Audio-visual assist for efficient piling or stacking of materials

1 . A method of controlling a machine, the method comprising:

receiving, by one or more processors and from one or more sensors, measurements indicative of one or more geometric characteristics of a material pile;

receiving, by one or more processors, measurements indicative of an amount of material at a work site to be added to the material pile;

determining, by the one or more processors, a difference between the one or more geometric characteristics of the material pile and one or more target geometric characteristics of the material pile, the difference being indicative of material to be moved by the machine;

determining, by the one or more processors, a target position associated with a material movement operation of the machine, wherein the target position is based on the difference, wherein the target position corresponds to a single material movement operation, and wherein the target position is updated for each subsequent material movement operation of a plurality of material movement operations that are calculated to add material at the work site to the material pile and to collectively result in the one or more target geometric characteristics of the material pile;

providing, by the one or more processors, an indication of the target position to an operator of the machine; and

causing the machine to carry out one or more of the plurality of material movement operations,

wherein the material movement operation comprises a pile building operation or a backstacking operation.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the target position comprises at least one of an initial contact position for a tool associated with the machine, an end contact position for the tool, a position for the machine associated with the beginning of a current material movement operation, a position of the machine associated with the end of the current material movement operation, a position for the machine associated with the beginning of a previous material movement operation, a position of the machine associated with the end of the previous material movement operation, a target leading edge of the material pile, a target trailing edge of the material pile, a position of the machine, or a slope of the machine.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the difference is based on one or more of:

portions of a surface of the material pile that are lower than a target surface of the material pile,

portions of the surface of the material pile that are higher than the target surface of the material pile,

a slope of the material pile,

a leading edge of the material pile,

a trailing edge of the material pile,

a height of the material pile,

a length of the material pile, or

a volume of the material pile.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the indication provided to the operator of the machine is a visual indication, an audible indication, a haptic indication, or a combination thereof.

5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein a frequency of the audible indication or a frequency of the haptic indication changes based on a position of the machine with respect to the target position, the one or more geometric characteristics of the material pile, or the one or more target geometric characteristics of the material pile.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein providing the indication to the operator of the machine comprises: displaying, via a display unit, to the operator a visual indicator of the target position.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the visual indicator comprises a plane overlaying a representation of at least a portion of the material pile.

8 . The method of claim 6 , further comprising changing one or more visual features of the visual indicator based on a position of the machine, the one or more geometric characteristics of the material pile, or the one or more target geometric characteristics of the material pile.

9 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the visual indicator further indicates information of at least one of the one or more target geometric characteristics of the material pile or the difference.

10 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the visual indicator comprises one or more planes indicating boundaries of the target position.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the one or more planes indicating boundaries include an end plane that corresponds to an end point for depositing an amount of material on a current material movement operation.

12 . A system comprising:

a control circuit comprising one or more processors and memory structured to store instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the control circuit to:

receive, by one or more processors and from one or more sensors, measurements indicative of one or more geometric characteristics of a material pile;

receive, by one or more processors, measurements indicative of an amount of material at a work site to be added to the material pile;

determine, by the one or more processors, a difference between the one or more geometric characteristics of the material pile and one or more target geometric characteristics of the material pile, the difference being indicative of material to be moved by the machine;

determine, by the one or more processors, a target position associated with a material movement operation of the machine, wherein the target position is based on the difference, wherein the target position corresponds to a single material movement operation, and wherein the target position is updated for each subsequent material movement operation of a plurality of material movement operations that are calculated to add material at the work site to the material pile and to collectively result in the one or more target geometric characteristics of the material pile;

provide, by the one or more processors, an indication of the target position to an operator of the machine; and

updating the target position in response to completion of a material movement operation;

wherein the material movement operation comprises a pile building operation or a backstacking operation.

13 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the target position comprises at least one of an initial contact position for a tool associated with the machine, an end contact position for the tool, a position for the machine associated with the beginning of a current material movement operation, a position of the machine associated with the end of the current material movement operation, a position for the machine associated with the beginning of a previous material movement operation, a position of the machine associated with the end of the previous material movement operation, a target leading edge of the material pile, a target trailing edge of the material pile, a position of the machine, or a slope of the machine.

14 . The system of claim 12 , wherein determining the difference is according to one or more of:

portions of a surface of the material pile that are lower than a target surface of the material pile,

portions of the surface of the material pile that are higher than the target surface of the material pile,

a slope of the material pile,

a leading edge of the material pile,

a trailing edge of the material pile,

a height of the material pile,

a length of the material pile, or

a volume of the material pile.

15 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the one or more sensors are a camera, a stereocamera, a LIDAR, a 4D radar, or a combination thereof.

16 . The system of claim 12 , wherein providing an indication to an operator of the machine comprises: displaying, via a display unit, to the operator a visual indicator of the target position.

17 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the visual indicator comprises a plane overlaying a representation of at least a portion of the material pile.

18 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the visual indicator comprises one or more planes indicating boundaries of the target position.

19 . The system of claim 18 , wherein the one or more planes indicating boundaries include an end plane that corresponds to an end point for depositing an amount of material on a current material movement operation.

20 . A machine comprising:

a tool for engaging with a material of a material pile;

a sensor configured to measure one or more geometric characteristics of the material pile;

an output device; and

a control circuit comprising one or more processors and memory structured to store instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the control circuit to:

receive, by one or more processors and from one or more sensors, measurements indicative of one or more geometric characteristics of a material pile;

receive, by one or more processors, measurements indicative of an amount of material at a work site to be added to the material pile;

determine, by the one or more processors, a difference between the one or more geometric characteristics of the material pile and one or more target geometric characteristics of the material pile, the difference being indicative of material to be moved by the machine;

determine, by the one or more processors, a target position associated with a material movement operation of the machine, wherein the target position is based on the difference, wherein the target position corresponds to a single material movement operation, and wherein the target position is updated for each subsequent material movement operation of a plurality of material movement operations that are calculated to add material at the work site to the material pile and to collectively result in the one or more target geometric characteristics of the material pile; and

provide, by the one or more processors and the output device, an indication of the target position to an operator of the machine,

updating the target position in response to completion of a material movement operation;

wherein the material movement operation comprises a pile building operation or a backstacking operation.