Control system for construction machine

• US 10,372,137 B2
• Filed: 02/17/2017
• Issued: 08/06/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Topcon Corporation
• Original Assignee: Topcon Corporation
• Inventors: Kamizono, Fumihiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Edwards, Jerrah
• Application Number:
  US15/435,392
• Publication Number:
  US 20170242439A1
• Time in Patent Office: 900 Days
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 19/006 by laser or ultrasound
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 19/48 for laying-down the materials and consolidating them, or finishing the surface , e.g. slip forms therefor, forming kerbs or gutters in a continuous operation in situ E01C19/002, E01C23/065 take precedence; devices for guiding or controlling the machines along a predetermined path E01C19/004
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 19/4893 Apparatus designed for railless operation
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 15/002 Active optical surveying means optical plumbing G01C15/105
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 1/70 using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/42 Simultaneous measurement of distance and other co-ordinates indirect measurement G01S17/46
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/66 Tracking systems using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/13 Receivers
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/14 specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/53 Determining attitude
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0236 in combination with a laser lasers per se H01S
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0278 using satellite positioning signals, e.g. GPS

Abstract

The invention provides a control system for a construction machine comprising: a laser surveying instrument, a construction machine and a direction detecting unit, wherein the construction machine has a working mechanical unit, a machine control device, a machine communication unit, two beam detectors and at least one target and a tilt sensor, wherein the laser surveying instrument has a laser rotary projecting device for projecting a laser beam in rotary irradiation, an electronic distance measuring instrument and a surveying communication unit, wherein each of the beam detectors transmits a photodetection result to the laser surveying instrument or the machine control device, wherein the laser surveying instrument or the machine control device calculates a left-right tilting of the construction machine based on the photodetection result and a distance measurement result of the target, and the machine control device controls an operation of the construction machine based on a detection result of the direction detecting unit, a front-rear tilting by the tilt sensor, a distance measurement result of the target and the left-right tilting.

Claims

1. A control system for a construction machine comprising:

a laser surveying instrument for projecting a laser beam in rotary irradiation at a constant speed,

a construction machine operating within a photodetection range of said laser beam and

a direction detecting unit for detecting a direction of said construction machine,

wherein said construction machine has;

a working mechanical unit for executing a construction,

a machine control device for controlling said working mechanical unit,

a machine communication unit,

two beam detectors and

at least one target provided at known positions with respect to a machine reference position of said construction machine, and

a tilt sensor for detecting a front-rear tilting of said construction machine,

wherein said laser surveying instrument has;

a laser rotary projecting device for projecting said laser beam in rotary irradiation constituted of a plurality of fan-shaped beams and at least one of the fan-shaped beams being tilted with respect to a horizontal plane,

an electronic distance measuring instrument having a function of tracking said target and for performing a distance measurement of said target, and

a surveying communication unit for performing a communication with said machine communication unit,

wherein each of the beam detectors has at least one photodetection sensor in spot-like shape and transmits a photodetection result of said laser beam by said photodetection sensor to said laser surveying instrument or said machine control device,

wherein said laser surveying instrument or said machine control device obtains an elevation angle of each of said two beam detectors based on said photodetection result and calculates a left-right tilting of said construction machine based on said elevation angle and a distance measurement result of said target, and

wherein said machine control device controls an operation of said construction machine based on a detection result of said direction detecting unit, a front-rear tilting by said tilt sensor, a distance measurement result of said target and the left-right tilting.

2. The control system for the construction machine according to claim 1, wherein said direction detecting unit comprises two GPS devices provided at known positions of said construction machine and detects a direction of said construction machine based on geocentric coordinates obtained by said two GPS devices.

3. The control system for the construction machine according to claim 1, wherein said direction detecting unit includes:

two targets provided at known positions of said construction machine and

said electronic distance measuring instrument, and

said electronic distance measuring instrument alternately measures said two targets, and based on distance measurement results of said two targets, a direction of said construction machine is detected.

4. The control system for the construction machine according to claim 1, wherein said direction detecting unit includes:

said two beam detectors and

said laser rotary projecting device,

each of said two beam detectors has two photodetection sensors provided at a known space in a horizontal direction, based on a time difference of photodetection signals when said two photodetection sensors receive said fan-shaped beams, a rotation angle between said two photodetection sensors is obtained, based on said rotation angle and said space, a distance between each of said beam detectors and said laser rotary projecting device is obtained, and based on a distance obtained with respect to said two beam detectors, a direction of said construction machine is detected.

5. The control system for the construction machine according to claim 1, wherein said direction detecting unit has:

two GPS devices provided at known positions of said construction machine,

two targets provided at known positions of said construction machine and

said electronic distance measuring instrument,

based on geocentric coordinates obtained by said two GPS devices, a direction of said construction machine is detected, and wherein said electronic distance measuring instrument alternately measures said two targets, based on a distance measurement result of said two targets, a direction of said construction machine is detected, and one of two directions of said construction machine thus detected is used according to a working environment.