Short range peer-to-peer communications system

• US 9,510,137 B2
• Filed: 11/10/2014
• Issued: 11/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: McCoy, Steven R., Rector, Stephen W.
• Primary Examiner(s): AKINYEMI, AJIBOLA A
• Application Number:
  US14/536,844
• Publication Number:
  US 20160134995A1
• Time in Patent Office: 750 Days
• Field of Search: 455/41.2
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/104 Peer-to-peer [P2P] networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

A short range peer-to-peer communications system for communicating between mobile machines includes a first machine having a first prime mover, a first ground engaging drive mechanism operatively connected to the first prime mover to propel the first machine about a work site, and a first peer-to-peer transmitter system on the first machine for transmitting a first signal indicative of a characteristic associated with operating of the first machine. A second machine has a second prime mover, a second ground engaging drive mechanism operatively connected to the second prime mover to propel the second machine about the work site, and a second peer-to-peer receiver system for receiving the first signal directly from the first peer-to-peer transmitter system.

Claims

1. A short range peer-to-peer communications system for communicating between mobile machines, comprising:

a first machine including;

a first prime mover;

a first ground engaging drive mechanism operatively connected to the first prime mover to propel the first machine about a work site;

a first controller configured to generate a first signal indicative of a characteristic associated with operating the first machine, and to control operations of at least one of the first prime mover or the first ground engaging drive mechanism, wherein the first signal includes a speed of the first machine;

a first peer-to-peer transmitter system on the first machine for transmitting the first signal; and

a second machine including;

a second prime mover;

a second ground engaging drive mechanism operatively connected to the second prime mover to propel the second machine about the work site;

a second controller configured to control operations of at least one of the second prime mover or the second ground engaging drive mechanism;

a second peer-to-peer receiver system for receiving the first signal directly from the first peer-to-peer transmitter system,

wherein the first controller and the second controller are configured to coordinate the speed of the first machine and a speed of the second machine based at least in part on the first signal.

2. The short range peer-to-peer communications system of claim 1, wherein the first signal includes a capacity of the second machine.

3. The short range peer-to-peer communications system of claim 1, wherein the first signal includes a characteristic of a load within the first machine.

4. The short range peer-to-peer communications system of claim 3, wherein the characteristic of the load is a temperature of the load.

5. The short range peer-to-peer communications system of claim 3, wherein the characteristic of the load is a type of material making up the load.

6. The short range peer-to-peer communications system of claim 1, wherein the first signal includes an amount of material within the first machine.

7. The short range peer-to-peer communications system of claim 1, wherein the first signal includes a position of the first machine at the work site.

8. The short range peer-to-peer communications system of claim 1, wherein the second machine further includes a second peer-to-peer transmitter system on the second machine for transmitting a second signal indicative of a characteristic and the first machine further includes a first peer-to-peer receiver system on the first machine for receiving the second signal directly from the second peer-to-peer transmitter system.

9. The short range peer-to-peer communications system of claim 8, wherein the second signal includes a load within the second machine.

10. The short range peer-to-peer communications system of claim 9, wherein the first signal includes an available capacity of the first machine.

11. The short range peer-to-peer communications system of claim 9, wherein the first signal includes an amount of material within the first machine.

12. The short range peer-to-peer communications system of claim 9, wherein the second signal includes a characteristic of a load within the second machine.

13. The short range peer-to-peer communications system of claim 1, wherein the second signal includes a desired speed of the first machine.

14. A method of communication between mobile machines at a work site, comprising:

propelling a first machine about the work site with a first prime mover operatively connected to a first ground engaging drive mechanism;

controlling, using a first controller, operations of at least one of the first prime mover or the first ground engaging drive mechanism;

generating, using the first controller, a first signal indicative of a characteristic associated with operating the first machine, wherein the first signal includes a speed of the first machine;

transmitting the first signal with a first peer-to-peer transmitter system;

propelling a second machine about the work site with a second prime mover operatively connected to a second ground engaging drive mechanism;

controlling, using a second controller, operations of at least one of the second prime mover or the second ground engaging drive mechanism using the controller;

receiving the first signal directly from the first peer-to-peer transmitter system at a second peer-to-peer receiver system on the second machine; and

coordinating, using the first controller and the second controller, the speed of the first machine and a speed of the second machine based at least in part on the first signal.

15. The method of claim 14, further including transmitting a second signal with a second peer-to-peer transmitter system on the second machine indicative of a characteristic associated with operating the second machine and receiving the second signal directly from the second peer-to-peer transmitter system at a first peer-to-peer receiver system on the first machine.

16. The method of claim 15, further including determining a load within the first machine based upon operation of the second machine.

17. The method of claim 15, further including a load within the first machine and an available capacity within the second machine.

18. The method of claim 15, further including synchronizing a speed of the first machine and the second machine.

19. The method of claim 15, further including positioning the first machine relative to the second machine.