System for automated excavation entry point selection

• US 7,509,198 B2
• Filed: 06/23/2006
• Issued: 03/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: Mannepalli, Swaroop Sesha Kamala, Shull, Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): Hellner; Mark
• Application Number:
  US11/473,136
• Publication Number:
  US 20070299590A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,005 Days
• Field of Search: 342/357.17, 701/50, 701/49, 701/213, 172/4.5, 731/49, 374/13
• US Class Current: 701/50
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 3/841 Devices for controlling and guiding the whole machine, e.g. by feeler elements and reference lines placed exteriorly of the machine construction of roads E01C19/008
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 3/844 for positioning the blade, e.g. hydraulically
• 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 9/26 Indicating devices E02F5/145 takes precedence

Abstract

A control system for a machine operating at a worksite is disclosed. The control system has a controller configured to recognize a feature of the worksite from a topographic map of the worksite. The controller is further configured to determine at least one characteristic of the recognized feature, and determine a desired excavation entry point into a surface of the worksite based on the at least one characteristic.

Claims

1. A control system for a machine operating at a worksite, comprising a controller configured to:

recognize a feature of the worksite from a topographic map of the worksite, the feature being a slope irregularity;

determine at least one characteristic of the recognized feature, the at least one characteristic including a shape of the slope irregularity; and

determine a desired excavation entry point into a surface of the worksite based on the at least one characteristic and a known capacity of the machine.

2. The control system of claim 1, further including a positioning system configured to determine a three-dimensional location of the machine, wherein the controller is in communication with the positioning system and further configured to generate the topographic map of the worksite as the machine traverses the worksite in response to the determined location.

3. The control system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to determine whether the slope irregularity is convex or concave in shape and to determine a size of the feature, and the excavation entry point is further determined based on the size of the feature.

4. The control system of claim 3, wherein, when the controller recognizes a slope irregularity, and determines that the slope irregularity is convex in shape and has a size less than a predetermined size, the controller determines the desired excavation entry point to be at a base of the convex slope irregularity.

5. The control system of claim 3, wherein, when the controller recognizes a slope irregularity, and determines that the slope irregularity is convex in shape and has a size greater than a predetermined size, the controller determines the desired excavation entry point to be at a location between the base of the convex slope irregularity and a peak of the convex slope irregularity.

6. The control system of claim 3, wherein, when the controller recognizes a slope irregularity and determines that the slope irregularity is concave in shape, the controller determines the desired excavation entry point to be at a location between the current location of the machine and a start of the concave slope irregularity.

7. The control system of claim 6, wherein the location is calculated based on the size of the concave slope irregularity.

8. The control system of claim 3, wherein, when the controller determines that the size of the slope irregularity is less than a predetermined size, the desired excavation point of entry is determined to be at a minimum distance from the current location of the machine.

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

recognize multiple slope irregularities at the worksite within a predetermined distance of the machine;

ignore all convex slope irregularities but the convex slope irregularity furthest from the machine when determining the at least one characteristic; and

determine a desired excavation entry point associated with a convex slope irregularity before determining a desired excavation entry point associated with a concave slope irregularity.

10. The control system of claim 2, wherein:

the at least one characteristic includes a distance from the feature to the current location of the machine; and

the desired excavation entry point is determined to be at a minimum distance from the current location of the machine, if the distance from the feature to the current location of the machine is greater than a predetermined distance.

11. A method of operating a machine at a worksite, comprising:

recognizing a feature of the worksite from a topographic map, including recognizing an irregularity in the slope of the worksite;

determining at least two characteristics of the recognized feature, including determining if the slope irregularity is convex or concave in shape and determining a size of the slope irregularity; and

determining a desired excavation entry point into a surface of the worksite based on the at least two characteristic.

12. The method of claim 11, further including:

determining a 3-D location of a machine; and

generating the topographic map of the worksite during travel of the machine based on the determined location of the machine.

13. The method of claim 11, further including:

setting the desired excavation entry point to be at the base of a convex slope irregularity, if it is determined that the size of the convex slope irregularity is less than a predetermined size;

setting the desired excavation entry point to be at a location between the base of the convex slope irregularity and a peak of the convex slope irregularity, if it is determined that the size of the convex slope irregularity is greater than a predetermined size; and

setting the desired excavation entry point to be at a location between a current location of the machine and a start of the concave slope irregularity, the location being based on a size of the concave slope irregularity.

14. The method of claim 13, further including setting the desired excavation point of entry at a minimum distance from the current location of the machine, if it is determined that the size of the slope irregularity is less than a predetermined size.

15. The method of claim 11, further including:

recognizing multiple slope irregularities within a predetermined distance of the machine;

ignoring all convex slope irregularities but the convex slope irregularity furthest away from the machine when determining the at least two characteristic; and

determining a desired excavation entry point associated with a convex slope irregularity before determining a desired excavation entry point associated with a concave slope irregularity.

16. A machine operating at a worksite, comprising:

a traction device configured to propel the work machine;

a positioning system configured to determine a three dimension location of the machine; and

a controller in communication with the position system, the controller being configured to;

generate the topographic map of the worksite;

recognize a slope irregularity of the worksite from the topographic map;

determine a shape and a size of the slope irregularity; and

determine a desired excavation entry point into a surface of the worksite based on the shape and the size of the slope irregularity and a known capacity of the machine.

17. The machine of claim 16, wherein:

the controller is further configured to determine whether the slope irregularity is convex or concave in shape;

when the controller recognizes a slope irregularity, and determines that the slope irregularity is convex in shape and has a size less than a predetermined size, the controller determines the desired excavation entry point to be at the base of the convex slope irregularity; and

when the controller recognizes a slope irregularity, and determines that the slope irregularity is convex in shape and has a size greater than a predetermined size, the controller determines the desired excavation entry point to be at a location between the base of the convex slope irregularity and a peak of the convex slope irregularity.

18. The machine of claim 16, wherein:

the controller is further configured to determine whether the slope irregularity is convex or concave in shape; and

when the controller recognizes a slope irregularity and determines that the slope irregularity is concave in shape, the controller determines the desired excavation entry point to be at a location between a current location of the machine and a start of the concave slope irregularity.