Management system incorporating performance and detection data

• US 8,688,332 B2
• Filed: 04/20/2011
• Issued: 04/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: Reiners, Eric A., Stratton, Kenneth L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): HUYNH, LUAT T
• Application Number:
  US13/090,738
• Publication Number:
  US 20120271504A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,077 Days
• Field of Search: 701 331- 339, 701/50
• US Class Current: 701/50
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2054 Fleet management
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/261 Surveying the work-site to be treated
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/267 Diagnosing or detecting failure of vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C

Abstract

A management system for use at a worksite is disclosed. The management system may have at least one object detection sensor configured to generate a first signal indicative of a feature of a roadway traversed by the mobile machine, a positioning device configured to generate a second signal indicative of a position of the mobile machine, and at least one performance sensor configured to generate a third signal indicative of a performance parameter of the mobile machine as the mobile machine traverses the feature. The management system may also have a controller configured to determine a surface condition of the roadway based on the first signal, index the surface condition to a particular location on the roadway based on the second signal, and generate a map of the roadway providing a representation of the surface condition and the performance parameter.

Claims

1. A worksite management system, comprising:

at least one object detection sensor located onboard a mobile machine and configured to generate a first signal indicative of a feature of a roadway traversed by the mobile machine;

a positioning device located onboard the mobile machine and configured to generate a second signal indicative of a position of the mobile machine;

at least one performance sensor located onboard the mobile machine and configured to generate a third signal indicative of a performance parameter of the mobile machine as the mobile machine traverses the feature; and

a controller in communication with the at least one object detection sensor, the positioning device, and the at least one performance sensor, the controller configured to;

determine a surface condition of the roadway based on the first signal;

index the surface condition to a particular location on the roadway based on the second signal;

generate a map of the roadway providing a representation of the surface condition and the performance parameter; and

use a model of the mobile machine to determine loads on wear components of the mobile machine and estimate a condition of the mobile machine at a future point in time based on the map.

2. The worksite management system of claim 1, wherein the controller is located offboard the mobile machine and is in communication with multiple mobile machines at a common worksite, the controller being configured to generate the map based on information received from the multiple mobile machines.

3. The worksite management system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to use the model to estimate the condition of the mobile machine at the future point in time based on different optional maintenance scenarios associated with the surface condition.

4. The worksite management system of claim 3, wherein the controller is further configured to make an estimation of a repair cost of the mobile machine at the future point in time, an implementation cost of each of the different maintenance scenarios, and a machine operating cost associated with each of the different maintenance scenarios.

5. The worksite management system of claim 4, wherein the controller is further configured to provide a roadway maintenance recommendation based on the estimation.

6. The worksite management system of claim 1, further including an operator input device configured to receive input from an operator of the mobile machine regarding the surface condition, wherein the controller is in further communication with the operator input device and configured to generate the map based on the input.

7. The worksite management system of claim 1, wherein the at least one object detection sensor is one of a LIDAR, RADAR, SONAR, or camera sensor.

8. The worksite management system of claim 1, wherein the at least one performance sensor is one of a strut pressure sensor, a wheel torque sensor, a rolling resistance sensor, a wheel slip sensor, and a fuel efficiency sensor.

9. A method of managing a worksite, comprising:

detecting a surface condition of a roadway traversed by a mobile machine;

determining a position of the mobile machine;

indexing the surface condition to the position of the mobile machine;

sensing a performance parameter of the mobile machine as the mobile machine traverses the surface condition;

generating a map of the roadway providing a representation of the surface condition and the performance parameter; and

using a model of the mobile machine to determine loads on wear components of the mobile machine and estimate a condition of the mobile machine at a future point in time based on the map.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein detecting the surface condition includes detecting the surface condition using one of a LIDAR, RADAR, SONAR, or camera technology.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the at least one performance parameter is associated with a strut pressure, a wheel torque, a rolling resistance, a wheel slip, and a fuel efficiency.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein generating the map includes providing a representation of surface conditions detected from onboard multiple mobile machines and performance parameters sensed from onboard the multiple mobile machines.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein using the model to estimate the condition of the mobile machine at the future point in time includes using the model to estimate the condition of the mobile machine based on different optional maintenance scenarios associated with the surface condition.

14. The method of claim 13, further including making an estimation of a repair cost of the machine at the future point in time, an implementation cost of each of the different maintenance scenarios, and a machine operating cost associated with each of the different maintenance scenarios.

15. The method of claim 14, further including providing a roadway maintenance recommendation based on the estimation.

16. A mobile machine, comprising:

at least one onboard object detection sensor configured to generate a first signal indicative of a feature of a roadway traversed by the mobile machine;

an onboard positioning device configured to generate a second signal indicative of a position of the mobile machine;

at least one onboard performance sensor configured to generate a third signal indicative of a performance parameter of the mobile machine as the mobile machine traverses the feature; and

an offboard controller in communication with the at least one object detection sensor, the positioning device, and the at least one performance sensor, the controller configured to;

determine a surface condition of the roadway based on the first signal;

index the surface condition to a particular location on the roadway based on the second signal;

generate a map of the roadway providing a representation of the surface condition and the performance parameter;

use a model of the mobile machine to determine loads on wear components of the mobile machine and a condition of the mobile machine at a future point in time based on the map and different optional maintenance scenarios associated with the surface condition;

make an estimation of a repair cost of the mobile machine at the future point in time, an implementation cost of each of the different maintenance scenarios, and a machine operating cost associated with each of the different maintenance scenarios; and

provide a roadway maintenance recommendation based on the estimation.