Abstract: This invention concerns autonomous loading, that is autonomously dumping material one load at a time into a receptacle until it is full. In particular the invention involves a control method and system for the dumping equipment that performs one or more operational cycles, each of which involves: Positioning a dumping point of the loading equipment at a predetermined location above a receptacle to be loaded. And, dumping a quantity of material having less than or equal to a known volume into the receptacle from the dumping point. Wherein, the control method comprises the steps of: Simulating the effect of dumping the volume, using the material's repose angle, from various locations above the receptacle. Comparing the result of dumping at each location with a template representing an ideally filled receptacle. And, selecting the location of the dumping point according to the results of the comparison.

Abstract: This invention concerns the control of rotating excavation machinery, for instance to avoid collisions with obstacles. In a first aspect the invention is a control system for autonomous path planning in excavation machinery, comprising: A map generation subsystem to receive data from an array of disparate and complementary sensors to generate a 3-Dimensional digital terrain and obstacle map referenced to a coordinate frame related to the machine's geometry, during normal operation of the machine. An obstacle detection subsystem to find and identify obstacles in the digital terrain and obstacle map, and then to refine the map by identifying exclusion zones that are within reach of the machine during operation. A collision detection subsystem that uses knowledge of the machine's position and movements, as well as the digital terrain and obstacle map, to identify and predict possible collisions with itself or other obstacles, and then uses a forward motion planner to predict collisions in a planned path.

Abstract: This invention concerns autonomous loading, that is autonomously dumping material one load at a time into a receptacle until it is full. In particular the invention involves a control method and system for the dumping equipment that performs one or more operational cycles, each of which involves: Positioning a dumping point of the loading equipment at a predetermined location above a receptacle to be loaded. And, dumping a quantity of material having less than or equal to a known volume into the receptacle from the dumping point. Wherein, the control method comprises the steps of: Simulating the effect of dumping the volume, using the material's repose angle, from various locations above the receptacle. Comparing the result of dumping at each location with a template representing an ideally filled receptacle. And, selecting the location of the dumping point according to the results of the comparison.

Abstract: This invention concerns the control of rotating excavation machinery, for instance to avoid collisions with obstacles. In a first aspect the invention is a control system for autonomous path planning in excavation machinery, comprising: A map generation subsystem to receive data from an array of disparate and complementary sensors to generate a 3-Dimensional digital terrain and obstacle map referenced to a coordinate frame related to the machine's geometry, during normal operation of the machine. An obstacle detection subsystem to find and identify obstacles in the digital terrain and obstacle map, and then to refine the map by identifying exclusion zones that are within reach of the machine during operation. A collision detection subsystem that uses knowledge of the machine's position and movements, as well as the digital terrain and obstacle map, to identify and predict possible collisions with itself or other obstacles, and then uses a forward motion planner to predict collisions in a planned path.