System for work cycle detection

• US 8,924,094 B2
• Filed: 10/17/2012
• Issued: 12/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: Faivre, Joseph, Zhu, Yongliang, Fehr, Drew A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cheung, Mary
• Assistant Examiner(s): Trivedi, Atul
• Application Number:
  US13/653,954
• Publication Number:
  US 20140107895A1
• Time in Patent Office: 804 Days
• Field of Search: 701/50, 701/124, 374/13, 374/19, 172/75, 172/465
• US Class Current: 701/50
• 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 9/264 Sensors and their calibration for indicating the position of the work tool
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/083 lift truck scale

Abstract

A payload control system includes a tool position sensor, a boom lift sensor, and a boom swing sensor. A controller is configured to determine a segment of a work cycle based upon the tool position, the boom lift, and the boom swing signal, and determine a payload moved by the tool during the segment of the work cycle.

Claims

1. A payload control system comprising:

a tool position sensor system configured to provide a tool position signal indicative of a position of a tool;

a boom lift sensor system configured to provide a boom lift signal indicative of a boom lifting velocity;

a boom swing sensor system configured to provide a boom swing signal indicative of a boom swinging velocity; and

a controller configured to;

receive the tool position signal;

receive the boom lift signal;

receive the boom swing signal;

determine a position of the tool based upon the tool position signal;

determine a boom lifting velocity based upon the boom lift signal;

determine a boom swinging velocity based upon the boom swing signal;

determine a beginning of a swing-to-dump segment of a work cycle of the tool based at least in part upon the tool being in a tool carry position, the boom lifting velocity exceeding a predetermined lift velocity, and the boom swinging velocity exceeding a predetermined swing velocity; and

determine a payload moved by the tool during the swing-to-dump segment of the work cycle.

2. The payload control system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to end the swing-to-dump segment of the work cycle upon either of:

a) the tool being moved away from the tool carry position, and b) the boom lifting velocity being less than a predetermined rate for a predetermined period of time and the boom swinging velocity being less than a predetermined rate for a predetermined period of time.

3. The payload control system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to determine a plurality of tool position signals, boom lift signals, and boom swing signals during the swing-to-dump segment of the work cycle, each tool position signal, boom lift signal, and boom swing signal collectively defining a data sample.

4. The payload control system of claim 3, wherein the controller is configured to log a threshold number of data samples taken during the swing-to-dump segment of the work cycle.

5. The payload control system of claim 4, wherein the threshold number of data samples is approximately 50.

6. The payload control system of claim 4, wherein the controller is configured to generate a data accuracy warning signal based upon logging of a predetermined number of reduced confidence instances and discard the data samples for the work cycle based upon receipt of a command signal from an operator.

7. The payload control system of claim 3, wherein the controller logs a plurality of data samples during each swing-to-dump segment of the work cycle and uses an optimization algorithm on the threshold number of data samples upon completion of the swing-to-dump segment of the work cycle to calculate the payload.

8. The payload control system of claim 3, wherein the controller is further configured to determine a boom lifting acceleration and a boom swinging acceleration, and a data sample is rejected if one of the boom lifting acceleration and the boom swinging acceleration exceeds a respective predetermined rate.

9. The payload control system of claim 3, wherein the controller is further configured to determine a boom angle, and a data sample is rejected if the boom angle exceeds a predetermined angle.

10. A controller implemented method of determining a payload moved by a machine, comprising:

sensing whether a tool is in a tool carry position;

sensing a boom lifting velocity;

sensing a boom swinging velocity;

determining a beginning of a swing-to-dump segment of a work cycle of the tool based at least in part upon the tool being in the tool carry position, the boom lifting velocity exceeding a predetermined lift velocity, and the boom swinging velocity exceeding a predetermined swing velocity; and

determining a payload moved by the tool during the swing-to-dump segment of the work cycle.

11. The method of claim 10, further including ending the swing-to-dump segment of the work cycle upon either of:

(a) the tool being moved from the tool carry position; and

(b) the boom lifting velocity being less than a predetermined rate for a predetermined period of time and the boom swinging velocity being less than a predetermined rate for a predetermined period of time.

12. The method of claim 10, further including determining a plurality of tool position signals, boom lift signals, and boom swing signals during the swing-to-dump segment of the work cycle, each tool position signal, boom lift signal, and boom swing signal collectively defining a data sample.

13. The method of claim 12, further including averaging a threshold number of data samples taken during the swing-to-dump segment of the work cycle.

14. The method of claim 13, further including providing a warning signal to an operator, providing an operator command signal, and discarding payload measurement for a swing-to-dump segment of the work cycle.

15. The method of claim 12, further including logging a plurality of data samples during each swing-to-dump segment of the work cycle and using an optimization algorithm with the plurality of data samples to estimate a payload upon completion of the swing-to-dump segment of the work cycle.

16. A machine comprising:

a tool;

a linkage pivotally connected to the tool, the linkage including a boom member;

a tool position sensor system configured to provide a tool position signal indicative of a position of the tool;

a boom lift sensor system configured to provide a boom lift signal indicative of a boom lifting velocity;

a boom swing sensor system configured to provide a boom swing signal indicative of a boom swinging velocity; and

a controller configured to;

receive the tool position signal;

receive the boom lift signal;

receive the boom swing signal;

determine a position of the tool based upon the tool position signal;

determine a boom lifting velocity based upon the boom lift signal;

determine a boom swinging velocity based upon the boom swing signal;

determine a beginning of a swing-to-dump segment of the work cycle of the tool based at least in part upon the tool being in a tool carry position, the boom lifting velocity exceeding a predetermined lift velocity, and the boom swinging velocity exceeding a predetermined swing velocity; and

determine a payload moved by the tool during the swing-to-dump segment of the work cycle.