SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR MACHINE CONTROL IN DESIGNATED AREAS

• US 20110153541A1
• Filed: 12/22/2009
• Published: 06/23/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: Koch, Roger Dale, Humphrey, James Decker
• Application Number:
  US12/645,462
• Publication Number:
  US 20110153541A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 706/52
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling

Abstract

Systems and methods for determining machine control zones associated with a mine site comprise receiving, at a processor, information indicative of an occurrence of a detonation of explosive material in the mine site. The method may further include predicting, at the processor, a blast zone associated with the detonation of explosive material based on the information and accessing, by the processor from a job-site map database, information indicative of one or more topographical features associated with the blast zone. The method may also include establishing, at the processor, a designated area associated with the blast zone based at least on the predicted blast zone and the information indicative of the one or more topographical features and providing, by the processor to one or more machines, information indicative of the designated area.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for determining machine control zones, comprising:

receiving, at a processor, information indicative of an occurrence of a prospective event that may alter an operation associated with one or more mobile machines;

predicting, at the processor, an area of impact associated with the occurrence of the prospective event based on the information;

determining, by the processor, one or more topographical features associated with a location at which the prospective event is to occur;

establishing, at the processor, a designated area surrounding the location at which the prospective event is to occur based at least on the predicted area of impact and the information indicative of the one or more topographical features; and

providing, by the processor to the one or more mobile machines, information indicative of the designated area.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the designated area includes a blast zone located in a mine site, the prospective event includes a detonation of explosive material in the blast zone, and information indicative of the prospective event includes an amount of explosive material rigged for detonation.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein establishing the designated area includes:

estimating the blast zone around the location at which the prospective event is to occur based at least on the amount of explosive material rigged for detonation;

analyzing the information indicative of one or more topographical features associated with the location at which the prospective event is to occur based on a job site map; and

establishing a location of the of a boundary associated with the designated area based at least on the estimated blast zone and the one or more topographical features associated with the location at which the prospective event is to occur.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further including determining, for each of the one or more machines, whether the machine is operating in a manual mode or an autonomous mode.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, wherein the designated area includes a first designated area, the method further comprising establishing a second designated area surrounding the location at which the prospective event is to occur.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein providing information indicative of the designated area further includes providing, to a machine operating in the autonomous mode, information indicative of the first designated area.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein providing information indicative of the designated area further includes providing, to a machine operating in the manual mode, information indicative of the second designated area.

8. A computer-implemented method for determining machine control zones associated with a mine site, comprising:

receiving, at a processor, information indicative of an occurrence of a detonation of explosive material in the mine site;

predicting, at the processor, a blast zone associated with the detonation of explosive material based on the information;

accessing, by the processor from a job-site map database, information indicative of one or more topographical features associated with the blast zone;

establishing, at the processor, a designated area associated with the blast zone based at least on the predicted blast zone and the information indicative of the one or more topographical features; and

providing, by the processor to one or more machines, information indicative of the designated area.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein establishing the designated area includes:

estimating the blast zone based at least on an amount of explosive material rigged for detonation;

analyzing the information indicative of one or more topographical features associated with the blast zone based on the job site map; and

establishing a location of the of a boundary associated with the designated area based at least on the estimated blast zone and the one or more topographical features associated with the blast zone.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, further including determining, for each of the one or more machines, whether the machine is operating in a manual mode or an autonomous mode.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, wherein the designated area includes a first designated area, the method further comprising establishing a second designated area surrounding the location at which the prospective event is to occur.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, wherein providing information indicative of the designated area further includes providing, to a machine operating in the autonomous mode, information indicative of the first designated area.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, wherein providing information indicative of the designated area further includes providing, to a machine operating in the manual mode, information indicative of the second designated area.

14. A computer-implemented method for determining machine control zones associated with a mine site, comprising:

receiving, at a processor, information indicative of an occurrence of a detonation of explosive material in the mine site;

predicting, at the processor, a blast zone associated with the detonation of explosive material based on the information;

accessing, by the processor from a job-site map database, one or more mine-site features, the one or more mine site features including at least one of information indicative of an area of geological instability associated with the blast zone, information indicative of vibration-sensitive operation associated with the blast zone, and information indicative of the location of nearby intersections associated with haul roads located within a threshold distance of the blast zone;

establishing, at the processor, a designated area surrounding the blast zone based at least on the predicted area blast zone and the information indicative of the one or more topographical features; and

providing, by the processor to one or more machines, information indicative of the designated area.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 14, wherein establishing the designated area includes:

estimating the last zone based at least on an amount of explosive material rigged for detonation; and

establishing a location of the of a boundary associated with the designated area based at least on the estimated blast zones and the one or more mine-site features associated with the blast zone.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 14, further including determining, for each of the one or more machines, whether the machine is operating in a manual mode or an autonomous mode.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 16, wherein the designated area includes a first designated area, the method further comprising establishing a second designated area surrounding the location at which the prospective event is to occur.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 17, wherein providing information indicative of the designated area further includes providing, to a machine operating in the autonomous mode, information indicative of the first designated area.

19. The computer-implemented method of claim 17, wherein providing information indicative of the designated area further includes providing, to a machine operating in the manual mode, information indicative of the second designated area.

20. The computer-implemented method of claim 14, wherein one or more of the mine-site features includes information indicative of the location of nearby intersections associated with haul roads that at least partially lie within the designated area and providing information indicative of the designated area further includes providing at least one alternate route for each said haul road based at least in part on information indicative of the location of nearby intersections.