System and method for validating availability of machine at worksite

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11928624-B2
Application number	US-201916664221-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 25, 2019
Priority date	Oct 25, 2019
Publication date	Mar 12, 2024
Grant date	Mar 12, 2024

Abstract

A worksite management system may include a worksite controller including one or more worksite controller processors configured to receive a signal indicative of a task to be performed by a machine at a worksite, identify a machine for performing the task, and generate a signal indicative of the machine. The worksite management system may also include a mobile device including one or more mobile device processors configured to receive the signal indicative of the machine, display an image representative of the machine, and display a prompt for a person at the worksite to validate availability of the machine to perform the task.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A worksite management system comprising:
a worksite controller comprising one or more worksite controller processors configured to:
receive a signal indicative of an autonomously-performed task to be performed by an autonomously-capable machine at a worksite;
identify whether the autonomously-capable machine is available for performing the autonomous task based on a nexus between a nature of the autonomous task and one or more work tools equipped to the machine;
generate a signal indicative of the autonomously-capable machine; and
generate a control signal causing the autonomously-capable machine to perform the autonomous task; and

a mobile device comprising one or more mobile device processors configured to:
receive the signal indicative of the machine;
display a prompt for a person at the worksite to validate availability of the machine, a condition of the machine, and a condition of the one or more work tools equipped to the machine to perform the autonomously-performed task.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the prompt comprises a machine status prompt configured to facilitate validation that the machine is not currently in use.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the prompt comprises a worksite condition prompt configured to facilitate validation that no obstructions preventing operation of the machine are present at the worksite.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the prompt comprises a machine condition prompt configured to facilitate validation that the machine is in a condition suitable for performing the autonomously-performed task, the machine condition prompt including having a list for the type of machine to be used, for confirming that the machine has a suitable tool for performing the autonomously-performed task, and for confirming a plurality of machine condition parameters.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the machine condition prompt comprises a checklist configured to prompt the person to inspect the plurality of machine condition parameters associated with a state of readiness of a plurality of parts of the machine.

6. The system of claim 4 , wherein the machine condition prompt comprises an imager prompt configured to prompt the person to generate a plurality of images of one or more of a plurality of parts of the machine or portions of an environment in which the machine sits.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more mobile device processors are further configured to:
facilitate selection of a response to a prompt indicative of one of validation of the availability of the machine to perform the autonomously-performed task or denial of the availability of the machine to perform the autonomously-performed task; and
cause an availability signal indicative of the one of the validation or the denial of the availability of the machine to perform the autonomously-performed task to be communicated to the worksite controller.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the one or more worksite controller processors are further configured to receive the availability signal and display an availability image indicative of the one of the validation or the denial of the availability of the machine to perform the autonomously-performed task.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein at least one of the one or more worksite controller processors or the one or more mobile device processors is configured to generate a signal indicative of a cause of the denial of the availability of the machine to perform the autonomously-performed task.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein at least one of the one or more worksite controller processors or the one or more mobile device processors is configured to generate a maintenance order indicative that the machine should be scheduled for service.

11. A method for validating availability of a machine to perform a task at a worksite, the method comprising:
receiving a signal indicative of an autonomously-performed task to be performed by an autonomously-capable machine at a worksite;
identifying a machine for performing the autonomously-performed task based on a nexus between a nature of the autonomously-performed task and one or more work tools equipped to the machine;
generating a signal indicative of the machine;
communicating the signal to a mobile device;
causing a display, on the mobile device, an image representative of the autonomously-capable machine;
causing a display, on the mobile device, of a prompt for a person at the worksite to validate availability of the machine to perform the autonomously-performed task;
causing a display, on the mobile device, of a prompt for validating suitability of the one or more work tools equipped to the machine for the autonomously-performed task for the person at the worksite;
receiving a signal at a worksite controller that the autonomously-capable machine is able to perform the autonomously-performed task; and
generating a control signal causing the autonomously-capable machine to perform the autonomously-performed task.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the prompt to validate availability of the machine comprises a display of a machine status prompt configured to facilitate validation that the machine is not currently in use.

13. The method of claim 11 , further comprising causing a display of a worksite condition prompt configured to facilitate validation that no obstructions preventing operation of the machine are present at the worksite.

14. The method of claim 11 , further comprising causing a display of a machine condition prompt configured to facilitate validation that the machine is in a condition suitable for performing the autonomously-performed task.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the machine condition prompt comprises a checklist configured to prompt the person to inspect a plurality of machine condition parameters associated with a state of readiness of a plurality of parts of the machine.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the machine condition prompt comprises an imager prompt configured to prompt the person to generate a plurality of images of one or more of a plurality of parts of the machine or portions of an environment in which the machine sits.

17. A worksite management system with a memory storing computer-executable instructions which, when executed by the worksite management system, cause the worksite management system to:
receive a signal indicative of an autonomously-performed task to be performed by an autonomously-capable machine at a worksite;
identify a machine for performing the autonomously-performed task based on a nexus between a nature of the autonomously-performed task and one or more work tools or buckets equipped to the machine;
generate a signal indicative of the machine;
communicate the signal indicative of the machine to a mobile device;
cause the mobile device to display on the mobile device an image representative of the machine;
cause the mobile device to display on the mobile device a prompt for a person at the worksite to validate availability of the machine to perform the autonomously-performed task;
cause the mobile device to display a prompt for the person at the worksite to validate a condition of the machine; and
generate a control signal to cause the autonomously-capable machine to perform the autonomously-performed task.

18. The worksite management system of claim 17 , wherein displaying the prompt comprises displaying a machine status prompt configured to facilitate validation that the machine is not currently in use.

19. The worksite manage

Assignees

• Caterpillar Inc

Inventors

• Subramanian Gautham
• Brickner Chad T
• Whiting Mark William

Classifications

• G06Q10/06313 Primary

  Resource planning in a project environment · CPC title

• E02F9/205

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

• E02F9/2054 Primary

  Fleet management · CPC title

• E02F9/262

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

• G05D1/0022

  characterised by the communication link (data switching networks in general H04L12/00) · CPC title