System and method for preparing a worksite based on soil moisture map data

• US 20080202777A1
• Filed: 02/28/2007
• Published: 08/28/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: Corcoran, Paul T.
• Granted Patent: US 7,908,062 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 172/1
• CPC Class Codes: E02D 1/027 by investigating properties relating to fluids in the soil, e.g. pore-water pressure, permeability sampling of groundwater E02D1/06
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2045 Guiding machines along a predetermined path for graders E02F3/841; machines for construction of roads E01C19/004

Abstract

A soil moisture mapping based method for transferring soil for an earthworks construction project includes outputting signals based on soil moisture data and position data indicative of a location within a cut area or a fill area of the soil. The method further includes selecting a location within a cut area for obtaining fill soil or a location within a fill area for depositing fill soil based on the signals. A system for supplying soil for an earthworks construction project includes at least one machine having a sensor configured to sense soil moisture, and a receiver configured to receive position data corresponding with a location of the soil, and a signaling device configured to output signals based on the position data and soil moisture data. A transfer machine is included in the system and configured to selectively transfer fill soil between the cut area and the fill area based on the signals.

Claims

1. A system for preparing a worksite comprising:

at least one machine having at least one sensor mounted thereon which is configured to sense a parameter indicative of a moisture content of soil;

a receiver configured to receive position data of at least one of a cut area and a fill area;

a signaling device configured to output signals corresponding to the position data and data from said at least one sensor; and

at least one transfer machine configured to selectively transfer fill soil between the cut area and the fill area based at least in part on said signals.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the at least one machine having the at least one sensor mounted thereon comprises a first machine, and wherein the at least one transfer machine comprises a second, different machine, the system further comprising a communication link between said first and second machines.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein said second machine comprises a scraper machine, said system further comprising another scraper machine having a communication link with at least one of said first and second machines.

4. The system of claim 1 further comprising a display device configured to indicate at least one of, a location within the fill area for depositing fill soil and a location within the cut area for obtaining fill soil, based at least in part on signals output via the signaling device.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein said display device comprises a graphical display device coupled with said signaling device and configured to display a soil moisture map for at least one of the cut area and the fill area based at least in part on said signals.

6. The system of claim 5 further comprising a memory coupled with said signaling device and configured to store map data for at least one of the cut area and the fill area corresponding to said signals, and a memory writing device configured to update the map data stored on said memory based on additional position data and additional data from said at least one sensor.

7. The system of claim 1 further comprising a data processor configured to select at least one of, a cut location and a fill location, responsive to said signals.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein said data processor is further configured to select a plurality of cut locations and a plurality of fill locations responsive to said signals, said system further comprising a display device coupled with said second machine and configured to indicate at least one of the selected locations via a map displayed thereon.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein said data processor is further configured to output machine navigation signals responsive to the signals output via the signaling device.

19. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of generating a soil moisture map comprises generating a soil moisture map for the cut area and a soil moisture map for the fill area, the method further comprising the steps of comparing the soil moisture map for the cut area with the soil moisture map for the fill area and selecting at least one location within the cut area for obtaining fill soil and at least one location within the fill area for depositing fill soil based on comparing the soil moisture maps.

10. A control system comprising:

at least one data processor;

said at least one data processor being configured to receive sensor data indicative of a moisture content of soil of at least one of a cut area and a fill area; and

said at least one data processor further being configured to receive position data of at least one of a cut area and a fill area;

wherein said control system further comprises a signaling device coupled with said at least one data processor and configured to output a control signal based on the position data and the sensor data to a fill soil transfer machine.

11. The control system of claim 10 wherein said at least one data processor is further configured to select at least one of, a location within the fill area for depositing fill soil and a location within the cut area for obtaining fill soil, based at least in part on the sensor data and the position data.

12. The control system of claim 10 further comprising a display device configured to receive signals from said signaling device and responsively display a soil moisture map, said display device further being configured to indicate at least one of, a location and a machine travel path, corresponding to a location selected via the at least one data processor.

13. The control system of claim 12 further comprising a memory configured to store soil moisture map data corresponding to signals from said signaling device and a memory writing device configured to replace stored soil moisture map data based on additional position data and additional sensor data for the at least one of a cut area and a fill area.

14. A method of preparing a worksite comprising the steps of:

receiving soil moisture data for soil of at least one of a cut area and a fill area;

receiving position data indicative of a location within the at least one of a cut area and a fill area;

outputting at least one signal corresponding to the soil moisture data and the position data; and

selecting at least one of, a location within a cut area for obtaining fill soil with a transfer machine and a location within a fill area for depositing fill soil with a transfer machine, based at least in part on the at least one signal.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising the steps of:

moving a machine within the at least one of a cut area and a fill area; and

sensing a parameter having a value indicative of a moisture content of soil of the at least one of a cut area and a fill area with at least one sensor mounted on the machine during moving the machine;

wherein the step of receiving soil moisture data comprises receiving data from the at least one sensor.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein outputting at least one signal comprises outputting a plurality of signals, the method further comprising a step of generating a soil moisture map for at least one of the cut area and the fill area based at least in part on the signals.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising a step of selecting a first location within the cut area for obtaining a portion of a fill soil load and a second, different location within the cut area for obtaining another portion of the fill soil load based on the soil moisture map.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein the step of generating a soil moisture map further comprises a step of displaying a soil moisture map via a display device mounted on a transfer machine, the method further comprising a step of indicating a location within at least one of the cut area and the fill area via the display device responsive to the selecting step.

20. The method of claim 16 further comprising the steps of:

transferring fill soil between a transfer machine and the at least one of a cut area and a fill area;

receiving additional soil moisture data and additional position data for the at least one of a cut area and a fill area subsequent to transferring fill soil; and

generating an updated soil moisture map based on the additional soil moisture data and additional position data.