Velocity control for construction machines

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11669073-B2
Application number	US-202017103281-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 24, 2020
Priority date	Nov 24, 2020
Publication date	Jun 6, 2023
Grant date	Jun 6, 2023

Abstract

Described herein are systems, methods, and other techniques for controlling a velocity of a construction machine operating within a construction site. Sensor data is captured using one or more sensors of the construction machine while the construction machine is moving at the velocity in a forward or a backward direction. An actual surface of the construction site is estimated based on the sensor data. A deviation between a target surface and the actual surface is calculated. An actual performance metric is calculated based on the deviation. The actual performance metric is compared to a target performance metric to determine a velocity adjustment. The velocity of the construction machine is adjusted by the velocity adjustment.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computer-implemented method of controlling a velocity of a construction machine operating within a construction site, the method comprising:
capturing sensor data using one or more sensors of the construction machine while the construction machine is moving at the velocity in a forward or a backward direction;
estimating an actual surface of the construction site based on the sensor data captured using the one or more sensors;
calculating a deviation between a target surface and the actual surface;
calculating an actual performance metric based on the deviation;
comparing the actual performance metric to a target performance metric to determine a velocity adjustment, wherein the velocity adjustment is determined so as to reduce an error between the actual performance metric and the target performance metric; and
adjusting the velocity of the construction machine by the velocity adjustment;
wherein:
the actual performance metric is a decreasing function of the deviation;
the velocity adjustment is negative if the actual performance metric is less than the target performance metric; and
the velocity adjustment is positive if the actual performance metric is greater than the target performance metric.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the deviation includes a plurality of distances between the target surface and the actual surface.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein adjusting the velocity of the construction machine by the velocity adjustment includes:
providing the velocity adjustment to a velocity controller of the construction machine.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more sensors include an inertial sensor mounted to an implement of the construction machine.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4 , wherein the inertial sensor is configured to detect a vertical movement of the implement while the construction machine is moving.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein comparing the actual performance metric to the target performance metric to determine the velocity adjustment includes:
calculating the error between the actual performance metric and the target performance metric; and
determining the velocity adjustment based on the error.

7. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations for controlling a velocity of a construction machine operating within a construction site, the operations comprising:
capturing sensor data using one or more sensors of the construction machine while the construction machine is moving at the velocity in a forward or a backward direction;
estimating an actual surface of the construction site based on the sensor data captured using the one or more sensors;
calculating a deviation between a target surface and the actual surface;
calculating an actual performance metric based on the deviation;
comparing the actual performance metric to a target performance metric to determine a velocity adjustment, wherein the velocity adjustment is determined so as to reduce an error between the actual performance metric and the target performance metric; and
adjusting the velocity of the construction machine by the velocity adjustment;
wherein:
the actual performance metric is a decreasing function of the deviation;
the velocity adjustment is negative if the actual performance metric is less than the target performance metric; and
the velocity adjustment is positive if the actual performance metric is greater than the target performance metric.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 7 , wherein the deviation includes a plurality of distances between the target surface and the actual surface.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 7 , wherein adjusting the velocity of the construction machine by the velocity adjustment includes:
providing the velocity adjustment to a velocity controller of the construction machine.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 7 , wherein the one or more sensors include an inertial sensor mounted to an implement of the construction machine.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10 , wherein the inertial sensor is configured to detect a vertical movement of the implement while the construction machine is moving.

12. A system comprising:
one or more processors; and
a computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:
capturing sensor data using one or more sensors of a construction machine while the construction machine is moving at a velocity in a forward or a backward direction;
estimating an actual surface of a construction site based on the sensor data captured using the one or more sensors;
calculating a deviation between a target surface and the actual surface;
calculating an actual performance metric based on the deviation;
comparing the actual performance metric to a target performance metric to determine a velocity adjustment, wherein the velocity adjustment is determined so as to reduce an error between the actual performance metric and the target performance metric; and
adjusting the velocity of the construction machine by the velocity adjustment;
wherein:
the actual performance metric is a decreasing function of the deviation;
the velocity adjustment is negative if the actual performance metric is less than the target performance metric; and
the velocity adjustment is positive if the actual performance metric is greater than the target performance metric.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the deviation includes a plurality of distances between the target surface and the actual surface.

14. The system of claim 12 , wherein adjusting the velocity of the construction machine by the velocity adjustment includes:
providing the velocity adjustment to a velocity controller of the construction machine.

15. The system of claim 12 , wherein the one or more sensors include an inertial sensor mounted to an implement of the construction machine.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the inertial sensor is configured to detect a vertical movement of the implement while the construction machine is moving.

Assignees

• Caterpillar Trimble Control Tech Llc

Inventors

• Hill Jason
• Wray Albert

Classifications

• E02F9/262

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

• G06Q50/08

  Construction · CPC title

• E02F3/84

  Drives or control devices therefor {, e.g. hydraulic drive systems} · CPC title

• G05B2219/37347

  Speed, velocity · 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