AUTONOMOUS MACHINE CONTROL SYSTEM

• US 20120089293A1
• Filed: 10/12/2010
• Published: 04/12/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: HALDER, Bibhrajit, Vitale, Andrew J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,924,067 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/24
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0006 Digital architecture hierarchy
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/0205 Diagnosing or detecting failures; Failure detection models
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/029 Adapting to failures or work around with other constraints, e.g. circumvention by avoiding use of failed parts
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/038 Limiting the input power, torque or speed

Abstract

An autonomous control system for a mobile machine is disclosed. The autonomous control system may have a plurality of system modules each configured to monitor a status of at least one machine component and generate a corresponding recommended machine action based on the status, and a control module configured to control operations of the mobile machine. The autonomous control system may also have a health supervisor module in communication with the plurality of system modules and the control module. The health supervisor module may be configured to arbitrate each of the recommended machine actions from the plurality of system modules to determine an overall machine response, and to command the control module to implement the overall machine response.

Claims

1. An autonomous control system for a mobile machine, comprising:

a plurality of system modules each configured to monitor a status of at least one machine component and generate a corresponding recommended machine action based on the status;

a control module configured to control operations of the mobile machine; and

a health supervisor module in communication with the plurality of system modules and the control module, the health supervisor module configured to;

arbitrate each of the recommended machine actions from the plurality of system modules to determine an overall machine response; and

command the control module to implement the overall machine response.

2. The autonomous control system of claim 1, further including an offboard operator interface station, wherein the health supervisor module is further configured to communicate with the offboard operator interface station the overall machine response and which of the plurality of subsystems contributed to the overall machine response.

3. The autonomous control system of claim 2, wherein the offboard operator interface station is in communication with the health supervisor module of a plurality of different mobile machines.

4. The autonomous control system of claim 3, wherein the overall machine response is based on a recommended action having a highest severity level.

5. The autonomous control system of claim 4, wherein the health supervisor module is configured to cause the control module to maintain the overall machine response until the highest severity level of the recommended actions has been reduced or the offboard operator interface station provides a manual override command.

6. The autonomous control system of claim 5, wherein, when the overall machine response includes turning off the mobile machine, the health supervisor module is configured to confirm that the mobile machine has been turned off before changing the overall machine response, even if the recommended actions change before the mobile machine has been turned off.

7. The autonomous control system of claim 6, wherein the offboard operator interface station is configured to provide a new route plan for the mobile machine when the overall machine response changes.

8. The autonomous control system of claim 1, wherein the overall machine response is based on a combination of recommended actions and a severity level of each recommended action of the combination.

9. The autonomous control system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of system modules includes a plurality of base machine modules and a plurality of autonomy modules.

10. The autonomous control system of claim 1, wherein the control module is in direct communication with each of the plurality of system modules and configured to implement the overall machine response by directing corresponding commands to the plurality of system modules.

11. The autonomous control system of claim 1, further including an information management system in communication with each of the plurality of system modules and with the health supervisor module, the information management system configured to record at least one of the status of the at least one component of each of the plurality of system modules, the corresponding recommended machine actions, and the overall machine response.

12. The autonomous control system of claim 11, wherein the status of the at least one component of each of the plurality of system modules is sent from the plurality of system modules to only the information management system.

13. The autonomous control system of claim 11, further including an onboard interface module configured to relay communications between the offboard operator interface station and the health supervisor module, information management system, and machine control module.

14. The autonomous control system of claim 1, wherein the health supervisor module is configured to follow an emergency procedure in the event of miscommunication with the plurality of system modules.

15. The autonomous control system of claim 14, wherein the emergency procedure is to command the control module to stop the mobile machine or to stop and turn off the mobile machine depending on which of the plurality of system modules is experiencing the miscommunication.

16. The autonomous control system of claim 1, further including an offboard environmental module configured to provide an additional recommended machine action to the health supervisor module based on environmental conditions affecting machine operation, wherein the health supervisor module is further configured to consider the additional recommended machine action from the environmental module when determining the overall machine response.

17. The autonomous control system of claim 1, wherein the at least one component is one of an actuation component, a sensing component, and a communication component.

18. The autonomous control system of claim 1, wherein the overall machine response includes at least one of allowing normal machine operation, slowing the mobile machine, stopping the mobile machine, and turning off the mobile machine.

19. The autonomous control system of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of system modules continuously generates a recommended machine action.

20. The autonomous control system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of system modules includes one or more of a brake system module, a steering system module, an powertrain system module, a tool system module, and a guidance system module.

21. An autonomous control system for a mobile machine, comprising:

a plurality of system modules each configured to monitor a status of at least one machine component and generate a corresponding recommended machine action based on the status;

a health supervisor module in communication with the plurality of system modules and configured to arbitrate each of the recommended machine actions from the plurality of system modules to determine an overall machine response; and

an offboard operator interface station in communication with the health supervisor module to receive the overall machine response and configured to provide a new route plan for the mobile machine when the overall machine response changes.

22. The autonomous control system of claim 21, wherein the health supervisor module is further configured to communicate with the offboard operator interface station which of the plurality of subsystems caused the overall machine response.

23. The autonomous control system of claim 22, wherein the offboard operator interface station is in communication with the health supervisor module of a plurality of different mobile machines.

24. The autonomous control system of claim 23, wherein the overall machine response is based on a recommended action having a highest severity level.

25. The autonomous control system of claim 24, wherein the health supervisor module is configured to maintain the overall machine response until the highest severity level of the recommended actions has been reduced or the offboard operator interface station provides a manual override command.

26. The autonomous control system of claim 25, wherein, when the overall machine response includes turning off the mobile machine, the health supervisor module is configured to confirm the mobile machine has been turned off before changing the overall machine response, even if the recommended actions change before the mobile machine has been turned off.

27. The autonomous control system of claim 21, wherein the overall machine response is based on a combination of recommended actions and a severity level of each recommended action of the combination.

28. The autonomous control system of claim 21, wherein the plurality of system modules includes a plurality of base machine modules and a plurality of autonomy modules.

29. The autonomous control system of claim 21, further including an information management system in communication with each of the plurality of system modules and with the health supervisor module, the information management system configured to record at least one of the status of the at least one component of each of the plurality of system modules, the corresponding recommended machine actions, and the overall machine response.

30. The autonomous control system of claim 21, further including an offboard environmental module configured to provide an additional recommended machine action to the health supervisor module based on environmental conditions affecting machine operation, wherein the health supervisor module is further configured to consider the additional recommended machine action from the environmental module when determining the overall machine response.

31. The autonomous control system of claim 21, wherein the at least one component is one of an actuation component, a sensing component, and a communication component.

32. The autonomous control system of claim 21, wherein the overall machine response includes at least one of allowing normal machine operation, slowing the mobile machine, stopping the mobile machine, and turning off the mobile machine.

33. The autonomous control system of claim 21, wherein each of the plurality of subsystems continuously generates a recommended machine action.

34. The autonomous control system of claim 21, wherein the plurality of system modules includes one or more of a brake system module, a steering system module, an powertrain system module, a tool system module, and a guidance system module.

35. An autonomous machine, comprising:

a powertrain;

a traction device driven by the powertrain; and

an autonomous control system including;

a plurality of system modules each configured to monitor a status of at least one machine component and generate a corresponding recommended machine action based on the status;

a control module configured to control operations of the powertrain and traction device to steer and propel the autonomous machine; and

a health supervisor module in communication with the plurality of system modules and the control module, the health supervisor module configured to;

arbitrate each of the recommended machine actions from the plurality of system modules to determine an overall machine response; and

command the control module to implement the overall machine response.