Abstract: A work implement tilt control system for a tracked vehicle having a frame and a work implement mounted to the frame, the system comprising: a lifting unit configured to controllably raise or lower at least part of the work implement; an input device actionable by a first and second types of external actions associated with raising or lowering of the work implement; and a vehicle computer configured to send a signal to the lifting unit to carry out a lowering cycle of the work implement in case the vehicle computer determines that a set of conditions has been met. In some cases, the set of conditions includes: (i) a movement characteristic of the tracked vehicle exceeds a threshold; and (ii) the input device has been actioned by the first type of external action since carrying out the most recent lowering cycle of the work implement.

Abstract: A work implement tilt control system for a tracked vehicle having a frame and a work implement mounted to the frame, the system comprising: a lifting unit configured to controllably raise or lower at least part of the work implement; an input device actionable by a first and second types of external actions associated with raising or lowering of the work implement; and a vehicle computer configured to send a signal to the lifting unit to carry out a lowering cycle of the work implement in case the vehicle computer determines that a set of conditions has been met. In some cases, the set of conditions includes: (i) a movement characteristic of the tracked vehicle exceeds a threshold; and (ii) the input device has been actioned by the first type of external action since carrying out the most recent lowering cycle of the work implement.

Abstract: A new tracked vehicle arrangement with a main vehicle and a trailer, where each of the main vehicle and the trailer have a track assembly on either side, and the tracks of the trailer are driven by the prime mover of the main vehicle. In the longitudinal direction of the main vehicle, only a small fraction (less than 25%) of the length of the main vehicle's cab, which is mounted above the frame, overlies the main vehicle's track assemblies, whereas the fuel tank is located between the cab and the prime mover. In a widthwise direction of the tracked vehicle, the fuel tank at least partly overlies the right and left track assemblies. This provides a counterbalance for the trailer, which has a platform attached by a first pivotable connection to the frame of the main vehicle and by a second pivotable connection to the frame of the trailer.

Abstract: A new tracked vehicle arrangement with a main vehicle and a trailer, where each of the main vehicle and the trailer have a track assembly on either side, and the tracks of the trailer are driven by the prime mover of the main vehicle. In the longitudinal direction of the main vehicle, only a small fraction (less than 25%) of the length of the main vehicle's cab, which is mounted above the frame, overlies the main vehicle's track assemblies, whereas the fuel tank is located between the cab and the prime mover. In a widthwise direction of the tracked vehicle, the fuel tank at least partly overlies the right and left track assemblies. This provides a counterbalance for the trailer, which has a platform attached by a first pivotable connection to the frame of the main vehicle and by a second pivotable connection to the frame of the trailer.

Abstract: A tracked vehicle comprises a body extending in a longitudinal direction of the tracked vehicle. The body comprises a front overhang portion and a rear overhang portion. A first plane is defined by the area of contact of the track on the ground. An entirety of the front overhang portion is above a second plane passing through a frontmost point of the bottom run of the track and defining an angle between 15° and 30° with the first plane; and an entirety of the rear overhang portion is above a third plane passing through a rearmost point of the bottom run of the track and defining an angle between 15° and 35° with the first plane. This configuration provides the tracked vehicle with stability even when handling heavy loads over mountainous terrain.

Abstract: A work implement tilt control system for a tracked vehicle having a frame and a work implement mounted to the frame, the system comprising: a lifting unit configured to controllably raise or lower at least part of the work implement; an input device actionable by a first and second types of external actions associated with raising or lowering of the work implement; and a vehicle computer configured to send a signal to the lifting unit to carry out a lowering cycle of the work implement in case the vehicle computer determines that a set of conditions has been met. In some cases, the set of conditions includes: (i) a movement characteristic of the tracked vehicle exceeds a threshold; and (ii) the input device has been actioned by the first type of external action since carrying out the most recent lowering cycle of the work implement.

Abstract: A user interface for a snow groomer or other tracked vehicle, such as tracked carrier to carry and enable use of work equipment on various terrains, is provided. The user interface may comprise an input device, an output device and a controller. The controller is configured to receive from the input device an indication of a desired snow grooming distance, and the controller is further configured to measure a distance traveled by the snow groomer, and to cause the output device to convey a remaining distance to be traveled by the snow groomer, the remaining distance being the difference between the desired snow grooming distance and the distance traveled by the snow groomer.

Abstract: A new tracked vehicle arrangement with a main vehicle and a trailer, where each of the main vehicle and the trailer have a track assembly on either side, and the tracks of the trailer are driven by the prime mover of the main vehicle. In the longitudinal direction of the main vehicle, only a small fraction (less than 25%) of the length of the main vehicle's cab, which is mounted above the frame, overlies the main vehicle's track assemblies, whereas the fuel tank is located between the cab and the prime mover. In a widthwise direction of the tracked vehicle, the fuel tank at least partly overlies the right and left track assemblies. This provides a counterbalance for the trailer, which has a platform attached by a first pivotable connection to the frame of the main vehicle and by a second pivotable connection to the frame of the trailer.

Abstract: A system and a method for providing an indication about positioning unreliability are described. The system comprises a scanner for scanning a surface geometry of an object and accumulating 3D points for each frame using shape-based positioning; a pose estimator for estimating an estimated pose for the scanner using the 3D points; an unreliable pose detector for determining if the estimated pose has an underconstrained positioning and an indication generator for generating an indication that the unreliable pose estimation is detected. In one embodiment, a degree of freedom identifier identifies a problematic degree of freedom in the estimated pose. In one embodiment, a feature point detector detects a reobservable feature point and the pose estimator uses the feature point with the 3D points to estimate the estimated pose and the unreliable pose detector uses the feature point to identify the estimated pose as an unreliable pose estimation.

Abstract: A user interface for a snow groomer or other tracked vehicle, such as tracked carrier to carry and enable use of work equipment on various terrains, is provided. The user interface may comprise an input device, an output device and a controller. The controller is configured to receive from the input device an indication of a desired snow grooming distance, and the controller is further configured to measure a distance traveled by the snow groomer, and to cause the output device to convey a remaining distance to be traveled by the snow groomer, the remaining distance being the difference between the desired snow grooming distance and the distance traveled by the snow groomer.

Abstract: A user interface for a snow groomer or other tracked vehicle, such as tracked carrier to carry and enable use of work equipment on various terrains, is provided. The user interface may have an input device, an output device and a controller. The controller is configured to receive from the input device an indication of a desired snow grooming distance, and the controller is further configured to measure a distance traveled by the snow groomer, and to cause the output device to convey a remaining distance to be traveled by the snow groomer, the remaining distance being the difference between the desired snow grooming distance and the distance traveled by the snow groomer.

Abstract: A system and a method for providing an indication about positioning unreliability are described. The system comprises a scanner for scanning a surface geometry of an object and accumulating 3D points for each frame using shape-based positioning; a pose estimator for estimating an estimated pose for the scanner using the 3D points; an unreliable pose detector for determining if the estimated pose has an underconstrained positioning and an indication generator for generating an indication that the unreliable pose estimation is detected. In one embodiment, a degree of freedom identifier identifies a problematic degree of freedom in the estimated pose. In one embodiment, a feature point detector detects a reobservable feature point and the pose estimator uses the feature point with the 3D points to estimate the estimated pose and the unreliable pose detector uses the feature point to identify the estimated pose as an unreliable pose estimation.

Abstract: A system and a method for providing an indication about positioning unreliability are described. The system comprises a scanner for scanning a surface geometry of an object and accumulating 3D points for each frame using shape-based positioning; a pose estimator for estimating an estimated pose for the scanner using the 3D points; an unreliable pose detector for determining if the estimated pose has an under constrained positioning and an indication generator for generating an indication that the unreliable pose estimation is detected. In one embodiment, a degree of freedom identifier identifies a problematic degree of freedom in the estimated pose. In one embodiment, a feature point detector detects a reobservable feature point and the pose estimator uses the feature point with the 3D points to estimate the estimated pose and the unreliable pose detector uses the feature point to identify the estimated pose as an unreliable pose estimation.

Abstract: A snow groomer or other tracked vehicle, such as tracked carrier to carry and enable use of work equipment on various terrains, is provided. The snow groomer may comprise a chassis, an operator cabin mounted to the chassis from which operation of the snow groomer is controlled, track assemblies for causing the snow groomer to advance, a power plant in a driving relationship with the track assemblies, and a tiller assembly attached at the rear of the chassis. The operator cabin comprises a seating system that includes an operator seat, a base, and a seat carriage mounted to the base, which allows the operator seat both to move in a direction transverse to the direction of motion of the snow groomer, and to pivot about an axis.

Abstract: A system for obtaining three-dimensional information about a surface, the system comprising: a sensing device having: a pattern projector for providing a projected pattern on the surface; and a camera for acquiring a 2D image of the surface from a viewpoint, wherein at least one target of a set of reference targets and at least a portion of the projected pattern is apparent on the 2D image; a storage for calibration data; an image processor for extracting 2D image coordinates of surface points of the projected pattern and target contours from the 2D image; a 3D surface point calculator for calculating 3D coordinates of the surface points from the 2D image coordinates of the surface points; a 3D target calculator for calculating a 3D position and/or an actual orientation for the reference target.

Abstract: A snow groomer or other tracked vehicle, such as tracked carrier to carry and enable use of work equipment on various terrains, is provided. The snow groomer may comprise a chassis, an operator cabin mounted to the chassis from which operation of the snow groomer is controlled, track assemblies for causing the snow groomer to advance, a power plant in a driving relationship with the track assemblies, and a tiller assembly attached at the rear of the chassis. The operator cabin comprises a seating system that includes an operator seat, a base, and a seat carriage mounted to the base, which allows the operator seat both to move in a direction transverse to the direction of motion of the snow groomer, and to pivot about an axis.

Abstract: A system and a method for providing an indication about positioning unreliability are described. The system comprises a scanner for scanning a surface geometry of an object and accumulating 3D points for each frame using shape-based positioning; a pose estimator for estimating an estimated pose for the scanner using the 3D points; an unreliable pose detector for determining if the estimated pose has an under constrained positioning and an indication generator for generating an indication that the unreliable pose estimation is detected. In one embodiment, a degree of freedom identifier identifies a problematic degree of freedom in the estimated pose. In one embodiment, a feature point detector detects a reobservable feature point and the pose estimator uses the feature point with the 3D points to estimate the estimated pose and the unreliable pose detector uses the feature point to identify the estimated pose as an unreliable pose estimation.

Abstract: A system for obtaining three-dimensional information about a surface, the system comprising: a sensing device having: a pattern projector for providing a projected pattern on the surface; and a camera for acquiring a 2D image of the surface from a viewpoint, wherein at least one target of a set of reference targets and at least a portion of the projected pattern is apparent on the 2D image; a storage for calibration data; an image processor for extracting 2D image coordinates of surface points of the projected pattern and target contours from the 2D image; a 3D surface point calculator for calculating 3D coordinates of the surface points from the 2D image coordinates of the surface points; a 3D target calculator for calculating a 3D position and/or an actual orientation for the reference target.

Abstract: A method for preparing a spatial coded slide image in which a pattern of the spatial coded slide image is aligned along epipolar lines at an output of a projector in a system for 3D measurement, comprising: obtaining distortion vectors for projector coordinates, each vector representing a distortion from predicted coordinates caused by the projector; retrieving an ideal pattern image which is an ideal image of the spatial coded pattern aligned on ideal epipolar lines; creating a real slide image by, for each real pixel coordinates of the real slide image, retrieving a current distortion vector; removing distortion from the real pixel coordinates using the current distortion vector to obtain ideal pixel coordinates in the ideal pattern image; extracting a pixel value at the ideal pixel coordinates in the ideal pattern image; copying the pixel value at the real pixel coordinates in the real slide image.

Abstract: There are provided systems and methods for obtaining a three-dimensional surface geometric characteristic and/or texture characteristic of an object. A pattern is projected on a surface of said object. A basic 2D image of said object is acquired; a characteristic 2D image of said object is acquired; 2D surface points are extracted from said basic 2D image, from a reflection of said projected pattern on said object; a set of 3D surface points is calculated in a sensor coordinate system using said 2D surface points; and a set of 2D surface geometric/texture characteristics is extracted.