Patents by Inventor Kenneth Patrick Robinson

Kenneth Patrick Robinson 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).

  • Publication number: 20250321565
    Abstract: In some implementations, a controller may obtain a production plan for a work environment, the production plan including at least one production circuit for machines, wherein the at least one production circuit is based on respective production parameters. The controller may determine cycle times for respective production circuits of the at least one production circuit, wherein the cycle times are based on at least one machine performance parameter. The controller may perform an action associated with controlling a speed of a first machine based on a cycle time of a first production circuit in which the first machine is operating and based on at least one dynamic event in the work environment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 12, 2024
    Publication date: October 16, 2025
    Applicant: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Russell Allen BROCKHURST, Kenneth Patrick ROBINSON
  • Publication number: 20250217735
    Abstract: This disclosure describes, in part, systems and methods for dynamic allocation, monitoring, and reallocation of work machines at a worksite by using a controller to monitor ranked production circuits and dynamically reallocate work machines based on their energy consumption, energy availability, machine operating parameters, flow rates, delays, wait times, and other such factors to provide compliance with the ranked production plan. The controller is used to determine slow-downs, delays, queues, or other potential delays, including insufficient energy availability for a particular work machine distribution, and to dynamically adjust to provide for work machines to reduce empty travel time and to maintain material flow rates or other metrics of the production plan.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2023
    Publication date: July 3, 2025
    Applicant: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Russell A. Brockhurst, Kenneth Patrick Robinson
  • Publication number: 20250164946
    Abstract: A machine at a worksite may be assigned to one or more production circuits that each include a sequence of activities. Each activity in a production circuit may associated with corresponding entry criteria indicating conditions that, if satisfied by the machine, permit the machine to initiate performance of that activity. The machine may perform activities of a production circuit if the machine satisfies the corresponding entry criteria. If the machine does not satisfy entry criteria of an activity in an assigned production circuit, the machine may switch to performing activities of a different production circuit, such as a lower-priority production circuit that has also been assigned to the machine, that includes an activity with entry criteria that the machine does satisfy.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2023
    Publication date: May 22, 2025
    Applicant: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Russell A. Brockhurst, Kenneth Patrick Robinson, Jan Sobus
  • Publication number: 20240301658
    Abstract: A fleet of machines at a worksite can transport loads of material, such as ore, to a processing plant configured to process the material. A fleet management controller can control operations of the fleet of machines, while a plant management controller can control operations of the processing plant. The fleet management controller and the plant management controller can exchange data associated with the operations of the fleet of machines and the operations of the processing plant. The fleet management controller can use the data provided by the plant management controller to dynamically control operations of the fleet of machines based on the operations of the processing plant. The plant management controller can use the data provided by the fleet management controller to dynamically control operations of the processing plant based the operations of the fleet of machines and attributes of loads of material transported by the fleet of machines.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2023
    Publication date: September 12, 2024
    Applicant: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: John Steven Harpour, Kenneth Patrick Robinson, Carla Wesley