METHOD OF MODIFYING A WORKSITE

• US 20140163805A1
• 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 9,008,886 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/23
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0276 using signals provided by a source external to the vehicle involving a plurality of vehicles G05D1/0287; automatically controlling vehicle speed responsive to externally generated signals B60K31/0058
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0287 involving a plurality of land vehicles, e.g. fleet or convoy travelling traffic control systems for road vehicles G08G1/00, particularly anticollision systems G08G1/16

Abstract

A method is disclosed of modifying a worksite for calibrating a vehicle model used to autonomously control a first machine on the worksite. The method may include receiving a signal from the first machine indicative of an aspect of the vehicle model in need of calibration. The method may also include determining, in response to receipt of the signal, that the worksite includes a calibration site having a characteristic corresponding to the aspect of the vehicle model, and that calibrating the aspect of the vehicle model requires modifying the characteristic of the calibration site. The method may further include autonomously modifying the characteristic of the calibration site with a second machine at the worksite, and directing the first machine to the modified calibration site for autonomous calibration of the aspect of the vehicle model.

Claims

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

receiving a signal from the first machine indicative of an aspect of the vehicle model in need of calibration;

determining, in response to receipt of the signal, that the worksite includes a calibration site having a characteristic corresponding to the aspect of the vehicle model, and that calibrating the aspect of the vehicle model requires modifying the characteristic of the calibration site;

autonomously modifying the characteristic of the calibration site with a second machine at the worksite; and

directing the first machine to the modified calibration site for autonomous calibration of the aspect of the vehicle model.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the aspect of the vehicle model includes at least one of a speed of the first machine, a steering angle of the first machine, a weight hauled by the first machine, a weight distribution of a load hauled by the first machine, an orientation of the first machine, a geographical location of the first machine, and a heading of the first machine.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein determining that the worksite includes the calibration site having the characteristic corresponding to the aspect of the vehicle model includes searching a memory storing data associated with the worksite and selecting the calibration site from among a plurality of locations at the worksite based on a suitability index of the calibration site.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein selecting the calibration site from among a plurality of locations at the worksite based on a suitability index of the calibration site includes comparing a quantitative value representative of a calibration requirement with suitability indices of each of the plurality of locations, and automatically selecting the calibration site which most closely matches the quantitative value of the calibration requirement.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the characteristic includes at least one of a curvature, a bank, a grade, a slalom, and a lane change, a wet condition, a dry condition, an icy condition, a bumpy condition, and a gravely condition, and

wherein autonomously modifying the characteristic includes at least one of a wetting operation, an icing operation, a dozing operation, a grading operation, a leveling operation, and a bulk material removal operation.

6. The method according to claim 1, further including autonomously calibrating the aspect of the vehicle model at the modified calibration site, wherein autonomously calibrating the aspect of the vehicle model includes adjusting a parameter value associated with the aspect of the vehicle model to be approximately equal to a corresponding value associated with an actual performance of the first machine.

7. The method according to claim 1, further including receiving an additional signal from the first machine indicative of an additional aspect of the vehicle model in need of calibration;

determining, in response to receipt of the additional signal, that the worksite does not include a calibration site having a characteristic corresponding to the additional aspect of the vehicle model; and

determining, in response to determining that the worksite does not include a calibration site having the characteristic corresponding to the additional aspect of the vehicle model, if a space exists within the worksite for constructing a calibration site having the characteristic corresponding to the additional aspect of the vehicle model.

8. The method according to claim 7, further including logging data associated with the additional aspect of the vehicle model in a memory for reassessment, in response to determining that no space exists within the worksite for constructing a calibration site having the characteristic corresponding to the additional aspect of the vehicle model, and

assigning the first machine to a work task not requiring operation associated with the additional aspect of the vehicle model, in response to determining that no space exists within the worksite for constructing a calibration site having the characteristic corresponding to the additional aspect of the vehicle model.

9. The method according to claim 7, further including autonomously directing the second machine to construct a calibration site having the characteristic corresponding to the additional aspect of the vehicle model, in response to determining that space does exist within the worksite for constructing a calibration site having the characteristic corresponding to the additional aspect of the vehicle model.

10. The method according to claim 9, further including autonomously directing the first machine to the constructed calibration site to autonomously calibrate the additional aspect of the vehicle model.

11. A method of modifying a worksite for calibrating a vehicle model used to autonomously control a first machine on the worksite, the method comprising:

determining, with a controller associated with the machine, that an aspect of the vehicle model is in need of calibration;

providing a signal, indicating that the aspect is in need of calibration, from the controller to a worksite management system disposed remote from the first machine;

determining, with the worksite management system, that the worksite includes a calibration site having a characteristic corresponding to the aspect of the vehicle model, and that calibrating the aspect of the vehicle model requires modifying the characteristic of the calibration site;

directing, with the worksite management system, a second machine at the worksite to autonomously modify the characteristic of the calibration site; and

directing, with the worksite management system, the first machine to the modified calibration site for autonomous calibration of the aspect of the vehicle model.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the aspect of the vehicle model includes at least one of a speed of the first machine, a steering angle of the first machine, a weight hauled by the first machine, a weight distribution of a load hauled by the first machine, an orientation of the first machine, a geographical location of the first machine, and a heading of the first machine.

13. The method according to claim 11, wherein determining that the worksite includes the calibration site having the characteristic corresponding to the aspect of the vehicle model includes searching a memory storing data associated with the worksite and selecting the calibration site from among a plurality of locations at the worksite based on a suitability index of the calibration site.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein selecting the calibration site from among a plurality of locations at the worksite based on a suitability index of the calibration site includes comparing a quantitative value representative of a calibration requirement with suitability indices of each of the plurality of locations, and automatically selecting the calibration site which most closely matches the quantitative value of the calibration requirement.

15. The method according to claim 11, wherein the characteristic includes at least one of a curvature, a bank, a grade, a slalom, and a lane change, a wet condition, a dry condition, an icy condition, a bumpy condition, and a gravely condition, and

wherein autonomously modifying the characteristic includes at least one of a wetting operation, an icing operation, a dozing operation, a grading operation, a leveling operation, and a bulk material removal operation.

16. The method according to claim 11, further including autonomously calibrating the aspect of the vehicle model at the modified calibration site, wherein autonomously calibrating the aspect of the vehicle model includes adjusting a parameter value associated with the aspect of the vehicle model to be approximately equal to a corresponding value associated with an actual performance of the first machine.

17. The method according to claim 11, further including receiving an additional signal from the first machine indicative of an additional aspect of the vehicle model in need of calibration;

determining, in response to receipt of the additional signal, that the worksite does not include a calibration site having a characteristic corresponding to the additional aspect of the vehicle model; and

determining, in response to determining that the worksite does not include a calibration site having the characteristic corresponding to the additional aspect of the vehicle model, if a space exists within the worksite for constructing a calibration site having the characteristic corresponding to the additional aspect of the vehicle model.

18. The method according to claim 17, further including the worksite management system logging data associated with the additional aspect of the vehicle model in a memory for reassessment, in response to determining that no space exists within the worksite for constructing a calibration site having the characteristic corresponding to the additional aspect of the vehicle model, and

assigning the first machine to a work task not requiring operation associated with the additional aspect of the vehicle model, in response to determining that no space exists within the worksite for constructing a calibration site having the characteristic corresponding to the additional aspect of the vehicle model.

19. The method according to claim 17, further including the worksite management system autonomously directing the second machine to construct a calibration site having the characteristic corresponding to the additional aspect of the vehicle model, in response to determining that space does exist within the worksite for constructing a calibration site having the characteristic corresponding to the additional aspect of the vehicle model.

20. A system configured to modify a worksite for calibrating a vehicle model used to autonomously control a first machine on the worksite, the system comprising:

a controller disposed on the first machine, the controller configured to determine if an aspect of the vehicle model is in need of calibration, and to generate a signal indicative of an aspect of the vehicle model in need of calibration; and

a worksite management system disposed remote from the first machine and in communication with the controller, the worksite management system configured to determine, in response to receipt of the signal,

whether the worksite includes a calibration site having a characteristic corresponding to the aspect of the vehicle model, and

that calibrating the aspect of the vehicle model requires modifying the characteristic of the calibration site,

wherein the worksite management system is also configured to direct a second machine at the worksite to autonomously modify the characteristic of the calibration site, and direct the first machine to the modified calibration site for autonomous calibration of the aspect of the vehicle model.