Three dimensional grid map for cross member location and avoidance during an unloading operation
AssigneeDeere & Company
InventorsSara C. O'Connor, Kellen E. O'Connor, Jeremy J. Faust, Ryan R. White
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A three dimensional grid map is generated to locate a cross member on a receiving vehicle which is coupled to a following vehicle. The location of the cross member is tracked during an unloading operation so the leading vehicle avoids the cross member when unloading material into the receiving vehicle, and so the fill level is more accurately identified.
Claims20
A work machine system including a leading vehicle configured to unload material into a receiving vehicle during an unloading operation, the receiving vehicle being configured to be propelled by a following vehicle, the work machine system comprising:
- a point cloud data sensor configured to detect point cloud data defining a plurality of points corresponding to the receiving vehicle;
- a grid map generator configured to:
- divide a material receiving volume, defined by the receiving vehicle, into a set of volumes;
- and
- for each respective volume in the set of volumes,
- identify a respective set of points, of the plurality of points, having a location that corresponds to the respective volume, and
- assign a point value to the respective each volume in the set of volumes based on the respective set of points point cloud data;
- and
- a cross member location system configured to identify a location of a fixture on the receiving vehicle based on the point values assigned to the volumes in the set of volumes;
- and
- an unloading control system configured to control the unloading operation based on the location of the fixture.
A computer implemented method of controlling an unloading operation for unloading material from a leading vehicle into a receiving vehicle that is propelled by a following vehicle, the method comprising:
- detecting point cloud data defining a plurality of points corresponding to the receiving vehicle;
- dividing a material receiving volume defined by the receiving vehicle into a set of volumes;
- for each respective volume in the set of volumes,
- identifying a respective set of points, of the plurality of points, having a location that corresponds to the respective volume, and
- assigning a point value to the respective each volume in the set of volumes based on the respective set of points point cloud data;
- and
- identifying a location of a fixture on the receiving vehicle based on the point values assigned to the volumes in the set of volumes;
- and
- controlling the unloading operation based on the location of the fixture.
A control system comprising:
- a calibration system comprising:
- a point cloud data sensor configured to detect point cloud data defining a plurality of points corresponding to a receiving vehicle;
- a grid map generator configured to:
- divide a material receiving volume, defined by the receiving vehicle, into a set of volumes;
- and
- for each respective volume in the set of volumes,
- identify a respective set of points, of the plurality of points, having a location that corresponds to the respective volume, and
- assign a point value to the respective each volume in the set of volumes based on the respective set of points point cloud data;
- and
- a cross member location system configured to identify a location of a fixture on the receiving vehicle based on the point values assigned to the volumes in the set of volumes;
- and
- an unloading control system configured to control an unloading operation based on the location of the fixture on the receiving vehicle.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.