Obtaining paving material mat characteristics

A paving machine, comprising:

• a screed assembly;
• at least one detection component connected to the screed assembly, wherein the at least one detection component is a total station prism;
• and
• a controller configured to:
• receive location information relating to a location of the at least one detection component while the paving machine is performing a paving operation;
• receive paving information relating to a thermal profile of a mat of paving material deposited by the paving machine during the paving operation;
• determine locations of edges of the mat of paving material deposited by the paving machine based on the location information;
• determine, based on the locations of the edges of the mat, a pattern in which one or more compactor machines are to move with respect to the mat;
• determine, based on the thermal profile, a time duration for which the one or more compactor machines are to operate on the mat;
• determine, based on the locations of the edges, an operating plan for autonomous operation of the one or more compactor machines that are to provide compaction of the mat, the operating plan indicating the pattern and the time duration;
• and
• transmit, to another controller for the one or more compactor machines, plan information that indicates the operating plan.

A control system, comprising:

• at least one total station prism connected to a screed assembly of a paving machine;
• and
• a controller configured to:
• receive location information relating to a location of the at least one total station prism while the paving machine is performing a paving operation;
• receive paving information relating to a thermal profile of a mat of paving material deposited by the paving machine during the paving operation;
• determine locations of edges of the mat of paving material deposited by the paving machine based on the location information;
• determine, based on the locations of the edges of the mat, a pattern in which one or more compactor machines are to move with respect to the mat;
• determine, based on the thermal profile, a time duration for which the one or more compactor machines are to operate on the mat;
• determine, based on the locations of the edges, an operating plan for the one or more compactor machines that are to provide compaction of the mat, the operating plan indicating the pattern and the time duration;
• and
• transmit, to another controller for the one or more compactor machines, plan information that indicates the operating plan.