MACHINE DETECTION SYSTEM

• US 20140228982A1
• Filed: 02/14/2013
• Published: 08/14/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: Bharwani, Kiran Kumar Ram
• Granted Patent: US 9,110,454 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/56
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/08 Active safety systems predicting or avoiding probable or impending collision or attempting to minimise its consequences
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/26 Indicating devices E02F5/145 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/261 Surveying the work-site to be treated
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/18 Numerical control [NC], i.e. automatically operating machines, in particular machine tools, e.g. in a manufacturing environment, so as to execute positioning, movement or co-ordinated operations by means of programme data in numerical form G05B19/418 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/45012 Excavator
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/49137 Store working envelop, limit, allowed zone

Abstract

A method of mapping a machine having a work tool includes sensing an outer boundary of the machine and generating a first set of information indicative of the outer boundary of the machine, moving the work tool relative to the machine through substantially an entire range of motion of the work tool, and sensing an outer boundary of the work tool during movement of the work tool through substantially the entire range of motion. The method also includes generating a second set of information indicative of a location of the outer boundary of the work tool through substantially the entire range of motion, determining information indicative of a position of an object disposed proximate the machine, and determining whether the information indicative of the position of the object is included in either the first or second sets of information.

Claims

1. A method of mapping a machine having a work tool, comprising:

sensing an outer boundary of the machine and generating a first set of information indicative of the outer boundary of the machine;

moving the work tool relative to the machine through substantially an entire range of motion of the work tool;

sensing an outer boundary of the work tool during movement of the work tool through substantially the entire range of motion and generating a second set of information indicative of a location of the outer boundary of the work tool through substantially the entire range of motion;

determining information indicative of a position of an object disposed proximate the machine; and

determining whether the information indicative of the position of the object is included in either the first or second sets of information.

2. The method of claim 1, further including providing an alarm to an operator of the machine in response to determining that the information indicative of the position of the object is not included in either the first or second set of information.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining that the information indicative of the position of the object is not included in either the first or second sets of information comprises determining that the object is within a sensing range of a sensor associated with the machine, and is outside of the outer boundary of the machine and substantially the entire range of motion of the work tool.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the sensor comprises one of a camera and a radar device.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising modifying at least one of the first and second sets of information based on a predetermined threshold factor associated with the machine.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein modifying the at least one of the first and second sets of information results in an augmented set of information, the augmented set of information being indicative of at least one of a larger outer boundary of the machine than the sensed outer boundary of the machine and a larger outer boundary of the work tool than the sensed outer boundary of the work tool.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second sets of information is generated by a plurality of sensors associated with the machine, the at least one of the first and second sets of information comprising a subset of information associated with each respective sensor of the plurality of sensors.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the subset of information associated with each respective sensor includes information indicative of a position of a component of the machine relative to one sensor of the plurality of sensors.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein determining whether the information indicative of the position of the object is included in either the first or second sets of information comprises comparing the information indicative of the position of the object to the subset of information associated with each respective sensor.

10. The method of claim 7, further including providing an alarm to an operator of the machine in response to determining that the information indicative of the position of the object is not included in the subset of information associated with each respective sensor.

11. A method of mapping a machine having a first work tool, comprising:

sensing, at a worksite, an outer boundary of the machine with a plurality of sensors located on the machine;

generating a first set of information indicative of the outer boundary of the machine;

moving the first work tool relative to the machine through substantially an entire range of motion of the first work tool;

sensing, at the worksite, an outer boundary of the first work tool during movement of the first work tool through substantially the entire range of motion with at least one sensor of the plurality of sensors;

generating a second set of information indicative of a location of the outer boundary of the first work tool through substantially the entire range of motion;

forming, at the worksite, an electronic map associated with the machine based on the first and second sets of information, wherein the map is indicative of the outer boundary of the machine, the outer boundary of the first work tool, and substantially the entire range of motion;

determining information indicative of a position of an object at the worksite; and

determining whether the object is located within the map based on the information indicative of the position of the object.

12. The method of claim 11, further including modifying the map based on a predetermined threshold factor associated with the machine.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein modifying the map comprises generating an enlarged map indicative of at least one of a larger outer boundary of the machine than the sensed outer boundary of the machine and a larger outer boundary of the first work tool than the sensed outer boundary of the first work tool.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein at least one of the first and second sets of information comprises a subset of information associated with each respective sensor of the plurality of sensors, the subset of information including information indicative of a position of a component of the machine relative to one sensor of the plurality of sensors.

15. The method of claim 11, further including determining that the object is not located within the map, and providing an alarm to an operator of the machine in response to determining that the object is not located within the map.

16. The method of claim 11, further including storing the map in a memory located on the machine.

17. The method of claim 11, further including replacing the first work tool with a second work tool different than the first work tool;

moving the second work tool relative to the machine through substantially an entire range of motion of the second work tool;

sensing, at the worksite, an outer boundary of the second work tool during movement of the second work tool through substantially the entire range of motion of the second work tool;

generating a third set of information indicative of a location of the outer boundary of the second work tool through substantially the entire range of motion of the second work tool; and

forming, at the worksite, an additional electronic map associated with the machine and the second work tool based on the first and third sets of information.

18. A machine, comprising:

a frame;

at least one traction device configured to support the frame and propel the machine about a worksite;

a work tool operatively connected to the frame and configured to move, relative to the frame, through a range of motion;

a sensor mounted on the machine and configured to generate a first set of information indicative of an outer boundary of the machine and a second set of information indicative of a location of an outer boundary of the work tool through substantially the entire range of motion; and

a controller disposed on the machine and in communication with the sensor, the controller being configured to generate an electronic map associated with the machine based on the first and second sets of information, wherein the map is indicative of the outer boundary of the machine, the outer boundary of the work tool, and substantially the entire range of motion.

19. The machine of claim 18, wherein the controller is further configured to generate an enlarged electronic map based on a predetermined threshold factor associated with the machine, the enlarged map being indicative of at least one of an enlarged outer boundary of the machine and an enlarged outer boundary of the work tool.

20. The machine of claim 18, further comprising a plurality of sensors in communication with the controller, wherein at least one of the first and second sets of information comprises a subset of information associated with each respective sensor of the plurality of sensors, the subset of information including information indicative of a position of a component of the machine relative to one sensor of the plurality of sensors.