Caterpillar Inc.

Ruchi Bhatia

Mark H Banham

Bibhrajit Halder

A system for autonomously controlling a fluid refill station (FRS) includes a sensor that generates an input signal indicative of an amount of fluid in a tank of an autonomous truck and a central controller. The central controller monitors the amount of fluid in the tank and assigns the autonomous truck to the FRS if the amount of fluid has reached a minimum threshold value. The central controller determines an alignment of the tank of the autonomous truck with a fluid outlet of the FRS, directs the FRS to refill the tank with fluid if the tank is in alignment with the fluid outlet of the FRS, and directs the FRS to stop refilling the tank when the amount of fluid in the tank has reached a maximum threshold value. The central controller marks the FRS as non-functional based on a determination of an anomaly with the FRS.

System and method for autonomously controlling fluid refill station

A device may determine a current level of moisture of a section of a ground surface. The device may determine a moisture removal rate of the section of the ground surface. The device may predict an expected level of moisture of the section of the ground surface at an estimated time of arrival of an autonomous machine with a water dispensing unit and determine an amount of water to be dispensed by the autonomous machine at the section of the ground surface. The expected level of moisture may be predicted based on the current level of moisture and the moisture removal rate. The amount of water may be determined based on the expected level of moisture and a desired level of moisture. The device may provide a command, to the autonomous machine, to cause the autonomous machine to dispense the amount of water to the section of the ground surface.

Water dispensing management for autonomous machines

An autonomous machine control system includes a positioning unit measuring position and orientation, and a navigation unit storing a route plan including an intended travel path along a lane. The lane has a width defined by a left-hand boundary and a right-hand boundary. The navigation unit receives an uncertainty value associated with the position or orientation, and creates a virtual two-dimensional footprint based on an actual machine footprint and the uncertainty value. The navigation unit also simulates movement of the virtual footprint along the intended travel path, calculates a left-hand margin value defined by the virtual footprint and the left-hand boundary, and calculates a right-hand margin value defined by the virtual footprint and the right-hand boundary. The margin values are compared to a predetermined value, and speed or travel direction of the machine is controlled if either of the margin values is below the predetermined value.

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Pittsburgh, PA, United States of America

Ruchi Bhatia