IP Library Granted Patent US 12,650,331
Granted Patent B2
US 12,650,331 · App. 18/127,208 · Granted Jun 9, 2026

System and method for calibrating process to compute weight of material in dump bodies

Inventors: Alexander Eli Dowling (Mount Hicks, AU); Steven Edward Johnson (Metamora, IL)
Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
G01G23/01G01G19/12B60P1/16
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,650,331
App. No.
18/127,208
Granted
Jun 9, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method for calibrating a process by which a weight of a material in a dump body of a machine is computed. The method includes acquiring first values correspondingly from one or more strain sensors in an unladen state of the dump body; activating an actuator to push the dump body against the strain sensors to simulate one or more forces exertable by one or more payloads in a laden state of the dump body; and acquiring second values correspondingly from the strain sensors when the actuator is activated to simulate the forces. Further, the method includes using the first values and the second values to calibrate the process.

Claims (528)

1 . A method for calibrating a process by which a weight of a material in a dump body of a machine is computed, the method comprising:

acquiring, by a controller, first values correspondingly from one or more strain sensors in an unladen state of the dump body;

activating, by the controller, an actuator to push the dump body against the one or more strain sensors to simulate one or more forces exertable by one or more payloads in a laden state of the dump body;

acquiring, by the controller, second values correspondingly from the one or more strain sensors when the actuator is activated to simulate the one or more forces; and

using, by the controller, the first values and the second values to calibrate the process,

wherein using the first values and the second values to calibrate the process includes:

deducting, by the controller, the first values correspondingly from the second values to arrive at corrected values;

obtaining, by the controller, actual components of the one or more forces corresponding to the corrected values; and

deriving, by the controller, a linear regression equation based on the corrected values and the actual components of the one or more forces by which the weight of the material in the dump body is computed.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the actuator is a fluid actuator and is configured to move the dump body between a seated position and a hoisted position relative to a frame of the machine, the one or more strain sensors acquiring positions between the dump body and the frame when the dump body is in the seated position relative to the frame.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein activating the actuator includes:

receiving, by the controller, a command corresponding to the one or more forces; and

determining, by the controller, one or more corresponding fluid pressures for supply to the fluid actuator in correspondence to the one or more forces.

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein activating the actuator includes:

controlling, by the controller, a fluid source to supply the one or more corresponding fluid pressures to the fluid actuator.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein

each corrected value of the corrected values is associated with a corresponding force of the one or more forces, and

obtaining actual components of the corresponding force corresponding to the corrected values include:

for each corrected value,

deducing, by the controller, a ratio between the corresponding corrected value and a summation of all corrected values associated with the corresponding force; and

calculating, by the controller, a product of the ratio with the corresponding force.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein deriving the linear regression equation to compute the weight of the material includes using, by the controller, an equation format: w=a+bx for each corrected value of the corrected values, wherein, for each corrected value:

w

=

an

estimated

component

of

a

corresponding

force

of

the

one

or

more

forces

based

on

the

linear

regression

equation

;

x

=

the

corresponding

corrected

value

;

a

=

[

(

y

)

(

x

2

)

-

(

x

)

(

xy

)

]

/

[

n

(

x

2

)

-

(

x

)

2

]

;

b

=

[

n

(

xy

)

-

(

x

)

(

y

)

]

/

[

n

(

x

2

)

-

(

x

)

2

]

;

and

y

=

an

actual

component

of

the

corresponding

force

associated

with

the

corresponding

corrected

value

.

7 . A system for calibrating a process, the system comprising:

a memory for storing one or more sets of instruction; and

a controller communicably coupled to the memory and configured to execute the one or more sets of instruction to:

acquire first values correspondingly from one or more strain sensors in an unladen state of a dump body of a machine;

activate an actuator to push the dump body against the one or more strain sensors to simulate one or more forces exertable by one or more payloads in a laden state of the dump body;

acquire second values correspondingly from the one or more strain sensors when the actuator is activated to simulate the one or more forces; and

use the first values and the second values to calibrate the process,

wherein to use the first values and the second values to calibrate the process, the controller is configured to:

determine corrected values based on the first values and the second values;

obtain actual components of the one or more forces corresponding to the corrected values; and

derive an equation based on the corrected values and the actual components of the one or more forces by which a weight of a material in a dump body is computed.

8 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the actuator is a fluid actuator and is configured to move the dump body between a seated position and a hoisted position relative to a frame of the machine, the one or more strain sensors acquiring positions between the dump body and the frame when the dump body is in the seated position relative to the frame.

9 . The system of claim 8 , wherein to activate the actuator, the controller is configured to:

receive a command corresponding to the one or more forces; and

determine one or more corresponding fluid pressures for supply to the fluid actuator in correspondence to the one or more forces.

10 . The system of claim 9 , wherein to activate the actuator, the controller is configured to control a fluid source to supply the one or more corresponding fluid pressures to the fluid actuator.

11 . The system of claim 7 , wherein

each corrected value of the corrected values is associated with a corresponding force of the one or more forces, and

to obtain actual components of the corresponding force corresponding to the corrected values, the controller is configured to:

for each corrected value,

deduce a ratio between the corresponding corrected value and a summation of all corrected values associated with the corresponding force; and

calculate a product of the ratio with the corresponding force.

12 . The system of claim 7 , wherein to derive the equation to compute the weight of the material, the controller is configured to:

use an equation format: w=a+bx for each corrected value of the corrected values, wherein, for each corrected value:

w

=

an

estimated

component

of

a

corresponding

force

of

the

one

or

more

forces

based

on

the

equation

;

a

=

[

(

y

)

(

x

2

)

-

(

x

)

(

xy

)

]

/

[

n

(

x

2

)

-

(

x

)

2

]

;

b

=

[

n

(

xy

)

-

(

x

)

(

y

)

]

/

[

n

(

x

2

)

-

(

x

)

2

]

;

and

y

=

an

actual

component

of

the

corresponding

force

associated

with

the

corresponding

corrected

value

.

13 . A machine, comprising:

a frame;

a dump body configured to receive a material;

an actuator coupled between the frame and the dump body;

one or more strain sensors configured to acquire positions between the dump body and the frame to detect a weight of the material; and

a system for calibrating a process by which the weight of the material in the dump body is computed, the system including:

a memory for storing one or more sets of instruction; and

a controller communicably coupled to the one or more strain sensors and to the memory, the controller configured to execute the one or more sets of instruction to:

acquire first values correspondingly from the one or more strain sensors in an unladen state of the dump body;

activate the actuator to push the dump body against the one or more strain sensors to simulate one or more forces exertable by one or more payloads in a laden state of the dump body;

acquire second values correspondingly from the one or more strain sensors when the actuator is activated to simulate the one or more forces; and

use the first values and the second values to calibrate the process,

wherein to use the first values and the second values to calibrate the process, the controller is configured to:

determine, based on the first values and the second values, corrected values;

obtain actual components of the one or more forces corresponding; and

derive an equation based on the corrected values and the actual components of the one or more forces by which the weight of the material in the dump body is computed.

14 . The machine of claim 13 , wherein the actuator is a fluid actuator and is configured to move the dump body between a seated position and a hoisted position relative to the frame, the one or more strain sensors acquiring positions between the dump body and the frame when the dump body is in the seated position relative to the frame.

15 . The machine of claim 14 , wherein to activate the actuator, the controller is configured to:

receive a command corresponding to the one or more forces;

determine one or more corresponding fluid pressures for supply to the fluid actuator in correspondence to the one or more forces; and

control a fluid source to supply the one or more corresponding fluid pressures to the fluid actuator.

16 . The machine of claim 13 , wherein

each corrected value of the corrected values is associated with a corresponding force of the one or more forces, and

to obtain actual components of the corresponding force corresponding to the corrected values, the controller is configured to:

for each corrected value,

deduce a ratio between the corresponding corrected value and a summation of all corrected values associated with the corresponding force; and

calculate a product of the ratio with the corresponding force.

17 . The machine of claim 13 , wherein to derive the equation to compute the weight of the material, the controller is configured to:

use an equation format: w=a+bx for each corrected value of the corrected values, wherein, for each corrected value:

w

=

an

estimated

component

of

a

corresponding

force

of

the

one

or

more

forces

based

on

the

equation

;

a

=

[

(

y

)

(

x

2

)

-

(

x

)

(

xy

)

]

/

[

n

(

x

2

)

-

(

x

)

2

]

;

b

=

[

n

(

xy

)

-

(

x

)

(

y

)

]

/

[

n

(

x

2

)

-

(

x

)

2

]

;

and

y

=

an

actual

component

of

the

corresponding

force

associated

with

the

corresponding

corrected

value

.

18 . The machine of claim 13 , wherein the equation is a linear regression equation.

19 . The machine of claim 13 , wherein the corrected values are based on a difference between the first values and the second values.

20 . The machine of claim 13 , wherein the controller is further configured to:

pressurize, based on the equation, the actuator to generate a particular force against the one or more strain sensors.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 13, 2025
From: CATERPILLAR UNDERGROUND MINING PTY. LTD.
To: CATERPILLAR INC.
Reel/Frame 070229/0971 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 28, 2023
From: DOWLING, ALEXANDER ELI; JOHNSON, STEVEN EDWARD
To: CATERPILLAR UNDERGROUND MINING PTY. LTD.
Reel/Frame 063126/0525 →
Priority Claims (1)
AU 2022202397 · Apr 11, 2022 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230324215A1 · Oct 12, 2023
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