Caterpillar Inc.

Peter John Broughton

David William Smith

Euan Russell Kirkhope

Jason Gough

Joshua Bynon

Darren Anderson

A method for determining a position of a machine is disclosed. The method may include determining, using a Lidar unit on the machine, input data associated with distances between the Lidar unit and respective light-reflective points in the worksite. The method may also include comparing the input data with comparison data. The comparison data may have reference data sets indicative of distances between reference positions and the respective light-reflective points in the worksite. The reference positions may have a fixed location in the worksite. The method may further include determining the position of the machine as the reference position corresponding to a reference data set that correlates with the input data set.

Positioning system

A method for determining a position of a machine in a worksite is disclosed. The method may include determining, using a Lidar unit on the machine, input data. The input data may be associated with distances between the Lidar unit and respective light-reflective points in the worksite. The method may also include transmitting a radio-frequency communication between a first signal device at a known location within the worksite and a second signal device located on the machine. Further, the method may include determining position data for the machine based on at least the radio frequency communication. The method may also include determining a position of the machine based on the position data and the input data.

Positioning system using radio frequency signals

An area isolation system (AIS) is provided. The AIS may include a barrier adjacent to a work area, a barrier control panel (BCP) operatively connected to and disposed proximate the barrier, the BCP including a BCP controller in communication with a BCP short-range transceiver, the BCP controller configured to control the barrier, and a machine configured to autonomously operate within the work area. The machine may include a remote shutdown module (RSM) having an RSM controller in communication with an RSM short-range transceiver, and an RSM unique identifier preprogrammed into a memory associated with the RSM controller. The RSM short-range transceiver may be configured to send signals indicative of the RSM unique identifier to the BCP short-range transceiver when a machine radio zone associated with the RSM short-range transceiver intercepts with a BCP radio zone associated with the BCP short-range transceiver.

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Victoria, Australia

Peter John Broughton