System for autonomous excavation and truck loading
First Claim
1. A system for autonomous control of an earthmoving machine within an earthmoving environment, the system comprising:
- an earthmoving machine equipped with a scanning sensor system operable to provide data corresponding to regions within the earthmoving environment including an excavation region and a loading region; and
a planning and control module operable to receive data from the scanning sensor system to plan a task associated with control of the earthmoving machine in the excavation region while concurrently performing another task associated with the control of the earthmoving machine within the loading region.
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Accused Products
Abstract
In accordance with the present invention, a system to organize and coordinate components associated with earthmoving machinery capable of performing excavating and loading tasks autonomously is disclosed. The system comprises an earthmoving machine equipped with a scanning sensor system operable to provide data regarding regions within an earthmoving environment including an excavation region and a loading region and a planning and control module operable to receive data from the scanning sensor system to plan a task associated with the control of the earthmoving machine while concurrently performing another task associated with control of the earthmoving machine. Any number and type of sensor systems, such as a laser rangefinder or a radar rangefinder, may be incorporated in the system depending on requirements and the capabilities of the system. The sensor systems have independently controllable fields of view, with each sensor system being capable of providing data pertaining to a different portion of the earthmoving environment.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A system for autonomous control of an earthmoving machine within an earthmoving environment, the system comprising:
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an earthmoving machine equipped with a scanning sensor system operable to provide data corresponding to regions within the earthmoving environment including an excavation region and a loading region; and
a planning and control module operable to receive data from the scanning sensor system to plan a task associated with control of the earthmoving machine in the excavation region while concurrently performing another task associated with the control of the earthmoving machine within the loading region. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A system for autonomous control of earthmoving machinery, the system comprising:
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an earthmoving machine equipped with a scanning sensor system operable to provide data corresponding to regions within an earthmoving environment including an excavation region and a loading region;
a planning and control module operable to receive data from the scanning sensor system to plan a task associated with control of the earthmoving machine in the excavation region while concurrently performing another task associated with the control of the earthmoving machine within the loading region; and
an obstacle detector for detecting the presence of an obstacle within the earthmoving environment and for generating a signal to halt operation of the earthmoving machine once the obstacle has been detected. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A system for autonomous control of earthmoving machinery, the system comprising:
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an earthmoving machine equipped with a scanning sensor system operable to provide data corresponding to regions within an earthmoving environment including an excavation region and a loading region, the scanning sensor system comprising a first sensor being operable to rotate to scan a field of view greater than zero degrees in a first plane around the earthmoving machine and a second sensor being operable to rotate to scan a field of view greater than zero degrees in a second plane around the earthmoving machine, the sensors being positioned on the earthmoving machine and having independently adjustable fields of view and scan patterns to provide range data for different areas of the earthmoving environment for planning and executing at least one earthmoving task; and
an obstacle detector operable to receive data from the scanning sensor system to determine if an object is present within the earthmoving environment and once an obstacle has been detected for halting operation of the earthmoving machine. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22)
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Specification