Estimation of paver payload deposition using auger drive power

Abstract

A paver or remote computer can receive one or more sensor measurements corresponding to operating the paver. The paver or remote computer can determine, from the one or more sensor measurements, a drive power associated with operating an auger of the paver. The paver or remote computer can determine, from the drive power associated with operating the auger of the paver, a mass of material deposited by the paver. The paver or remote computer can output a mass indication indicative of the mass of material deposited by the paver.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure generally relates to a paver, and for example to estimating the amount of material deposited by the paver. Background Technology

[0002] Asphalt paving is the process of laying a mixture of asphalt (asphalt mixture) and aggregates (such as sand, gravel, or crushed stone) onto a surface to form a durable and smooth pavement. The asphalt mixture can be heated, transported, and laid on a treated surface (such as a roadbed or driveway), and subsequently compacted to achieve the desired thickness and density. A paver is a machine that lays a paving material (such as an asphalt mixture) as a compacted pavement onto a treated surface. A paver may include a hopper for receiving the paving material, a distribution system for the paving material, and a leveling component for leveling and compacting the material to achieve the desired thickness and surface finish of the compacted pavement.

[0003] U.S. Patent No. 5,484,226 ('226 Patent) discloses automated control of an asphalt paver in which the speed of the conveyor is automatically controlled at a rate proportional to and responding to the speed of the auger pusher, and the conveyor has no material sensors and speed control in response to them. While the '226 Patent discloses some benefits, the devices, systems, and methods disclosed herein are associated with other benefits, such as determining the amount of paving material deposited on the paving surface based on the drive power of the auger pusher. Summary of the Invention

[0004] A method may include: receiving one or more sensor measurements corresponding to operating a paver; determining, based on the one or more sensor measurements, a drive power associated with an auger pusher operating the paver; determining, based on the drive power associated with the auger pusher operating the paver, the mass of material deposited by the paver; and outputting a mass indicator indicating the mass of the material deposited by the paver.

[0005] An apparatus may include: a hopper for storing paving material; an auger conveyor configured to deposit the paving material onto a paving surface; a conveyor configured to transport the paving material from the hopper to the auger conveyor; a compaction plate configured to compact the paving material on the paving surface; one or more sensors configured to measure one or more sensor values; an interface device; one or more memories; and one or more processors coupled to the one or more memories, the one or more processors configured to: determine the mass of the paving material deposited onto the paving surface based on drive power associated with operating the auger conveyor; and output a mass indication indicating the mass of the paving material deposited onto the paving surface to the interface device.

[0006] A system may include: one or more memories; and one or more processors coupled to the one or more memories, the one or more processors being configured to: receive one or more sensor measurements corresponding to operating a paver; determine, based on the one or more sensor measurements, a drive power associated with an auger pusher operating the paver; determine, based on the drive power associated with the auger pusher operating the paver, the quality of material deposited by the paver; and output a quality indication indicating the quality of the material deposited by the paver. Attached Figure Description

[0007] Figure 1 This is a diagram associated with an exemplary paver used to deposit paving material onto a paving surface.

[0008] Figure 2 This is a diagram of an exemplary system associated with estimating the amount of paving material deposited onto the paving surface.

[0009] Figure 3 This is a diagram of an exemplary system of a remote computer associated with estimating the amount of paving material deposited by a paver onto the paving surface.

[0010] Figure 4 This is a flowchart of an exemplary process associated with estimating the amount of paving material deposited on the paving surface based on the driving power of the auger pusher. Detailed Implementation

[0011] This disclosure relates to estimating the amount of paving material deposited on a paving surface, applicable to one or more construction machines. For example, the construction machine may be a paving machine (e.g., a "paver").

[0012] Figure 1This is a diagram associated with an exemplary paver 100 used to deposit paving material onto a paving surface. Figure 1 As illustrated in the example, paver 100 may include a tractor 105 comprising a front-mounted hopper 110 and a slab 115. A conveyor system 120 having a belt, chain, and / or auger conveyor may be configured to convey material (e.g., hot bitumen mixture 125) from hopper 110 to slab 115. For example, conveyor system 120 may include a conveyor belt, rollers, and auger conveyor 145. A auger conveyor 145 may be configured to rotate in response to rotation of auger conveyor drive motor 150 to deposit bitumen mixture 125 onto a paving surface in front of slab 115. Slab 115 may be configured to level and shape the bitumen mixture into layers (e.g., compacted pavement 130) having a desired thickness and width. For example, slab 115 may be configured to compact bitumen mixture 125 into a compacted pavement 130 parallel to the paving surface. Slab 115 may include an electric heater for heating bitumen mixture 125.

[0013] As discussed in more detail below, paver 100 may include a system for determining the mass of asphalt mixture 125 deposited onto the paving surface. For example, the system may determine the mass of the asphalt mixture 125 based on measurements from one or more sensors, such as the drive power associated with operating an auger conveyor 145 for moving the asphalt mixture 125 from hopper 110 to slab 115. The system may output a mass indication to the operator of paver 100 indicating the mass of the asphalt mixture 125 deposited onto the paving surface. Alternatively or additionally, paver 100 may transmit information to a remote computer 140, and the remote computer 140 may be configured to determine the amount of paving material deposited onto the paving surface. As described above, Figure 1 Provided as an example. Other examples may be provided with reference to [the relevant information]. Figure 1 The examples described are different.

[0014] Figure 2 This is a diagram of an exemplary system 200 associated with estimating the amount of paving material deposited onto the paving surface. (See diagram for example.) Figure 2 As shown, the paver 100 includes a bus 205, one or more sensors 210, a auger motor controller 215, a transceiver 220, an interface device 225, one or more memories 230, and one or more processors 235, etc. Figure 2 The components of system 200 can communicate with each other via bus 205. One or more memories 230 and one or more processors 235 may be part of the controller of paver 100.

[0015] Bus 205 may include one or more components that enable wired and / or wireless communication between parts of paver 100. Bus 205 may connect components such as via operational coupling, communication coupling, electronic coupling, and / or electrical coupling. Figure 2 Two or more components are coupled together. For example, bus 205 may include electrical connections (e.g., wires, traces and / or leads) and / or wireless buses.

[0016] One or more sensors 210 may be configured to detect or measure one or more characteristics of the auger pusher 145, the paving material, the paver 100, or combinations thereof. For example, one or more sensors 210 may be configured individually or collectively to measure hydraulic pressure (e.g., hydraulic pressure associated with operating the auger pusher 145), the flow rate of hydraulic fluid (e.g., hydraulic fluid used to operate the auger pusher 145), motor current (e.g., the amount of current drawn by the electric auger pusher drive motor 150), motor speed (e.g., the rotational speed of the auger pusher drive motor 150), auger speed (e.g., the rotational speed of the auger pusher 145), temperature (e.g., the temperature of the paving material before and / or after being heated by the slab 115), weight (e.g., the weight of the paving material), speed (e.g., the speed of the paver 100), orientation (e.g., the orientation of the slab 115 relative to the paving surface), angle (e.g., the angle of the paver 100 relative to the paving surface), one or more properties of the paving material (e.g., the viscosity or density of the paving material) or combinations thereof, etc. Sensor 210 may be configured to output signals via bus 205 corresponding to one or more characteristics of the auger conveyor 145, the paving material, and / or the paver 100. For example, when the auger conveyor 145 is hydraulically driven, sensor 210 may include a first hydraulic pressure sensor 210A configured to measure a first hydraulic pressure and a second hydraulic pressure sensor 210B configured to measure a second hydraulic pressure. Alternatively or additionally, one or more of the sensors 210 may be a flow sensor configured to measure the flow rate of the hydraulic fluid used to operate the auger conveyor 145, an ammeter (e.g., a current sensor) configured to measure the current drawn by the electric auger conveyor drive motor 150, a temperature sensor (e.g., a thermocouple or thermal imaging sensor) configured to measure the temperature of the paving material, a force sensor configured to measure the weight of the paving material, a speedometer configured to measure the speed of the paver 100, one or more orientation sensors (e.g., a gyroscope) configured to measure the orientation of the slab 115 relative to the paving surface and / or the angle of the paver 100 relative to the paving surface, or combinations thereof, etc.

[0017] The screw conveyor motor controller 215 may include a circuit system configured to operate the screw conveyor drive motor 150. The screw conveyor drive motor 150 may be an electric motor configured to rotate the screw conveyor 145. Based on one or more control signals output by the screw conveyor motor controller 215, the screw conveyor drive motor 150 may draw current, which may cause the rotor of the screw conveyor drive motor 150 to rotate about the stator of the screw conveyor drive motor 150 according to desired torque, speed, and / or direction. The rotor of the screw conveyor drive motor 150 may be connected to the shaft of the screw conveyor 145, and the rotation of the rotor may cause the screw conveyor 145 to rotate. The control signals output by the screw conveyor motor controller 215 may correspond to different rotational speeds of the rotor of the screw conveyor drive motor 150, and therefore to different rotational speeds of the screw conveyor 145. The screw conveyor motor controller 215 can output a signal via bus 205 indicating the amount of current supplied to or drawn by the screw conveyor drive motor 150. Alternatively, the screw conveyor drive motor 150 can be hydraulically driven, and the screw conveyor motor controller 215 can be configured to output one or more control signals that control the hydraulic pressure (or hydraulic differential pressure) supplied to the screw conveyor drive motor 150. For example, the screw conveyor motor controller 215 can output one or more control signals that regulate the flow of hydraulic fluid to the screw conveyor drive motor 150, thereby controlling speed, torque, and directional operation. The screw conveyor motor controller 215 can receive feedback from sensors monitoring operating conditions (e.g., a first hydraulic pressure sensor 210A and / or a second hydraulic pressure sensor 210B) and can adjust the position of one or more hydraulic valves or the pump displacement to maintain controlled operation of the screw conveyor drive motor 150.

[0018] Transceiver 220 may include an antenna, circuitry, or other electronic components configured to transmit and receive data signals. Transceiver 220 may include a transmitter module configured to modulate data signals for transmission and a receiver module configured to demodulate received signals. Transceiver 220 may include circuitry that can process and convert data signals for communication purposes and may be integrated into the communication system of paver 100. Transceiver 220 may be configured to receive data via bus 205. Figure 2 The signals output by other components of the paver 100 shown. Transceiver 220 can be configured to communicate wirelessly with remote computer 140. For example, transceiver 220 can be configured to receive data from remote computer 140, transmit data to remote computer, or a combination thereof.

[0019] Interface device 225 may include a screen, circuitry, or other electronic components configured to receive input from and / or present information to the operator of paver 100. For example, interface device 225 may include a touchscreen configured to receive user input and signals for rendering a visual representation of data. Interface device 225 may include control circuitry configured to process user input and the received signals. In some aspects, interface device 225 may be positioned on paver 100 and within the field of vision of the paver 100 operator. Interface device 225 may be configured to receive information such as information about paver 100, information about slab 115, information about paving material, or combinations thereof. Alternatively or additionally, interface device 225 may be configured to present a visual representation to the operator of paver 100 of the amount of paving material deposited on the paving surface.

[0020] Memory 230 includes volatile and / or non-volatile memory, such as random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), hard disk drive, and / or another type of memory (e.g., flash memory, magnetic memory, and / or optical memory). Memory 230 may include internal memory (e.g., RAM, ROM, or hard disk drive) and / or removable memory (e.g., removable via a universal serial bus). In some embodiments, memory 230 is a non-transitory computer-readable medium. Memory 230 stores information related to the operation of paver 100, one or more instructions, and / or software (e.g., one or more software applications). For example, memory 230 may store information associated with paver 100, slab 115, or paving material. The information stored in memory 230 may be provided via interface device 225, received from remote computer 140, provided via one or more sensors 210, or included in firmware, etc. Thus, memory 230 may be configured to store measurements obtained by one or more sensors 210 that can be used to determine the quality of paving material deposited on the paving surface. In some embodiments, memory 230 includes one or more memories, such as those coupled (e.g., communicatively coupled) to one or more processors (e.g., processor 235) via bus 205. The communicative coupling between processor 235 and memory 230 enables processor 235 to read and / or process information stored in memory 230 and / or store information in memory 230.

[0021] Processor 235 includes a central processing unit, a graphics processing unit, a microprocessor, a controller, a microcontroller, a digital signal processor, a field-programmable gate array, an application-specific integrated circuit, and / or another type of processing unit. Processor 235 may be implemented in hardware, firmware, or a combination of hardware and software. Processor 235 may include one or more processors capable of being programmed to perform one or more operations or processes described elsewhere herein.

[0022] Processor 235 can be configured to estimate the mass of paving material deposited on the paving surface based on measurements obtained by one or more sensors 210. Processor 235 can be configured to receive or access outputs from one or more sensors 210 from memory 230, including one or more hydraulic pressure measurements, flow rate measurements, motor current measurements, temperature measurements, weight measurements, velocity measurements, orientation measurements, angle measurements, or combinations thereof. Processor 235 can be configured to receive or access other information from memory 230, such as one or more properties of the paving material (e.g., viscosity and / or density), information about paver 100 (e.g., the weight of paver 100), information about auger conveyor 145 (e.g., the amount of current drawn by auger conveyor drive motor 150 or the amount of hydraulic pressure used to operate auger conveyor drive motor 150), or combinations thereof.

[0023] For example, processor 235 may be configured to access or receive a first hydraulic pressure measured by a first hydraulic pressure sensor and a second hydraulic pressure measured by a second hydraulic pressure sensor. Processor 235 may be configured to determine the drive power (e.g., torque) of the auger conveyor 145 based on the difference between the first and second hydraulic pressures. Alternatively, processor 235 may be configured to determine the drive power of the auger conveyor 145 based on the current drawn by the auger conveyor drive motor 150. Processor 235 may be configured to estimate the mass of paving material deposited on the paving surface based on the drive power of the auger conveyor 145. Processor 235 may be configured to generate a mass indication corresponding to the estimated mass of the paving material. Processor 235 may be configured to output the mass indication representing the mass of the paving material deposited on the paving surface to interface device 225. In some aspects, processor 235 may provide the mass indication to remote computer 140. Remote computer 140 may be configured to store the mass indication, associate the mass of the paving material deposited on the paving surface with construction site or other indicators, or combinations thereof. In order to provide quality indications to remote computer 140, processor 235 can be configured to cause transceiver 220 to transmit quality indications to remote computer 140.

[0024] Alternatively, processor 235 can be configured to receive a quality indication from remote computer 140. For example, if processor 235 cannot determine the quality indication, it can be configured to cause transceiver 220 to transmit information to remote computer 140 that allows remote computer 140 to calculate the quality of the paving material deposited on the paving surface. Processor 235 can be configured to receive the quality indication from remote computer 140 and output the received quality indication to interface device 225. Processor 235 can be configured to cause transceiver 220 to transmit measurements obtained by one or more sensors 210 to remote computer 140. Additionally, processor 235 can be configured to cause transceiver 220 to provide information to remote computer 140 regarding paver 100, auger conveyor 145, or combinations thereof. (See below for more information.) Figure 3 The remote computer 140 can be configured to determine the quality of the paving material deposited on the paving surface and transmit the quality indication to the paver 100.

[0025] In some implementations... Figure 2 The components may perform one or more of the operations or processes described herein, individually or collectively. For example, a non-transitory computer-readable medium (e.g., memory 230) may store a set of instructions (e.g., one or more instructions or code) for execution by processor 235. Processor 235 may execute the set of instructions to perform one or more of the operations or processes described herein. In some embodiments, execution of the set of instructions by one or more processors 235 causes one or more processors 235 and / or Figure 2 Other components perform one or more of the operations or processes described herein. In some embodiments, hard-wired circuitry is used in place of or in combination with instructions to perform one or more of the operations or processes described herein. Alternatively or additionally, processor 235 may be configured to perform one or more of the operations or processes described herein. Therefore, the embodiments described herein are not limited to any particular combination of hardware circuitry and software.

[0026] Figure 2 The number and arrangement of the components shown are provided as an example. Figure 2 Compared to the components shown, system 200 may include additional components, fewer components, different components, or components arranged differently. Alternatively, a group of components or system 200 (e.g., one or more components or system 200) may perform one or more functions described as being performed by another group of components or system 200.

[0027] Figure 3 This is a diagram of an exemplary system 300 associated with a remote computer 140 for estimating the amount of paving material deposited by paver 100 onto the paving surface. (See diagram for reference.) Figure 3 As shown, the remote computer 140 includes a communication device 305, one or more memories 310, and one or more processors 315, etc.

[0028] Communication device 305 may include a computer chip, circuit system, or other electronic components configured to transmit and receive data signals. Communication device 305 may include a transmitter module configured to modulate data signals for transmission and a receiver module configured to demodulate received signals. Communication device 305 may include a circuit system that can process and convert data signals for communication purposes (e.g., for communicating with paver 100). Communication device 305 may be configured to receive signals from… Figure 3 The signals output by other components of the remote computer 140 shown. Communication device 305 can be configured to wirelessly communicate with the transceiver 220 of paver 100. For example, communication device 305 can be configured to receive data from, transmit data to, or a combination thereof from the transceiver 220 of paver 100. Examples of data received at remote computer 140 via communication may include information about paver 100, information about the slab 115 of paver 100, one or more hydraulic pressure measurements associated with the operating auger pusher 145, one or more current measurements associated with the operating auger pusher 145, a first temperature indication, a second temperature indication, heat transfer values, heat transfer factor, specific heat capacity, or a combination thereof.

[0029] Memory 310 includes volatile and / or non-volatile memory, such as RAM, ROM, hard disk drive, and / or another type of memory (e.g., flash memory, magnetic memory, and / or optical memory). Memory 310 may include internal memory (e.g., RAM, ROM, or hard disk drive) and / or removable memory (e.g., removable via a universal serial bus). In some embodiments, memory 310 is a non-transitory computer-readable medium. Memory 310 stores information, one or more instructions, and / or software (e.g., one or more software applications) related to the operation of remote computer 140. For example, memory 310 may store information associated with one or more paving materials, such as one or more viscosities, densities, or combinations thereof. Viscosity and density, as well as other information, may be stored in a lookup table in memory 310 of remote computer 140. Memory 310 may be configured to store additional information that can be used to determine the quality of paving material deposited onto a paving surface, such as measurements received from paver 100. Memory 310 may include one or more memories coupled (e.g., communicatively coupled) to one or more processors (e.g., processor 315). The communication coupling between the processor 315 and the memory 310 enables the processor 315 to read and / or process information stored in the memory 310 and / or store information in the memory 310.

[0030] Processor 315 includes a central processing unit, a graphics processing unit, a microprocessor, a controller, a microcontroller, a digital signal processor, a field-programmable gate array, an application-specific integrated circuit, and / or another type of processing unit. Processor 315 may be implemented in hardware, firmware, or a combination of hardware and software. Processor 315 may include one or more processors capable of being programmed to perform one or more operations or processes described elsewhere herein.

[0031] The processor 315 can be configured to estimate the quality of the paving material deposited on the paving surface based on measurements from the paver 100, information stored in the memory 310, or a combination thereof. The processor 315 can be configured to output a quality indication representing the quality of the paving material deposited on the paving surface to the communication device 305, and the communication device 305 can be configured to transmit the quality indication to the transceiver 220 of the paver 100. To determine the quality of the paving material deposited by paver 100, processor 315 can be configured to receive or access from memory 310 a first hydraulic pressure measurement, a second hydraulic pressure measurement, the difference between the first and second hydraulic pressure measurements, the current associated with (e.g., drawn from or supplied to) the auger pusher drive motor 150, the flow rate of the hydraulic fluid used to operate the auger pusher 145, the temperature of the paving material, the weight of the paving material, the speed of paver 100, the orientation of slab 115 relative to the paving surface, the angle of paver 100 relative to the paving surface, the viscosity or density of the paving material, etc. After determining the quality of the paving material deposited on the paving surface, processor 315 can output a quality indication to communication device 305, and communication device 305 can transmit the quality indication to paver 100.

[0032] In some implementations... Figure 3 The components can perform one or more of the operations or processes described herein, individually or collectively. For example, a non-transitory computer-readable medium (e.g., memory 310) can store a set of instructions (e.g., one or more instructions or code) for execution by processor 315. Processor 315 can execute the set of instructions to perform one or more of the operations or processes described herein. In some embodiments, execution of the set of instructions by one or more processors 315 causes one or more processors 315 and / or Figure 3 Other components perform one or more of the operations or processes described herein. In some embodiments, hard-wired circuitry is used in place of or in combination with instructions to perform one or more of the operations or processes described herein. Alternatively or additionally, processor 315 may be configured to perform one or more of the operations or processes described herein. Therefore, the embodiments described herein are not limited to any particular combination of hardware circuitry and software.

[0033] Figure 3 The number and arrangement of the components shown are provided as an example. Figure 3 Compared to the components shown, system 300 may include additional components, fewer components, different components, or components arranged differently. Alternatively, a group of components or system 300 (e.g., one or more components or system 300) may perform one or more functions described as being performed by another group of components or system 300.

[0034] Figure 4 This is a flowchart of an exemplary process 400 associated with estimating the amount of paving material deposited on the paving surface based on the driving power of the auger pusher. Figure 4 One or more process frames can be executed by a paver (e.g., paver 100) or a remote computer (e.g., remote computer 140). Alternatively or concurrently, Figure 4 One or more process frames may be executed by another device or set of devices separate from or including the paver or remote computer (e.g., another device or component inside or outside the paver or remote computer).

[0035] like Figure 4 As shown, process 400 may include receiving one or more sensor measurements corresponding to operating the paver (block 410). For example, as described above, the paver or a remote computer may receive one or more sensor measurements corresponding to operating the paver. The one or more sensor measurements may include a first hydraulic pressure and a second hydraulic pressure associated with operating the auger pusher, wherein the drive power is determined based on the difference between the first hydraulic pressure and the second hydraulic pressure. Alternatively or additionally, the one or more sensor measurements may include the flow rate of the hydraulic fluid used to operate the auger pusher, the motor current, the temperature of the paving material, the weight of the paving material, the speed of the paver, the orientation of the slab relative to the paving surface, the angle of the paver relative to the paving surface, or one or more properties of the paving material. One or more properties of the paving material include one or more of the viscosity or density of the paving material.

[0036] like Figure 4 As also shown, process 400 may include determining the drive power associated with the auger pusher of the paver based on measurements from one or more sensors (box 420). For example, as described above, the paver or a remote computer may determine the drive power associated with the auger pusher of the paver based on measurements from one or more sensors.

[0037] like Figure 4 As also shown, process 400 may include determining the quality of material deposited by the paver based on the drive power associated with the auger pusher of the paver (box 430). For example, as described above, the paver or a remote computer may determine the quality of material deposited by the paver based on the drive power associated with the auger pusher of the paver.

[0038] like Figure 4As also shown, process 400 may include outputting a quality indicator (box 440) indicating the quality of the material deposited by the paver. For example, as described above, the paver may output a quality indicator indicating the quality of the material deposited by the paver. Outputting the quality indicator may include outputting the quality indicator to an interface device. Alternatively or additionally, outputting the quality indicator may include transmitting the quality indicator to the paver.

[0039] although Figure 4 An exemplary block diagram of process 400 is shown, but in some implementations, it is different from... Figure 4 Compared to the boxes depicted, process 400 may include additional boxes, fewer boxes, different boxes, or boxes arranged differently. Alternatively, two or more boxes of process 400 may be executed in parallel.

[0040] Industrial applicability A paver, system, or remote computer can provide the paver operator, individually or jointly, a real-time estimate of the amount of paving material (e.g., asphalt mixture) deposited onto the paving surface during paving operations. This estimate is based on the operation of the auger conveyor. For example, the estimate may be based on the drive power of the auger conveyor, which can be determined based on hydraulic pressure differentials, the current drawn by the auger conveyor drive motor, or other measurements or characteristics associated with the paver, auger conveyor, or paving material. When the paver operator is provided with a real-time estimate of the amount of paving material deposited onto the paving surface, the operator can modify or continue the paving operation in real time to use the required amount of paving material. Providing the operator with information such as the amount of paving material being deposited in real time prevents waste and avoids costly and time-consuming repairs without compromising the quality of the paved surface.

[0041] The foregoing disclosure provides illustrations and descriptions, but is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the embodiments to the precise forms disclosed. Modifications and variations can be made based on the foregoing disclosure or may be obtained from practice of the embodiments. Furthermore, any embodiments described herein can be combined unless the foregoing disclosure expressly provides for reasons why one or more embodiments cannot be combined. Even if specific combinations of features are listed in the claims and / or disclosed in the specification, these combinations are not intended to limit the disclosure of various embodiments. Although each dependent claim listed below may be directly subordinated to a single claim, the disclosure of various embodiments includes each dependent claim combined with each other claim in the claim set.

[0042] When the term "processor" or "one or more processors" (or another device or component, such as "controller" or "one or more controllers") is described or required (within a single claim or across multiple claims) to perform or be configured to perform multiple operations, this language is intended to broadly encompass a wide range of processor architectures and environments. For example, unless explicitly required otherwise (e.g., by using "first processor" and "second processor" or other language distinguishing processors in the claims), this language is intended to cover a single processor performing or configured to perform all operations, a group of processors jointly performing or configured to perform all operations, a first processor performing or configured to perform a first operation and a second processor performing or configured to perform a second operation, or any combination of processors performing or configured to perform operations. For example, when a claim has the form "one or more processors configured to: perform X; perform Y; and perform Z," the claim should be interpreted as meaning "one or more processors configured to perform X; one or more (possibly different) processors configured to perform Y; and one or more (possibly different) processors configured to perform Z."

[0043] As used herein, “a (a, an)” and “group” are intended to include one or more items and are interchangeable with “one or more”. Furthermore, as used herein, the article “the” is intended to include one or more items referenced in combination with the article “the” and is interchangeable with “the one or more”. Additionally, the phrase “based on” is intended to mean “at least partially based on”, unless otherwise expressly stated. Furthermore, as used herein, the term “or” when used in a series is intended to be inclusive and is interchangeable with “and / or”, unless otherwise expressly stated (e.g., if used in combination with “any” or “only one”). Moreover, for ease of description, spatially relative terms such as “below,” “under,” “above,” “up,” etc., may be used herein to describe the relationship of one element or feature to one or more other elements or features, as shown in the figures. Spatially relative terms are intended to cover different orientations of devices, apparatuses, and / or elements in use or operation, except as shown in the figures. Devices may be oriented in other ways (rotated 90 degrees or in other orientations), and similarly, the spatially relative descriptive terms used herein may be interpreted accordingly.

Claims

1. A method comprising: Receives measurements from one or more sensors corresponding to the operation of the paver; The drive power associated with the auger pusher operating the paver is determined based on measurements from one or more of the sensors. The mass of material deposited by the paver is determined based on the drive power associated with the auger pusher that operates the paver; as well as The output indicates the quality of the material deposited by the paver.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more sensor measurements include a first hydraulic pressure and a second hydraulic pressure associated with operating the screw conveyor, and The driving power is determined based on the difference between the first hydraulic pressure and the second hydraulic pressure.

3. The method according to any one of claims 1-2, wherein the one or more sensor measurements include one or more of the following: The flow rate of the hydraulic fluid used to operate the screw conveyor; Motor current; Motor speed; Screw conveyor speed; Temperature of the paving material; The weight of the paving material; The speed of the paver; The orientation of the slab relative to the paving surface; The angle of the paver relative to the paving surface; or One or more properties of a paving material, wherein the one or more properties of the paving material include one or more of the viscosity or density of the paving material.

4. The method according to any one of claims 1-3, wherein outputting the quality indication includes outputting the quality indication to an interface device.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1-4, wherein outputting the quality indication includes transmitting the quality indication to the paver.

6. An apparatus comprising: Hopper, the hopper being used to store paving materials; A spiral conveyor configured to deposit the paving material onto a paving surface; A conveyor configured to transport the paving material from the hopper to the auger; A slab, the slab being configured to compact the paving material on the paving surface; One or more sensors, wherein the one or more sensors are configured to measure one or more sensor values; Interface device; One or more memory units; as well as One or more processors coupled to the one or more memories, the one or more processors being configured to: The mass of paving material deposited on the paving surface is determined based on the drive power associated with operating the auger. as well as Output a quality indicator to the interface device, indicating the quality of the paving material deposited on the paving surface.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein the one or more sensors comprise: A first hydraulic pressure sensor, configured to measure a first hydraulic pressure; as well as A second hydraulic pressure sensor, configured to measure a second hydraulic pressure. The first hydraulic pressure and the second hydraulic pressure are associated with operating the screw conveyor.

8. The device according to any one of claims 6-7, wherein the one or more sensors comprise one or more of the following: A flow rate sensor is used to measure the flow rate of the hydraulic fluid used to operate the screw conveyor; A current sensor configured to measure motor current; A temperature sensor configured to measure the temperature of the paving material; A force sensor configured to measure the weight of the paving material; Speedometer, the speedometer being configured to measure the speed of the paver; or One or more orientation sensors are configured to measure at least one of the orientation of the slab relative to the paving surface or the angle of the paver relative to the paving surface.

9. The device according to any one of claims 6-8, wherein the drive power is determined based on one or more properties of the paving material. The paving material has one or more properties including one or more of the viscosity or density of the paving material.

10. The device according to any one of claims 6-9, further comprising a transceiver configured to: Transmit the one or more sensor values ​​to a remote computer; and Receive the quality indication from a remote computer.

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