Apparatus and method for determining the position of a work implement
DCFirst Claim
1. An apparatus for determining the position of a work implement movably connected to a machine, comprising:
- first receiving means for receiving electromagnetic radiation delivered from a plurality of remote locations and responsively producing a first position signal, said first receiving means being connected to said work implement and being at a first preselected location relative to said work implement spaced from a first point location on the work implement;
second receiving means for receiving electromagnetic radiation delivered from said plurality of remote locations and responsively producing a second position signal, said second receiving means being connected to said work implement and being at a preselected second location relative to said work implement spaced from a second point location on the work implement, said second means being spaced a preselected distance from said first means and said first point on the work implement being spaced a preselected distance from said second point on the work implement;
processing means for receiving said first and second position signals, determining first and second current coordinate positions of the first and second receiving means in a site coordinate system, defining a plane passing through the first and second current coordinate positions and a mid-point located along a substantially straight line passing between first and second previously defined coordinate positions of the first and second receiving means in the site coordinate system, transforming the first and second points from a local coordinate system related to the machine to the site coordinate system using said plane as a reference, and recording the position of the first and second points in the site coordinate system.
1 Assignment
Litigations
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus and method for determining the position of a work implement movably connected to a machine utilizes first and second electromagnetic radiation receiving devices connected to the work implement at predetermined spaced locations. A processor determines the first and second current coordinate positions of the first and second receiving devices in a site coordinate system based on position signals from the first and second receiving devices. The processor transforms the first and second points from a local coordinate system related to the machine to the site coordinate system using a plane passing through the first and second current coordinate positions and a mid-point located along a substantially straight line passing between first and second previously defined coordinate positions of the first and second receiving devices. The processor corrects the position of the first and second points in the site coordinate system based on sensed changes in the pitch of the implement.
150 Citations
22 Claims
-
1. An apparatus for determining the position of a work implement movably connected to a machine, comprising:
-
first receiving means for receiving electromagnetic radiation delivered from a plurality of remote locations and responsively producing a first position signal, said first receiving means being connected to said work implement and being at a first preselected location relative to said work implement spaced from a first point location on the work implement; second receiving means for receiving electromagnetic radiation delivered from said plurality of remote locations and responsively producing a second position signal, said second receiving means being connected to said work implement and being at a preselected second location relative to said work implement spaced from a second point location on the work implement, said second means being spaced a preselected distance from said first means and said first point on the work implement being spaced a preselected distance from said second point on the work implement; processing means for receiving said first and second position signals, determining first and second current coordinate positions of the first and second receiving means in a site coordinate system, defining a plane passing through the first and second current coordinate positions and a mid-point located along a substantially straight line passing between first and second previously defined coordinate positions of the first and second receiving means in the site coordinate system, transforming the first and second points from a local coordinate system related to the machine to the site coordinate system using said plane as a reference, and recording the position of the first and second points in the site coordinate system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
-
-
14. A machine having a frame and a work implement movably connected to the frame, comprising:
-
first receiving means for receiving electromagnetic radiation delivered from a plurality of remote locations and responsively producing a first position signal, said first receiving means being connected to said work implement and being at a preselected location relative to said work implement spaced from a first preselected point location on the work implement; second receiving means for receiving electromagnetic radiation delivered from said plurality of remote locations and responsively producing a second position signal, said second receiving means being connected to said work implement and being at a preselected location relative to said work implement spaced from a second preselected point location on the work implement, said second receiving means being spaced a preselected distance from said first receiving means and said first point on the work implement being spaced a preselected distance from said second point on the work implement; means for sensing a change in the pitch angle of the work implement and delivering a responsive pitch angle signal; computer means for receiving said first and second position signals and said pitch angle signal, determining a current positions of the first and second points in a local coordinate system related to the machine based on said pitch angle signal, determining first and second current coordinate positions of the first and second receiving means in a site coordinate system, determining a midpoint located along a substantially straight line passing between first and second previously defined coordinate positions of the first and second receiving means in the site coordinate system, determining a first vector extending from the first current coordinate position to the second current coordinated position and a second vector extending from the first current coordinate position to the midpoint, determining local coordinate system unit vectors for the current positions of the first and second points in terms of site coordinate system unit vectors, converting the current positions of the first and second points of the local coordinate system to the site coordinate system using a cross product of vectors determined from the local coordinate unit vectors defined in terms of the site coordinate system unit vectors, and storing the converted current positions of said first and second points in the site coordinate system. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
-
-
20. A method for determining the position of a work implement having first and second spaced apart receiving means mounted on the work implement and first and second spaced apart points located on the work implement, said work implement being movably connected to a frame of a geographic surface altering machine, comprising the steps of:
-
determining a current coordinate position of the first and second spaced apart receiving means in a site coordinate system; determining a position of each of the first and second points in a local coordinate system referenced to said frame; determining a mid point coordinate position located along a substantially straight line passing between a first and a second previously determined coordinate position of the first and second spaced apart receiving means in the site coordinate system; determining a first vector extending between said first and second current coordinate positions and a second vector extending between said first current coordinate position and the midpoint position in the site coordinate system; and transforming the positions of the first and second points in the local coordinate system to the site coordinate system. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22)
-
Specification