System and method of calculating a payload weight

1. A system of calculating a payload weight being lifted by a lifting vehicle, the system including:

a first sensor configured to assist in determining an actuator load associated with a ram, the ram being connected to a lifting member of the lifting vehicle; and

a calibration module configured to retrieve a calibration factor based on movement of the ram, the calibration factor being applied to the actuator load to thereby provide an adjusted actuator load;

wherein the payload weight is calculated based on the adjusted actuator load,

wherein retrieving the calibration factor based on movement of the ram includes calculating and retrieving a comparison error value based on an associated system state,

wherein the calibration module calculates the comparison error value by:

calculating the an initial payload weight based on the actuator load taken with a known payload weight;

comparing the initial payload weight to the known payload weight; and

determining an error value to adjust the actuator load such that the initial payload weight substantially matches the known payload weight,

wherein the associated system state includes a geometric arrangement position of the lifting member and a flow rate of fluid being supplied to the ram.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the comparison error value adjusts the actuator load such that the payload weight, when based on the actuator load taken with a known payload weight, substantially matches the known payload weight.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the known payload weight is zero.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the calibration module is configured to calculate a range of comparison error values by moving the ram through a range of actuation positions.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein retrieving the calibration factor based on movement of the ram includes retrieving a temperature error value that is associated with a measured fluid temperature related to the ram.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the system includes a first related sensor configured to measure a first related load associated with the ram.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the actuator load is in the form of a pressure difference between the first load measured by the first sensor and a first related load measured by the first related sensor.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the first sensor is located in a first inlet/outlet hose connected to the ram and the first related sensor is located in a first related inlet/outlet hose connected to the ram.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the ram is a hydraulic ram.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the lifting member includes an excavator arm and a bucket.

11. A method of calculating a payload weight being lifted by a lifting vehicle, the method including the steps of:

determining an actuator load associated with a ram connected to a lifting member of the lifting vehicle;

retrieving a calibration factor based on movement of the ram;

applying the calibration factor to the actuator load to form an adjusted actuator load; and

calculating the payload weight based on the adjusted actuator load,

wherein the step of retrieving the calibration factor based on movement of the ram includes calculating and retrieving a comparison error value based on an associated system state,

wherein the comparison error value is calculated by:

calculating the an initial payload weight based on the actuator load taken with a known payload weight;

comparing the initial payload weight to the known payload weight; and

determining an error value to adjust the actuator load such that the initial payload weight substantially matches the known payload weight,

wherein the associated system state includes a geometric arrangement position of the lifting member and a flow rate of fluid being supplied to the ram.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the step of retrieving the calibration factor based on movement of the ram includes determining a movement differential of the ram in the form of the flow rate of fluid being supplied to the ram.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the comparison error value adjusts the actuator load such that the payload weight, when based on the actuator load taken with a known payload weight, substantially matches the known payload weight.

14. The method of claim 13 , the step of calculating the calibration factor includes combining the comparison error value and the temperature error value.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein the lifting member is in the form an excavator arm and bucket.