Adaptive control system and method for machine implements

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9234329-B2
Application number	US-201414185955-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 21, 2014
Priority date	Feb 21, 2014
Publication date	Jan 12, 2016
Grant date	Jan 12, 2016

Abstract

An adaptive control system for a machine implement is provided. The adaptive control system includes a machine implement of a machine and an adaptive controller operatively coupled to the machine implement. The adaptive controller includes a processor configured to receive a position of the machine implement relative to a terrain from at least one position detection system, receive data regarding operating conditions of the terrain, compare the position with a target position stored in a memory, compare the data regarding the operating conditions with data stored in a reference model of the terrain stored in the memory, and adjust the position of the machine implement based upon the comparisons and based upon an updated reference model of the operating conditions of the terrain.

First claim

We claim:

1. An adaptive control system for a machine implement, comprising:
a machine implement of a machine; and
an adaptive controller operatively coupled to the machine implement, said adaptive controller including a processor configured to:
create a reference model of a terrain including one or more reference operating conditions associated with the terrain;
receive a position of the machine implement relative to the terrain from at least one position detection system;
receive data regarding operating conditions of the terrain;
compare the position with a target position stored in a memory;
compare the data regarding the operating conditions with data stored in the reference model of the terrain stored in the memory;
update the reference model based upon a change in the operating conditions; and
adjust the position of the machine implement based upon the comparisons and based upon an updated reference model of the operating conditions of the terrain,

wherein the processor is configured to update the reference model using an L1 norm, the processor being configured to compare the data regarding the operating conditions using the L1 norm.

2. The adaptive control system of claim 1 , wherein the position of the machine implement is indicated by at least one of a height of the machine implement from the terrain, a tilt of the machine implement from the terrain, and an angular orientation of the machine implement with respect to the terrain.

3. The adaptive control system of claim 1 , wherein the machine implement includes a blade for grading the terrain.

4. The adaptive control system of claim 1 , wherein the operating conditions are provided to the processor by one or more sensors on the machine, the operating conditions including at least one of a type of material making the terrain, a dryness factor of the terrain, one or more disturbances present in the terrain, and a geographical pattern of the terrain.

5. The adaptive control system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to receive the position of the machine implement within an accuracy of ±1 cm from two GPS antennas of a dual-GPS system.

6. The adaptive control system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to adjust a gain of the adaptive controller to adjust the position of the machine implement using the updated reference model.

7. The adaptive control system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to receive the reference model including reference operating conditions from a base station.

8. The adaptive control system of claim 1 , wherein the adaptive controller is removeably attached to the machine.

9. An adaptive control method for a machine implement, the adaptive control method comprising:
creating, at an adaptive controller, a reference model of a terrain including one or more reference operating conditions associated with the terrain
receiving, at the adaptive controller, a position of the machine implement relative to the terrain from at least one position detection system;
receiving, at the adaptive controller, data regarding operating conditions of the terrain;
comparing, at the adaptive controller, the position with a target position stored in a memory;
comparing, at the adaptive controller, the data regarding the operating conditions with data stored in the reference model of the terrain stored in the memory;
updating, at the adaptive controller, the reference model based upon a change in the operating conditions; and
adjusting, at the adaptive controller, the position of the machine implement based upon the comparisons and based upon an updated reference model of the operating conditions of the terrain,
wherein the updating the reference model is carried out using an L1 norm, and the comparing the data regarding the operating conditions using the L1 norm.

10. The adaptive control method of claim 9 further comprising:
indicating, at the adaptive controller, the position of the machine implement by at least one of a height of the machine implement from the terrain, a tilt of the machine implement from the terrain, and an angular orientation of the machine implement with respect to the terrain.

11. The adaptive control method of claim 9 , wherein the machine implement includes a blade for grading the terrain.

12. The adaptive control method of claim 9 , wherein the operating conditions are provided to the adaptive controller by one or more sensors on the machine, the operating conditions including at least one of a type of material making the terrain, a dryness factor of the terrain, one or more disturbances present in the terrain, and a geographical pattern of the terrain.

13. The adaptive control method of claim 9 , wherein the receiving the position of the machine implement includes receiving the position within an accuracy of ±1 cm from two GPS antennas of a dual-GPS system.

14. The adaptive control method of claim 9 further comprising:
adjusting, at the adaptive controller, a control gain to adjust the position of the machine implement using the updated reference model.

15. The adaptive control method of claim 9 further comprising:
receiving, at the adaptive controller, the reference model including reference operating conditions from a base station separate from the machine.

16. An adaptive controller, comprising:
a processor; and
a memory coupled to the processor, the memory including computer executable instructions thereupon, which computer executable instructions when executed by the processor cause the processor to:
create a reference model of a terrain including one or more reference operating conditions associated with the terrain;
receive a position of the machine implement relative to the terrain from at least one position detection system;
receive data regarding operating conditions of the terrain;
compare the position with a target position stored in a memory;
compare the data regarding the operating conditions with data stored in the reference model of the terrain stored in the memory;
update the reference model based upon a change in the operating conditions; and
adjust the position of the machine implement based upon the comparisons and based upon an updated reference model of the operating conditions of the terrain,

wherein the processor is configured to update the reference model using an L1 norm, the processor being configured to compare the data regarding the operating conditions using the L1 norm.

Assignees

• Caterpillar Inc

Inventors

• Jaliwala Salim
• Zhang Yanchai

Classifications

• E02F9/2041 Primary

  Automatic repositioning of implements, i.e. memorising determined positions of the implement (for dipper-arms or bucket-arms E02F3/434, E02F3/437, E02F3/438, E02F3/439 take precedence) · CPC title

• E02F9/262

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

• G01S19/14

  specially adapted for specific applications · CPC title

• E02F3/847

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

• E02F9/264

  Sensors and their calibration for indicating the position of the work tool · CPC title