CONDITION BASED KEEP-OUT FOR MACHINES

• US 20110295423A1
• Filed: 05/27/2010
• Published: 12/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Deere & Company
• Original Assignee: Deere & Company
• Inventors: Anderson, Noel Wayne
• Application Number:
  US12/789,061
• Publication Number:
  US 20110295423A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/248
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 34/008 for automated or remotely controlled operation
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0088 characterized by the autonomous decision making process, e.g. artificial intelligence, predefined behaviours using knowledge based models G06N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0225 involving docking at a fixed facility, e.g. base station or loading bay parking aids B62D15/027
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0257 using a radar radar systems designed for anti-collision purposes between land vehicles or between land vehicle and fixed obstacles G01S13/931
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0265 using buried wires
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/028 using a RF signal

Abstract

The different illustrative embodiments provide a system for autonomous machine management comprising a number of autonomous machines, a number of boundaries, a conditional behavior module, and a navigation system. The number of autonomous machines is configured to perform area coverage tasks in a worksite. The number of nodes is configured to define a number of worksite areas for the worksite. The conditional behavior module is executed by a processor unit and configured to determine whether a number of conditions is met for the number of worksite areas. The navigation system is configured to operate an autonomous machine to perform the area coverage tasks and move between the number of worksite areas when the number of conditions is met.

Claims

1. A method for managing conditional behavior of a machine, the method comprising:

detecting a boundary between a first worksite area and a second worksite area;

identifying a number of conditions associated with the boundary detected;

determining whether the number of conditions identified is met; and

responsive to a determination that the number of conditions identified is met, determining whether the second worksite area is an excludable worksite area.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

responsive to a determination that the number of conditions identified is not met, preventing the machine from crossing the boundary.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

responsive to a determination that the second worksite area is an excludable worksite area, preventing the machine from crossing the boundary.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

responsive to a determination that the second worksite area is not an excludable worksite area, operating the machine to move into the second worksite area

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the number of conditions is selected from at least one of identification of work to be performed in the second worksite area, adequate power supply for the machine to work in the second worksite area, adequate supply of material to begin application in the second worksite area, adequate storage capacity to gather material in the second worksite area, lack of a higher priority activity requiring exclusion of the machine from the second worksite area, adequate memory storage capacity for storing sensor data from the second worksite area, and entry in the second worksite area enable the machine to reach a destination.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the boundary is detected by a sensor system of the machine using a boundary detection process.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the machine is selected from at least one of an autonomous machine and a semi-autonomous machine.

8. A system for machine management, the system comprising:

a number of machines configured to perform area coverage tasks in a worksite;

a number of boundaries for a number of worksite areas for the worksite;

a conditional behavior module executed by a processor unit and configured to determine whether a number of conditions is met for the number of worksite areas; and

a navigation system configured to operate a machine in the number of machines to perform the area coverage tasks and move between the number of worksite areas when the number of conditions is met.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the number of boundaries for the number of worksite areas are defined by a number of nodes using at least one of a wire radiating a signal, a visual indicator, a light beam, an infrared beam, an energy beam, an electromagnetic field, a chemical indicator, a radio frequency identification tag, and a radioactive indicator.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the number of boundaries are defined by at least one of visual difference between the number of worksite areas, physical barriers between the number of worksite areas, soil condition differences between the number of worksite areas, ground surface conditions between the number of worksite areas, and a number of signals.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the conditional behavior module uses information from at least one of a behavior database and a worksite database to determine whether the number of conditions is met.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the machine is permitted to pass from a first worksite area in the number of worksite areas to a second worksite area in the number of worksite areas when the number of conditions is met.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the number of conditions is selected from at least one of identification of work to be performed in the second worksite area, adequate power supply for the number of machines to work in the second worksite area, adequate supply of material to begin application in the second worksite area, adequate storage capacity to gather material in the second worksite area, lack of a higher priority activity requiring exclusion of the number of machines from the second worksite area, adequate memory storage capacity for storing sensor data from the second worksite area, and entry in the second worksite area enable the number of machines to reach a destination.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the number of machines is configured to detect a boundary between a first worksite area and a second worksite area, identify a number of conditions to be met for passage to the second worksite area, and move between the first worksite area and the second worksite are when the number of conditions identified is met.

15. The system of claim 8, wherein the number of machines is selected from at least one of an autonomous machine and a semi-autonomous machine.