Clock synchronization for a machine control system

• US 9,236,966 B2
• Filed: 11/30/2005
• Issued: 01/12/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: McNealy, Anthony D., Ferguson, Alan L.
• Primary Examiner(s): KHAJURIA, SHRIPAL K
• Application Number:
  US11/289,456
• Publication Number:
  US 20070124504A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,695 Days
• Field of Search: 709/248
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/414 Structure of the control system, e.g. common controller or multiprocessor systems, interface to servo, programmable interface controller
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/33097 Variable ticks, align clocks, to synchronise cycles with other machine, robot
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/33144 Module clock, synchronised by controller message, to send message in time slice
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 3/0638 Clock or time synchronisation among nodes; Internode synchronisation synchronization for ring networks H04L12/422; data switching networks with synchronous transmission H04L12/43
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 3/0655 using timestamps
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 3/0661 using timestamps

Abstract

A clock synchronized control system includes a controller configured to control at least one function of a work machine. The controller may also be configured to select a clock source from among a plurality of external clock sources based on a predetermined order. The controller may be further configured to obtain information from the selected clock source. The controller may also be configured to use the obtained information to affect the at least one function of the work machine.

Claims

1. A clock synchronized control system comprising:

a controller configured to;

control at least one function of a machine;

select a clock source from among a plurality of external clock sources based on a predetermined order, wherein the plurality of clock sources includes a global positioning system (“

GPS”

) and a low earth orbiting satellite (“

LEO”

), wherein selecting based on the predetermined order includes selecting the GPS before the LEO;

obtain clock information from the selected clock source; and

use the obtained information to affect the at least one function of the machine.

2. The clock synchronized control system of claim 1, wherein the controller includes a primary component and a gateway component;

the gateway component being configured to select the clock source from among the plurality of external clock sources based on the predetermined order, obtain information from the selected clock source, and transmit the obtained information to the primary component; and

the primary component being configured to use the obtained information to affect the at least one function of the machine.

3. The clock synchronized control system of claim 2, wherein the primary component includes a processor separate from a processor of the gateway component.

4. The clock synchronized control system of claim 1, wherein the clock information is used by the controller to timestamp a message sent from the machine to a remote system.

5. The clock synchronized control system of claim 1, wherein the clock information is used by the controller to affect the start time and stop time of a power source of the machine.

6. The clock synchronized control system of claim 1, wherein the clock information is used by the controller to affect a regeneration duration of an exhaust element of the machine.

7. The clock synchronized control system of claim 2, further including a receiving controller operably connected to at least one of the primary and gateway components, the receiving controller being configured to:

control at least one function of another machine;

obtain clock information from at least one of the primary and gateway components; and

use the obtained clock information to affect the at least one function of the another machine.

8. The clock synchronized control system of claim 7, wherein the clock information obtained from at least one of the primary and gateway components is used by the receiving controller to timestamp a message sent from the another machine to a remote system.

9. The clock synchronized control system of claim 7, wherein the clock information obtained from at least one of the primary and gateway components is used by the receiving controller to affect the start time and stop time of a power source of the another machine.

10. The clock synchronized control system of claim 7, wherein the clock information obtained from at least one of the primary and gateway components is used by the receiving controller to affect a regeneration duration of an exhaust element of the another machine.

11. The clock synchronized control system of claim 7, wherein the receiving controller receives clock information from at least one of the primary and gateway components using one or more data protocols.

12. The clock synchronized control system of claim 11, wherein the one or more data protocols include at least one of a wireless Ethernet protocol, cellular protocol and real time clock synchronization protocol.

13. The clock synchronized control system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of clock sources further includes a cellular network, a radio data system (“

RDS”

), and a computer network, and wherein selecting based on the predetermined order includes selecting the GPS before the LEO, selecting the LEO before the cellular network, selecting the cellular network before the RDS, and selecting the RDS before the computer network.

14. A method for clock synchronized control of a machine, the method comprising:

selecting a clock source from among a plurality of external clock sources based on a predetermined order, wherein the plurality of clock sources includes a global positioning system (“

GPS”

) and a low earth orbiting satellite (“

LEO”

), wherein selecting based on the predetermined order includes selecting the GPS before the LEO;

obtaining clock information from the selected clock source; and

using the clock information to timestamp data being sent from the machine.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the sent data is a message sent from the machine to a remote system.

16. The method of claim 14, further including transmitting the obtained clock information to another machine that is remotely located from the machine.

17. The method of claim 16, further including using the clock information received at the another machine to control one or more electronically controllable operations of the another machine.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the plurality of clock sources further includes a cellular network, a radio data system (“

RDS”

), and a computer network, and wherein selecting based on the predetermined order includes selecting the GPS before the LEO, selecting the LEO before the cellular network, selecting the cellular network before the RDS, and selecting the RDS before the computer network.

19. A clock information transfer system including:

a first machine including a controller configured to;

control at least one function of the first machine;

select a clock source from among a plurality of external clock sources based on a predetermined order, wherein the plurality of clock sources includes a global positioning system (“

GPS”

) and a low earth orbiting satellite (“

LEO”

), wherein selecting based on the predetermined order includes selecting the GPS before the LEO;

obtain clock information from the selected clock source;

use the obtained clock information to affect the at least one function of the first machine; and

transmit the obtained clock information to a second machine including a receiving controller, the receiving controller being configured to;

control at least one function of the second machine;

operably connect to the controller of the first machine;

obtain clock information from the controller of the first machine; and

use the obtained clock information to affect the at least one function of the second machine.

20. The clock information transfer system of claim 19, wherein the obtained clock information is used by the controller to timestamp a message sent from the first machine to a remote system.

21. The clock information transfer system of claim 19, wherein the obtained clock information is used by the controller to affect the start time and stop time of a power source of the first machine.

22. The clock information transfer system of claim 19, wherein the obtained clock information is used by the controller to affect a regeneration duration of an exhaust element of the first machine.

23. The clock information transfer system of claim 19, wherein the obtained clock information is used by the receiving controller to control one or more electronically controllable operations of the second machine.

24. The clock information transfer system of claim 19, wherein the plurality of clock sources further includes a cellular network, a radio data system (“

RDS”

), and a computer network, and wherein selecting based on the predetermined order includes selecting the GPS before the LEO, selecting the LEO before the cellular network, selecting the cellular network before the RDS, and selecting the RDS before the computer network.

25. A machine comprising:

a frame;

an engine operably connected to the frame; and

a controller configured to;

control at least one function of a machine;

select a clock source from among a plurality of external clock sources based on a predetermined order, wherein the plurality of clock sources includes a global positioning system (“

GPS”

) and a low earth orbiting satellite (“

LEO”

), wherein selecting based on the predetermined order includes selecting the GPS before the LEO;

obtain clock information from the selected clock source; and

control the amount of time that the engine is running by controlling the start time of the engine and controlling the stop time of the engine with the clock information.

26. The machine of claim 25, wherein the controller controls the start time of the engine and the stop time of the engine based on a predetermined timetable.

27. The machine of claim 25, wherein the plurality of clock sources further includes a cellular network, a radio data system (“

RDS”

), and a computer network, and wherein selecting based on the predetermined order includes selecting the GPS before the LEO, selecting the LEO before the cellular network, selecting the cellular network before the RDS, and selecting the RDS before the computer network.