An automated control system in a work vehicle for automating operation of a task is provided. The control system includes one or more electronic controllers having processing and memory architecture including a potential field module and an actuator control module. The potential field module includes a state determination unit configured to determine a state of the work vehicle based on input data; a potential field function selection unit configured to select at least one potential field function based on the determined state; vector calculation unit configured to calculate an action vector based on the at least one potential field function; and an action unit configured to generate an actuator command based on the action vector. The actuator control module is configured to receive the actuator command and to generate command signals for at least one actuator of the work vehicle to, at least in part, perform the task.

A method and an apparatus for controlling an excavator are provided according to the embodiments. The method includes: determining, according to preset value ranges of trajectory parameters in at least two trajectory parameters, trajectory parameter value combinations, to obtain a first trajectory parameter value combination set; determining, from the first trajectory parameter value combination set, trajectory parameter value combinations for moving from a preset starting position to a preset end position, to obtain a second trajectory parameter value combination set; determining, in the second trajectory parameter value combination set, a trajectory parameter value combination that satisfies a preset excavation condition, to obtain a third trajectory parameter value combination set; determining a target excavation trajectory from the third trajectory parameter value combination set; and sending a control instruction to the excavator to enable the excavator to excavate material according to the target excavation trajectory.

This description provides an autonomous or semi-autonomous earth shaping vehicle that is capable of cooperatively filling earth into a fill location in a dig site. A first earth shaping vehicle configured with a hauling tool carrying a volume of earth navigates to the fill location. At the fill location, the first earth shaping vehicle navigates over a target tool path to fill earth from the hauling tool into the fill location. As the first earth shaping vehicle fills earth into the fill location, a measurement sensor coupled to the first earth shaping vehicle measures a compaction level of earth filled into the fill location. If the measured compaction level is determined to be below a threshold compaction level, the first earth shaping vehicle communicates a request for a second earth shaping vehicle configured with a compaction tool to compact earth in the fill location.

A method includes sensing, with a sensor, an outer surface of a pile of material, with a controller located on an at least partially autonomously-controlled machine, a midpoint of the pile of material based on the sensed outer surface; determining, with the controller, a plurality of potential loading paths around the midpoint for loading the machine; selecting, with the controller, a primary loading path of the potential loading paths based on a cost function analysis, and causing, with the controller, the machine to perform a loading instance as defined by the primary loading path.

A perception-based alignment system can assist in aligning a loading machine with a material receptacle. The perception-based alignment system can be associated with a visual sensor network that can capture an image of the material receptacle. A fiducial marker is associated with the material receptacle. In an aspect, the perception-based alignment system can record an alignment data record of a loading operation and associate the alignment data record with the fiducial marker and, in another aspect, the perception-based alignment system can retrieve and execute the alignment data record to assist with a subsequent loading operation.

A system for controlling implement orientation of a work vehicle includes a computing system configured to control an operation of a lift actuator of the vehicle such that an implement of the vehicle is moved from a first vertical position relative to a second vertical position. Furthermore, the computing system is configured to monitor the angle of the implement as the implement is moved from the first vertical position to the second vertical position. Additionally, the computing system is configured to determine an actual error value between the monitored angle and a selected angle of the implement. Moreover, the computing system is configured to determine a modified error value that is different than the actual error value and control an operation of a tilt actuator of the vehicle to adjust the angle of the implement relative to the driving surface based on the modified error value.

An earthmoving machine and method for automatically controlling cyclical operations of the earthmoving machine are disclosed. The earthmoving machine includes a plurality of machine elements each controlled by one or more respective actuators. the method comprises: determining a current machine state; calculating control signals for at least one actuator when the current machine state corresponds to a cyclical operation; and transmitting the control signals to the at least one actuator to automatically control the cyclical operation.

A posture estimation method includes: measuring a bias value BW and a variance value PWW of an angular velocity sensor and a bias value BA and a variance value PVV of an acceleration sensor in a predetermined operation of an object and storing the measured values in a storage unit; reading the bias value BW, the variance value PWW, the bias value BA, and the variance value PVV from the storage unit and setting the read values as initial setting values during reset; and estimating a posture of the object using a Kalman filter from an output of the angular velocity sensor and an output of the acceleration sensor.

The present disclosure relates to a mining machine adapted for extraction of material from a deposit and a method for controlling operation of such a mining machine. According to an embodiment, the mining machine includes a data handling unit and a control unit. The data handling unit is arranged to receive, from an external storage medium, a data file representative of a user-defined cutting path, and to send, to the control unit, data corresponding to a cutting path selected among the user-defined cutting path and one or more machine-predefined cutting paths. The control unit is configured to control operation of the mining machine using an automatic cutting cycle in accordance with the selected cutting path corresponding to the data received from the data handling unit.

A wheel loader includes: an operator's cab; a front wheel; a front frame configured to support front wheel such that front wheel is rotatable; a bucket; a boom having a distal end connected to bucket, and a proximal end rotatably supported by front frame; a sensor configured to measure a distance between front wheel and a loading target; and a controller configured to control an action of wheel loader. The controller causes wheel loader to perform a predetermined action for collision avoidance on condition that a distance to be measured by sensor when wheel loader travels takes a value less than or equal to a threshold value.