Method and apparatus for determining a material condition
First Claim
1. An apparatus for determining a material condition indicative of a level of difficulty of excavation for use with a work machine having a work implement, the apparatus comprising a controller operable to receive a first signal during a dig pass of the work machine, and to determine the material condition indicative of a level of difficulty of excavation during the dig pass as a function of the first signal, and to transmit an output signal during the dig pass as a function of the material condition.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus for determining a condition indicative of a level of difficulty of excavation of a material engaged by a work machine having a work implement. A controller receives a first signal during a dig pass of the work machine, and determines a material condition indicative of a level of difficulty of excavation during the dig pass as a function of the first signal, and transmits an output signal during the dig pass as a function of the material condition.
77 Citations
40 Claims
- 1. An apparatus for determining a material condition indicative of a level of difficulty of excavation for use with a work machine having a work implement, the apparatus comprising a controller operable to receive a first signal during a dig pass of the work machine, and to determine the material condition indicative of a level of difficulty of excavation during the dig pass as a function of the first signal, and to transmit an output signal during the dig pass as a function of the material condition.
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28. An apparatus for determining a material condition indicative of a level of difficulty of excavation for use with a work machine having a torque converter, comprising:
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a controller operable to receive a gear signal, a torque converter output speed signal, a tilt cylinder position signal, a tilt cylinder command signal, and at least one of an engine speed signal and a transmission speed signal, each signal being received during a dig pass, the controller operable to determine an accumulated torque as a function of the engine speed signal and the torque converter output speed signal, to determine a speed drop as a function of the transmission output signal, to determine a tilt cylinder velocity/command ratio as a function of the tilt cylinder position signal and the tilt cylinder command signal, and to determine a machine speed as a function of the gear signal and at least one of the engine speed signal and the transmission speed signal, the controller further operable to determine a material condition indicative of a level of difficulty of excavation during the dig pass as a function of the accumulated torque, the speed drop, the tilt cylinder/command ratio, and the machine speed, and to transmit a material condition signal as a function of the material condition.
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29. An operating machine, comprising:
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a chassis;
an engine coupled with the chassis, the engine operable to generate a propelling force;
a propulsion system coupled with the engine to receive the propelling force and operable to propel the operating machine as a function of receiving the propelling force;
a work implement coupled with the chassis;
a hydraulic system including a hydraulic cylinder, the hydraulic system coupled with the work implement and the chassis, the hydraulic system operable to move the work implement;
a first plurality of sensors operable to determine respective first parameters during a dig pass, and to transmit respective condition signals during the dig pass as a function of the respective parameters;
at least one signal processor, each signal processor coupled with a respective second plurality of sensors to receive respective condition signals, each signal processor operable to generate a respective processed signal as a function of the respective condition signals;
a first controller coupled with the at least one signal processor to receive the respective processed signal, the controller operable to determine a material condition indicative of a level of difficulty of excavation during the dig pass as a function of the respective processed signal, and to transmit an output signal during the dig pass as a function of the material condition; and
a second controller coupled with the first controller to receive the output signal, the first controller operable to adjust an operating characteristic of the work machine during the dig pass as a function of receiving the output signal. - View Dependent Claims (30)
a total angle error signal;
a x-direction force average signal;
an accumulated x-direction energy signal;
an accumulated torque signal;
a speed drop signal;
a lift force/torque ratio signal;
a tilt cylinder velocity/command ratio signal;
a machine speed signal;
a gear signal; and
a combination signal.
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31. A method for determining a material condition indicative of a level of difficulty of excavation in real time, comprising:
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determining at least one parameter during a dig pass;
determining the material condition during the dig pass as a function of the at least one parameter; and
transmitting a material condition signal during the dig pass as a function of the material condition. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
a total angle error;
a x-direction force average;
an accumulated x-direction energy;
an accumulated torque;
a speed drop;
a lift force/torque ratio;
a tilt cylinder velocity/command ratio;
a machine speed;
a combination of the total angle error, the lift force/torque ratio, the tilt cylinder velocity/command ratio, and the machine speed; and
a combination of the x-direction force average, the accumulated x-direction energy, the accumulated torque, and the speed drop.
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33. The method of claim 31, further comprising adjusting an operating characteristic of a work machine as a function of the material condition signal.
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34. The method of claim 31 wherein determining the at least one parameter during the dig pass comprises:
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sensing a plurality of conditions of the work machine; and
calculating the at least one parameter as a function of at least some of the plurality of conditions.
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35. The method of claim 34 wherein at least one parameter is determined at a time between approximately 0-1 seconds after a dig pass begins.
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36. The method of claim 34 wherein at least one parameter is determined at a time between approximately 1-3 seconds after a dig pass begins.
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37. The method of claim 32 wherein the combination of the total angle error, the lift force/torque ratio, the tilt cylinder velocity/command and the machine speed comprises an average of the total angle error, the lift force/torque ratio, the tilt cylinder velocity/command ratio, and the machine speed.
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38. The method of claim 31 wherein determining the at least one parameter comprises:
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sensing a first operating characteristic of a work machine;
sensing a second operating characteristic of the work machine; and
calculating the at least one parameter as a function of the first and second operating characteristics.
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39. The method of claim 38 wherein one of the first and second operating characteristics comprises one of:
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a lift cylinder position;
a first lift cylinder pressure;
a tilt cylinder position; and
a first tilt cylinder pressure;
a second lift cylinder pressure;
a second tilt cylinder pressure;
an engine speed;
a torque converter output speed;
a transmission speed;
a gear; and
a tilt cylinder command.
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40. The method of claim 39 wherein the other of the first and second operating characteristics comprises another of:
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the lift cylinder position;
the first lift cylinder pressure;
the tilt cylinder position; and
the first tilt cylinder pressure;
the second lift cylinder pressure;
the second tilt cylinder pressure;
the engine speed;
the torque converter output speed;
the transmission speed;
the gear;
the tilt cylinder command; and
the second operating characteristic being a different operating characteristic than the first operating characteristic.
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Specification