MACHINE DISPLAY SYSTEM

• US 20120249342A1
• Filed: 03/31/2011
• Published: 10/04/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: KOEHRSEN, Craig L., DONNELLI, Aaron M., REITZ, Clay D.
• Application Number:
  US13/077,575
• Publication Number:
  US 20120249342A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/904
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/16 Anti-collision systems road vehicle drive control systems for predicting or avoiding probable or impending collision otherwise than by control of a particular sub-unit B60W30/08

Abstract

A display system for a mobile machine operating at a worksite is disclosed. The display system may have an obstacle detection device configured to detect objects within a distance of the mobile machine, and a locating system configured to track objects at the worksite. The display system may also have a display located within the mobile machine, and a controller in communication with the obstacle detection device, the locating system, and the display. The controller may be configured to cause information from the obstacle detection device and the locating system to be simultaneously shown in an overlapping manner on a common portion of the display.

Claims

1. A display system for a mobile machine operating at a worksite, comprising:

an obstacle detection device configured to detect objects within a distance of the mobile machine;

a locating system configured to track objects at the worksite;

a display located within the mobile machine; and

a controller in communication with the obstacle detection device, the locating system, and the display, the controller being configured to cause information from the obstacle detection device and the locating system to be simultaneously shown in an overlapping manner on a common portion of the display.

2. The display system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to cause a representation of the mobile machine to be shown on the common portion of the display simultaneous with the information from the obstacle detection device and the locating system.

3. The display system of claim 2, wherein the controller is further configured to cause an electronic map of the worksite to be shown on the common portion of the display simultaneous with the representation of the mobile machine and the information from the obstacle detection device and the locating system.

4. The display system of claim 1, wherein:

the obstacle detection device is a first obstacle detection device;

the display system further includes at least a second obstacle detection device; and

the controller is in further communication with the at least a second obstacle detection device and further configured to cause multiple zones around the mobile machine to be shown on the display, each of the multiple zones associated different ones of the first and the at least a second obstacle detection devices and selectively highlighted based on detection of objects within the multiple zones.

5. The display system of claim 3, wherein the multiple zones include two forward zones, two side zones, and two rearward zones associated with different portions of the range.

6. The display system of claim 1, wherein:

the obstacle detection device is a RADAR device; and

the locating system is a Global Navigation Satellite System.

7. The display system of claim 1, wherein the object tracked by the locating system is another mobile machine.

8. The display system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to determine that the objects detected by the obstacle detection device correspond with the objects tracked by the locating system when positions of detected objects are about the same as positions of tracked objects.

9. The display system of claim 8, wherein the controller is configured to record locations of detected objects when positions of detected objects are not about the same as positions of the tracked objects.

10. The display system of claim 8, wherein the information from the obstacle detection device includes at least one of an object identification, an object size, and an object shape.

11. The display system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to:

receive input from an operator of the mobile machine regarding a display preference; and

cause overlapping information from the obstacle detection device and the locating system to be shown on the display based on the input.

12. The display system of claim 11, wherein the controller is further configured to selectively cause the information from the obstacle detection device and the locating system to be separately shown on different portions of the display based on the input.

13. The display system of claim 12, wherein the controller is further configured to selectively cause symbols to be shown on the display indicative of a type of the information shown on the display.

14. A display system for a mobile machine operating at a worksite, comprising:

an obstacle detection device configured to detect objects within a distance of the mobile machine;

a locating system configured to track objects at the worksite;

a display located within the mobile machine; and

a controller in communication with the obstacle detection device, the locating system, and the display, the controller being configured to;

cause an electronic map of the worksite to be shown in the display;

cause a representation of the mobile machine to be shown on the display;

receive input from an operator of the mobile machine regarding a display preference; and

selectively cause information from the obstacle detection device and the locating system to also be simultaneously shown in an overlapping manner on a common portion of the display or cause the information to be separately shown on different portions of the display based on the input.

15. The display system of claim 14, wherein:

the obstacle detection device is a first obstacle detection device;

the display system further includes at least a second obstacle detection device; and

the controller is in further communication with the at least a second obstacle detection device and further configured to cause multiple zones around the mobile machine to be shown on the display, each of the multiple zones associated different ones of the first and the at least a second obstacle detection devices and selectively highlighted based on detection of objects within the multiple zones.

16. The display system of claim 15, wherein the multiple zones include two forward zones, two side zones, and two rearward zones associated with different portions of the range.

17. The display system of claim 14, wherein:

the obstacle detection device is a RADAR device; and

the locating system is a Global Navigation Satellite System.

18. The display system of claim 14, wherein the object tracked by the locating system is another mobile machine.

19. The display system of claim 14, wherein the controller is configured to determine that the objects detected by the obstacle detection device correspond with the objects tracked by the locating system when positions of detected objects are about the same as positions of tracked objects.

20. The display system of claim 19, wherein the controller is configured to record locations of detected objects when positions of detected objects are not about the same as positions of the tracked objects.

21. The display system of claim 20, wherein the information from the obstacle detection device includes at least one of an object identification, an object size, and an object shape.

22. The display system of claim 14, wherein the controller is further configured to selectively cause symbols to be shown on the display indicative of a type of the information shown on the display.

23. A mobile machine, comprising:

at least one traction device;

a body supported by the at least one traction device;

a plurality of RADAR devices mounted to the body and configured to generate a plurality of first signals indicative of characteristics of unknown objects within different zones around the mobile machine at a worksite;

a locating system configured to track a plurality of other mobile machines at the worksite within the different zones and generate a second plurality of signals indicative of characteristics of the plurality of other mobile machines;

an operator station connected to the body;

a display located within the operator station; and

an onboard controller in communication with the plurality of obstacle detection devices, the locating system, and the display, the onboard controller configured to simultaneously;

cause an electronic map of the worksite to be shown on the display;

cause a representation of the mobile machine to be shown on the electronic map; and

cause information associated with the plurality of first and second signals to be simultaneously shown in an overlapping manner on a common area of the electronic map within the different zones.

24. A method of machine display, comprising;

detecting objects at a worksite within a distance of a mobile machine using an obstacle detection device;

tracking positions of objects at the worksite using a locating system; and

simultaneously providing information associated with detected objects and tracked objects in an overlapping manner on a common portion of a display device within the mobile machine.

25. The method of claim 24, further including:

displaying an electronic map of the worksite on the common portion of the display device; and

displaying a representation of the mobile machine on the electronic map, together with the information associated with the detected and tracked objects.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein:

detecting objects includes detecting objects within multiple zones around the mobile machine; and

the method further includes displaying multiple zones around the mobile machine on the display device, and highlighting particular zones of the multiple zones based on the detecting.

27. The method of claim 24, further including:

determining that detected objects correspond with tracked objects when positions of detected objects are about the same as positions of tracked objects; and

recording locations of detected objects when positions of detected objects are not about the same as positions of tracked objects.

28. The method of claim 24, further including:

receiving input from an operator of the mobile machine regarding a display preference; and

displaying selective layers of information on the display device that are associated with detected and tracked objects based on the input.

29. The display system of claim 28, further including selectively displaying symbols on the display device that are indicative of a type of the information included in the layers.