Location Services in Mining Vehicle Operations

• US 20140088820A1
• Filed: 09/24/2013
• Published: 03/27/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: Jericho, Veronica, Blanchard, Glen, Noben, Nicolas
• Granted Patent: US 9,052,209 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/32.3
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3407 specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/30 Monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06316 Sequencing of tasks or work
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/02 Agriculture; Fishing; Forestry; Mining
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/00 Registering or indicating the working of vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0825 using optical means

Abstract

A system of computers, wireless networks, and vehicle-based location sensors allows real time display of equipment location, utilization, and expected arrival times for mobile vehicles. Display of location by load status and expected arrival time allows monitoring of not just vehicle location but the impact on queue times at loading and unloading endpoints allowing for equipment reallocation. Overhead map views of actual location including hazard locations and queries for vehicle and operator status are also supported.

Claims

1. A method of using vehicle location information in a mining environment, the method comprising:

generating, at a processor of a computer, a timeline having an expanded portion adjoining and not overlapping a compressed portion, the compressed portion representing more time per unit length than the expanded portion, the timeline having a first end corresponding to a first location of a first work function and a second end corresponding to a second location of a second work function;

displaying the timeline on a display of the computer via the processor responsive to executable instructions stored in a memory accessible by the computer;

receiving a location, a direction, and speed information from a work vehicle at the computer;

determining a destination of the work vehicle as one of the first location and the second location;

calculating an estimated travel time for the work vehicle to reach the destination; and

displaying an icon showing the location of the work vehicle at a point on the timeline corresponding to the estimated travel time remaining for the work vehicle to reach the destination.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying a second icon showing a second work vehicle on the timeline showing the work vehicle, wherein the work vehicle and the second work vehicle have a common destination.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the icon comprises displaying a color of the displayed icon corresponding to a condition of the work vehicle.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the condition is one of an off-track status, a queued status, and a traveling status.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the queued status includes a time on station at the destination.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying an icon for a landmark on the timeline, the location of the landmark icon calculated as the estimated travel time for the work vehicle from the landmark when operating at a nominal speed for the work vehicle.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the work vehicle is a dump truck, the destination for an empty work vehicle is a loader site and the destination for a loaded work vehicle is a dump site.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying a map of a geographic area of the mining environment; and

displaying an expanded icon of the work vehicle on the map showing a physical location of the work vehicle and a displaying information corresponding to an incident at a location on the map where the incident occurred.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

storing vehicle movement information and incident occurrence information; and

displaying playback of the vehicle movement information and incident occurrence information over a specified prior time period.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

creating hazard indicators graphically located on the map corresponding to physical areas at the mining environment;

setting a criteria associated with each hazard indicators; and

sending the work vehicle an alert associated with a hazard indicator when the work vehicle meets the criteria associated with the hazard indicator.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying an incident indicator on the timeline at a time point of the timeline associated with an incident and displaying operator information for an operator of the work vehicle.

12. A system for integrating information about a vehicle operating in a mining environment, the system comprising:

an operator system including;

a network connection configured to receive location information about the vehicle operating in the mining environment;

a processor configured to execute program instructions;

a user interface having a display and input device; and

a memory storing computer executable instructions that when executed on the processor cause the operator system to;

receive location information about the vehicle in near real time;

receive incident information about the vehicle in near real time;

store the location information and the incident information for the vehicle operating in the mining environment;

generate a first map showing a current location of the vehicle and any current incident information; and

generate a second map displaying a playback of vehicle location and incident information over time using the stored tracking and incident data.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the first and second map are an overhead view map and the current location of the vehicle is indicated by a moving icon.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the memory comprises further instructions that cause the processor to generate a spatial relationship map using time as the map scale illustrating location of the vehicle in a nominal time relationship to a destination of the vehicle and a status of the vehicle.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the spatial relationship map layout is a fishbone layout having separate lines for all starting points, the lines merging at a common destination wherein each of a plurality of vehicles is shown on a line with a particular vehicle'"'"'s starting point and destination.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the status of the vehicle is one of an off-track status, a queued status indicating the vehicle is awaiting an operation at the destination, and a traveling status.

17. A method of integrating information at a computer about a vehicle operating in a mining environment, the method comprising:

connecting an operator system to a network;

receiving, at the computer via the network, a location of the vehicle and speed information about the vehicle in near real time;

receiving, at the computer via the network, incident information about the vehicle in near real time;

displaying the location of the vehicle on an overhead map of the mining environment;

calculating, using a processor of the computer and the location and the speed information, an expected time of arrival at a destination; and

displaying a timeline showing the location of the vehicle at a point that is a function of the expected time of arrival, wherein the timeline has two endpoints representing destinations of a loading location and of a discharge location for the vehicle.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the point that is the function of the expected time of arrival is a point on the timeline representing the time until arrival at one of the loading location and the discharge location.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

starting a timer when the vehicle is at one of the loading location and the discharge location; and

displaying a timer value while the vehicle is at the destination.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein displaying the timeline comprises displaying a plurality of timelines having discrete destinations, wherein each of the plurality of timelines are displayed in an order based on a relative capacity of equipment at each discrete destination.