System and method for automatic dump control

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10106951-B2
Application number	US-201615271571-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 21, 2016
Priority date	Sep 21, 2016
Publication date	Oct 23, 2018
Grant date	Oct 23, 2018

Abstract

An automatic dump control system and method are disclosed for a loader having a boom and a bucket each positionable by hydraulic cylinders actuated by a hydraulic circuit. The control system includes a source of image data of a receptacle and a source of position data for the boom and the bucket. The control system includes a controller that: determines a height of the receptacle based on the image data; determines a difference between the height of the receptacle and a height of the bucket based on the position data; outputs one or more control signals to the hydraulic circuit to position at least one of the boom and the bucket at a target height above the receptacle; determines that the bucket is positioned over the receptacle; and outputs one or more control signals to the hydraulic circuit to dump a load in the bucket into the receptacle.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An automatic dump control system for a loader work vehicle, the loader work vehicle having a boom and a bucket each positionable by hydraulic cylinders actuated by a hydraulic circuit, the control system comprising:
a source of image data of a receptacle;
a source of position data for the boom and the bucket; and
a controller that:
determines a height of the receptacle based on the image data;
determines a difference between the height of the receptacle and a height of the bucket based on the position data;
outputs one or more control signals to the hydraulic circuit to position at least one of the boom and the bucket at a target height above the receptacle based on the difference;
determines that the bucket is positioned over the receptacle based on the image data and the position data; and
outputs one or more control signals to the hydraulic circuit to position the bucket at a dump position to dump a load in the bucket into the receptacle based on the determination;
wherein the controller determines a distance to the receptacle based on the image data, receives a source of a speed of the loader work vehicle, and determines whether the bucket is positionable by the hydraulic circuit at the target height above the receptacle based on the position data, the distance and the speed of the loader work vehicle.

2. The control system of claim 1 , wherein the controller outputs one or more control signals to a propulsion system of the loader work vehicle to slow the speed of the loader work vehicle based on the determination that the bucket is unable to be positioned at the target height within the distance.

3. The control system of claim 1 , wherein the controller outputs one or more control signals to a braking system of the loader work vehicle to slow the speed of the loader work vehicle based on the determination that the bucket is unable to be positioned at the target height within the distance.

4. The control system of claim 1 , wherein the loader work vehicle includes a display, and the controller generates a user interface for display on the display based on the difference.

5. The control system of claim 1 , wherein the controller outputs one or more control signals to an audible device based on the difference.

6. The control system of claim 1 , wherein the controller outputs one or more control signals to the hydraulic circuit to perform a rap-out procedure after the bucket is positioned at the dump position.

7. The control system of claim 1 , wherein the loader work vehicle has a transmission including at least a reverse gear that is selectable by an operator, and based on the height of the receptacle, the position data and the selection of the reverse gear, the controller outputs one or more control signals to the hydraulic circuit to position at least one of the boom or the bucket at a target height above the receptacle.

8. The control system of claim 1 , wherein the controller determines a distance to the receptacle based on the image data, receives a source of a speed of the loader work vehicle, and outputs control signals to the hydraulic circuit and a propulsion system of the loader work vehicle based on the position data, the distance, and the speed of the loader work vehicle to raise the height of the bucket above the height of the receptacle before the loader work vehicle traverses the distance.

9. A method for automatic dump control for a loader work vehicle, the loader work vehicle having a boom and a bucket each positionable by hydraulic cylinders actuated by a hydraulic circuit, the method comprising:
receiving image data of a receptacle;
determining, by a controller, a height of the receptacle based on the image data;
determining, by the controller, a difference between the height of the receptacle and a height of the bucket based on a position of the boom and the bucket;
outputting, by the controller, one or more control signals to the hydraulic circuit to position at least one of the boom and the bucket at a target height above the receptacle based on the difference;
outputting, by the controller, one or more control signals to the hydraulic circuit to position the bucket at a dump position based on the position of the boom and the bucket and the image data; and
determining, by the controller, that the bucket is positioned above the receptacle based on the position of the boom and the bucket and the image data.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the loader work vehicle includes a display, and the method further comprises:
generating, by the controller, a user interface for display on the display based on the difference.

11. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
outputting, by the controller, one or more control signals to the hydraulic circuit to perform a rap-out procedure after the bucket is positioned at the dump position.

12. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
determining, by the controller, a distance to the receptacle based on the image data; and
determining, by the controller, whether the bucket is positionable by the hydraulic circuit at the target height above the receptacle based on the position data, the distance and a speed of the loader work vehicle.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
outputting, by the controller, one or more control signals to a propulsion system of the loader work vehicle to slow the speed of the loader work vehicle based on the determination that the bucket is unable to be positioned at the target height within the distance.

14. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
outputting, by the controller, one or more control signals to a braking system of the loader work vehicle to slow the speed of the loader work vehicle based on the determination that the bucket is unable to be positioned at the target height within the distance.

15. An automatic dump control system for a loader work vehicle, the loader work vehicle having a boom and a bucket each positionable by hydraulic cylinders actuated by a hydraulic circuit, the control system comprising:
a source of image data of a receptacle;
a source of position data for the boom and the bucket, and a speed of the loader work vehicle; and
a controller that:
determines a height of the receptacle and a distance to the receptacle based on the image data;
determines a difference between the height of the receptacle and a height of the bucket based on the position data;
determines whether the bucket is positionable at a target height above the receptacle based on the difference, the position data, the speed of the loader work vehicle and the distance; and
outputs one or more control signals to the hydraulic circuit to position at least one of the boom and the bucket at the target height above the receptacle based on the determination;
wherein the controller outputs control signals to the hydraulic circuit and a propulsion system of the loader work vehicle based on the position data, the distance, and the speed of the loader work vehicle to raise the height of the bucket above the height of the receptacle before the loader work vehicle traverses the distance.

16. The control system of claim 15 , wherein the controller determines that the bucket is positioned over the receptacle based on the image data and the position data and outputs one or more control signals to the hydraulic circuit to position the bucket at a dump position to dump a load in the bucket into the receptacle based on the determination.

17. The control system of claim 15 , wherein the controller outputs one or more control signals

Assignees

• Deere & Co

Inventors

• Myers David J

Classifications

• E02F3/434 Primary

  providing automatic sequences of movements, e.g. automatic dumping or loading, automatic return-to-dig · CPC title

• E02F9/2062

  Control of propulsion units (for control of the prime mover depending on the load in a hydraulic or pneumatic drive E02F9/2246) · CPC title

• E02F9/2041

  Automatic repositioning of implements, i.e. memorising determined positions of the implement (for dipper-arms or bucket-arms E02F3/434, E02F3/437, E02F3/438, E02F3/439 take precedence) · CPC title

• E02F3/34

  with bucket-arms {, i.e. a pair of arms, e.g. manufacturing processes, form, geometry, material of bucket-arms (with a single arm E02F3/283)} directly pivoted on the frames of tractors or self-propelled machines · CPC title

• E02F9/26

  Indicating devices {(E02F5/145 takes precedence)} · CPC title