Patents by Inventor Nathan Ennis

Nathan Ennis 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: 11808015
    Abstract: Systems and methods for tracking a heading of an excavator are provided. An initial heading of the excavator platform is obtained and a current azimuthal orientation of the excavator platform is associated with the initial heading. Coordinates of a measurement center of the GNSS device are obtained. Coordinates of a center of rotation of the excavator platform are determined using the initial heading of the excavator platform, the coordinates of the measurement center, and a known spatial relationship between the measurement center of the GNSS device and the center of rotation of the excavator platform. Rotation of the excavator platform is tracked from the initial heading to a first heading using rotation measurements from a swing sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2023
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: Caterpillar Trimble Control Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Nathan Ennis, Christopher Corwin
  • Publication number: 20230151587
    Abstract: Systems and methods for tracking a heading of an excavator are provided. An initial heading of the excavator platform is obtained and a current azimuthal orientation of the excavator platform is associated with the initial heading. Coordinates of a measurement center of the GNSS device are obtained. Coordinates of a center of rotation of the excavator platform are determined using the initial heading of the excavator platform, the coordinates of the measurement center, and a known spatial relationship between the measurement center of the GNSS device and the center of rotation of the excavator platform. Rotation of the excavator platform is tracked from the initial heading to a first heading using rotation measurements from a swing sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2023
    Publication date: May 18, 2023
    Applicant: Caterpillar Trimble Control Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Nathan Ennis, Christopher Corwin
  • Patent number: 11549240
    Abstract: Systems and methods for tracking a heading of an excavator are provided. An initial heading of the excavator platform is obtained and a current azimuthal orientation of the excavator platform is associated with the initial heading. Coordinates of a measurement center of the GNSS device are obtained. Coordinates of a center of rotation of the excavator platform are determined using the initial heading of the excavator platform, the coordinates of the measurement center, and a known spatial relationship between the measurement center of the GNSS device and the center of rotation of the excavator platform. Rotation of the excavator platform is tracked from the initial heading to a first heading using rotation measurements from a swing sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: Caterpillar Trimble Control Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Nathan Ennis, Christopher Corwin
  • Patent number: 11365528
    Abstract: Techniques for position-based cross slope control of a construction machine are disclosed. A site design that includes a set of target cross slopes for a construction site is obtained, with each of the set of target cross slopes associated with a 2D location within the construction site. Sensor data is captured using at least one sensor mounted to the construction machine. A geospatial position and a direction of travel of the construction machine are determined based on the sensor data. A target cross slope for the construction machine is generated by querying the site design using the geospatial position and the direction of travel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignee: Caterpillar Trimble Control Technologies LLC
    Inventor: Nathan Ennis
  • Patent number: 11225772
    Abstract: Systems and methods for providing grade control on a motor grader without the use of masts attached to the blade. Embodiments include a body angle sensor configured to detect movement of a construction machine's body, a front 3D positioning device configured to detect a geospatial position of the construction machine's body within a world space, a drawbar angle sensor configured to detect movement of the construction machine's drawbar, and a blade angle sensor configured to detect movement of the construction machine's blade. Two positions on the blade may be calculated first within a machine space and subsequently within the world space. Movement of at least one articulating connection may be caused based on the blade positions within the world space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Assignee: Caterpillar Trimble Control Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Nathan Ennis, Patrick Pecchio, Geoffrey Mills, Christopher Padilla, Yongliang Zhu, Jason Hill, Colin Daniell, Shawn Zeller
  • Publication number: 20210189695
    Abstract: Techniques for position-based cross slope control of a construction machine are disclosed. A site design that includes a set of target cross slopes for a construction site is obtained, with each of the set of target cross slopes associated with a 2D location within the construction site. Sensor data is captured using at least one sensor mounted to the construction machine. A geospatial position and a direction of travel of the construction machine are determined based on the sensor data. A target cross slope for the construction machine is generated by querying the site design using the geospatial position and the direction of travel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2019
    Publication date: June 24, 2021
    Inventor: Nathan Ennis
  • Publication number: 20210148092
    Abstract: Systems and methods for tracking a heading of an excavator are provided. An initial heading of the excavator platform is obtained and a current azimuthal orientation of the excavator platform is associated with the initial heading. Coordinates of a measurement center of the GNSS device are obtained. Coordinates of a center of rotation of the excavator platform are determined using the initial heading of the excavator platform, the coordinates of the measurement center, and a known spatial relationship between the measurement center of the GNSS device and the center of rotation of the excavator platform. Rotation of the excavator platform is tracked from the initial heading to a first heading using rotation measurements from a swing sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2019
    Publication date: May 20, 2021
    Inventors: Nathan Ennis, Christopher Corwin
  • Publication number: 20200217042
    Abstract: Systems and methods for providing grade control on a motor grader without the use of masts attached to the blade. Embodiments include a body angle sensor configured to detect movement of a construction machine's body, a front 3D positioning device configured to detect a geospatial position of the construction machine's body within a world space, a drawbar angle sensor configured to detect movement of the construction machine's drawbar, and a blade angle sensor configured to detect movement of the construction machine's blade. Two positions on the blade may be calculated first within a machine space and subsequently within the world space. Movement of at least one articulating connection may be caused based on the blade positions within the world space.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2020
    Publication date: July 9, 2020
    Inventors: Nathan Ennis, Patrick Pecchio, Geoffrey Mills, Christopher Padilla, Yongliang Zhu, Jason Hill, Colin Daniell, Shawn Zeller
  • Patent number: 10557250
    Abstract: Systems and methods for providing grade control on a motor grader without the use of masts attached to the blade. Embodiments include a body angle sensor configured to detect movement of a construction machine's body, a front 3D positioning device configured to detect a geospatial position of the construction machine's body within a world space, a drawbar angle sensor configured to detect movement of the construction machine's drawbar, and a blade angle sensor configured to detect movement of the construction machine's blade. Two positions on the blade may be calculated first within a machine space and subsequently within the world space. Movement of at least one articulating connection may be caused based on the blade positions within the world space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2020
    Assignee: Caterpillar Trimble Control Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Nathan Ennis, Patrick Pecchio, Geoffrey Mills, Christopher Padilla, Yongliang Zhu, Jason Hill, Colin Daniell, Shawn Zeller
  • Patent number: 10550543
    Abstract: Systems and methods for providing grade control on a motor grader without the use of masts attached to the blade. Embodiments include a body angle sensor configured to detect movement of a construction machine's body, a front GNSS receiver configured to detect a geospatial position of the construction machine's body within a world space, a drawbar angle sensor configured to detect movement of the construction machine's drawbar, and a blade angle sensor configured to detect movement of the construction machine's blade. Two positions on the blade may be calculated first within a machine space and subsequently within the world space. Movement of at least one articulating connection may be caused based on the blade positions within the world space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignee: Caterpillar Trimble Control Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Nathan Ennis, Patrick Pecchio, Geoffrey Mills, Christopher Padilla, Yongliang Zhu, Jason Hill, Colin Daniell