Caterpillar Inc.

Caterpillar Paving Products Inc.

Andrew Whitten

Paul Russell Friend

Qi Chen

Aaron Michael Donnelli

Nicholas Robert Vogel

Michael Allen Taylor

Eric Steven Engelmann

Conwell K Rife, Jr

Joshua Struble

Frank Arthur Willis

Steven R Krause

Hong Chang

Eric Alan Moughler

Timothy A Evans

Bibhrajit Halder

Clayton Padgett

Salman Chikni

Joseph Forcash

Bibhradjit Halder

A milling machine may have a frame, a milling drum attached to the frame, and ground engaging tracks that support the frame and propel the milling machine in a forward or rearward direction. The milling machine may have at least one actuator connecting the frame to at least one of the ground engaging tracks. The actuator may adjust a height of the frame relative to at least one of the tracks. The milling machine may also have a non-contact leg-height sensor attached to the frame. The sensor may generate a signal indicative of a height of the frame relative to at least one of the tracks. The milling machine may also have a controller configured to determine the height based on the signal.

Milling machine having a non-contact leg-height measurement system

A method for detecting and mitigating errors in a positioning system includes receiving a first signal from a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) indicative of a first position and a second signal from the GNSS indicative of a second position of a machine, determining a difference between the first position and the second position, detecting an error in a current position of the machine when the difference between the first and the second position exceeds a threshold of one of (a) a maximum distance given a maximum velocity, and (b) an actual distance determined based on an output of an inertial sensor on the machine, and mitigating the detected error in the current position of the machine by switching from an output of the positioning system to a position output determined based upon the output of the inertial sensor to update the current position.

Positioning error detection and mitigation system and method

A system for determining the position of a mobile machine is disclosed. The system may include a first sensor configured to generate a first signal indicative of a pose of the mobile machine, a second sensor configured to generate a second signal indicative of a parameter of the mobile machine, and a controller in communication with the first and second sensors. The controller may be configured to generate a measured pose of the mobile machine based on the first signal, to generate an estimated pose of the mobile machine based on the second signal, and to determine uncertainty values associated with each of the measured and estimated poses. The controller may be further configured to determine overlap of the uncertainty values, to selectively adjust the measured pose based on the overlap, and to determine a pose solution based on the estimated pose and adjustment of the measured pose.

Positioning system implementing multi-sensor pose solution

A system having a primary inertial measurement unit and a secondary inertial measurement unit configured to generate a primary position signal and a secondary position signal respectively is provided. The system also includes an error detection module communicably coupled to the primary inertial measurement unit and the secondary inertial measurement unit. The error detection module is configured to receive the primary position signal and the secondary position signal and detect if an out-range error is present in at least one of the primary position signal and the secondary position signal. The error detection module is also configured to detect if an in-range error is present in at least one of the primary position signal and the secondary position signal and determine an action to be performed based on the presence of at least one of the out-range error and the in-range error.

System and method for estimating position of machine

A system is provided. The system includes a perception sensor, a first inertial measurement unit and a first localization module. The first localization module is configured to generate a first position estimate signal indicative of an estimated position of the machine. The system includes a second inertial measurement unit and a second localization module. The second localization module is configured to generate a second position estimate signal indicative of the estimated position of the machine. A position determination module is communicably coupled to the first and second localization modules. The position determination module is configured to determine a health of the first and second localization modules based on one or more parameters indicative of errors associated with the first and second inertial measurement units respectively; and determine an estimated position of the machine based on the determined health of the first and second localization modules.

System and method for estimation of machine position

A position identification system for use with a mobile machine at a worksite is disclosed. The system may include an integration module configured to integrate information from at least one motion sensor and at least one GPS receiver to generate a location signal indicative of an actual location of the mobile machine. A controller may be provided in communication with the at least one motion sensor, the at least one GPS receiver, and the integration module, the controller being configured to determine the reliability of information received from the at least one motion sensor, the at least one GPS receiver, and the integration module, and following a period of time from when received information is first determined to be unreliable, switching from determining the position of the mobile machine using information determined to be unreliable to determining the position of the mobile machine using dead reckoning from a last known good position of the mobile machine, a determined wheel speed of the mobile machine, and a steering command being provided to the mobile machine.

Position identification system with multiple cross-checks

A position control system for use with a mobile machine at a worksite is disclosed. The control system may have a location receiver configured to generate a location signal indicative of an actual location of a base station, a communication device configured to wirelessly communicate with the mobile machine, and a controller in communication with the location receiver and the communication device. The controller may be configured to store an assumed location of the base station in memory, make a comparison of the location signal with the assumed location, and selectively generate a control instruction for the mobile machine based on the comparison.

Worksite position control system having integrity checking

A machine includes a frame and a dump body. An electronic controller is operably connected to the machine. At least one accelerometer is disposed to measure an acceleration of the frame and/or the dump body, and to provide an acceleration signal to the electronic controller. The electronic controller is disposed to receive and analyze the acceleration signal and provide a loading signal indicative of a severe loading condition to a remote control station and/or a loading machine performing the loading.

Growing community of inventors

Dunlap, IL, United States of America

Andrew Whitten