Patents by Inventor Dean G. POVEY

Dean G. POVEY has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 10403151
    Abstract: A traffic system is disclosed for use with a plurality of mobile machines. The traffic system may have a locating device configured to generate a location signal indicative of a location of each of the plurality of mobile machines, and an onboard controller configured to regulate operation of each of the plurality of mobile machines based on the location signal. The traffic system may also have a communication device, and a worksite controller in communication with the locating device and onboard controller via the communication device. The worksite controller may be configured to calculate a directed graph of the worksite based on the location signal and known routes for each of the plurality of mobile machines. The worksite controller may also be configured to determine a congestion metric based on the directed graph, and to selectively command the onboard controller to implement a responsive operation based on the congestion metric.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventor: Dean G. Povey
  • Patent number: 9858819
    Abstract: A traffic control system is disclosed as having a locating device configured to generate a location signal indicative of a location of each of a plurality of machines. The traffic control system may also have an onboard controller configured to regulate operation of the plurality of machines based on the location signal, a communication device, and a worksite controller. The worksite controller may be configured to determine a first route for a first of the plurality of machines, and to determine if a first lane of the first route is blocked by a second of the plurality of machines. The worksite controller may also be configured to determine if a second lane of the first route intersects with a second route of the second of the plurality of machines, and to selectively grant permission for travel of the first of the plurality of machines through the second lane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Dean G. Povey, Michael Siemer
  • Publication number: 20170221354
    Abstract: A traffic system is disclosed for use with a plurality of mobile machines. The traffic system may have a locating device configured to generate a location signal indicative of a location of each of the plurality of mobile machines, and an onboard controller configured to regulate operation of each of the plurality of mobile machines based on the location signal. The traffic system may also have a communication device, and a worksite controller in communication with the locating device and onboard controller via the communication device. The worksite controller may be configured to calculate a directed graph of the worksite based on the location signal and known routes for each of the plurality of mobile machines. The worksite controller may also be configured to determine a congestion metric based on the directed graph, and to selectively command the onboard controller to implement a responsive operation based on the congestion metric.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2016
    Publication date: August 3, 2017
    Applicant: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventor: Dean G. POVEY
  • Publication number: 20170221364
    Abstract: A traffic control system is disclosed as having a locating device configured to generate a location signal indicative of a location of each of a plurality of machines. The traffic control system may also have an onboard controller configured to regulate operation of the plurality of machines based on the location signal, a communication device, and a worksite controller. The worksite controller may be configured to determine a first route for a first of the plurality of machines, and to determine if a first lane of the first route is blocked by a second of the plurality of machines. The worksite controller may also be configured to determine if a second lane of the first route intersects with a second route of the second of the plurality of machines, and to selectively grant permission for travel of the first of the plurality of machines through the second lane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2016
    Publication date: August 3, 2017
    Applicant: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Dean G. POVEY, Michael SIEMER
  • Patent number: 9298188
    Abstract: A control system is disclosed for use with a machine. The control system may have a communicating device, a locating device configured to generate a first signal indicative of a location of the machine, a sensor configured to generate a second signal indicative of contact of the machine with a berm, and an onboard controller. The control system may also have an offboard controller configured to generate a first set of coordinates of a dump target, and to assign the first set of coordinates to the onboard controller for use in controlling the machine. The offboard controller may also be configured to detect contact of the machine with the berm based on the second signal during reverse travel toward the dump target, and to generate a second set of coordinates of the dump target to correspond with a location of the machine at a time of contact detection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Ananth P. Kini, Joshua C. Struble, Andrew J. Vitale, Craig L. Koehrsen, Bryan J. Everett, Mark H. C. Banham, Dean G. Povey, Matthew A. Holmes
  • Patent number: 9244464
    Abstract: A control system is disclosed for use with a machine at a worksite. The control system may have an offboard controller. The offboard controller may be configured to receive information regarding a berm at the worksite, determine starting and ending points spaced apart along an edge of the berm based on the information, and determine a maximum orthogonal distance from a virtual line extending between the starting and ending points to the edge of the berm. The offboard controller may be further configured to selectively validate the starting and ending points based on the maximum orthogonal distance, and to designate a center of the virtual line between validated starting and ending points as a dump target.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Ananth P. Kini, Joshua C. Struble, Andrew J. Vitale, Craig L. Koehrsen, Bryan J. Everett, Mark H. C. Banham, Dean G. Povey, Matthew A. Holmes
  • Publication number: 20150154247
    Abstract: A system for surface data management for a machine is provided. A first controller maintains an updated surface data and an updating time. A second controller maintains a surface data and a recording time. The second controller transmits a time request for the updating time associated with a destination location. The second controller receives the updating time associated with the destination location. The second controller is compares the updating time with the recording time, each associated with the destination location. If the updating time is more recent than the recording time, the second controller transmits a data request for the updated surface data associated with the destination location and receives the updated surface data. The second controller compares the updated surface data with the surface data, each associated with the destination location and determines a change in the surface data associated with the destination location based on the comparison.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2013
    Publication date: June 4, 2015
    Applicant: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Morris W. Reid, Dean G. Povey, Michael Siemer, Mark Banham, John R. Ellwood
  • Patent number: 8880334
    Abstract: A control system is disclosed for use with a plurality of machines operating at a worksite. The control system may have a plurality of communicating devices, and a plurality of onboard controllers, each mountable to the plurality of machines. The control system may also have an offboard controller in communication with the plurality of onboard controllers via the plurality of communicating devices. The offboard controller may be configured to selectively assign each of a plurality of sequentially arranged dump targets for use by each of the plurality of machines based on an order in which the plurality of machines arrive at a dump location. The offboard controller may be further configured to make a determination that lanes extending to two dump targets of the plurality of sequentially arranged dump targets overlap, and selectively skip assignment of one of the two dump targets based on the determination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Anath P. Kini, Joshua C. Struble, Andrew J. Vitale, Craig L. Koehrsen, Bryan J. Everett, Mark H. C. Banham, Dean G. Povey, Matthew A. Holmes
  • Publication number: 20140214237
    Abstract: A control system is disclosed for use with a machine. The control system may have a communicating device, a locating device configured to generate a first signal indicative of a location of the machine, a sensor configured to generate a second signal indicative of contact of the machine with a berm, and an onboard controller. The control system may also have an offboard controller configured to generate a first set of coordinates of a dump target, and to assign the first set of coordinates to the onboard controller for use in controlling the machine. The offboard controller may also be configured to detect contact of the machine with the berm based on the second signal during reverse travel toward the dump target, and to generate a second set of coordinates of the dump target to correspond with a location of the machine at a time of contact detection.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2013
    Publication date: July 31, 2014
    Applicant: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Ananth P. KINI, Joshua C. STRUBLE, Andrew J. VITALE, Craig L. KOEHRSEN, Bryan J. EVERETT, Mark H. C. BANHAM, Dean G. POVEY, Matthew A. HOLMES
  • Publication number: 20140214235
    Abstract: A control system is disclosed for use with a plurality of machines operating at a worksite. The control system may have a plurality of communicating devices, and a plurality of onboard controllers, each mountable to the plurality of machines. The control system may also have an offboard controller in communication with the plurality of onboard controllers via the plurality of communicating devices. The offboard controller may be configured to selectively assign each of a plurality of sequentially arranged dump targets for use by each of the plurality of machines based on an order in which the plurality of machines arrive at a dump location. The offboard controller may be further configured to make a determination that lanes extending to two dump targets of the plurality of sequentially arranged dump targets overlap, and selectively skip assignment of one of the two dump targets based on the determination.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2013
    Publication date: July 31, 2014
    Applicant: CATERPILLAR INC.
    Inventors: Ananth P. KINI, Joshua C. STRUBLE, Andrew J. VITALE, Craig L. KOEHRSEN, Bryan J. EVERETT, Mark H. C. BANHAM, Dean G. POVEY, Matthew A. HOLMES
  • Publication number: 20140214236
    Abstract: A control system is disclosed for use with a machine at a worksite. The control system may have an offboard controller. The offboard controller may be configured to receive information regarding a berm at the worksite, determine starting and ending points spaced apart along an edge of the berm based on the information, and determine a maximum orthogonal distance from a virtual line extending between the starting and ending points to the edge of the berm. The offboard controller may be further configured to selectively validate the starting and ending points based on the maximum orthogonal distance, and to designate a center of the virtual line between validated starting and ending points as a dump target.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2013
    Publication date: July 31, 2014
    Applicant: CATERPILLAR INC.
    Inventors: Ananth P. KINI, Joshua C. STRUBLE, Andrew J. VITALE, Craig L. KOEHRSEN, Bryan J. EVERETT, Mark H. C. BANHAM, Dean G. POVEY, Matthew A. HOLMES