Ranging radio relative machine positioning system and method

• US 10,641,862 B2
• Filed: 03/29/2017
• Issued: 05/05/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: Friend, Paul Russell
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Timothy X
• Application Number:
  US15/473,059
• Publication Number:
  US 20180284219A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,133 Days
• Field of Search: 342454
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/146 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2300/17 Construction vehicles, e.g. graders, excavators
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/408 Radar; Laser, e.g. lidar
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/14 Trucks; Load vehicles, Busses
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/412 Excavators
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2025 Particular purposes of control systems not otherwise provided for E02F3/16, E02F3/26, sub-groups of E02F3/43, E02F3/651, sub-groups of E02F3/84, E02F3/907, E02F5/145 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/264 Sensors and their calibration for indicating the position of the work tool
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/765 with exchange of information between interrogator and responder
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0264 at least one of the systems being a non-radio wave positioning system
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0284 Relative positioning

Abstract

A ranging radio relative machine positioning system for a first mobile machine and a second mobile machine is provided. The first mobile machine includes a platform rotatable relative to ground-engaging elements of the first mobile machine. A first set of ranging radios and at least one sensor are configured for attachment to the first mobile machine, and a second set of ranging radios are configured for attachment to the second mobile machine. The system also includes a controller programmed to identify a ground spotting location relative to the first mobile machine, track movement of the first mobile machine relative to the ground spotting location using the sensor to arrive at an offset, and provide a location, or pose, of the second mobile machine relative to the ground spotting location using the first and second sets of ranging radios and the offset.

Claims

1. A ranging radio relative machine positioning system for a first mobile machine and a second mobile machine, the first mobile machine including a platform rotatable relative to ground-engaging elements of the first mobile machine, the system including:

a first set of ranging radios disposed on the first mobile machine and a second set of ranging radios disposed on the second mobile machine;

a rotational movement sensor configured to track rotational movement of the platform;

a controller in communication with the first set of ranging radios and the second set of ranging radios, wherein the controller is programmed to;

determine a ground spotting location relative to the first mobile machine;

determine an offset relative to the identified ground spotting location and the tracked rotational movement;

determine a relative position between the first mobile machine and second mobile machine based on range measurements directly between the first set of ranging radios and the second set of ranging radios, wherein the range measurements are based on bi-directional communication between first set of ranging radios and the second set of ranging radios;

determine a relative interim position between the second mobile machine and the ground spotting location based on the relative position and the offset; and

guide the second mobile machine to the ground spotting location based on the determined relative interim location.

2. The ranging radio relative machine positioning system of claim 1, wherein wherein the range measurements are based on time-of-flight measurements of messages transmitted directly between the first set of ranging radios and the second set of ranging radios.

3. The ranging radio relative machine positioning system of claim 2, further including at least one additional sensor disposed on the first mobile machine and configured to measure translational movement of the first mobile machine, wherein the offset is determined based on the tracked rotational movement of the platform and the measured translational movement of the first mobile machine.

4. The ranging radio relative machine positioning system of claim 1;

wherein the controller is further configured to determine a ground spotting pose relative to a known origin and the determined ground spotting position.

5. The ranging radio relative machine positioning system of claim 4, wherein the controller is further configured to to display on a user interface a path to guide the second mobile machine to the ground spotting location.

6. The ranging radio relative machine positioning system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further programmed to set the ground spotting location to a current bucket position of the first mobile machine relative to a known origin.

7. The ranging radio relative machine positioning system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further programmed to set the ground spotting location based on a current orientation of the first mobile machine and an ideal loading radius.

8. The ranging radio relative machine positioning system of claim 7, wherein the controller is further programmed to set the ground spotting location based on a heading of the first mobile machine and the ideal loading radius, wherein the ideal loading radius is adjustable.

9. The ranging radio relative machine positioning system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further programmed to set the ground spotting location based on an adjustable ideal loading radius.

10. The ranging radio relative machine positioning system of claim 1, wherein the offset is determined based on a rotational deviation between tracked rotational movement and the determined ground spotting location.

11. A method of generating a ground spotting location relative to a first mobile machine using a ranging radio relative machine positioning system for the first mobile machine and a second mobile machine, the first mobile machine including a platform rotatable relative to ground-engaging elements of the first mobile machine, the method including steps of:

determining and electronically storing a ground spotting location relative to the first mobile machine;

tracking rotational movement of the platform;

determining an offset relative to the determined ground spotting location and the tracked rotational movement;

determining a relative position between the first mobile machine and second mobile machine based on range measurements directly between a first set of ranging radios and a second set of ranging radios, wherein the range measurements are based bi-directional communication between first set of ranging radios and the second set of ranging radios;

determining a relative interim location between the second mobile machine and the electronically stored ground spotting location based on the relative position and the offset; and

guiding the second mobile machine to the ground spotting location based on determined relative interim location.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the range measurements are based on time-of-flight measurements of messages transmitted directly between the first set of ranging radios and the second set of ranging radios.

13. The method of claim 12, the method further including determining a ground spotting pose relative to a known origin and the electronically stored ground spotting position.

14. The method of claim 13, the method further including displaying on a user interface a path to guide the second mobile machine to the ground spotting location.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the determining step includes setting the electronically stored ground spotting location to a current bucket position of the first mobile machine relative to a known origin.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the determining step includes setting the electronically stored ground spotting location based on a current orientation of the first mobile machine and an ideal loading radius.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the determining step includes setting the electronically stored ground spotting location based on a heading of the first mobile machine and an ideal loading radius, wherein the ideal loading radius is adjustable.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the determining step includes setting the electronically stored ground spotting location based on an adjustable ideal loading radius.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein at least one additional sensor disposed on the first mobile machine measures translational movement of the first mobile machine, wherein the offset is determined based on the tracked rotational movement of the platform and the measured translational movement of the first mobile machine.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein the offset is determined based on a rotational deviation between tracked rotational movement and the electronically stored ground spotting location.