METHOD OF MANAGING A WORKSITE

• US 20140163773A1
• Filed: 12/12/2012
• Published: 06/12/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: BRAUNSTEIN, Michael, HUKKERI, Ramadev, TAYLOR, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 9,182,760 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/2
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/205 Remotely operated machines, e.g. unmanned vehicles E02F3/8866 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2054 Fleet management
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/265 with follow-up actions (e.g. control signals sent to actuate the work tool)
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/021 specially adapted to land vehicles

Abstract

A method is disclosed for calibrating a vehicle model used to autonomously control a machine on a worksite. The method may include measuring a first value indicative of an operating condition of the machine, predicting a second value, using the vehicle model, corresponding to the first value and indicative of the operating condition, and determining a difference between the first value and the second value. The method may also include autonomously directing the machine to a calibration site of the worksite in response to determining that the difference between the first value and the second value is greater than a predetermined threshold, wherein the calibration site is automatically selected from a plurality of locations at the worksite based on a suitability index of the calibration site.

Claims

1. A method of calibrating a vehicle model used to autonomously control a machine on a worksite, the method comprising:

measuring a first value indicative of an operating condition of the machine;

predicting a second value, using the vehicle model, corresponding to the first value and indicative of the operating condition;

determining a difference between the first value and the second value; and

directing the machine to a calibration site of the worksite in response to determining that the difference between the first value and the second value is greater than a predetermined threshold, wherein the calibration site is automatically selected from a plurality of locations at the worksite based on a suitability index of the calibration site.

2. The method according to claim 1, further including searching a memory storing data associated with the plurality of locations for the calibration site in response to determining that the difference between the first value and the second value is greater than a predetermined threshold.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein automatically selecting the calibration site includes indentifying the calibration site that has a suitability index within the predetermined threshold, and that has the closest match to a calibration requirement of the machine.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein directing the machine to the calibration site includes measuring real-time traffic conditions associated with the worksite and selecting a route to the calibration site based on the real-time traffic conditions.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the operating condition includes at least one of a travel speed of the machine, a steering rate of the machine, a braking rate of the machine, a weight hauled by the machine, a weight distribution of a load hauled by the machine, an orientation of the machine, a geographical location of the machine, and a heading of the machine.

6. The method according to claim 1, further including calibrating the vehicle model at the calibration site, wherein calibrating the vehicle model includes adjusting the second value to be approximately equal to the first value.

7. The method according to claim 1, further including determining that no calibration site matching a calibration requirement of the machine exists within the worksite, and

determining whether a site within the worksite would match the calibration requirement of the machine if modifications were made to the site.

16. The method according to claim 1, further including determining, with the worksite management system, that no calibration site matching a calibration requirement of the machine exists within the worksite, and

determining whether a site within the worksite would match the calibration requirement of the machine if modifications were made to the site.

8. A method of calibrating a vehicle model used to autonomously control a machine on a worksite, the method comprising:

measuring a first value indicative of an operating condition of the machine;

predicting a second value, using the vehicle model, corresponding to the first value and indicative of the operating condition;

determining a difference between the first value and the second value;

providing a signal to a worksite management system in response to determining the difference between the first value and the second value is greater than a predetermined threshold, wherein the worksite management system is disposed remote from the machine and the signal is indicative of an aspect of the vehicle model that is in need of calibration; and

autonomously directing the machine to a calibration site of the worksite in response to receipt of the signal by the worksite management system, wherein the calibration site is automatically selected by the worksite management system from a plurality of locations at the worksite based on a suitability index of the calibration site.

9. The method according to claim 8, further including searching a memory associated with the worksite management system for the calibration site in response to determining that the difference between the first value and the second value is greater than a predetermined threshold, the memory storing data associated with the plurality of locations.

10. The method according to claim 8, wherein automatically selecting the calibration site includes indentifying the calibration site that has a suitability index within the predetermined threshold, and that has the closest match to a calibration requirement of the machine.

11. The method according to claim 8, wherein measuring the first value includes measuring the operating condition of the machine with a sensor, and providing a signal indicative of the first value from the sensor to a controller on the machine.

12. The method according to claim 11, further including predicting, with the controller, the second value;

determining, with the controller, the difference between the first value and the second value; and

providing, with the controller, the signal indicative of the aspect of the vehicle model in need of calibration to the worksite management system.

13. The method according to claim 8, wherein directing the machine to the calibration site includes measuring, with the worksite management system, real-time traffic conditions associated with the worksite and selecting a route to the calibration site based on the real-time traffic conditions.

14. The method according to claim 8, wherein the operating condition includes at least one of a speed of the machine, a steering angle of the machine, a weight hauled by the machine, a weight distribution of a load hauled by the machine, an orientation of the machine, a geographical location of the machine, and a heading of the machine.

15. The method according to claim 8, further including calibrating the vehicle model at the calibration site, wherein calibrating the vehicle model includes adjusting the second value to be approximately equal to the first value.

17. A method of calibrating a vehicle model used to autonomously control a machine on a worksite, the method comprising:

storing, in a memory, calibration needs of the machine;

scheduling the occurrence of the calibration needs;

providing a signal to a worksite management system in response to determining that the calibration need exists, wherein the signal is indicative of an aspect of the vehicle model that is in need of calibration; and

generating a map of the worksite identifying a recommended calibration site for calibration of the vehicle model.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein generating a map of the worksite includes illustrating the recommended calibration site, and a recommended calibration route from a present location of the machine to the recommended calibration site.

19. The method according to claim 18, further including identifying a calibration exclusion zone, and illustrating the calibration exclusion zone on the map of the worksite with the recommended calibration route.

20. The method according to claim 19, further including a landscape feature associated with the worksite, and illustrating the landscape feature on the map of the worksite with the recommended calibration route.

21. A system for calibrating a vehicle model used to autonomously control a machine on a worksite, the system comprising:

a sensor disposed on the machine, the sensor configured to determine a first value indicative of at least one operating condition of the machine and to generate a first signal indicative of the first value;

a controller disposed on the machine and in communication with the sensor, the controller configured to;

receive the first signal from the sensor;

predict a second value, using the vehicle model, corresponding to the first value and indicative of the operating condition; and

generate a second signal indicative of an aspect of the vehicle model in need of calibration based on a difference between the first value and the second value; and

a worksite management system disposed remote from the machine and in communication with the controller, the worksite management system configured to autonomously direct the machine to a calibration site of the worksite in response to receipt of the second signal from the controller,

wherein the worksite management system automatically selects the calibration site from a plurality of locations at the worksite based on a suitability index of the calibration site.

22. The system according to claim 21, wherein the sensor includes one of a speed sensor, a steering angle sensor, a load weight sensor, a load distribution sensor, an orientation sensor, and a location and heading sensor.

23. The system according to claim 21, wherein the worksite management system is configured to automatically select the calibration site by indentifying the calibration site that has a suitability index within the predetermined threshold, and that has the closest match to a calibration requirement of the machine.

24. The system according to claim 21, wherein the worksite management system determines that no calibration site matching a calibration requirement of the machine exists within the worksite, and

determining whether a site within the worksite would match the calibration requirement of the machine if modifications were made to the site.

25. A system for managing calibration of a vehicle model used to autonomously control a machine on a worksite, the system comprising:

a controller disposed on the machine and configured to identify a calibration need associated with the vehicle model;

a worksite management system disposed remote from the machine and in communication with the controller, the worksite management system configured to identify a calibration route within the worksite, the calibration route extending from the machine to a calibration site; and

a map displaying available calibration routes within the worksite for calibrating the calibration need of the vehicle model, and displaying calibration exclusion zones while the machine travels the calibration route within the worksite.

26. The system according to claim 25, wherein the worksite management system is configured to autonomously plan the calibration route of the machine, and to generate the map displaying the autonomously planned calibration route.

27. The system according to claim 25, wherein the calibration exclusion zones include loading areas, dump areas, intersections, high traffic areas, areas already designed for calibration of other machines, areas a manager of the worksite selects, and areas that pose a safety risk.

28. The system according to claim 25, wherein the worksite management system is configured to plan the calibration route within the worksite, and search the worksite for a calibration route that would be sufficient if modifications were made to it.

29. The system according to claim 28, wherein the worksite management system dispatches a work machine to make modifications to the calibration route within worksite 11.

30. The system according to claim 25 wherein the map is color coded, such that recommended calibration routes are identified as a first color, recommended calibration paths in need of modification are identified as a second color, and calibration exclusion zones are identified as a third color.