System and method for detection of load and dump locations

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10504372-B2
Application number	US-201715837105-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 11, 2017
Priority date	Dec 11, 2017
Publication date	Dec 10, 2019
Grant date	Dec 10, 2019

Abstract

A system for detecting a load location and a dump location at a worksite is provided. The system includes a controller coupled to a position detection module and a speed detection module. The controller receives a position signal and a speed signal associated with the machine. The controller identities a load location based on a relative distance between the machine and a loading tool and the speed of the machine. The controller monitors a velocity of the machine as the machine moves away from the identified load location, gathers data related to a plurality of stops made by the machine, and builds a heuristic model. The controller selects one stop from the plurality of stops as a dump location based on a distance between the respective dump location and the load location, a duration of stopping of the machine, and a confidence score associated with the respective dump location.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for detecting a load location and a dump location at a worksite, the system comprising:
a position detection module associated with a machine, the position detection module configured to generate a position signal indicative of a position of the machine at the worksite;
a speed detection module associated with the machine, the speed detection module is configured to generate a speed signal indicative of a speed of the machine; and
a controller coupled to the position detection module and the speed detection module, the controller configured to:
receive the position signal indicative of the position of the machine;
receive the speed signal indicative of the speed of the machine;
identify a load location on the worksite based on a relative distance between the machine and a loading tool and the speed of the machine;
monitor a velocity of the machine as the machine moves away from the identified load location;
gather data related to a plurality of stops made by the machine; and
build a heuristic model and select one stop from the plurality of stops as a dump location based on a distance between the respective dump location and the load location, a duration of stopping of the machine, and a confidence score associated with the respective dump location.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to identify a type of the machine as any one of the loading tool and a hauler.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein identification of the load location further includes:
identifying a load zone in an area surrounding the load location and building a confidence score in the identified load location based on monitoring activities of a plurality of machines in the area.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the relative distance between the machine and the loading tool for identification of the load location lies in a range between 11 m and 15 m.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein for selecting the one stop from the plurality of stops the controller is configured to identify a dump zone in an area surrounding the respective stop and build a confidence score in the respective stop based on monitoring activities of a plurality of machines in the area.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to discard remaining stops from the plurality of stops that occur after the stop identified as the dump location.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further coupled to an output device, such that the controller is configured to provide a notification of the identified load and dump locations.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to identify the load and dump locations on a real-time basis.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to determine if the respective stop from the plurality of stops is farthest from the identified load location.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to correlate a number of the load locations and a number of the dump location for the machine.

11. A method for detecting a load location and a dump location at a worksite, the method comprising:
receiving, by a controller, a position signal indicative of a position of a machine;
receiving, by the controller, a speed signal indicative of a speed of the machine;
identifying, by the controller, a load location on the worksite based on a relative distance between the machine and a loading tool and the speed of the machine;
monitoring, by the controller, a velocity of the machine as the machine moves away from the identified load location;
gathering, by the controller, data related to a plurality of stops made by the machine; and
building a heuristic model and selecting, by the controller, one stop from the plurality of stops as a dump location based on a distance between the respective dump location and the load location, a duration of stopping of the machine, and a confidence score associated with the respective dump location.

12. The method of claim 11 further including identifying, by the controller, a type of the machine as any one of the loading tool and a hauler.

13. The method of 11 , wherein identification of the load location further includes:
identifying, by the controller, a load zone in an area surrounding the load location and building, by the controller, a confidence score in the identified load location based on monitoring activities of a plurality of machines in the area.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the relative distance between the machine and the loading tool for identification of the load location lies in a range between 11 m and 15 m.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein selecting the one stop from the plurality of stops includes identifying, by the controller, a dump zone in an area surrounding the respective stop and building, by the controller, a confidence score in the respective stop based on monitoring activities of a plurality of machines in the area.

16. The method of claim 11 further including discarding, by the controller, remaining stops from the plurality of stops that occur after the stop identified as the dump location.

17. The method of claim 11 further including providing, by the controller, a notification of the identified load and dump locations through an output device.

18. The method of claim 11 further including detecting, by the controller, the load and dump locations on a real-time basis.

19. The method of claim 11 further including determining, by the controller, if the respective stop from the plurality of stops is farthest from the identified load location.

20. The method of claim 11 further including correlating, by the controller, a number of the load locations and a number of the dump location for the machine.

Assignees

• Caterpillar Inc

Inventors

• Talmaki Sanat A
• Smallenberger Jason L

Classifications

• H10P72/36

  using air tracks · CPC title

• H10P72/30

  for conveying, e.g. between different workstations · CPC title

• B25J11/00

  Manipulators not otherwise provided for · CPC title

• E02F3/438

  Memorising movements for repetition, e.g. play-back capability · CPC title

• B27C7/005

  by means of a rotating tool · CPC title