Method for determining the volume between previous and current site surfaces

• US 5,801,967 A
• Filed: 03/29/1996
• Issued: 09/01/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: Stratton, Kenneth L., Koehrsen, Craig L., Lueschow, Kevin J., Henderson, Daniel E., Kleimenhagen, Karl W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Trammell, James P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SHAH, KAMINI S
• Application Number:
  US08/626,230
• Time in Patent Office: 886 Days
• Field of Search: 172/2, 172/826, 364/424.07, 364/564, 342/357, 342/462, 342/449, 360/78.14, 37/348
• US Class Current: 702/156
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 17/00 Methods or apparatus for determining the capacity of containers or cavities, or the volume of solid bodies measuring linear dimensions to determine volume G01B
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 22/00 Methods or apparatus for measuring volume of fluids or fluent solid material, not otherwise provided for

Abstract

A method for calculating a volume between previous and current site surfaces is provided. The site surfaces are represented by a series of surface elevations. The method includes the steps of determining previous surface elevations; traversing the site with a work machine and determining current surface elevations; and calculating a volume difference between the current surface and the previous surface as a function of the previous surface elevations and the current surface elevations.

Claims

1. A method for calculating a volume between previous and current site surfaces, the site surfaces being represented by a series of surface elevations, comprising:

determining previous surface elevations, the previous surface elevations representing the previous site surface;

traversing the site with a work machine and determining current surface elevations, the current surface elevations representing the current site surface; and

calculating a volume difference between the current surface and the previous surface as a function of the previous surface elevations and the current surface elevations.

2. A method, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the calculating step includes the step of calculating a cut volume, said cut volume representing a volume of material removed from the site.

3. A method, as set forth in claim 2, wherein the surfaces are represented by uniformly spaced squares, each of said elevations being associated with one square.

4. A method, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the calculating step includes the step of calculating a fill volume, said fill volume representing a volume of material added to the site.

5. A method, as set forth in claim 4, wherein the surfaces are represented by uniformly spaced squares, each of said elevations being associated with one square.

6. A method, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the calculating step includes the step of calculating a cut volume and a fill volume.

7. A method, as set forth in claim 6, wherein the surfaces are represented by uniformly spaced squares.

8. A method, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the previous surface elevations are determined by surveying the site.

9. A method, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the previous surface elevations are determined using a position system located on the machine.

10. A method, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the current surface elevations are determined using a position system located on the machine.

11. A method, as set forth in claim 6, wherein the volume difference is determined as a function of the cut and fill volumes.

12. A method, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the surfaces are represented by uniformly spaced squares, each of said elevations being associated with one square.

13. A method, as set forth in claim 12, wherein the volume difference is determined by the equation:

##EQU3## where V is the total volume difference, A is the area of the squares in the grid, N equals the number of squares for which the volume is to be determined, PE_n, is the previous elevation for square n, and CE_n, is the current elevation for square n.

14. A method for calculating a volume between previous and current site surfaces, the site surfaces being represented by a series of surface elevations, comprising:

determining previous surface elevations, the previous surface elevations representing the previous site surface;

traversing the site with a work machine and determining current surface elevations, the current surface elevations representing the current site surface;

calculating one of a cut volume and a fill volume between the current surface and the previous surface as a function of the previous surface elevations and the current surface elevations, said cut volume representing a volume of material removed from the site and said fill volume representing a volume of material added to the site.