IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,546,752
Granted Patent B2
US 12,546,752 · App. 17/985,371 · Granted Feb 10, 2026

Material identification using vibration signals

Inventors: Jung Hyun Jun (Canterbury, NZ); Peter France (Christchurch, NZ)
Assignee: Caterpillar Trimble Control Technologies LLC
G01N29/4454E02F9/261G01N29/12G01N29/24G06N3/08G01N29/14G01N29/44G01N2291/023
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,546,752
App. No.
17/985,371
Granted
Feb 10, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

Described herein are systems, methods, and other techniques for determining a material type while an implement of a construction machine is interacting with a ground surface. A vibration signal that is indicative of a movement of the implement is captured. One or more features are extracted from the vibration signal. The one or more features are provided to a machine-learning model to generate a model output. The material type of the ground surface is predicted based on the model output.

Claims (46)

1 . A computer-implemented method of determining a material type while an implement of a construction machine is interacting with a ground surface, the computer-implemented method comprising:

causing a movement of the implement using one or more control signals;

capturing a vibration signal that is indicative of the movement of the implement;

extracting one or more features from the vibration signal;

estimating one or more positions of the implement during the movement of the implement;

providing the one or more features and the one or more positions of the implement to a machine-learning model to generate a model output; and

predicting the material type of the ground surface based on the model output.

2 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the vibration signal is captured using a vibration sensor mounted to the construction machine.

3 . The computer-implemented method of claim 2 , wherein the vibration sensor includes one or both of an accelerometer or a gyroscope, and wherein the vibration signal includes one or both of an acceleration signal or a rotation signal.

4 . The computer-implemented method of claim 2 , wherein the vibration sensor is mounted to the implement.

5 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more features include one or both of signal amplitude features or signal frequency features.

6 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the machine-learning model is a pre-trained artificial recurrent neural network, a feed-forward neural network, or a support-vector machine.

7 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:

predicting a first material type of a first portion of the ground surface based on the model output; and

predicting a second material type of a second portion of the ground surface based on the model output.

8 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:

predicting a location of a boundary between a first material type of a first portion of the ground surface and a second material type of a second portion of the ground surface based on the model output.

9 . A system for determining a material type while an implement of a construction machine is interacting with a ground surface, the system comprising:

one or more processors; and

a computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

causing a movement of the implement using one or more control signals;

capturing a vibration signal that is indicative of the movement of the implement;

extracting one or more features from the vibration signal;

estimating one or more positions of the implement during the movement of the implement;

providing the one or more features and the one or more positions of the implement to a machine-learning model to generate a model output; and

predicting the material type of the ground surface based on the model output.

10 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the vibration signal is captured using a vibration sensor mounted to the construction machine.

11 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the vibration sensor includes one or both of an accelerometer or a gyroscope, and wherein the vibration signal includes one or both of an acceleration signal or a rotation signal.

12 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the vibration sensor is mounted to the implement.

13 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the one or more features include one or both of signal amplitude features or signal frequency features.

14 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the machine-learning model is a pre-trained artificial recurrent neural network, a feed-forward neural network, or a support-vector machine.

15 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the operations further comprise:

predicting a first material type of a first portion of the ground surface based on the model output; and

predicting a second material type of a second portion of the ground surface based on the model output.

16 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the operations further comprise:

predicting a location of a boundary between a first material type of a first portion of the ground surface and a second material type of a second portion of the ground surface based on the model output.

17 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations for determining a material type while an implement of a construction machine is interacting with a ground surface, the operations comprising:

causing a movement of the implement using one or more control signals;

capturing a vibration signal that is indicative of the movement of the implement;

extracting one or more features from the vibration signal;

estimating one or more positions of the implement during the movement of the implement;

providing the one or more features and the one or more positions of the implement to a machine-learning model to generate a model output; and

predicting the material type of the ground surface based on the model output.

18 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17 , wherein the vibration signal is captured using a vibration sensor mounted to the construction machine.

19 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18 , wherein the vibration sensor includes one or both of an accelerometer or a gyroscope, and wherein the vibration signal includes one or both of an acceleration signal or a rotation signal.

20 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18 , wherein the vibration sensor is mounted to the implement.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 9, 2023
From: TRIMBLE INC.
To: CATERPILLAR TRIMBLE CONTROL TECHNOLOGIES LLC
Reel/Frame 062318/0918 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 11, 2022
From: JUN, JUNG HYUN; FRANCE, PETER
To: TRIMBLE INC.
Reel/Frame 061736/0819 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 63280901 · Nov 18, 2021
Related Publication 20230152279A1 · May 18, 2023
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