Method for planning and executing obstacle-free paths for rotating excavation machinery
US8315789B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 16, 2008 |
| Grant date | Nov 20, 2012 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 18, 2029 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG05D1/0278
- WIPO fieldControl
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
This invention concerns the control of rotating excavation machinery, for instance to avoid collisions with obstacles. In a first aspect the invention is a control system for autonomous path planning in excavation machinery, comprising: A map generation subsystem to receive data from an array of disparate and complementary sensors to generate a 3-Dimensional digital terrain and obstacle map referenced to a coordinate frame related to the machine's geometry, during normal operation of the machine. An obstacle detection subsystem to find and identify obstacles in the digital terrain and obstacle map, and then to refine the map by identifying exclusion zones that are within reach of the machine during operation. A collision detection subsystem that uses knowledge of the machine's position and movements, as well as the digital terrain and obstacle map, to identify and predict possible collisions with itself or other obstacles, and then uses a forward motion planner to predict collisions in a planned path. And, a path planning subsystem that uses information from the other subsystems to vary planned paths to avoid obstacles and collisions. In other aspects the invention is excavation ma…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.