Determining the location of a load for a tower crane

• US 9,041,595 B2
• Filed: 12/19/2011
• Issued: 05/26/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited (Trimble Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited (Trimble Inc.)
• Inventors: Cameron, John F., Maynard, Kurt
• Primary Examiner(s): BYTHROW, PETER M
• Application Number:
  US13/330,214
• Publication Number:
  US 20130154869A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,254 Days
• Field of Search: 342/118, 342/146, 342/175, 340/679, 340/685
• US Class Current: 342/146
• CPC Class Codes: B66C 13/16 Applications of indicating, registering, or weighing devices in crane hooks B66C1/40; in safety gear B66C15/00; weighing-apparatus G01G; remote indicating in general G08
• CPC Class Codes: B66C 13/46 Position indicators for suspended loads or for crane elements
• CPC Class Codes: B66C 15/045 electrical
• CPC Class Codes: B66C 15/065 electrical
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/06 Systems determining position data of a target
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/42 Simultaneous measurement of distance and other co-ordinates indirect measurement G01S13/46
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/46 Indirect determination of position data
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/88 Radar or analogous systems specially adapted for specific applications electromagnetic prospecting or detecting of objects, e.g. near-field detection, G01V3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/88 Lidar systems specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/14 specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/466 by Trilateration, i.e. two antennas or two sensors determine separately the distance to a target, whereby with the knowledge of the baseline length, i.e. the distance between the antennas or sensors, the position data of the target is determined
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0284 Relative positioning

Abstract

A tower crane load location determiner is disclosed. One example includes a load location measurer to provide load location measurement information for a load coupled with a tower crane. In addition, a load position determiner utilizes the load location measurement information to determine a location of the load. A user accessible load location provider provides the determined location of the load.

Claims

1. A tower crane load location determiner comprising:

a load location measurer mounted proximal to a cab portion of the tower crane, the load location measurer to provide load location measurement information for a load coupled with a tower crane;

a load position determiner utilizing the load location measurement information to determine a location of the load; and

a user accessible load location provider for providing the determined location of the load.

2. The tower crane load location determiner of claim 1 further comprising:

a jib direction determiner to determine the direction the jib is facing, wherein the load position determiner utilizes the information provided by the jib direction determiner in conjunction with the load location measurement information to determine the location of the load.

3. The tower crane load location determiner of claim 1 further comprising:

a user interface module in a cab of the tower crane to present the location of the load results in a user accessible format.

4. The tower crane load location determiner of claim 1 wherein the load location measurer comprises:

a long range radar; and

a waveguide to provide a corner turning capability to the long range radar, the waveguide comprising;

an approximately horizontal pointing dish;

a waveguide; and

an approximately vertical pointing dish.

5. The tower crane load location determiner of claim 4 wherein the load location measurer further comprises:

the long range radar mounted proximal to a cab portion of the tower crane; and

the waveguide is mounted proximal to a trolley portion of the tower crane.

6. The tower crane load location determiner of claim 1 wherein the load location measurer comprises:

a laser distance measuring unit.

7. The tower crane load location determiner of claim 6 wherein the load location measurer further comprises:

a number of reflective strips mounted proximal to other components of the tower crane.

8. The tower crane load location determiner of claim 1 further comprising:

an accelerometer coupled with a hook block of the tower crane, the accelerometer to provide sway information with respect to the hook block, wherein the load position determiner utilizes the information provided by the accelerometer in conjunction with the load location measurement information to determine the location of the load.

9. The tower crane load location determiner of claim 1 further comprising:

at least one navigation satellite system (NSS) position receiver coupled with the tower crane, the NSS position receiver to determine position information with respect to a jib of the tower crane, wherein the load position determiner utilizes the information provided by the NSS position receiver in conjunction with the load location measurement information to determine the location of the load.

10. A method for using radar to determine the location of a load of a tower crane, the method comprising:

utilizing a long range radar mounted proximal to a cab portion of the tower crane, to perform load location measurements for a load coupled with a tower crane;

utilizing the load location measurements to determine a location of the load; and

providing the determined location of the load results on a user interface module in a cab of the tower crane in a user accessible format.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

determining the direction the jib is facing, wherein the load position determiner utilizes the jib direction in conjunction with the load location measurement information to determine the location of the load.

12. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

comparing mechanical load location information with the location of the load determined by the long range radar; and

providing a calibration result based on the comparing.

13. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

providing a waveguide to allow corner turning capability for the long range radar, the waveguide comprising;

an approximately horizontal pointing dish;

a waveguide; and

an approximately vertical pointing dish.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

coupling the waveguide proximal to a trolley portion of the tower crane.

15. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

coupling an accelerometer with a hook block of the tower crane, the accelerometer providing sway information, wherein the sway information provided by the accelerometer is utilized in conjunction with the load location measurement information to determine the location of the load.

16. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

coupling at least one navigation satellite system (NSS) position receiver with the tower crane to determine NSS position information, wherein the NSS position information is utilized in conjunction with the load location measurement information to determine the location of the load.

17. A method for using a laser distance measuring unit to determine the location of a load of a tower crane, the method comprising:

utilizing a laser distance measuring unit mounted proximal to a cab portion of the tower crane, to perform load location measurements for a load coupled with a tower crane;

determining a location of the load based on the load location measurements; and

providing a result of the location of the load on a user interface module in a cab of the tower crane in a user accessible format.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising:

determining the direction the jib is facing, wherein the load position determiner utilizes the jib direction in conjunction with the load location measurement information to determine the location of the load.

19. The method of claim 17 further comprising:

comparing mechanical load location information with the location of the load determined by the laser distance measuring unit; and

providing a calibration result based on the comparing.

20. The method of claim 17 further comprising:

coupling at least one reflective strip proximal to a trolley portion of the tower crane; and

coupling at least one reflective strip proximal to a hook-block portion of the tower crane.

21. The method of claim 17 further comprising:

coupling an accelerometer with a hook block of the tower crane, the accelerometer providing sway information, wherein the sway information provided by the accelerometer is utilized in conjunction with the load location measurement information to determine the location of the load.

22. The method of claim 17 further comprising:

coupling at least one navigation satellite system (NSS) position receiver with the tower crane to determine NSS position information, wherein the NSS position information is utilized in conjunction with the load location measurement information to determine the location of the load.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein the NSS position receiver is fixedly coupled with a counterweight of the tower crane.

24. The method of claim 22 wherein the NSS position receiver is fixedly coupled with approximately the front of a jib of the tower crane.

25. The method of claim 22 wherein the NSS position receiver further comprises:

a first antenna fixedly coupled with a counterweight of the tower crane; and

a second antenna fixedly coupled with approximately the front of a jib of the tower crane.

26. The method of claim 22 wherein the position information from the NSS position receiver is obtained from the position signal(s) group consisting of:

global navigation satellite system (GNSS) signal(s), regional navigation satellite system signal(s), satellite based augmentation system (SBAS) signal(s), and ground based augmentation systems (GBAS) signal(s).

27. The method of claim 26 wherein the GNSS signal(s) are selected from the group consisting of:

GPS signal(s), Glonass signal(s), Galileo signal(s), and Compass signal(s).

28. The method of claim 26 wherein the regional navigation satellite system signal(s) are selected from the group consisting of:

Omnistar signal(s), StarFire signal(s), Centerpoint signal(s), Beidou signal(s), Doppler orbitography and radio-positioning integrated by satellite (DORIS) signal(s), Indian regional navigational satellite system (IRNSS) signal(s), and quasi-zenith satellite system (QZSS) signal(s).

29. The method of claim 26 wherein the SBAS signal(s) are selected from the group consisting of:

wide area augmentation system (WAAS) signal(s), European geostationary navigation overlay service (EGNOS) signal(s), multi-functional satellite augmentation system (MSAS) signal(s), and GPS aided geo augmented navigation (GAGAN) signal(s).

30. The method of claim 26 wherein the GBAS signal(s) are selected from the group consisting of:

local area augmentation system (LAAS) signal(s), ground-based regional augmentation system (GRAS) signals, Differential GPS (DGPS) signal(s), and continuously operating reference stations (CORS) signal(s).