Determining pile height for autonomous pile driving system
AssigneeBuilt Robotics Inc.
InventorsNoah Austen Ready-Campbell, Brian Lerner, Andrew Xiao Liang
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A range finder of an autonomous quality control system measures a horizontal distance between the range finder and a first pile installed at a first location. The autonomous quality control system iteratively tilts the range finder upwards until the range finder no longer detects the first pile. The autonomous quality control system determines an angle of the range finder relative to horizontal when the range finder no longer detects the first pile. The autonomous quality control system determines a first height of the first pile based on the horizontal distance and the determined angle. A pile driving system installs a second pile at a second height within a threshold height of the first height.
Claims14
A method comprising:
- measuring, by a range finder of an autonomous quality control system, a horizontal distance between the range finder and a first pile installed at a first location;
- iteratively tilting, by the autonomous quality control system, the range finder upwards until the range finder no longer detects the first pile;
- determining, by the autonomous quality control system, an angle of the range finder relative to horizontal when the range finder no longer detects the first pile;
- determining, by the autonomous quality control system, a first height of the first pile based on the horizontal distance and the determined angle;
- and
- installing, by a pile driving system, a second pile at a second height within a threshold height of the first height.
An autonomous pile driving system, comprising:
- a pile driver for driving piles into the ground;
- a chute for stabilizing the piles as the piles are being driven into the ground;
- a range finder coupled to the chute;
- and
- a controller configured to:
- autonomously measure, using the range finder, a horizontal distance between the range finder and a first pile installed at a first location;
- iteratively tilt the range finder upwards until the range finder no longer detects the first pile;
- autonomously determine an angle of the range finder relative to horizontal when the range finder no longer detects the first pile;
- autonomously determine a first height of the first pile based on the horizontal distance and the determined angle;
- and
- autonomously install, using the pile driver, a second pile at a second height within a threshold height of the first height.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.