Machine-to-machine communication system for payload control

• US 20090088961A1
• Filed: 09/28/2007
• Published: 04/02/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: Rothwell, Jonathan W., Johnston, Richard D., Vik, Timothy A., Morey, Stephen J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,386,134 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/124
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/264 Sensors and their calibration for indicating the position of the work tool
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/10 having fluid weight-sensitive devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 23/37 involving digital counting

Abstract

A method for enhancing payload control is disclosed. The method includes removing material during a plurality of work cycles with at least one loading machine and associating the loading machine relative to at least one haulage machine. The method also includes determining the relative locations of the loading machine and the haulage machine and, during the plurality of work cycles, loading removed material into the haulage machine with the loading machine. The method also includes determining payload and payload distribution within the haulage machine at least before a last work cycle of the plurality of work cycles and communicating to the loading machine, via a machine-to-machine communication system, the amount and position within the haulage machine of additional payload desired in at least the last work cycle of the plurality of work cycles for desired payload and payload distribution.

Claims

1. A method for enhancing payload control, comprising:

removing material during a plurality of work cycles with at least one loading machine;

associating the at least one loading machine relative to at least one haulage machine;

determining the relative locations of the at least one loading machine and the at least one haulage machine;

during the plurality of work cycles, loading removed material into the at least one haulage machine with the at least one loading machine;

determining payload and payload distribution within the at least one haulage machine at least before a last work cycle of the plurality of work cycles; and

communicating to the at least one loading machine, via a machine-to-machine communication system, the amount and position within the at least one haulage machine of additional payload desired in at least the last work cycle of the plurality of work cycles to obtain desired payload and payload distribution within the at least one haulage machine.

2. The method of claim 1, including determining payload and payload distribution within the at least one haulage machine before each work cycle of the plurality of work cycles.

3. The method of claim 2, including displaying, on a display device associated with an operator station of the at least one loading machine, a visual representation of a receiving container of the at least one haulage machine.

4. The method of claim 3, including displaying a visual representation of the payload distribution within the receiving container of the at least one haulage machine on the display device.

5. The method of claim 1, including associating the at least one loading machine with a plurality of haulage machines, and determining the relative locations of each of the at least one loading machine and the plurality of haulage machines relative to one another.

6. The method of claim 1, including utilizing the machine-to-machine communication system to signal the at least one loading machine when the at least one haulage machine is properly positioned for loading, and to signal the at least one haulage machine when the last work cycle of the plurality of work cycles is completed.

7. The method of claim 1, including sending a signal from the at least one loading machine, via the machine-to-machine communication system, to the at least one haulage machine identifying the machine size parameters of the at least one loading machine.

8. The method of claim 1, including sending a signal from the at least one haulage machine, via the machine-to-machine communication system, to the at least one loading machine identifying the machine payload distribution parameters of the at least one haulage machine.

9. The method of claim 1, including communicating to the at least one loading machine, via a machine-to-machine communication system, the amount and position within the at least one haulage machine of additional payload required after each work cycle of the plurality of work cycles to ensure proper payload and payload distribution within the at least one haulage machine.

10. The method of claim 9, including removing only sufficient material with the at least one loading machine, during the last work cycle of the plurality of work cycles, that will increase the payload of the at least one haulage machine to its proper payload.

11. The method of claim 10, including positioning the sufficient material on a bucket of the at least one loading machine during the last work cycle of the plurality of work cycles so as to ensure placement of the material within the at least one haulage machine at a location that will ensure proper payload distribution.

12. A system for enhancing payload of a haulage machine, comprising:

a fleet of machines, including at least one haulage machine and at least one loading machine, the at least one loading machine configured to remove material and load the material into the at least one haulage machine during a plurality of work cycles;

a machine-to-machine communication system configured to provide communication between the at least one haulage machine and the at least one loading machine;

a controller associated with the at least one haulage machine and configured to determine the payload and payload distribution within the at least one haulage machine at least before a last work cycle of the plurality of work cycles; and

a controller associated with the at least one loading machine configured to receive, via the machine-to-machine communication system, a signal from the at least one haulage machine indicating the amount and position within the at least one haulage machine of additional payload desired in a last work cycle of the plurality of work cycles to obtain desired payload and payload distribution within the at least one haulage machine.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the controller associated with the at least one haulage machine is configured to determine the payload and payload distribution within the at least one haulage machine before each work cycle of the plurality of work cycles.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the controller associated with the at least one haulage machine is configured to send a signal, via the machine-to-machine communication system, to the at least one loading machine indicating the amount and location of material required to ensure proper payload and payload distribution within the at least one haulage machine after the last work cycle of the plurality of work cycles.

15. The system of claim 14, where the controller associated with the at least one haulage machine is configured to send a signal, via the machine-to-machine communication system, to the at least one loading machine indicating the amount and location of material required to ensure proper payload and payload distribution within the at least one haulage machine after each work cycle of the plurality of work cycles.

16. The system of claim 15, including a display device associated with an operator station of the at least one loading machine and configured to display a visual representation of a receiving container of the at least one haulage machine, the display device further configured to display a visual representation indicating the amount and location of material required to ensure proper payload and payload distribution with the at least one haulage machine.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the at least one haulage machine includes a display device associated with an operator station of the at least one haulage machine and configured to display a visual representation of the location of the at least one loading machine.

18. The system of claim 12, including a plurality of haulage machines, and wherein the machine-to-machine communication system is configured to provide communication between each of the haulage machines and the at least one loading machine.

19. The system of claim 12, wherein the at least one loading machine is a wheel loader and the at least one haulage machine is an off-highway truck, and wherein the off-highway truck includes a receiving container including a visual indication on an exterior of the receiving container of the location of the center point for payload distribution within the receiving container, and positioned so as to permit an operator of the wheel loader to see the visual indication.

20. A loading machine, comprising:

a mobile unit including a bucket configured to remove material from a site and load the removed material into a receiving container of at least one haulage machine during a plurality of work cycles;

a machine-to-machine communication system associated with the loading machine and configured to enable communication between the loading machine and the at least one haulage machine;

a controller associated with the loading machine, the controller configured to receive data from the at least one haulage machine, via the machine-to-machine communication system, indicating the amount and distribution of payload required during at least the last work cycle of the plurality of work cycles to obtain desired payload and payload distribution within the at least one haulage machine; and

a display device associated with the loading machine and configured to display a visual representation of the receiving container of the at least one haulage machine, and configured to display a visual indication of the amount and distribution of payload desired during at least the last work cycle of the plurality of work cycles to obtain desired payload and payload distribution within the at least one haulage machine.