Automated rollover prevention system

• US 20080208416A1
• Filed: 02/28/2007
• Published: 08/28/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: Stratton, Kenneth L., Clar, Jean-Jacques, Shults, Jamie, Yuet, Fu Pei
• Granted Patent: US 8,019,514 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/50
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/0124 Roll-over conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/019 Inclination due to load distribution or road gradient
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/22 Braking, stopping
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/9124 Roll-over protection systems, e.g. for warning or control
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/965 Automatic or driver-independent manoeuvre, e.g. for obstacle avoidance or roll-over prevention
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/97 Engine Management System [EMS]
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2230/03 Overturn, rollover
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/12 for automatic initiation; for initiation not subject to will of driver or passenger limiting speed of vehicles other than rail vehicles B60K31/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2040/1315 Location of the centre of gravity
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0071 Controller overrides driver automatically
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/15 Road slope, i.e. the inclination of a road segment in the longitudinal direction
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/18 Braking system
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/04 related to roll-over prevention
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18172 Preventing, or responsive to skidding of wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/14 Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention

Abstract

A control system for a machine is disclosed. The control system may have at least one sensor configured to generate a signal indicative of an inclination of the machine. The control system may also have a controller in communication with the at least one sensor. The controller may be configured to stop operation of the machine in response to the signal.

Claims

1. A control system for a machine, comprising:

at least one sensor configured to generate a signal indicative of an inclination of the machine; and

a controller in communication with the at least one sensor and configured to stop operation of the machine in response to the inclination signal.

2. The control system of claim 1, wherein the inclination signal indicates a rate of machine inclination.

3. The control system of claim 1, wherein stopping operation includes halting travel of the machine.

4. The control system of claim 3, wherein the controller is further configured to prevent further travel of the machine until a manual override command is received.

5. The control system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to provide a warning to an operator of the machine when the signal indicates an incline nearing a predetermined threshold.

6. The control system of claim 5, further including a sensor configured to generate a load signal indicative of a loading condition of the machine, wherein the predetermined threshold varies in response to the load signal.

7. The control system of claim 6, wherein the load signal indicates a center of mass of the machine.

8. The control system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to:

determine a travel path taken by the machine prior to encountering an excessive incline; and

autonomously control the machine to backtrack through the travel path.

9. The control system of claim 1, wherein the machine is remotely controlled by a human operator from an interface.

10. The control system of claim machine of claim 9, wherein the interface is configured to display terrain upon which the machine is located, such that portions of the terrain having a slope greater than a predetermined threshold are visually distinguished.

11. The control system of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor is configured to detect an incline of the machine in both a travel direction and a direction substantially transverse to the travel direction.

12. A method of preventing machine rollover, comprising:

detecting a machine inclination;

determining a rollover risk value based on the machine inclination; and

stopping machine operation in response to the rollover risk value.

13. The method of claim 12, further including detecting a machine loading condition, wherein the rollover risk value is based further on the machine loading condition.

14. The method of claim 12, further including preventing further travel of the machine until a manual override command is received.

15. The method of claim 12, further including providing an indication of the rollover risk value to an operator of the machine before stopping the machine operation.

16. The method of claim 12, further including:

tracking movement of the machine prior to stopping the machine; and

autonomously reversing operation of the machine according to the tracked movement, until the rollover risk has reduced below a predetermined value.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein detecting includes detecting a machine incline angle in both a travel direction of the machine and in a direction substantially transverse to the travel direction.

18. A machine, comprising:

a power source;

a traction device driven by the power source to propel the machine;

a sensor configured to detect machine inclination; and

a controller in communication with the sensor and the traction device, the controller configured to;

warn an operator of the machine when the detected inclination falls within a predetermined range; and

stop operation of the traction device in response to the detected inclination exceeding the predetermined range.

19. The machine of claim 18, further including a load sensor configured to detect a loading condition of the machine, wherein the predetermined range varies in response to the detected loading condition.

20. The machine of claim 18, wherein the controller is further configured to:

determine a travel path taken by the machine prior to encountering an incline exceeding the predetermined threshold; and

autonomously control the machine to backtrack through the travel path.