System for automated excavation contour control

• US 7,734,398 B2
• Filed: 07/31/2006
• Issued: 06/08/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: Manneppalli, Swaroop Sesha Kamala
• Primary Examiner(s): To; Tuan C
• Application Number:
  US11/495,772
• Publication Number:
  US 20080082238A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,408 Days
• Field of Search: 701/50, 373/48, 374/15, 374/14, 731/46, 172/2, 342/357.06, 342/357.17, 342/451
• US Class Current: 701/50
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 3/842 using electromagnetic, optical or photoelectric beams, e.g. laser beams
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2045 Guiding machines along a predetermined path for graders E02F3/841; machines for construction of roads E01C19/004

Abstract

A control system for a machine is disclosed. The control system has a ground engaging tool operable to remove material from a surface at a worksite. The control system also has a controller configured to generate a desired single-pass excavation contour prior to engagement of the ground engaging tool with the surface. The desired single-pass excavation contour has one or more predefined characteristics.

Claims

1. A control system for a machine, comprising:

a ground engaging tool operable to remove material from a surface at a worksite; and

a controller configured to receive at least one input associated with a condition of the worksite and to generate a desired single-pass excavation contour prior to engagement of the ground engaging tool with the surface, the desired single-pass excavation contour based on a mathematically derived curve that is modified by a capacity of the machine and the condition of the worksite;

the controller further configured to control positioning of the ground engaging tool to follow the single-pass excavation contour.

2. The control system of claim 1, wherein the desired single-pass excavation contour is a complete trajectory of the tool including an entry into, movement through, and an exit from the surface.

3. The control system of claim 1, wherein:

the controller generates the desired excavation contour based on a Gaussian curve.

4. The control system of claim 1, wherein the at least one input is an existing general slope of the surface.

5. The control system of claim 1, wherein the at least one input is a material condition.

6. The control system of claim 1, wherein the capacity of the machine is defined by at least one of a maximum drawbar pull force of the machine.

7. The control system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to modify the curve so that a volume of material excavated by following the curve is limited to less than a maximum volume of material movable by the machine.

8. The control system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to modify the curve based upon an entry into and an exit from the surface substantially tangent with the surface.

9. The control system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to modify the curve to includes a slope rate of change being limited to less than a maximum slope rate of change possible with the ground engaging tool.

10. The control system of claim 1, wherein the capacity of the machine is defined by a characteristic of the ground engaging tool, a maximum drawbar pull force of the machine, or a machine travel speed.

11. The control system of claim 1, wherein the capacity of the machine is limited to a percentage of fixed blade load.

12. The control system of claim 11, wherein the percentage of fixed blade load is less than about 80 percent.

13. A method of controlling a machine'"'"'s work implement, comprising:

providing a machine capacity input to an electronic controller;

providing a worksite condition input to the electronic controller;

generating a desired machine contour of a work surface based on a mathematical curve, the mathematical curve being modified by the machine capacity input and the worksite condition input; and

controlling the position of the work implement to produce the desired excavation contour.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the mathematical curve is a Gaussian curve.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the mathematical curve has an entry into and an exit from the work surface substantially tangent with the work surface.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein:

the worksite condition input is a slope of the work surface;

a depth of the desired excavation contour increases as the slope of the work surface decrease; and

a length of the desired excavation contour decreases as the depth of the desired excavation contour increases.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein:

the worksite condition input is a material condition of the work surface; and

a depth of the excavation contour increases as the material of the work surface softens.