Automated Material Transfer Control for Construction Equipment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Material-handling machines face challenges in efficiently transferring materials to receptacles due to operator skill limitations, fatigue, and visibility issues, leading to potential contact and reduced productivity.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising a power generation system, propulsion system, work implement, and perception system, controlled by a controller that determines the implement's position relative to a material receptacle and actuates the system to transfer material while avoiding contact, enabling automated or assisted unloading operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If automated control system is implemented, then productivity is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual operator control with an automated control system that uses perception devices (cameras, sensors) to detect the material receptacle and calculates optimal motion paths. This substitution of mechanical/manual operations with automated sensing and control algorithms directly improves productivity while managing the complexity through systematic integration of perception-actuation loops.
Solution Approach 2:
The control system performs self-positioning and self-alignment by automatically detecting the material receptacle's location and orientation, then autonomously planning and executing the motion trajectory. The system serves itself by using its own perception capabilities to guide its own actuators, eliminating the need for external guidance and reducing operational complexity.
2Reliability
If automated alignment and unloading is implemented, then operator errors are reduced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The perception system continuously monitors the relative position and orientation between the work implement and material receptacle, providing real-time feedback to the controller. This feedback loop enables the system to detect alignment deviations and automatically correct them, ensuring high operation accuracy while managing complexity through closed-loop control rather than overly complex open-loop systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The control system performs preliminary alignment calculations and motion planning before the actual material transfer operation. By pre-calculating the optimal trajectory and alignment parameters based on initial perception data, the system ensures accurate positioning is achieved before the critical unloading phase, reducing the need for complex real-time corrections during material transfer.
3Measurement precision
If perception system is added, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The perception system is designed to perform multiple functions: detecting the material receptacle's position, orientation, and dimensions, as well as monitoring the work implement's location. By using a multi-functional perception system rather than separate specialized sensors for each measurement, the patent improves measurement precision while minimizing the increase in device complexity through component consolidation.
Data Source
AI summary
A machine includes a power generation system; a propulsion system; a work implement coupled to a body of the machine via a linkage that includes at least one actuator; a perception system configured to generate a signal that is indicative of a position of the machine relative to a material receptacle; and a controller operatively coupled to the perception system, the propulsion system, the power generation system, and the at least one actuator. The controller is configured to receive the signal from the perception system, determine a location of the work implement relative to the material receptacle based at least in part on the signal from the perception system, and actuate at least one of the propulsion system, the power generation system, and the at least one actuator based on the determined location of the work implement relative to the material receptacle.