System and computer-implemented method for facilitating transfers of product containers between a station and an autonomous machine

• US 10,433,477 B2
• Filed: 07/20/2018
• Issued: 10/08/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Morris Equipment Limited
• Original Assignee: Morris Industries Ltd. (W.L. Morris Investments Ltd.)
• Inventors: Sheppard, Clint W., Glowa, Conrad Allen, Voss, Benjamin Karl
• Primary Examiner(s): Ahmed, Masud
• Application Number:
  US16/041,526
• Publication Number:
  US 20190023171A1
• Time in Patent Office: 445 Days
• Field of Search: 701 22, 1 1
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 69/001 Steering by means of optical assistance, e.g. television cameras steering devices for road marking vehicles E01C23/163
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 69/008 automatic
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 15/003 Bulk fertiliser or grain handling in the field or on the farm
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 15/005 Undercarriages, tanks, hoppers, stirrers specially adapted for seeders or fertiliser distributors
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 21/005 Following a specific plan, e.g. pattern
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 23/007 Metering or regulating systems
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 23/008 Tanks, chassis or related parts
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 7/06 Seeders combined with fertilising apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 7/105 Seed sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 7/124 with top delivery of the seeds
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 7/127 Cell rollers, wheels, discs or belts
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 1/649 Guiding means for the load-transporting element
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 21/083 by means of additional elements, e.g. modular
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 2007/0461 by calculating from a reference position, e.g. the car's silhouette, reference marks
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/0401 arrangements for automatically fuelling vehicles, i.e. without human intervention
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0088 characterized by the autonomous decision making process, e.g. artificial intelligence, predefined behaviours using knowledge based models G06N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0219 ensuring the processing of the whole working surface

Abstract

A control system is operable to control an autonomous machine for autonomously applying one or more products to a jobsite in accordance with a set of operation instructions. The products are stored in one or more interchangeable containers which are initially located on a station. The control system broadly includes an alignment sensor and a machine processor. The alignment sensor is configured to sense and generate alignment data regarding a relative position of the station and a particular container that contains a particular product. The machine processor is configured to align the autonomous machine with the station and the particular container based on the alignment data from the alignment sensor, and transfer the particular container from the station to the autonomous machine; move the autonomous machine over the jobsite and apply the particular product from the particular container in accordance with the set of operation instructions; and align the autonomous machine with the station based on the alignment data from the alignment sensor, and transfer the particular container from the autonomous machine to the station.

Claims

1. A control system for controlling an autonomous machine for autonomously applying one or more products to a jobsite in accordance with a set of operation instructions, wherein the one or more products are stored in one or more interchangeable containers which are initially located on a station, and wherein the autonomous machine includes a machine internal sensor suite including—

a speed sensor configured to sense and generate speed data regarding a speed of movement of the autonomous machine over the jobsite,

a rate sensor configured to sense and generate rate data regarding a rate of application of the one or more products,

a hydraulic pressure sensor configured to sense and generate pressure data regarding a force exerted by the autonomous machine,

a weight sensor configured to sense and generate weight data regarding a weight of the particular container, wherein the weight of the particular container is indicative of a remaining amount of the particular product in the particular container, and

a blockage sensor configured to sense and generate blockage data regarding a blockage in the application of the particular product,

the control system comprising;

an alignment sensor configured to sense and generate alignment data regarding a relative position of the station and a particular container of the one or more interchangeable containers, wherein the particular container contains a particular product of the one or more products; and

a machine processor configured to—

align the autonomous machine with the station and the particular container based on the alignment data from the alignment sensor, and transfer the particular container from the station to the autonomous machine,

move the autonomous machine over the jobsite and apply the particular product from the particular container in accordance with the set of operation instructions,

align the autonomous machine with the station based on the alignment data from the alignment sensor, and transfer the particular container from the autonomous machine to the station, and

wherein the machine processor accomplishes moving the autonomous machine over the jobsite and applying the one or more products in accordance with the set of operation instructions based at least in part on the speed, rate, pressure, weight, and blockage data.

2. The control system of claim 1, wherein the set of operation instructions include—

a start time at which the autonomous machine begins operation;

a speed at which the autonomous machine moves over the jobsite; and

a rate of application at which the autonomous machine applies the one or more products.

3. The control system of claim 1, wherein the alignment sensor is configured to sense a plurality of alignment markers associated with the one or more containers.

4. The control system of claim 1, wherein the machine processor is further configured to access a data structure containing an identifier, a location, a content, and a status for each container, and based thereon, identify the particular container for transfer from the station to the autonomous machine.

5. The control system of claim 1, the station further storing fuel, and the machine processor is further configured to align the autonomous machine with the station and transfer fuel from the station to the autonomous machine.

6. The control system of claim 1, further including a base of operations including a base processor configured to execute a management computer program for managing operation of the autonomous machine, including transmitting the set of operation instructions to the autonomous machine via a communications network, and including receiving sensor and camera data from one or more sensors and cameras on the autonomous machine via the communications network.

7. The control system of claim 1, further including a remote access device configured to execute a management software application for managing operation of the autonomous machine, including transmitting the set of operation instructions to the autonomous machine via a communications network, and including receiving sensor and camera data from one or more sensors and cameras on the autonomous machine via the communications network.

8. The control system of claim 1, wherein the autonomous machine is transported to and from the jobsite by a transporter, the transporter including a coupling system for coupling with and decoupling from the autonomous machine, the autonomous machine including a transporter alignment sensor configured to sense and generate coupling alignment data regarding a relative position of the coupling system, and the machine processor is further configured to align the autonomous machine with the coupling system based on the coupling alignment data.

9. The control system of claim 1, further including a machine transceiver configured to transmit the speed, rate, pressure, weight, and blockage data via a communications network to a remote location, and to receive a modified set of operation instructions.

10. The control system of claim 1, the autonomous machine further including a machine external sensor suite including—

a navigation sensor configured to sense and generate navigation data regarding a geographic location of the autonomous machine,

wherein the machine processor accomplishes moving the autonomous machine over the jobsite and applying the one or more products in accordance with the set of operation instructions based at least in part on the navigation data.

11. The control system of claim 10, the machine processor further configured to transmit a message to the remote location regarding a completion of the application of the one or more products to the jobsite.

12. The control system of claim 1, wherein the autonomous machine further includes at least two drive wheels and a drive mechanism configured to turn the at least two drive wheels, and the machine processor is further configured to steer the autonomous machine by controlling a relative turning speed of each of the at least two drive wheels.

13. A control system for controlling an autonomous machine for autonomously applying one or more products to a jobsite in accordance with a set of operation instructions, wherein the one or more products are stored in one or more interchangeable containers which are initially located on a station, and wherein the autonomous machine includes a machine internal sensor suite including—

a speed sensor configured to sense and generate speed data regarding a speed of movement of the autonomous machine over the jobsite,

a rate sensor configured to sense and generate rate data regarding a rate of application of the one or more products,

a hydraulic pressure sensor configured to sense and generate pressure data regarding a force exerted by the autonomous machine,

a weight sensor configured to sense and generate weight data regarding a weight of the particular container, wherein the weight of the particular container is indicative of a remaining amount of the particular product in the particular container, and

a blockage sensor configured to sense and generate blockage data regarding a blockage in the application of the particular product,

the control system comprising;

an alignment sensor configured to sense a plurality of alignment markers associated with the one or more interchangeable containers, and to sense and generate alignment data regarding a relative position of the station and a particular container of the one or more interchangeable containers, wherein the particular container contains a particular product of the one or more products;

a machine processor configured to—

align the autonomous machine with the station and the particular container based on the alignment data from the alignment sensor, and transfer the particular container from the station to the autonomous machine,

move the autonomous machine over the jobsite and apply the particular product from the particular container in accordance with the set of operation instructions, and

align the autonomous machine with the station based on the alignment data from the alignment sensor, and transfer the particular container from the autonomous machine to the station;

a navigation sensor configured to sense and generate navigation data regarding a geographic location of the autonomous machine,

the machine processor further configured to move the autonomous machine over the jobsite and apply the one or more products in accordance with the set of operation instructions based at least in part on the navigation data,

wherein the machine processor accomplishes moving the autonomous machine over the jobsite and applying the one or more products in accordance with the set of operation instructions based at least in part on the speed, rate, pressure, weight, and blockage data; and

a machine transceiver configured to transmit the speed, rate, pressure, weight, and blockage data via a communications network to a remote location, and to receive a modified set of operation instructions.

14. The control system of claim 13, further including a base of operations including a base processor configured to execute a management computer program for managing operation of the autonomous machine, including transmitting the set of operation instructions to the autonomous machine via a communications network, and including receiving sensor and camera data from one or more sensors and cameras on the autonomous machine via the communications network.

15. The control system of claim 13, further including a remote access device configured to execute a management software application for managing operation of the autonomous machine, including transmitting the set of operation instructions to the autonomous machine via a communications network, and including receiving sensor and camera data from one or more sensors and cameras on the autonomous machine via the communications network.

16. A control system for controlling an autonomous machine for autonomously applying one or more products to a jobsite in accordance with a set of operation instructions, wherein the one or more products are stored in one or more interchangeable containers which are initially located on a station, the control system comprising:

an alignment sensor configured to sense a plurality of alignment markers associated with the one or more interchangeable containers, and to sense and generate alignment data regarding a relative position of the station and a particular container of the one or more interchangeable containers, wherein the particular container contains a particular product of the one or more products;

a machine processor configured to—

align the autonomous machine with the station and the particular container based on the alignment data from the alignment sensor, and transfer the particular container from the station to the autonomous machine,

move the autonomous machine over the jobsite and apply the particular product from the particular container in accordance with the set of operation instructions, and

align the autonomous machine with the station based on the alignment data from the alignment sensor, and transfer the particular container from the autonomous machine to the station;

a machine internal sensor suite including—

a speed sensor configured to sense and generate speed data regarding a speed of movement of the autonomous machine over the jobsite,

a rate sensor configured to sense and generate rate data regarding a rate of application of the one or more products,

a weight sensor configured to sense and generate weight data regarding a weight of the particular container, wherein the weight of the particular container is indicative of a remaining amount of the particular product in the particular container; and

a blockage sensor configured to sense and generate blockage data regarding a blockage in the application of the particular product, and

wherein the machine processor accomplishes moving the autonomous machine over the jobsite and applying the one or more products in accordance with the set of operation instructions based at least in part on the speed, rate, weight, and blockage data;

a machine transceiver configured to transmit the speed, rate, weight, and blockage data via a communications network to a remote location, and to receive a modified set of operation instructions; and

a remote access device configured to execute a management software application for managing operation of the autonomous machine, including transmitting the set of operation instructions to the autonomous machine via the communications network, and including receiving the speed, rate, weight, and blockage data via the communications network.

17. The control system of claim 16, further including a base of operations including a base processor configured to execute a management computer program for managing operation of the autonomous machine, including transmitting the set of operation instructions to the autonomous machine via the communications network, and including receiving the speed, rate, weight, and blockage data via the communications network.