Caterpillar Inc.

Catepillar Inc.

Joseph Leo Faivre

Bradley P Krone

Nathaniel S Doy

Lance Mathew Cowper

Yongliang Zhu

Michael William Bridenbaugh

Drew Alan Fehr

Brad Robert Van De Veer

Tony Ross Metzger

Steven R Krause

John James Krone

Roger D Koch

Jeffrey Alan Brush

Bradley K Bomer

Steven D Ott

Shastri Ram

Paul D Lenzen

Matthew A Johnson

Tianjiao Zuo

Katherine Miller

Steve Ott

Chandrasekar Ramkumar

Lyle Post

Brahmaramba Tallapragada

A controller may receive a command indicating a target roll angle, of an implement of the machine, relative to a chassis of the machine. The controller may detect a change in a roll angle of the chassis of the machine. The controller may filter the change to pass a low frequency change and remove a high frequency change. The controller may cause the target roll angle to be adjusted based on the low frequency change.

Selectively adjusting a position of an implement of a machine based on changes to a roll angle of a chassis of the machine

A device may receive machine data indicating a pose of one or more components of a machine. The machine data may be generated based on first data from one or more first sensor devices associated with the machine. The device may generate validation data to validate the machine data. The validation data may be generated based on second data from a second set of sensor devices. The device may perform a comparison of the machine data and the validation data and determine, based the comparison, whether the machine data is validated or not validated. The device may selectively control an operation of the machine based on the machine data. Based on determining that the machine data is validated, the operation may be controlled based on the machine data. The operation may be controlled without the machine data based on determining that the machine data is not validated.

Controlling machine operation based on validation of machine data

One or more devices may receive target position data indicating a target position of an implement of the machine, the target position being determined based on operator control data indicating a position of an operator control associated with the machine. The one or more devices may determine a current position of the implement. The one or more devices may determine a command that causes the implement to move from the current position to the target position, wherein the command is determined based on the target position and the current position. The one or more devices may provide the command to cause the implement to move from the current position to the target position.

Controlling an implement based on determining a target position of the implement

An enhanced visibility system for a work machine includes an image capture device, a sensor, one or more control circuits, and a display. The image capture device is configured to obtain image data of an area surrounding the work machine. The sensor is configured to obtain data regarding physical properties of the area surrounding the work machine. The control circuits are configured to receive the image data and the data regarding the physical properties, and augment the image data with the data regarding the physical properties to generate augmented image data. The display is configured to display the augmented image data to provide an enhanced view of the area surrounding the work machine.

Enhanced visibility system for work machines

A method of controlling movement of a machine may include receiving, from a plurality of IMU modules mounted on a corresponding plurality of components of the machine, a plurality of signals indicative of orientation measurements and motion measurements for the components of the machine on which the plurality of IMU modules are mounted. The IMU modules include a corresponding number of state estimators, and form a mesh network communicatively coupled to a communication bus. The method may also include fusing the signals, determining estimates of output orientation data and output motion data for the components of the machine based on the fused signals, determining a real time value for at least one of position, velocity, or acceleration of the components of the machine based on a kinematic evaluation, and applying the determined real time value in an implementation of a controlled operational movement of the components of the machine.

Controlling movement of a machine using sensor fusion

A system and method for steering a machine. The system may comprise a controller configured to receive a steering command and determine a target angular turn rate for the body and a target turn direction for the body. The controller may be further configured to determine a steering mode based on a transmission output torque, the steering mode including Traction-steering, Assisted-steering or Implement-steering. When the steering mode is Assisted-steering, the controller is configured to steer the machine in the target turn direction and at the target angular turn rate by (a) moving an implement from a first position to a second position and (b) diverting or removing power from a first ground engaging traction member. When the steering mode is Implement-steering, the controller is configured to move the implement from a first position to a second position to steer the machine in the target turn direction and at the target angular turn rate without diverting or removing power from the first ground engaging traction member.

Steering system

In one aspect, a method for shared access of a machine for operator training, the machine including a traction device and an implement, includes receiving an authorization from an access device to share access to the machine, and entering a shared control state based on at least the authorization received from the access device. The method also includes receiving commands from a remote operation device during the shared control state and operating at least one of the traction device or the implement of the machine based on at least the commands from the remote operation device while an operator is present in the machine.

Remote training system and method

A system for controlling a ground engaging work implement includes a machine position sensor, a work surface position sensor, a work implement position sensor, and a controller. The controller determines the position of the machine, determines the topography of the work surface, determines a location of a pre-task trigger location adjacent the task start location, and determine a position of the lowest surface of the ground engaging work implement. The controller generates traverse signals to propel the machine from the task end location towards the task start location, generate work implement height signals to maintain the lowest surface of the ground engaging work implement at or above the traversing threshold height as the machine travels from the task end location towards the task start location, and generate work implement lowering signals to lower the work implement to the pre-task threshold height after the machine passes the pre-task trigger location.

System for controlling the position of a work implement

A machine having a ground-engaging work tool is disclosed includes a traction device configured to move the machine on a ground surface, a control system configured to determine a slip experienced by the machine as the machine moves on the ground surface, and a display device. The display device may be configured to pictorially display (a) the determined slip, and (b) one or more target ranges of slip, wherein the machine efficiency when slip has a value within a target range may be higher compared to the efficiency when slip is outside the target range.

Performance monitor for a machine

A method for automatically adjusting a target ground speed of a machine includes receiving data from a sensor, at a work monitor unit of an electronic control module of the machine, analyzing the data received from the sensor on the work monitor unit, receiving the data from the work monitor unit at a target model unit of the electronic control module, calculating, at the target model unit based on the data, ground engagement data for the machine, receiving the ground engagement data for the machine at a work monitor library unit of the electronic control module, calculating, at the work monitor library unit, the target ground speed, and adjusting a speed of the machine to the target ground speed.

System and method for automatically adjusting a target ground speed of a machine

A controller uses a Kalman filter to develop an estimated position of an implement based on a previous implement position, an implement pitch, an implement pitch rate and an estimated implement linkage velocity. The controller moves the implement to a desired position based on the estimated position of the implement.

Sensor fusion for implement position estimation and control

A system and method are provided for assisting a machine operator in controlling a work tool of the machine. In an embodiment, the work tool is set at a first height and the machine is travelling at a first machine speed, resulting in a first work tool or machine load. Based on these factors, a first work tool control mode or second work tool control mode is chosen. In the first work tool control mode, the work tool is manually controlled within a load limit and a work tool height limit, whereas in the second work tool control mode, the work tool load is controlled toward the first work tool load. Based on operator inputs and machine state, as well as other factors such as ground surface, the machine may switch between control modes, or out of automatic work tool control entirely.

Operator assist algorithm for an earth moving machine

A control system for a machine is disclosed. The control system may have a first cylinder operatively connected between a first side of a work tool and an undercarriage of the machine, a second cylinder operatively connected between a second side of the work tool and the undercarriage of the machine, and one or more electro-hydraulic valves configured to selectively regulate flow of pressurized fluid to the cylinders. The control system may also have a controller configured to determine a difference between a desired pitch of the work tool and an actual pitch of the work tool, and compare the difference to a threshold value. The controller may also be configured to move the one or more electro-hydraulic valves to change the flow of pressurized fluid to at least one of the first and second cylinders to adjust the actual pitch of the work tool to the desired pitch, based on the comparison.

Work tool pitch control system for a machine

A control system for a machine equipped with a ripping tool. The control system includes a first operator input for generating a ripping control signal that initiates an auto-ripping mode. A second operator input is provided for generating a speed select signal for changing the transmission output speed of the machine to a selected transmission output speed. The system further includes a controller with a memory. The controller is linked to the first and second operator inputs. The controller is programmed to receive a ripping control signal from the first operator input and to activate the auto-ripping mode or auto-ripping mode and deactivate the auto-shift mode. The controller is also programmed to receive a speed select signal from the second operator input and to deactivate the auto-ripping mode and adjust the power source to the selected transmission output speed.

Growing community of inventors

Edelstein, IL, United States of America

Joseph Leo Faivre