Patent classifications
E01C19/00
Autowidth input for paving operations
A paving machine may include a frame, a screed, sensor devices, and a control unit. The screed may include a main section, a first extension, and a second extension. The sensor devices may output a first sensor signal corresponding to a position of the first extension and a second sensor signal corresponding to a position of the second extension. The control unit may receive the first and second sensor signals, determine a screed width based on the first and second sensor signals, receive location data corresponding to a location of the paving machine, determine locations of the first and second extensions based on the screed width and the location data, generate a boundary map based on the locations of the first and second extensions, and cause an action to be performed based on the boundary map.
Paving machine with smart steering control
A smart steering control system a paving or texturing machine receives path elements corresponding to current and future positions of the machine. By comparing the current and future elements, an expected completion time is derived for exiting the current position and entering the future position; the smart steering control system synchronizes adjustments of the machine's steerable tracks from the current path to the future path. The smart steering control system functions as a virtual tie rod, preventing damage, enhancing the traction control and pulling power of the machine, and preserving the operating life of its components.
Road finisher and method for determining the layer thickness of a paving layer produced
A road finisher is provided for producing a paving layer on a subgrade on which the road finisher is movable along a paving direction during a paving run. The road finisher is adapted to use distance measurements to the subgrade, which can be provided to a leveling system of the road finisher, equally as measured values for determining the thickness of a layer. A respective method for determining the layer thickness is provided.
Online machine learning for autonomous earth moving vehicle control
An autonomous earth moving system can determine a desired state for a portion of the EMV including at least one control surface. Then the EMV selects a set of control signals for moving the portion of the EMV from the current state to the desired state using a machine learning model trained to generate control signals for moving the portion of the EMV to the desired state based on the current state. After the EMV executes the selected set of control signals, the system measures an updated state of the portion of the EMV. In some cases, this updated state of the EMV is used to iteratively update the machine learning model using an online learning process.
HYDRAULIC FLOW TUBES
A paving machine includes a mold coupled to a telescopic frame member, by which the mold side-shifts relative to a main frame. A tight clearance between the paving machine and a surface being paved may be achieved by the ability to side-shift the mold. The paving machine may also include a number of vibrator motors. A flow to the vibrator motors may be controllable by a manifold controller. The manifold controller is located on an end of the telescopic frame member. By locating the manifold controller on the telescopic frame member, an operator of the paving machine may both stand on the telescopic frame member to watch the paving mold and adjust the settings of the vibrator controller. This is advantageous in allowing the operator to achieve proper concrete consolidation by visual feedback without leaving the telescopic frame member.
GUIDANCE SYSTEM
A memory stores, in advance, target line information indicating an arrangement target of an object to be conveyed and related to a target line denoted by at least one of a curve or a polyline. A controller is configured to: calculate, based on the target line information, target information which is at least one of information about a target coordinate of the object and information about a target direction of the object; calculate, based on the at least one of the coordinate of the object and the direction of the object detected by the detector, detection information which is comparable with the target information; calculate a deviation of the detection information from the target information; and cause a display to display a moving direction of the object which allows the deviation to decrease.
SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MARKING A BOUNDARY WHILE DEFINING AN AUTONOMOUS WORKSITE
A system and method for marking a boundary while defining an autonomous worksite includes receiving first information indicative of a first maneuvering distance from a side of a machine and activating an indicator. The indicator, representative of the first maneuvering distance, is positioned at the side of the machine to be visible to an operator of the machine. The machine is positioned on a worksite surface along a path to be traversed when executing a work plan. After a control system receives a verification from the operator that the machine may operate outside the worksite area and within an outer boundary defined by the first maneuvering distance, a worksite perimeter is defined to include the path, and a geofence for the machine is determined to substantially overlay the outer boundary.
Automatically adjusting swing legs for mounting and aligning and reorienting crawlers
A swing leg assembly, coupled to a paving machine for spreading, leveling and finishing concrete, includes a pivotable swing leg coupled to the paving machine. The swing leg may pivot between multiple angular orientations relative to the paving machine. A jacking column is coupled to the swing leg, and a crawler track is coupled to the jacking column. A slew drive coupled to the jacking column and crawler track rotates the crawler track relative to the jacking column between multiple angular orientations. A processor using sensors determines the angular positions of the swing leg and crawler track, and in response to determining a change in angular orientation of the swing leg controls the slew drive to cause the crawler track to rotate relative to the jacking column.
Apparatus and method for a steering control system
A steering control system adapted for use on a paving machine having one or more wheels and an automatic pivot steer mode. The preferred steering control system comprises a speed sensor adapted to determine a paving machine speed, a steering cylinder adapted to move between a straight forward position and a fully turned position, a steering cylinder sensor adapted to determine a steering cylinder position, a flow sharing valve in fluid communication with one or more of the one or more wheels and adapted to be moved between an open position and a closed position, and a controller adapted to communicate with the speed sensor, the steering cylinder sensor, and the flow sharing valve. The preferred steering control system is adapted to automatically open and close the flow sharing valve. Automatically moving the flow sharing valve between the open position and the closed position.
Apparatus and method for a steering control system
A steering control system adapted for use on a paving machine having one or more wheels and an automatic pivot steer mode. The preferred steering control system comprises a speed sensor adapted to determine a paving machine speed, a steering cylinder adapted to move between a straight forward position and a fully turned position, a steering cylinder sensor adapted to determine a steering cylinder position, a flow sharing valve in fluid communication with one or more of the one or more wheels and adapted to be moved between an open position and a closed position, and a controller adapted to communicate with the speed sensor, the steering cylinder sensor, and the flow sharing valve. The preferred steering control system is adapted to automatically open and close the flow sharing valve. Automatically moving the flow sharing valve between the open position and the closed position.