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

• US 9,650,763 B2
• Filed: 07/14/2016
• Issued: 05/16/2017
• 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): Nguyen, Chuong P
• Application Number:
  US15/210,811
• Publication Number:
  US 20160319518A1
• Time in Patent Office: 306 Days
• Field of Search: 701 49, 701 50, 701408, 701485, 701495, 701514, 701519, 701523, 701300, 172430
• 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 method for performing non-contact based determination of the position of an implement comprising:

using a non-contact based measurement system to determine a first measurement comprising the position of said implement relative to a mobile machine coupled with said implement and an angle between the implement and a particular part of said mobile machine, wherein said implement includes an emitter coupled thereto and said mobile machine includes a detector coupled thereto, and determining said first measurement includes emitting a one-way transmission of light from said emitter that travels without changing direction, receiving said one-way transmission of light at said detector to determine said angle, and using said angle to determine said position of said implement relative to said mobile machine;

using a position determining apparatus to determine a second measurement comprising the geographic position of said mobile machine; and

using a control system to determine the geographic position of said implement using said first measurement and said second measurement.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 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.

3. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said determining said second measurement comprises:

utilizing a terrestrial-based position determining system to determine said second measurement.

4. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said determining said second measurement comprises:

utilizing a satellite-based position determining system to determine said second measurement.

5. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said determining said second measurement further comprises:

utilizing a system that combines a terrestrial-based position determining system with a satellite-based position determining system to determine said second measurement.

6. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said position determining apparatus is located proximate to said mobile machine to determine said second measurement.

7. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein determining said first measurement comprises:

utilizing an image recognition apparatus to determine said first measurement.

8. The method as recited in claim 7 wherein said image recognition apparatus determines a location of a visual indicator proximate to said implement.

9. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein determining said first measurement comprises:

utilizing a light-based measurement apparatus to determine said first measurement.

10. The method as recited in claim 9 wherein determining said first measurement further comprises:

generating said one-way transmission of light in the visible spectrum; and

determining said first measurement by measuring a phase-shift of said one-way transmission of light or determining a time-of-flight of said one-way transmission of light between said emitter and said detector.

11. The method as recited in claim 9 wherein determining said first measurement further comprises:

generating said one-way transmission of light in the non-visible spectrum; and

determining said first measurement by measuring a phase-shift of said one-way transmission of light or determining a time-of-flight of said one-way transmission of light between said emitter and said detector.

12. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein determining said first measurement comprises:

utilizing a sound-based measurement apparatus to determine said first measurement.

13. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein determining said first measurement comprises:

determining a difference in said angle between said implement and said particular part of said mobile machine when said implement is moved from a first position to a second position.

14. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein determining said first measurement comprises:

determining a difference in a distance between said implement and said mobile machine when said implement is moved from a first position to a second position.

15. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein determining said second measurement further comprises:

determining an orientation of said mobile machine.