Patents by Inventor William Charles Sahm

William Charles Sahm 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: 7747369
    Abstract: Systems and methods for sharing terrain data among one or more machines include a communications system associated with the one or more machines in electronic communication with each other and to a communications system associated with a remote location. The terrain data may be determined from information received from satellite positioning systems. New information comprising alterations to a worksite by one or more machines may be stored as a snippet. Collected snippets may be combined to form a data block which is sent to one or more identified machines. A bitmap, corresponding to each snippet, is sent to the one or more identified machines in order to locate the new information in the data block. Using the new information, the one or more identified machines may update a composite model of the worksite located at each of the one or more identified machines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2010
    Assignee: Caterpillar Trimble Control Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Craig Lawrence Koehrsen, William Charles Sahm
  • Patent number: 7113105
    Abstract: A display system and method for a work machine is provided. A terrain map indicative of a current surface configuration for a geographic location is displayed. The display of the terrain map includes a plurality of elevation segments. Each of the plurality of elevation segments has an actual surface elevation value for a discrete area of the geographic location. A position of a ground engaging tool operatively connected to the work machine is monitored. A current elevation of the ground engaging tool is identified. The display of the elevation segment corresponding to the location of the ground engaging tool is updated when the current elevation of the ground engaging tool indicates a change in the actual surface elevation value for the elevation segment corresponding to the location of the ground engaging tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2006
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: William Charles Sahm, Craig Lawrence Koehrsen
  • Patent number: 7079931
    Abstract: A system and method for determining a position of a work tool of a work machine is provided. A desired surface configuration for a geographic location is identified. A mode of operation for the work machine is selected from one of a first mode and a second mode depending on surface configurations. The position of a work tool mounted on the work machine is sensed and the rotational angle of a swing assembly mounting the work tool is sensed. The location of the work tool is determined relative to the surface configuration based on the sensed position of the work tool when the work machine is operating in the first mode. The location of the work tool is determined relative to the desired surface configuration based on the sensed position of the work tool and the sensed rotational angle of the swing assembly when operating in the second mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2006
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: William Charles Sahm, Craig Lawrence Koehrsen