System and method for land-leveling

• US 6,880,643 B1
• Filed: 02/06/2003
• Issued: 04/19/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Novariant Incorporated (Kubota Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Novariant Incorporated (Kubota Corporation)
• Inventors: Leckie, Lars, Gross, Avi, Cobb, H. Stewart, Lawrence, David G., O'Connor, Michael, Montgomery, Paul Y., Zimmerman, Kurt R., Sapilewski, Glen
• Primary Examiner(s): PEZZUTO, ROBERT ERIC
• Application Number:
  US10/359,409
• Time in Patent Office: 803 Days
• Field of Search: 172 2- 9, 373/48, 701/50, 701/207, 701/209, 342/357.01, 342/357.17, 340/988, 340/990, 340/995
• US Class Current: 172/4.5
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 3/84 Drives or control devices therefor , e.g. hydraulic drive systems

Abstract

A land-leveling system that uses the Global Positioning System is provided. The system provides for an earth-moving machine mounted with an antenna that receives GPS signals from the satellites of the Global Positioning System. The earth-moving machine comprises a vehicle attached to a work implement, which is also connected to an actuator. A decision unit mounted on the vehicle sends control signals to the actuator, which controls the elevation of the work implement. These control signals are generated using the signals received from the antenna and the desired grade map. This system has an increased coverage area, more accuracy and round-the-clock operability. The system could be used to carry out all the land-leveling operations viz. surveying, leveling and verifying.

Claims

1. A system for providing a flat grade to guide alteration of land, the system comprising:

a first antenna operable on an earth moving machine, the first antenna operable to receive signals from a satellite navigation system; and

a computer responsive to the signals received by the first antenna, the computer operable to determine a position of the first antenna relative to a planar surface tangent to the Earth as a function of the signals from the satellite navigation system;

wherein the computer is operable in first and second modes of operation, the first mode of operation corresponding to calculating an elevation of a work implement to correspond to the flat grade relative to the planar surface tangent to the Earth, and the second mode of operation corresponding to calculating the elevation of the work implement to correspond to a curved surface approximating a surface of the Earth, the first mode of operation different than the second mode of operation.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the earth-moving machine comprises a work implement and an actuator connected with the work implement;

and

wherein the computer is operable to control the actuator such that the work implement elevation corresponds to the flat grade.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the computer is operable to orient the planar surface tangent to the Earth relative to a virtual point that is different from a physical location of a base station.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the flat grade is determined as a function of at least one input slope.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the computer is operable to determine an offset height of the first antenna relative to a base station in response to the earth-moving machine being at an on-grade location.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the satellite navigation system is selected from the group consisting of:

GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO and a pseudolite.

7. A system for providing a flat grade to guide alteration of land, the system comprising:

a first antenna operable on an earth moving machine, the first antenna operable to receive signals from a satellite navigation system; and

a computer responsive to the signals received by the first antenna, the computer operable to determine a position of the first antenna in a coordinate frame of reference relative to a curved surface approximating a surface of the Earth as a function of the signals from the satellite navigation system.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the earth-moving machine comprises a work implement and an actuator connected with the work implement;

and

wherein the computer is operable to control the actuator such that the work implement elevation corresponds to the flat grade.

9. The system of claim 7 wherein the flat grade is determined as a function of at least one input slope.

10. The system of claim 7 wherein the computer is operable to determine an offset height of the first antenna relative to a base station in response to the earth-moving machine being at an on-grade location.

11. The system of claim 7 wherein the satellite navigation system is selected from the group consisting of:

GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO and a pseudolite.

12. A method for providing a flat grade to guide alteration of land, the method comprising:

(a) receiving satellite navigation signals;

(b) determining a flat grade;

(c) leveling a field along the flat grade as a function of the satellite navigation signals; and

(d) providing a user with first and second leveling options, the first leveling option being leveling the field relative to a curved surface approximating a surface of the Earth, and the second leveling option being leveling the field relative to a planar surface tangent to the Earth, the first leveling option being a different mode of operation than for the second leveling option.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

(d) controlling an elevation of a work implement as a function of position in the field in response to the satellite navigation signals.

14. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

(d) inputting a slope of the flat grade.

15. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

(d) identifying a location spaced from any base station; and

(e) orienting the flat grade relative to the location spaced from any base station.

16. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

(d) positioning an earth-moving machine at an on-grade location; and

(e) determining an offset height of an antenna relative to a base station.

17. A system for providing a grade map to guide alteration of land, the system comprising:

a base station;

a first antenna operable on an earth moving machine, the first antenna operable to receive signals from a satellite navigation system; and

a computer responsive to the signals received by the first antenna, the computer operable to determine an offset height of the first antenna relative to the base station in response to the first antenna being at an on-grade location.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the computer is operable to determine the offset height in response to the first antenna being at the on-grade location and subsequently at an additional on-grade location.

19. The system of claim 17 wherein the computer is operable to determine a position of the first antenna relative to a planar surface tangent to the Earth as a function of the signals from the satellite navigation system.

20. A method for providing a grade map to guide alteration of land, the method comprising:

(a) receiving satellite navigation signals;

(b) determining a position on a grade map as a function of the satellite navigation signals;

(c) positioning an earth-moving machine at an on-grade location; and

(d) determining an offset height of an antenna relative to a base station as a function of the satellite navigation signals received during (c).

21. The method of claim 20 further comprising:

(e) positioning the earth-moving machine at an additional on-grade location after (c);

wherein (d) comprises determining the offset height as a function of the satellite navigation signals received during (c) and (e).

22. A system for providing a flat grade to guide alteration of land, the system comprising:

a first antenna operable on an earth moving machine, the first antenna operable to receive signals from a satellite navigation system; and

a computer responsive to the signals received by the first antenna, the computer operable to determine a position of the first antenna relative to the flat map as a function of the signals from the satellite navigation system;

wherein the flat grade is determined as a function of at least one input slope.

23. The system of claim 22 wherein the flat grade is determined as a function of at least two input slopes.

24. The system of claim 22 wherein the flat grade is determined as a function of the slope of a planar surface and a slope direction.

25. A method for providing a flat grade to guide alteration of land, the method comprising:

(a) receiving satellite navigation signals;

(b) inputting a slope of the flat grade; and

(c) determining a position on the flat grade as a function of the satellite navigation signals and the input slope.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein (b) comprises inputting two slopes and wherein (c) comprises determining a position on the flat grade as a function of the satellite navigation signals and the two slopes.

27. The method of claim 25 wherein (b) comprises inputting the slope of a planar surface and a slope direction.