Method and system for controlling an excavator

Abstract

One aspect of the present disclosure provides a method of controlling a shovel to automatically perform a dumping motion of a bucket to load an object, the method including the steps of: selecting and activating an automatic dumping motion function by a display controller; detecting a load receiver and acquiring information required to perform an automatic dumping motion by a receiving unit; and performing a first automatic dumping motion based on the acquired information by a control unit, such that the object in the bucket is loaded onto the load receiver.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure generally relates to methods and systems for controlling excavators. In some aspects, this disclosure relates to a method and system for controlling dumping motion so that loading a target object onto a load receiver can be performed efficiently. This disclosure is applicable to heavy vehicles, such as trucks, buses, and construction equipment, as well as other types of vehicles. Although this disclosure may be described with respect to specific vehicles, it is not limited to any particular vehicle. Background Technology

[0002] Excavators are engineering machines that perform various operations, such as digging on construction sites, transporting excavated soil and loading it onto a load cell, trenching to form foundations, demolishing buildings, leveling the ground, and leveling the ground to make it flat.

[0003] An excavator typically includes a lower walking body configured to provide movement of the equipment; an upper slewing body rotatably mounted on the lower walking body; and operating devices (e.g., boom, stick, and bucket) mounted on the front of the upper slewing body.

[0004] In this type of excavator, digging and loading operations are usually manually controlled by the operator. The operation is complex and the driving skills vary from operator to operator, resulting in different digging and loading results depending on the operator.

[0005] Therefore, there is a growing demand for autonomous excavation and loading technologies that can solve the above problems and accurately determine the excavation and loading trajectory. Summary of the Invention

[0006] Technical issues

[0007] The objective of this disclosure is to provide a method and system for automatically controlling unloading motion so that loading a target object onto a load receiver can be performed efficiently.

[0008] Technical solution

[0009] A first aspect of this disclosure provides a method for controlling an excavator to automatically perform a bucket dumping motion to load a target object, the method comprising: activating an automatic dumping motion function by selecting an automatic dumping motion function on a display controller; detecting a load receiver and acquiring information required for performing the automatic dumping motion via a receiving unit; and executing a first automatic dumping motion by a controller based on the acquired information to load the target object contained in the bucket into the load receiver.

[0010] Optionally, in some examples including at least one preferred example, a method for controlling an excavator, wherein the step of performing the first automatic dumping motion comprises: calculating a first dumping point (Xd1, Yd1, Zr1) as a loading start position and a second dumping point (Xd2, Yd2, Zr2) as a loading completion position based on the center of the rotation axis of the bucket; establishing a path planning, including speed commands, for the boom, the stick, the bucket, and the upper slewing body from the first dumping point (Xd1, Yd1, Zr1) to the second dumping point (Xd2, Yd2, Zr2); calculating one or more of a target rotation angle of the boom, the stick, and the bucket and a target slewing angle of the upper slewing body based on the path planning; and moving one or more of the boom, the stick, and the bucket to perform the automatic dumping motion function based on the target rotation angle and the target slewing angle, or rotating the upper slewing body while moving one or more of the boom, the stick, and the bucket.

[0011] Optionally, in some examples including at least one preferred example, the method of controlling the excavator may further include executing a second automatic dumping motion via the controller after the first automatic dumping motion to uniformly load the target object into the load receiver.

[0012] Optionally, in some examples including at least one preferred example, a method for controlling an excavator, wherein the step of executing the second automatic dumping motion includes: detecting at a receiving unit the volume of the target object loaded into the load receiver by the first automatic dumping motion for each part; determining a compensation value for each part based on the detected volume of the target object for each part; calculating a compensation speed command for each part by applying the compensation value to the speed command of the first automatic dumping motion; and establishing path planning for the boom, stick, bucket, and upper slewing body from the first dumping point to the second dumping point, including the compensation speed command.

[0013] Optionally, a method for controlling an excavator, wherein for any part, when the volume of the target object in the corresponding part is less than the average volume of the target objects in the corresponding part, the compensation speed command in the corresponding part is less than the speed command in the first automatic unloading movement, and when the volume of the target object in the corresponding part is greater than the average volume of the target objects in the corresponding part, the compensation speed command in the corresponding part is greater than the speed command in the first automatic unloading movement.

[0014] Optionally, in some examples including at least one preferred example, in the method for controlling the excavator, the compensation value C(i) of each part is determined according to [Equation 1] below, and the compensation speed command VCcom(i) of each part is determined according to [Equation 2] below.

[0015] [Equation 1]

[0016] [Equation 2]

[0017] VCcom ( i ) = (1 - C ( i ))· VC ( i )

[0018] Here, VL(i) is the volume of the target object in part i, VLaverage is the average volume of the target object in the corresponding part, and VC(i) is the speed command in part i during the first automatic unloading movement.

[0019] Optionally, in some examples including at least one preferred example, the method for controlling the excavator may further include the step of determining by the controller whether the center of the rotation axis of the bucket has reached the second dumping point.

[0020] Optionally, in some examples including at least one preferred example, in the method for controlling an excavator, in the step of determining whether the center of the rotation axis of the bucket has reached the second dumping point, when it is determined that the second dumping point has been reached within a preset time, the automatic dumping motion function is displayed as completed on the display controller, and when it is determined that the second dumping point has not been reached within the preset time, the automatic dumping motion function is considered an error and displayed on the display controller, wherein the automatic dumping motion function is executed until the second dumping point is reached.

[0021] A second aspect of this disclosure provides a system for controlling an excavator to automatically perform a bucket dumping motion to load a target object, the system comprising: a drive unit including a boom, a stick, a bucket, and an upper slewing body; a receiving unit configured to detect a load receiver and acquire information required for performing an automatic dumping motion function; an input / output interface configured to receive user input or output information, wherein the input / output interface activates the automatic dumping motion function and includes a display controller configured to display the information acquired by the receiving unit; and a controller configured to perform a first automatic dumping motion function by controlling the drive unit to load the target object contained in the bucket onto the load receiver based on the acquired information.

[0022] Optionally, in some examples including at least one preferred example, in a system for controlling an excavator, the controller may: calculate a first dumping point (Xd1, Yd1, Zr1) as the loading start position and a second dumping point (Xd2, Yd2, Zr2) as the loading completion position based on the center of the rotation axis of the bucket; establish a path planning, including speed commands, for the boom, stick, bucket, and upper slewing body from the first dumping point (Xd1, Yd1, Zr1) to the second dumping point (Xd2, Yd2, Zr2); calculate one or more of the target rotation angles of the boom, stick, and bucket and the target slewing angle of the upper slewing body based on the path planning; and move one or more of the boom, stick, and bucket to perform an automatic dumping motion function or rotate the upper slewing body while moving one or more of the boom, stick, and bucket.

[0023] Optionally, in some examples including at least one preferred example, in a system for controlling an excavator, the controller may perform a second automatic unloading motion after the first automatic unloading motion in order to uniformly load the target object onto the load receiver.

[0024] Optionally, in some examples including at least one preferred example, in a system for controlling an excavator, the receiving unit may detect the volume of the target object loaded onto the load receiver by the first automatic dumping motion for each part; and the controller may determine a compensation value for each part based on the detected volume of the target object for each part; calculate a compensation speed command for each part by applying the compensation value to the speed command in the first automatic dumping motion; and establish path planning for the boom, stick, bucket, and upper slewing body from the first dumping point to the second dumping point, including the compensation speed command.

[0025] Optionally, a system for controlling an excavator, wherein for any part, when the volume of the target object in the corresponding part is less than the average volume of the target objects in the corresponding part, the compensation speed command in the corresponding part is less than the speed command in the first automatic unloading movement, and when the volume of the target object in the corresponding part is greater than the average volume of the target objects in the corresponding part, the compensation speed command in the corresponding part is greater than the speed command in the first automatic unloading movement.

[0026] Optionally, in some examples including at least one preferred example, in a system for controlling an excavator, the compensation value C(i) for each part is determined according to [Equation 1] below, and the compensation speed command VCcom(i) for each part is determined according to [Equation 2] below.

[0027] [Equation 1]

[0028] [Equation 2]

[0029] VCcom ( i ) = (1 - C ( i ))· VC ( i )

[0030] Here, VL(i) is the volume of the target object in part i, VLaverage is the average volume of the target object in the corresponding part, and VC(i) is the speed command in part i during the first automatic unloading movement.

[0031] Invention Effects

[0032] According to this disclosure, the method and system for controlling an excavator can unload target objects by automatically executing the unloading motion of the bucket, thereby improving work efficiency and driver convenience.

[0033] The effects of this disclosure are not limited to those described above, and it should be understood that the effects include all effects that can be inferred from the configuration of this disclosure as described in the detailed description of this disclosure or the claims.

[0034] The disclosed aspects, embodiments (including any preferred embodiments) and / or appended claims can be appropriately combined with each other, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

[0035] Further features and advantages are disclosed in the following description, claims and drawings, and will be apparent in part to those skilled in the art or may be recognized by practicing the disclosure as described herein. Attached Figure Description

[0036] The example will be described in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0037] Figure 1 This is a view of the drive unit of an excavator according to one aspect of the present disclosure.

[0038] Figure 2 This is a schematic block diagram illustrating the configuration of a system for controlling an excavator, according to one aspect of this disclosure.

[0039] Figures 3 to 5 The flowchart illustrates a method for controlling an excavator according to one implementation scheme.

[0040] Figure 6 This is a view illustrating information about the load receiver required to perform the automatic unloading motion function, according to one embodiment.

[0041] Figure 7 and Figure 8 This is a conceptual diagram illustrating the movement trajectory of the bucket performing the automatic dumping motion function, based on an implementation scheme.

[0042] Figure 9 It is a view based on an implementation scheme used to illustrate the steps for calculating the dumping point.

[0043] Figure 10 It is a view based on an implementation scheme used to illustrate the steps for calculating the rotation angle.

[0044] Figure 11 This is a view illustrating, according to an embodiment of the invention, loading a target object onto a load receiver after a step for performing a first automatic unloading motion.

[0045] Figure 12 (a) through (c) are views according to one embodiment illustrating the step of detecting the volume of the target object loaded onto the load receiver for each part in the step of performing the second automatic unloading movement.

[0046] Figure 13 (a) through (c) are views according to one embodiment illustrating the operation of determining the compensation value of the speed command in the step of performing the second automatic unloading movement.

[0047] Figure 14 (a) and (b) are views illustrating a speed command with applied compensation values ​​according to one implementation scheme. Detailed Implementation

[0048] The detailed description set forth below provides sufficient detail to inform and illustrate the disclosed techniques so that those skilled in the art can implement this disclosure. However, this disclosure may be implemented in a variety of different forms and is therefore not limited to the aspects described herein. Furthermore, in the accompanying drawings, portions irrelevant to the description have been omitted for clarity, and the same reference numerals denote the same parts throughout the specification.

[0049] The terminology used herein is for descriptive purposes only and is not intended to limit this disclosure. As used herein, the singular form is intended to also include the plural form unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. As used herein, the term "and / or" includes all combinations of one or more of the associated enumerations. As used herein, the terms "comprising" and "including" indicate the presence of the stated feature, integer, step, operation, element, and / or component, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other functions, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or combinations thereof.

[0050] It should be understood that terms such as "first" and "second" may be used herein to describe various elements, but these elements should not be limited by these terms. These terms are used only to distinguish one element from another. For example, without departing from the scope of this disclosure, a first component may be referred to as a second component, and similarly, a second component may be referred to as a first component.

[0051] In this document, relative terms such as “below,” “above,” “upper side,” “lower side,” “horizontal,” and “vertical” may be used to describe the relationship between one element and another, as shown in the figures. It should be understood that these terms, along with those discussed above, are intended to encompass different device orientations in addition to those shown in the figures. When a component is described as “connected” or “coupled” to another component, it should be understood that the component may be directly connected or coupled to the other component, or may be connected or coupled via one or more intermediate components. In contrast, when an element is described as “directly connected” or “directly coupled” to another component, there are no intermediate components in between.

[0052] Unless otherwise defined, all terms used herein (including technical and scientific terms) shall have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure pertains. It should also be understood that the terms used herein should be interpreted as having the same meaning as they have in the context of this specification and related art, and should not be interpreted as having an idealized or overly formal meaning unless expressly defined herein.

[0053] One aspect of this disclosure will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0054] Figure 1 A view of the drive unit of an excavator is shown according to one aspect of this disclosure, and Figure 2 This is a schematic block diagram illustrating the configuration of a system for controlling an excavator, according to one aspect of this disclosure.

[0055] refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 An excavator is a device capable of excavating a target object and can include various types of excavators capable of performing excavation operations in various ways (e.g., earthmoving operations, building demolition operations, ground leveling operations, etc.).

[0056] In one embodiment, the excavator may be implemented as including a computing device operated by a computer program to achieve the functions described herein, and in another embodiment, it may be controlled according to control signals from a controller.

[0057] A system (1000) for controlling an excavator to automatically perform bucket tipping motion to load a target object, according to one aspect of the present disclosure, includes a drive unit (100), a receiving unit (200), a display controller (300), a controller (400), and an operating unit (500).

[0058] The drive unit (100) includes an upper slewing body (120) supported for rotation on a lower traveling body (110); and an operating device connected to the upper slewing body (120). The operating device may include, for example, a boom (130), a stick (140), and a bucket (150).

[0059] The lower traveling body (110) is configured to support the load of the upper slewing body (120), boom (130), stick (140) and bucket (150), and at the same time enable the excavator to move forward or backward or left or right for operation.

[0060] The upper rotating body (120) is configured to be supported on the lower traveling body (110) and is designed to rotate on the lower traveling body (110) by means of a rotating device including a rotating motor, a rotating reduction gear, etc.

[0061] The stick (140) is connected to the bucket (150) and the boom (130) respectively, and in one embodiment, the boom (130), stick (140) and bucket (150) are connected by joints starting from the upper slewing body (120) in that order, and each joint can be moved by a hydraulic cylinder.

[0062] For example, the stick (140) is connected at one end to the boom (130) which is connected to the upper slewing body (120) of the excavator, and at the other end to the bucket (150). Each of the boom (130), stick (140) and bucket (150) can rotate about one or more axes by the boom cylinder, stick cylinder and bucket cylinder. The bucket (150) can hold a target object (e.g., soil) on the ground in its contents according to its rotation, and the controller (400) can control its overall operation.

[0063] Since the boom (130), stick (140) and bucket (150) are mounted and supported on the upper slewing body (120) facing forward, when the upper slewing body (120) rotates, the boom (130), stick (140) and bucket (150) rotate together with the upper slewing body (120).

[0064] The drive unit (100) can be configured as, for example, an electro-hydraulic system, and its drive can be electronically controlled by a controller (400).

[0065] The receiving unit (200) is configured to acquire various types of information required for performing the automatic dumping motion function.

[0066] For example, the receiving unit (200) may include an inertial measurement unit (IMU) (210), a rotation angle sensor (220), and an environmental sensing sensor (230), but is not limited thereto.

[0067] An inertial measurement unit (IMU) (210) is configured to measure the displacement, position, and / or attitude of one or more of the upper rotating body (120), boom (130), stick (140), and bucket (150) constituting the drive unit (100). For example, an inertial measurement unit (210) configured to detect the displacement of the boom (130), stick (140), and bucket (150) respectively and output the detection signals to a controller (400) can be mounted on the boom cylinder, arm cylinder, and bucket cylinder, so that the angles of the boom (130), stick (140), and bucket (150) operating during the automatic loading position arrival function can be calculated.

[0068] The rotation angle sensor (220) is configured to measure the rotation angle of the upper rotating body (120). That is, the rotation angle sensor (220), which is configured to detect the rotation angle of the upper rotating body and output the detection signal to the controller (400), can be mounted on the upper rotating body (120).

[0069] The environmental perception sensor (230) is configured to detect the external environment and may include one or more terrain detection sensors, such as cameras, radar, and lidar. The environmental perception sensor (230) can identify and measure information such as the shape and / or location of a load receiver (e.g., a dump truck, hopper, or crusher), the quantity and / or shape and / or location of excavated objects contained in the bucket, the quantity and / or shape and / or location of excavated objects loaded onto the load receiver, the quantity and / or shape and / or location of excavated objects in the external environment, and the shape and / or location of obstacles located within the maximum turning radius.

[0070] The receiving unit (200) can acquire information required for performing the automatic dumping motion function, such as information about the terrain (including the target object), displacement and / or angle and / or position information of the drive unit, shape and / or position information of the load receiver, quantity and / or shape and / or position information of the excavated target object loaded onto the load receiver, etc. Here, the target object is the excavation target of the excavator and can include any type of target material that the excavator can load or transport, such as soil in earthmoving operations, construction waste in building demolition operations, ground debris in ground leveling operations, etc.

[0071] The receiving unit (200) can receive information required to perform the automatic dumping motion function from another device (e.g., a server) or another component (e.g., a memory, a sensor, etc.), and may include, for example, a wired / wireless communication device that is connected to another device via a network and is capable of sending and receiving various types of information described throughout the specification.

[0072] The receiving unit (200) can generate in real time the information required to perform the automatic dumping motion function by sensing information. For example, the receiving unit (200) can sense information in real time by one or more terrain detection sensors (such as cameras, radar, and lidar), which includes: the position and size of a target object (e.g., soil) within a target area that changes in real time as the excavator's boom (130), stick (140), or bucket (150) moves; the type of surrounding terrain; the angle between the target object and the surrounding terrain; the shape or position of the load receiver; the shape or position of obstacles; and so on.

[0073] The display controller (300) is an input / output interface for receiving user input or output information. The display controller (300) activates the automatic dumping motion function and displays information acquired by the receiving unit (200) on the display (e.g., the location of the load receiver, and the quantity and shape of the excavation target objects loaded onto the load receiver). In other words, the operator can activate or deactivate the automatic dumping motion function by selecting it on the display controller (300). For example, the operator can activate or deactivate the automatic dumping motion function by selecting it on the screen of the display controller (300), which provides touchscreen functionality.

[0074] The control unit (500) may be a hydraulic joystick or an electric joystick, and preferably an electric joystick, which is configured to generate an electrical signal proportional to the amount of manipulation by the operator and provide the electrical signal to the controller (400).

[0075] The control unit (500) may include an input unit, such as a button, configured to receive user input to activate the automatic dumping motion function. Thus, the operator can activate the automatic dumping motion function by selecting it on the display controller (300) and can activate it by pressing a button on the control unit (500).

[0076] The controller (400) processes information acquired by the receiving unit (200), signals from the display controller (300) and the operating unit (500), etc., to control the drive unit (100) so that the required operation can be performed automatically.

[0077] The controller (400) controls the drive unit (100) based on information obtained by the receiving unit (200) to perform an automatic dumping motion function by loading the target object contained in the bucket (150) onto the load receiver.

[0078] The controller (400) calculates the first dumping point (Xd1, Yd1, Zr1) as the loading start position and the second dumping point (Xd2, Yd2, Zr2) as the loading completion position based on the center of the rotation axis of the bucket (150); it establishes path planning, including speed commands, for the boom (130), stick (140), bucket (150), and upper slewing body (120) from the first dumping point (Xd1, Yd1, Zr1) to the second dumping point (Xd2, Yd2, Zr2); based on the... Path planning is used to calculate one or more target rotation angles of the boom (130), stick (140), and bucket (150) and the target slewing angle of the upper slewing body (120); and based on the target rotation angle and the target slewing angle, one or more of the boom (130), stick (140), and bucket (150) are moved to perform an automatic dumping motion function or the upper slewing body (120) is slewing while one or more of the boom (130), stick (140), and bucket (150) are moved.

[0079] The above series of operations will be referred to below. Figures 3 to 14 Detailed description.

[0080] Throughout this specification, those skilled in the art should understand that, except... Figure 1 and Figure 2 In addition to the components shown, the excavator may also include other general-purpose components. For example, the excavator may also include various types of actuators for moving the boom (130), stick (140), and bucket (150); a drive control module for detailed control of the actuators; piping; and a memory for storing data used throughout the operation.

[0081] Figures 3 to 5 This is a flowchart of a method for controlling an excavator according to an exemplary implementation scheme; Figure 6 This is a diagram illustrating the load receiver information required to perform the automatic unloading motion function according to an exemplary embodiment; Figure 7 and Figure 8 This is a conceptual diagram illustrating the movement trajectory of a bucket performing an automatic dumping motion function according to an exemplary embodiment; Figure 9 This is a diagram illustrating the steps for calculating the dumping point according to an exemplary embodiment; Figure 10 This is a diagram illustrating the steps for calculating the rotation angle according to an exemplary embodiment; Figure 11 This is a diagram of a target object loaded onto a load receiver after performing a first automatic unloading motion, according to an exemplary embodiment. Figure 12 (a) to (c) are figures illustrating the steps of partially detecting the volume of a target object loaded onto a load receiver during a second automatic unloading motion, according to an exemplary embodiment. Figure 13(a) to (c) are diagrams illustrating the steps for determining a compensation value for a speed command during a second automatic unloading movement, according to an exemplary embodiment; and Figure 14 (a) and (b) are diagrams illustrating the speed command with applied compensation values ​​according to an exemplary implementation.

[0082] refer to Figure 3 A method (S2000) for controlling an excavator to automatically perform a bucket dumping motion to load a target object includes: step (S2100) selecting and activating an automatic dumping motion function on a display controller (300); step (S2200) using a receiving unit (200) to detect a load receiver and obtain information required for performing the automatic dumping motion; and step (S2300) performing a first automatic dumping motion via a controller (400) based on the obtained information to load the target object contained in the bucket (150) onto the load receiver.

[0083] In step S2100, the automatic dumping motion function is activated when the automatic dumping motion function is selected in the display controller (300). For example, the driver can activate the automatic dumping motion function by selecting it in the display controller (300).

[0084] In step S2200, the receiving unit (200) detects the load receiver on which the excavation target object is loaded and obtains information required to perform the automatic unloading motion, such as information about the terrain including the target object, the displacement and / or angle and / or position information of each drive unit (100), and in particular information about the load receiver.

[0085] refer to Figure 6 and Figure 7 Information about the load receiver (600) may include, for example, the shape of the load receiver (600), the position coordinates (X1, Y1, Zd1) to (X4, Y4, Zd4) of the first corner (610) to the fourth corner (640) of the load receiver (600), the position coordinates (Xd, Yd, Zd) of the center (650) of the load receiver (600), the length (Ld) and width (Lw) of the load receiver (600), the top height of the load receiver (600), the number of target objects loaded inside the load receiver (600), and so on. Such information about the load receiver (600) can be obtained through the receiving unit (200), and more specifically through the environmental sensing sensor (230). The environmental sensing sensor (230) continuously detects information until the automatic unloading motion function is deactivated.

[0086] In step S2300, the controller (400) performs a first automatic dumping motion based on information obtained from the receiving unit (200) to load the target object contained in the bucket (150) into the load receiver (600). At this time, the operator can activate the automatic dumping motion function by pressing the start button on the control unit (500).

[0087] refer to Figure 4 and Figures 7 to 10 The steps for performing the first automatic unloading movement (S2300) include detailed steps S2310, S2320, S2330 and S2340.

[0088] In step S2310, the controller (400) calculates the first dumping point (660) (Xd1, Yd1, Zr1) as the dumping start position and the second dumping point (670) (Xd2, Yd2, Zr2) as the dumping completion position based on the center of the rotation axis of the bucket (150).

[0089] Figure 7 A bucket (150) positioned above a load receiver (600) is shown, and a target object contained in the bucket (150) can be dumped into the load receiver (600). A receiving unit (200) senses a first height (Zd), which is the distance between the ground and the highest point of the load receiver (600). A controller (400) sets a target value for a second height (Zt), which is the lowest height the bucket (150) can reach, such that the second height (Zt) has a margin equal to or greater than a preset value (e.g., 50 cm) relative to the first height (Zd). Therefore, during the rotation of the boom (130), by sensing the second height (Zt) in real time, the boom can be raised until the difference (Zm) between the second height (Zt) and the first height (Zd) reaches the preset value (e.g., 50 cm).

[0090] In one implementation, the controller (400) can determine a first dumping point (660) (Xd1, Yd1, Zr1) as the dumping start point and a second dumping point (670) (Xd2, Yd2, Zr2) as the dumping completion point based on at least one of the difference (Zm) between the first height (Zd) and the second height (Zt), the length (Wb) of the bucket (150), and the center position of the load receiver (600). For example, as Figure 7As shown, the minimum height reached by the bucket (150) can be determined such that the difference (Zm) between the second height (Zt) and the first height (Zd) reaches a preset value (e.g., 50 cm), and the Zr1 point of the first dumping point (660) and the Zr2 point of the second dumping point (670) can be determined by adding the length (Wb) of the bucket (150) at the determined minimum height, such that the bucket (150) can rotate sufficiently at least a preset angle (e.g., 90 degrees) during the dumping of the target object into the load receiver. Furthermore, the center position (650) (Xd, Yd) of the load receiver (600) in the X-axis and Y-axis directions can be detected, and the Xd1 and Yd1 points of the first dumping point (660) and the Xd2 and Yd2 points of the second dumping point (670) can be determined, such that they are located based on the center position (650) (Xd, Yd) of the load receiver (600) or within a preset distance margin, thereby determining the position coordinates of the first dumping point (660) and the second dumping point (670).

[0091] In one implementation, refer to Figure 7 When dumping lightweight materials such as gravel, the position coordinates (Xd1, Yd1, Zr1) of the first dumping point (660) can be determined based on at least one of Equations 1 and 2 below, and the position coordinates (Xd2, Yd2, Zr2) of the second dumping point (670) can be determined based on at least one of Equations 3 and 4 below, but are not limited thereto.

[0092] [Equation 1]

[0093] X1 = Wb + Xm

[0094] Xd1 = Xd - [(Ld / 2) - X1]

[0095] Z1 = Wb + Zm

[0096] Zr1 = Max(Zd3, Zd4) + Z1

[0097] L1 = abs(Xd - Xd1)

[0098] [Equation 2]

[0099] Yd1 = Yd + Ym

[0100] [Equation 3]

[0101] X2 = (Ld / 2) - Xm

[0102] Xd2 = Xd + [X2 - Wb cos(θ)]

[0103] Z2 = Wb + Zm

[0104] Zr2 = Max(Zd1, Zd2) + Z1

[0105] L2 = abs(Xd2 - Xd)

[0106] [Equation 4]

[0107] Yd2 = Yd + Ym

[0108] Here, Xm, Ym, and Zm represent the preset first, second, and third margins in the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis directions, respectively; Wb represents the length of the bucket (150); Xd and Yd represent the center positions of the load receiver (600) in the X-axis and Y-axis directions, respectively; Zd1 to Zd4 represent the positions of the load receiver (600) from the first corner (610) to the fourth corner (640) in the Z-axis direction; L1 represents the distance between points Xd and Xd1; and L2 represents the distance between points Xd and Xd2.

[0109] In another implementation, reference Figure 8 When dumping heavy materials such as rocks, Zr1 in the position coordinates (Xd1, Yd1, Zr1) of the first dumping point (660) can be determined based on Equation 5 below, and Zr2 in the position coordinates (Xd2, Yd2, Zr2) of the second dumping point (670) can be determined according to Equation 6 below, but is not limited thereto.

[0110] [Equation 5]

[0111] Z1 = Wb - Zm

[0112] Zr1 = Max(Zd3, Zd4) + Z1

[0113] [Equation 6]

[0114] Z2 = Wb - Zm

[0115] Zr2 = Max(Zd1, Zd2) + Z1

[0116] Here, Xm, Ym, and Zm represent the preset first, second, and third margins in the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis directions, respectively; Wb represents the length of the bucket (150); Xd and Yd represent the center positions of the load receiver (600) in the X-axis and Y-axis directions, respectively; Zd1 to Zd4 represent the positions of the load receiver (600) from the first corner (610) to the fourth corner (640) in the Z-axis direction; L1 represents the distance between points Xd and Xd1; and L2 represents the distance between points Xd and Xd2.

[0117] According to one implementation, the environmental sensing sensor (230) can detect whether the target object being excavated is a lightweight or heavy material. When the target object is a heavy material, such as Figure 8 As shown, the dumping point in the Z-axis direction can be set low only during the initial dumping operation, and from the second dumping operation onwards, dumping can proceed as follows: Figure 7 The procedure shown is performed in the same manner as when the target object is made of lightweight material.

[0118] at the same time, Figure 9 Another method for calculating the first dumping point (660) (Xd1, Yd1, Zr1) and the second dumping point (670) (Xd2, Yd2, Zr2) is shown, which considers whether the dumping process direction (X2) from the first dumping point (660) (Xd1, Yd1, Zr1) to the second dumping point (670) (Xd2, Yd2, Zr2) matches the longitudinal axis (X1) of the load receiver (600). Here, Figure 9 (a) The case where the directions of X1 and X2 are matched, such as Figure 7 and Figure 8 As shown, and Figure 9 (b) and (c) show the cases where the directions of X1 and X2 do not match.

[0119] refer to Figure 9 (b) and (c) When the directions of X1 and X2 do not match (θh>0 or θh<0), the position coordinates (Xd1, Yd1) of the first dumping point (660) and the position coordinates (Xd2, Yd2) of the second dumping point (670) can be determined based on Equation 7, but are not limited thereto.

[0120] [Equation 7]

[0121] Xd1 = Xd + L1 sin(abs(θh))

[0122] Yd1 = Yd + (L1-L1 cos(abs(θh)))

[0123] Xd2 = Xd - L2 sin(abs(θh))

[0124] Yd2 = Yd - (L2-L2 cos(abs(θh)))

[0125] In step S2320, the controller (400) establishes a path plan, including a speed command, for the boom (130), stick (140), bucket (150), and upper slewing body (120) from the first dumping point (Xd1, Yd1, Zr1) to the second dumping point (Xd2, Yd2, Zr2). Here, the speed command can be the speed used to perform the dumping motion, and the controller (400) can determine the speed command such that the dumping motion is performed at a constant speed, or it can determine the speed command such that the dumping motion is performed at different speeds for the corresponding parts depending on the number of target objects loaded in the load receiver (600).

[0126] In step S2330, the controller (400) calculates the target rotation angle of one or more of the boom (130), stick (140) and bucket (150) and the target slewing angle of the upper slewing body (120) based on the established path planning.

[0127] The target rotation angles of one or more of the boom (130), stick (140), and bucket (150), as well as the target slewing angle of the upper rotating body (120), can be calculated using an inverse kinematics model. An inverse kinematics model is a model used to calculate the corresponding joint angles given the position and orientation of the ends.

[0128] Figure 10 A method is shown for calculating the target rotation angle (θs) of the upper rotating body (120) during the dumping motion from the first dumping point (660) to the second dumping point (670) according to one embodiment.

[0129] refer to Figure 10 When the position coordinates (Xd1, Yd1, Zr1) of the first dumping point (660) and the position coordinates (Xd2, Yd2, Zr2) of the second dumping point (670) are determined, the target rotation angle (θs) of the upper rotating body (120) can be determined based on the following equation 8, but is not limited thereto.

[0130] [Equation 8]

[0131] θs = atan(Xd2 / Yd2) - atan(Xd1 / Yd1)

[0132] Figure 11The path for performing the first automatic unloading motion is shown, as well as the outline of the target object (T) loaded into the load receiver (600) after the first automatic unloading motion.

[0133] In step S2340, the controller (400) moves one or more of the boom (130), stick (140), and bucket (150) based on the target rotation angle and the target slewing angle, or simultaneously rotates the upper slewing body (120) to execute the automatic dumping motion function. At this time, according to... Figure 11 As shown in one example, boom lowering, stick extension, bucket extension, and slewing of the upper slewing body (120) can be performed to dump the target object (T) into the load receiver (600).

[0134] Meanwhile, the method (S2000) of controlling the excavator to automatically perform the bucket dumping movement to load the target object may also include step S2400: after the first automatic dumping movement, a second automatic dumping movement is performed by the controller (400) to uniformly load the target object (T) into the load receiver (600).

[0135] The following will refer to Figure 5 and Figures 11 to 14 The focus is on describing the differences between the second automatic unloading motion and the first automatic unloading motion.

[0136] The steps for performing the second automatic unloading movement (S2400) include detailed steps S2410, S2420, S2430 and S2440.

[0137] In step S2410, the receiving unit (200), more specifically the environmental sensing sensor (230), detects the volume of the target object (T) loaded into the load receiver (600) by the first automatic unloading motion for each part.

[0138] Figure 12 (a) illustrates a method according to one embodiment for detecting a target object (T) by dividing it into portions S1 to S10 along the X-axis direction, which is loaded in a load receiver (600). Figure 12 (b) and (c) show the volume (VL(i)) of the target object (T) for each part in a table and a graph, respectively. Here, the dumping motion is carried out in the direction from part S1 to part S10.

[0139] In step S2420, the controller (400) determines the compensation value (C(i)) for each part based on the detection volume (VL(i)) of the target object (T) for each part.

[0140] Figure 13 (a) to (c) illustrate the process of determining the compensation value (C(i)) for each part based on the volume of the target object (T) after the first automatic dumping motion, and determining the compensation speed command (VCcom(i)) for each part in the second automatic dumping motion by applying the compensation value (C(i)) for each part to the speed command (VC(i)) for each part in the first automatic dumping motion.

[0141] The compensation value (C(i)) is used to compensate for the speed command (VC(i)) in the first automatic unloading motion to uniformly load the target object (T) into the load receiver (600). According to one example, the compensation value (C(i)) can be determined by Equation 9 below, but is not limited thereto.

[0142] [Equation 9]

[0143] In step S2430, the controller (400) calculates the compensated speed command (VCcom(i)) for each part by applying the compensated value (C(i)) to the speed command (VC(i)) in the first automatic unloading motion. According to one example, the compensated speed command (VCcom(i)) can be determined by Equation 10 below, but is not limited thereto.

[0144] [Equation 10]

[0145] VCcom ( i ) = (1 - C ( i ))· VC ( i )

[0146] In step S2440, the controller (400) establishes a path planning, including a compensation speed command (VCcom(i)), for the boom (130), stick (140), bucket (150) and upper slewing body (120) from the first dumping point (660) to the second dumping point (670).

[0147] In other words, when the target object (T) loaded in the load receiver (600) is divided into multiple parts, for a certain part, when the volume of the target object in the corresponding part is less than the average volume of the target object in the corresponding part, the compensation speed command in the corresponding part can be configured to be less than the speed command in the first automatic unloading movement, and when the volume of the target object in the corresponding part is greater than the average volume of the target object in the corresponding part, the compensation speed command in the corresponding part can be configured to be greater than the speed command in the first automatic unloading movement.

[0148] Unlike the first automatic unloading motion, where the unloading motion is executed using the same speed command for each part of the load receiver, the second automatic unloading motion employs a compensated speed command. Therefore, the unloading motion can be executed relatively slowly in smaller portions of the target object, and relatively quickly in larger portions, resulting in a more uniform loading of the target object into the load receiver.

[0149] Figure 14 (a) is a diagram showing the target object volume in the load receiver for each section after the first automatic unloading motion. Figure 14 (b) is a diagram comparing the speed command in the first automatic unloading motion with the compensation speed command in the second automatic unloading motion.

[0150] like Figure 14 As shown, unlike the first automatic dumping motion where a constant speed command is used for dumping, the second automatic dumping motion uses a compensated speed command to perform dumping. It can be seen that in the second dumping operation, the compensated speed command is lower than the speed command in the first dumping operation for the smaller portion of the target object, and the compensated speed command is higher than the speed command in the first dumping operation for the larger portion of the target object.

[0151] Meanwhile, the method (S2000) of controlling the excavator to automatically perform the bucket dumping movement to load the target object may also include step S2500: determining by the controller (400) whether the center of the rotation axis of the bucket (150) has reached the second dumping point (670).

[0152] In step S2500, when it is determined that the center of the rotation axis of the bucket (150) has reached the second dumping point (670), the controller (400) displays on the display controller (300) that the automatic dumping motion function has been completed. Furthermore, when it is determined that the center of the rotation axis of the bucket (150) has failed to reach the second dumping point (670) within a preset time, the controller (400) considers this an error and displays the error on the display controller (300), while simultaneously executing the automatic dumping motion function until the center of the rotation axis of the bucket (150) reaches the second dumping point (670).

[0153] At the same time, when the driver no longer needs to use the automatic dumping motion function, the driver can terminate the automatic dumping motion function through the display controller (300), thereby disabling the automatic dumping motion function.

[0154] As described above, the method and system for controlling an excavator according to this disclosure can unload target objects by automatically executing the bucket's unloading motion, thereby improving work efficiency and driver convenience.

[0155] It should be understood that this disclosure is not limited to the embodiments shown in the foregoing description and drawings. Rather, those skilled in the art will recognize that many changes and modifications can be made within the scope of this disclosure and the appended claims. In the drawings and specification, aspects are disclosed for illustrative purposes only and not for limiting purposes, and the scope of the inventive concept of this disclosure is defined by the appended claims.

[0156] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures

[0157] 1000 is a system used to control excavators.

[0158] 100 drive units

[0159] 110 Lower walking body

[0160] 120 Upper Rotating Body

[0161] 130 boom

[0162] 140 pole

[0163] 150 bucket

[0164] 200 receiving units

[0165] 210 Inertial Measurement Unit

[0166] 220° rotation angle sensor

[0167] 230 Environmental Sensing Sensor

[0168] 400 controller

[0169] 500 control unit

[0170] 600 load receiver

[0171] 610 First Corner

[0172] 620 Second Corner

[0173] 630 Third Corner

[0174] 640 Fourth Corner

[0175] 650 load receiver center

[0176] 660 First dumping point

[0177] 670 Second dumping point

[0178] Volume of each part in the VL load receiver

[0179] The average volume of each part in the VLaverage load receiver

[0180] C compensation value

[0181] Speed ​​command in VC's first automatic unloading motion

[0182] VCcom Second Automatic Unloading Movement Compensation Speed ​​Command

Claims

1. A method for controlling an excavator to automatically perform a bucket tipping motion to load a target object, the method comprising: The steps to activate the automatic tilting motion function by selecting the automatic tilting motion function on the display controller; The steps include detecting the load receiver through the receiving unit and obtaining the information required to perform the automatic unloading motion; as well as The controller performs a first automatic dumping motion based on the acquired information to load the target object contained in the bucket into the load receiver.

2. The method for controlling an excavator according to claim 1, wherein... Performing the first automatic unloading movement includes: The steps are as follows: calculate the first dumping point (Xd1, Yd1, Zr1) as the loading start position and the second dumping point (Xd2, Yd2, Zr2) as the loading completion position based on the center of the rotation axis of the bucket. The steps for establishing path planning, including speed commands, for the boom, stick, bucket, and upper slewing body from the first dumping point (Xd1, Yd1, Zr1) to the second dumping point (Xd2, Yd2, Zr2); The steps of calculating one or more target rotation angles of the boom, the stick, and the bucket, and one or more target slewing angles of the upper rotating body based on the path planning; as well as Based on the target rotation angle and the target slewing angle, move one or more of the boom, stick, and bucket to perform the automatic dumping motion function, or rotate the upper slewing body while moving one or more of the boom, stick, and bucket.

3. The method for controlling an excavator according to claim 2, It also includes the step of executing a second automatic unloading motion by the controller after the first automatic unloading motion in order to uniformly load the target object into the load receiver.

4. The method for controlling an excavator according to claim 3, wherein... Performing the second automatic unloading movement includes: The step of detecting the volume of the target object loaded into the load receiver by the first automatic unloading motion for each part at the receiving unit; The step of determining the compensation value for each part based on the detected volume of the target object in each part; The step of calculating the compensated speed command for each part by applying the compensation value to the speed command in the first automatic unloading motion; as well as The steps of establishing path planning for the boom, stick, bucket, and upper slewing body from the first dumping point to the second dumping point, including the compensation speed command.

5. The method for controlling an excavator according to claim 4, wherein, For a certain part, when the volume of the target object in the corresponding part is less than the average volume of the target objects in the corresponding part, the compensation speed command in the corresponding part is less than the speed command in the first automatic unloading movement; and when the volume of the target object in the corresponding part is greater than the average volume of the target objects in the corresponding part, the compensation speed command in the corresponding part is greater than the speed command in the first automatic unloading movement.

6. The method for controlling an excavator according to claim 5, wherein... The compensation value C(i) for each part is determined by the following [Equation 1], and the compensation speed command VCcom(i) for each part is determined by the following [Equation 2]. [Equation 1] [Equation 2] VCcom ( i ) = (1 - C ( i )) VC ( i ) Here, VL(i) is the volume of the target object in part i, VLaverage is the average volume of the target object in the corresponding part, and VC(i) is the speed command in part i during the first automatic unloading movement.

7. The method for controlling an excavator according to claim 2, further comprising: The step of determining whether the center of the rotation axis of the bucket has reached the second dumping point by means of the controller.

8. The method for controlling an excavator according to claim 7, wherein, In the step of determining whether the center of the rotation axis of the bucket has reached the second dumping point, When it is determined that the center of the rotating axis has reached the second unloading point within a preset time, the display controller displays that the automatic unloading motion function has been completed. When it is determined that the center of the rotating axis has not reached the second unloading point within the preset time, this situation is regarded as an error and displayed on the display controller. At the same time, the automatic unloading motion function is executed until the second unloading point is reached.

9. A system for controlling an excavator to automatically perform a bucket tipping motion to load a target object, the system comprising: The drive unit includes a boom, stick, bucket, and upper slewing body; A receiving unit configured to detect a load receiver and acquire information required for performing an automatic unloading motion function; The display controller serves as an input / output interface for receiving user input or output information, and is configured to activate the automatic unloading motion function and display the information acquired by the receiving unit. as well as A controller configured to perform a first automatic dumping motion function by controlling the drive unit to load the target object contained in the bucket into the load receiver based on the acquired information.

10. The system for controlling an excavator according to claim 9, wherein... The controller is configured to: The first dumping point (Xd1, Yd1, Zr1) as the loading start position and the second dumping point (Xd2, Yd2, Zr2) as the loading completion position are calculated based on the center of the rotation axis of the bucket. Establish a path planning, including speed commands, for the boom, stick, bucket, and upper slewing body from the first dumping point (Xd1, Yd1, Zr1) to the second dumping point (Xd2, Yd2, Zr2); Based on the path planning, calculate one or more target rotation angles of one or more of the boom, the stick, and the bucket, and one or more target slewing angles of the upper rotating body; and Based on the target rotation angle and the target slewing angle, move one or more of the boom, stick, and bucket to perform the automatic dumping motion function, or rotate the upper slewing body while moving one or more of the boom, stick, and bucket.

11. The system for controlling an excavator according to claim 10, wherein... The controller is configured to: After the first automatic unloading motion, a second automatic unloading motion is performed to uniformly load the target object into the load receiver.

12. The system for controlling an excavator according to claim 11, wherein: The receiving unit is configured to For each part, the volume of the target object loaded into the load receiver by the first automatic unloading motion is detected; The controller is configured to: The compensation value for each part is determined based on the detected volume of the target object in each part; The compensated speed command for each part is calculated by applying the compensation value to the speed command in the first automatic unloading motion; as well as Establish a path planning system for the boom, stick, bucket, and upper slewing body from the first dumping point to the second dumping point, including the compensation speed command.

13. The system for controlling an excavator according to claim 12, wherein, For a certain part, when the volume of the target object in the corresponding part is less than the average volume of the target objects in the corresponding part, the compensation speed command in the corresponding part is less than the speed command in the first automatic unloading movement; and when the volume of the target object in the corresponding part is greater than the average volume of the target objects in the corresponding part, the compensation speed command in the corresponding part is greater than the speed command in the first automatic unloading movement.

14. The system for controlling an excavator according to claim 13, wherein... The compensation value C(i) for each part is determined by the following [Equation 1], and the compensation speed command VCcom(i) for each part is determined by the following [Equation 2]. [Equation 1] [Equation 2] VCcom ( i ) = (1 - C ( i ))· VC ( i ) Here, VL(i) is the volume of the target object in part i, VLaverage is the average volume of the target object in the corresponding part, and VC(i) is the speed command in part i during the first automatic unloading movement.

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