Payload monitoring comparison

• US 9,605,994 B2
• Filed: 06/12/2014
• Issued: 03/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: Jensen, Jeffrey E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wilder, Hunter
• Application Number:
  US14/303,226
• Publication Number:
  US 20150362358A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,020 Days
• Field of Search: 414/21, 702/174
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/08 for incorporation in vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/64 Percentage-indicating weighing apparatus, i.e. for expressing the weight as a percentage of a predetermined or initial weight
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06393 Score-carding, benchmarking or key performance indicator [KPI] analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 Accounting
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/08 Construction

Abstract

Real time monitoring and comparison of bucket payload and truck payload during a loading process allows calculation of material lost in transfer between the loader and the truck. The lost or spilled material represents increased costs due to additional trips of the loader to fully load trucks and also in non-value added worksite cleanup time. The payload monitoring system can not only evaluate the mass of material lost over a period of time but can also calculate the value of that lost material using real time commodity pricing. The period of time can range from a single bucket dump to a workshift or longer. Payload masses and/or calculated values may be communicated directly between vehicles or may be communicated in conjunction with a central station.

Claims

1. A system for use in measuring material lost during vehicle loading at a worksite, the system comprising:

a loader having a bucket;

a bucket payload monitor that reports a first payload mass of the material delivered via the bucket of the loader;

a truck configured to carry the material;

a truck payload monitor that reports a second payload mass of the material loaded onto the truck via the bucket of the loader; and

a controller configured to;

subtract the second payload mass from the first payload mass to generate a lost payload mass,

receive a commodity value of the material, and

provide a business metric using the lost payload mass and the commodity value.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a reporting system that generates the business metric using the lost payload mass and provides the business metric to the controller.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the business metric is a monetary value of the lost payload mass.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the monetary value of the lost payload mass is calculated at the controller as a function of the commodity value of the material and the lost payload mass.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the commodity value of the material is based on a real-time commodity price of the material.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the business metric is a calculated number of extra trips, a time to clean up the lost payload mass at the worksite, or a cost of operating the loader during the calculated number of extra trips and cleanup time.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is part of a payload control system of the loader and the second payload mass is reported via a wireless network to the loader.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the business metric is reported at an operator display of the loader.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is part of a central station and the first payload mass is reported via a wireless network from the loader to the central station and the second payload mass is reported via the wireless network from the truck to the central station.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to calibrate a first test mass of the material delivered via the bucket and a second test mass of the material received at the truck under a no-lost payload mass loading condition.