Machine control system having autonomous edge dumping

• US 9,298,188 B2
• Filed: 01/28/2013
• Issued: 03/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: Kini, Ananth P., Struble, Joshua C., Vitale, Andrew J., Koehrsen, Craig L., Everett, Bryan J., Banham, Mark H. C., Povey, Dean G., Holmes, Matthew A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Olszewski, John R
• Assistant Examiner(s): ROBERSON, JASON R
• Application Number:
  US13/752,317
• Publication Number:
  US 20140214237A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,156 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2033 Limiting the movement of frames or implements, e.g. to avoid collision between implements and the cabin sub-groups of E02F3/431 of E02F3/435 take precedence; for turntables E02F9/123
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/205 Remotely operated machines, e.g. unmanned vehicles E02F3/8866 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2054 Fleet management
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0274 using mapping information stored in a memory device navigation using map-matching G01C21/30
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0278 using satellite positioning signals, e.g. GPS
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0297 by controlling means in a control room

Abstract

A control system is disclosed for use with a machine. The control system may have a communicating device, a locating device configured to generate a first signal indicative of a location of the machine, a sensor configured to generate a second signal indicative of contact of the machine with a berm, and an onboard controller. The control system may also have an offboard controller configured to generate a first set of coordinates of a dump target, and to assign the first set of coordinates to the onboard controller for use in controlling the machine. The offboard controller may also be configured to detect contact of the machine with the berm based on the second signal during reverse travel toward the dump target, and to generate a second set of coordinates of the dump target to correspond with a location of the machine at a time of contact detection.

Claims

1. A control system for a machine, comprising:

a communicating device mounted on the machine;

a locating device mounted on the machine and configured to generate a first signal indicative of a location of the machine;

a sensor mounted on the machine and configured to generate a second signal indicative of contact of the machine with a berm;

an onboard controller mounted on the machine and configured to regulate operations of the machine; and

an offboard controller configured to receive information from the locating device, the sensor, and the onboard controller via the communicating device, the offboard controller being configured to;

generate a first set of coordinates of a dump target;

assign the first set of the coordinates to the onboard controller for use in regulating the machine;

generate a tolerance zone extending from the first set of coordinates, a width of the tolerance zone increasing with an increasing distance from the berm;

instruct the onboard controller to control the machine such that a lengthwise center of a rear axle of the machine remains within the tolerance zone during a reverse travel of the machine toward the dump target;

detect contact of the machine with the berm based on the second signal during the reverse travel;

generate a second set of coordinates of the dump target to correspond with a location of the autonomous machine at a time of contact detection; and

assign the second set of coordinates for all subsequent use of the dump target.

2. The control system of claim 1, wherein the offboard controller is configured to generate the second set of coordinates of the dump target to correspond with the lengthwise center of a rear axle of the autonomous machine at the time of contact detection.

3. The control system of claim 1, wherein the offboard controller is further configured to:

instruct the onboard controller to reduce a speed of the machine when the lengthwise center of the rear axle enters the tolerance zone.

4. The control system of claim 3, wherein the offboard controller is configured to instruct the onboard controller to reduce the speed of the machine to below a maximum acceptable threshold.

5. The control system of claim 4, wherein the maximum acceptable threshold is equal to 2.8 mph.

6. The control system of claim 2, wherein the offboard controller is further configured to instruct the onboard controller to cause the lengthwise center of the rear axle to come to a stop at the second set of coordinates during all subsequent uses of the dump target.

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

generate a travel lane that passes through the dump target; and

instruct the onboard controller to stop the machine at a predetermined distance from the second set of coordinates.

8. The control system of claim 1, wherein the offboard controller is further configured to:

track a number of dump events occurring at the dump target; and

inhibit assigning use of the dump target when the number of dump events reaches a dump limit.

9. The control system of claim 8, wherein the offboard controller is further configured to instruct the onboard controller to initiate a capped dump with the machine during a final use of the dump target.

17. The control system of claim 1, wherein the offboard controller is further configured to determine a location of a toe of the berm based on the second signal.

18. The control system of claim 17, wherein the onboard controller is further configured to instruct the machine to move in a forward direction away from the berm while material is being discharged.

19. The control system of claim 1, wherein the tolerance zone has a generally triangular shape having

an apex located at the first set of coordinates, and

an open-ended base located inward of the berm.

20. The control system of claim 19, wherein sides of the tolerance zone are symmetrically oriented away from a center line from the first set of coordinates and away from the berm.

10. A method of controlling a machine, comprising:

generating a first set of coordinates of a dump target;

assigning the first set of coordinates for use in controlling the machine;

generating a tolerance zone extending from the first set of coordinates, a width of the tolerance zone increasing with an increasing distance from the berm;

causing a lengthwise center of a rear axle of the machine to remain within the tolerance zone during a reverse travel of the machine toward the dump target;

detecting contact of the machine with a berm during the reverse travel;

generating a second set of coordinates of the dump target to correspond with a location of the machine at a time of contact detection; and

assigning the second set of coordinates for all subsequent use of the dump target.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein generating the second set of coordinates of the dump target includes generating the second set of coordinates to correspond with the lengthwise center of a rear axle of the autonomous machine at the time of contact detection.

12. The method of claim 11, further including:

causing the machine to reduce its speed when the lengthwise center of the rear axle enters the tolerance zone.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein reducing the speed of the machine includes reducing the speed below 1.5 mph.

14. The method of claim 12, further including causing the lengthwise center of the rear axle to come to a stop at the second set of coordinates during all subsequent uses by any machine of the dump target.

15. The method of claim 14, further including:

generating a travel lane that passes through the dump target; and

stopping the machine before any portion of the autonomous machine reaches an end of the travel lane even if the lengthwise center has not yet reached the second set of coordinates.

16. A non-transitory computer readable medium having executable instructions stored thereon for performing a method of controlling a machine, the method comprising:

generating a first set of coordinates of a dump target;

assigning the first set of coordinates for use in controlling the machine;

generating a tolerance zone extending from the first set of coordinates, a width of the tolerance zone increasing with an increasing distance from the berm;

causing a lengthwise center of a rear axle of the machine to remain within the tolerance zone during a reverse travel of the machine toward the dump target;

detecting contact of the machine with a berm during the reverse travel;

generating a second set of coordinates of the dump target to correspond with a location of the machine at a time of contact detection; and

assigning the second set of coordinates for all subsequent use of the dump target.