System for communications between plant and machines

• US 9,611,595 B2
• Filed: 08/25/2015
• Issued: 04/04/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Paving Products Inc (Caterpillar Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Paving Products Inc (Caterpillar Incorporated)
• Inventors: Marsolek, John L., Mings, Rick L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Figueroa, Jaime
• Application Number:
  US14/835,058
• Publication Number:
  US 20170058467A1
• Time in Patent Office: 588 Days
• Field of Search: 701 1, 701 50
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 19/10 Apparatus or plants for premixing or precoating aggregate or fillers with non-hydraulic binders, e.g. with bitumen, with resins, i.e. producing mixtures or coating aggregates otherwise than by penetrating or surface dressing; Apparatus for premixing non-hydraulic mixtures prior to placing or for reconditioning salvaged non-hydraulic compositions E01C19/08, E01C19/21, E01C21/00, E01C23/065 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 19/1063 Controlling the operations E01C19/1068 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 19/48 for laying-down the materials and consolidating them, or finishing the surface , e.g. slip forms therefor, forming kerbs or gutters in a continuous operation in situ E01C19/002, E01C23/065 take precedence; devices for guiding or controlling the machines along a predetermined path E01C19/004
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0291 Fleet control monitoring fleets in traffic control systems for road vehicles G08G1/127, G08G1/127
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0631 Resource planning, allocation, distributing or scheduling for enterprises or organisations
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/20 Monitoring the location of vehicles belonging to a group, e.g. fleet of vehicles, countable or determined number of vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/202 Dispatching vehicles on the basis of a location, e.g. taxi dispatching

Abstract

A paving system includes a plant, a plurality of supply machines, and a paving machine. A first controller determines the position of the plurality of supply machines. A second controller determines a rate at which the paving material is being applied to a work surface. A temperature sensor is associated with one of the plurality of supply machines and the paving machine to determine a temperature of paving material delivered to the paving machine by one of the supply machines. The plant is configured to produce a batch of paving material and a third controller determines a batch temperature, receives signals indicative of the position of each supply machine, receives signals indicative of the temperature of paving material delivered to the paving machine, and generates command signals to adjust the batch temperature based upon the position of each supply machine and the temperature of paving material.

Claims

1. A system for controlling a paving system, comprising:

a plurality of supply machines, each supply machine including;

a first ground engaging drive mechanism to propel the supply machine;

a material transport unit in which a load of paving material may be transported;

a first position sensor for determining a position of the supply machine;

a first wireless communications system on the supply machine; and

a first controller configured to;

determine the position of the supply machine; and

transmit supply machine position signals indicative of the position of the supply machine; and

a paving machine including;

a second ground engaging drive mechanism mover to propel the paving machine;

a material receiving unit for receiving paving material from the supply machine;

a material application system for applying the paving material to a work surface;

a second sensor for determining a rate at which the paving material is being applied to the work surface;

a second wireless communications system on the paving machine; and

a second controller configured to;

determine the rate at which the paving material is being applied to the work surface; and

a temperature sensor associated with one of the plurality of supply machines and the paving machine for determining a temperature of paving material delivered to the paving machine by one of the supply machines; and

a plant for producing a batch of paving material including;

a holding location at which the batch of paving material is held;

a batch temperature sensor for determining a batch temperature of the batch of paving material;

a third wireless communications system at the plant; and

a third controller configured to;

determine the batch temperature;

receive signals indicative of the position of each supply machine;

receive signals indicative of the temperature of paving material delivered to the paving machine; and

generate command signals to adjust the batch temperature based upon the position of each supply machine and the temperature of paving material delivered to the paving machine.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of supply machines further includes a ground speed sensor for determining a ground speed and heading of the supply machine, the first controller is further configured to transmit ground speed and heading signals indicative of the ground speed and heading of the supply machine, and the third controller is configured to generate the command signals to adjust the batch temperature based further upon the ground speed and heading of each of the plurality of supply machines.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the paving machine further includes a second position sensor for determining a position of the paving machine, and the third controller is configured to generate the command signals to adjust the batch temperature based further upon the position of the paving machine.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein an amount of segregation of paving material at the paving machine is communicated from the paving machine and the third controller is further configured to adjust characteristics of the batch of paving material at the plant.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein an amount of segregation of paving material at the paving machine is communicated from the paving machine and the third controller is further configured to adjust a manner in which paving material is loaded into each of the plurality of supply machines.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the third controller is further configured to generate instructions indicative of a desired route for each supply machine between the plant and the paving machine based upon the position of each supply machine and the temperature of paving material delivered to the paving machine.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the third controller is further configured to generate instructions indicative of a timing plan for loading each of the plurality of supply machines at the plant based upon the position of each supply machine and the temperature of paving material delivered to the paving machine.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the third controller is further configured to determine an amount of paving material remaining from the batch of paving material and the timing plan is further based upon the amount of paving material remaining.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the third controller is further configured to generate instructions indicative of an arrival timing plan for each of the plurality of supply machines at the plant based upon the position of each supply machine and the temperature of paving material delivered to the paving machine.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the third controller is further configured to generate instructions indicative of a speed for each of the plurality of supply machines between the plant and the paving machine based upon the position of each supply machine and the temperature of paving material delivered to the paving machine.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the temperature sensor is located on one of the plurality of supply machines.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the temperature sensor is located on the paving machine.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the temperature sensor is located adjacent a hopper of the paving machine.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the temperature sensor is located adjacent a screed of the paving machine.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of supply machines further includes a load monitoring system for determining an amount of material within each supply machine, the first controller is further configured to transmit load signals indicative of the amount of material within the supply machine, and the third controller is configured to generate instructions indicative of a desired route for each supply machine between the plant and the paving machine based further upon the amount of material within each supply machine.

16. A method of controlling a paving system, comprising:

propelling a plurality of supply machines, each of the plurality of supply machines having a material transport unit in which a load of paving material may be transported, at least some of the plurality of supply machines transporting paving material;

determining a position of each of the plurality of supply machines;

transmitting via a first controller supply machine position signals indicative of the position of each supply machine;

propelling a paving machine, the paving machine including a material receiving unit for receiving paving material from one of the plurality of supply machines and a material application system for applying a paving material to a work surface;

determining a rate at which the paving material is being applied to the work surface by the material application system;

determining a temperature of paving material delivered to the paving machine by one of the plurality of supply machines;

producing a batch of paving material at a plant and holding the batch of paving material at a holding location;

determining a batch temperature of the batch of paving material;

receiving at a third controller signals indicative of the position of each supply machine;

receiving at the third controller signals indicative of the temperature of paving material at the paving machine; and

generating at the third controller command signals to adjust the batch temperature based upon the position of each supply machine, and the temperature of paving material delivered to the paving machine.

17. The method of claim 16, further including determining a ground speed and heading of each supply machine, transmitting via the first controller ground speed and heading signals indicative of the ground speed and heading of the supply machine, and generating the command signals to adjust the batch temperature based further upon the ground speed and heading of each of the plurality of supply machines.

18. The method of claim 16, further including determining a position of the paving machine, and generating the command signals to adjust the batch temperature based further upon the position of the paving machine.

19. The method of claim 16, further including generating instructions indicative of a desired route for each supply machine between the plant and the paving machine based upon the position of each supply machine and the temperature of paving material delivered to the paving machine.

20. The method of claim 16, further including generating instructions indicative of a speed for each of the plurality of supply machines between the plant and the paving machine based upon the position of each supply machine and the temperature of paving material delivered to the paving machine.