# US 2021/0240199 A1 · Mapping a Dig Site Diagram > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2021/0240199 A1 - Document ID: US20210240199A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 17/234,796 - Filed: 2021-04-20 - Published: 2021-08-05 - Earliest claimed: 2017-01-23 - Assignees: Built Robotics Inc. - Applicants: Built Robotics Inc. - Inventors: Noah Austen Ready-Campbell; Andrew Xiao Liang; Linus Page Chou; Edward Stephen Walker, JR.; Christian John Wawrzonek; Cyrus McMann Ready-Campbell - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210240199A1 ## CPC - E02F 3/435: {for dipper-arms, backhoes or the like} - E02F 9/2045: {Guiding machines along a predetermined path (for graders E02F3/841; machines for construction of roads E01C19/004)} - E02F 3/32: working downwardly and towards the machine, e.g. with backhoes - E02F 3/434: {providing automatic sequences of movements, e.g. automatic dumping or loading, automatic return-to-dig} - E02F 3/439: {Automatic repositioning of the implement, e.g. automatic dumping, auto-return (E02F3/438 takes precedence)} - E02F 3/964: {of several tools mounted on one machine (E02F3/962 takes precedence)} - E02F 9/2029: {Controlling the position of implements in function of its load, e.g. modifying the attitude of implements in accordance to vehicle speed (control for hydraulic or pneumatic drives E02F9/2203, E02F9/2221 and E02F9/2253 take precedence)} - E02F 9/205: {Remotely operated machines, e.g. unmanned vehicles (E02F3/8866 takes precedence)} - E02F 9/262: {with follow-up actions to control the work tool, e.g. controller} - E02F 9/265: {with follow-up actions (e.g. control signals sent to actuate the work tool)} - G01C 21/20: Instruments for performing navigational calculations (G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence) - G01N 33/24: Earth materials (G01N33/42 takes precedence) - G05D 1/0219: {ensuring the processing of the whole working surface} - G05D 1/0231: {using optical position detecting means (position-fixing by using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves, e.g. optical position detecting means G01S5/16)} - G05D 1/0274: {using mapping information stored in a memory device (navigation using map-matching G01C21/30)} - G06T 7/74: {involving reference images or patches} - G06T 17/05: Geographic models - G06V 20/56: exterior to a vehicle by using sensors mounted on the vehicle - G06T 2207/30248: Vehicle exterior or interior - E02F: DREDGING; SOIL-SHIFTING (winning peat E21C49/00) - G01C: MEASURING DISTANCES, LEVELS OR BEARINGS; SURVEYING; NAVIGATION; GYROSCOPIC INSTRUMENTS; PHOTOGRAMMETRY OR VIDEOGRAMMETRY (measuring liquid level G01F; radio navigation, determining distance or velocity by use of propagation effects, e.g. Doppler effects, propagation time, of radio waves, analogous arrangements using other waves G01S) - G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q) - G05D: SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES - G06T: IMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL - G06V: IMAGE OR VIDEO RECOGNITION OR UNDERSTANDING ## Abstract This description provides an autonomous or semi-autonomous excavation vehicle that is capable of navigating through a dig site and carrying out an excavation routine using a system of sensors physically mounted to the excavation vehicle. The sensors collects any one or more of spatial, imaging, measurement, and location data representing the status of the excavation vehicle and its surrounding environment. Based on the collected data, the excavation vehicle executes instructions to carry out an excavation routine. The excavation vehicle is also able to carry out numerous other tasks, such as checking the volume of excavated earth in an excavation tool, and helping prepare a digital terrain model of the site as part of a process for creating the excavation routine. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for excavating material by an excavation vehicle (EV), the method comprising: receiving a digital representation of a site including a planned hole that has not yet been excavated within a portion of the site; capturing, by the EV, information representative of the portion of the site and representative of a current status of the planned hole using sensors of the EV and creating a current digital terrain model of the site based on the captured information; generating a target volume to be excavated based at least in part on a difference between the planned hole within the digital representation of the site and the current status of the planned hole within the current digital terrain model of the site; and performing, by the EV, one or more excavation actions to remove the target volume of material from the planned hole. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the digital representation of the site comprises geographic locations of one or more physical fiducials within the site. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the digital representation of the site comprises geographic coordinates for one or more features of the site. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the sensors comprise one or more of: a measurement sensor, a spatial sensor, an imaging sensor, and a position sensor. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the digital representation of the site comprises a data model representing at least the planned hole within the site, wherein the captured information comprises one or more images of a location of the planned hole within the site, and wherein the target volume is generated based on a comparison of the planned hole represented by the data model and the images of the location of the planned hole. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more excavation actions comprise a plurality of tool paths that, when performed, result in removal of the target volume of material from the planned hole. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein the plurality of tool paths, when performed, create one or more cutbacks, one or more slope backs, or one or more hole surfaces. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein the plurality of tool paths are selected based additionally on one or more of: a soil composition measurement, a property of an excavation tool, a property of maneuvering equipment of the EV, or a property of the EV itself. ### Claim 9 A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing executable instructions for excavating material by an excavation vehicle (EV) that, when executed by a hardware processor, cause the hardware processor to perform steps comprising: receiving a digital representation of a site including a planned hole that has not yet been excavated within a portion of the site; capturing, by the EV, information representative of the portion of the site and representative of a current status of the planned hole using sensors of the EV and creating a current digital terrain model of the site based on the captured information; generating a target volume to be excavated based at least in part on a difference between the planned hole within the digital representation of the site and the current status of the planned hole within the current digital terrain model of the site; and performing, by the EV, one or more excavation actions to remove the target volume of material from the planned hole. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the digital representation of the site comprises geographic locations of one or more physical fiducials within the site. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the digital representation of the site comprises geographic coordinates for one or more features of the site. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the sensors comprise one or more of: a measurement sensor, a spatial sensor, an imaging sensor, and a position sensor. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the digital representation of the site comprises a data model representing at least the planned hole within the site, wherein the captured information comprises one or more images of a location of the planned hole within the site, and wherein the target volume is generated based on a comparison of the planned hole represented by the data model and the images of the location of the planned hole. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the one or more excavation actions comprise a plurality of tool paths that, when performed, result in removal of the target volume of material from the planned hole. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the plurality of tool paths, when performed, create one or more cutbacks, one or more slope backs, or one or more hole surfaces. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the plurality of tool paths are selected based additionally on one or more of: a soil composition measurement, a property of an excavation tool, a property of maneuvering equipment of the EV, or a property of the EV itself. ### Claim 17 A method for performing excavation operations by an excavation vehicle (EV), the method comprising: receiving a digital representation of a site including a planned excavation operation that has not yet been performed within a portion of the site; capturing, by the EV, information representative of the portion of the site and representative of a current status of the planned excavation operation using sensors of the EV and creating a current digital terrain model of the site based on the captured information; determining a difference between the planned excavation operation within the digital representation of the site and the planned excavation operation within the current digital terrain model; and performing, by the EV, one or more excavation actions based on the determined difference. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the planned excavation operation comprises one or more of: digging, grading, filling, trenching, compacting, aerating, ripping, stripping, spreading, and smoothing. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the one or more excavation actions comprise a plurality of tool paths. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein the plurality of tool paths are selected based additionally on one or more of: a soil composition measurement, a property of an excavation tool, a property of maneuvering equipment of the EV, or a property of the EV itself.