Tracking of machine system movements in paving machine

• US 8,944,719 B2
• Filed: 11/09/2012
• Issued: 02/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Power Systems Incorporated (Caterpillar Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Power Systems Incorporated (Caterpillar Incorporated)
• Inventors: Frelich, Toby A., Hourscht, Steven E., Mings, Rick L.
• Primary Examiner(s): RISIC, ABIGAIL ANNE
• Application Number:
  US13/673,367
• Publication Number:
  US 20140133906A1
• Time in Patent Office: 816 Days
• Field of Search: 404/84.05, 404/84.1, 404/101, 404/108, 701/50
• US Class Current: 404/84.1
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 19/00 Machines, tools or auxiliary devices for preparing or distributing paving materials, for working the placed materials, or for forming, consolidating, or finishing the paving surface stabilisation E01C21/00; apparatus specially adapted for reconditioning or repairing paving E01C23/00
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 19/48 for laying-down the materials and consolidating them, or finishing the surface , e.g. slip forms therefor, forming kerbs or gutters in a continuous operation in situ E01C19/002, E01C23/065 take precedence; devices for guiding or controlling the machines along a predetermined path E01C19/004

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for tracking manual operations during automatic control of a surface-engaging operation, such as laying a mat on a paving surface, include automatically operating a plurality of components to perform the surface-engaging operation without the actuation of corresponding operator controls. Actuation of the operator controls and actuation of the corresponding components to perform a manual operation can occur during the automatic operation. Information corresponding to the manual operation is recorded in response to detecting actuation of the operator controls and determining that the automatic operation of the machine is occurring.

Claims

1. A paving machine for performing a surface-engaging operation on a work surface traversed by the paving machine, the paving machine comprising:

a traction device for propelling the paving machine over the work surface;

a plurality of components each having an effect on the surface-engaging operation performed by the paving machine;

a plurality of operator controls, each of the plurality of operator controls corresponding to one of the plurality of components; and

a controller operatively coupled to the plurality of components and the plurality of operator controls,

the controller being configured to detect actuation of each of the plurality of operator controls,

the controller being configured to cause a corresponding at least one of the plurality of components to actuate in response to detecting actuation of one of the plurality of operator controls,

the controller being programmed to automatically operate the plurality of components to perform the surface-engaging operation without actuation of corresponding operator controls in response to engagement of an auto mode, and

the controller being programmed to record information corresponding to a manual operation of at least one of the plurality of components in response to detecting actuation of the corresponding one of the plurality of operator controls by an operator of the paving machine and determining that the auto mode is engaged,

wherein the controller is configured to record a start location for the manual operation in response to detecting actuation of the one of the plurality of operator controls and determining that the auto mode is engaged.

2. The paving machine of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to record a start time for the manual operation in response to detecting actuation of the one of the plurality of operator controls and determining that the auto mode is engaged.

3. The paving machine of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to record a manual operation reason for the manual operation in response to detecting actuation of the one of the plurality of operator controls and determining that the auto mode is engaged.

4. The paving machine of claim 3, wherein the paving machine comprises a machine display and an input device operatively coupled to the controller, wherein the controller is configured to display a list of alternative machine operation reasons at the machine display in response to detecting actuation of the one of the plurality of operator controls and determining that the auto mode is engaged, wherein the controller is configured to receive an input signal from the input device indicating a selection of one of the alternative machine operation reasons by the operator at the input device, and wherein the controller is programmed to record the one of the alternative machine operation reasons indicated by the input signal from the input device.

5. The paving machine of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to assign a manual operation occurrence designation in response to detecting actuation of the one of the plurality of operator controls and determining that the auto mode is engaged such that each occurrence of the manual operation of the corresponding one of the plurality of components is assigned a unique manual operation occurrence designation.

6. The paving machine of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to record at least one of an end time and an end location for the manual operation in response to detecting actuation of the one of the plurality of operator controls to restore automatic control by the controller of the at least one of the plurality of components.

7. The paving machine of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to record manual operation resolution information for the manual operation in response to detecting actuation of the one of the plurality of operator controls to restore automatic control by the controller of the at least one of the plurality of components.

8. The paving machine of claim 1, wherein the surface-engaging operation comprises the plurality of components forming a mat of paving material on the work surface as the paving machine is propelled over the work surface, wherein the plurality of operator controls comprises a transmission control having a propel position causing the controller to actuate at least one of the plurality of components to propel the paving machine over the work surface and a neutral position causing the controller to deactivate the at least one of the plurality of components to stop propulsion of the paving machine, and wherein the controller is programmed to record information corresponding to a machine stop manual operation in response to detecting a transition of the transmission control from the propel position to the neutral position and determining that the auto mode is engaged.

9. The paving machine of claim 1, wherein the surface-engaging operation comprises the plurality of components forming a mat of paving material on the work surface as the paving machine is propelled over the work surface, wherein at least one of the plurality of operator controls provides signals to the controller for causing at least one of the plurality of components to feed paving material to the mat of paving material, and wherein the controller is programmed to record information corresponding to a material feed override manual operation in response to detecting actuation of the at least one of the plurality of operator controls and determining that the auto mode is engaged.

10. The paving machine of claim 1, wherein the surface-engaging operation comprises the plurality of components forming a mat of paving material on the work surface as the paving machine is propelled over the work surface, wherein the paving machine comprises a hopper having articulated sides that raise to cause paving material disposed in the hopper to feed to the middle of the hopper, wherein the plurality of components comprises hopper side actuators operably coupled to raise and lower the articulated sides of the hopper, wherein the plurality of operator controls comprises a hopper position control operative to provide control signals to the controller for causing the hopper side actuators to raise and lower the articulated sides of the hopper, and wherein the controller is programmed to record information corresponding to a hopper actuation manual operation in response to detecting actuation of the hopper position control to raise the articulated sides of the hopper and determining that the auto mode is engaged.

11. A method for tracking manual operations of a paving machine when the paving machine is under automatic control of a controller to perform a surface-engaging operation on a work surface traversed by the paving machine, the paving machine having a traction device for propelling the paving machine over the work surface, a plurality of components each having an effect on the surface-engaging operation performed by the paving machine, and a plurality of operator controls, each of the plurality of operator controls corresponding to one of the plurality of components, the method comprising:

automatically operating the plurality of components to perform the surface-engaging operation without actuation of corresponding operator controls in response to engagement of an auto mode;

detecting actuation of one of the plurality of operator controls by an operator of the paving machine;

causing a corresponding at least one of the plurality of components of the paving machine to actuate to execute a manual operation in response to detecting actuation of the one of the plurality of operator controls;

recording information corresponding to the manual operation of the at least one of the plurality of components in response to detecting actuation of the one of the plurality of operator controls and determining that the auto mode is engaged; and

recording a start location for the manual operation in response to detecting actuation of the one of the plurality of operator controls and determining that the auto mode is engaged.

12. The method of claim 11, comprising recording a start time for the manual operation in response to detecting actuation of the one of the plurality of operator controls and determining that the auto mode is engaged.

13. The method of claim 11, comprising recording a manual operation reason for the manual operation in response to detecting actuation of the one of the plurality of operator controls and determining that the auto mode is engaged.

14. The method of claim 13, comprising:

displaying a list of alternative machine operation reasons at a machine display of the paving machine in response to detecting actuation of the one of the plurality of operator controls and determining that the auto mode is engaged;

receiving an input signal from an input device of the paving machine indicating a selection of one of the alternative machine operation reasons by the operator at the input device; and

recording the one of the alternative machine operation reasons indicated by the input signal from the input device.

15. The method of claim 11, comprising assigning a manual operation occurrence designation in response to detecting actuation of the one of the plurality of operator controls and determining that the auto mode is engaged such that each occurrence of the manual operation of the corresponding one of the plurality of components is assigned a unique manual operation occurrence designation.

16. The method of claim 11, comprising recording at least one of an end time and an end location for the manual operation in response to detecting actuation of the one of the plurality of operator controls to restore automatic control by the controller of the at least one of the plurality of components.

17. The method of claim 11, comprising recording manual operation resolution information for the manual operation in response to detecting actuation of the one of the plurality of operator controls to restore automatic control by the controller of the at least one of the plurality of components.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the surface-engaging operation comprises the plurality of components forming a mat of paving material on the work surface as the paving machine is propelled over the work surface, wherein the plurality of operator controls comprises a transmission control having a propel position causing the paving machine to be propelled over the work surface and a neutral position causing the paving machine to remain stationary, the method comprising:

detecting a transition of the transmission control from the propel position to the neutral position; and

recording information corresponding to a machine stop manual operation in response to detecting the transition of the transmission control and determining that the auto mode is engaged.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the surface-engaging operation comprises the plurality of components forming a mat of paving material on the work surface as the paving machine is propelled over the work surface, wherein at least one of the plurality of operator controls causes at least one of the plurality of components to feed paving material to the mat of paving material, the method comprising:

detecting actuation of the at least one of the plurality of operator controls; and

recording information corresponding to a material feed override manual operation in response to detecting actuation of the at least one of the plurality of operator controls and determining that the auto mode is engaged.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein the surface-engaging operation comprises the plurality of components forming a mat of paving material on the work surface as the paving machine is propelled over the work surface, wherein the paving machine includes a hopper having articulated sides that raise to cause paving material disposed in the hopper to feed to the middle of the hopper, wherein the plurality of operator controls comprises a hopper position control operative to provide control signals for causing the articulated sides of the hopper to be raised and lowered, the method comprising detecting actuation of the hopper position control to raise the articulated sides of the hopper;

and

recording information corresponding to a hopper actuation manual operation in response to detecting actuation of the hopper position control to raise the articulated sides of the hopper and determining that the auto mode is engaged.