Excavator data acquisition and control system and process

• US 5,659,985 A
• Filed: 06/12/1996
• Issued: 08/26/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Vermeer Manufacturing Company
• Original Assignee: Vermeer Manufacturing Company
• Inventors: Stump, Greg
• Primary Examiner(s): Melius, Terry Lee
• Assistant Examiner(s): PEZZUTO, ROBERT ERIC
• Application Number:
  US08/662,042
• Time in Patent Office: 440 Days
• Field of Search: 37/348, 37/352, 37/355, 37/357, 37/900, 37/902, 172/4, 172/4.5, 172/3, 172/7, 405/128, 405/157, 405/234, 414/825, 414/694, 342/22, 342/25, 342/129
• US Class Current: 37/348
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 5/06 with digging elements mounted on an endless chain E02F5/109 takes precedence; with digging elements mounted on an endless chain per se E02F3/08
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 5/145 control and indicating devices
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2029 Controlling the position of implements in function of its load, e.g. modifying the attitude of implements in accordance to vehicle speed control for hydraulic or pneumatic drives E02F9/2203, E02F9/2221 and E02F9/2253 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2045 Guiding machines along a predetermined path for graders E02F3/841; machines for construction of roads E01C19/004
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/26 Indicating devices E02F5/145 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/262 with follow-up actions to control the work tool, e.g. controller
• CPC Class Codes: E21C 39/00 Devices for testing in situ the hardness or other properties of minerals, e.g. for giving information as to the selection of suitable mining tools
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 15/00 Surveying instruments or accessories not provided for in groups G01C1/00 - G01C13/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/876 Combination of several spaced transponders or reflectors of known location for determining the position of a receiver G01S13/874 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/885 for ground probing prospecting or detecting using electromagnetic waves G01V3/12
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/14 specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/41 Differential correction, e.g. DGPS [differential GPS]
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/48 by combining or switching between position solutions derived from the satellite radio beacon positioning system and position solutions derived from a further system
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/30 Determining absolute distances from a plurality of spaced points of known location
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 11/00 Prospecting or detecting by methods combining techniques covered by two or more of main groups G01V1/00 - G01V9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 3/12 operating with electromagnetic waves operating with millimetre waves G01V8/005
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 3/17 operating with electromagnetic waves operating with millimetre waves G01V8/005

Abstract

An information acquisition and control system and process acquires geological information from a subsurface and modifies the operation of an excavating machine using the acquired geological information. The system includes a data acquisition system to acquire geological information along an excavation route, a machine controller to control the operation of the excavating machine, and a main controller that produces estimated machine performance parameters for use by the machine controller using the acquired geological information and machine operation information. In another embodiment, geologic characteristics acquired for a first subsurface are associated with excavation performance information for the first subsurface to produce correlation data. Geologic characteristics acquired at a second subsurface are compared with the correlation data to produce estimated excavation performance information for the second subsurface.

Claims

1. An information acquisition and control system for a machine having an earth penetrating member, the machine including a propulsion system for propelling the machine along a predetermined route, the system comprising:

an information acquisition unit to acquire geological information along the predetermined route;

a machine controller to control the operation of the propulsion system; and

a main controller to receive the geological information from the information acquisition unit and operation information from the machine controller;

wherein the main controller estimates machine performance parameters in response to the geological information and operation information, and the machine controller modifies the operation of the propulsion system in response to the estimated machine performance parameters.

2. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the information acquisition unit is coupled to two antennas orientated in an orthogonal relationship to transmit an earth penetrating source signal through a subsurface portion of the predetermined route and to receive a reflected signal from the subsurface portion.

3. A system as claimed in claim 2, further comprising a display coupled to the information acquisition unit to display a three-dimensional image of the subsurface portion.

4. A system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a geographic positioning unit coupled to the main controller to determine a position of the machine along the predetermined route, wherein the main controller associates the acquired geological information with position information received from the geographic positioning unit to produce the estimated machine performance parameters.

5. A system as claimed in claim 4, wherein the geographic positioning unit comprises a plurality of ground-based transponders and a Global Positioning System transponder mounted to the machine.

6. A system as claimed in claim 4, wherein the geographic positioning unit comprises a plurality of radar transponders and a mobile radar transponder mounted to the machine.

7. A system as claimed in claim 4, wherein the geographic positioning unit comprises a plurality of ultra-sonic transponders and a mobile ultra-sonic transponder mounted to the machine.

8. A system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a geology characterization device to determine physical characteristics of a subsurface along the predetermined route.

9. A system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the geology characterization device includes any one of a Schmidt hammer, a point load tester, and a seismic sensor.

10. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the main controller filters the geological information with geologic filtering information corresponding to known geology to remove content of the geological information corresponding to the known geology.

11. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the main controller is coupled to a memory containing historical machine performance data; and

the machine controller modifies the operation of the propulsion system in response to the estimated machine performance parameters and the historical machine performance data received from the main controller.

12. A system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a mapping system that maps the predetermined route and machine deviations from the predetermined route during excavation.

13. A system as claimed in claim 12, further comprising a navigation system that navigates the machine using a map of the predetermined route.

14. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the information acquisition unit includes a connector that detachably engages a mating connector coupled to the main controller.

15. A data acquisition and control system for a machine having an earth penetrating member, the machine including a propulsion system that propels the machine along a predetermined route, the system comprising:

a data acquisition system to acquire geological information along the predetermined route, the data acquisition system including a signal processing unit to produce an earth penetrating source signal and to receive a reflected signal resulting from the source signal;

a machine controller to control the operation of the propulsion system and the earth penetrating member; and

a main controller to receive the geological information from the data acquisition system;

wherein the main controller estimates a parameter indicative of machine performance using the received geological information, and the machine controller modifies the operation of the propulsion system and earth penetrating member using the estimated machine performance parameter.

16. A method of excavating, comprising the steps of:

excavating a first site;

determining a geologic characteristic of the first site;

measuring a parameter of excavation productivity while excavating the first site;

associating the excavation productivity parameter for the first site with the geologic characteristic of the first site to produce correlation data;

determining a geologic characteristic of a second site; and

estimating a parameter of excavation productivity for second site using the geologic characteristic of the second site and the correlation data.

17. The method as claimed in claim 16, including the further step of excavating the second site using the estimated parameter of excavation productivity for the second site.

18. A method as claimed in claim 16, wherein the step of determining the geologic characteristic of the first site includes the further steps of:

acquiring imaging information at the first site; and

filtering the acquired imaging information with geologic filtering data corresponding to known types of subsurface geology to remove content from the acquired information corresponding to the known types of subsurface geology.

19. A method as claimed in claim 16, including the further step of mapping an excavation route at the first site while excavating the first site.

20. A method of characterizing a subsurface geology of a predetermined route and controlling an excavator along the predetermined route, including the steps of:

transporting a geologic imaging system along the predetermined route;

acquiring geological imaging data for the predetermined route;

storing the geological imaging data; and

modifying the operation of the excavator in response to the acquired geological imaging data as the excavator traverses along the predetermined route.