Concrete drum control, property prediction, and monitoring systems and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10987829-B2
Application number	US-201715624885-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 16, 2017
Priority date	Jun 17, 2016
Publication date	Apr 27, 2021
Grant date	Apr 27, 2021

Abstract

A vehicle includes a chassis, an engine, a drum assembly, and a control system. The drum assembly includes a drum configured to receive drum contents and a drive system coupled to the drum. The drive system is configured to rotate the drum to agitate the drum contents. The control system is configured to operate the drive system at a drive speed; receive data comprising at least one of (i) a drum speed command from a remote monitoring system, (ii) a signal from a mixture sensor configured to acquire mixture data indicative of a current property of the drum contents, (iii) the current property of the drum contents from the remote monitoring system, and (iv) an initial property of the mixture from at least one of a batching system, the mixture sensor, and a user input device; and adjust the drive speed of the drum based on the data.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A vehicle comprising:
a chassis;
an engine coupled to the chassis;
a drum assembly coupled to the chassis, the drum assembly including:
a drum configured to receive drum contents including at least one of ingredients of a mixture or the mixture; and
a drive system coupled to the drum, the drive system configured to rotate the drum to agitate the drum contents;

a mixture sensor positioned to acquire mixture data indicative of a property of the drum contents; and
a control system having one or more memory devices coupled to one or more processors, the one or more memory devices configured to store instructions thereon that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:
acquire environment data regarding environmental characteristics;
acquire GPS data including information regarding characteristics of a route between an initial location of the drum contents and a destination for the drum contents;
receive an initial property of the drum contents from at least one of a batching system, the mixture sensor, or a user input device;
receive a target property for the drum contents;
operate the drive system at a first drive speed, wherein the first drive speed is determined based on the initial property, the target property, the environment data, and the GPS data in an attempt to arrive at the final destination with the drum contents having the target property;
receive a signal from the mixture sensor indicative of a current property of the drum contents at a current location different than the initial location; and
adjust the first drive speed of the drive system to a second drive speed, wherein the second drive speed is determined based on the target property, the current property, updated environment data, and updated GPS data.

2. The vehicle claim 1 , wherein the GPS data includes at least one of a travel distance, a travel time, traffic information, or a road parameter between the initial location and the destination.

3. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the one or more memory devices are further configured to store instructions thereon that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to increase or decrease the first drive speed to a third drive speed while the mixture sensor is acquiring the mixture data.

4. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the one or more memory devices are further configured to store instructions thereon that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to adjust the first drive speed of the drum to the second drive speed to provide the target property for the drum contents in response to the current property of the drum contents at least one of approaching or reaching the target property.

5. The vehicle of claim 4 , wherein the one or more memory devices are further configured to store instructions thereon that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to provide an indication that the current property of the drum contents at least one of is approaching or has reached the target property.

6. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the drum assembly further includes a fluid injection device configured to facilitate injecting a fluid into the drum to interact with the drum contents, wherein the control system is configured to control the fluid injection device and the drive system to provide the target property for the drum contents.

7. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the one or more memory devices are further configured to store instructions thereon that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:
operate the drive system at an initial mix speed in response to the drum receiving the ingredients of the mixture; and
determine that the ingredients are mixed prior to adjusting the initial mix speed of the drum to the first drive speed.

8. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the one or more memory devices are further configured to store instructions thereon that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:
receive an indication from at least one of the mixture sensor, the batching system, or the user input device that the drum is receiving, has received, or is about to receive the drum contents; and
provide a start command to the drive system to control rotation of the drum in response to receiving the indication.

9. A vehicle comprising:
a chassis;
an engine coupled to the chassis;
a drum assembly coupled to the chassis, the drum assembly including:
a drum configured to receive drum contents including at least one of ingredients or a mixture; and
a drive system coupled to the engine and the drum, the drive system configured to rotate the drum to agitate the drum contents; and

a control system having one or more memory devices coupled to one or more processors, the one or more memory devices configured to store instructions thereon that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:
operate the drive system at a target drive speed;
receive an indication regarding anticipated operation of the vehicle at a location ahead of the vehicle; and
preemptively adjust the target drive speed of the drive system at least one of prior to reaching or as approaching the location based on the indication;
wherein the indication includes at least one of:
a future road attribute at the location ahead of the vehicle; or
at least one of an anticipated acceleration or an anticipated deceleration of the vehicle.

10. The vehicle of claim 9 , wherein the one or more memory devices are further configured to store instructions thereon that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to actively control a component of the drive system such that the target drive speed of the drum does not fluctuate as engine speed varies.

11. The vehicle of claim 9 , wherein the indication includes the future road attribute, the future road attribute including at least one of a road grade, a road curvature, a speed limit, a stop sign location, a traffic light location, a road classification, an on ramp location, an off ramp location, or traffic information, and wherein the one or more memory devices are further configured to store instructions thereon that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to temporarily adjust the target drive speed of the drum to a second drive speed based on the future road attribute to prevent a portion of the drum contents from spilling from an outlet of the drum.

12. The vehicle of claim 9 , wherein the indication includes the at least one of the anticipated acceleration or the anticipated deceleration of the vehicle, and wherein the one or more memory devices are further configured to store instructions thereon that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to temporarily adjust the target drive speed of the drum to a second drive speed based on the indication to prevent a portion of the drum contents from spilling from an outlet of the drum.

13. A vehicle comprising:
a chassis;
a drum assembly coupled to the chassis, the drum assembly including:
a drum configured to receive drum contents; and
a drive system coupled to the drum, the drive system configured to rotate the drum to agitate the drum contents; and

a control system having one or more memory devices coupled to one or more processors, the one or more memory devices configured to store instructions thereon that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more proc

Assignees

• Oshkosh Corp

Inventors

• Datema Bryan S
• Yakes Christopher K

Classifications

• G05D13/00

  Control of linear speed; Control of angular speed; Control of acceleration or deceleration, e.g. of a prime mover · CPC title

• G06Q10/04

  Forecasting or optimisation specially adapted for administrative or management purposes, e.g. linear programming or "cutting stock problem" (market predictions or forecasting for commercial activities G06Q30/0202) · CPC title

• B60P3/16

  for carrying mixed concrete, e.g. having rotatable drums {(concrete-mixing apparatus specially adapted for being mounted on vehicles with provision for mixing during transport B28C5/42)} · CPC title

• B28C5/422 Primary

  Controlling or measuring devices (B28C5/4227 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G06Q10/06315

  Needs-based resource requirements planning or analysis · CPC title