Precipitation Management on Worksite
A method of controlling a work vehicle on a worksite. Receiving a weather data indicative of a rainfall of the worksite. Receiving a design topography data indicative of the worksite in a final configuration. Receiving a current topography data. Determining a low elevation location on the worksite that may accumulate water from the rainfall. Comparing the rainfall to a rainfall threshold. Devising a temporary design topography data and communicating the temporary design topography data to the work vehicle if the rainfall threshold is met.
The present disclosure generally relates to a worksite management system and method for work vehicles, such as motor graders, and more particularly to precipitation management for a worksite.
BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSUREWork vehicles such as motor graders are generally used to control the grade of a surface. Worksite management for work vehicles may include controlling work vehicles to achieve a site plan while manually adding deviations to the site plan in order to remove accumulated precipitation.
SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSUREIn one embodiment, a work vehicle for operating on a worksite is disclosed. The work vehicle comprises an implement coupled to the work vehicle and configured to move a ground material of the worksite. A data receiver is configured to acquire a weather data indicating a rainfall of the worksite and configured to acquire a design topography data indicating a design topography of the worksite in a final configuration. A current topography sensor is configured to acquire current topography data indicating a current topography of the worksite in a current configuration. A control system is in communication with the data receiver and the current topography sensor. The control system is configured to receive the weather data, receive the design topography data, receive the current topography data, determine a location on the worksite that may accumulate water from the rainfall, compare the rainfall to a rainfall threshold, devise a temporary design topography data to achieve a temporary configuration, and communicate the temporary design topography data to the work vehicle if the rainfall threshold is met.
In another embodiment, a work vehicle for operating on a worksite is disclosed. The work vehicle comprises an implement coupled to the work vehicle and configured to move a ground material of the worksite. A data receiver is configured to acquire weather data indicating a rainfall of the worksite and configured to acquire design topography data indicating a design topography of the worksite in a final configuration. A current topography sensor is configured to acquire current topography data indicating a current topography of the worksite. A global positioning system is configured to provide a work vehicle location on the worksite. A control system is in communication with the data receiver, the current topography sensor, and the global positioning system. The control system is configured to receive the weather data, receive the design topography data, receive the current topography data, determine a location on the worksite that may accumulate water from the rainfall, compare the rainfall to a rainfall threshold, devise a temporary design topography data to achieve a temporary configuration, and communicate the temporary design topography data to the work vehicle if the rainfall threshold is met.
In yet another embodiment, a method of controlling a work vehicle on a worksite is disclosed. The method comprises receiving a weather data indicative of a rainfall of the worksite. Receiving a design topography data indicative of the worksite in a final configuration. Receiving a current topography data. Determining a low elevation location on the worksite that may accumulate water from the rainfall. Comparing the rainfall to a rainfall threshold. Devising a temporary design topography data and communicating the temporary design topography data to the work vehicle if the rainfall threshold is met.
Other features and aspects will become apparent by consideration of the detailed description and accompanying drawings.
Before any embodiments are explained in detail, it is to be understood that the disclosure is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the following drawings. The disclosure is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways. Further embodiments of the invention may include any combination of features from one or more dependent claims, and such features may be incorporated, collectively or separately, into any independent claim.
As used herein, unless otherwise limited or modified, lists with elements that are separated by conjunctive terms (e.g., “and”) and that are also preceded by the phrase “at least one of” or “one or more of” indicate configurations or arrangements that potentially include individual elements of the list, or any combination thereof. For example, “at least one of A, B, and C” or “one or more of A, B, and C” indicates the possibilities of only A, only B, only C, or any combination of two or more of A, B, and C (e.g., A and B; B and C; A and C; or A, B, and C).
DETAILED DESCRIPTIONReferring to
The operator may command movement of the implement 15 from the operator station 20, which may be coupled to the work vehicle 10 or located remotely. In the case of the work vehicle 10, those commands are sent, including mechanically, hydraulically, and/or electrically, to a hydraulic control valve. The hydraulic control valve receives pressurized hydraulic fluid from a hydraulic pump, and selectively sends such pressurized hydraulic fluid to a system of hydraulic cylinders based on the operator's commands. The hydraulic cylinders, which in this case are double-acting, in the system are extended or retracted by the pressurized fluid and thereby actuate the implement 15. Alternatively, electronic actuators may be used.
With continued reference to
Referring to
A circle drive assembly 145 is coupled to the drawbar assembly 115. The circle drive assembly 145 can include a rotatable circle member 150 coupled to the draft frame or drawbar assembly 115. The circle drive assembly 145 can be rotatable about a rotation axis 155 in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction.
A moldboard 160 is coupled to the circle drive assembly 145 of the work vehicle 10 and configured to move the ground material 65 on the worksite 70. While a moldboard 160 is described herein, other types of implements 15 are contemplated by this disclosure. A ripper 105 is attached to a rear of the work vehicle 10.
Referring to
With reference to
The design topography data 230 may include at least a contour of the worksite 70 in the final configuration 232 including any ditches, roadways, or other features. The design topography data 230 may also show the elevation across the worksite 70 including any low spots that may accumulate water or other precipitation.
A current topography sensor 235 may be coupled to the work vehicle 10. The current topography sensor 235 is configured to acquire current topography data 240 indicating a current topography of the worksite 70 in a current configuration 237. The current topography data 240 may include at least a contour of the worksite 70 including any ditches, roadways, or other features. The current topography data 240 may also show the elevation across the worksite 70 including any low spots that may accumulate water or other precipitation. The current topography sensor 235 may comprise at least one of a camera 245, a radar 250, or a lidar 255. The current topography sensor 235 may also comprise other imaging sensors, such as video cameras, laser-based sensors, LIDAR based sensors, and a wide variety of other imaging or other sensing systems.
The control system 215 is in communication with the data receiver 205, the current topography sensor 235 and the GPS 210. The control system 215 is configured to receive the weather data 225, receive the design topography data 230, receive the current topography data 240, determine a location 260 (
The GPS 210 is configured to provide a work vehicle location 285 on the worksite 10. The control system 215 is in communication with the GPS 210 and configured to control the work vehicle 10 to operate towards achieving the temporary configuration 267 if the rainfall threshold is met and to control the work vehicle 10 to operate towards achieving the final configuration 232 if the rainfall threshold is not met. Generally, the GPS 210 receives sensor signals from one or more sensors, such as a GPS receiver, a dead reckoning system, a LORAN system, or a wide variety of other systems or sensors, to determine a geographic position of the work vehicle 10 across the worksite 70.
The operator interface 25 may comprise a display 290 (
Referring now to
Claims
1. A work vehicle for operating on a worksite, the work vehicle comprising:
- an implement coupled to the work vehicle and configured to move a ground material of the worksite;
- a data receiver configured to acquire a weather data indicating a rainfall of the worksite and configured to acquire a design topography data indicating a design topography of the worksite in a final configuration;
- a current topography sensor configured to acquire current topography data indicating a current topography of the worksite in a current configuration; and
- a control system in communication with the data receiver and the current topography sensor, the control system configured to: receive the weather data, receive the design topography data, receive the current topography data, determine a location on the worksite that may accumulate water from the rainfall, compare the rainfall to a rainfall threshold, devise a temporary design topography data to achieve a temporary configuration, and communicate the temporary design topography data to the work vehicle if the rainfall threshold is met.
2. The work vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a global positioning system configured to provide a work vehicle location on the worksite, the control system in communication with the global positioning system and configured to control the work vehicle to operate towards achieving the temporary configuration if the rainfall threshold is met and to control the work vehicle to operate towards achieving the final configuration if the rainfall threshold is not met.
3. The work vehicle of claim 1, wherein the temporary design topography data comprises data that minimizes water accumulation on the location of the worksite in the temporary configuration.
4. The work vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a display configured to show an operator at least one of the temporary design topography data, the location, or the temporary configuration.
5. The work vehicle of claim 1, wherein the work vehicle comprises at least one of a motor grader or a crawler.
6. The work vehicle of claim 1, wherein the implement comprises a blade.
7. The work vehicle of claim 1, wherein the current topography sensor comprises at least one of a camera, a radar, or a lidar.
8. The work vehicle of claim 1, wherein the temporary design topography data comprises at least one of a drainage ditch location, an added ground material location, or a delayed operation location.
9. A work vehicle for operating on a worksite, the work vehicle comprising:
- an implement coupled to the work vehicle and configured to move a ground material of the worksite;
- a data receiver configured to acquire weather data indicating a rainfall of the worksite and configured to acquire design topography data indicating a design topography of the worksite in a final configuration;
- a current topography sensor configured to acquire current topography data indicating a current topography of the worksite;
- a global positioning system configured to provide a work vehicle location on the worksite; and
- a control system in communication with the data receiver, the current topography sensor, and the global positioning system, the control system configured to: receive the weather data, receive the design topography data, receive the current topography data, determine a location on the worksite that may accumulate water from the rainfall, compare the rainfall to a rainfall threshold, devise a temporary design topography data to achieve a temporary configuration, and communicate the temporary design topography data to the work vehicle if the rainfall threshold is met.
10. The work vehicle of claim 9, wherein the temporary design topography data comprises data that minimizes water accumulation on the location of the worksite in the temporary configuration.
11. The work vehicle of claim 9, further comprising a display configured to show an operator at least one of the temporary design topography data, the location, or the temporary configuration.
12. The work vehicle of claim 9, wherein the work vehicle comprises at least one of a motor grader or a crawler.
13. The work vehicle of claim 9, wherein the implement comprises a blade.
14. The work vehicle of claim 9, wherein the current topography sensor comprises at least one of a camera, a radar, or a lidar.
15. The work vehicle of claim 9, wherein the temporary design topography data comprises at least one of a drainage ditch location, an added ground material location, or a delayed operation location.
16. A method of controlling a work vehicle on a worksite comprising:
- receiving a weather data indicative of a rainfall of the worksite;
- receiving a design topography data indicative of the worksite in a final configuration;
- receiving a current topography data;
- determining a low elevation location on the worksite that may accumulate water from the rainfall;
- comparing the rainfall to a rainfall threshold; and
- devising a temporary design topography data and communicating the temporary design topography data to the work vehicle if the rainfall threshold is met.
17. The method of claim 16, further comprising controlling the work vehicle to operate towards achieving the temporary design topography data if the rainfall threshold is met and controlling the work vehicle to operate towards achieving the design topography data if the rainfall threshold is not met.
18. The method of claim 16, wherein the temporary design topography data comprises data that minimizes water accumulation on the location of the worksite in the temporary configuration.
19. The method of claim 16, further comprising displaying to an operator at least one of the temporary design topography data, the location, or the temporary configuration.
20. The method of claim 16, wherein the temporary design topography data comprises at least one of a drainage ditch location, an added ground material location, or a delayed operation location.
Type: Application
Filed: Jul 20, 2022
Publication Date: Jan 25, 2024
Inventors: Francois Stander (Dubuque, IA), Jeremy B. Shuler (Polk City, IA), Kevin L. Pfohl (Dickeyville, WI), Cory J. Brant (Hazel Green, WI), Luke J. Kurth (Asbury, IA), Lance R. Sherlock (Asbury, IA)
Application Number: 17/813,810