Worksite avoidance system
AssigneeCaterpillar Inc.
InventorAdam J. Gudat
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An avoidance system is disclosed for operating a vehicle on a pile of material on a worksite, the material being released through an opening at the worksite and causing a disturbance zone to form on a surface of the pile. The system has a sensor positioned at the worksite and configured to sense the surface of the pile, and a processor in communication with the sensor and the vehicle. The processor is configured to identify the disturbance zone based on the sensed surface and a known location of the opening, and to transmit a signal indicative of the disturbance zone to the vehicle.
Claims20
A method of operating a vehicle on a pile of material on a worksite, the material being released through a drain opening beneath the pile at the worksite, comprising:
- sensing, at a sensor, a surface of the pile;
- identifying, at a controller, based on the sensed surface and a known location of the drain opening, a disturbance zone on the surface of the pile caused by the release of material;
- transmitting, by the controller, a signal indicative of the disturbance zone to the vehicle;
- and
- controlling, by the controller, the vehicle to avoid the disturbance zone based on the signal.
An avoidance system for operating a vehicle on a pile of material on a worksite, the material being released through a drain opening beneath the pile at the worksite and causing a disturbance zone to form on a surface of the pile, the system comprising:
- a sensor positioned at the worksite and configured to sense the surface of the pile;
- and
- a processor in communication with the sensor and the vehicle, the processor being configured to:
- identify the disturbance zone based on the sensed surface and a known location of the drain opening;
- transmit a signal indicative of the disturbance zone to the vehicle;
- and
- control the vehicle to avoid the disturbance zone based on the signal.
A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program which, when executed by a computer, causes the computer to perform a method of operating a vehicle on a pile of material on a worksite, the material being released through a drain opening beneath the pile at the worksite, the method comprising:
- sensing, at a sensor, a surface of the pile;
- identifying, at a controller, based on the sensed surface and a known location of the drain opening, a disturbance zone on the surface of the pile caused by the release of material;
- transmitting, by the controller, a signal indicative of the disturbance zone to the vehicle;
- and
- controlling, by the controller, the vehicle to avoid the disturbance zone based on the signal.
A vehicle operating on a pile of material on a worksite, the material being released through a drain opening beneath the pile at the worksite, the vehicle comprising:
- a communication device configured to receive a signal indicative of a sensed surface of the pile;
- a positioning device configured to determine a location of the vehicle on the worksite and to generate a signal indicative of the vehicle's location;
- and
- a controller in communication with the positioning device and the communication device, the controller being configured to:
- identify, based on the sensed surface and a known location of the drain opening, a disturbance zone on the surface of the pile caused by the release of material;
- determine whether the vehicle is located within a distance of the disturbance zone;
- and
- control the vehicle to avoid the disturbance zone based on the signal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.