Worksite avoidance system
First Claim
1. A method of operating a vehicle on a pile of material on a worksite, the material being released through a drain opening beneath the pile at the worksite, comprising:
- sensing, at a sensor, a surface of the pile;
identifying, at a controller, based on the sensed surface and a known location of the drain opening, a disturbance zone on the surface of the pile caused by the release of material;
transmitting, by the controller, a signal indicative of the disturbance zone to the vehicle; and
controlling, by the controller, the vehicle to avoid the disturbance zone based on the signal.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An avoidance system is disclosed for operating a vehicle on a pile of material on a worksite, the material being released through an opening at the worksite and causing a disturbance zone to form on a surface of the pile. The system has a sensor positioned at the worksite and configured to sense the surface of the pile, and a processor in communication with the sensor and the vehicle. The processor is configured to identify the disturbance zone based on the sensed surface and a known location of the opening, and to transmit a signal indicative of the disturbance zone to the vehicle.
48 Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A method of operating a vehicle on a pile of material on a worksite, the material being released through a drain opening beneath the pile at the worksite, comprising:
-
sensing, at a sensor, a surface of the pile; identifying, at a controller, based on the sensed surface and a known location of the drain opening, a disturbance zone on the surface of the pile caused by the release of material; transmitting, by the controller, a signal indicative of the disturbance zone to the vehicle; and controlling, by the controller, the vehicle to avoid the disturbance zone based on the signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
-
-
7. An avoidance system for operating a vehicle on a pile of material on a worksite, the material being released through a drain opening beneath the pile at the worksite and causing a disturbance zone to form on a surface of the pile, the system comprising:
-
a sensor positioned at the worksite and configured to sense the surface of the pile; and a processor in communication with the sensor and the vehicle, the processor being configured to; identify the disturbance zone based on the sensed surface and a known location of the drain opening; transmit a signal indicative of the disturbance zone to the vehicle; and control the vehicle to avoid the disturbance zone based on the signal. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
-
-
14. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program which, when executed by a computer, causes the computer to perform a method of operating a vehicle on a pile of material on a worksite, the material being released through a drain opening beneath the pile at the worksite, the method comprising:
-
sensing, at a sensor, a surface of the pile; identifying, at a controller, based on the sensed surface and a known location of the drain opening, a disturbance zone on the surface of the pile caused by the release of material; transmitting, by the controller, a signal indicative of the disturbance zone to the vehicle; and controlling, by the controller, the vehicle to avoid the disturbance zone based on the signal. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
-
-
17. A vehicle operating on a pile of material on a worksite, the material being released through a drain opening beneath the pile at the worksite, the vehicle comprising:
-
a communication device configured to receive a signal indicative of a sensed surface of the pile; a positioning device configured to determine a location of the vehicle on the worksite and to generate a signal indicative of the vehicle'"'"'s location; and a controller in communication with the positioning device and the communication device, the controller being configured to; identify, based on the sensed surface and a known location of the drain opening, a disturbance zone on the surface of the pile caused by the release of material; determine whether the vehicle is located within a distance of the disturbance zone; and control the vehicle to avoid the disturbance zone based on the signal. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
-
Specification