Abstract: A machine is disclosed including a sensor on a limb, an implement, an architecture, and a linkage assembly (LA) including a boom and a stick. The architecture comprises one or more LA actuators and a controller that generates a sensor location and offset angle ? and is programmed to: pivot the limb (either the boom or stick) about a pivot point and generate a set of sensor signals. The controller is programmed to repeatedly execute an iterative process n times until exceeding a threshold, which process comprises determining a sensor location estimate n (a distance between the sensor and the pivot point) and an offset angle estimate ?n defined relative to a limb axis. A utilized optimization model includes the set of sensor signals and error terms.

Abstract: A material moving machine including an implement, a camera, an augmented display, and a controller. The controller is programmed to store a three-dimensional model of underground features of terrain, capture an implement image comprising the implement and terrain, generate a superimposed image by superimposing corresponding portions of the implement image and the three-dimensional model of underground features, overlay a virtual trench on the superimposed image to generate an augmented reality overlay image, generate the augmented reality overlay image, and display the augmented reality overlay image on the augmented display.

Abstract: A method for determining centripetal accelerations of pivotally coupled rigid bodies arranged in a series, where the series includes a rigid body arranged between a previous rigid body and a next rigid body, includes determining the centripetal acceleration of the next rigid body and the centripetal acceleration at an inertial measurement unit (IMU) coupled to the next rigid body based on measurements and calculated parameters from the rigid body and the next rigid body. The centripetal acceleration of the next rigid body and the centripetal acceleration at the IMU coupled to the next rigid body are determined without using measurements or calculated parameters from the previous rigid body.

Abstract: An excavator calibration framework comprises an excavator, a laser distance meter (LDM), and a laser reflector. The excavator comprises a linkage assembly (LA), implement, and controller. The LA comprises a boom with point B, stick coupled to point B, and four-bar linkage (4BL) including nodes D, F, G, and H (a dogbone linkage between nodes D and F). The laser reflector is disposed at node F. The nodes F, G, and the point B define an outer triangle BGF that defines with node D three inner triangles DGB, DBF, and DFG. The controller executes an iterative process including determining a node F position based on a LDM/laser reflector measurement signal, determining a node D position based on the node F position, and determining a dogbone angle BDF of DBF based on the node D position. The controller generates an actual dogbone angle based on a series of dogbone angles.

Abstract: An excavator calibration framework comprises an excavator, a laser distance meter (LDM), and a plurality of laser reflectors. The excavator comprises a chassis, linkage assembly (LA), implement, and control architecture. The LA comprises a boom, stick, the implement, and a four-bar linkage including nodes, with a laser reflector at each node. The control architecture comprises a controller programmed to execute an iterative process at n linkage assembly positions to determine a position of an nth calibration node of the plurality of nodes of the four-bar linkage to determine triangular angles and side lengths of an external triangle formed between the nth calibration node and two other nodes having identified positions. The iterative process is repeated n times until triangular angles and side lengths of three external triangles are determined that form an internal triangle. Angles of the internal triangle are determined to generate an implement angle.

Abstract: An excavator is disclosed including a chassis coupled to a boom point A, a sensor on a limb, an implement, an architecture, and a linkage assembly (LA) including a boom and a stick coupled to a boom point B. The architecture comprises one or more LA actuators and a controller that generates a sensor location ? and offset angle ? and is programmed to: pivot the limb (either the boom or stick) about a pivot point (respectively, A or B) and generate a set of sensor signals. The controller is programmed to repeatedly execute an iterative process n times until exceeding a threshold, which process comprises determining a sensor location estimate ?n (a distance between the sensor and the pivot point) and an offset angle estimate ?n defined relative to a limb axis. A utilized optimization model includes the set of sensor signals and error terms.

Abstract: An excavator comprises a machine chassis, boom, stick, and implement. The boom, stick, and implement collectively define a variable implement angle ?Bucket(t) indicative of a current position of the implement relative to horizontal as a function of time t. The implement comprises teeth extending a tooth height h from an internal leading edge JI to an external leading edge JE. The teeth are spaced along JI and define an active raking ratio r. Controllers are programmed to execute an implement teeth grading offset determination process that comprises determining a variable implement offset angle ?Delta(t) at least partially based on a difference between an original target design angle ?Tgt(t) and the variable implement angle ?Bucket(t), determining an implement offset IO based on h, r, and ?Delta(t), and determining a new target design elevation ElvTgt,New(t) based on IO and an original target design elevation ElvTgt,Orig(t).

Abstract: A material moving machine including an implement, a camera, an augmented display, and a controller including an image generator. The controller is programmed to store a three-dimensional model of underground features of the terrain, capture an implement image comprising the implement and terrain, generate through the image generator a superimposed image by superimposing corresponding portions of the implement image and the three-dimensional model of underground features, generate a virtual trench based on the position of the implement, overlay the virtual trench on the superimposed image to generate an augmented reality overlay image comprising the virtual trench and the superimposed portions of the implement image and the three-dimensional model of underground features, generate through the image generator the augmented reality overlay image, and display the augmented reality overlay image on the augmented display.

Abstract: A framework comprises a laser distance meter (LDM), reflector, and excavator comprising a boom, a stick, boom and stick sensors, implement, and a controller. The LA comprises a boom and stick defining LA positions. The LDM is configured to generate a DLDM and ?INC between the LDM and the reflector, and the controller is programmed to generate ?B at a plurality of boom positions, generate ?S at a plurality of stick positions, and calculate a height H and a distance D between a node on the stick and the LDM based on DLDM and ?INC, build a set of H, D measurements and a corresponding set of ?B, ?S, and execute a linear least squares optimization process based on the H, D set and corresponding set of ?B, ?S to determine and operate the excavator using LB and LS.

Abstract: An excavator comprises a control architecture having one or more actuators and one or more controllers. The one or more controllers are programmed to execute instructions. The instructions determine if there is a request to operate the excavator boom and the excavating implement in automatics mode. The instructions also receive target design surface data representing a target design surface of an excavating operation. The instructions still further receive an implement angle representing an operating angle of the excavating implement relative to the target design surface. The instructions also determine whether the implement angle is within an activation angle, determine whether the implement angle is outside of a deactivation angle, activate the excavating implement in the automatics mode when the implement angle is within the activation angle and the deactivation angle, and deactivate when the implement angle is outside of the deactivation angle subsequent to the automatics mode activation.

Abstract: A method of controlling a blade of an earthmoving system is disclosed. The method includes enabling independent blade control so that the blade is controllable independent of the terrain contour design while a cutting edge of the blade is beneath the terrain contour design, and receiving first sensor signals from one or more first sensors of the earthmoving system, where the sensor signals indicate that the cutting edge of the blade is within a threshold distance from the terrain contour design. In response to receiving the first sensor signals, the method automatically controls the cutting edge of the blade to the terrain contour design, where the movement of the blade is dependent on the terrain contour design.

Abstract: An excavator comprises a control architecture having one or more linkage assembly actuators and one or more controllers. The one or more controllers are programmed to execute instructions. The instructions determine if there is a request to operate the excavator boom and the excavating implement in automatics mode. The instructions also receive target design surface data representing a target design surface of an excavating operation. The instructions further receive an implement position representing a position of the excavating implement relative to the target design surface. The instructions still further receive an implement angle representing an operating angle of the excavating implement relative to the target design surface. The instructions also determine whether the implement position is within an automatics region of the target design surface, wherein the automatics region represents a region on one or both sides of the target design surface.

Abstract: An excavator calibration framework comprises an excavator, a laser distance meter (LDM), and a laser reflector. The excavator comprises a chassis, linkage assembly (LA), sensor, implement, and an architecture controller. The LA comprises a boom, stick, and four-bar linkage (4BL) with the sensor on a 4BL dogbone linkage. The architecture controller is programmed to generate a mapping equation comprising linkage angle inputs (a measured dogbone angle ?DFMeasured, an estimated implement angle ?GHEstimated) and n unsolved 4BL linkage length and angle offset parameters. The controller is programmed to generate and solve a set of m mapping equations comprising the n unsolved parameters.

Abstract: A framework comprises a laser distance meter (LDM), reflector, and excavator comprising a boom, a stick, boom and stick sensors, implement, and a controller. The LA comprises a boom and stick defining LA positions. The LDM is configured to generate a DLDM and ?INC between the LDM and the reflector, and the controller is programmed to generate ?B at a plurality of boom positions, generate ?S at a plurality of stick positions, and calculate a height H and a distance D between a node on the stick and the LDM based on DLDM and ?INC, build a set of H, D measurements and a corresponding set of ?B, ?S, and execute a linear least squares optimization process based on the H, D set and corresponding set of ?B, ?S to determine and operate the excavator using LB and LS.

Abstract: A material moving machine including an implement, a camera, an augmented display, and a controller including an image generator. The controller is programmed to store a three-dimensional model of underground features of the terrain, capture an implement image comprising the implement and terrain, generate through the image generator a superimposed image by superimposing corresponding portions of the implement image and the three-dimensional model of underground features, generate a virtual trench based on the position of the implement, overlay the virtual trench on the superimposed image to generate an augmented reality overlay image comprising the virtual trench and the superimposed portions of the implement image and the three-dimensional model of underground features, generate through the image generator the augmented reality overlay image, and display the augmented reality overlay image on the augmented display.

Abstract: An excavator calibration framework comprises an excavator, a laser distance meter (LDM), and a laser reflector. The excavator comprises a chassis, linkage assembly (LA), sensor, implement, and control architecture. The LA comprises a boom, stick, and four-bar linkage (4BL) with the sensor on a 4BL dogbone linkage. The control architecture comprises a controller programmed to execute an iterative process at successive implement curl positions. The iterative process comprises generating a measured dogbone angle ?DFMeasured, determining a height ? and a distance {circumflex over (D)} between an implement node and the LDM, and determining an implement node position. The iterative process further comprises determining an estimated implement angle ?GHEstimated and generating a mapping equation comprising linkage angle inputs (?DFMeasured, ?GHEstimated) and n unsolved 4BL linkage length and angle offset parameters.

Abstract: An earthmoving machine comprises a sensor, an implement, and control architecture comprising a controller and configured to facilitate movement in response to a signal indicative of a measured implement position and an implement control value comprising a gain value associated with implement speed. The controller is programmed to execute machine readable instructions to generate a noise value that is based on an error between the signal and a target signal, determine whether the noise value is acceptable to lock the gain value, adjust the gain value to control the implement speed when the noise value is unacceptable until the noise value is acceptable, and operate the machine based on the locked gain value.

Abstract: An excavator calibration framework comprises an excavator, a laser distance meter (LDM), and a laser reflector. The excavator comprises a linkage assembly (LA), implement, and controller. The LA comprises a boom with point B, stick coupled to point B, and four-bar linkage (4BL) including nodes D, F, G, and H (a dogbone linkage between nodes D and F). The laser reflector is disposed at node F. The nodes F, G, and the point B define an outer triangle BGF that defines with node D three inner triangles DGB, DBF, and DFG. The controller executes an iterative process including determining a node F position based on a LDM/laser reflector measurement signal, determining a node D position based on the node F position, and determining a dogbone angle BDF of DBF based on the node D position. The controller generates an actual dogbone angle based on a series of dogbone angles.

Abstract: An excavator calibration framework comprises an excavator, a laser distance meter (LDM), and a laser reflector. The excavator comprises a chassis, linkage assembly (LA), sensor, implement, and control architecture. The LA comprises a boom, stick, and four-bar linkage (4BL) with the sensor on a 4BL dogbone linkage. The control architecture comprises a controller programmed to execute an iterative process at successive implement curl positions. The iterative process comprises generating a measured dogbone angle ?DFMeasured, determining a height ? and a distance {circumflex over (D)} between an implement node and the LDM, and determining an implement node position. The iterative process further comprises determining an estimated implement angle ?GHEstimated, and generating a mapping equation comprising linkage angle inputs (?DFMeasured, ?GHEstimated) and n unsolved 4BL linkage length and angle offset parameters.

Abstract: An excavator is disclosed including a chassis coupled to a boom point A, a sensor on a limb, an implement, an architecture, and a linkage assembly (LA) including a boom and a stick coupled to a boom point B. The architecture comprises one or more LA actuators and a controller that generates a sensor location ? and offset angle ? and is programmed to: pivot the limb (either the boom or stick) about a pivot point (respectively, A or B) and generate a set of sensor signals. The controller is programmed to repeatedly execute an iterative process n times until exceeding a threshold, which process comprises determining a sensor location estimate ?n (a distance between the sensor and the pivot point) and an offset angle estimate ?n defined relative to a limb axis. A utilized optimization model includes the set of sensor signals and error terms.