IP Library › Granted Patent US 9,823,082
Granted Patent B2
US 9,823,082 · App. 15/094,225 · Granted Nov 21, 2017

Driver guidance for guided maneuvering

Inventors: Michael W. Lewis (Tucson, AZ); Lucas Van Latum (Tucson, AZ); Andree Röttig (Tucson, AZ); William Casson (Tucson, AZ)
Assignee: MODULAR MINING SYSTEMS, INC.
G01C21/3407G01C21/3461G07C5/0816G07C5/0841G08G1/0962G08G1/096716G08G1/096725G08G1/096741G08G1/096775G01S19/14G01S19/48
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,823,082
App. No.
15/094,225
Granted
Nov 21, 2017
Kind
B2
Abstract

A system and method for driver guidance are presented. A position sensor is mounted to a vehicle. The position sensor is configured to identify a position of the vehicle and a heading of the vehicle. A device is configured to generate a plurality of outputs. A controller is connected to the position sensor and the display device. The controller is configured to access, via a wireless communications network, a database to identify a target loading location for the vehicle, determine a location and a heading of the target loading location for the vehicle, and modify at least one of the plurality of outputs of the display device based upon at least one of the location and the heading of the target loading location.

Claims (42)

1. A system, comprising:

a position sensor mounted to a vehicle, the position sensor being configured to identify a position of the vehicle and a heading of the vehicle;

a display device comprising:

a housing, and

a plurality of lights disposed within the housing, the plurality of lights being configured to generate a plurality of visual outputs in response to an input; and

a controller connected to the position sensor and the display device, the controller being configured to:

access, via a wireless communications network, a database to identify a target loading location for the vehicle,

determine a location and a heading of the target loading location for the vehicle,

compare the heading of the vehicle to the heading of the target loading location to determine a heading offset,

determine a horizontal location offset by determining a difference between the location of the target loading location and the position of the vehicle in a direction perpendicular to the heading of the target loading location, and

determine a subset of lights in the plurality of lights to illuminate and a second subset of lights in the plurality of lights to darken based upon at least one of the horizontal location offset and the heading offset.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the position sensor includes an electronic compass configured to determine the heading of the vehicle.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the location and the heading of the target loading location for the vehicle are determined by an operator of a second vehicle.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the second vehicle is a shovel and a location of the target loading location is determined by a loading radius of the shovel specified by the operator of the second vehicle.

5. The system of claim 3 , wherein the second vehicle is a shovel and the heading of the target loading location is at least partially determined by an orientation of a bucket of the shovel when the bucket is positioned over the location of the target loading location.

6. A system, comprising:

a position sensor mounted to a vehicle, the position sensor being configured to identify a position of the vehicle and a heading of the vehicle;

an output device configured to generate a plurality of outputs; and

a controller connected to the position sensor and the output device, the controller being configured to:

access, via a wireless communications network, a database to identify a target location for the vehicle,

determine a location and a heading of the target location for the vehicle,

determine a horizontal location offset by determining a difference between the target location for the vehicle and the position of the vehicle in a direction perpendicular to the heading of the target location for the vehicle, and

modify at least one of the plurality of outputs of the output device based upon the horizontal location offset.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the controller is configured to:

compare the position of the vehicle to the location of the target location to determine a location offset; and

modify the at least one of the plurality of outputs of the output device based upon the location offset.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the controller is configured to:

compare the heading of the vehicle to the heading of the target location to determine a heading offset, and

modify the at least one of the plurality of outputs of the output device based upon the heading offset.

9. The system of claim 6 , wherein the output device includes a plurality of lights and the controller is configured to illuminate a number of the plurality of lights based upon the at least one of the location and the heading of the target location.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the output device includes a plurality of lights and the controller is configured to

illuminate a number of the plurality of lights based upon the horizontal location offset.

11. The system of claim 6 , wherein the position sensor includes an electronic compass configured to determine the heading of the vehicle.

12. The system of claim 6 , wherein the location and the heading of the target location for the vehicle are determined by an operator of a second vehicle.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the second vehicle is a shovel and a location of the target location is determined by a loading radius of the shovel specified by the operator of the second vehicle.

14. The system of claim 12 , wherein the second vehicle is a shovel and the heading of the target location is at least partially determined by an orientation of a bucket of the shovel when the bucket is positioned over the location of the target location.

15. A method, comprising:

accessing, via a wireless communications network, a database to identify a target loading location for a vehicle, the vehicle including a position sensor mounted to a vehicle, the position sensor being configured to identify a position of the vehicle and a heading of the vehicle,

determining a location and a heading of the target loading location for the vehicle,

determining a horizontal location offset by determining a difference between the location of the target loading location and the position of the vehicle in a direction perpendicular to the heading of the target loading location, and

generating an output on a display device based upon the horizontal location offset.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the display device includes a plurality of lights, and including illuminating a number of the plurality of lights based upon the horizontal location offset.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 8, 2016
From: LEWIS, MICHAEL W.; VAN LATUM, LUCAS; RÖTTIG, ANDREE; CASSON, WILLIAM
To: MODULAR MINING SYSTEMS, INC.
Reel/Frame 038232/0267 →
Continuity (4)
Continuation In Part 14745269 · Jun 19, 2015
Continuation 14052543 · Oct 11, 2013
Division 13217113 · Aug 24, 2011
Related Publication 20160223350A1 · Aug 4, 2016