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US 2023/0101825 A1Published application
Autonomous Machine Operation Using Vibration Analysis
AssigneeCaterpillar SARL
InventorNathan Adams
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Operating an autonomous machine using analysis of machine vibration while it is operational. Accelerometers are used to measure the machines vibrations while it is being operated. If the vibrations exceed a predetermined acceleration a controller adjust the velocity of the machine to prevent/reduce further vibrations.
Claims17
An autonomous machine comprising:
- a tractor unit;
- a trailer unit;
- one or more accelerometers configured to measure acceleration of at least one of the tractor unit and the trailer unit along three perpendicular axes;
- a velocity sensor configured to measure a velocity of the autonomous machine;
- a controller configured to:
- receive acceleration data from the one or more accelerometers;
- receive velocity data from the velocity sensor;
- determine whether the acceleration of at least one of the tractor unit and the trailer unit exceeds a predetermined maximum acceleration threshold;
- in the event that the acceleration of at least one of the tractor unit and the trailer unit does exceed the predetermined maximum acceleration threshold, to reduce the velocity of the autonomous machine until the acceleration of at least one of the tractor unit and the trailer unit has decreased below the predetermined maximum acceleration threshold;
- and
- increase the velocity of the autonomous machine towards and up to a predetermined maximum velocity threshold for the autonomous machine.
8 more elements
A method of controlling an autonomous machine of the type comprising a tractor unit and a trailer unit, the method comprising the steps of:
- measuring a vibration acceleration of at least one of the tractor unit and the trailer unit along three perpendicular axes;
- measuring a velocity of the autonomous machine;
- comparing the vibration acceleration of at least one of the tractor unit and the trailer unit with a predetermined maximum vibration acceleration threshold;
- in the event that the vibration acceleration of at least one of the tractor unit and the trailer unit exceeds the predetermined maximum vibration acceleration threshold, reducing the velocity of the autonomous machine until the vibration acceleration of at least one of the tractor unit and the trailer unit has decreased below the predetermined maximum vibration acceleration threshold;
- and
- increasing the velocity of the autonomous machine towards and up to a predetermined maximum velocity threshold.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.