MACHINE CONTROL SYSTEM HAVING AUTONOMOUS DUMP QUEUING

• US 20120136523A1
• Filed: 08/04/2011
• Published: 05/31/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: EVERETT, Bryan J., Koehrsen, Craig L., Moughler, Eric A., Banham, Mark H.
• Granted Patent: US 8,983,707 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/24
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2045 Guiding machines along a predetermined path for graders E02F3/841; machines for construction of roads E01C19/004
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2054 Fleet management
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0274 using mapping information stored in a memory device navigation using map-matching G01C21/30
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0278 using satellite positioning signals, e.g. GPS
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0291 Fleet control monitoring fleets in traffic control systems for road vehicles G08G1/127, G08G1/127

Abstract

A control system for use at a dump location having a plurality of dump sites is disclosed. The control system may have a control module associated with a mobile machine and a worksite controller. The worksite controller may be configured to receive a signal from the control module indicative of the mobile machine crossing a boundary at a dump location, and assign a travel route for the mobile machine based on the signal. The travel route may include a travel segment on a common entrance row, a first single-use path from the common entrance row to a particular one of the plurality of dump sites, a second single-use path from the particular one of the plurality of dump sites to a common exit row, and a travel segment on the common exit row. The worksite controller may be further configured to communicate the travel route to the control module as the mobile machine moves toward the dump location.

Claims

1. A control system for use at a dump location having a plurality of dump sites, the control system comprising:

a control module associated with a mobile machine; and

a worksite controller in communication with the control module, the worksite controller being configured to;

receive a signal from the control module indicative of the mobile machine crossing a boundary at the dump location;

assign a travel route for the mobile machine based on the signal, the travel route including a travel segment on a common entrance row, a first single-use path from the common entrance row to a particular one of the plurality of dump sites, a second single-use path from the particular one of the plurality of dump sites to a common exit row, and a travel segment on the common exit row; and

communicate the travel route to the control module as the mobile machine moves toward the dump location.

2. The control system of claim 1, wherein the worksite controller is configured to receive the signal, assign the travel route, and communicate the travel route without disrupting movement of the mobile machine toward the dump location.

3. The control system of claim 1, wherein the worksite controller is further configured to:

make a determination of an amount of the travel route that the mobile machine is permitted to travel; and

communicate a permission to the control module corresponding to the determination.

4. The control system of claim 3, wherein the amount of the travel route that the mobile machine is permitted to travel is based on a location of other mobile machines at the dump location.

5. The control system of claim 4, wherein the amount of the travel route that the mobile machine is permitted to travel corresponds with intersections at the dump location.

6. The control system of claim 1, wherein the worksite controller is further configured to:

receive at least one characteristic of the dump location; and

determine a number and positions at the dump location of the plurality of dump sites based on the at least one characteristic.

7. The control system of claim 6, wherein the at least one characteristic includes at least one of a size and a shape of an area available for dumping.

8. The control system of claim 7, wherein at least one of the number and positions at the dump location of the plurality of dump sites are determined based further on at least one of a characteristic of material moved by the mobile machine and a characteristic of the mobile machine.

9. The control system of claim 8, wherein:

the characteristic of material includes at least one of a composition and a dump shape; and

the characteristic of the mobile machine includes at least one of a size and a turning radius.

10. The control system of claim 9, wherein the worksite controller is configured to determine the dump shape based on a contour of the dump location at each of the plurality of dump sites.

11. The control system of claim 6, wherein the worksite controller is further configured to generate the common entrance row, the common exit row, the first single-use path, and the second single-use path based on the at least one characteristic of the dump location and the number and positions of the plurality of dump sites.

12. The control system of claim 11, wherein the common entrance row and the common exit row both correspond with a particular row of the plurality of dump sites.

13. The control system of claim 12, wherein:

when dumping on the particular row of the plurality of dump sites is complete, the common entrance row becomes the common exit row; and

the worksite controller is configured to generate a new common exit row.

14. The control system of claim 11, wherein the worksite controller is further configured to direct multiple mobile machines to simultaneously use the common entrance and common exit rows.

15. The control system of claim 14, wherein the worksite controller is further configured to track positions of each of the multiple mobile machines.

16. The control system of claim 15, wherein the worksite controller is further configured to:

make a comparison of an expected shape and spacing of loads dumped by the multiple mobile machines to an actual shape and spacing of loads; and

selectively update a position of at least one of the plurality of dump sites, the common entrance row, the common exit row, the first single-use path, and the second single-use path based on the comparison.

17. A computer readable medium having computer executable instructions for performing a method of autonomous dump queuing, the method including:

receiving an indication of a mobile machine crossing a boundary at a dump location;

assigning a travel route to the mobile machine based on the indication, the travel route including a travel segment on a common entrance row, a first single-use path from the common entrance row to a particular dump site of a plurality of dump sites at the dump location, a second single-use path from the particular dump site to a common exit row, and a travel segment on the common exit row; and

communicating the travel route to the mobile machine as the mobile machine moves toward the dump location.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein the method includes receiving the indication, assigning the travel route, and communicating the travel route without disrupting movement of the mobile machine towards the dump location.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein the method further includes:

making a determination of an amount of the travel route that the mobile machine is permitted to travel; and

communicating a permission to the mobile machine corresponding to the determination.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein the amount of the travel route that the mobile machine is permitted to travel is based on at least one of a location of other mobile machines at the dump location and intersections at the dump location.

21. The computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein the method further includes:

receiving at least one characteristic of the dump location; and

determining a number and positions at the dump location of the plurality of dump sites based on the at least one characteristic.

22. The computer readable medium of claim 21, wherein responsively determining the number and positions at the dump location of the plurality of dump sites includes determining the number and positions at the dump location of the plurality of dump sites based further on at least one of a characteristic of material moved by the mobile machine and a characteristic of the mobile machine.

23. The computer readable medium of claim 22, wherein:

the characteristic of material includes at least one of a composition and a dump shape; and

the characteristic of the mobile machine includes at least one of a size and a turning radius.

24. The computer readable medium of claim 21, wherein the method further includes generating the common entrance row, the common exit row, the first single-use path, and the second single-use path based on the at least one characteristic and the number and positions of the plurality of dump sites.

25. The computer readable medium of claim 24, wherein:

the common entrance row and the common exit row both correspond with a particular row of the plurality of dump sites;

when dumping on the particular row of the plurality of dump sites is complete, the common entrance row becomes the common exit row; and

the method further includes generating a new common exit row.

26. The computer readable medium of claim 24, wherein the method further includes:

making a comparison of an expected shape and spacing of loads dumped by multiple mobile machines to an actual shape and spacing of loads; and

selectively updating a position of at least one of the plurality of dump sites, the common entrance row, the common exit row, the first single-use path, and the second single-use path based on the comparison.

27. A computer readable medium having computer executable instructions for performing a method of autonomous dump queuing, the method including:

receiving at least one characteristic of a dump location; and

responsively determining a number and positions at the dump location of a plurality of dump sites based on the at least one characteristic;

assigning a common entrance row, a plurality of first single-use paths from the common entrance row to particular dump sites of a plurality of dump sites at the dump location, a common exit row, and a second plurality of single-use paths from the particular dump sites to the common exit row;

receiving an indication of a mobile machine crossing a boundary at the dump location;

assigning a travel route to the mobile machine based on the indication, the travel route including a travel segment on the common entrance row, one of the first plurality of single-use paths, one of the second plurality of single-use paths, and a travel segment on the common exit row;

communicating the travel route to the mobile machine as the mobile machine moves toward the dump location;

making a determination of an amount of the travel route that the mobile machine is permitted to travel; and

communicating a permission to the mobile machine corresponding to the determination.

28. The computer readable medium of claim 27, wherein the amount of the travel route that the mobile machine is permitted to travel is based on at least one of a location of other mobile machines at the dump location and intersections at the dump location.

29. The computer readable medium of claim 27, wherein:

the common entrance row and the common exit row both correspond with a particular row of the plurality of dump sites; and

when dumping on the particular row of the plurality of dump sites is complete, the common entrance row becomes the common exit row and the method further includes generating a new common exit row.

30. The computer readable medium of claim 27, wherein the method further includes:

making a comparison of an expected shape and spacing of loads dumped by multiple mobile machines to an actual shape and spacing of loads; and

selectively updating a position of at least one of the plurality of dump sites, the common entrance row, the common exit row, the first plurality of single-use paths, and the second plurality of single-use paths based on the comparison.