Velocity control for construction machines

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12487584-B2
Application number	US-202318141735-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 1, 2023
Priority date	Nov 24, 2020
Publication date	Dec 2, 2025
Grant date	Dec 2, 2025

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 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 a velocity in a forward or a backward direction; estimating a geospatial position of the construction machine based on the sensor data; querying a site design using the geospatial position of the construction machine to obtain a target surface and a target grade; estimating an actual surface of the construction site based on the sensor data; calculating a deviation between the target surface and the actual surface; calculating an actual performance metric based on the deviation and an output of a grade control loop that adjusts a grade of the construction machine; determining a target velocity based on the actual performance metric; and concurrently performing:
adjusting the velocity of the construction machine based on the target velocity; and
adjusting the grade of the construction machine based on the target grade using the grade control loop.

2 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein determining the target velocity based on the actual performance metric includes:
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 determining the target velocity based on the velocity adjustment.

3 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the deviation is calculated based on a plurality of distances between the target surface and the actual surface.

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

5 . 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.

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

7 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the actual performance metric is an increasing function of the deviation.

8 . 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 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 a velocity in a forward or a backward direction; estimating a geospatial position of the construction machine based on the sensor data; querying a site design using the geospatial position of the construction machine to obtain a target surface and a target grade; estimating an actual surface of the construction site based on the sensor data; calculating a deviation between the target surface and the actual surface; calculating an actual performance metric based on the deviation and an output of a grade control loop that adjusts a grade of the construction machine; determining a target velocity based on the actual performance metric; and concurrently performing:
adjusting the velocity of the construction machine based on the target velocity; and
adjusting the grade of the construction machine based on the target grade using the grade control loop.

9 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein determining the target velocity based on the actual performance metric includes:
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 determining the target velocity based on the velocity adjustment.

10 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the deviation is calculated based on a plurality of distances between the target surface and the actual surface.

11 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein adjusting the velocity of the construction machine includes:
providing the target velocity to a velocity controller of the construction machine.

12 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the one or more sensors include an inertial sensor mounted to an implement of the construction machine.

13 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12 , wherein the inertial sensor is configured to detect a vertical movement of the implement while the construction machine is moving.

14 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the actual performance metric is an increasing function of the deviation.

15 . A system comprising:
one or more processors; and 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 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 a velocity in a forward or a backward direction;
estimating a geospatial position of the construction machine based on the sensor data;
querying a site design using the geospatial position of the construction machine to obtain a target surface and a target grade;
estimating an actual surface of the construction site based on the sensor data;
calculating a deviation between the target surface and the actual surface;
calculating an actual performance metric based on the deviation and an output of a grade control loop that adjusts a grade of the construction machine;
determining a target velocity based on the actual performance metric; and
concurrently performing:
adjusting the velocity of the construction machine based on the target velocity; and
adjusting the grade of the construction machine based on the target grade using the grade control loop.

16 . The system of claim 15 , wherein determining the target velocity based on the actual performance metric includes:
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 determining the target velocity based on the velocity adjustment.

17 . The system of claim 15 , wherein the deviation is calculated based on a plurality of distances between the target surface and the actual surface.

18 . The system of claim 15 , wherein adjusting the velocity of the construction machine includes:
providing the target velocity to a velocity controller of the construction machine.

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

20 . The system of claim 19 , 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

• G05B2219/37347

  Speed, velocity · CPC title

• G05B2219/31229

  Supervisor, leader, workstation controller, automation, machine control · CPC title

• G05B19/416

  characterised by control of velocity, acceleration or deceleration (G05B19/19 takes precedence) · 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

• G05B13/021

  in which a variable is automatically adjusted to optimise the performance · CPC title