Method and apparatus for determining a cross slope of a surface

A method for determining a cross slope created by a work implement on a work machine, the work machine comprised of movably connected front and rear frames, said work implement movably connected to at least one of said frames, comprising the steps of:

• sensing a plurality of machine parameters, said machine parameters including a roll of said work machine, a pitch of said work machine, and an articulation angle;
• sensing a plurality of work implement parameters, said work implement parameters including an angle of rotation of said work implement relative to said work machine;
• and
• determining said cross slope in response to said machine parameters and said work implement parameters including said angle of rotation of said work implement.

An apparatus configured to determine a cross slope created by a work machine having a work implement, the work machine including front and rear frames movably connected, the work implement being movably connected to at least one of said frames of the work machine, comprising:

• a machine sensor system configured to sense a plurality of machine parameters and responsively generate a plurality of machine parameter signals;
• a work implement sensor system configured to determine a plurality of work implement parameters and responsively generate a plurality of work implement parameter signals;
• and
• a controller configured to receive said machine parameter signals and said work implement parameter signals, determine a direction of travel of the machine in response to said machine and said work implement parameters, determine a position of said work implement in response to said machine and said work implement parameters, and determine the cross slope in response to said machine direction of travel and said work implement position.

A method for determining a cross slope created by a work implement on a work machine, the work machine including front and rear frames movably connected, the work implement being movably connected to at least one of said frames of the work machine, comprising the steps of:

• determining a position of said work implement;
• determining a direction of travel of at least one of said frames;
• establishing an angle of rotation of the work implement relative to the machine;
• and
• determining a cross slope in response to said direction of travel of at least one of said frames and said work implement position.

An apparatus configured to determine a cross slope created by a work machine having a work implement, the machine having front and rear frames movably connected, the work implement being movably connected to at least one of said frames of the work machine, comprising:

• a machine sensor system configured to sense a plurality of machine parameters, including a roll of said machine, a pitch of said machine, and an articulation of said machine, and responsively generate a plurality of machine parameter signals, said signals corresponding to said roll of said machine, said pitch of said machine, and said articulation angle of said machine;
• a work implement sensor system configured to determine a plurality of work implement parameters, one of said work implement parameters being an angle of rotation of the work implement relative to the machine, and responsively generate a plurality of work implement parameter signals;
• and
• a controller configured to receive said machine parameter signals and said work implement parameter signals, determine at least one of a direction of travel of the machine and a direction of travel of the work implement in response to said roll of said machine, said pitch of said machine, said articulation angle of said machine, and said work implement parameters, including said angle of rotation, determine a position of said work implement in response to said machine and said work implement parameters, and determine the cross slope in response to said at least one of said direction of travel of said machine and said direction of travel of said work implement and said work implement position.