Automatic site planning for autonomous construction vehicles

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11054831-B2
Application number	US-201816144456-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 27, 2018
Priority date	Sep 27, 2018
Publication date	Jul 6, 2021
Grant date	Jul 6, 2021

Abstract

A method for controlling an autonomous construction vehicle may include defining a boundary of a construction site and automatically creating a site plan for navigating the autonomous construction vehicle within the boundary. The site plan includes a work area within the boundary, a maneuver area positioned between the work area and the boundary, a start point for the autonomous construction vehicle, and a path for the autonomous construction vehicle. A controller can then provide the site plan for review and activate autonomy mode to automatically control the autonomous construction vehicle according to the site plan.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for controlling an autonomous construction vehicle, comprising:
defining a boundary of a construction site;
identifying a longest edge of the boundary;
defining path orientation for the autonomous construction vehicle that is parallel to the longest edge of the boundary;
defining a start point for the autonomous construction vehicle;
defining a maneuver area for the autonomous construction vehicle based on the boundary and specifications of the autonomous construction vehicle;
defining a path for the autonomous construction vehicle to navigate the construction site, wherein the path is oriented according to the path orientation, including:
defining a first path portion starting at the start point and extending in a direction corresponding with the path orientation, and
defining a maneuver path in the maneuver area;

automatically creating a site plan indicating the boundary, path, start point, and maneuver area; and
controlling the operation of the autonomous construction vehicle based on the site plan.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein defining the boundary of the construction site includes mapping the boundary based on movement of the autonomous construction vehicle along the boundary.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein defining the boundary of the construction site includes downloading boundary information.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein defining the path orientation includes:
defining a vehicle heading of the autonomous construction vehicle; and
defining the path orientation as parallel to the vehicle heading.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein defining the start point comprises:
identifying a current position of the autonomous construction vehicle; and
selecting the start point based on the current position of the autonomous construction vehicle.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein defining the maneuver area comprises:
defining front, rear, and side offsets within the boundary.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein defining the path further comprises:
defining a second portion of the path offset from the first portion of the path and extending in the direction corresponding with the path orientation.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein defining the maneuver path comprises:
defining the maneuver path to navigate the autonomous construction vehicle from the first portion of the path to the second portion of the path.

9. A method for controlling an autonomous construction vehicle, comprising:
defining a boundary of a construction site;
identifying a longest edge of the boundary;
automatically creating a site plan for navigating the autonomous construction vehicle within the boundary, including:
defining a work area within the boundary,
defining a maneuver area for the autonomous construction vehicle based on the boundary and specifications of the autonomous construction vehicle, the maneuver area positioned between the work area and the boundary,
defining a start point for the autonomous construction vehicle, and
defining a path for the autonomous construction vehicle to navigate the construction site, including:
defining a first path portion in the work area that is parallel to a longest edge of the boundary, and
defining a second path portion in the work area, wherein the autonomous construction vehicle is configured to maneuver in the maneuver area to navigate from the first path portion to the second path portion, providing the site plan for review; and

activating autonomy mode to automatically control operation of the autonomous construction vehicle according to the site plan.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
receiving manual input responsive to providing the site plan for review; and
automatically updating the site plan based on the user input.

11. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
receiving stop instructions; and
automatically deactivating autonomy mode.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
receiving resume instructions:
updating the site plan responsive to the resume instructions; and
activating autonomy mode.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein updating the site plan includes defining a restart point.

14. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
completing the site plan, and
automatically creating a subsequent plan based on the site plan.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein:
the subsequent plan includes a new boundary, a new work area, a new maneuver area, a new path, and a new start point; and
wherein the new start point is based on a stop point of the autonomous construction vehicle after completing the site plan.

16. A system, comprising:
an autonomous construction vehicle; and
a controller, the controller configured to:
define a boundary of a construction site;
define a path orientation for the autonomous construction vehicle such that each path portion within a work area is parallel to a longest edge of the boundary;
define a start point for the autonomous construction vehicle;
define a maneuver area for the autonomous construction vehicle based on the boundary and specifications of the autonomous construction vehicle;
define a path for the autonomous construction vehicle to navigate the construction site, wherein the path includes a first path portion extending from the start point to the maneuver area, wherein the path is oriented according to the path orientation;
automatically create a site plan indicating the boundary, path, start point, and maneuver area; and
automatically control the operation of the autonomous construction vehicle based on the site plan.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein:
the autonomous construction vehicle includes a front and a rear;
a heading of the autonomous construction vehicle is defined by a position of the front relative to a position of the rear; and
the controller is configured to define the path orientation based on the heading of the autonomous construction vehicle.

18. The system of claim 16 , wherein the controller is configured to define the start point based on a position of the autonomous construction vehicle.

19. The system of claim 16 , wherein the controller is configured to define the maneuver area to include an offset from one side of the boundary large enough to accommodate the autonomous construction vehicle moving from the first portion of the path to a second portion of the path.

Assignees

• Caterpillar Paving Products Inc

Inventors

• O'Donnell Timothy M
• Mcgee Robert J

Classifications

• E02F9/205

  Remotely operated machines, e.g. unmanned vehicles (E02F3/8866 takes precedence) · CPC title

• E01C19/004

  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 title

• B60W50/00

  Details of control systems for road vehicle drive control not related to the control of a particular sub-unit {, e.g. process diagnostic or vehicle driver interfaces} · CPC title

• B60W30/00 Primary

  Purposes of road vehicle drive control systems not related to the control of a particular sub-unit, e.g. of systems using conjoint control of vehicle sub-units · CPC title

• E01C19/23

  Rollers therefor; Such rollers usable also for compacting soil ({E01C19/41,} E01C19/43, {E01C19/52, E01C23/065} take precedence; specially adapted for agricultural purposes A01B29/00; garden rollers A01G20/35; making or maintaining surfaces of snow or ice E01H4/00; solely for soil compaction E02D3/026) · CPC title