Payload material density calculation and machine using same

• US 8,838,331 B2
• Filed: 09/21/2012
• Issued: 09/16/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: Jensen, Jeffrey Edward
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G
• Assistant Examiner(s): PAYNE, ROBERT T
• Application Number:
  US13/624,111
• Publication Number:
  US 20140088822A1
• Time in Patent Office: 725 Days
• Field of Search: 701/34.4, 701/48, 701/50, 701/99, 701/2, 701/25, 701/29.6, 701/70, 701/3, 701/33.6, 701/33.7, 701/29.2, 701/32.9, 701/29.1, 701/14, 701/8, 701/13, 701/32.6, 701/104, 701/472, 701/1, 702/23, 702/50, 702/25, 702/188, 702/173, 702/174, 702/21, 702/19, 702/34, 702/85, 702/75, 702/175, 702/138, 702/122, 702/66, 239/1, 180/167
• US Class Current: 701/34.4
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 3/3411 of the Z-type
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 3/431 for bucket-arms, front-end loaders, dumpers or the like
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2054 Fleet management
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/264 Sensors and their calibration for indicating the position of the work tool
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 9/36 Analysing materials by measuring the density or specific gravity, e.g. determining quantity of moisture methods of measurement in general G01N9/02 - G01N9/32

Abstract

A method of determining payload material density includes a step of determining a capacity volume of a work tool of a machine using an electronic controller of the machine. The work tool is loaded with an initial amount of loaded material matching the capacity volume, and an onboard payload mass calculation algorithm is executed using the electronic controller to determine a mass of the initial amount of loaded material. A density of the initial amount of loaded material is calculated responsive to the mass of the initial amount of loaded material and the capacity volume using the electronic controller. The density of the initial amount of loaded material is stored using the electronic controller, and a productivity datum is calculated responsive to the density of the initial amount of loaded material and a subsequent amount of loaded material.

Claims

1. A method of determining payload material density, including steps of:

determining a capacity volume of a work tool of a machine using an electronic controller of the machine;

loading the work tool with an initial amount of loaded material matching the capacity volume;

executing an onboard payload mass calculation algorithm using the electronic controller to determine a mass of the initial amount of loaded material;

calculating a density of the initial amount of loaded material responsive to the mass of the initial amount of loaded material and the capacity volume using the electronic controller;

storing the density of the initial amount of loaded material using the electronic controller; and

calculating a productivity datum responsive to the density of the initial amount of loaded material and a subsequent amount of loaded material.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining the capacity volume includes receiving the capacity volume as an input from an operator interface.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining the capacity volume includes selecting the capacity volume from a work tool volume map stored in a memory.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of loading the work tool includes loading the work tool with an excess amount of loaded material, and removing the excess amount of loaded material.

5. The method of claim 1, further including:

executing the onboard payload mass calculation algorithm using the electronic controller to determine a mass of the subsequent amount of loaded material; and

calculating a volume of the subsequent amount of loaded material responsive to the mass of the subsequent amount of loaded material and the density of the initial amount of loaded material.

6. The method of claim 5, further including calculating a fill factor value of the subsequent amount of loaded material responsive to the volume of the subsequent amount of loaded material and the capacity volume.

7. The method of claim 1, further including displaying the productivity datum on an operator display.

8. A machine, comprising:

a machine body supported by a conveyance;

an operator interface positioned within an operator control station, wherein the operator control station is supported on the machine body;

a work tool pivotably attached to the machine body; and

an electronic controller in communication with the operator interface and configured to determine a capacity volume of the work tool, receive a signal indicating that the work tool is loaded with an initial amount of loaded material matching the capacity volume, execute an onboard payload mass calculation algorithm to determine a mass of the initial amount of loaded material, calculate a density of the initial amount of loaded material responsive to the mass of the initial amount of loaded material and the capacity volume, store the density of the initial amount of loaded material, and calculate a productivity datum responsive to the density of the initial amount of loaded material and a subsequent amount of loaded material.

9. The machine of claim 8, wherein the electronic controller receives the capacity volume as an input from the operator interface.

10. The machine of claim 8, further including a work tool volume map stored in a memory of the electronic controller, wherein the electronic controller selects the capacity volume from the work tool volume map.

11. The machine of claim 8, wherein the electronic controller is further configured to:

receive a second signal indicating that the work tool is loaded with a subsequent amount of loaded material;

execute the onboard payload mass calculation algorithm to determine a mass of the subsequent amount of loaded material; and

calculate a volume of the subsequent amount of loaded material responsive to the mass of the subsequent amount of loaded material and the density of the initial amount of loaded material.

12. The machine of claim 11, wherein the electronic controller is further configured to calculate a fill factor value of the subsequent amount of loaded material responsive to the volume of the subsequent amount of loaded material and the capacity volume.

13. The machine of claim 8, wherein the operator interface includes an operator display configured to display the productivity datum.

14. The machine of claim 8, wherein the work tool is a bucket.

15. A non-transitory computer usable storage medium having computer readable program code thereon for determining payload material density, comprising:

computer readable program code for identifying a capacity volume of a work tool;

computer readable program code for receiving a signal indicating that the work tool is loaded with an initial amount of loaded material matching the capacity volume;

computer readable program code for executing an onboard payload mass calculation algorithm to determine a mass of the initial amount of loaded material responsive to the signal;

computer readable program code for calculating a density of the initial amount of loaded material responsive to the mass of the initial amount of loaded material and the capacity volume;

computer readable program code for storing the density of the initial amount of loaded material; and

computer readable program code for calculating a productivity datum responsive to the density of the initial amount of loaded material and a subsequent amount of loaded material.

16. The non-transitory computer usable storage medium of claim 15, further including computer readable program code for receiving the capacity volume as an input from an operator interface.

17. The non-transitory computer usable storage medium of claim 15, further including computer readable program code for selecting the capacity volume from a work tool volume map stored in a memory.

18. The non-transitory computer usable storage medium of claim 15, further including:

computer readable program code for receiving a second signal indicating that the work tool is loaded with a subsequent amount of loaded material;

computer readable program code for executing the onboard payload mass calculation algorithm to determine a mass of the subsequent amount of loaded material responsive to the second signal; and

computer readable program code for calculating a volume of the subsequent amount of loaded material responsive to the mass of the subsequent amount of loaded material and the density of the initial amount of loaded material.

19. The non-transitory computer usable storage medium of claim 18, further including computer readable program code for calculating a fill factor value of the subsequent amount of loaded material responsive to the volume of the subsequent amount of loaded material and the capacity volume.

20. The non-transitory computer usable storage medium of claim 15, further including computer readable program code for transmitting a third signal corresponding to the productivity datum to an operator display.