Caterpillar Inc.

Ken L Stratton

Kevin Jay Lueschow

Eric J Ruth

James C Barton

Jeffrey Kent Berry

Paul Edmund Rybski

Qi Wang

Joseph E Forcash

Thomas G Hayes

A machine includes a power generation system; a propulsion system; a work implement coupled to a body of the machine via a linkage that includes at least one actuator; a perception system configured to generate a signal that is indicative of a position of the machine relative to a material receptacle; and a controller operatively coupled to the perception system, the propulsion system, the power generation system, and the at least one actuator. The controller is configured to receive the signal from the perception system, determine a location of the work implement relative to the material receptacle based at least in part on the signal from the perception system, and actuate at least one of the propulsion system, the power generation system, and the at least one actuator based on the determined location of the work implement relative to the material receptacle.

System and method for operating a material-handling machine

A system and method for guiding an off-highway truck along a roadway with respect to a trolley line determine a position of the off-highway truck on the roadway by sensing two or more roadside objects and uses the determined position of the off-highway truck and a known position of the trolley line relative to the two or more roadside objects to automatically determine a relative position of the off-highway truck under the trolley line. Based on the relative position of the off-highway truck under the trolley line, the off-highway truck is automatically steered to alter the position of the off-highway truck relative to the trolley line, e.g., to maintain an electrical power flow from the trolley line to the off-highway truck.

Laser sensors for trolley guidance signal

A system and method for automatically guiding an off-highway truck having a pantograph over a route having at least one trolley-powered section. While the off-highway truck is operated over the route by a human operator, its position and the state of the pantograph at each position are recorded to produce a recorded sequence. The recorded sequence is retrieved and the off-highway truck is automatically controlled to sequentially match each position and each pantograph state at the associated position.

Trolley driven machine record and playback automation

An automatic lift and tip coordination system for use in connection with an off-highway vehicle having an implement causes an automatic adjustment to the implement lift actuators in response to an operator change in the implement tip angle so that the implement height remains constant.

Automatic lift and tip coordination control system and method of using

An off-highway vehicle having an earth moving implement has a tilt function associated with the implement. For example, a bulldozer has a tilt function associated with the bulldozer blade. The vehicle has a processor adapted to receive a position signal from a position sensor associated with the tilt function of the implement. The operator engages a switch to activate an automatic tilt function. A selector switch is provided so that the operator can select between a plurality of pre-set blade angles. The selector switch outputs a target position signal associated with a pre-set angle to the processor. The processor automatically calculates a command signal for the tilt function based on the difference between the position signal and the target position signal. The processor issues the command signal to the tilt function causing the tilt function to move the implement to the pre-set angle associated with the switch position.

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Dunlap, IL, United States of America

Ken L Stratton