Cable Avoidance Region for Mobile Earthmoving Machines
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing obstacle detection systems for mining operations, such as those described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,064,926, face challenges in accurately detecting and avoiding moving obstacles like electric cables tethered to earthmoving machines, particularly due to difficulties in locating these cables during navigation.
Innovation Solution
An avoidance system that includes a sensor system to periodically detect the position of cables, a positioning system to determine cable guides, and a controller to define a cable avoidance region based on the position data, allowing for accurate tracking and navigation around the cables.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the operator relies on visual inspection to locate cables, then the system remains simple, but the operator cannot see the ground near the truck and accurately locate cables
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces cable guides as intermediary objects that are easily visible and can be located from a distance. These guides serve as mediators between the invisible cables and the operator's vision, allowing the operator to infer cable positions by locating the guides rather than directly seeing the cables themselves.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a visual copy or representation of the cable system through cable guides. The guides replicate the spatial information of the cables in a form that is visible and detectable, allowing the operator to perceive cable locations indirectly through these surrogate markers.
2Ease of operation
If the operator tries to navigate around cables without detection aids, then the system remains simple, but mobility and navigation around cables becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
Cable guides act as intermediary markers that simplify navigation by providing visible reference points. Instead of trying to navigate around invisible cables, the operator can easily see and navigate around the visible guides, which indicate cable locations.
Solution Approach 2:
The cable guides are made visually distinctive (potentially using color or other visual properties) to ensure they can be easily seen and differentiated from the surrounding environment, making navigation around them straightforward.
3Loss of information
If cable guides are used to mark cable positions, then cable location becomes detectable, but the system complexity increases with additional components
Solution Approach 1:
The cable guides create a simplified copy of the cable system's spatial arrangement. Rather than directly detecting the complex cable infrastructure, the system uses simple visible markers that replicate the essential positional information in an easily observable form.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the detectable parameters from the physical properties of cables (which are hard to see) to the visual properties of cable guides (which are easy to see). This parameter transformation makes position information available without requiring complex detection equipment.
4Reliability
If the operator must manually avoid cables during navigation, then no additional system is needed, but the risk of cable and truck damage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cable guides are placed in advance to mark where cables will be located. This preliminary action of positioning visible markers before navigation allows the operator to plan a safe path ahead, preventing damage before it can occur rather than reacting to invisible hazards.
Solution Approach 2:
The cable guides serve as intermediary warning markers that communicate cable locations to the operator. These guides mediate between the potential hazard (cables) and the operator, providing advance warning that enables preventive action to avoid damage.
Data Source
AI summary
An avoidance system for a mobile earthmoving machine is disclosed. The avoidance system includes a sensor system configured to periodically detect a position of a cable tethered from the machine within a worksite and generate a position data set in response thereto. A controller is associated with the sensor system and configured to determine a cable avoidance region based on the position data set.