Caterpillar Inc.

Pramod Chembrammel

Dustin J Funk

Andrew C Heebink

A system and method are described for moving a material volume to a specified destination, by a system including sensor data sources, a trip sequence planning system, and a controllable material mover. Sensor data sources provide, in real-time, terrain sensor data pertaining to the material volume to be moved to the specified destination. The system generates, based on the terrain sensor data, a three-dimensional mapping of the material volume. The system updates, based on the three-dimensional mapping, a current tile pattern of the material volume. The system determines, by performing a trip sequence optimization routine based upon the updated tile pattern, at least a next block of material to be moved from the material volume, wherein the trip sequence optimization routine is performed in accordance with a k-partite map generated from the current tile pattern, and the k-partite map incorporates path limitations arising from physical accessibility of tiles of material.

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Mahomet, IL, United States of America

Pramod Chembrammel