IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,601,121
Granted Patent B2
US 12,601,121 · App. 18/363,383 · Granted Apr 14, 2026

Control of a work machine using ground surface work records

Inventors: Elizabeth R. K. Brockman (Charlotte, NC); Matthew Daryl Chisholm (Maple Grove, MN); Michael William Ries (Andover, MN)
Assignee: Caterpillar Paving Products Inc.
E01C19/004E01C19/1063
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,601,121
App. No.
18/363,383
Granted
Apr 14, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A controller may obtain one or more ground surface work records from one or more databases, the one or more ground surface work records identifying information relating to at least one of base layer preparation, paving, or compacting of a ground surface performed at a worksite by a plurality of work machines. The controller may determine, based on the one or more ground surface work records, configuration information for a ground surface work operation to be performed by a work machine of the plurality of work machines. The controller may generate a signal, based on the configuration information, to cause the work machine to perform the ground surface work operation or to cause presentation of the configuration information on a display of the work machine.

Claims (46)

1 . A work machine, comprising:

a set of ground-engaging members;

a steering system; and

a controller configured to:

obtain one or more ground surface work records from one or more databases of multiple databases, each of the one or more ground surface work records identifies information relating to at least one of a base layer preparation, a paving, or a compacting of a ground surface performed at a worksite by a plurality of work machines, and each of the multiple databases being associated with a different area unit of a plurality of area units of the worksite;

determine, based on the one or more ground surface work records, configuration information for a ground surface work operation to be performed by the work machine; and

generate a signal, based on the configuration information, to cause the work machine to perform the ground surface work operation.

2 . The work machine of claim 1 ,

wherein the ground surface work operation is a base layer preparation operation, a paving operation, or a compacting operation.

3 . The work machine of claim 1 ,

wherein a ground surface work record, of the one or more ground surface work records, relates to a machine, of the plurality of work machines, and identifies at least one of:

one or more parameters relating to the ground surface,

one or more parameters relating to operations performed by the machine, or

one or more parameters relating to the machine.

4 . The work machine of claim 1 ,

wherein a ground surface work record, of the one or more ground surface work records, relates to a machine, of the plurality of work machines, and identifies at least one of:

one or more settings of the machine in use during the base layer preparation, the paving, or the compacting of the ground surface, or

sensor data relating to one or more characteristics of the ground surface during the base layer preparation, the paving, or the compacting of the ground surface.

5 . The work machine of claim 1 ,

wherein the one or more ground surface work records identify a first sensor measurement, collected by a first sensor, of a characteristic of the ground surface and a second sensor measurement, collected by a second sensor, of the characteristic of the ground surface, and

wherein the controller is further configured to:

determine whether the first sensor measurement corresponds to the second sensor measurement; and

determine, based on a determination that the first sensor measurement does not correspond to the second sensor measurement, that the first sensor or the second sensor is malfunctioning.

6 . The work machine of claim 5 ,

wherein the controller is further configured to:

transmit, based on a determination that the first sensor or the second sensor is malfunctioning, a notification indicating that the first sensor or the second sensor is malfunctioning or a service request for the first sensor or the second sensor.

7 . The work machine of claim 5 ,

wherein the controller is further configured to:

cause a correction to the one or more databases,

wherein the correction is forking the one or more databases to omit the first sensor measurement or the second sensor measurement, or adding one or more new records to the one or more databases to nullify the first sensor measurement or the second sensor measurement.

8 . The work machine of claim 1 ,

wherein the one or more databases comprise one or more decentralized databases distributed across a network of computing nodes.

9 . The work machine of claim 1 , wherein each of the multiple databases comprises a different blockchain associated with the different area unit.

10 . The work machine of claim 1 , wherein the one or more ground surface work records identifies at least one of a machine identifier for the work machine, an operator identifier for an operator of the work machine, a timestamp, or a location stamp.

11 . A method, comprising:

obtaining, by a controller, one or more ground surface work records from one or more databases of multiple databases, each of the one or more ground surface work records identifies information relating to at least one of a base layer preparation, a paving, or a compacting of a ground surface performed at a worksite by a plurality of work machines, and each of the multiple databases being associated with a different area unit of a plurality of area units of the worksite;

determining, by the controller and based on the one or more ground surface work records, configuration information for a ground surface work operation to be performed by a work machine of the plurality of work machines; and

generating, by the controller, a signal, based on the configuration information, to cause the work machine to perform the ground surface work operation or to cause presentation of the configuration information on a display of the work machine.

12 . The method of claim 11 ,

wherein the signal is to cause the work machine to perform the ground surface work operation.

13 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

performing the ground surface work operation based on the signal.

14 . The method of claim 11 ,

wherein the work machine includes the controller.

15 . The method of claim 11 ,

wherein the ground surface work operation is a base layer preparation operation, a paving operation, or a compacting operation.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 2, 2023
From: BROCKMAN, ELIZABETH R. K.; CHISHOLM, MATTHEW DARYL; RIES, MICHAEL WILLIAM
To: CATERPILLAR PAVING PRODUCTS INC.
Reel/Frame 064460/0994 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20250043516A1 · Feb 6, 2025
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