Swing automation for rope shovel

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9315967-B2
Application number	US-201414321511-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 1, 2014
Priority date	Apr 14, 2011
Publication date	Apr 19, 2016
Grant date	Apr 19, 2016

Abstract

A system and method for various levels of automation of a swing-to-hopper motion for a rope shovel. An operator controls a rope shovel during a dig operation to load a dipper with materials. A controller receives position data, either via operator input or sensor data, for the dipper and a hopper where the materials are to be dumped. The controller then calculates an ideal path for the dipper to travel to be positioned above the hopper to dump the contents of the dipper. In some embodiments, the controller outputs operator feedback to assist the operator in traveling along the ideal path to the hopper. In some embodiments, the controller restricts the dipper motion such that the operator is not able to deviate beyond certain limits of the ideal path. In some embodiments, the controller automatically controls the movement of the dipper to reach the hopper.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A shovel including an automated swing system, the shovel comprising:
a dipper that is operable to dig and dump materials and that is positioned via operation of one or more motors; and
a controller configured to
receive operator controls related to controlling movement of the dipper using the one or more motors,
receive dump location information indicating a desired position of the dipper corresponding to a dump location at which the dipper is to dump the materials,
receive information indicating a performance limit of the one or more motors,
receive dipper data related to at least one of a dipper position, a dipper movement, and a dipper state, the dipper data including a parameter of the one or more motors,
calculate an ideal swing path of the dipper based on the dump location information and the at least one of the dipper position, the dipper movement, and the dipper state,
calculate, based on the calculated ideal swing path and the performance limit, an ideal hoist path and an ideal crowd path,
generate boundaries for the ideal hoist path and the ideal crowd path, and
compare the dipper data to the boundaries, and when the dipper data indicates that the dipper is at or outside of the boundaries, adjust the operator controls to maintain the dipper within the boundaries.

2. The shovel of claim 1 , wherein the one or more motors include one or more of a swing motor, a hoist motor, and a crowd motor.

3. The shovel of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to receive a swing aggressiveness level from an operator, wherein the ideal swing path is calculated based on the swing aggressiveness level.

4. The shovel of claim 1 , wherein the dipper data further includes a current position of the one or more motors.

5. The shovel of claim 1 , wherein the dump location information is received from one of global positioning satellite (“GPS”) data and a memory storing a location of an previous operator-controlled dump.

6. The shovel of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to
provide an operator with at least one of audio, visual, and tactile feedback of the dipper data relative to the dump location information.

7. The shovel of claim 1 , wherein the boundaries are one of a ramp function, a constant window, and a polynomial curve.

8. The shovel of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to
receive an operator mode selection that indicates one of at least three modes of swing automation, and
control the shovel to operate in the selected swing automation mode.

9. The shovel of claim 8 , wherein the at least three modes of operation include at least three of the following: no swing automation mode, trajectory feedback mode, teach mode, motion restriction mode, and full automation mode.

10. The shovel of claim 8 , wherein the controller is further configured to
receive system information indicating at least one equipment fault, and
control the shovel to operate in a different swing automation mode based on the received system information.

11. The shovel of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to
generate controls signals to control the one or more motors according to the ideal swing path, the ideal hoist path, and the ideal crowd path.

12. The shovel of claim 11 , further comprising a hopper alignment system including at least one of a camera and a laser scanner, the hopper alignment system configured to
determine when the dipper is within a predetermined range of the dump location, and
control the dipper to align the dipper with the dump location.

13. A method of generating an ideal path for a shovel, the shovel including one or more motors and a dipper, the dipper operable to dig and dump materials, the dipper being positioned via operation of the one or more motors, the method comprising:
receiving operator controls related to controlling movement of the dipper using the one or more motors;
receiving dump location information indicating a desired position of the dipper corresponding to a dump location at which the dipper is to dump the materials;
receiving information indicating a performance limit of the one or more motors;
receiving dipper data related to at least one of a dipper position, a dipper movement, and a dipper state, the dipper data including a parameter of the one or more motors;
calculating an ideal swing path of the dipper based on the dump location information and the at least one of the dipper position, the dipper movement, and the dipper state;
calculating, based on the calculated ideal swing path and the performance limit, an ideal hoist path and an ideal crowd path;
generating boundaries for the ideal hoist path and the ideal crowd path; and
comparing the dipper data to the boundaries, and when the dipper data indicates that the dipper is at or outside of the boundaries, adjust the operator controls to maintain the dipper within the boundaries.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising receiving a swing aggressiveness level from an operator, wherein the ideal swing path is calculated based on the swing aggressiveness level.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the dump location information is received from one of global positioning satellite (“GPS”) data and a memory storing a location of an previous operator-controlled dump.

16. The method of claim 13 , further comprising
providing an operator with at least one of audio, visual, and tactile feedback of the dipper data relative to the dump location information.

17. The shovel of claim 16 , further comprising illustrating the dump location information and dipper data.

18. The method of claim 13 , wherein the boundaries are one of a ramp function, a constant window, and a polynomial curve.

19. The method of claim 13 , further comprising
receiving an operator mode selection that indicates one of at least three modes of swing automation, and
controlling the shovel to operate in the selected swing automation mode.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the at least three modes of operation include at least three of the following: no swing automation mode, trajectory feedback mode, teach mode, motion restriction mode, and full automation mode.

21. The method of claim 20 , further comprising
receiving system information indicating at least one equipment fault, and
controlling the shovel to operate in a different swing automation mode based on the received system information.

22. The method of claim 13 , further comprising
generating controls signals to control the one or more motors based on the ideal swing path, the ideal hoist path, and the ideal crowd path.

Assignees

• Harnischfeger Tech Inc

Inventors

• Taylor Wesley P
• Linstroth Michael J

Classifications

• E02F9/2045

  Guiding machines along a predetermined path (for graders E02F3/841; machines for construction of roads E01C19/004) · CPC title

• E02F9/262

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

• E02F9/2029

  Controlling the position of implements in function of its load, e.g. modifying the attitude of implements in accordance to vehicle speed (control for hydraulic or pneumatic drives E02F9/2203, E02F9/2221 and E02F9/2253 take 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

• E02F9/265

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