Earth-moving machine sensing and control system
AssigneeDeere & Company
InventorsJohn M. Hageman, Tarik Loukili, Lacy Scott Bayless, Mathew J. Zeringue, Chad M. Indovina, Suraj Amatya, Cody R. Gros
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An example work machine control system includes target fill level determination logic configured to determine a target fill level for a container of an earth-moving work machine, fill level measurement logic configured to receive a sensor signal from a sensor that detects contents of the container and generate a measurement metric indicative of a current fill level of the container based on the sensor signal, and control logic configured to generate a machine control signal based on the measurement metric and the target fill level.
Claims16
A work machine control system comprising:
- target fill level determination logic configured to determine a target fill level for a container on an earth-moving scraper machine, wherein
- the earth-moving scraper machine includes a blade and a gate,
- the blade is movable to set a cutting depth and is configured to engage a portion of earth at the cutting depth and accumulate earth material from the portion of earth through an opening to the container, and
- the gate is movable to control the opening to the container;
- fill level measurement logic configured to:
- receive a sensor signal from an image sensor coupled to the earth-moving scraper machine, the image sensor being configured to capture an image of accumulated earth material in the container;
- and
- generate a measurement metric indicative of a current fill level of the container based on the sensor signal;
- and
- control logic configured to generate a machine control signal based on the measurement metric and the target fill level, wherein the machine control signal controls at least one of:
- an actuator that adjusts the cutting depth of the blade;
- and
- an actuator that moves the gate between an open position which allows the earth material into the container and a closed position that restricts the earth material from entering the container.
A computer-implemented method for controlling an earth-moving scraper machine, the method comprising:
- determining a target fill level for a container on the earth-moving scraper machine, the earth-moving scraper machine having
- a blade that is movable to set a cutting depth and engages a portion of earth at the cutting depth to accumulate earth material from the portion of earth in the container on the earth-moving scraper machine, and
- a gate that controls an opening to the container;
- receiving a sensor signal from a sensor that detects contents of the container;
- generating a measurement metric indicative of a current fill level of the container;
- and
- generating a machine control signal that controls the earth-moving scraper machine based on the measurement metric and the target fill level, wherein
- the machine control signal controls at least one of:
- an actuator that adjusts the cutting depth of the blade;
- and
- an actuator that moves the gate between open and closed positions.
A work machine system comprising:
- an earth scraper machine comprising:
- a blade that is movable to adjust a dig depth into a terrain during a dig cycle;
- a container configured to receive earth material from the blade;
- a gate movable to control an opening to the container;
- and
- an imaging sensor configured to optically detect the earth material in the container;
- a traction unit configured to propel the earth scraper machine across the terrain;
- and
- a control system configured to:
- determine a target fill level for the container;
- receive a sensor signal from the imaging sensor;
- and
- generate a measurement metric indicative of a current fill level of the container based on the sensor signal;
- and
- control, based on the measurement metric and the target fill level, the dig cycle of the earth scraper machine by at least one of:
- raising the blade, or
- closing the gate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.