Caterpillar Inc.

Other

Qi Chen

Paul Russell Friend

Eric Alan Reiners

Andrew Whitten

David Gitz

Jean-Jacques Clar

Frank Arthur Willis

Hong Chang

Nicholas Robert Vogel

Maikel Orlando Torres Pineiro

Kenneth Lee Stratton

Brian Gerard Funke

Michael D Braunstein

Daniel Dale Morris

Timothy A Evans

Matthew Daniel Fike

Satish Yadav

Jodi Graf

Maikel Torres

Jeffrey Walter Earleson

Salman Chikni

A method of maneuvering a work machine is disclosed comprising receiving a signal indicative of an actual position of a work machine, and determining a route to maneuver the work machine from the actual position to a target position. When a distance between the actual location and the target location is greater than a straight-distance threshold, the route comprises a curved portion between the actual position and a straight-distance threshold point and a straight portion between the straight-distance threshold point and the target position. When the distance between the actual location and the target location is less than the straight-distance threshold, the route comprises the straight portion. The method further includes displaying a determined path and an indicator.

Route planner for work machines

A calibration jig for calibrating an image capturing device mounted on a machine is provided. A second rope is connected to a first rope at a first connection point. A third rope is connected to the first rope and the second rope at a second connection point and a third connection point respectively. The first, second, and third ropes, when taut, define the calibration triangle with the first, second, and the third connection points as vertices of the calibration triangle. A center rope is connected to the first connection point with a first anchor point associated with the machine. A first tether rope is connected to the second connection point of the calibration triangle with a second anchor point associated with the machine. A second tether rope is connected to the third connection point of the calibration triangle with a third anchor point associated with the machine.

Calibration jig

A control system for a machine, operating on a worksite is associated with an implement, which perform additive construction operations in accordance with a pre-determined implement control plan. The system includes a positioning system, one or more implement control actuators, and a controller. The positioning system is configured to determine positioning signals associated with, at least, a terrain of the worksite and any worksite objects existing thereon. The controller determine an available zone, in which the machine and implement are capable of executing the additive construction operations within the available zone, based on the positioning signals and the pre-determined implement control plan, and determine an operation zone, relative to a desired additive construction site on the worksite, within the available zone, wherein parameters of the operation zone are based, at least in part, on the available zone, the machine configuration, and the pre-determined implement control plan.

Control systems and methods to optimize machine placement for additive construction operations

A 3D construction system for creating an object includes, among other components, an online 3D blueprint model for the object and a 3D print head. An online control plan for controlling operation of the 3D print head to create the object according to the online 3D blueprint model is also provided. At least one 3D perception sensor scans a constructed portion of the object to generate sensor readings. A processing device, which is part of a computer system, creates an online 3D replica model of the constructed portion of the object using the sensor readings, and compares the online 3D replica model to the online 3D blueprint model or an ideal printed 3D model to identify a difference. The online control plan is modified responsive to the difference.

Three-dimensional construction systems and methods for creating an object

A method for calibrating an image capturing device mounted on a machine is provided. The image capturing device is configured to capture one or more images of a calibration target. The one or more images include a set of reference points corresponding to the calibration target. The method includes receiving a first positional data and a second positional data associated with the image capturing device and the calibration target respectively. The method includes generating, through the processor, a set of augmented reality points based on the first positional data and the second positional data. The method further includes overlaying, through the processor, the set of augmented reality points on the set of reference points displayed on the display. The method includes iteratively adjusting, through the processor, at least one of a roll, a yaw, or a pitch of the image capturing device until the set of augmented reality points align with the corresponding set of reference points.

Method and system for calibration of an image capturing device mounted on a machine

A system having a controller is provided. The controller receives a signal indicative of an actual position and an actual orientation of a machine on a worksite, from a position detection module. The controller determines a first view of the machine on the worksite. The first view shows the actual position of the machine and a target position of the machine. A path is determined between the first and the second indicator. The controller determines a view of the machine on the worksite. The view has a first and a second indicator. The first indicator is indicative of the actual position and the actual orientation of the machine. The second indicator is indicative of the target position and a target orientation of the machine and includes a target circle. The controller displays the view based, at least in part, on the actual position of the machine relative to the target position on a display unit.

Operator assistance system

A control system for controlling operation of an implement based, at least, on a pre-determined implement control plan, includes a relative positioning system, a controller, and one or more actuators. The relative positioning system is configured for determining positioning of the and utilize input from perception sensors to determine relative positioning signals. The controller is configured to determine a resume position for a next operation of the implement based on the predetermined implement control plan and at least one of the relative positioning signals and an end position of a previous operation of the implement. The controller may further be configured to determine implement control signals based on, at least, the resume position. The one or more actuators are each operatively associated with one or both of the implement and machine and configured to receive the implement control signals and position the implement based on the implement control signals.

Operation resume functions for implement control systems and methods utilizing relative positioning

A loading machine may include a position sensor associated with a bucket. The position sensor may be configured to generate position and orientation data of the bucket. The loading machine may also include a computer including a spotting location module in communication with, at least, the position sensor. The spotting location module may be configured to: receive the position and orientation data of the bucket generated by the position sensor; determine a spot point based on the received position and orientation data of the bucket; store the spot point; and associate the stored spot point with a subsequent location when the loading machine relocates.

Spotting location system of a loading machine

A system for determining the position of a mobile machine is disclosed. The system may include a first sensor configured to generate a first signal indicative of a pose of the mobile machine, a second sensor configured to generate a second signal indicative of a parameter of the mobile machine, and a controller in communication with the first and second sensors. The controller may be configured to generate a measured pose of the mobile machine based on the first signal, to generate an estimated pose of the mobile machine based on the second signal, and to determine uncertainty values associated with each of the measured and estimated poses. The controller may be further configured to determine overlap of the uncertainty values, to selectively adjust the measured pose based on the overlap, and to determine a pose solution based on the estimated pose and adjustment of the measured pose.

Positioning system implementing multi-sensor pose solution

A system and method of estimation motion of a machine is disclosed. The method may include determining a first point cloud and a second point cloud corresponding to an environment in a vicinity of the machine. The method may further include generating a first extended gaussian image (EGI) for the first point cloud and a second EGI for the second point cloud. The method may further include determining a first EGI segment based on the first EGI and a second EGI segment based on the second EGI. The method may further include determining a first two dimensional distribution for points in the first EGI segment and a second two dimensional distribution for points in the second EGI segment. The method may further include estimating motion of the machine based on the first and second two dimensional distributions.

Motion estimation system utilizing point cloud registration

A motion estimation system is disclosed. The motion estimation system may include one or more memories storing instructions, and one or more processors configured to execute the instructions to receive, from a scanning device, scan data representing at least one object obtained by a scan over at least one of the plurality of sub-scanning regions, and generate, from the scan data, a sub-pointcloud for one of the sub-scanning regions. The sub-pointcloud includes a plurality of surface points of the at least one object in the sub-scanning region. The one or more processors may be further configured to execute the instructions to estimate the motion of the machine relative to the at least one object by comparing the sub-pointcloud with a reference sub-pointcloud.

Motion estimation systems and methods

A system having a primary inertial measurement unit and a secondary inertial measurement unit configured to generate a primary position signal and a secondary position signal respectively is provided. The system also includes an error detection module communicably coupled to the primary inertial measurement unit and the secondary inertial measurement unit. The error detection module is configured to receive the primary position signal and the secondary position signal and detect if an out-range error is present in at least one of the primary position signal and the secondary position signal. The error detection module is also configured to detect if an in-range error is present in at least one of the primary position signal and the secondary position signal and determine an action to be performed based on the presence of at least one of the out-range error and the in-range error.

System and method for estimating position of machine

A motion determination system is disclosed. The system may receive a first and a second camera image from a camera, the first camera image received earlier than the second camera image. The system may identify corresponding features in the first and second camera images. The system may receive range data comprising at least one of a first and a second range data from a range detection unit, corresponding to the first and second camera images, respectively. The system may determine first positions and the second positions of the corresponding features using the first camera image and the second camera image. The first positions or the second positions may be determined by also using the range data. The system may determine a change in position of the machine based on differences between the first and second positions, and a VO-based velocity of the machine based on the determined change in position.

Motion estimation utilizing range detection-enhanced visual odometry

A system and method for estimating position of a machine is disclosed. The method may include receiving, from a perception sensor, scene data describing an environment in a vicinity of the machine and estimating a first position of the machine based on the scene data. The method may include determining whether a first signal indicative of a location of the machine is received by the machine and estimating a second position of the machine when it is determined that the first signal is received. The method may include comparing the second position with the first position and estimating a third position of the machine using at least one of the first position and the second position.

Machine positioning system utilizing position error checking

A positioning system and method for determining a position of a machine on a worksite are disclosed. The method may store a map of the worksite which includes one or more known objects in the worksite. The method may determine whether a locating device associated with the machine is accurately providing the position of the machine. The method may also include detecting one or more objects in the worksite. The method may further determine an unmatched object from among the detected objects that does not match the one or more known objects stored in the map. The method may also store the unmatched object in the map as a known object of the worksite.

Growing community of inventors

Dunlap, IL, United States of America

Qi Chen