System and method for determining a ground speed of a machine

• US 9,199,616 B2
• Filed: 12/12/2011
• Issued: 12/01/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: Doy, Nathaniel, Eddington, Erik, Dishman, Eric, Shockency, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Amin, Bhavesh V
• Application Number:
  US13/316,698
• Publication Number:
  US 20120158209A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,450 Days
• Field of Search: 701/50
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2210/36 Global Positioning System [GPS]
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2250/04 Vehicle reference speed; Vehicle body speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/172 Determining control parameters used in the regulation, e.g. by calculations involving measured or detected parameters B60T8/17551 takes precedence

Abstract

The disclosure describes, in one aspect, a method for determining a machine ground speed. The method includes determining a first speed from a position determining system, determining a direction the machine is traveling at the first speed, determining a machine rate of inclination, and determining a compensated ground speed as a function of the first speed and the machine rate of inclination.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a component of a machine based on a compensated ground speed, the method comprising:

determining a first speed from a position determining system;

determining, by a microprocessor, a direction the machine is traveling at the first speed;

determining, by an inclination sensor, a machine rate of inclination;

determining, by a microprocessor, a compensated ground speed as a function of the first speed, the machine rate of inclination, and a compensation term;

wherein the compensation term is determined as a function of a distance between a component of the position determining system and a location of a pitch center of the machine; and

controlling the machine component based on the compensated ground speed.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the machine rate of inclination includes multiplying a pitch rate received from an inclination sensor by the compensation term.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein determining the compensated ground speed includes summing the machine rate of inclination and the first speed.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein determining the compensated ground speed includes calculating a weighted moving average of the first speed for a predetermined number of samples.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the machine component is an implement.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein the machine component is a ground engaging mechanism.

5. A control system for controlling a component of a machine based on a compensated ground speed, comprising:

a controller operatively connected to a machine component, a position determining system, and an inclination sensor, the controller adapted to;

determine a first speed from the position determining system;

determine a direction the machine is traveling at the first speed;

determine a machine rate of inclination from the inclination sensor;

determine a compensated ground speed as a function of the first speed, the machine rate of inclination, and a compensation term;

wherein the compensation term is determined as a function of a distance between a component of the position determining system and a location of a pitch center of the machine; and

control the machine component based on the compensated ground speed.

6. The control system of claim 5, wherein the controller is further adapted to:

determine the machine rate of inclination by multiplying a pitch rate received from the inclination sensor and the compensation term.

7. The control system of claim 6, wherein the controller is further adapted to:

determine the compensated ground speed by summing the machine rate of inclination and the first speed.

8. The control system of claim 7, wherein the controller is further adapted to:

determine the compensated ground speed by calculating a weighted moving average of the first speed for a predetermined number of samples.

17. The control system as claimed in claim 5 wherein the machine component is an implement.

18. The control system as claimed in claim 5 wherein the machine component is a ground engaging mechanism.

9. A control system for controlling a component of a machine based on a compensated ground speed comprising:

a controller operatively connected to a machine component, a GPS system, and a pitch rate sensor, the controller adapted to;

determine a first speed from the GPS system;

determine a machine pitch rate from the pitch rate sensor, the pitch rate sensor is mounted at a location proximate to a machine center of gravity;

determine the compensated ground speed as a function of the first speed, the machine pitch rate, and a compensation term, wherein the compensation term is a function of a distance between the GPS system and the location of the pitch rate sensor; and

control the machine component based on the compensated ground speed.

10. The control system of claim 9, wherein the GPS system is mounted to a body of the machine.

11. The control system of claim 10, wherein the GPS system is located proximate to the top of a cab of the machine and at a distance from the machine center of gravity.

12. The control system of claim 11, wherein the GPS system is located on the top of the cab of the machine.

13. The control system of claim 9, wherein the controller is further adapted to:

determine the compensated ground speed by summing the machine pitch rate and the first speed, wherein the machine pitch rate includes multiplying the compensation term and a pitch rate received by the pitch rate sensor.

14. The control system of claim 9, wherein the machine component is at least one of an implement or a ground engaging mechanism.