Tether tracking system and method for mobile machine

• US 8,332,106 B2
• Filed: 10/21/2009
• Issued: 12/11/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: Yuet, Fu Pei, Clar, Jean-Jacques, Politick, Martin
• Primary Examiner(s): Beaulieu, Yonel
• Application Number:
  US12/603,293
• Publication Number:
  US 20110093170A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,147 Days
• Field of Search: 701/50, 701/400, 701/408, 701/1
• US Class Current: 701/50
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/40 Working vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 9/00 Electric propulsion with power supply external to the vehicle electric propulsion for monorail vehicles, suspension vehicles or rack railways B60L13/00; in combination with batteries or fuel cells within the vehicle B60L50/53
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 75/425 attached to, or forming part of a vehicle, e.g. truck, trailer, vessel
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 75/4484 Electronic arrangements or adaptations for controlling the winding or unwinding process, e.g. with sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 75/4486 Electric motors
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2045 Guiding machines along a predetermined path for graders E02F3/841; machines for construction of roads E01C19/004
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2095 Control of electric, electro-mechanical or mechanical equipment not otherwise provided for, e.g. ventilators, electro-driven fans control of hydraulic driven equipment E02F9/22
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/262 with follow-up actions to control the work tool, e.g. controller
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 7/02 Drilling rigs characterised by means for land transport with their own drive, e.g. skid mounting or wheel mounting
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0214 in accordance with safety or protection criteria, e.g. avoiding hazardous areas monitoring the location of vehicles within a certain area, e.g. forbidden or allowed areas, in traffic control systems for road vehicles G08G1/13
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0272 comprising means for registering the travel distance, e.g. revolutions of wheels measuring distance traversed on the ground by vehicles, e.g. using odometers G01C22/00
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 11/02 using take-up reel or drum
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles

Abstract

A tether tracking system for a mobile machine is disclosed. The tether tracking system may have a spool located on the mobile machine to selectively dispense and reel in a tether extending from the mobile machine to a stationary source as the mobile machine travels about a worksite. The tether tracking system may also have at least one sensor associated with the spool to generate a first signal indicative of a spool parameter, a locating system associated with the mobile machine to generate a second signal indicative of a location of the mobile machine, and a controller in communication with the at least one sensor and the locating system. The controller may be configured to determine a tether avoidance zone based on the first and second signals.

Claims

1. A tether tracking system, comprising:

a spool located on a mobile machine to selectively dispense and reel in a tether extending from the mobile machine to a stationary source as the mobile machine travels about a worksite;

at least one sensor associated with the spool to generate a first signal indicative of a spool parameter;

a locating system associated with the mobile machine to generate a second signal indicative of a travel path parameter of the mobile machine; and

a controller in communication with the at least one sensor and the locating system, the controller being configured to determine a tether avoidance zone based on the first and second signals.

2. The tether tracking system of claim 1, wherein:

the tether avoidance zone is based on an approximate location of the tether determined based on the first and second signals; and

the controller is further configured to send information regarding at least one of the approximate tether location and the avoidance zone to other mobile machines co-located at the worksite.

3. The tether tracking system of claim 2, wherein the avoidance zone changes dimension based on a type of the other mobile machines receiving the information.

4. The tether tracking system of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor is configured to sense a spool parameter indicative of one of a tether tension or a spool torque.

5. The tether tracking system of claim 1, further including an additional sensor configured to detect an actual location of the tether on the ground, wherein the controller is in communication with the additional sensor and configured to selectively compare an approximate location of the tether with the detected location, and calibrate the approximate location based on the comparison.

6. The tether tracking system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to:

determine that a portion of the tether on the ground may have been moved relative to the ground based on the first signal; and

responsively request a survey of the actual tether location.

7. The tether tracking system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to increase a size of the avoidance zone at locations along a length of the tether where the mobile machine experiences a change in at least one of a heading and a travel speed.

8. The tether tracking system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to:

detect a malfunction of the at least one sensor or the locating system; and

increase a dimension of the avoidance zone based on the detection.

9. The tether tracking system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to direct travel of the mobile machine through the avoidance zone during reeling in of the tether.

10. The tether tracking system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to adjust a tension of the tether based on at least one of travel of the mobile machine and the first signal.

11. A method of tracking a tether of a mobile machine, comprising:

sensing a parameter associated with a tether spool and responsively generating a first signal;

determining a travel path parameter of the mobile machine and responsively generating a second signal; and

determining a tether avoidance zone based on the first and second signals.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein sensing a parameter associated with the tether spool includes sensing a parameter indicative of at least one of a tether tension and a spool torque.

13. The method of claim 11, further including:

determining an approximate tether location based on the first and second signals; and

sending information regarding at least one of the approximate tether location and the tether avoidance zone to other mobile machines at a common worksite.

14. The method of claim 13, further including changing a dimension of the tether avoidance zone based on a type of the other mobile machines receiving the information.

15. The method of claim 11, further including:

determining that a portion of the tether on the ground has moved relative to the ground based on the first signal; and

responsively requesting a survey of the actual tether location.

16. The method of claim 11, further including increasing a dimension of the tether avoidance zone at locations along the length of the tether where the mobile machine experiences a change in at least one of a heading and a travel speed.

17. The method of claim 11, further including:

detecting a system malfunction; and

increasing a dimension of the tether avoidance zone based on the detection.

18. The method of claim 11, further including directing travel of the mobile machine through the tether avoidance zone during reeling in of the tether.

19. The method of claim 11, further including adjusting a tension of the tether based on at least one of travel of the mobile machine and the first signal.

20. A tether tracking system, comprising:

a spool located on a mobile machine to selectively dispense and reel in a tether extending from the mobile machine to a stationary source as the mobile machine travels about a worksite;

a motor associated with the spool to drive the spool during dispensing and reeling in of the tether;

a sensor associated with the spool to generate a first signal indicative of a force applied to the spool;

a locating system associated with the mobile machine to generate a second signal indicative of a travel path parameter of the mobile machine; and

a controller in communication with the sensor and the locating system, the controller being configured to;

determine a tether avoidance zone based on the first and second signals;

regulate operation of the motor based on the first signal; and

direct travel of the mobile machine through the tether avoidance zone during reeling in of the tether.