Mobile cruiser machine for forestry applications

• US 6,460,260 B1
• Filed: 02/10/2000
• Issued: 10/08/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: Alster, L. Gregory
• Primary Examiner(s): Gutierrez, Diego
• Assistant Examiner(s): Smith, R. Alexander
• Application Number:
  US09/502,341
• Publication Number:
  US 20020092184A1
• Time in Patent Office: 971 Days
• Field of Search: 332/62, 332/63, 332/64, 332/81--85, 333/91, 333/97, 332/27, 33D/IG.21, 332/28, 332/86, 332/91, 332/76, 332/77, 335/551, 280/762, 701/208, 701/213, 701/216, 701/225, 701/50
• US Class Current: 33/227
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 15/004 Reference lines, planes or sectors
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 33/21 with laser

Abstract

A mobile machine for determining information at a forestry site. The mobile machine includes a gimbal base mounted on the mobile machine, a rotating laser beam range detector mounted on the gimbal base so that the rotating laser beam maintains a horizontal plane, a position determining system mounted on the mobile machine, and a slope determining system located on the mobile machine and electrically connected to a set of gimbals on the gimbal base, the gimbals being adapted to sense a slope of the mobile machine.

Claims

1. A system for determining information at a forestry site for harvesting of trees, comprising:

a mobile machine;

a gimbal base mounted on the mobile machine;

a rotating laser beam range detector mounted on the gimbal base and generating a rotating laser beam;

a position determining system mounted on the mobile machine; and

a slope determining system located on the mobile machine and electrically connected to a set of gimbals on the gimbal base, the gimbals being adapted to sense a slope of the mobile machine;

wherein the gimbals maintain the rotating laser beam on a horizontal plane as the mobile machine traverses the forestry site.

2. A system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the gimbals are adapted to sense a slope on two orthogonal, horizontal axes.

3. A system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the rotating laser beam range detector determines a diameter of a trunk of each desired tree, the diameter of the trunk being indicative of a size of the tree.

4. A system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the position determining system determines the location of each desired tree in geographical coordinates.

5. A system, as set forth in claim 1, further including a data storage system for storing information determined at the forestry site.

6. A system, as set forth in claim 5, further including means for communicating the information to a desired location.

7. A system, as set forth in claim 6, wherein the means for communicating is a wireless communications link.

8. A system, as set forth in claim 6, wherein the means for communicating is a data transfer medium.

9. A system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the mobile machine is a mobile cruiser machine adapted in size to include one human operator.

10. A system, as set forth in claim 9, wherein the mobile cruiser machine includes:

a primary power source to provide power for propulsion and for operating the mobile machine;

a set of ground engaging members drivably connected to the primary power source; and

means for steering the mobile machine.

11. A system, as set forth in claim 10, wherein the primary power source is an engine.

12. A system, as set forth in claim 10, wherein the set of ground engaging members is a set of belted tracks.

13. A system, as set forth in claim 12, wherein the means for steering the mobile machine is a differential steering system connected to the set of belted tracks.

14. A system for gathering information at a forestry site for harvesting of trees, comprising:

a mobile cruiser machine;

a gimbal base mounted on the mobile cruiser machine;

a rotating laser beam range detector mounted on the gimbal base and generating a rotating laser beam;

a position determining system mounted on the mobile cruiser machine;

a slope determining system located on the mobile cruiser machine and electrically connected to a set of gimbals on the gimbal base, the gimbals being adapted to sense a slope of the mobile cruiser machine, wherein the gimbals maintain the rotating laser beam on a horizontal plane as the mobile machine traverses the forestry site; and

a data storage system located on the mobile cruiser machine for storing information gathered at the forestry site.

15. A system, as set forth in claim 14, wherein the gimbals are adapted to sense a slope of the terrain at the forestry site on two orthogonal, horizontal axes.

16. A system, as set forth in claim 14, further including a communications system adapted to communicate the information to a desired location.

17. A system, as set forth in claim 14, further including:

an engine to provide power for propulsion and for operating the mobile cruiser machine;

a set of ground engaging members drivably connected to the engine; and

means for steering the mobile cruiser machine.

18. A system, as set forth in claim 17, wherein the set of ground engaging members is a set of belted tracks,.and wherein the means for steering is a differential steering system connected to the set of belted tracks.

19. A system for cruising a forestry site to gather information for harvesting of trees, comprising:

a mobile machine;

a primary power source;

a set of ground engaging members drivably connected to the primary power source and adapted for providing propulsion of the mobile machine;

a gimbal base mounted on the mobile machine, the gimbal base having a set of gimbals attached;

a rotating laser beam range detector mounted on the gimbal base and generating a rotating laser beam;

a position determining system located on the mobile machine;

a slope determining system located on the mobile machine and electrically connected to the set of gimbals, the gimbals being adapted to sense a slope of the mobile machine, wherein the gimbals maintain the rotating laser beam on a horizontal plane as the mobile machine traverses the forestry site; and

means for communicating the information for harvesting of trees to a desired location.

20. A system, as set forth in claim 19, further including a data storage system for storing the information for harvesting of trees.

21. A system, as set forth in claim 19, wherein the primary power source is an engine, and wherein the set of ground engaging members is a set of rubber belted tracks.

22. A method for determining information at a forestry site by a mobile machine having a gimbal base mounted on the mobile machine, a rotating laser beam range detector mounted on the gimbal base and generating a rotating laser beam, a position determining system mounted on the mobile machine, and a slope determining system located on the mobile machine and electrically connected to a set of gimbals on the gimbal base, including the steps of:

maintaining the rotating laser beam on a horizontal plane as the mobile machine traverses the forestry site;

scanning a trunk of each desired tree by the rotating laser beam;

determining a diameter of the trunk of each of the desired trees as a function of scanning the trunk;

determining a location of the mobile machine in geographical coordinates by the position determining system; and

determining a location of each of the desired trees in geographical coordinates as a function of the location of the mobile machine.