Systems for performing non-contact based determination of the position of an implement

• US 9,422,692 B2
• Filed: 03/12/2013
• Issued: 08/23/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Trimble Control Technologies LLC
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Trimble Control Technologies LLC
• Inventors: Taylor, Arthur James, Nichols, Mark, Jackson, Philip
• Primary Examiner(s): Keith, Jack W
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Chuong P
• Application Number:
  US13/795,945
• Publication Number:
  US 20130282266A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,260 Days
• Field of Search: 701/49, 701/50, 701/300, 701/408, 701/485, 701/495, 701/514, 701/519, 701/523, 172/430
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 19/002 Apparatus for preparing and placing the materials and for consolidating or finishing the paving
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 19/22 for consolidating or finishing laid-down unset materials E01C19/002, E01C19/48, E01C21/00 E01C23/02 E01C23/065 take precedence; apparatus for generating vibrations in general B06B
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 3/32 working downwardly and towards the machine, e.g. with backhoes
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 3/3414 the arms being pivoted at the rear of the vehicle chassis, e.g. skid steer loader
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 3/7609 Scraper blade mounted forwardly of the tractor on a pair of pivoting arms which are linked to the sides of the tractor, e.g. bulldozers
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 3/7636 Graders with the scraper blade mounted under the tractor chassis
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 3/842 using electromagnetic, optical or photoelectric beams, e.g. laser beams
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 3/847 using electromagnetic, optical or acoustic beams to determine the blade position, e.g. laser beams
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2045 Guiding machines along a predetermined path for graders E02F3/841; machines for construction of roads E01C19/004
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/261 Surveying the work-site to be treated
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/264 Sensors and their calibration for indicating the position of the work tool
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/265 with follow-up actions (e.g. control signals sent to actuate the work tool)
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/121 by potentiometers
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/10 providing dedicated supplementary positioning signals
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 17/00 Digital computing or data processing equipment or methods, specially adapted for specific functions information retrieval, database structures or file system structures therefor G06F16/00

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention are directed to systems for performing non-contact based determination of the position of an implement. In one embodiment, a non-contact based measurement system is used to determine the relative position of an implement coupled with a mobile machine. The geographic position of the mobile machine is determined and the geographic position of said implement based upon the geographic position of the mobile machine and the position of the implement relative to the mobile machine.

Claims

1. A non-contact position determination system comprising:

a bulldozer comprising an implement coupled therewith;

a first system configured for determining without contact a position of said implement relative to said bulldozer and for determining a difference in incidence angle between the implement and a particular part of said bulldozer;

said first system including an incidence angle detection component comprising;

an emitter coupled with said implement; and

a detector coupled with said particular part of said bulldozer and configured to receive a one-way transmission of a light that travels without changing direction from said emitter, wherein said incidence angle detection component is configured for determining said incidence angle between said implement and said particular part of said bulldozer based on said one-way transmission of said light from said emitter and for using said incidence angle to determine said position of said implement relative to said bulldozer;

a second system configured for determining a geographic position of said bulldozer; and

a control system configured for determining a geographic location of said implement using data from said first system and said second system.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said second system comprises a terrestrial-based position determination system.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein said second system comprises a satellite-based position determination system.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein said second system comprises a system which combines a terrestrial-based position determining system with a satellite-based position determining system.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein said second system is located proximate to said bulldozer.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein said emitter generates a beam of light in the visible spectrum and said light-based measurement apparatus determines the position of said implement by measuring a phase-shift of said beam of light or determining a time-of-flight of said beam of light between said emitter and said detector.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein said emitter generates a beam of light in the non-visible spectrum and light-based measurement apparatus determines the position of said implement by measuring a phase-shift of said beam of light or determining a time-of-flight of said beam of light between said emitter and said detector.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein said first system determines a difference in an angle between said implement and said bulldozer when said implement is moved from a first position to a second position.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein said first system determines a difference in a distance between said implement and said bulldozer when said implement is moved from a first position to a second position.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein said control system further determines an orientation of said bulldozer.

11. A non-contact position determination system comprising:

a motor grader comprising an implement coupled therewith;

a first system configured for determining without contact a position of said implement relative to said motor grader and for determining a difference in incidence angle between the implement and a particular part of said motor grader;

said first system including an incidence angle detection component comprising;

an emitter coupled with said implement; and

a detector coupled with said particular part of said motor grader and configured to receive a one-way transmission of a light that travels without changing direction from said emitter, wherein said incidence angle detection component is configured for determining said incidence angle between said implement and said particular part of said motor grader based on said one-way transmission of said light from said emitter and for using said incidence angle to determine said position of said implement relative to said motor grader;

a second system configured for determining a geographic position of said motor grader; and

a control system configured for determining a geographic location of said implement using data from said first system and said second system.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein said second system comprises a terrestrial-based position determination system.

13. The system of claim 11 wherein said second system comprises a satellite-based position determination system.

14. The system of claim 11 wherein said second system comprises a system which combines a terrestrial-based position determining system with a satellite-based position determining system.

15. The system of claim 11 wherein said second system is located proximate to said motor grader.

16. The system of claim 11 wherein said emitter generates a beam of light in the visible spectrum and said light-based measurement apparatus determines the position of said implement by measuring a phase-shift of said beam of light or determining a time-of-flight of said beam of light between said emitter and said detector.

17. The system of claim 11 wherein said emitter generates a beam of light in the non-visible spectrum and said light-based measurement apparatus determines the position of said implement by measuring a phase-shift of said beam of light or determining a time-of-flight of said beam of light between said emitter and said detector.

18. The system of claim 11 wherein said first system determines a difference in an angle between said implement and said motor grader when said implement is moved from a first position to a second position.

19. The system of claim 11 wherein said first system determines a difference in a distance between said implement and said motor grader when said implement is moved from a first position to a second position.

20. The system of claim 11 wherein said control system further determines an orientation of said motor grader.

21. A non-contact position determination system comprising:

a mobile machine comprising an implement coupled therewith;

a first system configured for determining without contact a position of said implement relative to a mobile machine coupled with said implement, said first system including an angle measuring component comprising;

an emitter coupled with said implement; and

a detector coupled with said mobile machine and configured to receive a one-way transmission of a light that travels without changing direction from said emitter, wherein said angle measuring component is configured for determining an angle between said implement and said mobile machine based on said one-way transmission of said light and for using said angle to determine said position of said implement relative to said mobile machine;

a second system configured for determining the geographic position of said mobile machine; and

a control system configured for determining the geographic position of said implement based upon data received from said first system and said second system.

22. The system of claim 21 wherein said mobile machine is selected from the group consisting of a bulldozer, a motor grader, an excavator, a skid-steer loader, a scraper, a trencher, a trimmer, a tractor with an attachment, a paver, and a slip form concrete machine.

23. The system of claim 21 wherein said second system comprises a terrestrial-based position determination system.

24. The system of claim 21 wherein said second system comprises a satellite-based position determination system.

25. The system of claim 21 wherein said second system comprises a system which combines a terrestrial-based position determining system with a satellite-based position determining system to determine a second measurement.

26. The system of claim 21 wherein said second system is located proximate to said mobile machine.

27. The system of claim 21 wherein said emitter is configured to generate and emit said light in the visible spectrum.

28. The system of claim 21 wherein said emitter is configured to generate and emit said light in the non-visible spectrum.

29. The system of claim 21 wherein said first system is configured to determine a difference in an angle between said implement and said mobile machine when said implement is moved from a first position to a second position.

30. The system of claim 21 wherein said first system is configured to determine a difference in the distance between said implement and said mobile machine when said implement is moved from a first position to a second position.

31. The system of claim 21 wherein said second system is further configured to determine the orientation of said mobile machine.