Intelligent pass jump control

• US 9,260,837 B1
• Filed: 09/10/2014
• Issued: 02/16/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: Wei, Mo, Taylor, Michael Allen, Edara, Thandava Krishna
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dunn, Alex C
• Application Number:
  US14/482,857
• Publication Number:
  US 20160069042A1
• Time in Patent Office: 524 Days
• Field of Search: 701/2
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 3/7609 Scraper blade mounted forwardly of the tractor on a pair of pivoting arms which are linked to the sides of the tractor, e.g. bulldozers
• 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 9/2045 Guiding machines along a predetermined path for graders E02F3/841; machines for construction of roads E01C19/004
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/205 Remotely operated machines, e.g. unmanned vehicles E02F3/8866 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/262 with follow-up actions to control the work tool, e.g. controller

Abstract

A system for controlling an earthmoving machine is provided. The system includes a positioning system and a controller. The controller is configured to receive the position signals from the positioning system, store the position signals in a pass history, and determine, based on pass history, an actual profile of the work surface. The controller is further configured to determine, based on the actual profile of the work surface in the pass history, existence of a first condition, the first condition exists when the actual profile has a first volume having a height above a threshold for an upper pass, and existence of a second condition, the second condition exists when the actual profile has a valley having a floor lower than the threshold for the upper pass. The controller is configured to direct the earthmoving machine to operate based on the lower pass if the first and second conditions exist.

Claims

1. A system for controlling an earthmoving machine and a work implement associated with the earthmoving machine during an earthmoving operation on a work surface, the earthmoving operation including an upper pass and a lower pass, the system comprising:

a positioning system associated with the earthmoving machine, the positioning system generating position signals indicative of a position of the work surface; and

a controller configured to execute instructions to;

receive the position signals from the positioning system;

store position signals in a pass history;

determine, based on the pass history, an actual profile of the work surface;

determine, based on the actual profile of the work surface in the pass history, existence of a first condition, the first exists when the actual profile of the work surface includes a first volume having a height above a threshold for the upper pass;

determine, based on the actual profile of the work surface in the pass history, existence of a second condition, the second condition exists when the actual profile of the work surface includes a valley having a floor lower than the threshold for the upper pass; and

direct the earthmoving machine to operate based on the lower pass if the first and second conditions exist.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein directing the earthmoving machine to operate on the lower pass includes setting a cut location based on the lower pass.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to receive instructions from a remote operation.

4. The system of claim 3, further comprising a wireless control link associated with the controller, the wireless control link receiving the instructions from the remote operation.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is operating in an autonomous mode.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising user input associated with the controller, the user input for providing instructions to the controller in a semi-autonomous or manual mode.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the controller is operating in an autonomous mode and the controller is further configured to execute instructions to reset the pass history if the controller is reconfigured to operate in a semi-autonomous mode or a manual mode.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the positioning system includes, at least, a global positioning system (GPS).

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the positioning system includes, at least one of an odometer, a wheel rotation sensor, a perception based sensing system, and laser position detection systems.

19. The earthmoving machine of claim 1, wherein directing the earthmoving machine to operate on the lower pass includes setting a cut location for the work implement based on the lower pass.

20. The earthmoving machine of claim 19, wherein the earthmoving machine is operating in an autonomous mode.

10. A method for control of an earthmoving machine and a work implement associated with the earthmoving machine during an earthmoving operation on a work surface, the earthmoving operation including an upper pass and a lower pass, the method comprising:

receiving position signals from a positioning system associated with the earthmoving machine, the position signals indicative of a position of the work surface;

storing the positioning signals in a pass history;

determining, based on the pass history, an actual profile of the work surface;

determining, based on the actual profile of the work surface in the pass history, existence of a first condition, the first exists when the actual profile of the work surface includes a first volume having a height above a threshold for the upper pass;

determining, based on the actual profile of the work surface in the pass history, existence of a second condition, the second condition exists when the actual profile of the work surface includes a valley having a floor lower than the threshold for the upper pass; and

directing the earthmoving machine to operate based on the lower pass if the first and second conditions exist.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising setting a cut location based on the lower pass if the first and second conditions are present.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the earthmoving operation is a slot extension operation.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising resetting the pass history if earthmoving operation is modified to an operation other than a slot extension.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the earthmoving machine is operating in an autonomous mode.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising resetting the pass history if operation of the earthmoving machine is switched to operation in a non-autonomous mode.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the earthmoving operation includes plans for creating a first slot and a second slot and the upper pass and lower pass are associated with the first slot.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising resetting the pass history if the earthmoving operation switches from the first slot to the second slot.

18. An earthmoving machine comprising:

a prime mover;

a work implement for cutting a work surface during an earthmoving operation, the earthmoving operation including at least an upper pass and a lower pass;

a positioning system for generating position signals indicative of a position of the work surface; and

a controller configured to execute instructions to;

receive the position signals from the positioning system;

store position signals in a pass history;

determine, based on the pass history, an actual profile of the work surface;

determine, based on the actual profile of the work surface in the pass history, existence of a first condition, the first condition exists when the actual profile of the work surface includes a first volume having a height above a threshold for the upper pass;

determine, based on the actual profile of the work surface in the pass history, existence of a second condition, the second condition exists when the actual profile of the work surface includes a valley having a floor lower than the threshold for the upper pass; and

direct the earthmoving machine to operate based on the lower pass if the first and second conditions are present.