Method and apparatus for operating compacting machinery relative to a work site

A method of directing the operation of a mobile site compacting machine comprising the steps of:

• (a) producing and storing in a digital data storage and retrieval means both a first site model representing the desired degree of compaction of the site and a second site model representing the actual degree of compaction of the site;
• (b) generating signals representing in real time the instantaneous position in three-dimensional space of at least a portion of the compacting machine as it traverses the site;
• (c) updating the second model in accordance with said three-dimensional position signals;
• (d) determining the difference between the first and second site models;
• and
• (e) directing the operation of the compacting machine in accordance with the difference to bring the updated second site model into conformity with the first site model.

A system for accurately monitoring and controlling the compaction of a work site and compaction machinery operating on the work site, comprising:

• a mobile compacting machine for compacting the site, the machine equipped with positioning means to accurately determine in real time the instantaneous position of at least a portion of the machine in three dimensions as the machine traverses the site;
• a digital data storage facility in communication with the positioning means;
• a first model of a desired degree of site compaction, and a second model of the actual degree of site compaction, the first and second site models stored in the digital data storage facility;
• dynamic database means communicating with the digital data storage facility and the positioning means, the dynamic database means monitoring the position of the machine relative to the site in real time and updating the second site model in real time in response to the monitored position of the machine as it traverses the site, the dynamic database means further generating signals representing the difference in the degree of compaction between the first and second site models for directing the operation of the machine to bring the second updated site model into conformity with the first site model.

A method for determining in real time a path of a mobile compacting machine over a work site, comprising the steps of:

• providing a model of the site subdivided into a continuous matrix of unit areas;
• equipping the mobile machine with means for determining a position in three-dimensional space of at least a portion of the machine as it traverses the site;
• tracking the position of the machine while it traverses the site as a series of coordinate points on the site model;
• determining the width of a compacting portion of the machine relative to the unit areas of the site model;
• and, where the rate at which the coordinate points are tracked is not synchronous with the rate of travel of the machine over the unit areas of the site, determining a path for the machine in real time comprising the unit areas traversed by the compacting portion of the machine between coordinate points.