System and method for compacting a worksite surface

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10640943-B2
Application number	US-201715841771-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 14, 2017
Priority date	Dec 14, 2017
Publication date	May 5, 2020
Grant date	May 5, 2020

Abstract

A method includes receiving first information indicative of a location of a perimeter of a worksite surface, and receiving second information indicative of compaction requirements specific to the worksite surface. The method also includes generating a compaction plan based at least partly on the first and second information. Such a compaction plan includes a travel path for a compaction machine. In such a method, the travel path is substantially within the perimeter of the worksite surface. The method also includes causing at least part of the travel path to be displayed via a control interface of the compaction machine. The method further includes receiving an input indicative of approval of the travel path, and controlling operation of the compaction machine on the worksite surface, in accordance with the compaction plan, based at least partly on receiving the input.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method, comprising:
receiving first information indicative of a location of a perimeter of a worksite surface;
receiving second information indicative of compaction requirements specific to the worksite surface;
generating a compaction plan based at least partly on the first and second information, wherein generating the compaction plan includes determining a travel path for a compaction machine, the determined travel path being substantially within the perimeter of the worksite surface;
causing at least part of the determined travel path to be displayed via a control interface of the compaction machine;
receiving an input indicative of approval of the determined travel path; and
controlling operation of the compaction machine on the worksite surface, in accordance with the compaction plan, based at least partly on receiving the input.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first information is received from a location sensor connected to the compaction machine, the location sensor determining the first information based at least partly on the compaction machine traversing the perimeter of the worksite surface.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving third information indicative of a location of a perimeter of an avoidance zone located substantially within the perimeter of the worksite surface, and generating the compaction plan based at least partly on the third information, the compaction machine being prohibited from entering the avoidance zone.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the third information is received from a location sensor connected to the compaction machine, the location sensor determining the third information based at least partly on the compaction machine traversing the perimeter of the avoidance zone.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the compaction requirements include at least one of a number of passes associated with the worksite surface and a density of the worksite surface.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein generating the compaction plan includes:
determining a first polygonal shape substantially matching a corresponding first portion of the worksite surface, and
determining a second polygonal shape substantially matching a corresponding second portion of the worksite surface adjacent to the first portion of the worksite surface, the determined travel path including a first plurality of sequential passes substantially within the first portion of the worksite surface, and a second plurality of sequential passes substantially within the second portion of the worksite surface.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein controlling operation of the compaction machine includes causing the compaction machine to traverse the determined travel path without at least one of steering input from an operator of the compaction machine and speed input from the operator.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein controlling operation of the compaction machine includes controlling, as the compaction machine traverses the determined travel path, at least one of a vibration frequency of a drum connected to the compaction machine and a vibration amplitude of the drum.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determined travel path comprises a plurality of sequential passes across the worksite surface, and wherein generating the compaction plan includes determining, for a drum connected to the compaction machine, at least one of a vibration frequency and a vibration amplitude corresponding to each pass of the plurality of sequential passes.

10. The method of claim 9 , further including receiving third information indicative of a density of a portion of the worksite surface located along the determined travel path, and modifying the at least one of the vibration frequency and the vibration amplitude, as the compaction machine traverses the determined travel path, based at least partly on the third information.

11. A control system, comprising:
a location sensor configured to determine a location of a compaction machine on a worksite surface;
a control interface connected to the compaction machine; and
a controller in communication with the location sensor and the control interface, the controller configured to:
receive first information indicative of a location of a perimeter of the worksite surface,
receive second information indicative of compaction requirements specific to the worksite surface,
generate a compaction plan based at least partly on the first and second information, wherein generating the compaction plan includes determining a travel path for the compaction machine, the determined travel path being substantially within the perimeter of the worksite surface, and
control operation of the compaction machine on the worksite surface, in accordance with the compaction plan, based at least partly on receiving an input indicative of approval of the determined travel path.

12. The control system of claim 11 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
cause at least part of the determined travel path to be displayed via the control interface, and
receive the input via the control interface.

13. The control system of claim 11 , wherein the first information is received from one of the location sensor and memory having the first information stored thereon.

14. The control system of claim 11 , wherein controlling operation of the compaction machine includes controlling, as the compaction machine traverses the determined travel path and without input from an operator of the compaction machine,
a vibration frequency of a drum connected to the compaction machine,
a vibration amplitude of the drum,
steering of the compaction machine, and
speed of the compaction machine.

15. The control system of claim 11 , wherein the controller is in communication with at least one of a remote computing device and a mobile device via a network, the controller being configured to provide the compaction plan to the at least one of the computing device and the mobile device via the network.

16. A compaction machine, comprising:
a substantially cylindrical drum configured to compact a worksite surface as the compaction machine traverses the worksite surface;
a location sensor configured to determine a location of the compaction machine on the worksite surface;
a control interface; and
a controller in communication with the location sensor and the control interface, the controller configured to:
receive first information from the location sensor indicative of a location of a perimeter of the worksite surface,
receive second information indicative of compaction requirements specific to the worksite surface,
generate a compaction plan based at least partly on the first and second information, wherein generating the compaction plan includes determining a travel path for the compaction machine, the determined travel path being substantially within the perimeter of the worksite surface,
cause at least part of the determined travel path to be displayed via the control interface, and
control operation of the compaction machine on the worksite surface, in accordance with the compaction plan, based at least partly on receiving an input indicative of approval of the determined travel path.

17. The compaction machine of claim 16 , wherein generating the compaction plan includes determining at least one of a vibration frequency of the drum and a vibration amplitude of the drum.

18. The compaction machine of claim 17 , wherein the controller is configured to:
receive third information indicative of a density of a por

Assignees

• Caterpillar Paving Products Inc

Inventors

• Marsolek John L
• Mcalpine Jacob J
• Mcgee Robert J
• O'Donnell Timothy M

Classifications

• E02D3/046 Primary

  by tamping or vibrating, e.g. with auxiliary watering of the soil (E02D3/026, E02D3/08 take precedence; generating or transmitting mechanical vibrations for performing mechanical work in general B06B; tamping or vibrating apparatus for working ballast or railways E01B27/00, for consolidating paving materials E01C19/30, for consolidating concrete in general E04G21/06) · CPC title

• E02D2600/10

  comprising sensor means · CPC title

• E01C19/283

  pedestrian-controlled, e.g. with safety arrangements for operator · CPC title

• E01C19/282 Primary

  self-propelled, e.g. with an own traction-unit (E01C19/285 - E01C19/288 take precedence) · CPC title