# US 10,501,913 B2 · Coordinated and proportional grade and slope control using gain matrixes > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,501,913 B2 - Document ID: US10501913B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/235,300 - Filed: 2016-08-12 - Published: 2017-05-04 - Granted: 2019-12-10 - Earliest claimed: 2015-10-29 - Assignees: GOMACO Corporation - Applicants: GOMACO Corporation - Inventors: Chad Schaeding - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10501913B2 ## CPC - E02F 9/2029: {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)} - E01C 19/004: {Devices for guiding or controlling the machines along a predetermined path (for graders or bulldozers E02F3/841; for other soil-shifting machines E02F9/2045)} - E01C 19/18: Devices for distributing road-metals mixed with binders, e.g. cement, bitumen, without consolidating or ironing effect (E01C19/20, {E01C19/21, E01C19/46} , E01C19/47, {E01C19/48, E01C21/00, E01C23/065, E01C23/07} take precedence; conveying installations for concrete or the like B65G) - E01C 19/48: for laying-down the materials and consolidating them, or finishing the surface {, e.g. slip forms therefor, forming kerbs or gutters in a continuous operation in situ (E01C19/002, E01C23/065 take precedence; devices for guiding or controlling the machines along a predetermined path E01C19/004)} - E01C 23/01: Devices or auxiliary means for setting-out or checking the configuration of new surfacing, e.g. templates, screed {or reference line} supports (form rails E01C19/50); Applications of apparatus for measuring, indicating, or recording the surface configuration of existing surfacing, e.g. profilographs (E01C23/07 takes precedence; measuring roughness or irregularity in general G01B) - E02F 9/2041: {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)} - E02F 9/2045: {Guiding machines along a predetermined path (for graders E02F3/841; machines for construction of roads E01C19/004)} - E02F: DREDGING; SOIL-SHIFTING (winning peat E21C49/00) - E01C: CONSTRUCTION OF, OR SURFACES FOR, ROADS, SPORTS GROUNDS, OR THE LIKE; MACHINES OR AUXILIARY TOOLS FOR CONSTRUCTION OR REPAIR (forming roads or like surfaces by compacting or grading snow or ice E01H) ## Abstract A multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) computer control system in a heavy equipment machine is in communication with multiple sensors in order to measure deviations from a path to be followed. Sensor corrections are applied to return the heavy equipment machine to a path to be followed or to restrain the machine from deviating from the path to be followed. Sensor corrections affect a controlled variable, such as cross-slope. Sensor corrections may account for false positives and false negatives. Sensor corrections are applied to the heavy equipment machine using a gain matrix (G). The multiple vectors of gain values comprising the gain matrix (G) are utilized by the MIMO computer control system to simultaneously and proportionally actuate each drive leg of the machine to obtain a desired grade including a compensated slope and/or elevation. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A control system for controlling cross-slope in a paving machine during a paving operation, comprising: a first sensor communicatively coupled to a first height adjustable drive leg of a paving machine; a second sensor communicatively coupled to a second height adjustable drive leg of the paving machine; and a multi-input-multi output (MIMO) controller, said MIMO controller having a processor communicatively coupled to said first sensor and second sensor, and to said first height adjustable drive leg and second height adjustable drive leg, said processor having a memory with one or more programmable instructions executable by said processor to: obtain a first sensor value for the first sensor and a second sensor value for the second sensor; determine one or more leg offset values based on the first sensor value and the second sensor value; determine a controller output based on the one or more leg offset values; and transmit the controller output to the first height adjustable drive leg to reciprocally adjust the first height adjustable drive leg according to a height adjustment previously provided to the second height adjustable drive leg. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The control system of claim 1, wherein obtaining the first sensor value and the second sensor value comprises arranging the sensor values into a sensor matrix, and determining the controller output based on the one or more leg offset values comprises inverting the sensor matrix to determine a gain matrix. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The control system of claim 2, wherein the processor and the memory are further configured for multiplying the gain matrix by a vector of real-time sensor values input to the MIMO controller from the first sensor and the second sensor. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The control system of claim 1, wherein the controller output comprises an actuation input to adjust a height of the first height adjustable drive leg. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The control system of claim 1, wherein the controller output comprises one or more actuation inputs to adjust a respective height of each of a plurality of height adjustable drive legs including the first height adjustable drive leg. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The control system of claim 5, wherein each of the one or more actuation inputs are transmitted simultaneously to each of the plurality of height adjustable drive legs. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The control system of claim 1, wherein the processor and the memory are further configured for determining a path to be followed and detecting a deviation from the path to be followed, wherein transmitting the controller output results maintaining the path to be followed. ### Claim 8 A construction machine comprising: a plurality of sensors coupled to two or more elevation cylinders on a paving machine, each elevation cylinder configured to adjust the height of a corresponding drive leg connected to a drive track; and a multi-input-multi-output (MIMO) controller, said MIMO controller having a processor communicatively coupled to said plurality of sensors and to said two or more elevation cylinders, said processor having a memory with one or more programmable instructions executable by said processor to: determine a path to be followed; detect one or more deviations from the path to be followed; obtain a gain matrix (G) based on unique weights given to said plurality of sensors; and determine a vector of controller outputs to reciprocally actuate or restrain actuation at an elevation cylinder of the two or more elevation cylinders, wherein the actuation or restraining actuation at the elevation cylinder results in a reciprocally controlled variable due to the two or more elevation cylinders moving in a near-synchronous fashion, and resulting in a return of the construction machine to the path to be followed. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The construction machine of claim 8, wherein obtain said gain matrix (G) based on unique weights given to said plurality of sensors comprises: obtaining first geometrical distances of the plurality of sensors and second geometrical distances of the two or more elevation cylinders from a pivot axis of the construction machine; determining each unique weight of the unique weights given to said plurality of sensors based on the first and second geometrical distances; determining a gain value for each sensor of said plurality of sensors based on each unique weight of the plurality of uniquely weighted sensors; and arranging each gain value for each sensor into a matrix of gain values to be multiplied with a vector of sensor values obtained during operation for each loop the MIMO controller makes. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein obtaining said gain matrix (G) based on said plurality of uniquely weighted sensors comprises: calculating a matrix (A) using two or more vectors of empirical partial derivatives; and inverting said matrix (A).