System and method for defining an area of a worksite

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11997561-B2
Application number	US-202217715560-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 7, 2022
Priority date	Apr 7, 2022
Publication date	May 28, 2024
Grant date	May 28, 2024

Abstract

A method includes receiving information indicative of a perimeter of a first portion of a work surface, generating, based on the information, a first geofence substantially overlaying the perimeter, and causing a display to display the first geofence. The method also includes receiving a first input indicating an accuracy of the first geofence. The method further includes determining that at least part of the first geofence is less than a threshold distance from a second geofence associated with the work surface. The method also includes generating, based on determining that the at least part of the first geofence is less than the threshold distance from the second geofence, a third geofence associated with the work surface.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method, comprising:
receiving information indicative of a perimeter of a first portion of a work surface;
generating, based on the information, a first geofence substantially overlaying the perimeter, the first geofence defining a first internal area;
causing a display to display the first geofence;
receiving, based on displaying the first geofence, a first input indicating an accuracy of the first geofence;
determining that at least part of the first geofence is less than a threshold distance from a second geofence associated with the work surface, the second geofence defining a second internal area; and
generating, based on determining that the at least part of the first geofence is less than the threshold distance from the second geofence, a third geofence associated with the work surface, the third geofence including at least part of the first internal area and at least part of the second internal area.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the information includes coordinate information determined by a location sensor carried by a machine disposed on the work surface.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first input indicates that the first geofence is inaccurate, and the information comprises first information, the method further comprising receiving second information indicative of a modification to the first geofence.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:
determining, based on the second information, that the modification extends beyond a boundary of the first geofence; and
based on determining that the modification extends beyond the boundary of the first geofence, causing the display to display a notification corresponding to the modification.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:
receiving, based on displaying the notification, a second input; and
updating the first geofence, based on the second input, in accordance with the second information.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least part of the first geofence comprises a node of the first geofence, a segment of the first geofence, or a side of the first geofence.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
causing, based on determining that the at least part of the first geofence is less than the threshold distance from the second geofence, the display to display the first geofence together with the second geofence; and
causing the display to display a request for a confirmation associated with generating the third geofence.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
receiving, based on displaying the request, a second input; and
generating the third geofence based on the second input.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining that the at least part of the first geofence is less than the threshold distance from the second geofence comprises determining that the at least part of the first geofence overlays at least part of the second geofence.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein generating the third geofence comprises generating a geofence segment extending from the first geofence to the second geofence, the third geofence including the geofence segment.

11. A system, comprising:
a location sensor configured to determine a location of a machine on a work surface;
a display; and
a controller in communication with the location sensor and the display, the controller configured to:
receive location information determined by the location sensor, the location information being indicative of a perimeter of a first portion of the work surface;
generate, based on the location information, a first geofence substantially overlaying the perimeter, the first geofence defining a first internal area;
cause the display to display the first geofence;
receive, based on displaying the first geofence, a first input indicating an accuracy of the first geofence;
determine that at least part of the first geofence is less than a threshold distance from a second geofence associated with the work surface, the second geofence defining a second internal area; and
generate, based on determining that the at least part of the first geofence is less than the threshold distance from the second geofence, a third geofence associated with the work surface, the third geofence including at least part of the first internal area and at least part of the second internal area.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the location sensor and the display are carried by the machine, the machine comprises a compaction machine, and the first input is received via the display.

13. The system of claim 11 , wherein the controller is configured to:
receive the location information and the first input via a network, and
provide the third geofence to a controller of the machine via the network.

14. The system of claim 11 , wherein the third geofence defines a third internal area that is less than or equal to a sum of the first internal area and the second internal area.

15. The system of claim 11 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
cause, based on determining that the at least part of the first geofence is less than the threshold distance from the second geofence, the display to display the first geofence together with the second geofence;
cause the display to display a request for a confirmation associated with generating the third geofence;
receive, based on displaying the request, a second input; and
generate the third geofence based on the second input.

16. A compaction machine, comprising:
a substantially cylindrical drum configured to compact a work surface as the compaction machine traverses the work surface;
a location sensor configured to determine a location of the compaction machine on the work surface;
a display; and
a controller in communication with the location sensor and the display, the controller configured to:
cause the display to display a first geofence associated with the work surface, the first geofence defining a first internal area and being generated based on location information determined by the location sensor;
receive, based on displaying the first geofence, a first input indicating an accuracy of the first geofence;
determine that at least part of the first geofence is less than a threshold distance from a second geofence associated with the work surface, the second geofence defining a second internal area;
generate, based on determining that the at least part of the first geofence is less than the threshold distance from the second geofence, a third geofence associated with the work surface, the third geofence including at least part of the first internal area and at least part of the second internal area; and
cause the compaction machine to perform a task on the work surface, using the drum, and within the third geofence.

17. The compaction machine of claim 16 , further comprising a communication device in communication with the controller, the controller being configured to receive information indicative of the first geofence, via the communication device, and from a remote computing device.

18. The compaction machine of claim 16 , wherein the first input indicates that the first geofence is inaccurate, and the information comprises first information, the controller being configured to:
receive second information, via the display, indicative of a modification to the first geofence; and
update the first geofence in accordance with the second information.

19. The compaction machine of claim 18 , wherein the controller is configured to:
determine that the modifica

Assignees

• Caterpillar Paving Products Inc

Inventors

• Doy Nathaniel S
• Marsolek John L
• Sonth Sangameshwar
• Mcgee Robert J

Classifications

• H04W4/022 Primary

  with dynamic range variability · CPC title

• H04W4/029 Primary

  Location-based management or tracking services · CPC title

• H04W68/00

  User notification, e.g. alerting and paging, for incoming communication, change of service or the like · CPC title

• E01C19/282 Primary

  self-propelled, e.g. with an own traction-unit (E01C19/285 - E01C19/288 take precedence) · CPC title

• E01C19/283

  pedestrian-controlled, e.g. with safety arrangements for operator · CPC title