# US 9,828,781 B2 · Fine implement control system using relative positioning

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- Number: US 9,828,781 B2
- Document ID: US9828781B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/258,366
- Filed: 2016-09-07
- Published: 2017-01-12
- Granted: 2017-11-28
- Earliest claimed: 2015-02-02
- Assignees: Caterpillar Inc.
- Applicants: Caterpillar Inc.
- Inventors: Paul Friend
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9828781B2

## CPC

- E04G 21/0463: {with boom control mechanisms, e.g. to automate concrete distribution}
- B33Y 10/00: Processes of additive manufacturing
- B33Y 30/00: Apparatus for additive manufacturing; Details thereof or accessories therefor
- B33Y 50/02: for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes
- E02F 3/437: {providing automatic sequences of movements, e.g. linear excavation, keeping dipper angle constant}
- E02F 3/963: {Arrangements on backhoes for alternate use of different tools (backhoes per se E02F3/30; quick-acting devices to connect tools to arms E02F3/3609, for arms to tractors or the like E02F3/627)}
- E02F 9/2025: {Particular purposes of control systems not otherwise provided for (E02F3/16, E02F3/26, sub-groups of E02F3/43, E02F3/651, sub-groups of E02F3/84, E02F3/907, E02F5/145 take precedence)}
- E02F 9/205: {Remotely operated machines, e.g. unmanned vehicles (E02F3/8866 takes precedence)}
- E02F 9/261: {Surveying the work-site to be treated}
- E02F 9/265: {with follow-up actions (e.g. control signals sent to actuate the work tool)}
- G05B 19/00: Program-control systems
- G05D 1/00: Control of position, course, altitude or attitude of land, water, air or space vehicles, e.g. using automatic pilots (drive control systems specially adapted for autonomous road vehicles B60W60/00)
- G05D 1/0016: {characterised by the operator's input device (input arrangements for computing systems in general G06F3/00)}
- G05D 1/0276: {using signals provided by a source external to the vehicle (involving a plurality of vehicles G05D1/0287; automatically controlling vehicle speed responsive to externally generated signals B60K31/0058)}
- G05B 2219/40185: Decoupled coarse fine motion coordination
- E04G: SCAFFOLDING; FORMS; SHUTTERING; BUILDING IMPLEMENTS OR AIDS, OR THEIR USE; HANDLING BUILDING MATERIALS ON THE SITE; REPAIRING, BREAKING-UP OR OTHER WORK ON EXISTING BUILDINGS
- B33Y: ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING, i.e. MANUFACTURING OF THREE-DIMENSIONAL [3D] OBJECTS BY ADDITIVE DEPOSITION, ADDITIVE AGGLOMERATION OR ADDITIVE LAYERING, e.g. BY 3D PRINTING, STEREOLITHOGRAPHY OR SELECTIVE LASER SINTERING
- E02F: DREDGING; SOIL-SHIFTING (winning peat E21C49/00)
- G05B: CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS (systems for controlling or regulating non-electric variables G05D; systems for regulating electric or magnetic variables G05F; control devices or systems insofar as characterised by mechanical features only G05G)
- G05D: SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES

## Abstract

A control system for an additive construction implement of a machine is disclosed. The control system may include a relative positioning system for providing relative positioning signals, where the relative positioning signals are representative of a position of the implement relative to a worksite. The control system may receive a three-dimensional structure design file. The control system may further include a controller for determining an implement control plan, where the implement control plan is based on, at least, the relative positioning signals and includes coarse control signals and fine control signals. The control system may further include a coarse control system and a fine control system that controls fine movements of the implement based on the fine control signals. The fine movements may have a fine range of motion, the fine range of motion being less than the coarse range of motion.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An autonomous control system for an additive construction implement, the implement associated with a machine, the control system comprising:
a relative positioning system including one or more perception sensors operatively affixed to the implement and configured for determining positioning of the implement relative to a past operation of the machine, the relative positioning system utilizing input from the perception sensors to determine relative positioning signals, the relative positioning signals representative of a position of the implement relative to a worksite;
a controller configured to:
receive a three-dimensional structure design file from a memory that is operatively associated with the controller;
execute an implement control plan, the implement control plan based on, at least, the three-dimensional structure design file, the relative positioning signals, and including coarse control signals and fine control signals;
receive the coarse control signals and control coarse movements of the implement based on the coarse control signals, the coarse movements having a coarse range of motion, the coarse control system including one or more coarse actuators for positioning the implement using coarse movements based on the coarse control signals; and
receive the fine control signals and control fine movements of the implement based on the fine control signals, the fine movements having a fine range of motion, the fine range of motion being less than the coarse range of motion, and the fine control system including one or more fine actuators for positioning the implement using fine movements based on the fine control signals;
wherein the coarse movements and fine movements guide the implement to lay down successive layers of material to construct a structure according to the design plan.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The control system of claim 1, wherein the relative positioning signals include information indicative of an edge of the worksite relative to a first position of the implement during a first pass of the implement.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The control system of claim 2, wherein the implement control plan includes second pass instructions for positioning the implement during a second pass of the implement, the second pass instructions based on the information indicative of the edge of the worksite relative to the first position of the implement during the first pass of the implement.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The control system of claim 1, further comprising at least one positioning system associated with at least one of the implement and the machine and providing positioning signals to the controller, wherein the implement control plan is further based on the positioning signals.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The control system of claim 1, wherein the perception sensor is one of a LiDAR and a camera.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The control system of claim 1, wherein the fine control system further includes a fine control structure, the fine control structure including one or more fine control components operatively associated with the implement, the one or more fine control components moved by the one or more fine control actuators to position the implement based on the fine control signals.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The control system of claim 1, wherein the machine further includes a housing and a crane and wherein the one or more coarse actuators position the implement by moving at least one of the housing and the crane based on the coarse control signals.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The control system of claim 7, wherein the crane includes a boom operatively connected to the housing and a stick operatively connected to the boom and the implement, and
wherein the one or more coarse actuators position the implement by moving at least one of the boom relative to the housing, the stick relative to the boom, and the implement relative to the stick.

### Claim 9

A method for autonomously controlling an additive construction implement associated with a machine, the method comprising:
determining, by a relative positioning system, relative positioning signals based on input of one or more perception sensors of the relative positioning system, the one or more perception sensors being operatively affixed to the implement and configured for determining positioning of the implement relative to a past operation of the machine, the relative positioning signals representative of a position of the implement relative to a worksite;
receiving a three-dimensional structure design file from a memory that is operatively associated with the controller;
receiving, by a controller, the relative positioning signals from the relative positioning system;
execute, by the controller, an implement control plan, the implement control plan based on, at least, the relative positioning signals and including coarse control signals and fine control signals;
receiving, by a coarse control system, the coarse control signals, the coarse control system including one or more coarse actuators;
receiving, by a fine control system, the fine control signals, the fine control signals including one or more fine actuators;
controlling coarse movements of the implement based on the coarse control signals by positioning the implement using the one or more coarse actuators, the coarse movements having a coarse range of motion;
controlling fine movements of the implement based on the fine control signals by positioning the implement using the one or more fine actuators, the fine movements having a fine range of motion, the fine range of motion being less than the coarse range of motion; and
guiding, by the coarse and fine movements, the implement to lay down successive layers of material to construct a structure according to the design plan.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, further comprising determining relative positioning signals based on information indicative of an edge of the worksite relative to a first position of the implement during a first pass of the implement.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein determining the implement control plan further includes determining second pass instructions for positioning the implement during a second pass of the implement, the second pass instructions based on the information indicative of the edge of the worksite relative to the first position of the implement during the first pass of the implement.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, further comprising receiving, by the controller, positioning signals associated with at least one of the machine and the implement, the positioning signals provided by a positioning system associated with the at least one of the machine and the implement and wherein the implement control plan is further based on the positioning signals.

### Claim 13

A fine control system for an implement of a machine, the fine control system controlling fine movements of the implement based on an implement control plan, the fine control system comprising:
a relative positioning system including one or more perception sensors operatively affixed to the implement and configured for determining positioning of the implement relative to a past operation of the machine, the relative positioning system utilizing input from the perception sensors to determine relative positioning signals, the relative positioning signals representative of a position of the implement relative to a worksite;
a controller for determining the implement control plan, the implement control plan based on, at least, the relative positioning signals and including control signals;
one or more fine actuators for positioning the implement using fine movements based on the fine control signals; and
a fine control structure, the fine control structure including one or more fine control components operatively associated with the implement, the one or more fine control components moved by the one or more fine control actuators to position the implement based on the fine control signals.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The fine control system of claim 13, wherein machine includes a crane and the fine control structure is operatively associated with the crane, thereby connecting the fine control system to the crane.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The fine control system of claim 13, further comprising a positioning system associated with the implement and providing positioning signals to the controller, wherein the implement control plan is further based on the positioning signals.

### Claim 16 (depends on 13)

The fine control system of claim 13, wherein the relative positioning signals include information indicative of an edge of the worksite relative to a first position of the implement during a first pass of the implement, and
wherein the implement control plan includes second pass instructions for positioning the implement during a second pass of the implement, the second pass instructions based on the information indicative of the edge of the worksite relative to the first position of the implement during the first pass of the implement.