milling drums for forming recesses to receive marking materials E01C23/0946
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 15/00 Surveying instruments or accessories not provided for in groups G01C1/00 - G01C13/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 15/06 Surveyors' staffs; Movable markers
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0278 using satellite positioning signals, e.g. GPS

Abstract

A civil engineering machine has a machine control unit configured to determine data which defines the position and/or orientation of a reference point on the civil engineering machine in relation to a reference system independent of the position and orientation of the civil engineering machine. A geometrical shape to be produced on the ground is preset in either a machine control unit or a field rover control unit. The field rover is used to determine a position of at least one identifiable point of the preset geometrical shape in the independent reference system. Curve data defining a desired curve in the independent reference system, corresponding to the preset shape, is determined at least partially on the basis of the position of the at least one identifiable point of the preset geometrical shape in the independent reference system.

Claims

1. A hand held field rover survey apparatus, comprising:

a support rod having a lower end for engaging a ground surface;

a position sensor mounted on the support rod; and

a control unit communicated with the position sensor, the control unit including;

a position data determination component configured to determine position data using the position sensor to define a surveyed position of the position sensor in relation to a reference system;

a shape fitting component configured to define a defined shape corresponding to a series of surveyed positions which are determined with the position data determination component, the shape fitting component configured such that a user may select for at least some of the surveyed positions whether the positions are part of a straight line portion or part of a curved portion of the defined shape; and

a shape storing component configured to store in memory the defined shape defined by the shape fitting component.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the shape fitting component includes a shape smoothing component configured such that the user may selectively use position data in defining the defined shape.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein:

the shape smoothing component is configured such that the user may select for at least one surveyed position to use the position data only with regard to elevation position of the defined shape.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein:

the shape smoothing component is configured such that the user may select for at least one surveyed position to use the position data only with regard to horizontal position of the defined shape.

5. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein:

the shape smoothing component is configured such that the user may select for at least one surveyed position to not include the position data in defining the defined shape.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the shape fitting component includes a deviation display component configured to display how far the defined shape deviates from a surveyed position.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the shape fitting component is configured such that the user may select to re-survey a surveyed position and replace original position data with new position data for the re-surveyed position.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the shape fitting component is configured to query the user whether a surveyed position is part of a straight line portion or part of a curved portion of the defined shape.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the shape fitting component is configured to query the user for at least one surveyed position whether to use the position data with regard to elevation of the defined shape.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the shape fitting component is configured such that the defined shape is defined as a series of one or more straight line portions and one or more curved portions.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control unit further includes:

a shape selection component configured to select a geometrical shape for a structure to be produced on the ground surface or for the ground to which changes are to be made; and

a curve data determination component configured to determine curve data for reproducing the selected geometrical shape on the ground surface in a selected location and orientation in the reference system.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control unit is mounted on the support rod.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control unit is separate from the support rod.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the control unit communicates with the position sensor via wireless communication.

15. A hand held field rover survey apparatus, comprising:

a support rod having a lower end for engaging a ground surface;

a position sensor mounted on the support rod; and

a control unit communicated with the position sensor, the control unit including;

a shape selection component configured to select a geometrical shape for a structure to be produced on the ground surface or for the ground to which changes are to be made;

a position data determination component configured to determine position data using the position sensor to define a surveyed position of the position sensor in relation to a reference system; and

a curve data determination component configured to determine curve data for reproducing the selected geometrical shape on the ground surface in a selected location and orientation in the reference system.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein:

the shape selection component is configured to select the geometrical shape from a plurality of stored predefined shapes.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the control unit further includes:

a shape fitting component configured to define a defined shape corresponding to a series of surveyed positions, the shape fitting component configured such that a user may select for at least some of the surveyed positions whether the positions are part of a straight line portion or part of a curved portion of the defined shape; and

a shape storing component configured to store in memory the defined shape defined by the shape fitting component.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein:

the shape fitting component includes a shape smoothing component configured such that the user may selectively use position data in defining the defined shape.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein:

the shape smoothing component is configured such that the user may select for at least one surveyed position to use the position data only with regard to elevation position of the defined shape.

20. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein:

the shape smoothing component is configured such that the user may select for at least one surveyed position to use the position data only with regard to horizontal position of the defined shape.

21. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein:

the shape smoothing component is configured such that the user may select for at least one surveyed position to not include the position data in defining the defined shape.

22. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein:

the shape fitting component includes a deviation display component configured to display how far the defined shape deviates from a surveyed position.

23. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein:

the shape fitting component is configured such that the user may select to re-survey a surveyed position and replace original position data with new position data for the re-surveyed position.

24. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein:

the shape fitting component is configured to query the user whether a surveyed position is part of a straight line portion or part of a curved portion of the defined shape.

25. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein:

the shape fitting component is configured to query the user for at least some surveyed positions whether to use the position data with regard to elevation of the defined shape.

26. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein:

the shape storing component is configured such that the defined shape is defined as a series of one or more straight line portions and one or more curved portions.

27. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the control unit is mounted on the support rod.

28. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the control unit is separate from the support rod.

29. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the control unit communicates with the position sensor via wireless communication.