Caterpillar Inc.

James W Landes

Mark E Rettig

Balmes Tejeda

Robert S Anderson

Kevin G Meyer

Justin Lee Steinlage

Jonny Ray Greiner

Timothy D Schwartz

Michael D Mitchell

David L Dickrell

Christopher M Sprock

Michael R Verheyen

Scott E Nicholson

Mahmoud M Tobaa

Scott A Tipton

Evan Earl Jacobson

Amit Jayachandran

Kevin Dee Ehrenhardt

Prasad V Parupalli

John Thomas Reedy

Mark J Hilbert

Ryan Anderson

Qiang Chen

Arvil Duane Wilson

Ryan Edward Graham

Wesley E Jacobson

Joshua Moon

Ryan L Horihan

Travis Edward Moore

Jacob Kunowski

Bradley K McCunn

Marc Schade

Mahendra Upadhyaya

Robert Anderson

Jonny Greiner

Michael Mitchell

A system for estimating a payload includes a torque sensor, a grade detector, and a machine acceleration sensor. A controller compares the angle of inclination to its threshold, compares the rate of change in the angle of inclination to its threshold, and compares the machine acceleration to its threshold. An estimate of the payload is determined based upon the output torque from the prime mover, the angle of inclination of the machine, and the unloaded mass but only if the angle of inclination of the machine is greater than the angle of inclination threshold, the rate of change in the angle of inclination is less than the inclination rate of change threshold, and the machine acceleration is less than the acceleration threshold.

System for estimating a mass of a payload in a hauling machine

A drivetrain system is disclosed for use with a machine having a work tool. The drivetrain system may have a transmission with a plurality of clutches. The drivetrain system may also have an input device movable by an operator to generate a first signal indicative of a desired selection of a park setting or one of a plurality of travel settings, a sensor configured to generate a second signal indicative of loading of the work tool, and a controller in communication with the input device, the sensor, and the transmission. The controller may be configured to anticipate completion of a loading cycle based the second signal, and to selectively cause at least a first of the plurality of clutches to engage in a combination that produces one of the plurality of travel settings based on the anticipated completion of the loading cycle, notwithstanding the desired selection from the input device being the park setting.

Drivetrain system implementing predictive control

Systems and methods for adaptive throttle filtering are disclosed. One method includes receiving vertical acceleration data indicative of a plurality of vertical accelerations of a machine, receiving first throttle pedal data indicative of a plurality of throttle pedal movements, determining a filter factor based at least on the vertical acceleration data, filtering the first throttle pedal data, based at least on the filter factor, to determine second throttle pedal data, and causing the second throttle pedal data to be transmitted to a controller to effectuate control of an operation of an engine.

Systems and methods for adaptive throttle filtering

A rollover prevention system for a machine is disclosed. The rollover prevention system may include an inertial measurement unit (IMU) configured to detect a discharge event of a payload material from the machine and measure a body angle of the machine. The rollover prevention system may further include a controller in communication with the IMU. The controller may be configured to determine an angle of repose of the machine based on the detected discharge event and the measured body angle.

Angle of repose detector for hauling machines

An electronic control system for an automatic transmission having an alternate forward start gear, a lower forward start gear and a lower forward start gear lock our feature, in which the electronic control system can sense from various conditions when more power to the drive train is needed and cause the automatic transmission to automatically downshift to the lower forward start gear.

System and method for automatically downshifting an automatic transmission with alternate forward launch gear

A method is described for controlling an automatic transmission of a vehicle during deceleration arising from a force resisting forward movement arising from an incline grade and a vehicle mass. The force of resistance to forward movement is determined at least based upon the incline grade. A destination gear is calculated based upon a set of gear-specific output curves and the force of resistance. The destination gear is compared to a current gear within which the machine is operating. The programmed controller executes an early downshift schedule when the destination gear is at least two positions lower than the current gear, thereby initiating a series of downshifts of the automatic transmission from the current gear to the destination gear. During each gear shift performed according to the early downshift schedule, shifting occurs at a cross-over point between output curves of current and next lower gears.

Grade and payload based transmission gear selection strategy

A system and method are provided for grade-based anti-hunt shift control of an automatic transmission powering a machine. A shift controller determines a recommended gear in which to operate the transmission and sets an anti-hunt timer upon recommending a shift from a first gear to a second gear. The anti-hunt timer prevents a subsequent shift back to the first gear while the anti-hunt timer is running. A grade-based controller is configured to track machine operation and to determine when the machine operational factors change such that an estimated steady state gear differs from the second gear. When such a change is encountered, the grade-based controller clears the anti-hunt timer and sets a secondary timer. The clearing of the anti-hunt timer allows a downshift to accommodate the detected grade while the setting of the secondary timer prevents a subsequent clearing of the anti-hunt timer while the secondary timer is running.

Grade-based anti-hunt timer

A retarding unit in a vehicle is automatically controlled based on conditions including a current setting of the retarding control, downhill grade, speed, current gear, and impending gear change. With the retarder control set in the high position, when the vehicle is operating at a downhill angle greater than the low angle threshold and less than the high angle threshold, and the pending gear is a large step downshift, automatically setting a retarder level to a low retarder level. When the vehicle is operating on level ground and the pending gear is a large step downshift or the current gear is first or second gear, automatically setting the retarder level to off. When the vehicle is operating on flat ground and the deceleration is above a trigger level, automatically setting the retarder level to a low retarder level.

Retarding downshift management

A method implemented by a programmable controller in a hauling machine having an engine, moveable ground engaging elements, and a bed actuable by at least one hoist cylinder controlled by an operator hoist control device, determines whether the bed is empty by determining a position of the operator hoist control device, applying a gain dependent upon the position, applying an integrator over time to provide a resultant hoist figure, comparing the resultant hoist figure to a hoist minimum constant, and, if the hoist figure is less than or equal to the hoist maximum constant, concluding that the bed is empty.

Method of determining when a bed of a hauling machine is empty

A worksite management system for use with a mobile machine is disclosed. The worksite management system may have a control module located onboard the mobile machine and configured to store a least one operational relationship, and an offboard controller located at a worksite of the mobile machine in communication with the control module. The offboard controller may be configured to generate an analysis of machine performance at the worksite. The offboard controller may be further configured to cause remote reconfiguration of the at least one operational relationship based on the analysis to positively affect performance of the mobile machine.

Worksite management system implementing remote machine reconfiguration

A worksite management system for use with a mobile machine is disclosed. The worksite management system may have a control module located onboard the mobile machine and configured to control operations of the mobile machine, and a controller in communication with the control module. The controller may be configured to anticipate a non-failure machine performance irregularity, and determine an adjustment to an operation of the mobile machine that positively affects the machine performance irregularity. The controller may also be configured to cause implementation of the adjustment before the machine performance irregularity occurs.

Worksite management system implementing anticipatory machine control

A machine includes a drive train with an electronically controlled transmission in communication with an electronic engine controller. The machine ground speed is limited by executing a vehicle speed limit algorithm in the electronic transmission controller. This algorithm generates an engine control message that is communicated to the electronic engine controller. The power output of the engine is reduced responsive to the engine control message. The machine responds by not exceeding a prescribed speed limit programmed into the electronic transmission controller. This vehicle speed limiting strategy is particularly applicable to machines without a vehicle speed limiting algorithm resident in the electronic engine controller.

Vehicle speed limiting via engine control commands issued by electronic transmission controller

A method of controlling an automatic transmission of a machine includes a step of identifying an upcoming gear ratio change from a current gear ratio to a proposed gear ratio. An estimated power output value, based on the proposed gear ratio and a current engine speed, is determined. The estimated power output value is adjusted based on a derated operating condition. If the estimated power output value is greater than or equal to a current power output value, a gear evaluation identifier is set to a first value. If the estimated power output value is less than the current power output value, the gear evaluation identifier is set to a second value.

Method for controlling gear ratio changes in an automatic transmission

A method of controlling a machine drive having a driveline PTO establishes a driveline torque perturbation via conversion of internal inertia through two transmission neutral conditions. In an example, when a request is received, e.g., from an operator, to shift the driveline PTO from a first mode to a second mode, the transmission is automatically modulated between its first neutral condition and its second neutral condition while the driveline PTO is shifted from the first mode to the second mode, thus minimizing torque lock and facilitating mode changes.

Drive line torque perturbation for PTO mode shifting

A method of controlling driveshaft speed includes generating an overspeed protection action signal if an engine speed limit and a requested transmission gear ratio correspond to a driveshaft overspeed condition. An operating method for a machine includes disengaging a relatively higher transmission gear, and inhibiting re-engagement of the higher transmission gear responsive to an overspeed protection action signal. An electronic controller for the machine is configured to generate an overspeed protection action signal responsive to an engine speed limit and requested transmission gear ratio.

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East Peoria, IL, United States of America

James W Landes