Patent Application
20240070934
The present disclosure relates to traction device slippages in work machines. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to communicating a slippage experienced by one or more traction devices of a work machine to a remote operator interface for controlling the work machine through the remote operator interface.
Work machines, such as wheel loaders, generally include one or more material-engaging implements to load and move materials, such as soil, rock, sand, debris, etc., from one location to another location at a worksite. In order to load such materials, work machines are often required to interact with (e.g., cultivate, dig, rip, or otherwise disturb) a material bank so that material can be sourced from the material bank. As an example scenario, as a work machine attempts to dig and scoop in material from the material bank, a reactionary resistance applied by the material bank on the implement of the work machine may impede the work machine's ingress into the material bank, and may cause one or more traction devices, such as wheels, of the machine to slip over an underlying ground surface. Excessive slippage can lead to premature traction device wear.
An operator physically stationed within an operator cabin of the work machine may readily perceive and feel traction device slippage and can appropriately take action to mitigate traction device slippage. However, an operator stationed and operating the work machine remotely may suffer from inadequate machine feedback and/or a dulled perception of traction device slippage, resulting in either a delayed response or a no response to resolve traction device slippage. If traction device slippage is left unaddressed or unresolved, it can result in premature wear and reduced life of the traction devices leading to unscheduled repair or replacement of the traction devices and unplanned machine downtime.
U.S. Pat. No. 10,669,697 relates to a machine having a ground-engaging work tool and including a traction device configured to move the machine on a ground surface, a control system configured to determine a slip experienced by the machine as the machine moves on the ground surface, and a display device. The display device pictorially display (a) the determined slip, and (b) one or more target ranges of slip, wherein the machine efficiency when slip has a value within a target range may be higher compared to the efficiency when slip is outside the target range.
In one aspect of the present disclosure, a system for communicating slippage experienced by at least one traction device of a work machine, to a remote operator interface for controlling the work machine through the remote operator interface is described. The system includes a controller configured to receive data associated with a speed of the at least one traction device of the work machine and determine a slippage condition of the at least one traction device based on the data. The controller is further configured to activate a visual overlay over a virtual image, of the at least one traction device, displayed in a video feed to represent the slippage condition on the remote operator interface. The video feed is a real-time video feed, indicating one or more operations of the work machine, displayed on the remote operator interface.
In another aspect of the present disclosure, a method for communicating slippage experienced by at least one traction device of a work machine, to a remote operator interface for controlling the work machine through the remote operator interface. The method includes receiving, by a controller, data associated with a speed of the at least one traction device of the work machine and determining, by the controller, a slippage condition of the at least one traction device based on the data. The method further includes activating, by the controller, a visual overlay over a virtual image, of the at least one traction device, displayed in a video feed to represent the slippage condition on the remote operator interface. The video feed is a real-time video feed, indicating one or more operations of the work machine, displayed on the remote operator interface.
In yet another aspect of the present disclosure, a work machine is described. The work machine includes at least one traction device and a system for communicating slippage experienced by the at least one traction device, to a remote operator interface for controlling the work machine through the remote operator interface. The system includes a controller configured to receive data associated with a speed of the at least one traction device of the work machine and determine a slippage condition of the at least one traction device based on the data. The controller is further configured to activate a visual overlay over a virtual image, of the at least one traction device, displayed in a video feed to represent the slippage condition on the remote operator interface. The video feed is a real-time video feed, indicating one or more operations of the work machine, displayed on the remote operator interface.
Reference will now be made in detail to specific embodiments or features, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or the like parts.
Referring to
The work machine 100 may be embodied as a construction machine and may include a wheel loader. The work machine 100 may be configured to traverse the worksite 102 and/or interact with (e.g., cultivate, dig, rip, or otherwise disturb) the material bank 104 at the worksite 102. Although the reference to a wheel loader is shown, the work machine 100 may include other mobile machines that perform operations, such as mining, construction, farming, etc., at any suitable worksite. For example, the work machine 100 may include, but is not limited to, a track-type tractor, a hydraulic excavator or a shovel, a motor grader, and other similar earth-moving machines, and aspects of the present disclosure may be applied to such machines. The work machine 100 may be an unmanned machine having various levels of autonomy, and may include a semi-autonomous machine or a remotely operated machine, that receives commands related to its motion and function from a remote operator workstation 150 (shown in
The work machine 100 includes a frame 108 having a forward frame portion 110 and a rearward frame portion 112. The forward frame portion 110 may define a forward end 114 of the work machine 100, while the rearward frame portion 112 may define a rearward end 116 of the work machine 100. The terms ‘forward’ and ‘rearward’, as used herein, are in relation to an exemplary direction of travel of the work machine 100, as represented by arrow, T, in
The work machine 100 may include an implement 120, such as a bucket, pivotably and/or operably connected to the frame 108. The implement 120 may be capable of performing various operations, such as ripping, digging, and/or scooping material from the material bank 104 at the worksite 102. The work machine 100 may also include one or more traction devices 122 supported by the frame 108, that engages a ground surface 106 to move the work machine 100 in the direction of travel, T. The traction device 122 may include crawler tracks, wheels, or a combination of the two. In the exemplary embodiment shown in
The work machine 100 may further include one or more speed sensors 130 configured to determine data associated with speed of operation of the at least one traction device 122 of the work machine 100. In an embodiment, separate speed sensors 130 may be associated with one or both of the front wheels 124 and/or one or both of the rear wheels 126 to determine the data associated with the speed of the operation of the corresponding wheels 124, 126. In some embodiment, a single speed sensor 130 may be associated with an axle shaft 132 of the work machine 100 to determine the data associated with the speed of operation of the front wheels 124 and the rear wheels 126 of the work machine 100.
In some embodiments, the work machine 100 may include an inertial measurement unit (IMU) sensor 142 to provide data associated with an acceleration of the work machine 100. The IMU sensor 142 may provide signals indicative of the data associated with the acceleration of the work machine 100 along the direction of travel ‘T’ of the work machine 100. In this regard, the IMU sensor 142 may include an accelerometer.
The work machine 100 may also include a visual imaging system such as a camera 144 for generating a real time video feed indicating one of more operations of the work machine 100 at the worksite 102. The video feed may be transmitted wirelessly to the remote operator workstation 150 (shown in
The remote operator workstation 150 (shown in
Referring to
The controller 140 may be configured to represent the slippage experienced by the traction device 122 of the work machine 100 on the remote operator interface 152 of the remote operator workstation 150 (discussed later) for controlling the work machine 100 through the remote operator interface 152. The controller 140 is configured to communicate with the speed sensor 130 of the work machine 100 to receive the data associated with the speed of operation of the traction device 122 of the work machine 100 at the worksite 102. In some embodiments, the controller 140 is also configured to communicate with the IMU sensor 142 of the work machine 100 to receive the data associated with the acceleration of the work machine 100 at the worksite 102.
The controller 140 is configured to determine a slippage condition of the traction device 122 based on the data associated with the speed of operation of the traction device 122 received from the speed sensor 130. For example, the data associated with the speed of operation of the traction device 122 may correspond to the angular speed of the wheels 124, 126. In an embodiment, the controller 140 may be configured to determine the slippage condition of the traction device 122 by detecting an increase in the speed of operation of the traction device 122 beyond a threshold operation value.
In yet another example, the controller 140 may be configured to determine the slippage condition of the traction device 122 when the speed of operation of the traction device 122 corresponds to a speed or acceleration of the work machine 100 that is greater (e.g., beyond a corresponding threshold) than the speed or acceleration of the work machine 100 gauged from the IMU sensor 142. To this end, the controller 140 may be configured to obtain a linear movement data (e.g., one or more of speed and acceleration) of the work machine 100 based on the data associated with the angular speed of the wheels 124, 126 and compare the linear movement data with the data obtained from the IMU sensor 142. For example, when the work machine 100's traction device 122 indicates a speed greater (e.g., beyond a corresponding threshold) than a speed indicated by the IMU sensor 142, the controller 140 may associate the slippage condition with corresponding the traction devices 122 from where the speed of operation was obtained.
In yet another example, the controller 140 may be configured to determine the slippage condition based on a difference in the relative speeds of the plurality of wheels 124, 126 exceeding a threshold difference value. For example, if a difference between the speed of operation of the front wheel 124 and the speed of operation of the rear wheel 126 is determined to be greater than the threshold difference value, the controller 140 may associate the slippage condition with the front wheel 124. Although not discussed, it would be appreciated that the slippage condition of the traction devices 122 of the work machine 100 may be determined based on various other techniques known in the art.
The controller 140 is configured to issue a notification of the slippage condition to the remote operator workstation 150, for example, through the remote operator interface 152 of the remote operator workstation 150. The notification may include activation of a visual overlay over a virtual image, of the traction device 122, displayed in the video feed to represent the slippage condition on the remote operator interface 152 of the remote operator workstation 150. In some embodiments, activating the visual overlay further includes changing one or more attributes of the visual overlay to indicate a variation in the slippage condition. For example, the attributes include one or more of an opacity or a color of the visual overlay on the virtual image, of the traction device 122, displayed on the remote operator interface 152.
In an example, the controller 140 may be configured to reduce the opacity of the visual overlay on the virtual image, of the traction device 122 in response to a reduction in the slippage of the corresponding traction device 122. In the same manner, the controller 140 may be configured to increase the opacity of the visual overlay on the virtual image, of the traction device 122 in response to an increase in the slippage of the corresponding traction device 122. In another example, the controller 140 may configured to change the color of the visual overlay on the virtual image, of the traction device 122 to a first color in case of a non-slippage condition i.e., when there is no slippage experienced by the corresponding traction device 122. In the same manner, the controller 140 may configured to change the color of the visual overlay on the virtual image, of the traction device 122 to a second color when there is a slippage condition experienced by the corresponding traction device 122. In some embodiments, the controller 140 may configured to reduce an intensity of the color of the visual overlay on the virtual image, of the traction device 122 in response to response to a reduction in the slippage of the corresponding traction device 122 and increase the intensity of the color in response to an increase in the slippage of the corresponding traction device 122.
In an embodiment, activating the visual overlay includes animating the visual overlay such that the visual overlay spins commensurately to a spinning action experienced by the virtual image of the traction device 122 displayed in the video feed. For example, the spinning action may correspond to the data associated with the speed of the corresponding traction device 122. To this end, the controller 140 is configured to determine the data associated with the speed of the traction device 122 and animate the visual overlay such that the visual overlay spins commensurately to the speed of the traction device 122 in the video feed, thereby providing an indication of the slippage experienced by the traction device 122. In accordance with various embodiments of the present disclosure, the controller 140 is further configured to deactivate the notification after a lapse of a predefined period from an issuance of the notification.
In accordance with various embodiments of the present disclosure, the slippage condition may correspond to a first slippage condition and the one or more attributes may include a first attribute when the speed of the traction device 122 is less than or equal to a slippage threshold value. Alternatively, the slippage condition may correspond to a second slippage condition and the one or more attributes may include a second attribute when the speed of the traction device 122 is greater than the slippage threshold value. The first attribute may be different from the second attribute. As an example, the first attribute may include ‘yellow’ color and the second attribute may include ‘red’ color, with exemplary ‘red’ indicating a heightened or severe slippage condition.
The remote operator workstation 150 is configured to receive the notification of the slippage condition of the traction device 122 from the controller 140 and display the notification on the remote operator interface 152. As described in detail above, the notification may correspond to the activation of the visual overlay over the virtual image of the traction device 122 displayed in the video feed to represent the slippage condition on the remote operator interface 152 and the change in one or more attributes of the visual overlay may indicate a variation in the slippage condition.
Similarly, when the attribute corresponds to the color of the visual overlay on the virtual image of the traction device 122, the first color may be utilized to represent the non-slippage of the traction device 122 and the second color may be utilized to represent the slippage of the traction device 122. In some embodiments, the reduced intensity of the color may represent a reduction in the slippage of the traction device 122 and the increased intensity of the color may represent an increase in the slippage of the traction device 122. In some embodiments, the visual overlay on the virtual image of the traction device 122 is animated such that the visual overlay spins commensurately to the spinning action experienced by the virtual image of the traction device 122 displayed in the video feed to represent the slippage condition experienced by the traction device 122.
During operation, when the work machine 100 interacts with (e.g., cultivate, dig, rip, or otherwise disturb) the material bank 104, the reactionary resistance applied by the material bank 104 on the implement 120 of the work machine 100 may impede the work machine's ingress into the material bank 104, and may cause the one or more traction devices 122 of the work machine 100 to slip over the ground surface 106. In some cases, one or more traction devices 122 of the work machine 100 may sustain more slippage than one or more of the other traction devices 122, e.g., when there is a lack of sufficient friction between those traction devices 122 and the ground surface 106.
An operator stationed and operating the work machine 100 remotely via the remote operator workstation 150 may not perceive and feel the slippage experienced by the work machine 100. The system 160 communicates such slippage to the remote operator interface 152. In accordance with various embodiments of the present disclosure, the level of slippage experienced by the work machine 100 may be determined based on the data obtained from the speed sensor 130 and notified to the remote operator workstation 150 to take corrective actions.
In some embodiments, the controller 140 is configured to change the one or more attributes of the visual overlay 172, 174 to indicate the variation in the slippage condition. For example, when the one or more attributes include the opacity of the visual overlay 172, 174 on the virtual image, of the traction device 122, displayed on the remote operator interface 152, the controller 140 is configured to reduce the opacity in response to the reduction in the slippage of the traction device 122 and increase the opacity in response to the increase in the slippage of the traction device 122. In yet another example, when the one or more attributes include the color of the visual overlay on the virtual image, of the traction device 122, displayed on the remote operator interface 152, the controller 140 is configured to reduce the intensity of the color in response to the reduction in the slippage of the traction device 122 and increase the intensity of the color in response to the increase in the slippage of the traction device 122.
The present disclosure provides a method and system to notify the remote operator of the work machine 100 of the slippage condition experienced by the traction devices 122 of the work machine 100 on the worksite 102. The notifications enable the remote operator to effectively operate the work machine 100 and avoid any potential wear or damage to the traction devices 122 of the work machine 100 by providing feedback and perception of the level of slippage experienced by the work machine 100 at the worksite 102. This increases the life of the traction devices 122 of the work machine 100 and reduces the need for the repair or replacement of one or more of the traction devices 122, saving time, effort, and cost.
While aspects of the present disclosure have been particularly shown and described with reference to the embodiments above, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various additional embodiments may be contemplated by the modification of the disclosed machines, systems and methods without departing from the spirit and scope of what is disclosed. Such embodiments should be understood to fall within the scope of the present disclosure as determined based upon the claims and any equivalents thereof.
