Loading vehicle and receiving vehicle control

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11542109-B2
Application number	US-202016826807-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 23, 2020
Priority date	Mar 23, 2020
Publication date	Jan 3, 2023
Grant date	Jan 3, 2023

Abstract

A loading vehicle detects the position of a receiving vehicle relative to the loading vehicle and determines whether the receiving vehicle is to be repositioned. If so, it sends a repositioning message to the receiving vehicle and receives acknowledgement that the loading vehicle has remote control of the positioning mechanisms in the receiving vehicle. A loading vehicle operator input is detected and a position control signal is sent to the receiving vehicle to reposition it relative to the loading vehicle.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A control system for a loading vehicle, comprising:
a reposition message generator that generates a reposition message to a receiving vehicle indicating that an operator of the loading vehicle is to remotely reposition the receiving vehicle;
an interface configuration system that configures an operator interface mechanism on the loading vehicle to receive repositioning control inputs from a loading vehicle operator;
a position control signal generator that generates a position control signal, to reposition the receiving vehicle, based on the repositioning control inputs; and
a communication system that communicates the position control signal from the loading vehicle to the receiving vehicle to perform a repositioning operation to remotely reposition the receiving vehicle.

2. The control system of claim 1 wherein the interface configuration system reconfigures the operator interface mechanism to receive loading vehicle control inputs, after the repositioning operation.

3. The control system of claim 2 and further comprising:
a position detector that detects a position of the receiving vehicle relative to the loading vehicle and generates a relative position signal; and
a reposition identification system that automatically identifies whether a repositioning operation is to be performed based on the relative position signal.

4. The control system of claim 1 and further comprising:
a load weighing mechanism that is configured to detect a weight or mass of material carried by the loading vehicle prior to being loaded into a dump body on the receiving vehicle and to generate a first load value signal indicative of the detected weight or mass.

5. The control system of claim 4 and further comprising:
a comparison system that receives a second load value signal from the receiving vehicle, indicative of a weight or mass of material received by the receiving vehicle from the loading vehicle, and compares the first load value to the second load value to generate a comparison signal; and
an action signal generator configured to generate an action signal based on the comparison signal.

6. The control system of claim 5 and further comprising:
a dig detector that detects a dig operation and generates a dig detected signal; and
a dump detector that detects a dump operation when the material is loaded from the loading vehicle to the receiving vehicle and generates a dump detected signal, wherein the load weighing mechanism generates the first load value after the dig operation and before the dump operation based on the dig detected signal and the dump detected signal.

7. The control system of claim 5 and further comprising:
a spillage detection system configured to detect spillage of the material during loading based on the comparison signal, the action signal generator generating the action signal based on detected spillage.

8. A control system of a first dump vehicle, comprising:
a notification processing system that receives a settings change notification indicative of a settings change on a second dump vehicle and a first geographic location where the settings change on the second dump vehicle occurred;
a position detector that detects a geographic location of the first dump vehicle and generates a location signal indicative of the detected geographic location of the first dump vehicle; and
a control signal generator that generates a settings control signal to control a controllable subsystem of the first dump vehicle based on the settings change indicated in the settings change notification, the first geographic location and the detected geographic location of the first dump vehicle.

9. The control system of claim 8 wherein the notification processing system comprises:
a map system accessible by the first dump vehicle, wherein the settings change notification is added as a marker at a geographic location on the map system and is indicative of the settings change.

10. The control system of claim 9 and further comprising:
a settings change detector that detects a settings change on the first dump vehicle and generates a settings change notification indicative of a geographic location where the settings change on the first dump vehicle occurred and the settings change on the first dump vehicle.

11. The control system of claim 10 wherein the notification processing system adds the settings change notification generated by the settings change detector to a map system that is accessible by the second dump vehicle.

12. The control system of claim 10 wherein the notification processing system comprises:
a broadcast system configured to communicate the settings change notification to other vehicles.

13. The control system of claim 8 wherein the notification processing system comprises:
a communication system that receives a wireless communication of the settings change notification from the second dump vehicle.

14. The control system of claim 8 wherein the first dump vehicle includes positioning operator input mechanisms that are actuated by an operator of the first dump vehicle to control the position of the first dump vehicle, and further comprising:
an input mechanism enable/disable component configured to receive a repositioning message from a loading vehicle, indicating that an operator of the loading vehicle is to remotely reposition the first dump vehicle, and disable the positioning operator input mechanisms.

15. The control system of claim 14 and further comprising:
remote signal conversion logic that receives a repositioning control signal from the loading vehicle and converts the repositioning control signal into a repositioning signal on the first dump vehicle.

16. The control system of claim 15 and further comprising:
control signal generator logic that generates a control signal to control a controllable subsystem on the first dump vehicle to reposition the first dump vehicle, based on the converted repositioning signal.

Assignees

• Deere & Co

Inventors

• Stander Francois
• Schmidt Michael J

Classifications

• E02F9/265

  with follow-up actions (e.g. control signals sent to actuate the work tool) · CPC title

• E02F9/262

  with follow-up actions to control the work tool, e.g. controller · CPC title

• G01C21/34

  Route searching; Route guidance · CPC title

• B65G2814/0302

  Central control devices · CPC title

• E02F3/434

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