Method and system for dispensing material from machines

• US 20100250123A1
• Filed: 03/30/2009
• Published: 09/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: Leman, Scott A.
• Application Number:
  US12/414,258
• Publication Number:
  US 20100250123A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/208
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 3/651 Hydraulic or pneumatic drives; Electric or electro-mechanical control devices E02F3/652, E02F3/653 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2054 Fleet management
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/262 with follow-up actions to control the work tool, e.g. controller
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 15/02 Means for marking measuring points

Abstract

A system and method dispenses material from a hauling and dispensing machine about a worksite such as a landscape or terrain development. The system uses positioning technologies that transmit positioning signals to the machine. An onboard controller can receive the positioning signals and determine the machine'"'"'s actual position with respect to the worksite. The actual position can be compared to a desired topography for the worksite and any variation can be determined. From the determined variation, instructions can be generated to dispense and/or cease dispensing material. In one aspect, a remote management system can be included that generates the instructions and that manages a plurality of machines about the worksite.

Claims

1. A method of managing the dispensing of material at a worksite from a material hauling and dispensing machine, the method comprising:

receiving a positioning signal transmitted from a positioning transmitter with a receiver on the machine;

determining an actual topography of the worksite based in part on the positioning signal;

comparing the actual topography and a desired topography;

dispensing material from the machine in response to the step of comparing the actual topography and the desired topography in order to deposit material at the worksite.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the actual topography includes an actual elevation of the worksite, and the desired topography includes a desired elevation.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of dispensing material further comprises adjusting a material dispensing rate of the machine.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining the actual topography includes determining an actual position of the machine from the positioning signals and calculating the actual topography of the worksite from the actual position and a correlation factor.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising transmitting signals indicative of the actual position of the machine from a transmitter on the machine to a remote management system.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the remote management system performs the steps of determining the actual topography of the machine and comparing the actual topography and the desired topography.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising the step of transmitting an instruction signal from a system transmitter of the remote management system to a machine receiver on the machine, the instruction signal instructing the machine to adjust the material dispensing rate.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the remote management system receives signals from a plurality of material hauling and dispensing machines, the signals indicative of the actual position of each of the machines.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the steps of determining the actual topography of the machine and comparing the actual topography and the desired topography are performed by an onboard controller.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the positioning transmitter is selected from a group comprising a global positioning satellite and an onsite laser transmitter.

11. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of adjusting the material dispensing rate includes adjusting a tilt angle of an articulating dump-body;

adjusting velocity of the machine;

or adjusting travel of an ejector blade.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of carrying material about the worksite with the material hauling and dispensing machine.

13. A method of managing the dispensing of material from a plurality of material hauling and dispensing machines at a worksite comprising:

storing a desired topography for the worksite in a management system;

transmitting position signals from machine transmitters on each of the plurality of the machines to a system receiver, the position signals indicative of an actual topography the worksite;

comparing the actual topography and the desired topography to determine variance between the actual topography and the desired topography;

transmitting an instruction signal from a system transmitter to a machine receiver on at least one machine, the instruction signal instructing the at least one machine to dispense material to deposit material at the worksite.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the desired topography includes a desired elevation and the actual topography includes an actual elevation.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising transmitting updated position signals from the machine transmitter of the at least one machine to the system receiver, the updated position signals indicative of an updated actual topography.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising a step of generating the instruction signal with the management system in response to determined variance between the actual topography and the desired topography.

17. A system for managing the dispensing of material from a material hauling and dispensing machine at a worksite comprising:

a receiver on the machine for receiving a positioning signal from at least one positioning transmitter;

an onboard controller adapted to determine an actual elevation of the worksite based in part on the positioning signal; and

a material dispensing device for dispensing of the material from the machine, the dispensing of material controlled at least in part in response to the determined actual elevation.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the onboard controller further includes memory for storing a desired topography including a desired elevation for the worksite.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the onboard controller is adapted to compare the actual elevation and the desired elevation.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the material dispensing device is selected from a group consisting of an articulating dump-body, a travelable ejector blade, a material conveyor, and an adjustable trap door.