Auto recognition of at least one standoff target to determine position information for a mobile machine

• US 10,458,099 B2
• Filed: 12/16/2014
• Issued: 10/29/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/2004
• 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): Lin, Abby Y
• Assistant Examiner(s): Williams, Kelly D
• Application Number:
  US14/572,526
• Publication Number:
  US 20150106004A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,778 Days
• Field of Search: 701 323, 701445, 701448, 701501
• 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 9/264 Sensors and their calibration for indicating the position of the work tool
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/46 Indirect determination of position data
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/46 Indirect determination of position data
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/03 Cooperating elements; Interaction or communication between different cooperating elements or between cooperating elements and receivers

Abstract

A method and system for auto recognition of at least one standoff target to determine position information for a mobile machine. One example automatically scans for at least one standoff target. A location for the at least one standoff target is determined. In addition, a distance and direction between the mobile machine and the at least one standoff target is generated. The location information for the at least one standoff target and the distance and direction between the mobile machine and the at least one standoff target is utilized to provide a position for the mobile machine.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a mobile earth moving machine, comprising;

a working implement configured to contour soil,

a position determination system, wherein the position determination system is configured to determine a geographic location of the mobile machine based on received satellite navigation signals; and

one or more standoff targets, placed in or near an area where the position determining system produces geographic location determination of reduced accuracy as a result of insufficient satellite navigation signal quality,

wherein the mobile earth moving machine further comprises;

a sensor configured to automatically sense a standoff target signal from one or more of the standoff targets,

a processor, configured to, in response to the position determining system receiving satellite navigation signals of insufficient quality, determine location information for the one or more standoff targets, wherein the processor is further configured to determine a distance and a direction between the mobile machine and each of the one or more standoff targets, wherein the processor is further configured to determine a position for the mobile machine, wherein the position for the mobile machine is determined based on;

a) the location information for each of the one or more standoff targets, and

b) the distance between the mobile machine and each of the one or more standoff targets in conjunction with the direction between the mobile machine and each of the one or more standoff targets, and

an earthmoving implement configured to contour soil, wherein the processor is further configured to determine a position of the earthmoving implement according to the position of the mobile machine as determined based on either the satellite navigation signals or the location information and the distance between the mobile machine and each of the one or more standoff targets.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the one or more standoff targets comprises at least three standoff targets; and

the processor is further configured to utilize a last reliable position for the mobile machine from the position determination system, the location information for each of the at least three standoff targets, and the distance and direction from the mobile machine to each of the at least three standoff targets to determine position information for the mobile machine.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more standoff targets are placed in a non-surveyed location and determining the location information of the one or more standoff targets comprises:

taking at least two photos of each of the one or more standoff targets over a known time interval;

measuring a distance moved during the known time interval; and

the processor performing an angular displacement change to determine the location information of each of the one or more standoff targets.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the one or more standoff targets is selected from the group consisting of:

a standoff target mounted on a stationary object and a standoff target mounted on a mobile object.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the each of the one or more standoff targets has a unique passive identifier selected from the group consisting of:

an optical pattern and a height.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the one or more standoff targets has a unique active identifier selected from the group consisting of:

an infra-red identifier, a unique light pattern identifier, a personal area network identifier, and a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag.

7. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising instructions which, when executed, cause a computer system to perform a method for auto recognition of one or more standoff targets to determine position information for a mobile earthmoving machine, said method comprising:

receiving an indication of a location of a mobile earthmoving machine from a position determination system, wherein the position determination system is configured to determine a geographic location of the mobile machine based on received satellite navigation signals;

automatically scanning for the one or more standoff targets;

determining location information for each of the one or more standoff targets;

generating a distance and a direction between the mobile machine and each of the one or more standoff targets;

determining a position for the mobile machine, wherein the position for the mobile machine is determined based on;

a) the location information for the one or more standoff targets, and

b) the distance between the mobile machine and each of the one or more standoff targets in conjunction with the direction between the mobile machine and each of the one or more standoff targets; and

determining a position of an earthmoving implement on the earthmoving machine according to the position of the mobile machine as determined based on either of the satellite navigation signals and the location information and the distance between the mobile machine and each of the one or more standoff targets, wherein the earthmoving implement is configured to contour soil, wherein the position of the earthmoving implement is determined according to the position of the mobile machine as determined based on the location information and the distance between the mobile machine and each of the one or more standoff targets in response to the position determining system receiving satellite navigation signals of insufficient quality.

8. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 7, wherein said method further comprises:

identifying at least three different standoff targets;

determining a location of each of the at least three different standoff targets; and

using a last reliable position for the mobile machine from the position determination system, the location for each of the at least three standoff targets, and the distance and direction from the mobile machine to each of the at least three standoff targets to determine position information for the mobile machine.

9. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 7, wherein each of the one or more standoff targets is placed in a non-surveyed location and wherein the determining the location information for each of the one or more standoff targets comprises:

taking at least two photos of the each of the one or more standoff targets at different locations;

measuring a distance moved between the different locations; and

utilizing an angular displacement change to determine the location information of the each of the one or more standoff targets.

10. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 7, wherein the location information of each of the one or more standoff targets is stored in a database.

11. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 7, wherein each of the one or more stand standoff targets has a unique passive identifier selected from the group consisting of:

an optical pattern and a height.

12. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 7, wherein each of the one or more standoff targets has a unique active identifier selected from the group consisting of:

an infra-red identifier, a unique light pattern identifier, a personal area network identifier, and a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag.

13. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 7, wherein the method further comprises:

using a last reliable position for the mobile machine from the position determination system, the location information for each of the one or more standoff targets, and the distance and direction from the mobile machine to each of the one or more standoff targets to determine position information for the mobile machine.

14. A system comprising:

a mobile earth moving machine, comprising;

a working implement configured to contour soil, and

a position determination system, wherein the position determination system is configured to determine a geographic location of the mobile machine based on received satellite navigation signals; and

at least three standoff targets, placed in or near an area where the position determining system produces geographic location determination of reduced accuracy as a result of insufficient satellite navigation signal quality,

wherein the mobile earth moving machine further comprises;

a sensor configured to automatically sense a standoff target signal from each of the standoff targets,

a processor, configured to, in response to the position determining system receiving satellite navigation signals of insufficient quality, determine location information for the standoff targets, wherein the processor is further configured to determine a distance and a direction between the mobile machine and each of the standoff targets, wherein the processor is further configured to determine a position for the mobile machine, wherein the position for the mobile machine is determined based on;

a) the location information for each of the standoff targets, and

b) the distance between the mobile machine and each of the standoff targets in conjunction with the direction between the mobile machine and each of the standoff targets, and an earthmoving implement configured to contour soil, wherein the processor is further configured to determine a position of the earthmoving implement according to the position of the mobile machine as determined based on either the satellite navigation signals or the location information and the distance between the mobile machine and each of the standoff targets.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein a particular standoff target is placed in a surveyed location and the location of the particular standoff target is associated with a standoff target identifier.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein a particular standoff target is placed in a non-surveyed location and determining the location information of the particular standoff target comprises:

taking at least two photos of the particular standoff target at different locations;

measuring a distance between the different locations; and

the processor performing an angular displacement change to determine the location information of the particular standoff target.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein a particular standoff target has a unique passive identifier selected from the group consisting of:

an optical pattern and a height.

18. The system of particular claim 14, wherein each of the one or more standoff targets has a unique active identifier selected from the group consisting of:

an infra-red identifier, a unique light pattern identifier, a personal area network identifier, and a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag.