Boom-mounted machine locating system

• US 8,311,738 B2
• Filed: 04/27/2006
• Issued: 11/13/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: Levchenko, Yuri, Politick, Martin Joseph Nicolas Andre Eric
• Primary Examiner(s): Jen, Ian
• Application Number:
  US11/411,889
• Publication Number:
  US 20070255494A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,392 Days
• Field of Search: 373/48, 701/50, 701/213
• US Class Current: 701/469
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 3/43 Control of dipper or bucket position; Control of sequence of drive operations
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 3/46 with reciprocating digging or scraping elements moved by cables or hoisting ropes ; Drives or control devices therefor E02F3/205, E02F3/905 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 3/48 Drag-lines
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 3/842 using electromagnetic, optical or photoelectric beams, e.g. laser beams
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2029 Controlling the position of implements in function of its load, e.g. modifying the attitude of implements in accordance to vehicle speed control for hydraulic or pneumatic drives E02F9/2203, E02F9/2221 and E02F9/2253 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2037 Coordinating the movements of the implement and of the frame
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/14 specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/53 Determining attitude

Abstract

A locating system for a machine having a boom is disclosed. The locating system has a first GPS unit and a second GPS unit. The first GPS unit is located on the boom.

Claims

1. A locating system for a machine having a boom, the locating system comprising:

a first GPS unit aligned with a vertical axis about which the machine rotates, the first GPS unit being operable to generate a signal indicative of its position at the vertical axis;

a second GPS unit located on the boom; and

a controller in communication with the first GPS unit, the controller being configured to determine a position of the machine by a controller based on input received from only the first GPS unit.

2. The locating system of claim 1, wherein the second GPS unit is located on a tip end of the boom.

3. The locating system of claim 1, wherein the controller is in further communication with the second GPS unit and further configured to determine a heading of the machine based on input received from both the first and second GPS units.

4. The locating system of claim 3, wherein the controller is further configured to determine an amount of flexing of the boom based on input from only the second GPS unit.

5. The locating system of claim 1, wherein the controller is in further communication with the second GPS unit and further configured to determine a pitch of the machine based on input received from both the first and second GPS units.

6. The locating system of claim 1, wherein:

the machine also has a gantry member, a tool and a cable extending from the gantry member over a tip of the boom to the tool; and

the first GPS unit is disposed on the gantry member.

16. The locating system of claim 1, wherein a location signal from the first GPS unit remains substantially unchanged during a swing rotation of a body of the machine.

7. A locating system for a machine having a gantry member, a boom, a tool, and a cable extending from the gantry member over a tip end of the boom to the tool, the locating system comprising:

a first GPS unit disposed on the gantry member and substantially aligned with a vertical axis about which the machine rotates, the first GPS unit being operable to generate a signal indicative of its position at the vertical axis;

a second GPS unit mounted to the boom; and

a controller configured to determine an amount of flexing of the boom based on input received from only the second GPS unit.

8. The locating system of claim 7, further including a controller in communication with the first GPS unit, the controller configured to determine a position of the machine based on input received from only the first GPS unit.

9. The locating system of claim 8, wherein the controller is in further communication with the second GPS unit and further configured to determine a heading of the machine based on input received from both the first and second GPS units.

10. A method of locating a machine having a boom, the method comprising:

receiving a first signal indicative of a position of the boom;

generating with a GPS unit a second signal indicative of the position of a center of rotation of the machine;

receiving the second signal indicative of a position of the center of rotation of the machine; and

determining a position of the machine based on only the second signal from the GPS unit.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the first signal is indicative of a position of a tip end of the boom.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the center of rotation is associated with a position of a gantry member.

13. The method of claim 10, further including comparing the first signal received during a loaded condition of the boom and received during an unloaded condition of the boom to determine a flex amount of the boom.

14. The method of claim 10, further including determining a heading of the machine based on the first and second signals.

15. A machine, comprising:

a body having a vertical axis about which the machine rotates;

a boom operatively connected to the body;

a gantry member operatively connected to the body;

a tool;

a cable extending from the gantry member over a tip end of the boom to the tool; and

a locating system configured to determine the location of the boom, gantry member, and tool, the locating system including;

a first GPS unit located on the gantry member in alignment with the vertical axis, the first GPS unit being operable to generate a signal indicative of its position at the vertical axis;

a second GPS unit located on the tip end of the boom;

a controller in communication with the first and second GPS units, the controller configured to determine a position, a heading, and a pitch of the machine, and a flex of the boom based on input received from the first and second GPS units, wherein the controller is configured to determine a location of the machine based on input from only the first GPS unit.