Method of controlling a vegetation removal system

• US 8,994,519 B1
• Filed: 07/11/2011
• Issued: 03/31/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Albert Babneau, William Fuchs
• Original Assignee: Albert Babneau, William Fuchs
• Inventors: Fuchs, William, Babneau, Albert
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Benjamin
• Assistant Examiner(s): PHAM, QUANG
• Application Number:
  US13/180,506
• Time in Patent Office: 1,359 Days
• Field of Search: 340/435, 340/425, 340/425.5, 373/41, 373/48, 299/67, 348/144, 701/514
• US Class Current: 340/435
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 5/006 adapted for working ground under water not otherwise provided for E02F3/081, E02F3/4131, E02F3/8833, E02F5/104, E02F5/125, E02F7/005, E02F7/023, E02F7/065, E02F9/026, E02F9/045, E02F9/06 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 5/285 with drag buckets or scraper plates
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/262 with follow-up actions to control the work tool, e.g. controller
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/265 with follow-up actions (e.g. control signals sent to actuate the work tool)
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3407 specially adapted for specific applications

Abstract

This invention provides for a vegetation removal system capable of removing vegetation from irrigation canals, rivers, ponds, lakes, marshes and other water systems where the growth of vegetation impedes the flow of water, access to water or there is a desire to remove unwanted vegetation. The vegetation removal system comprises a rake system that allows for the removal of the vegetation while letting the water and silt or mud flow through the rake and substantially remain as part of the bank or bottom of the body of water. The invention also allows for the folding of the vegetation removal rake into a compact form by folding the outboard wings over on top of the main rake section. Sensors attached to the vegetation removal system can provide situational awareness for the operator as well as determine the position orientation of the rake when the rake is submerged or working near obstacles.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions for operating an excavator having a vegetation removal rake for removing vegetation on the bottom of a body of water, the instructions, when executed performs the steps comprising:

inputting a map plan representing an area of vegetation removal, where the map plan includes gradient information;

receiving GPS coordinates representing location of the excavator;

calculating the location of the excavator relative to the map plan representing the area of vegetation removal;

sensing the position of the vegetation removal rake;

determining where vegetation was removed; and

providing guidance information via a display located in the excavator to an excavator operator about area where vegetation was removed on the map plan, and about the position of the vegetation removal rake relative to the location of the vegetation growing on the water bottom based on the gradient information, the area of vegetation removal, the location of the excavator relative to the map plan, and the position of the vegetation removal rake.

2. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, where the map plan representing the area of vegetation removal includes map coordinates representing the area of the map plan where vegetation was removed.

3. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, where the gradient information includes gradients of the map plan where the excavator will travel.

4. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, where the gradient information includes gradients of an irrigation canal.

5. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, where the gradient information includes gradients of the water body'"'"'s bottom.

6. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, further comprising the step of displaying information to the excavator operator about the gradient of the map plan.

7. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, where the step of the guidance provided to the excavator operator includes productivity information regarding progress of the excavator in completing the map plan representing the area of vegetation removal.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, where the step of the guidance provided to the excavator operator includes obstacle location relative to the location of the excavator.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, where the step of the guidance provided to the excavator operator includes power line location relative to the location of the excavator.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, where the step of the guidance provided to the excavator operator includes pipeline location relative to the location of the excavator.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, where the step of the guidance provided to the excavator operator includes warning information about the location of pipelines, power lines or obstacles.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, where the step of the guidance information provided to the excavator includes automated commands instructing the excavator how to automatically manipulate attachments to an excavator boom.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, where the step of the guidance information includes displaying the map area where obstacles are located.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, where the step of the guidance information includes providing the excavator operator audio warnings.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, where the step of the guidance information includes providing the excavator operator visual warnings on a display.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions for operating an excavator having a vegetation removal rake for removing vegetation on the bottom of a body of water, the instructions when executed, performs the steps comprising:

inputting map information of a specific area of interest representing an area of vegetation removal, where the map information including gradient information;

inputting GPS information representing location of the excavator received from GPS location data;

inputting an excavator'"'"'s vegetation removal rake size and orientation;

calculating the excavator'"'"'s location relative to the map information of the specific area of interest, and the excavator'"'"'s vegetation removal rake location based on the location of the excavator and the vegetation removal rake'"'"'s size and orientation;

determining where vegetation was removed; and

displaying information to an excavator operator via a display located in the excavator regarding area where vegetation was removed on the specific area of interest, regarding the excavator'"'"'s location, and the position of the vegetation removal rake relative to vegetation growing on the water bottom based on the gradient information, the area of vegetation removal, the location of the excavator relative to the specific area of interest, and the size and orientation of the vegetation removal rake.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, further comprising the step of inputting known obstacles in the map information of the specific area of interest.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, further comprising the step of calculating the location of the excavator'"'"'s vegetation removal rake relative to the known obstacle.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, further comprising the step of displaying the excavator'"'"'s vegetation removal rake position to the excavator operator relative to the known obstacle.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, further comprising the step of displaying the excavator'"'"'s vegetation removal rake orientation to the excavator operator relative to the known obstacle.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, further comprising the step of transmitting commands to the excavator'"'"'s vegetation removal rake so that the excavator'"'"'s vegetation removal rake does not come into contact with the known obstacle.

22. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, further comprising the step of inputting information regarding an unknown obstacle from data received by at least one sensor.

23. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 22, further comprising the step of updating the map information of the specific area of interest based on the input information regarding the unknown obstacle.

24. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 23, further comprising the step of calculating the location of the excavator'"'"'s vegetation removal rake relative to the unknown obstacle.

25. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 23, further comprising the step of displaying the excavator'"'"'s vegetation removal rake position relative to the unknown obstacle to the excavator operator.

26. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 23, further comprising the step of displaying the excavator'"'"'s vegetation removal rake orientation relative to the unknown obstacle to the excavator operator.

27. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 26, further comprising the step of transmitting automated commands to the excavator so that the excavator'"'"'s vegetation removal rake does not come into contact with the unknown obstacle.

28. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, further comprising the step of inputting sensor data regarding areas where vegetation was removed.

29. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 28, further comprising the step of calculating the sensor data regarding the areas where the vegetation was removed relative to the map information of the specific area of interest.

30. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 29, further comprising the step of calculating productivity time based on the vegetation removed relative to the map information of the specific area of interest.

31. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, further comprising the step of overriding the excavator operator'"'"'s manual commands regarding manipulation of the excavator'"'"'s vegetation removal rake so that the excavator'"'"'s vegetation removal rake does not come into contact with an obstacle.