# US 11,898,330 B2 · Heavy equipment hazard warning apparatus and system and method for use of same > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,898,330 B2 - Document ID: US11898330B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/558,241 - Filed: 2021-12-21 - Published: 2022-04-14 - Granted: 2024-02-13 - Earliest claimed: 2019-09-12 - Assignees: Jim D. Wiethorn - Applicants: Jim D. Wiethorn - Inventors: Jim D. Wiethorn - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11898330B2 ## CPC - E02F 9/261: {Surveying the work-site to be treated} - B60Q 9/00: Arrangement or adaptation of signal devices not provided for in one of main groups B60Q1/00 - B60Q7/00 {, e.g. haptic signalling} - B66C 15/06: Arrangements or use of warning devices - B66C 15/065: {electrical} - B66C 23/88: Safety gear (for cranes in general B66C15/00; for rope, cable, or chain winding mechanisms B66D1/54) - B66F 17/003: {for fork-lift trucks} - B66F 17/006: {for working platforms} - E02F 9/2054: {Fleet management} - E02F 9/24: Safety devices {, e.g. for preventing overload (E02F9/226 takes precedence)} - E02F 9/245: {for preventing damage to underground objects during excavation, e.g. indicating buried pipes or the like (detection of pipes in the ground F16L1/11)} - E02F 9/267: {Diagnosing or detecting failure of vehicles} - E04G 21/24: Safety or protective measures preventing damage to building parts or finishing work during construction (as auxiliary structures for scaffolds E04G5/00) - E02F: DREDGING; SOIL-SHIFTING (winning peat E21C49/00) - B60Q: ARRANGEMENT OF SIGNALLING OR LIGHTING DEVICES, THE MOUNTING OR SUPPORTING THEREOF OR CIRCUITS THEREFOR, FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL - B66C: CRANES; LOAD-ENGAGING ELEMENTS OR DEVICES FOR CRANES, CAPSTANS, WINCHES, OR TACKLES ({specially adapted for lifting invalids A61G7/10;} rope, cable, or chain winding mechanisms, braking or detent devices therefor B66D; specially adapted for nuclear reactors G21) - B66F: HOISTING, LIFTING, HAULING OR PUSHING, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR, e.g. DEVICES WHICH APPLY A LIFTING OR PUSHING FORCE DIRECTLY TO THE SURFACE OF A LOAD ({invalid lifting devices A61G7/10; } mounting artificial islands on piles or like supports E02B17/00; scaffolding combined with lifting devices E04G1/22; lifting devices for sliding forms E04G11/24; lifting of buildings E04G23/06; shores or struts E04G25/00; lifts or other hoisting devices on ladders E06C7/12; props for mining E21D15/00) - E04G: SCAFFOLDING; FORMS; SHUTTERING; BUILDING IMPLEMENTS OR AIDS, OR THEIR USE; HANDLING BUILDING MATERIALS ON THE SITE; REPAIRING, BREAKING-UP OR OTHER WORK ON EXISTING BUILDINGS ## Abstract A heavy equipment hazard warning apparatus for a piece of heavy equipment at a site and a system and method for use of the same are disclosed. In one embodiment of the heavy equipment hazard warning apparatus, the location of the heavy equipment is monitored by the heavy equipment warning apparatus and analyzed with reference to a hazard safety site plan of the site that identifies a hazard such as existing utilities, for example. An alert notification is initialized in response to the heavy equipment encroaching on a hazard geofence around the hazard. A shutdown notification is initialized in response to the heavy equipment being proximate to the hazard. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A heavy equipment hazard warning system, the system comprising: a programming interface being configured to communicate with a heavy equipment hazard warning apparatus located on a piece of heavy equipment at a site, the heavy equipment hazard warning apparatus having a processor, non-transitory memory, a global positioning system unit communicatively interconnected in a busing architecture; and the non-transitory memory being accessible to the processor, the non-transitory memory including processor-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the system to: receive a hazard safety site plan of the site, the hazard safety site plan being a site plan of the site augmented with locationing information for a hazard with a hazard geofence therearound, the hazard geofence being a virtual boundary around the hazard, monitor, without data interaction with the hazard, a location of the heavy equipment with the global positioning system unit, analyze, without data interaction with the hazard, the location of the heavy equipment with respect to the hazard safety site plan, and initialize, without data interaction with the hazard, an alert notification at the heavy equipment in response to the heavy equipment encroaching on the hazard geofence. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the heavy equipment hazard warning apparatus further comprises an audiovisual alert output, an override output, and a wireless transceiver thereat, the audiovisual alert output being disposed in communication with an audiovisual alert device associated with the heavy equipment, the override output being disposed in communication to an override associated with the heavy equipment, the override at least partially causing an equipment shutdown of the heavy equipment. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The system as recited in claim 2, wherein the processor-executable instructions further comprise instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the system to initialize, without data interaction with the hazard, the alert notification via the audiovisual alert output at the heavy equipment in response to the heavy equipment encroaching on the hazard geofence. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The system as recited in claim 3, wherein the audiovisual alert output further comprises an audible alert at the heavy equipment. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The system as recited in claim 3, wherein the audiovisual alert output further comprises a visual alert at the heavy equipment. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The system as recited in claim 2, wherein the processor-executable instructions further comprise instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the system to initialize, without data interaction with the hazard, a shutdown notification via the override output at the heavy equipment in response to the heavy equipment being proximate to the hazard. ### Claim 7 (depends on 2) The system as recited in claim 2, wherein the audiovisual alert device associated with the heavy equipment further comprises a device selected from the group consisting of sirens, warning lights, instrument panels, and displays. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the heavy equipment further comprises a piece of equipment selected from the group consisting of earthwork equipment, construction equipment, drilling rigs, cranes, concrete pumps, dump trucks, aerial lifts, scissor lifts, high reach equipment, forklifts, scissor lift trucks, track hoes, back hoes, and large ditching machines. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the hazard safety site plan further comprises a plan created by an operator interacting with the site, the operator having a smart device and an application thereat for building the hazard geofence using the site plan with at least one hazard documented therein. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the hazard further comprises an existing utility at the site. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the hazard further comprises an infrastructure selected from the group consisting of electrical power infrastructure, gas infrastructure, water infrastructure, cable infrastructure, and telecommunications infrastructure. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the hazard further comprises overhead power lines. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the heavy equipment hazard warning apparatus further comprises a pairing with a proximate smart device. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the non-transitory memory further includes processor-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the system to capture and store heavy equipment data for analysis in an event of an incident occurring. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The system as recited in claim 14, wherein the heavy equipment data further comprises vehicle tracking information for the heavy equipment. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The system as recited in claim 14, wherein the heavy equipment data further comprises vehicle operating information for the heavy equipment. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the processor-executable instructions further comprise instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the system to provide a visual of the hazard site plan to an operator of the heavy equipment via an output communicatively interconnected to the busing architecture. ### Claim 18 A heavy equipment hazard warning system, the system comprising: a programming interface being configured to communicate with a heavy equipment hazard warning apparatus located on a piece of heavy equipment at a site, the heavy equipment hazard warning apparatus having a processor, non-transitory memory, a global positioning system unit communicatively interconnected in a busing architecture; and the non-transitory memory being accessible to the processor, the non-transitory memory including processor-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the system to: receive a hazard safety site plan of the site, the hazard safety site plan being a site plan of the site augmented with locationing information for a hazard with a hazard geofence therearound, the hazard geofence being a virtual boundary around the hazard, monitor, without data interaction with the hazard, a location of the heavy equipment with the global positioning system unit, analyze, without data interaction with the hazard, the location of the heavy equipment with respect to the hazard safety site plan, and initialize, without data interaction with the hazard, a shutdown notification at the heavy equipment in response to the heavy equipment encroaching on the hazard geofence. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The system as recited in claim 18, wherein the heavy equipment hazard warning apparatus further comprises an audiovisual alert output, an override output, and a wireless transceiver thereat, the audiovisual alert output being disposed in communication with an audiovisual alert device associated with the heavy equipment, the override output being disposed in communication to an override associated with the heavy equipment, the override at least partially causing an equipment shutdown of the heavy equipment. ### Claim 20 A heavy equipment hazard warning system, the system comprising: a programming interface being configured to communicate with a heavy equipment hazard warning apparatus located on a piece of heavy equipment at a site, the heavy equipment hazard warning apparatus having a processor, non-transitory memory, a global positioning system unit communicatively interconnected in a busing architecture; and the non-transitory memory being accessible to the processor, the non-transitory memory including processor-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the system to: receive a hazard safety site plan of the site, the hazard safety site plan being a site plan of the site augmented with locationing information for a hazard with a hazard geofence therearound, the hazard geofence being a virtual boundary around the hazard, monitor, without data interaction with the hazard, a location of the heavy equipment with the global positioning system unit, and initialize, without data interaction with the hazard, an alert notification at the heavy equipment in response to the heavy equipment encroaching on the hazard geofence.