CONTROL SYSTEM FOR COORDINATING EARTH-WORKING MACHINES

• US 20170200306A1
• Filed: 01/08/2016
• Published: 07/13/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/2016
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Power Systems Incorporated (Caterpillar Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Power Systems Incorporated (Caterpillar Incorporated)
• Inventors: MARSOLEK, John Lee
• Application Number:
  US14/990,944
• Publication Number:
  US 20170200306A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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 9/262 with follow-up actions to control the work tool, e.g. controller
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0291 Fleet control monitoring fleets in traffic control systems for road vehicles G08G1/127, G08G1/127
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/08 Construction
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 17/05 Geographic models
• 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 control system for coordinating a plurality of machines for performing a plurality of types of earth-working operations on a worksite is disclosed. The control system may include a plurality of locating devices, each being configured to generate a signal indicative of a three-dimensional location of one of the plurality of machines and being associated with one of the plurality of types of earth-working operations, a display device, and a controller in electronic communication with the plurality of locating devices and the display device. The controller may be configured to determine a surface condition of the worksite based on the signal generated by each of the plurality of locating devices and corresponding to one or more of the plurality of types of earth-working operations. The controller may also be configured to generate a map of the worksite on the display device indicative of the surface condition of the worksite.

Claims

1. A control system for coordinating a plurality of machines for performing a plurality of types of earth-working operations on a worksite, the control system comprising:

a plurality of locating devices, each being configured to generate a signal indicative of a three-dimensional location of one of the plurality of machines, the signal being associated with one of the plurality of types of earth-working operations;

a display device; and

a controller in electronic communication with the plurality of locating devices and the display device and configured to;

determine a surface condition of the worksite based on the signal generated by each of the plurality of locating devices and corresponding to one or more of the plurality of types of earth-working operations; and

generate a map of the worksite on the display device, wherein the map is indicative of the surface condition of the worksite.

2. The control system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to generate graphical objects on the map indicative of areas of the worksite where each of the plurality of types of earth-working operations were respectively performed by the plurality of machines.

3. The control system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of types of earth-working operations includes one or more of a mixing operation, a dozing operation, a grading operation, and a compacting operation.

4. The control system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to generate graphical objects on the map indicative of the location of each of the plurality of machines.

5. The control system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to:

track a number of successive performances of a first type of earth-working operation on at least a portion of the worksite based on the signal generated by each of the plurality of locating devices; and

determine the surface condition of the worksite based further on the number of successive performances of the first type of earth-working operation.

6. The control system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to:

generate a three-dimensional as-built model of the worksite based on the signal generated by each of the plurality of locating devices; and

generate the map of the worksite based on a difference between the as-built model and a design model of the worksite stored in memory of the controller.

7. The control system of claim 6, wherein:

the controller is configured to determine a grade status of the worksite based on the difference between the as-built model and the design model of the worksite; and

the map of the worksite is further indicative of the grade status of the worksite.

8. The control system of claim 7, wherein the controller is configured to generate graphical objects on the map indicative of areas of the worksite that are at, above, or below a design grade associated with the design model.

9. The control system of claim 1, wherein:

the control system further includes a communication device electronically connected to the controller and configured to receive data from one or more off-board entities; and

the controller is configured to receive the signal from one or more of the plurality of locating devices via the communication device.

10. The control system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to automatically generate command signals communicable to one or more actuators based on the surface condition of the worksite, wherein each of the one or more actuators is configured to control an operational aspect of one of the plurality of machines.

11. A method of coordinating a plurality of machines for performing a plurality of types of earth-working operations on a worksite, the method comprising:

receiving a plurality of signals, each being indicative of a three-dimensional location of one of the plurality of machines and associated with one of the plurality of types of earth-working operations;

determining a surface condition of the worksite corresponding to one or more of the plurality of types of earth-working operations based on the plurality of signals; and

generating a map of the worksite on a display device, wherein the map is indicative of the surface condition of the worksite.

12. The method of claim 11, further including generating graphical objects on the map indicative of areas of the worksite where each of the plurality of types of earth-working operations were respectively performed by the plurality of machines, wherein the plurality of types of earth-working operations includes one or more of a mixing operation, a dozing operation, a grading operation, and a compacting operation.

13. The method of claim 11, further including generating graphical objects on the map indicative of the location of each of the plurality of machines.

14. The method of claim 11, further including:

tracking a number of successive performances of a first type of earth-working operation on at least a portion of the worksite based on the plurality of signals; and

determining the surface condition of the worksite based further on the number of successive performances of the first type of earth-working operation.

15. The method of claim 11, further including:

generating a three-dimensional as-built model of the worksite based on the plurality of signals; and

generating the map of the worksite based on a difference between the as-built model and a design model of the worksite.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein:

the method further includes determining a grade status of the worksite based on the difference between the as-built model and the design model of the worksite; and

the map of the worksite is further indicative of the grade status of the worksite.

17. The method of claim 16, further including generating graphical objects on the map indicative of areas of the worksite that are at, above, or below a design grade associated with the design model.

18. The method of claim 11, further including receiving one or more of the plurality of signals via a communication device configured to receive data from one or more off-board entities.

19. The method of claim 11, further including automatically generating command signals communicable to one or more actuators based on the surface condition of the worksite, wherein each of the one or more actuators is configured to control an operational aspect of one of the plurality of machines.

20. A control system for coordinating a plurality of machines for performing a plurality of types of earth-working operations on a worksite, the control system comprising:

a plurality of locating devices, each being configured to generate a signal indicative of a three-dimensional location of one of the plurality of machines, the signal being associated with one of the plurality of types of earth-working operations;

a display device; and

a controller in electronic communication with the plurality of locating devices and the display device and configured to;

generate a three-dimensional as-built model of the worksite based on the signal generated by each of the plurality of locating devices;

determine a difference between the as-built model and a design model of the worksite stored in memory of the controller;

determine a surface condition of the worksite based on the difference between the as-build model and the design model, the surface condition corresponding to one or more of the plurality of types of earth-working operations;

determine a grade status of the worksite based on the difference between the as-built model and the design model;

generate a map of the worksite on the display device, wherein the map is indicative of the surface condition and the grade status of the worksite; and

generate graphical objects on the map indicative of areas of the worksite where each of the plurality of types of earth-working operations were respectively performed by the plurality of machines.