Position monitoring system for a mobile machine

• US 8,306,726 B2
• Filed: 04/28/2009
• Issued: 11/06/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: Donnelli, Aaron Michael, Koehrsen, Craig Lawrence, Struble, Joshua, Stratton, Kenneth L
• Primary Examiner(s): MCPARTLIN, SARAH BURNHAM
• Application Number:
  US12/453,038
• Publication Number:
  US 20100274434A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,288 Days
• Field of Search: 701/29, 701/31, 701/50, 701/207, 701/213, 701/214, 701/216, 701/220, 340/438, 340/989, 340/992
• US Class Current: 701/216
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/49 whereby the further system is an inertial position system, e.g. loosely-coupled
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/20 Monitoring the location of vehicles belonging to a group, e.g. fleet of vehicles, countable or determined number of vehicles

Abstract

A system including a mobile machine and a central control station is provided. The mobile machine includes a communication device and a position monitoring system including a receiver configured to receive position data from a positioning satellite and generate a position signal. The position monitoring system also includes an inertial navigation unit including a sensor configured to measure a parameter of the mobile machine and generate a movement signal. The position monitoring system also includes a controller configured to receive the position signal and the movement signal, detect an unavailability of the position signal, calculate a position parameter, determine whether a difference between a first and a second value of a parameter exceeds a predetermined threshold, and generate a warning signal. The central control station is configured to communicate with the controller, receive the position signal and/or the movement signal, and monitor the position of the mobile machine.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a mobile machine including a communication device, and a position monitoring system associated with the mobile machine, the position monitoring system including;

a receiver configured to receive position data from a positioning satellite and to generate a position signal based on the received position data, the receiver being located on-board the mobile machine;

an inertial navigation unit including a sensor configured to measure a parameter associated with movement of the mobile machine, and to generate a movement signal based on the measured parameter, the inertial navigation unit being located on-board the mobile machine; and

a controller associated with the receiver and the inertial navigation unit, and being configured to;

receive the position signal when the position signal is available;

receive the movement signal;

detect an unavailability of the position signal;

calculate a position parameter for the mobile machine based on the received movement signal and the position signal received before detection of the unavailability of the position signal;

determine whether a difference between a first value of a parameter determined from the position signal and a second value of the same parameter determined from the movement signal exceeds a predetermined threshold, wherein the controller is configured to save the position signal after determining that the difference between the parameter determined from the position signal and the same parameter determined from the movement signal does not exceed the predetermined threshold; and

generate a warning signal after determining that the difference exceeds the predetermined threshold; and

a central control station configured to;

communicate with the controller through the communication device;

receive the position signal and/or the movement signal through the communication device; and

monitor the position of the mobile machine.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor includes a speed sensor configured to measure a speed of the mobile machine.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor includes an acceleration sensor configured to measure an acceleration of the mobile machine.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor includes a direction sensor configured to measure a movement direction of the mobile machine.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to determine whether a self-diagnosis is to be conducted.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to select a first navigation mode or a second navigation mode based on an availability of the position signal generated based on position data received from the positioning satellite.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to determine whether a self-diagnosis is to be conducted, and to save the received position signal as a last position signal after the self-diagnosis is conducted and after determining that the difference does not exceed the predetermined threshold.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to save the position signal received from the positioning satellite as a last position signal received from the positioning satellite, and to calculate the position parameter based on the received movement signal and the last position signal received before detection of the unavailability of the position signal.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the position monitoring system further includes a ground-based positioning system configured to provide position data associated with the movement of the mobile machine, and wherein the controller is further configured to:

calculate a third value of the same parameter;

compare the first, second, and third values of the same parameter; and

determine whether a difference between any one of the first, second, and third values and the remaining two of the first, second, and third values exceeds a predetermined threshold.

10. A system, comprising:

a mobile machine including a communication device, and a position monitoring system associated with the mobile machine, the position monitoring system including;

a receiver configured to receive position data from a positioning satellite and to generate a position signal based on the received position data, the receiver being located on-board the mobile machine;

an inertial navigation unit including a sensor configured to measure a parameter associated with movement of the mobile machine, and to generate a movement signal based on the measured parameter, the inertial navigation unit being located on-board the mobile machine; and

a controller associated with the receiver and the inertial navigation unit, and being configured to;

receive the position signal when the position signal is available;

receive the movement signal;

detect an unavailability of the position signal;

calculate a position parameter for the mobile machine based on the received movement signal and the position signal received before detection of the unavailability of the position signal;

determine whether a difference between a first value of a parameter determined from the position signal and a second value of the same parameter determined from the movement signal exceeds a predetermined threshold; and

generate a warning signal after determining that the difference exceeds the predetermined threshold; and

a central control station configured to;

communicate with the controller through the communication device;

receive the position signal and/or the movement signal through the communication device; and

monitor the position of the mobile machine;

and wherein the position monitoring system further includes a ground-based positioning system configured to provide position data associated with the movement of the mobile machine, and wherein the controller is further configured to;

calculate a third value of the same parameter;

compare the first, second, and third values of the same parameter; and

determine whether a difference between any one of the first, second, and third values and the remaining two of the first, second, and third values exceeds a predetermined threshold,

and wherein the controller is further configured to determine whether a self-diagnosis is to be conducted, and save the received position signal as a last position signal after the self-diagnosis is conducted and after determining that the difference between any one of the first, second, and third values and the remaining two of the first, second, and third values does not exceed the predetermined threshold.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the sensor includes a speed sensor configured to measure a speed of the mobile machine.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the sensor includes an acceleration sensor configured to measure an acceleration of the mobile machine.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the sensor includes a direction sensor configured to measure a movement direction of the mobile machine.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the controller is further configured to select a first navigation mode or a second navigation mode based on an availability of the position signal generated based on position data received from the positioning satellite.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the controller is further configured to calculate the position parameter based on the received movement signal and the saved last position signal received before detection of the unavailability of the position signal.

16. A system, comprising:

a mobile machine including a communication device, and a position monitoring system associated with the mobile machine, the position monitoring system including;

a receiver configured to receive position data from a positioning satellite and to generate a position signal based on the received position data, the receiver being located on-board the mobile machine;

an inertial navigation unit including a sensor configured to measure a parameter associated with movement of the mobile machine, and to generate a movement signal based on the measured parameter, the inertial navigation unit being located on-board the mobile machine; and

a controller associated with the receiver and the inertial navigation unit, and being configured to;

receive the position signal when the position signal is available;

receive the movement signal;

detect an unavailability of the position signal;

calculate a position parameter for the mobile machine based on the received movement signal and the position signal received before detection of the unavailability of the position signal;

determine whether a difference between a first value of a parameter determined from the position signal and a second value of the same parameter determined from the movement signal exceeds a predetermined threshold; and

generate a warning signal after determining that the difference exceeds the predetermined threshold; and

a central control station configured to;

communicate with the controller through the communication device;

receive the position signal and/or the movement signal through the communication device; and

monitor the position of the mobile machine;

and wherein the controller is further configured to;

select a first navigation mode or a second navigation mode based on an availability of the position signal generated based on position data received from the positioning satellite; and

determine whether a self-diagnosis is to be conducted, and save the received position signal as a last position signal after the self-diagnosis is conducted and after determining that the difference does not exceed the predetermined threshold.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the sensor includes a speed sensor configured to measure a speed of the mobile machine.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the sensor includes an acceleration sensor configured to measure an acceleration of the mobile machine.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the sensor includes a direction sensor configured to measure a movement direction of the mobile machine.

20. A system, comprising:

a mobile machine including a communication device, and a position monitoring system associated with the mobile machine, the position monitoring system including;

a receiver configured to receive position data from a positioning satellite and to generate a position signal based on the received position data, the receiver being located on-board the mobile machine;

an inertial navigation unit including a sensor configured to measure a parameter associated with movement of the mobile machine, and to generate a movement signal based on the measured parameter, the inertial navigation unit being located on-board the mobile machine; and

a controller associated with the receiver and the inertial navigation unit, and being configured to;

receive the position signal when the position signal is available;

receive the movement signal;

detect an unavailability of the position signal;

calculate a position parameter for the mobile machine based on the received movement signal and the position signal received before detection of the unavailability of the position signal;

determine whether a difference between a first value of a parameter determined from the position signal and a second value of the same parameter determined from the movement signal exceeds a predetermined threshold;

generate a warning signal after determining that the difference exceeds the predetermined threshold;

determine whether a self-diagnosis is to be conducted; and

save the received position signal as a last position signal after the self-diagnosis is conducted and after determining that the difference does not exceed the predetermined threshold; and

a central control station configured to;

communicate with the controller through the communication device;

receive the position signal and/or the movement signal through the communication device; and

monitor the position of the mobile machine.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the sensor includes a speed sensor configured to measure a speed of the mobile machine.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein the sensor includes an acceleration sensor configured to measure an acceleration of the mobile machine.

23. The system of claim 20, wherein the sensor includes a direction sensor configured to measure a movement direction of the mobile machine.

24. The system of claim 20, wherein the controller is configured to save the position signal after determining that the difference between the parameter determined from the position signal and the same parameter determined from the movement signal does not exceed the predetermined threshold.

25. The system of claim 20, wherein the controller is further configured to select a first navigation mode or a second navigation mode based on an availability of the position signal generated based on position data received from the positioning satellite.

26. The system of claim 20, wherein the controller is further configured to save the position signal received from the positioning satellite as a last position signal received from the positioning satellite, and to calculate the position parameter based on the received movement signal and the last position signal received before detection of the unavailability of the position signal.

27. The system of claim 20, wherein the position monitoring system further includes a ground-based positioning system configured to provide position data associated with the movement of the mobile machine, and wherein the controller is further configured to:

calculate a third value of the same parameter;

compare the first, second, and third values of the same parameter; and

determine whether a difference between any one of the first, second, and third values and the remaining two of the first, second, and third values exceeds a predetermined threshold.