POSITION TRACKING AND PROXIMITY WARNING SYSTEM

• US 20070268155A1
• Filed: 05/21/2007
• Published: 11/22/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Phelps Dodge Industries Incorporated (Freeport-Mcmoran Copper & Gold Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Phelps Dodge Industries Incorporated (Freeport-Mcmoran Copper & Gold Incorporated)
• Inventors: HOLMES, Steven C., ARMBRUST, Russell, TREADAWAY, Donald W., WILLIAMSON, Steve L., BARTLETT, Mark W., COYLE, Robert D., CARPENTER, Jennifer D., HANSON, James Edward
• Granted Patent: US 7,656,311 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/901
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0289 of multiple transceivers, e.g. in ad hoc networks
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/127 to a central station ; Indicators in a central station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/164 Centralised systems, e.g. external to vehicles

Abstract

A position tracking system for determining a position of a vehicle. The position tracking system invention includes at least two position-enabled mesh nodes mounted to the vehicle and a mesh network operatively associated with the at least two position-enabled mesh nodes mounted the vehicle. The mesh network is configured to determine a position of the vehicle based on signals received from the at least two position-enabled mesh nodes mounted to the vehicle. The position tracking system also includes a display system, which is operatively associated with the mesh network and which displays the position of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A position tracking system for determining a position of a vehicle, comprising:

at least two position-enabled mesh nodes mounted to the vehicle;

a mesh network operatively associated with the at least two position-enabled mesh nodes mounted the vehicle, the mesh network being configured to determine a position of the vehicle based on signals received from the at least two position-enabled mesh nodes mounted to the vehicle; and

a display system operatively associated with the mesh network, the display system displaying the position of the vehicle.

2. The position tracking system of claim 1, further comprising a proximity warning system operatively associated with the mesh network, the proximity warning system issuing a warning signal related to a separation between the vehicle and another object.

3. The position tracking system of claim 2, wherein the proximity warning system further comprises a display indicator module, the display indicator module providing a visual waning indication related to separation between the vehicle and another object.

4. The position tracking system of claim 3, further comprising a computer operatively associated with the mesh network and the display indicator module and wherein the proximity warning system is implemented by the computer.

5. The position tracking system of claim 1, further comprising a collision avoidance system operatively associated with the mesh network and the vehicle, the collision avoidance system automatically stopping movement of the vehicle if a collision is imminent between the vehicle and another object.

6. The position tracking system of claim 5, further comprising a computer operatively associated with the mesh network and the vehicle and wherein the collision avoidance system is implemented by the computer.

7. The position tracking system of claim 6, wherein the collision avoidance system operates to steer the vehicle if a collision is imminent between the vehicle and another object.

8. The position tracking system of claim T, further comprising a trajectory calculation system operatively associated with the mesh network, the trajectory calculation system determining a trajectory of the vehicle based on a plurality of position fixes for the vehicle over a time interval.

9. A method for providing a proximity warning comprising:

collecting vehicle position data from a first position-enabled mesh node mounted at a first location of a vehicle and a second position-enabled mesh node mounted at a second location of the vehicle;

comparing the vehicle position data to object position data associated with at least one other object; and

activating an alarm if the vehicle position data and the object position data indicate that the vehicle and the object are within a predetermined distance of one another.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein collecting vehicle position data further comprises:

collecting raw position data from the first and second position-enabled mesh nodes on the vehicle; and

correlating the raw position data with information relating to the respective positions on the vehicle of the first and second locations to produce the vehicle position data.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the object comprises a stationary object and wherein object position data comprises information relating to the position of the stationary object.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the object comprises a moveable object and wherein object position data is obtained by collecting object position data from at least one position-enabled mesh node mounted at a first location on the object.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein activating an alarm comprises activating a visual alarm.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein activating a visual alarm comprises:

activating a green-colored annunciator so long as a distance separating the object and the vehicle exceeds a first distance;

activating a yellow-colored annunciator when the distance separating the object and the vehicle is less than the first distance but greater than a second distance; and

activating a red-colored annunciator when the distance separating the object and the vehicle is less than the second distance.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein activating an alarm comprises activating an aural alarm.

16. A method for avoiding a collision between a vehicle and an object, comprising:

collecting vehicle position data from a first position-enabled mesh node mounted at a first location of a vehicle and a second position-enabled mesh node mounted at a second location of the vehicle;

comparing the vehicle position data to object position data associated with at least one other object; and

stopping motion of the vehicle if the vehicle position data and the object position data indicate that the vehicle and the object are within a predetermined distance of one another.

17. A method for avoiding a collision between a vehicle and an object, comprising;

collecting vehicle position data from a first position-enabled mesh node mounted at a first location of the vehicle and a second position-enabled mesh node mounted at a second location of the vehicle;

comparing the vehicle position data to object position data associated with at least one other object; and

steering the vehicle away from the object if the vehicle position data and the object position data indicate that the vehicle and the object are within a predetermined distance of one another.

18. A method for predicting a future course of a vehicle, comprising:

at a first time, collecting vehicle position data from a first position-enabled mesh node mounted at a first location of the vehicle and a second position-enabled mesh node mounted at a second location of the vehicle;

at a second time after the first time, collecting vehicle position data from the first position-enabled mesh node and the second position-enabled mesh node;

calculating a vehicle vector based on the vehicle position data collected at the first time and at the second time; and

predicting a path of the vehicle based on the vehicle vector.

19. A computer-readable storage medium tangibly embodying program instructions which, when executed by a computer, implement a method for providing a proximity warning, the method comprising:

collecting vehicle position data from a first position-enabled mesh node mounted at a first location of a vehicle and a second position-enabled mesh node mounted at a second location of the vehicle;

comparing the vehicle position data to object position data associated with at least one other object; and

activating an alarm if the vehicle position data and the object position data indicate that the vehicle and the object are within a predetermined distance of one another.

20. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 19, wherein collecting vehicle position data further comprises:

collecting raw position data from the first and second position-enabled mesh nodes on the vehicle; and

correlating the raw position data with information relating to the respective positions on the vehicle of the first and second locations to produce the vehicle position data.

21. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 19, wherein the object comprises a stationary object and wherein object position data comprises information relating to the position of the stationary object.

22. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 19, wherein the object comprises a moveable object and wherein object position data is obtained by collecting object position data from at least one position-enabled mesh node mounted at a first location on the object.

23. A position tracking system, comprising;

a vehicle having a top side and al underside;

a first position-enabled mesh node having an antenna, the antenna of the first mesh node being mounted at a first location on the top side of the vehicle;

a second position-enabled mesh node having an antenna, the antenna of the second mesh node being mounted at a second location on the top side of the vehicle;

a third position-enabled mesh node having an antenna, the antenna of the third mesh node being mounted at a third location on the underside of the vehicle;

a mesh network operatively associated with the first, second, and third position-enabled mesh nodes, the mesh network determining a position of the vehicle based on signals received from the antennas of the first, second, and third position-enabled mesh nodes mounted to the vehicle; and

a display system operatively associated with the mesh network, the display system displaying the position of the vehicle.

24. The position tracking system of claim 23, wherein the first location on the top side of the vehicle comprises a left side o f the vehicle and wherein the second location on the top side of the vehicle comprises a right side of the vehicle.

25. The position tracking system of claim 23, wherein the first location on the top side of the vehicle comprises a left front extremity of the vehicle and wherein the second location on the top side of the vehicle comprises a right front extremity of the vehicle.

26. The position tracking system of claim 23, wherein the third location on the underside of the vehicle comprises a location on a rear axle of the vehicle.

27. A position tracking system, comprising:

a vehicle having a main body portion;

a moveable element mounted to the main body portion of the vehicle so that the moveable element is moveable with respect to the main body portion of the vehicle;

a first position-enabled mesh node having an antenna, the antenna of the first position-enabled mesh node being mounted at a first location on the main body portion of the vehicle;

a second position-enabled mesh node having an antenna, the antenna of the second position-enabled mesh node being mounted at a second location on the main body portion of the vehicle;

a third position-enabled mesh node having an antenna, the antenna of the third position-enabled mesh node being mounted to the moveable element of the vehicle;

a mesh network operatively associated with the first, second, and third position-enabled mesh nodes, the mesh network determining a position of the main body portion of the vehicle and the moveable element of the vehicle based on signals received from the antennas of the first, second, and third position-enabled mesh nodes mounted to the vehicle; and

a display system operatively associated with the mesh network, the display system displaying the position of the main body portion of the vehicle and the moveable element of the vehicle.

28. The position tracking system of claim 27, wherein the vehicle comprises one or more selected from the group consisting of a haul truck, a dozer, a drill, and a shovel and wherein the moveable element comprises one or more selected from the group consisting of a dump bed, a blade, a drill column, and a shovel bucket.

29. A method for determining a position of a vehicle, comprising:

mounting a first position-enabled mesh node at a first location on the vehicle;

mounting a second position-enabled mesh node at a second location on the vehicle;

collecting vehicle position data from the first and second position-enabled mesh nodes; and

displaying the position of the vehicle.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein collecting vehicle position data comprises,

collecting first position data from the first position-enabled mesh node;

collecting second position data from the second position-enabled mesh node; and

correlating the first and second position data received from the first and second positions-enabled mesh nodes with known positions of the first and second mounting locations.

31. The method of claim 30, further comprising determining a position of a vehicle extremity after the correlating.