System and method for controlling autonomous construction vehicles

• US 10,642,265 B2
• Filed: 08/09/2018
• Issued: 05/05/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Paving Products Inc (Caterpillar Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Paving Products Inc (Caterpillar Incorporated)
• Inventors: O'Donnell, Timothy M., Marsolek, John L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Camby, Richard M
• Application Number:
  US16/059,601
• Publication Number:
  US 20200050192A1
• Time in Patent Office: 635 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0044 by providing the operator with a computer generated representation of the environment of the vehicle, e.g. virtual reality, maps maps used for automatic navigation G05D1/0274; flight directors G01C23/005
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0061 for transition from automatic pilot to manual pilot and vice versa
• 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 1/0293 Convoy travelling
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0295 by at least one leading vehicle of the fleet

Abstract

Systems and methods for monitoring and controlling multiple autonomous construction vehicles on a work site are described. The systems include a command and control station located on a mobile construction vehicle working on the worksite. The command and control station provides the ability to control operation of the autonomous construction vehicles.

Claims

1. A mobile construction system comprising:

a mobile construction vehicle; and

an autonomous machine,

wherein the mobile construction vehicle includes;

a frame;

an engine coupled to the frame;

at least one implement; and

a command and control station including;

a controller;

a wireless communication module; and

a user interface,

wherein the command and control station is configured to;

 

process a worksite plan comprising control instructions for an autonomous machine,

 

transmit the control instructions to the autonomous machine,

 

edit the worksite plan, and

 

transmit edited control instructions to the autonomous machine; and

wherein the autonomous machine includes a control and communication system configured to;

receive the control instructions from the mobile construction vehicle;

operate the autonomous machine in response to the received control instructions; and

receive the edited control instructions from the mobile construction vehicle.

2. The mobile construction system of claim 1, wherein the command and control station is further configured to monitor location and performance data of the autonomous machine.

3. The mobile construction system of claim 1, wherein the command and control station is further configured to communicate data signals to a remote base station.

4. The mobile construction system of claim 1, wherein the command and control station is further configured to communicate operator initiated control instructions to the autonomous machine.

5. The mobile construction system of claim 1, wherein the mobile construction vehicle is a paving machine, and wherein the at least one implement comprises a screed assembly to spread paving material.

6. The mobile construction system of claim 1, wherein the autonomous machine is a compactor comprising:

a frame;

an engine coupled to the frame;

a roller drum; and

wherein the control and communication system is configured to communicate data to the command and control station, receive the control instructions including instruction data from the command and control station, and to control operation of the compactor in response to the received instruction data.

7. The mobile construction system of claim 6, wherein the instruction data comprises instructions for the control and communication system to control operation of the compactor within a defined physical zone of a worksite.

8. A method of controlling a construction vehicle, the method comprising:

wirelessly transmitting operating instructions from a command and control station of a mobile construction vehicle to a second mobile construction vehicle, wherein the second mobile construction vehicle is an autonomous construction vehicle;

wirelessly receiving the operating instructions with a control and communication system of the second mobile construction vehicle; and

controlling, by the control and communication system, operation of the second mobile construction vehicle in response to the received operating instructions;

monitoring, with the command and control station, data transmitted from the second mobile construction vehicle;

editing the worksite plan, with the command and control station, at least partially in response to the data transmitted from the second mobile construction vehicle; and

transmitting edited operating instructions, based on the edited worksite plan, from the command and control station of the mobile construction vehicle to the second mobile construction vehicle.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising creating a worksite plan, with the command and control station, comprising the operating instructions for the second mobile construction vehicle.

10. The method of claim 8 further comprises:

creating a worksite plan comprising the operating instructions for the second mobile construction vehicle;

wirelessly receiving the worksite plan with the command and control station.

11. The method of claim 8 further comprises monitoring, with the command and control station, location and performance data of the second mobile construction vehicle.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the second mobile construction vehicle comprises a compactor machine and the mobile construction vehicle comprises a paving machine.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the wirelessly transmitted operating instructions from the command and control station of the paver machine to the control and communication system of the compactor machine comprises data defining a physical operating zone for the compactor within a worksite.

14. A method of controlling an autonomous construction vehicle, the method comprising:

creating a worksite plan for a construction site;

wirelessly transmitting operating instructions, based on the worksite plan, from a command and control station of a mobile construction vehicle to a first autonomous construction vehicle;

monitoring, with the command and control station, data transmitted from the first autonomous construction vehicle;

editing the worksite plan, with the command and control station, at least partially in response to the data transmitted from the first autonomous construction vehicle; and

wirelessly transmitting edited operating instructions, based on the edited worksite plan, from the command and control station of the mobile construction vehicle to the first autonomous construction vehicle.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising wirelessly transmitting operating instructions, based on the worksite plan, from the command and control station of the mobile construction vehicle to a second autonomous construction vehicle.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the first and second autonomous construction vehicles comprise first and second compactor machines.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the worksite plan comprises a first operating zone within the construction site for the first compactor machine, and a second operating zone within the construction site for the second compactor machine.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising editing the worksite plan, with the command and control station, to change the first and second operating zones.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the worksite plan for the construction site is created remotely from, and wirelessly transmitted to, the command and control station of the mobile construction vehicle.

20. The method of claim 14, further comprising transmitting status data from the command and control station of the mobile construction vehicle to a remote base station.