Caterpillar Inc.

Kevin Anthony Davis

Adam Martin Nackers

Steven D Ott

Philip Carl Wallstedt

Brian Dean Kuras

Michael John Barngrover

Michael David Beyer

Shane C McBride

Karl Arthur Kirsch

Matthew D Johnson

Ananth Purushotham Kini

Sagar Chowdhury

Sandesh Gowda

Addwiteey Chrungoo

Manish Sharma

A method of automatically turning an autonomous mining truck (AMT), including front wheels and rear wheels, around in an operating area, including retrieving boundary data associated with the operating area, determining a first path to follow to execute a turn maneuver within the operating area based at least on the boundary data and dimensions of the AMT, wherein the first path includes a number of legs necessary to follow the first path through the turn maneuver, completing a first leg of the turn maneuver, determining a second path to follow and number of legs necessary to execute the turn maneuver based on an inability to execute the first path, and executing the second path to complete the turn maneuver.

Automatic steering of vehicle

A soft underfoot conditions response system for use with a vehicle includes a plurality of sensors configured to transmit signals indicative of live data representing at least one of real time vehicle speed, vehicle acceleration, vehicle pose, vehicle payload, engine torque, engine power output, and engine RPM, and a controller communicatively coupled with the sensors. The controller is programmed to receive the live data, receive reference data representative of soft underfoot conditions from a database, and analyze the live data and the reference data. The controller determines a first set of parameters including measured real time values corresponding to wheel slip ratio and rolling resistance, vehicle speed, and vehicle pose, extracts from the reference data at least one of a first data subset containing vehicle operational parameters identified by an operator as being associated with soft underfoot conditions, and a second data subset containing data extracted using heuristics, and builds and trains a model for use by a classifier that segregates data subsets from the first set of parameters into a first classification that includes parameters that characterize surfaces with soft underfoot conditions, and a second classification that includes parameters that characterize surfaces without soft underfoot conditions. The controller also generates control command signals that cause a change in vehicle operational parameters to reduce or avoid any effects on operation of the vehicle associated with soft underfoot conditions.

System and method for predicting and responding to soft underfoot conditions

A system and method involves a machine that powertrain including a continuously variable transmission (CVT) and a machine speed sensor to determine a measured machine speed. The machine also includes a controller in communication with the CVT and the speed sensor. The controller may include a table relating the measured machine speed to a plurality of virtual gear ratios associated with the CVT. The controller is configured to determine a calculated virtual gear ratio using the table and, if desired, may display the calculated virtual gear ratio on a visual display.

System and method of operating a machine having a continuously variable transmission

A machine includes an engine and an engine cooling system, which is associated with and configured to remove heat from the engine. A transmission is connected to the engine and configured to transmit engine power from the engine to a driven load. The transmission controls an amount of engine power transmitted to the driven load in response to a transmission command signal. A controller associated with the engine and the transmission provides the transmission control signal. The controller is disposed to determine an engine operating condition, determine a transmission operating condition, and adjust the transmission command signal to reduce the amount of engine power transmitted to the driven load when the engine operating condition indicates that the engine cooling system removes insufficient heat from the engine.

Cooling-based power limiting system and method

A method regulates the torque output and/or speed output of a continuously variable transmission (CVT) in a manner that may simulate a clutch. The CVT may be incorporated in a machine and maybe operatively coupled to a power source and to a propulsion device. The method utilizes an unaltered torque-to-speed curve that relates the torque output to the speed output of the CVT. The method may receive an operator input signal indicating a desire to change operation of the machine. The torque-to-speed curve may be shifted in response to the operator input signal to limit the torque output available. In an aspect, an under-run curve may be applied to the torque-to-speed curve, the under-run curve corresponding to a target speed. The operator input signal may also shift the under-run curve to reduce the target speed.

Torque and speed control in a machine with continuously variable transmission

A system and method involves a machine having a power train including a continuously variable transmission (CVT) associated with a plurality of virtual gear ratios. To shift between the plurality of virtual gear ratios, the machine may include an operator input device that may be movable between a plurality of distinct positions. A first position may be associated with a neutral position in which no shifting of virtual gear ratios occurs. A second position of the operator input device may be associated with a first incremental rate for shifting between the virtual gear ratios. A third position may be associated with a second incremental rate for shifting between the virtual gear ratios which is different than the first incremental rate.

Shifting virtual gears associated with a continuously variable transmission

A machine may include a continuously variable transmission (CVT) operatively coupled to a power source. A virtual gear ratio may be selected from a plurality of virtual gear ratios associated with the CVT. A power source speed may be locked between a minimum power source limit and a maximum power source limit that are associated with the selected virtual gear ratio. If the virtual gear ratio is changed, a controller including one or more control maps may compare the power source speed as locked to the minimum power source limit and the maximum power source limit as they relate to the newly selected virtual gear ratio. If power source speed is outside the minimum or maximum power source limits, the method may limit the power source speed. In some embodiments, the minimum and/or maximum power source limits may vary with respect to the plurality of virtual gear ratios.

Speed control for a machine with a continuously variable transmission

A method controls the power-transmission in a machine having a continuously variable transmission (CVT) and a power source operatively coupled together in a powertrain. The method regulates operation of the CVT with a retarding power limit in order to limit the amount of retarding power transferable from the powertrain to the power source. The retarding power may be utilized to decelerate or decrease the speed of the machine. The method may register an operator input signal indicative of a deceleration event from a plurality of possible deceleration events. The deceleration event is compared to a lookup table to determine if the retarding power limit should be adjusted. The method may adjust the retarding power limit in accordance with the comparison.

Event-based retarding in a machine with a continuously variable transmission

A system and method of controlling the speed of a machine having a continuously variable transmission (CVT) operatively coupled to a power source. A plurality of selectable virtual gear ratios can be associated with the CVT. The machine may include an operator input device that may generate a operator input signal indicative of a desired adjustment in the ground speed. The operator input signal may be converted to a CVT speed command and to a power source speed command that are communicated to the CVT and the power source, respectively. The CVT adjusts the machine speed in accordance with the CVT speed command, while the power source adjusts its speed in accordance with the power source speed command, so that operation of the power source is substantially independent of operator of the CVT.

A method regulates a machine having a continuously variable transmission (CVT) and service brakes in a manner to reduce power transmission through the applied brakes. The method utilizes an unaltered torque-to-speed curve that relates the torque output to the speed output of the CVT. An under-run curve may be applied to the torque-to-speed curve and that corresponds to a target speed. The method may receive an operator input signal indicative of a braking event. In response, the method may shift the torque-to-speed curve to limit the output torque available. The method may also adjust the under-run curve in a manner that maintains correspondence with the target speed.

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Washington, IL, United States of America

Kevin Anthony Davis