Apparatus and method for locating a vehicle in a working area and for the on-board measuring of parameters indicative of vehicle performance

A system as set forth in claim 7 wherein said sensing device also includes:

• a compass for generating data indicative of the heading of said vehicle;
• a distance sensor for generating data indicative of distance traveled by said vehicle;
• and
• said means responding to said distance and heading data to find the approximate instantaneous position of said vehicle relative to a predetermined location associated with the most recently detected signpost data.

In a system for controlling the routing of each vehicle in a fleet of material-hauling vehicles to one of a plurality of possible locations within a working area, an apparatus for monitoring and commanding vehicle movement comprising, in combination:

• signposts strategically located within said working area for providing location data;
• a first sensor on-board each of said vehicles for sensing a vehicle parameter and forming data indicative of said vehicle's hauling status in response thereto;
• a second sensor on-board each of said vehicles for sensing location data from one of said signposts;
• first means for transferring said location and hauling status data to a central computer;
• said central computer for receiving said location and hauling status data from each of said vehicles and including means for (1) constructing a data base from said data, (2) formulating vehicle control data in accordance with a predetermined objective;
• and
• second means for transferring said vehicle control data to at least one selected vehicle to thereby provide routing instructions to said at least one selected vehicle so as to implement said predetermined objective.

In a working area having a plurality of signposts defining distinct regions in said working area, wherein said signposts are associated with a base station for controlling the routing of an individual truck in a fleet of dump-body trucks to and from said distinct regions within said working area and wherein said base station receives data from said trucks and issues commands to said trucks, an apparatus on-board each of said trucks comprising, in combination:

• a weighing means mounted to the frame of said truck for supporting the entire weight of the body of said truck in its lowered position, said weighing means providing data indicative of the weight of said body;
• a sensor mounted to the frame of said truck for detecting said signposts and providing data indicative of the present location of said truck;
• a processor means on-board said truck for (1) receiving said weight and location data, and (2) providing output data indicative of hauling status such as loading or dumping in association with the location of said truck;
• transceiver means on-board said truck for (1) receiving said output data from said processor means and transmitting said output data to said base station for further processing and (2) receiving control data from said base station and delivering said control data to said processor means;
• and
• said processor means including means responsive to said control data for providing vehicle operating instructions to a truck operator.

A method for monitoring and controlling the movement of a fleet of material hauling vehicles comprising the steps of:

• distributing a plurality of signposts throughout a working site so that each signpost is associated with a discrete area of said working site;
• detecting on board each vehicle said signposts in order to provide an indication of vehicle location and generating data indicative of said vehicle location;
• sensing on board each vehicle a weight of a load of material carried by said vehicle and generating data indicative of said weight;
• collecting said location and weight data and formulating a historical data base indicative of vehicle performance;
• and
• generating control data from said historical data base for controlling the movement of at least a selected one of said vehicles in accordance with a predetermined objective.