IP Library Granted Patent US 10,872,302
Granted Patent B2
US 10,872,302 · App. 16/219,258 · Granted Dec 22, 2020

Automatically determining construction worksite operational zones based on received construction equipment telemetry data

Inventors: Vishnu Gaurav Selvaraj (Trichy, IN); Chad Timothy Brickner (Dunlap, IL); Gautham Subramanian (Chennai, IN); Harshavardhan Veluru (Nellore, IN); Siddharth Kamal (Chennai, IN); Chandra Mouli Ravindran (Chennai, IN); Keerthivasan Amuthanathan (Chennai, IN)
Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
G06Q10/0639E02F9/2054G06Q50/08G07C5/0808G07C5/0841H04L67/125
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,872,302
App. No.
16/219,258
Granted
Dec 22, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

A control system for a machine operating on a worksite includes a telemetry module associated with the machine. The telemetry module generates signals indicative of operational data of the machine. A controller communicably coupled to the telemetry module receives the signals indicative of the operational data from the telemetry module. The controller processes the received signals to create a data model. The controller identifies multiple operational zones over the worksite based at least on an analysis of the created data model. The controller determines occurrence of work cycles of the machine over the worksite based at least on the identified operational zones. The controller determines productivity data of the worksite based at least on the identified work cycles. The controller controls the machine based on the determined productivity data.

Claims (47)

1. A control system for a machine operating on a worksite, the control system comprising:

a telemetry module associated with the machine, the telemetry module configured to generate signals indicative of operational data of the machine as the machine moves within the worksite; and

a controller communicably coupled to the telemetry module, the controller configured to:

receive the signals indicative of the operational data from the telemetry module corresponding to the movement of the machine within the worksite;

process the received signals to create a data model corresponding to the movement of the machine within the worksite;

identify plurality of operational zones over the worksite based at least on an analysis of the created data model corresponding to the movement of the machine within the worksite, the plurality of operational zones including one or more of a parking zone, a loading zone, and a dumping zone;

determine occurrence of work cycles of the machine over the worksite and a corresponding work cycle confidence level based at least on the identified operational zones and movement of the machine to and from the plurality of operational zones, the work cycles comprising a plurality of segments including at least a loading-related segment, a traveling-related segment, and a dumping-related segment;

determine productivity data of the worksite based at least on the identified work cycles, the productivity data including one or more of work cycle ID, work cycle start and stop times, work cycle segment, fuel consumption, distance travelled, and work cycle duration; and

control the machine based on the determined productivity data.

2. The control system of claim 1 , wherein processing the received signals to create the data model comprises:

standardization of the received operational data; and

simulating the standardized operational data to generate simulated operational data corresponding to time periods for which operational data is not collected by the telemetry module; and

creating the data model based on the standardized operational data and the simulated operational data.

3. The control system of claim 1 , wherein the operational data comprises one or more of a machine speed, machine location timestamp, machine GPS data, machine fuel consumption, and engine start and stop occurrences coupled with GPS data.

4. The control system of claim 1 , wherein the parking zone is identified based at least on engine start and stop occurrences and GPS data.

5. The control system of claim 1 , wherein the loading zone is identified based at least on a duration of time spent by the machine at a particular location on the worksite.

6. The control system of claim 1 , wherein the dumping zone is identified based at least on a duration of time spent by the machine at a particular location, and a distance of the location from the loading zone.

7. A worksite management system comprising:

a plurality of machines operating on a worksite, wherein each machine from the plurality of machines has an associated telemetry module such that the telemetry module is configured to generate signals indicative of operational data of the corresponding machine from the plurality of machines as the machines move within the worksite;

a controller communicably coupled with the plurality of machines, the controller configured to:

receive the signals indicative of the operational data of the plurality of machines from the corresponding telemetry modules corresponding to the movement of the machines within the worksite;

process the received signals to create a data model corresponding to the movement of the machines within the worksite;

identify plurality of operational zones over the worksite based at least on an analysis of the created data model corresponding to the movement of the machines within the worksite, the plurality of operational zones including one or more of a parking zone, a loading zone, and a dumping zone;

determine occurrence of work cycles of each machine from the plurality of machines over the worksite and a corresponding work cycle confidence level based at least on the identified operational zones and movement of each said machine to and from the plurality of operational zones, the work cycles comprising a plurality of segments including at least a loading-related segment, a traveling-related segment, and a dumping-related segment;

determine productivity data of the worksite based at least on the identified work cycles of each machine from the plurality of machines, the productivity data including one or more of work cycle ID, work cycle start and stop times, work cycle segment, fuel consumption, distance travelled, and work cycle duration; and

manage the worksite by controlling the plurality of machines based on the determined productivity data.

8. The worksite management system of claim 7 , wherein processing the received signals to create the data model comprises:

standardization of the received operational data;

simulating the standardized operational data to generate simulated operational data corresponding to time periods for which operational data is not collected by the telemetry module; and

creating the data model based on the standardized operational data and the simulated operational data.

9. The worksite management system of claim 7 , wherein the operational data comprises one or more of a machine speed, machine location timestamp, machine GPS data, machine fuel consumption, and engine start and stop occurrences coupled with GPS data.

10. The worksite management system of claim 7 , wherein the parking zone is identified based at least on engine start and stop occurrences and GPS data of at least one machine from the plurality of machines.

11. The worksite management system of claim 7 , wherein the loading zone is identified based at least on duration of time spent by at least one machine from the plurality of machines at a particular location on the worksite.

12. The worksite management system of claim 7 , wherein the dumping zone is identified based at least on a duration of time spent by at least one machine from the plurality of machines at a particular location, and a distance of the location from the loading zone.

13. A control system comprising:

a first machine operating at a worksite, the first machine having a first telemetry module configured to generate signals indicative of operational data of the first machine as the first machine moves within the worksite;

at least one second machine operating at the worksite, the at least one second machine having a second telemetry module configured to generate signals indicative of operational data of the at least one second machine as the second machine moves within the worksite;

a controller associated with the first machine, and communicably coupled with the at least one second machine, the controller configured to:

receive the signals indicative of the operational data from the first telemetry module corresponding to the movement of the first machine within the worksite;

process the received signals to create a data model corresponding to the movement of the first machine within the worksite;

receive the signals indicative of the operational data from the second telemetry module corresponding to the movement of the second machine within the worksite;

process the received signals to revise the created data model;

identify plurality of operational zones over the worksite based at least on an analysis of the revised data model corresponding to the movement of the first and second machines within the worksite, the plurality of operational zones including one or more of a parking zone, a loading zone, and a dumping zone;

determine occurrence of work cycles of the first machine and a corresponding work cycle confidence level based at least on the identified operational zones and movement of at least the first machine to and from the plurality of operational zones, the work cycles comprising a plurality of segments including at least a loading-related segment, a traveling-related segment, and a dumping-related segment;

determine productivity data of the worksite based at least on the identified work cycles of the first machine, the productivity data including one or more of work cycle ID, work cycle start and stop times, work cycle segment, fuel consumption, distance travelled, and work cycle duration; and

control the first machine based on the determined productivity data.

14. The control system of claim 13 , wherein the operational data comprises one or more of a machine speed, machine location timestamp, machine GPS data, machine fuel consumption, and engine start and stop occurrences coupled with GPS data.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 13, 2018
From: SELVARAJ, VISHNU GAURAV; BRICKNER, CHAD TIMOTHY; SUBRAMANIAN, GAUTHAM; VELURU, HARSHAVARDHAN; KAMAL, SIDDHARTH; RAVINDRAN, CHANDRA MOULI; AMUTHANATHAN, KEERTHIVASAN
To: CATERPILLAR INC.
Reel/Frame 047770/0381 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20200193342A1 · Jun 18, 2020
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