# US 12,601,124 B1 · System and method for indicating difference in amplitude setting for compactor

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- Number: US 12,601,124 B1
- Document ID: US12601124B1
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B1
- Application number: 18/944,023
- Filed: 2024-11-12
- Granted: 2026-04-14
- Earliest claimed: 2024-11-12
- Assignees: Caterpillar Paving Products Inc.
- Applicants: Caterpillar Paving Products Inc.
- Inventors: Brian Nagel
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12601124B1

## CPC

- E01C 19/288: {adapted for monitoring characteristics of the material being compacted, e.g. indicating resonant frequency, measuring degree of compaction, by measuring values, detectable on the roller; using detected values to control operation of the roller, e.g. automatic adjustment of vibration responsive to such measurements}
- 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 system for a compactor includes one or more first sensors, one or more second sensors, and a controller including one or more memories and one or more processors. The processors are configured to receive, from the first sensors, one or more first signals indicative of a first amplitude of vibration of a first vibration system of the compactor, receive, from the second sensors, one or more second signals indicative of a second amplitude of vibration of a second vibration system of the compactor, determine if a difference between the first amplitude of vibration and the second amplitude of vibration is greater than a predetermined threshold value stored in the memories, and generate an output signal if a difference between the first amplitude of vibration and the second amplitude of vibration is greater than the predetermined threshold value.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A compactor comprising:
a frame;
a first drum coupled to the frame;
a first vibration system disposed within the first drum and adapted to vibrate the first drum; a second drum coupled to the frame;
a second vibration system disposed within the second drum and adapted to vibrate the second drum; and
a system for indicating a difference in amplitude setting for the compactor, wherein the system includes:
one or more first sensors associated with the first drum of the compactor, wherein the one or more first sensors are configured to generate one or more first signals indicative of a first amplitude of vibration of the first vibration system associated with the first drum;
one or more second sensors associated with the second drum of the compactor, wherein the one or more second sensors are configured to generate one or more second signals indicative of a second amplitude of vibration of the second vibration system associated with the second drum; and
a controller including one or more memories and one or more processors communicably coupled with each of the one or more memories, the one or more first sensors, and the one or more second sensors, wherein the one or more memories are configured to store a predetermined threshold value for a difference between the first amplitude of vibration and the second amplitude of vibration, the one or more processors being configured to:
receive, from the one or more first sensors, the one or more first signals indicative of the first amplitude of vibration of the first vibration system;
receive, from the one or more second sensors, the one or more second signals indicative of the second amplitude of vibration of the second vibration system;
determine if a difference between the first amplitude of vibration and the second amplitude of vibration is greater than the predetermined threshold value; and
generate an output signal if the difference between the first amplitude of vibration and the second amplitude of vibration is greater than the predetermined threshold value, wherein the output signal is indicative of the difference in amplitude setting of the compactor.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The compactor of claim 1, wherein each of the one or more first sensors and the one or more second sensors is a pressure sensor.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The compactor of claim 2, wherein the one or more first sensors include a first input pressure sensor and a first output pressure sensor, wherein the first input pressure sensor is disposed at an input end of a pump or a motor of the first vibration system, and wherein the first output pressure sensor is disposed at an output end of the pump or the motor of the first vibration system.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The compactor of claim 2, wherein the one or more second sensors include a second input pressure sensor and a second output pressure sensor, wherein the second input pressure sensor is disposed at an input end of a pump or a motor of the second vibration system, and wherein the second output pressure sensor is disposed at an output end of the pump or the motor of the second vibration system.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The compactor of claim 1, wherein the one or more first sensors include a first accelerometer configured to measure an acceleration force of the first drum, and wherein the one or more second sensors include a second accelerometer configured to measure an acceleration force of the second drum.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The compactor of claim 1, wherein the predetermined threshold value for the difference between the first amplitude of vibration and the second amplitude of vibration is variable based on a direction of travel of the compactor, a vibration speed of the first vibration system, a vibration speed of the second vibration system, a temperature of hydraulic oil, and/or a temperature of material being compacted by the compactor.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The compactor of claim 1, wherein the system further includes an output module communicably coupled with the one or more processors, wherein the output module is configured to receive the output signal from the one or more processors, and wherein the output module is configured to generate a notification to indicate the difference in amplitude setting to a user.