US20180347154A1 - System and method for determining a material entity to be removed from a pile and a control unit for a working machine comprising such a system - Google Patents

System and method for determining a material entity to be removed from a pile and a control unit for a working machine comprising such a system Download PDF

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Publication number
US20180347154A1
US20180347154A1 US15/779,866 US201515779866A US2018347154A1 US 20180347154 A1 US20180347154 A1 US 20180347154A1 US 201515779866 A US201515779866 A US 201515779866A US 2018347154 A1 US2018347154 A1 US 2018347154A1
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Prior art keywords
pile
shape
nominal
determining
entity
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Abandoned
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US15/779,866
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English (en)
Inventor
Torbjörn Martinsson
Martin Magnusson
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Volvo Construction Equipment AB
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Volvo Construction Equipment AB
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Assigned to VOLVO CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT AB reassignment VOLVO CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT AB ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: MARTINSSON, Torbjörn, MAGNUSSON, MARTIN
Publication of US20180347154A1 publication Critical patent/US20180347154A1/en
Abandoned legal-status Critical Current

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    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E02—HYDRAULIC ENGINEERING; FOUNDATIONS; SOIL SHIFTING
    • E02F—DREDGING; SOIL-SHIFTING
    • E02F9/00—Component parts of dredgers or soil-shifting machines, not restricted to one of the kinds covered by groups E02F3/00 - E02F7/00
    • E02F9/26—Indicating devices
    • E02F9/261—Surveying the work-site to be treated
    • E02F9/262—Surveying the work-site to be treated with follow-up actions to control the work tool, e.g. controller
    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E02—HYDRAULIC ENGINEERING; FOUNDATIONS; SOIL SHIFTING
    • E02F—DREDGING; SOIL-SHIFTING
    • E02F3/00—Dredgers; Soil-shifting machines
    • E02F3/04—Dredgers; Soil-shifting machines mechanically-driven
    • E02F3/28—Dredgers; Soil-shifting machines mechanically-driven with digging tools mounted on a dipper- or bucket-arm, i.e. there is either one arm or a pair of arms, e.g. dippers, buckets
    • E02F3/36—Component parts
    • E02F3/42—Drives for dippers, buckets, dipper-arms or bucket-arms
    • E02F3/43—Control of dipper or bucket position; Control of sequence of drive operations
    • E02F3/431—Control of dipper or bucket position; Control of sequence of drive operations for bucket-arms, front-end loaders, dumpers or the like
    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E02—HYDRAULIC ENGINEERING; FOUNDATIONS; SOIL SHIFTING
    • E02F—DREDGING; SOIL-SHIFTING
    • E02F3/00—Dredgers; Soil-shifting machines
    • E02F3/04—Dredgers; Soil-shifting machines mechanically-driven
    • E02F3/28—Dredgers; Soil-shifting machines mechanically-driven with digging tools mounted on a dipper- or bucket-arm, i.e. there is either one arm or a pair of arms, e.g. dippers, buckets
    • E02F3/36—Component parts
    • E02F3/42—Drives for dippers, buckets, dipper-arms or bucket-arms
    • E02F3/43—Control of dipper or bucket position; Control of sequence of drive operations
    • E02F3/435—Control of dipper or bucket position; Control of sequence of drive operations for dipper-arms, backhoes or the like

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a system for determining a material entity to be removed from a pile. Moreover, the present invention relates to a material moving machine comprising such a system. Further, the present invention relates to a method for determining a material entity to be removed from a pile. Additionally, the present invention relates to a method for removing material from a pile.
  • a material moving machine may be used for a plurality of material moving operations.
  • One example of such operations is moving material from a material pile.
  • moving material from a pile may be carried out when performing re-handling of processed material.
  • Non-limiting examples of a material moving machine may be a wheel loader, an excavator or the like.
  • an operation of moving material from a material pile comprises: digging into the pile with an implement of the material moving machine, at least partially filling the implement and moving the removed material to another location, e.g. by moving the material moving machine.
  • US 2015/0046044 A1 proposes a method which evaluates a set of possible attack poses for an implement in order to select an attack pose that results in an appropriate filling of the implement.
  • the present invention relates to a system for determining a material entity to be removed from a pile by means of an implement of a material moving machine.
  • the system comprises means for generating a current pile shape representing the actual shape of the pile.
  • the system is adapted to determine a nominal pile shape of at least a portion of the pile, the nominal pile shape being determined on the basis of at least the current pile shape and information regarding the material type of the pile.
  • the system is adapted to determine a surplus volume between the nominal pile shape and the current pile shape. Further, the system is adapted to determine the material entity to be removed from the pile on the basis of the surplus volume.
  • the system according to the above implies that preferred attack poses may be chosen. Furthermore, the above system implies the possibility to maintain an appropriate pile shape during a material removing procedure. For instance, as compared to prior art solutions, the above system implies a reduced risk of having a deterioration of the pile during a material moving sequence. This in turn implies a more efficient and productive material moving operation, in particular if material is moved from the pile during an autonomous operation.
  • a material removal strategy can be selected in which the material to be removed, at least to some extent, slides into the implement. This is turn implies that material may be removed from the pile without necessarily having to force the implement through the pile in order to fill the implement. Instead, the implement may be moved relative to the pile and material will slide into the implement as the implement moves. As such, material may be removed from the pile with a relatively low energy consumption.
  • the information regarding the material type of the pile comprises a nominal angle of repose for the material type.
  • the nominal angle of repose implies that the nominal pile shape may be determined in a straightforward manner.
  • the system is adapted to determine an excluding portion of the pile. Moreover, the system is adapted to determine a portion of the nominal pile shape which extends from the excluding portion in a direction determined by the information regarding the material type of the pile.
  • Certain piles may for instance have a relatively planar portion, such as a planar top or a ramp extending from the bottom towards the top of the pile, and it has been realized that the surplus volume determination may be improved if such portions are excluded when determining a portion of the nominal pile shape by the information regarding the material type of the pile. In particular, such portions may be excluded when determining portion of the nominal pile shape using the nominal angle of repose.
  • the system is adapted to determine a horizontal main extension direction of the excluding portion. Moreover, the system is adapted to determine a main material removal direction that is substantially parallel to the horizontal main extension direction.
  • a material removing strategy may be determined which takes such a horizontal main extension direction into account.
  • Such a strategy implies a reduced risk of obtaining an impaired pile, e.g a pile with crevices or the like.
  • selecting a main material removal direction in accordance with the above indicates a material removal that eventually results in that the pile assumes a relatively conical shape which thereafter can be removed in a straightforward manner.
  • the excluding portion comprises a portion approximated by a line or a polygon, preferably a rectangle.
  • Approximating the excluding portion with a line or a polygon implies that the general shape of the excluding portion may be determined in a straightforward manner.
  • the excluding portion comprises a portion approximated by a rectangle.
  • the pile has an extension in a vertical direction and the excluding portion of the pile is determined to be located above the nominal pile shape in the vertical extension. If the excluding portion is located in the above-mentioned position, the pile generally has a frustoconical shape. In such an event, it is generally beneficial to determine the surplus volume as a volume that is located between the envelope surface of the frustoconical shape and a nominal pile shape that extends from the excluding portion down to the bottom portion of the pile.
  • the pile has a bottom portion, the system being adapted to determine if the excluding portion extends to the bottom portion. If the excluding portion extends to the bottom portion, the excluding portion generally forms a ramp up the pile.
  • the system determines that the material entity to be removed from the pile comprises the excluding portion.
  • the excluding portion may in the present case be regarded as a ramp that extends up the pile.
  • the ramp generally has a ramp inclination relative to a vertical axis which ramp inclination is less than the angle of repose for the pile material.
  • a relatively large portion of the ramp may be removed before the associated side of the pile assumes a configuration that approaches the nominal pile shape. As such, it may be suitable to start with removing portions of the ramp.
  • the means comprises a perception assembly for generating the current pile shape, the perception assembly preferably comprising at least one of a camera and a laser sensor.
  • the perception assembly preferably comprising at least one of a camera and a laser sensor.
  • a camera and/or a laser sensor imply appropriate means for generating the current pile shape.
  • the means is adapted to generate a three-dimensional current pile shape representing the actual shape of the pile, the perception assembly preferably comprising at least one of a time-of-flight camera, a stereo camera, a structured light camera or an actuated laser range finder.
  • a three-dimensional current pile shape implies an appropriate possibility to determine current pile shape as such, but also an appropriate possibility to determine a shape of a excluding portion. For instance, a three-dimensional shape of the excluding portion may be determined.
  • the system is adapted to determine the current pile shape and/or the nominal pile shape when material has been removed from the pile.
  • the shape of the pile generally changes.
  • at least one of the current pile shape and the nominal pile shape may be re-determined after the material has been removed from the pile.
  • the material entity is a material volume.
  • the implement has a maximum material loading capacity and the system is adapted to determine the material entity to be removed from the pile on the basis also of the maximum material loading capacity.
  • the current pile shape as well as the nominal pile shape are updated after every scoop of removed material.
  • the current pile shape and/or the nominal pile shape is updated less frequently, e.g. every fifth or tenth scoop of removed material.
  • the frequency at which the current pile shape is updated differs from the frequency at which the nominal pile shape is updated.
  • the current pile shape may be updated more frequently than the nominal pile shape.
  • a second aspect of the present invention relates to a material moving machine, comprising an implement and a system according to the first aspect of the present invention.
  • a material moving machine according to the second aspect may be used for removing material from a pile in an efficient manner.
  • a third aspect of the present invention relates to a method for determining a material entity to be removed from a pile by means of an implement of a material moving machine.
  • the method comprises:
  • the nominal pile shape being determined on the basis of at least the current pile shape and information regarding the material type of the pile
  • the information regarding the material type of the pile comprises a nominal angle of repose for the material type.
  • the method further comprises determining an excluding portion of the pile and determining a portion of the nominal pile shape which extends from the excluding portion in a direction determined by the information regarding the material type of the pile.
  • the method further comprises determining a horizontal main extension direction of the excluding portion. Moreover, the method further comprises determining a main material removal direction that is substantially parallel to the horizontal main extension direction.
  • the excluding portion comprises a portion approximated by a line or a polygon.
  • the pile has an extension in a vertical direction and the excluding portion of the pile is located above the nominal pile shape in the vertical extension.
  • the method comprises determining if the excluding portion extends to the bottom portion.
  • the method determines that the material entity to be removed from the pile comprises the excluding portion.
  • the pile has an extension in a vertical direction and the excluding portion of the pile is located above the nominal pile shape.
  • the material entity is a material volume.
  • the implement has a maximum material loading capacity and the method comprises determining the material entity to be removed from the pile on the basis also of the maximum material loading capacity.
  • a fourth aspect of the present invention relates to a method for removing material from a pile by means of an implement of a material moving machine.
  • the method comprises:
  • the method further comprises determining the current pile shape and/or the nominal pile shape when material has been removed from the pile.
  • a fifth aspect of the present invention relates to a control unit for a working machine, the control unit being adapted to:
  • the nominal pile shape being determined on the basis of at least the current pile shape and information regarding the material type of the pile
  • the working machine comprises an implement and the control unit is further adapted to issue a signal to the working machine to operate the implement so as to remove the thus determined material entity from the pile.
  • FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a material moving machine and a pile
  • FIG. 2 is a schematic side cross-sectional view of one type of pile
  • FIG. 3 is a schematic side cross-sectional view of another type of pile
  • FIG. 4 is a point cloud image of the FIG. 3 pile
  • FIG. 5 is a schematic perspective view of a further pile type
  • FIG. 6 is a schematic perspective view of yet another pile type
  • FIG. 7 is a flow chart of a method.
  • the invention will be described in the following for a material moving machine in the form of a wheel loader 10 such as the one illustrated in FIG. 1 .
  • the wheel loader 10 should be seen as an example of a material moving machine which could comprise a system according to the present invention and/or for which the method of the present invention may be used.
  • the present invention may be implemented in another type of material moving machine, such as an excavator (not shown) or a bulldozer (not shown).
  • an excavator not shown
  • a bulldozer not shown
  • the moving machine may be a stationary moving machine.
  • the FIG. 1 material moving machine 10 comprises an implement 12 which in the FIG. 1 embodiment is exemplified by a bucket. Moreover, the material moving machine 10 comprises an actuating arrangement 14 for lifting and/or tilting the implement 12 . Purely by way of example, the actuating arrangement 14 may comprise a hydraulic actuator and/or an electric actuator (not shown in FIG. 1 ).
  • the implement 12 may be adapted to be moved, relative to the ground and/or relative to the remaining portion of the material moving machine 10 , to thereby be loaded with material.
  • FIG. 1 further illustrates a pile 16 of material.
  • the material may comprise sand, gravel, soil, pebbles, rocks or the like.
  • the material moving machine is adapted to remove a portion of the pile 16 or, alternatively, the complete pile 16 .
  • FIG. 1 also illustrates a system 18 for determining a material entity to be removed from the pile 16 by means of an implement of a material moving machine.
  • the material moving machine 10 comprises the system 18 .
  • the system 18 may be spatially separated from the material moving machine 10 .
  • the system 18 or at least parts of it, may be located in a stationary or moving object (not shown in FIG. 1 ) spatially separated from the material moving machine 10 .
  • the system 18 comprises means for generating a current pile shape representing the actual shape of the pile 16 .
  • Such means may also be referred to as a current pile shape generator.
  • such means may comprise a perception assembly for generating the current pile shape.
  • the perception assembly may comprise at least one of a camera and a laser sensor.
  • the perception assembly may be used for generating an image of the actual shape of the pile 16 which image thereafter may be used for generating the current pile shape representing the actual shape of the pile 16 .
  • the means for generating a current pile shape may comprise a pile shape generation electronic control unit 19 that is adapted to receive information from the perception assembly and process the information thus received in order to generate the current pile shape.
  • the perception assembly may comprise at least one of a time-of-flight camera, a stereo camera, a structured light camera or an actuated laser range finder such that a three-dimensional image of the surface pile 16 may be generated.
  • the image of the actual shape of the pile may be generated by a point cloud measurement of the pile 16 and optionally the surrounding area.
  • a point cloud measurement may be determined by collecting data with an actuated Sick LMS211 laser range finder or a Velodyne HDL-64E, after which the data are registered with a suitable algorithm such as 3D-NDT or ICP.
  • a point cloud measurement may also comprise segmentation of the point cloud to isolate the points that belong to the pile 16 .
  • segmentation is described in WO2013043087A1.
  • the FIG. 1 material moving machine 10 is presented with two implementations of the perception assembly 20 .
  • a perception assembly 20 ′ is attached to the material moving machine 10 .
  • the material moving machine 10 may comprise a cabin 22 with a cabin top 24 , wherein at least the portion of the perception assembly 20 ′ of the first alternative is attached to the cabin top 24 .
  • the first alternative implementation of the perception assembly 20 ′ may be attached to another portion of the material moving machine 10 , such as the actuating arrangement 14 or, alternatively, the implement 12 .
  • the perception assembly 20 ′ may be connected to the uppermost portion of the implement 12 .
  • a perception assembly 20 ′′ is not attached to the material moving machine 10 .
  • the perception assembly 20 ′′ in accordance with the second implementation is spatially separated from the material moving machine 10 .
  • the perception assembly 20 ′′ in accordance with the second alternative implementation may be located on a stationary object, such as a mast 26 or the like, or a perception assembly 20 ′′′ may be located on a moving object (not shown).
  • the moving object may be an object that is capable of flying and that has one or more rotors, e.g. a helicopter or a quadcopter.
  • the material moving machines may use the same perception assembly; either a perception assembly 20 ′ that is attached to one of the material moving machines or a perception assembly 20 ′′ that is not attached to any one of the material moving machines.
  • a current pile shape representing the actual shape of the pile 16 may be generated.
  • the current pile shape may be the same as the generated image of the surface pile 16 .
  • the current pile shape is generated on the basis on the image of the pile surface. In other words, the current pile shape may be generated by further processing information obtained from the image of the pile surface.
  • the current pile shape may be constituted by the point cloud as such or, alternatively, the current pile shape may be generated by triangulation of the point cloud wherein triangles are formed between adjacent points in the point cloud. It is also envisaged that the current pile shape may be processed by applying a smoothing function to the points in the point cloud such that local discontinuities in the surface formed by the points of the point cloud are smoothen out when generating the current pile shape.
  • the pile shape generation electronic control unit 19 may preferably communicate with the perception assembly, e.g. via cables and/or via wireless communication.
  • the electronic control unit 19 and the perception assembly may form a unitary component that is adapted to transmit the current pile shape to another portion of the system 18 .
  • the system 18 is optionally also adapted to receive information indicative of the material type of the pile 16 .
  • the system 18 may be adapted to receive input from an operator indicative of the material type.
  • the system 18 may be able to determine the type of material by e.g. reading the weight of the material loaded into the implement, for instance using one or more weight sensors (not shown), determining the volume of the material loaded into the bucket, e.g. using the above-discussed image and/or the above-discussed surface model, determining the density of the material and from the density thus determined establish the type of material.
  • the system 18 may be able to determine the type of material by determining the location of the bucket, e.g. using a GPS system or the like, and using data of the material at that location, e.g. using a database, a look-up table, and thus determine the type of material.
  • the information regarding the material need not necessarily include the type of material as such.
  • the information regarding the material may be an angle of repose that is determined to be appropriate for a plurality of material types, for instance a plurality of material types that are located in the vicinity of the pile 16 .
  • the information regarding the material may comprise information as regards the actual material type.
  • the system 18 is adapted to determine a surplus volume between a nominal pile shape and the current pile shape and determining the material entity to be removed from the pile on the basis of that surplus volume.
  • the system may comprise a control unit 21 , for instance an electronic control unit, which is adapted to carry out the above procedure.
  • the control unit 21 and the pile shape generation electronic control unit 19 may be separate components and the control unit 21 may be adapted to receive information from the pile shape generation electronic control unit 19 .
  • control unit 21 may be an electronic control unit configured to run a first computer program that is adapted to receive information from the perception assembly 20 and generate a current pile shape 26 and also to run a second computer program that is adapted to receive information from the current pile shape 26 and determine the nominal pile shape, the surplus volume and the material entity to be removed from the pile 16 .
  • FIG. 2 illustrates an example of a current pile shape 26 .
  • the current pile shape 26 may preferably be three-dimensional, but in order to simplify the description of the present invention, a two-dimensional cross-section of a current pile shape is illustrated in FIG. 2 .
  • the system 18 is adapted to determine a nominal pile shape 28 of at least a portion of the pile.
  • the nominal pile shape 28 is determined on the basis of at least the current pile shape 26 and information regarding the material type of the pile from which the current pile shape was generated.
  • a material type parameter that may be relevant when determining the nominal pile shape 28 is the nominal angle of repose ⁇ , viz the steepest angle relative to a horizontal plane to which a material can be piled without slumping, for the material loaded into the bucket 12 .
  • system 18 is adapted to determine a surplus volume 30 between the nominal pile shape 28 and the current pile shape 26 . Further, the system 18 is adapted to determine the material entity 32 to be removed from the pile on the basis of the surplus volume 30 .
  • the material entity 32 is exemplified by a material volume.
  • the material entity 32 may relate to another physical property of the material to be removed.
  • the material entity 32 may relate to the weight of the material to be removed.
  • the system 18 may be adapted to, based on the surplus volume 30 and possibly also on additional material properties such as the density, determine how the implement 12 should move in relation to the pile 16 in order to remove a preferred material weight.
  • the pile extends down to a ground level 34 and the material entity 32 to be removed from the pile is chosen such that the material entity 32 has a bottom portion that is located relatively close to the ground level 34 and that the material entity 32 has one side 32 ′ that is located relatively close to the nominal pile shape 28 .
  • the material entity 32 it is generally preferred to choose the material entity 32 such that a portion thereof is located at, or at least close to, the ground level 34 .
  • material of the pile that is located above the material entity 32 may start sliding downwards such that a new surplus volume is formed at a relatively low elevation.
  • the new surface that is created by the material that has slid downwards will generally have a surface angle that is close to the angle of repose ⁇ .
  • the material entity 32 may be allowed to extend into the nominal pile shape 28 .
  • the nominal pile shape 28 has been determined by identifying the top portion 35 of the current pile shape 26 and generating a cone the inclination of which corresponds to the angle of repose and the apex of which is located at the top portion 35 of the current pile shape 26 .
  • the implement 12 may have a maximum material loading capacity.
  • the implement 12 may have maximum material loading volume and/or a maximum material loading weight.
  • the system may be adapted to determine the material entity 52 to be removed from the pile 16 on the basis also of the maximum material loading capacity.
  • FIG. 3 illustrates another implementation for determining the nominal pile shape 28 .
  • a two-dimensional cross-section of a current pile shape is illustrated in FIG. 3 .
  • the system 18 is adapted to determine an excluding portion 36 of the pile which should be excluded from a portion of the nominal pile shape 28 which portion is determined by the information regarding the material type of the pile, e.g. the nominal angle of repose ⁇ . As such, the system 18 is adapted to determine a portion of the nominal pile shape 28 which extends from the excluding portion 36 in a direction determined by the information regarding the material type of the pile 16 .
  • the excluding portion 36 has a planar shape with a circumference 38 and the nominal pile shape 28 is determined by generating a surface with two ends, a first surface end being aligned with the circumference 38 of the excluding portion 36 and a second surface end being located on ground level 34 .
  • the surface extends from the circumference 38 to the ground level with the angle of repose ⁇ .
  • generating the nominal pile shape 28 in the above-discussed manner may result in a frustoconical nominal pile shape 28 .
  • the excluding portion 36 may be determined in accordance with the below example that is presented with reference to FIG. 4 .
  • a two-dimensional image of points of a point cloud measurement is illustrated in FIG. 4 .
  • a point cloud may generally form a three-dimensional image of the actual pile.
  • a set of bottom-edge points BEP and top-edge points TEP of the pile may be determined. If the point cloud has been triangulated, the bottom points can be selected as the boundary points that are close to the ground plane, and the top points are the remaining boundary points.
  • bottom and top points can be selected based on the height of points in a local spherical neighbourhood of a relevant point, viz the points that are located within a sphere the centre of which is the relevant point and which sphere has a predetermined radius.
  • z is the altitude of a point p and that zm is the average altitude of the n points closest to p, zb the minimum altitude of the neighbouring points and zt the maximum altitude.
  • two thresholds tb and tt could be used to avoid selecting points inside the pile as top or bottom points.
  • the tolerance tol may be set to a percentage of the height of the pile, wherein the height of the pile may be determined by subtracting ⁇ from ⁇ circumflex over (z) ⁇ , or the tolerance tol may have a fixed value, for instance 0.5 m.
  • a scaling factor tz could be selected based on the average point density.
  • Bottom points can be selected as the points that fulfil both of the following criteria z ⁇ zm ⁇ tz(zm ⁇ zb) and z ⁇ tb.
  • top points can be selected as the points that fulfil both of the following criteria z>zm+tz(zt ⁇ zm) and z>tt.
  • a polygon may be fitted to the top-edge points TEP, which defines a base shape that the top-edge points TEP form.
  • Non-limiting base shapes comprises a point, a line, a rectangle or a ramp.
  • such a polygon can be projected to a maximum-likelihood plane, in order to flatten and/or smoothen the polygon.
  • One way to do so is to apply principal component analysis to the set of top points and compute three eigenvalues ⁇ 1 > ⁇ 2 > ⁇ 3 and three corresponding eigenvectors e 1 , e 2 , e 3 .
  • the top-edge points TEP can then be projected onto to the planar surface defined by the normal eigenvector e 3 and the in-plane eigenvectors e 1 and e 2 .
  • FIG. 5 illustrates a pile 16 that comprises an excluding portion 36 .
  • the system 18 may be adapted to determine a horizontal main extension direction 39 of the excluding portion 36 .
  • the horizontal main extension direction 39 may be determined using the first in-plane vector e 1 , for instance by projecting the first in-plane vector e 1 onto a horizontal plane P.
  • the system may be adapted to determine a main material removal direction 40 that is substantially parallel to the horizontal main extension direction 39 .
  • the main material removal direction 40 extends in the same direction as the horizontal main extension direction 39 but in another example embodiment, the main material removal direction 40 could extend in a direction opposite of the horizontal main extension direction 39 .
  • FIG. 6 illustrates a pile that has a bottom portion located at ground level 34 .
  • the system may be adapted to determine if the excluding portion 36 extends to the bottom portion as is the case in the FIG. 6 example.
  • a procedure for determine if the excluding portion 36 extends to the bottom portion may comprise a step of determining whether or not the at least a part of the excluding portion 36 determined is located at or at least close to any one of the bottom-edge points BEP that have been discussed hereinabove with reference to FIG. 4 .
  • the system determines that the material entity to be removed from the pile comprises the excluding portion 36 .
  • the ramp may be advantageous since the ramp generally deviates significantly from the nominal pile shape 28 .
  • the ramp generally comprises a significant amount of material that can be removed before reaching a pile shape that is close to the nominal pile shape 28 .
  • the excluding portion 36 that extending to the bottom portion is used as a ramp during an operation of removing material from the pile, it may be advantageous to use a material removal strategy that follows a constraint that the material entity to be removed from the pile should not include the excluding portion 36 .
  • the system is adapted to determine the current pile shape and/or the nominal pile shape when material has been removed from the pile.
  • the current pile shape as well as the nominal pile shape may be updated after every scoop of removed material.
  • the current pile shape and/or the nominal pile shape is updated less frequently, e.g. every fifth or tenth scoop of removed material.
  • the frequency at which the current pile shape is updated is different from the frequency at which the nominal pile shape is updated.
  • the current pile shape may be updated more frequently than the nominal pile shape.
  • FIG. 7 illustrates a flow chart illustrating a method in accordance with the present invention. The method is directed to determine a material entity to be removed from a pile by means of an implement of a material moving machine.
  • the method illustrated in FIG. 7 comprises
  • the nominal pile shape being determined on the basis of at least the current pile shape and information regarding the material type of the pile
  • control unit 21 may be adapted to receive information regarding the pile from another component, such as the perception assembly 20 that has been discussed hereinabove.

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US15/779,866 2015-12-18 2015-12-18 System and method for determining a material entity to be removed from a pile and a control unit for a working machine comprising such a system Abandoned US20180347154A1 (en)

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