Mobile grading machine with improved grading control system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12371875-B2
Application number	US-202318475525-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 27, 2023
Priority date	Feb 2, 2021
Publication date	Jul 29, 2025
Grant date	Jul 29, 2025

Abstract

A mobile work machine includes a first grade control system that receives a an external reference position signal from a geographic positioning system, and generates blade control signals to control an orientation of a blade in grading a worksite. The mobile work machine also includes a second grade control system that uses blade mainfall and cross slope as well as chassis (or mainframe) mainfall and cross slope to control the orientation of the blade relative to the frame of the work machine to create a planar grade of a desired mainfall and cross slope. When functionality of the first grade control system is interrupted, the mobile work machine automatically switches to using the second grade control system to perform the grading operation, until the interruption to the functionality of the first grade control system is restored.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A mobile work machine comprising:
a frame;
an implement coupled to the frame and configured to engage ground;
an actuator system comprising one or more actuators;
a first grade control system configured to control the actuator system to control a position of the implement, with respect to the frame, based on a geographic position signal received from a geographic position system;
a frame orientation sensor configured to sense a frame orientation of the frame, relative to a reference, during an instance when the first grade control system controlled the position of the implement with respect to the frame;
an implement orientation sensor configured to sense an implement orientation of the implement, with respect to the frame, during the instance when the first grade control system controlled the position of the implement with respect to the frame; and
a grade control switching system configured to:
receive a presence signal indicative of a presence of the geographic position signal; and
automatically control activation of a selected one of the first grade control system or a second grade control system based on the presence of the geographic position signal, wherein, during a time when the presence signal indicates that the geographic position signal is interrupted, the second grade control system is configured to:
obtain a target mainfall and a target cross slope, wherein the target mainfall and the target cross slope is based on:
the frame orientation of the frame during the instance when the first grade control system controlled the position of the implement with respect to the frame, and
the implement orientation of the implement during the instance when the first grade control system controlled the position of the implement with respect to the frame; and

control the actuator system to control the implement based on the target mainfall and the target cross slope.

2. The mobile work machine of claim 1 and further comprising:
a position detector that receives the geographic position signal and, based on the geographic position signal, generates a geographic position output indicative of a geographic position.

3. The mobile work machine of claim 2 wherein the geographic position system comprises a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) and wherein the position detector comprises:
a GNSS receiver.

4. The mobile work machine of claim 2 wherein the geographic position system comprises a local position system and wherein the position detector comprises:
a local position system receiver.

5. The mobile work machine of claim 1 and further comprising an operator interface mechanism, wherein the grade control switching system is configured to generate an operator notification on the operator interface mechanism indicative of switching between controlling activation of the first grade control system and controlling activation of the second grade control system.

6. The mobile work machine of claim 1 wherein the implement comprises a blade and wherein the implement orientation sensor comprises:
a blade orientation detector configured to detect the implement orientation of the blade with respect to the frame.

7. A method of controlling a mobile work machine that has a frame and a ground engaging implement, the method comprising:
receiving a geographic position signal from a geographic position system transmitter external to the mobile work machine;
controlling, with a first grade control system, a position of the ground engaging implement, with respect to the frame, based on the geographic position signal received from the geographic position system transmitter external to the mobile work machine;
detecting interruption of the geographic position signal received from the geographic position system transmitter external to the mobile work machine;
obtaining frame orientation data from a source internal to the mobile work machine, the frame orientation data indicating a frame orientation of the frame, relative to a reference, during an instance when the first grade control system controlled the position of the ground engaging implement with respect to the frame;
obtaining implement orientation data indicating an implement orientation of the ground engaging implement, with respect to the frame, during the instance when the first grade control system controlled the position of the ground engaging implement with respect to the frame; and
automatically switching to controlling the ground engaging implement with a second grade control system, different from the first grade control system, while the geographic position signal, received from the geographic position system transmitter external to the mobile work machine, is interrupted, wherein controlling the ground engaging implement with the second grade control system comprises:
obtaining a target mainfall and a target cross slope, wherein the target mainfall and the target cross slope is based on:
the frame orientation of the frame during the instance when the first grade control system controlled the position of the ground engaging implement with respect to the frame, and
the implement orientation of the ground engaging implement during the instance when the first grade control system controlled the position of the ground engaging implement with respect to the frame; and

controlling the implement orientation of the ground engaging implement based on the target mainfall and the target cross slope.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein receiving the geographic position signal comprises:
receiving the geographic position signal with a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) receiver.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein receiving the geographic position signal comprises:
receiving the geographic position signal with a local position system receiver.

10. The method of claim 7 and further comprising:
detecting a presence of the geographic position signal; and
automatically switching to controlling the implement orientation of the ground engaging implement with the first grade control system, based on the presence of the geographic position signal.

11. The method of claim 7 wherein obtaining the target mainfall and the target cross slope comprises:
identifying the target mainfall and the target cross slope of a grade while the first grade control system is controlling the implement orientation of the ground engaging implement.

12. The method of claim 11 and further comprising:
providing the target mainfall and the target cross slope to the second grade control system when the geographic position signal is interrupted.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein automatically switching to controlling the implement orientation of the ground engaging implement with the second grade control system comprises:
controlling the implement orientation of the ground engaging implement with the second grade control system based on the target mainfall and the target cross slope.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the ground engaging implement comprises a blade.

15. The method of claim 14 and further comprising:
generating an operator notification on an operator interface mechanism on the mobile work machine, the operator notification being indicative of switching between controlling the implement orientation of the blade with the first grade control system and controlling the implement orientation of the blade with the second grade control system.

16. A mobile work machine comprising:
a frame;
an implement coupled to the frame;
a first grade control system configured to:
receive a geographic position

Assignees

• Deere & Co

Inventors

• Koenig Carl 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

• E02F3/7618

  with the scraper blade adjustable relative to the pivoting arms about a horizontal axis · CPC title

• E02F3/7613

  with the scraper blade adjustable relative to the pivoting arms about a vertical axis, e.g. angle dozers · CPC title

• E02F3/847

  using electromagnetic, optical or acoustic beams to determine the blade position, e.g. laser beams · CPC title