System for machine control

• US 9,970,180 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2011
• Issued: 05/15/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Trimble Control Technologies LLC
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Trimble Control Technologies LLC
• Inventors: Enix, Bruce Wayne
• Primary Examiner(s): Sun, Yulin
• Application Number:
  US13/047,026
• Publication Number:
  US 20120236142A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,619 Days
• Field of Search: 348118
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 19/004 Devices for guiding or controlling the machines along a predetermined path for graders or bulldozers E02F3/841; for other soil-shifting machines E02F9/2045
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 23/082 using non-powered tools
• 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 9/262 with follow-up actions to control the work tool, e.g. controller

Abstract

A control system for controlling the movement of a machine element of a construction machine may include a camera support, a plurality of video cameras, a processor responsive to the cameras, and a control for providing control signals. The camera support is adapted for attachment to a movable construction machine. The plurality of video cameras are mounted in a row on the camera support, with the cameras being directed downward to define overlapping fields of view beneath the row. The processor determines the relative position of a point of interest on a surface in the overlapping fields of view of at least two adjacent cameras. The control provides control signals for controlling the movement of the construction machine in dependence upon the relative position of the point of interest.

Claims

1. A system for scanning a ground surface in a direction of travel of a movable construction machine, the system comprising:

a camera support adapted for attachment to the movable construction machine;

a plurality of video cameras, said plurality of video cameras being mounted in a row on said camera support with the plurality of video cameras configured to be directed downward toward the ground surface when the camera support is attached to the movable construction machine, and the plurality of video cameras configured to define overlapping fields of view beneath said row, each camera configured to create a two-dimensional pixel image derived from a respective field of view of each camera such that the plurality of video cameras create a plurality of overlapping images; and

a processor and a memory communicatively coupled to the processor, the processor configured to execute instructions stored in the memory to;

receive the plurality of overlapping images from the plurality of video cameras;

receive a selection of at least one point of interest from a first two-dimensional pixel image from a first camera;

locate the at least one point of interest in one or more two-dimensional pixel images from one or more video cameras adjacent to the first camera to determine a point of interest of a first elevation;

responsive to said receipt of the plurality of overlapping images from the plurality of video cameras, determine the relative three-dimensional position of the point of interest on the ground surface in the overlapping fields of view of at least two adjacent cameras;

compare the first elevation with a pre-determined desired elevation of a machine element to determine an offset elevation based off at least the relative three-dimensional position of the point of interest; and

adjust the machine element based on the offset elevation in the direction of travel.

2. The system of claim 1 in which each camera provides an image as a two dimensional pixel matrix, with each pixel corresponding to an associated one of a plurality of vectors in the field of view, and in which said processor determines the relative three-dimensional position of a point of interest by determining the intersection of vectors indicated by the placement of the point of interest within the images from two or more cameras.

3. The system of claim 1, in which said camera support is adapted to extend to the side of the machine.

4. The system of claim 1, in which said row is substantially horizontal.

5. The system of claim 1, in which the spacing between adjacent cameras in said row is substantially uniform.

6. The system of claim 1, in which said row is configured to extend generally in a direction perpendicular to the direction of travel of said construction machine.

7. A control system for controlling the movement of a machine element of a movable construction machine, comprising:

a camera support adapted for attachment to the movable construction machine;

a plurality of video cameras, said cameras being mounted in a row on said camera support, with the plurality of video cameras configured to be directed downward toward a ground surface when the camera support is attached to the movable construction machine, and said plurality of video cameras configured to define overlapping fields of view beneath said row such that the fields of view intersect the ground surface;

a processor, responsive to said plurality of cameras, for determining the relative three-dimensional position of a point of interest on the ground surface in the overlapping fields of view of at least two adjacent cameras; and

a control for providing control signals for controlling the movement of said movable construction machine in a direction of travel on the ground surface in dependence upon the relative three-dimensional position of said point of interest.

8. The control system of claim 7, in which said camera support is configured to extend from said machine to the side of the machine.

9. The control system of claim 8, in which said row is substantially horizontal.

10. The control system of claim 9, in which the spacing between adjacent cameras in said row is substantially uniform.

11. The control system of claim 7, in which said row is configured to extend generally in a direction perpendicular to the direction of travel of said construction machine.

12. The control system of claim 7, in which said row is configured to extend generally in a direction parallel to the direction of travel of said construction machine.

13. The control system of claim 7, in which said point of interest is used by said control as a reference surface.

14. The control system of claim 13, in which the relative positions of a plurality of points of interest are determined at the same time such that said reference surface is mapped.

15. The control system of claim 13, in which the relative positions of said plurality of points is stored.

16. A construction machine control system, comprising:

a camera support attached to the construction machine,

a plurality of video cameras, said plurality of video cameras configured to be directed downward toward a ground surface when the camera support is attached to the construction machine, and said plurality of video cameras configured to define overlapping fields of view beneath said row such that the fields of view intersect the ground surface;

a processor, responsive to said plurality of cameras, for determining the relative three-dimensional position of a point of interest on the ground surface, said point of interest appearing in the overlapping fields of view of at least two adjacent cameras; and

a control, responsive to said processor, for providing control signals for controlling the movement of said construction machine in a direction of travel on the ground surface in dependence upon the relative three-dimensional position of said point of interest.

17. The construction machine control system of claim 16, in which said camera support is configured to extend to the side of said construction machine.

18. The construction machine control system of claim 16, in which said cameras are mounted in a horizontal row on said camera support with the spacing between adjacent cameras being substantially uniform.

19. The construction machine control system of claim 16, in which said row is configured to extend generally in a direction perpendicular to the direction of travel of said construction machine.

20. The construction machine control system of claim 16, in which said row is configured to extend generally in a direction parallel to the direction of travel of said construction machine.

21. The construction machine control system of claim 16, in which the spacing between adjacent cameras in said row is substantially uniform.

22. The construction machine control system of claim 16, wherein the relative three-dimensional position of said point of interest is associated with a stringline on the ground, and adjustment of a height of a machine element is based on the stringline.