System and Method for Mapping a Raised Contour

• US 20140371947A1
• Filed: 06/12/2013
• Published: 12/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: Stratton, Kenneth L., Vitale, Andrew J., Koehrsen, Craig L.
• Granted Patent: US 9,097,520 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 1/283 Elements of tipping devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 7/04 involving a vehicle which moves along the profile to be traced

Abstract

A system includes a position sensing system for determining a position of a machine and a work implement configured to engage material to form a raised contour. A controller determines a plurality of positions of the machine as the machine moves about the work site and the work implement forms the raised contour, determines a plurality of reference positions along an edge of the raised contour as the work implement forms the raised contour, and generates a map of the edge of the raised contour based upon the plurality of reference positions.

Claims

1. A system for use with a machine for generating a map of an edge of a raised contour at a work site, comprising:

a position sensing system associated with the machine for determining a position of the machine;

a work implement associated with the machine and configured to engage material at the work site to form the raised contour; and

a controller configured to;

determine a plurality of positions of the machine based upon the position sensing system as the machine moves about the work site and the work implement forms the raised contour;

determine a plurality of reference positions along the edge of the raised contour based upon positions of the machine as the work implement forms the raised contour; and

generate a map of the edge of the raised contour based upon the plurality of reference positions.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to determine each of the plurality of reference positions upon receiving an operator input signal.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of reference positions is generally at an intersection between a work surface and the raised contour.

4. The system of claim 1, further including a range sensing system associated with the machine for determining a position of the edge of the raised contour and wherein the controller is configured to determine the plurality of reference positions based upon the range sensing system.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the range sensing system includes a LIDAR system.

6. The system of claim 1, further including an implement load sensor system associated with the machine for measuring a load on the work implement and the controller is configured to determine the plurality of reference positions based upon the implement load sensor system.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the work implement is a blade and the controller is configured to determine each of the plurality of reference positions along the edge of the raised contour by determining a reduction in load on the blade.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the raised contour is adjacent a crest at the work site and the controller is configured to determine each of the plurality of reference positions along the edge of the raised contour by determining the reduction in load on the blade in conjunction with reversing movement of the machine when the machine is less than a predetermined distance from the crest.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to interpolate between the plurality of reference positions to generate the map of the edge of the raised contour.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the raised contour is a berm.

11. A machine comprising:

a frame;

a prime mover associated with the frame;

a position sensing system associated with the machine for determining a position of the machine;

a work implement configured to engage material at a work site to form a raised contour at the work site; and

a controller configured to;

determine a plurality of positions of the machine based upon the position sensing system as the machine moves about the work site and the work implement forms the raised contour;

determine a plurality of reference positions along an edge of the raised contour based upon positions of the machine as the work implement forms the raised contour; and

generate a map of the edge of the raised contour based upon the plurality of reference positions.

12. The machine of claim 11, wherein the controller is configured to interpolate between the plurality of reference positions to generate the map of the edge of the raised contour.

13. A method for generating a map of an edge of a raised contour at a work site, comprising:

forming the raised contour with a work implement associated with a machine;

determining a plurality of positions of the machine based upon the position sensing system as the machine moves about the work site and the work implement forms the raised contour;

determining a plurality of reference positions along the edge of the raised contour based upon the plurality of positions of the machine as the work implement forms the raised contour; and

generating a map of the edge of the raised contour based upon the plurality of reference positions.

14. The method of claim 13, further including receiving a plurality of operator input signals and determining one of the plurality of reference positions upon receiving each operator input signal.

15. The method of claim 13, further including determining the plurality of reference positions based upon a remote sensing system.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the remote sensing system includes a LIDAR system.

17. The method of claim 13, further including determining the plurality of reference positions based upon an implement load sensor system.

18. The method of claim 17, further including determining each of the plurality of reference positions along the edge of the raised contour by determining a reduction in load on the work implement.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the raised contour is adjacent a crest at the work site and further including determining each of the plurality of reference positions along the edge of the raised contour by determining the reduction in load on the work implement in conjunction with reversing movement of the machine when the machine is a less than a predetermined distance from the crest.

20. The method of claim 13, further including interpolating between the plurality of reference positions to generate the map of the edge of the raised contour.