Avoidance system for locating electric cables

• US 7,793,442 B2
• Filed: 04/29/2008
• Issued: 09/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: Koch, Roger Dale, Everett, Bryan James
• Primary Examiner(s): Beach; Thomas A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Buck; Matthew R
• Application Number:
  US12/149,233
• Publication Number:
  US 20090265962A1
• Time in Patent Office: 868 Days
• Field of Search: 374/13, 373/48, 374/14, 373/82, 172/5, 172/6, 701/50, 701/25, 701/26, 701/209, 701/210
• US Class Current: 37/413
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2033 Limiting the movement of frames or implements, e.g. to avoid collision between implements and the cabin sub-groups of E02F3/431 of E02F3/435 take precedence; for turntables E02F9/123

Abstract

An avoidance system for a mobile earthmoving machine is disclosed. The avoidance system includes a sensor system configured to periodically detect a position of a cable tethered from the machine within a worksite and generate a position data set in response thereto. A controller is associated with the sensor system and configured to determine a cable avoidance region based on the position data set.

Claims

1. An avoidance system configured to track a cable tethered from a mobile earthmoving machine along a worksite at or above a surface of the worksite during operation, the system comprising:

a sensor system configured to periodically detect a position of the cable along the worksite at or above a surface of the worksite and generate a position data set in response thereto; and

a controller associated with the sensor system, the controller configured to determine a cable avoidance region based on the position data set, wherein the cable avoidance region represents a region for avoidance by other equipment or personnel.

2. The avoidance system of claim 1, further including at least one cable guide configured to guide the cable along the worksite.

3. The avoidance system of claim 2, further including a positioning system in communication with the controller and associated with the at least one cable guide, the positioning system configured to determine a position of the at least one cable guide relative to the worksite.

4. The avoidance system of claim 3, wherein the position data set includes a range of cable positions along the worksite during operation of the earthmoving machine, the range having a first boundary position and a second boundary position.

5. The avoidance system of claim 4, wherein the cable avoidance region includes and is within the first and second boundary positions.

6. The avoidance system of claim 5, wherein the sensor system is mounted on the earthmoving machine.

7. The avoidance system of claim 6, wherein the positioning system is further associated with the earthmoving machine, the positioning system configured to determine a position of the earthmoving machine relative to the worksite.

8. The avoidance system of claim 7, wherein the controller is configured to generate a position coordinate map based on the positions of the at least one cable guide and the earthmoving machine.

9. The avoidance system of claim 8, wherein the controller determines the cable avoidance region relative to the position coordinate map.

10. The avoidance system of claim 5, wherein the sensor system is mounted on the at least one cable guide.

11. The avoidance system of claim 10, wherein the sensor system is further configured to detect the position of the earthmoving machine relative to the at least one cable guide.

12. The avoidance system of claim 11, wherein the controller determines the cable avoidance region relative to the positions of the at least one cable guide and the earthmoving machine.

13. A method for tracking a cable tethered from a mobile earthmoving machine along a worksite during operation, the method comprising:

guiding the cable along the worksite via at least one cable guide;

determining a position of the at least one cable guide relative to the worksite;

periodically detecting a position of the cable within the worksite and generating a position data set in response thereto using a sensor system;

determining a cable avoidance region based on the position data set using a controller associated with the sensor system; and

transmitting the cable avoidance region to a location external from the mobile earthmoving machine, wherein the cable avoidance region represents a region for avoidance by other equipment or personnel.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein generating the position data set further includes determining a range of cable positions along the worksite during operation, the range including a first boundary position and a second boundary position.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein determining the cable avoidance region further includes confining an area of the worksite to the first and second boundary positions.

16. The method of claim 15, further including determining a position of the earthmoving machine relative to the worksite.

17. The method of claim 16, further including generating a position coordinate map based on the positions of the at least one cable guide and the earthmoving machine.

18. The method of claim 17, further including determining the cable avoidance region relative to the position coordinate map.

19. A mobile earthmoving machine system, comprising:

at least one cable tethered from an earthmoving machine along a worksite at or above a surface of the worksite; and

an avoidance system configured to track the at least one cable during operation, the system including;

a sensor system configured to periodically detect a position of the at least one cable along the worksite at or above a surface of the worksite and generate a position data set in response thereto; and

a controller associated with the sensor system, the controller configured to determine a cable avoidance region based on the position data set, wherein the cable avoidance region represents a region for avoidance by other equipment or personnel.

20. The mobile earthmoving machine system of claim 19, further including at least one cable guide configured to guide the at least one cable along the worksite.

21. The mobile earthmoving machine system of claim 20, further including a positioning system in communication with the controller and associated with the at least one cable guide and the earthmoving machine, the positioning system configured to determine a position of the at least one cable guide and a position of the earthmoving machine relative to the worksite.

22. The mobile earthmoving machine system of claim 21, wherein the position data set includes a range of cable positions along the worksite during operation of the earthmoving machine, the range having a first boundary position and a second boundary position.

23. The mobile earthmoving machine system of claim 22, wherein the cable avoidance region includes and is within the first and second boundary positions.

24. The mobile earthmoving machine system of claim 23, wherein the controller is configured to generate a position coordinate map based on the positions of the at least one cable guide and the earthmoving machine and determine the cable avoidance region relative to the position coordinate map.