Excavation system having inter-machine monitoring and control

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017191246-A1
Application number	US-201614987415-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 4, 2016
Priority date	Jan 4, 2016
Publication date	Jul 6, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

An excavation system is disclosed for use with an excavation machine having a work tool and with an IPCC. The excavation system may have a location device configured to generate a first signal indicative of a location of the excavation machine, a display, and at least one controller in communication with the location device and the display. The controller may be configured to receive a second signal indicative of a location of the IPCC, and to cause representations of the excavation machine and the IPCC to be simultaneously shown on the display based on the first and second signals. The at least one controller may also be configured to determine a swing radius of the work tool, and to selectively cause an indication of alignment between the IPCC and the swing radius to be shown on the display based on the first signal, the second signal, and the swing radius.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An excavation system for use with an excavation machine having a work tool and with an IPCC, the excavation system comprising:
a location device mountable onboard the excavation machine and configured to generate a first signal indicative of a location of the excavation machine; a display; and at least one controller in communication with the location device and the display, the at least one controller being configured to:
receive a second signal indicative of a location of the IPCC;
cause representations of the excavation machine and the IPCC to be simultaneously shown on the display based on the first and second signals;
determine a swing radius of the work tool; and
selectively cause an indication of alignment between the IPCC and the swing radius to be shown on the display based on the first signal, the second signal, and the swing radius.

2 . The excavation system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one controller is further configured to:
receive a desired loading position on the swing radius for the IPCC; and selectively cause an indication of alignment between the IPCC and the desired loading position to be shown on the display.

3 . The excavation system of claim 1 , further including at least a first sensor mountable onboard the excavation machine and configured to generate a third signal indicative of loading of the work tool, wherein the at least one controller is further configured to selectively cause an indication of loading of the IPCC to be shown on the display based on the third signal.

4 . The excavation system of claim 3 , wherein the at least one controller is further configured to:
receive a fourth signal indicative of a rate of material being transported away from the IPCC; and selectively cause the indication of loading of the IPCC to be shown on the display based also on the fourth signal.

5 . The excavation system of claim 3 , wherein:
the display is mountable onboard the excavation machine; and the at least one controller is further configured to selectively cause the indication of loading of the IPCC to also be shown on the display.

6 . The excavation system of claim 1 , wherein:
the work tool has a door hinged to move toward the IPCC at a start of a dumping operation; and the at least one controller is further configured to:
predict a location of the door when opened; and
selectively cause the predicted location of the door when opened to be shown on the display.

7 . The excavation system of claim 6 , wherein the at least one controller is further configured to generate a warning when opening of the door is predicted to result in collision with the IPCC.

8 . The excavation system of claim 1 , further including an input device configured to receive input from an operator indicative of a desire to cause swinging of the work tool toward the IPCC, wherein the at least one controller is further configured to:
make a prediction of a trajectory of the work tool during the swinging based on the first signal and known kinematics of the excavation machine; determine a potential for collision of the work tool with the IPCC based on the prediction, the second signal, and known kinematics of the IPCC; and selectively generate a warning based on the potential.

9 . The excavation system of claim 8 , wherein the at least one controller is further configured to selectively inhibit the swinging of the work tool when the prediction indicates that collision of the work tool with the IPCC may occur.

10 . The excavation system of claim 9 , wherein the at least one controller is further configured to:
receive operator input indicative of a desire to override the at least one controller; and selectively allow the swinging of the work tool based on the operator input regardless of the prediction.

11 . The excavation system of claim 1 , further including at least one sensor configured to generate a third signal indicative of movement of the excavation machine, wherein the at least one controller is further configured to selectively cause a representation of alignment of the work tool with the IPCC to be shown on the display based on the first signal, the second signal, the third signal, and known kinematics of the excavation machine and the IPCC.

12 . The excavation system of claim 11 , wherein the representation of alignment includes a first representation of the work tool and a second representation of a hopper of the IPCC.

13 . The excavation system of claim 12 , wherein at least one of the first and second representations changes color based on a level of the alignment.

14 . An excavation system for use with an excavation machine having a work tool and with an IPCC, the excavation system comprising:
a location device mountable onboard the excavation machine and configured to generate a first signal indicative of a location of the excavation machine; an input device configured to receive input from an operator indicative of a desire to cause swinging of the work tool toward the IPCC; and at least one controller in communication with the location device and the input device, the at least one controller being configured to:
receive a second signal indicative of a location of the IPCC;
make a prediction of a trajectory of the work tool during the swinging based on the first signal and known kinematics of the excavation machine;
determine a potential for collision of the work tool with the IPCC based on the prediction, the second signal, and known kinematics of the IPCC; and
selectively generate a warning based on the potential.

15 . The excavation system of claim 14 , wherein the at least one controller is further configured to selectively inhibit the swinging of the work tool when the prediction indicates that collision of the work tool with the IPCC may occur.

16 . The excavation system of claim 15 , wherein the at least one controller is further configured to:
receive operator input indicative of a desire to override the at least one controller; and selectively allow the swinging of the work tool based on the operator input regardless of the prediction.

17 . A method of excavation using an excavation machine having a work tool and using an IPCC, the method comprising:
determining a first location of the excavation machine; receiving a second location of the IPCC; displaying representations of the excavation machine and the IPCC based on the first and second locations; determining a swing radius of the work tool; and selectively displaying an indication of alignment between the IPCC and the swing radius based on the first location, the second location, and the swing radius.

18 . The method of claim 17 , further including:
receiving a desired loading position on the swing radius for the IPCC; and selectively displaying an indication of alignment between the IPCC and the desired loading position.

19 . The method of claim 17 , further including:
receiving operator input indicative of a desire to cause swinging of the work tool toward the IPCC; making a prediction of a trajectory of the work tool during the swinging based on the first location and known kinematics of the excavation machine; determining a potential for collision of the work tool with the IPCC based on the prediction, the second location, and known kinematics of the IPCC; and selectively generating a warning based on the potential.

20 . The method of claim 19 , further including selectively inhibiting the swinging of the w

Assignees

• Caterpillar Inc

Inventors

• Friend Paul Russell
• Stratton Kenneth L
• BRANDT Michael Edward
• Humphrey James D
• RYAN James William

Classifications

• E02F9/24

  Safety devices {, e.g. for preventing overload (E02F9/226 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• E02F9/2033

  Limiting the movement of frames or implements, e.g. to avoid collision between implements and the cabin (sub-groups of E02F3/431 of E02F3/435 take precedence; for turntables E02F9/123) · CPC title

• E02F1/00

  General working methods with dredgers or soil-shifting machines (methods for making embankments E02D17/18; methods for mining E21C) · CPC title

• E02F9/265

  with follow-up actions (e.g. control signals sent to actuate the work tool) · CPC title

• E02F9/26 Primary

  Indicating devices {(E02F5/145 takes precedence)} · CPC title