Data processing: vehicles – navigation – and relative location – Vehicle control – guidance – operation – or indication – Construction or agricultural-type vehicle
Reexamination Certificate
2000-06-13
2001-08-28
Nguyen, Tan (Department: 3661)
Data processing: vehicles, navigation, and relative location
Vehicle control, guidance, operation, or indication
Construction or agricultural-type vehicle
C037S348000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06282477
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates generally to a method and apparatus for displaying an object at a site of earthworking operations and, more particularly, to a method and apparatus for displaying the location of an underground object relative to an earthworking implement.
BACKGROUND ART
Earthworking machines, such as excavators, backhoes, front shovels, and the like, are used to perform a wide variety of tasks. For example, earthworking machines are used to dig foundations, install and maintain utilities, dig trenches, dredge waterways, perform landscaping operations, and accomplish many other jobs.
The extensive use of earthworking machines, and the associated expense of using them, has created a great need for technological improvements and innovations to make operations more efficient, more productive, less strenuous on human operators, and more accurate. For example, using terrain map data and position determining systems such as GPS, an operator of an earthworking machine may be provided with a display of the terrain being worked, the machine and earthworking implement as the work is performed, and changes being made to the terrain, all in real time. Examples of display technology being used by earthworking machines include U.S. Pat. No. 5,864,060 to Henderson et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,438,771 to Sahm et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,404,661 to Sahm et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 5,631,658 to Gudat et al.
However, a major problem associated with earthworking operations, and one that is not addressed by the above mentioned references, is the presence of already existing underground objects, such as utility lines, gas pipelines, and the like. Currently, an operator of an earthworking machine must rely on location marks, maps, and guesswork to avoid damaging underground objects. Often, as the operator of an earthworking machine approaches the estimated location of an underground object, the operator must stop and allow other workers to carefully hand dig further.
It is desired to be able to increase productivity and efficiency, yet minimize damage to underground objects without resorting to manual labor means, by providing the operator of an earthworking machine with an indication, preferably on a display, of the location of any known underground objects relative to the earthworking implement. It is also desired to provide an operator of an earthworking machine with a display of underground objects relative to the earthworking implement that compensates for errors introduced in determining the locations of the implement and the objects.
The present invention is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems as set forth above.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
In one aspect of the present invention a method for displaying a location of an object at an earthworking site is disclosed. The method includes the steps of determining a location in geographical coordinates of an earthworking implement at the earthworking site, determining a location in geographical coordinates of the object, displaying the earthworking implement and the object on a display having a top view and a side profile view of the earthworking site, selecting a perimeter of interest in the top view with respect to the earthworking implement, determining the coordinates of a portion of the object bounded by the perimeter of interest, and displaying a three-dimensional image of the portion of the object in the side profile view as a function of the perimeter of interest.
In another aspect of the present invention a method for displaying a location of an object at an earthworking site is disclosed. The method includes the steps of determining a location in geographical coordinates of an earthworking implement at the earthworking site, determining a location in geographical coordinates of the object, displaying the earthworking implement and the object on a display having a top view and a side profile view of the earthworking site, determining a region of uncertainty of the object as a function of at least one parameter, and enlarging the side profile view of the image of the object as a function of the region of uncertainty.
In yet another aspect of the present invention a method for displaying a location of an object at an earthworking site is disclosed. The method includes the steps of determining a location in geographical coordinates of an earthworking implement at the earthworking site, determining a location in geographical coordinates of the object, displaying the earthworking implement and the object on a display having a top view and a side profile view of the earthworking site, selecting a perimeter of interest in the top view with respect to the earthworking implement, determining the coordinates of a portion of the object bounded by the perimeter of interest, displaying a three-dimensional image of the portion of the object in the side profile view as a function of the perimeter of interest, determining a region of uncertainty of the object as a function of at least one parameter, and enlarging the side profile view of the image of the object as a function of the region of uncertainty.
In yet another aspect of the present invention an apparatus for displaying a location of an object at an earthworking site is disclosed. The apparatus includes a position determining system adapted to determine a location of an earthworking implement at the earthworking site, means for determining a location of the object, a display having a top view and a side profile view of the earthworking site, means for selecting a perimeter of interest in the top view, and a processor adapted to determine a set of coordinates of a portion of the object within the perimeter of interest, display a three-dimensional image of the portion of the object in the side profile view, determine a region of uncertainty of the coordinates of the object, and enlarge the image of the object in the side profile view as a function of the region of uncertainty.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5193883 (1993-03-01), Spies
patent: 5404661 (1995-04-01), Sahm et al.
patent: 5438771 (1995-08-01), Sahm et al.
patent: 5490081 (1996-02-01), Kuromoto et al.
patent: 5631658 (1997-05-01), Gudat et al.
patent: 5836398 (1998-11-01), White
patent: 5864060 (1999-01-01), Henderson et al.
patent: 5920194 (1999-07-01), Lewis et al.
patent: 5991694 (1999-11-01), Gudat et al.
patent: 6055042 (2000-04-01), Sarangapani
patent: 6119376 (2000-09-01), Stump
Gudat Adam J.
Kalafut James J.
Lay N. Keith
Price Robert J.
Caterpillar Inc.
Lundquist Steven D.
Nguyen Tan
Tran Dalena
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