Method of construction site monitoring, work machine, and system for construction site monitoring

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a method for real time monitoring of the current status of a construction site having one or more work machines, wherein a monitoring means installed at least one work machine monitors the environment of the work machine in real time and generates corresponding monitoring data, with the generated monitoring data being transmitted by the monitoring means to at least one processing unit for a real time evaluation of the current construction site status.

Claims

1. A method, comprising: collecting monitoring data of a construction site via a plurality of sensors coupled to one or more cranes; transmitting the monitoring data to a central processing unit; comparing the monitoring data and a sample time of the monitoring data to a predetermined construction schedule; detecting a scheduled event has not occurred within a threshold of a scheduled time based on the comparison; and activating an alarm responsive to detecting the scheduled event has not occurred, wherein detecting the scheduled event has not occurred within the threshold of the scheduled time based on the comparison includes detecting that the scheduled event has occurred too early to be within the threshold of the scheduled time.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting the scheduled event has not occurred within the threshold of the scheduled time based on the comparison includes detecting that the scheduled event has occurred too late to be within the threshold of the scheduled time.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting the scheduled event has not occurred within the threshold of the scheduled time based on the comparison includes detecting that the scheduled event has not occurred at all, including within the threshold of the scheduled time.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of sensors coupled to the one or more cranes are 3D scanners.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of sensors includes a lifting hook sensor system positioned in a lifting hook region of a first crane of the one or more cranes.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more cranes is a plurality of cranes, wherein the plurality of sensors further include a first boom counter-ballast sensor system positioned in a boom counter-ballast region of a first crane of the plurality of cranes.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the plurality of sensors include a second boom counter-ballast sensor system positioned in a boom counter-ballast region of a second crane of the plurality of cranes.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the central processing unit is remote from the construction site.

9. A system, comprising: a plurality of sensors coupled to one or more cranes positioned in a construction site; a central processing unit comprising instructions stored in non-transitory memory executable to: receive monitoring data from the plurality of sensors; compare the monitoring data and a sample time of the monitoring data to a predetermined construction schedule; detect a scheduled event has not occurred within a threshold of a scheduled time based on the comparison; and activate an alarm responsive to detecting the scheduled event has not occurred, wherein at least one of the plurality of sensors is positioned at a lifting hook region of one of the one or more cranes.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein detecting the scheduled event has not occurred within the threshold of the scheduled time based on the comparison includes detecting that the scheduled event has occurred too early to be within the threshold of the scheduled time.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the plurality of sensors includes 3D laser scanners, each of the 3D laser scanners coupled to a respective crane of the one or more cranes.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein data detected by each of the 3D laser scanners is transmitted to crane controls of the respective crane for each of the 3D laser scanners.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the data detected and transmitted to the crane controls is then sent from the crane controls to the central processing unit as the monitoring data.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein at least one of the plurality of sensors is positioned at a counter-ballast region of one of the one or more cranes.

15. A method, comprising: receiving monitoring data of a construction site collected via a plurality of sensors coupled to one or more cranes at a central processing unit; comparing the monitoring data and a sample time of the monitoring data to a predetermined construction schedule via the central processing unit; detecting a scheduled event has not occurred within a threshold of a scheduled time based on the comparison; activating an alarm responsive to detecting the scheduled event has not occurred; and further evaluating crane movement of the one or more cranes based on the monitoring data, wherein evaluating the crane movement includes detecting a movement that was not scheduled to occur.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the one or more cranes are operated via systems that are controlled based on a digital clock tied to an actual time.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein detecting the scheduled event has not occurred within the threshold of the scheduled time based on the comparison includes detecting that the scheduled event has occurred too early to be within the threshold of the scheduled time.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

(1) FIG. 1 shows a sketch of a construction site scenario with the cranes in accordance with the present disclosure in a plan view.

(2) FIG. 2 shows the scenario of FIG. 1 in a side representation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(3) The two FIGS. 1, 2 outline a possible construction site scenario for the use of the system in accordance with the present disclosure. In this embodiment shown, it comprises two construction site cranes 10, 11 that work independently of one another and that are each configured as revolving tower cranes. Construction site monitoring is set up with the aid of the two building cranes 10, 11 that permits a monitoring of the progress on the building site, for example progress monitoring of the buildings 20, 21, drawn by way of example. While this example shows two cranes 11 with different working radii, still further cranes may also be included in the system. The cranes illustrated all have overlapping working radii, although not necessarily all overlapping with every other crane.

(4) For this purpose, both cranes are equipped with suitable monitoring devices or system 30, 31 in the form of three-dimensional laser scanners as one example. The monitoring device may optically scan a region to capture images, including 3-D image data, surface data, and/or structure data, of the environment. A first sensor system 30 is fastened in the region of the lifting hook 12. The required power supply of the sensor system 30 is provided via the power supply of the trolley 13. A lateral and downwardly directed detection of the sensor 30 is indicated in the Figure representations. While this shows one advantageous configuration, other configurations may be used and the scope of the disclosure should not be restricted to a specific detection region or detection angle; however, the construction site region beneath and next to the crane boom is typically of interest.

(5) A further sensor system 31 is installed in both cranes 10, 11 in the region of the boom counter-ballast 15 and scans the environment behind the counter-ballast. What has been previously stated also applies there; the 3D laser scanner sensor system 31 is not necessarily restricted to a specific detection region.

(6) Both laser scanner sensors 30, 31 move along with the rotary boom movement so that a large region of the construction site can be scanned during the crane work. FIG. 1 shows the working radii 40, 41 of the crane booms and illustrates the detectable area of the integrated sensor systems 30, 31. A complete image of the construction site can thus be generated in the course of the crane work with a corresponding crane movement. The total construction site can be detected almost without exception in combination with the boom height of the cranes 10, 11.

(7) The two 3D laser scanner sensors 30, 31 communicate with their respective crane controls 16 of the two cranes 10, 11 and transmit their detection data to the respective control 16 continuously or on request. A central processing unit 51 for central construction site monitoring is provided that is in communicative connection with the two crane controls 16 to exchange the sensor signals of the sensor systems 30, 31. A direct connection of the processing unit 51 to the respective sensor systems 30, 31 is also conceivable. The communication between the central processing unit 51 and the cranes 10, 11 is designed as bidirectional.

(8) The current status on the construction site can be determined by the central processing unit 51 using the sensor signals. The sensor systems 30, 31 do not only detect the buildings 20, 21 or their construction progress, but there is likewise the option of monitoring further work machines on the construction site or their movements via the sensor systems 30, 31. Based on this, collision monitoring can be implemented with the aid of the sensor data that recognizes possible collisions between the cranes 10, 11 at an early time and takes up counter-measures as necessary. It is, for example, conceivable in this context that the central unit 51 takes direct influence on the respective crane controls 16 and transmits control commands for the remote control of the cranes 10, 11 to the machines. If, for example, an impending collision between the two machines 10, 11 is recognized by the processing unit 51, a corresponding stop signal is transmitted to one or both cranes 10, 11 via a communication actuator and an immediate machine stop is initiated by the individual machines' control systems responsive thereto. The two crane controls 16 can furthermore also be coupled to one another for a mutual exchange of information such the stop signal can be broadcast serially or in parallel, or both.

(9) The evaluation of the sensor data received by the central processing unit 51 can take place either continuously or as required in response to a manual user query. The system in accordance with the present disclosure accordingly provides options for electronically monitoring the current status of the construction site in an ongoing manner and also in operation. It is particularly advantageous here that the monitoring does not have to take place on site, but can rather also be performed by the processing unit 51 by remote access from any desired location such as the central office of the site manager. The processing unit may include memory and instructions stored therein non-transitorily to carry out one or more of the actions described herein.

(10) In one example, crane 10 may include the central monitoring processor and multiple other cranes, such as cranes 11, communicate with and respond to stop signals from crane 10. Note that real time monitoring includes monitoring via systems that run software routines at selected sample times and that occur during operation of the systems as the systems are being controlled and relative to a digital clock tied to the passage of actual time. In one example, the system monitors, with the processing unit, the data and compares the timing of detected events, such as movements of one or more cranes, with a construction schedule stored in the processing unit, using collected monitoring data. For example, the schedule may be pre-determined and stored in the processing unit (and/or may be updated periodically in real time during working of the machines) and includes a schedule of at what time certain events, movements, crane start-ups, crane shut-downs, building erection, building destruction, etc., are set to occur. If the monitoring detects that a scheduled event does not occur within a threshold of the scheduled time (e.g., too early, too late, or not at all), a shutdown signal may be sent and/or alarm activated. Likewise, the system may detect a movement that was not scheduled to occur, and again a shutdown signal may be sent and/or alarm activated.