US6037901A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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System and method for communicating information for fleets of earthworking machines
Assignee: Caterpillar Inc
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Filing: 1999-05-17
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Granted: 2000-03-14
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Expires: 2019-05-17
Abstract
Abstract A communications system and method for fleets of earthworking machines. The system and method includes a global communications level for communicating over long range distances, at least one site communications level for communicating over medium range distances, and at least one theater communications level for communicating over short range distances. The system and method also includes at least one local communications level for communicating between earthworking machines, and a fleet manager for coordinating communications of the earthworking machines as a function of at least one of the global communications level, the site communications level, the theater communications level, and the local communications level.
Inventors
- 👤 Lonnie J. Devier
- 👤 N. Keith Lay
- 👤 Satish M. Shetty
- 👤 Adam J. Gudat
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 13:41
CPC Classifications
E; E02; E02F; E02F9/00; E02F9/20; E02F9/2025; E02F9/2045; G; G01; G01S; G01S5/00; G01S5/0009; G01S5/009
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 37
Claim 1
Independent Claim
112 words
A communications system for fleets of earthworking machines engaged in earthworking operations, comprising: a global communications level for communicating over long range distances; at least one site communications level for communicating over medium range distances; at least one theater communications level for communicating over short range distances; at least one local communications level for communicating between earthworking machines located in close proximity to each other; and a fleet manager for coordinating communications of the earthworking machines as a function of a desired at least one of the global communications level, the at least one site communications level, the at least one theater communications level, and the at least one local communications level.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
112 words
A communications system for fleets of earthworking machines engaged in earthworking operations, comprising: a global communications level for communicating over long range distances; at least one site communications level for communicating over medium range distances; at least one theater communications level for communicating over short range distances; at least one local communications level for communicating between earthworking machines located in close proximity to each other; and a fleet manager for coordinating communications of the earthworking machines as a function of a desired at least one of the global communications level, the at least one site communications level, the at least one theater communications level, and the at least one local communications level.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
31 words
A communications system, as set forth in claim 1, further including a global positioning satellite (GPS) system correction communications level for communicating a GPS system correction signal to the earthworking machines.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
31 words
A communications system, as set forth in claim 1, further including a machine stop communications level for stopping operations of at least one earthworking machine in response to a predetermined condition.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
28 words
A communications system, as set forth in claim 3, wherein a predetermined condition includes a determination that at least one earthworking machine has deviated from a desired position.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
31 words
A communications system, as set forth in claim 3, wherein a predetermined condition includes a determination that a parameter of an earthworking machine has deviated from a predetermined range of tolerance.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
23 words
A communications system, as set forth in claim 3, wherein each earthworking machine communicates a heartbeat signal at the machine stop communications level.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
26 words
A communications system, as set forth in claim 6, wherein operations of an earthworking machine is stopped in response to failure to communicate the heartbeat signal.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
19 words
A communications system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the global communications level includes a satellite communications system.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
21 words
A communications system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the global communications level includes a long range wired telecommunications system.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
26 words
A communications system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the global communications level includes a satellite communications system and a long range wired telecommunications system.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
33 words
A communications system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the at least one site communications level is adapted for non line of sight communications up to a range of about twenty kilometers.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
31 words
A communications system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the at least one site communications level is adapted to provide direct communications between the fleet manager and the earthworking machines.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
32 words
A communications system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the at least one theater communications level is adapted for non line of sight communications at a range of about one kilometer.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
30 words
A communications system, as set forth in claim 3, wherein the machine stop communications level is adapted to communicate machine stop information on the at least one theater communications level.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
30 words
A communications system, as set forth in claim 3, wherein the machine stop communications level is adapted to communicate machine stop information on the at least one local communications level.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
42 words
A communications system, as set forth in claim 3, wherein the machine stop communications level is adapted to communicate machine stop information on at least one of the at least one theater communications level and the at least one local communications level.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
32 words
A communications system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the at least one local communications level is adapted for line of sight communications at a range up to about one kilometer.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
26 words
A communications system, as set forth in claim 17, wherein the at least one local communications level is adapted to provide direct communications between earthworking machines.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
40 words
A communications system, as set forth in claim 18, wherein each earthworking machine located within a local communications level has a message identification number to allow direct communications with each other earthworking machine located within the same local communications level.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
149 words
A method for communicating information for fleets of earthworking machines engaged in earthworking operations, including the steps of: communicating on a global communications level in response to the need to communicate over long range distances; communicating on at least one site communications level in response to the need to communicate over medium range distances; communicating on at least one theater communications level in response to the need to communicate over short range distances; communicating on at least one local communications level in response to the need for earthworking machines located in close proximity to each other to communicate with each other; and coordinating the communications of the earthworking machines by a fleet manager as a function of a desired at least one of the global communications level, the at least one site communications level, the at least one theater communications level, and the at least one local communications level.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
149 words
A method for communicating information for fleets of earthworking machines engaged in earthworking operations, including the steps of: communicating on a global communications level in response to the need to communicate over long range distances; communicating on at least one site communications level in response to the need to communicate over medium range distances; communicating on at least one theater communications level in response to the need to communicate over short range distances; communicating on at least one local communications level in response to the need for earthworking machines located in close proximity to each other to communicate with each other; and coordinating the communications of the earthworking machines by a fleet manager as a function of a desired at least one of the global communications level, the at least one site communications level, the at least one theater communications level, and the at least one local communications level.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
33 words
A method, as set forth in claim 20, further including the step of communicating a global positioning satellite (GPS) system correction signal to the earthworking machines on a GPS system correction communications level.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method, as set forth in claim 20, further including the step of communicating machine stop information on a machine stop communications level.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
34 words
A method, as set forth in claim 22, wherein the step of communicating machine stop information includes the step of stopping operations of at least one earthworking machine in response to a predetermined condition.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method, as set forth in claim 23, wherein a predetermined condition includes a determination that at least one earthworking machine has deviated from a desired position.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method, as set forth in claim 23, wherein a predetermined condition includes a determination that a parameter of an earthworking machine has deviated from a predetermined range of tolerance.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method, as set forth in claim 23, wherein the step of communicating machine stop information includes the step of communicating a heartbeat signal by each earthworking machine.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method, as set forth in claim 26, wherein operations of an earthworking machine is stopped in response to failure to communicate the heartbeat signal.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
35 words
A method, as set forth in claim 20, wherein the step of communicating on at least one site communications level includes the step of providing direct communications between the fleet manager and the earthworking machines.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
38 words
A method, as set forth in claim 22, wherein the step of communicating machine stop information on a machine stop communications level includes the step of communicating machine stop information on the at least one theater communications level.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
38 words
A method, as set forth in claim 22, wherein the step of communicating machine stop information on a machine stop communications level includes the step of communicating machine stop information on the at least one local communications level.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
50 words
A method, as set forth in claim 22, wherein the step of communicating machine stop information on a machine stop communications level includes the step of communicating machine stop information on at least one of the at least one theater communications level and the at least one local communications level.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method, as set forth in claim 20, wherein the step of communicating on at least one local communications level includes the step of providing direct communications between earthworking machines.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
54 words
A method, as set forth in claim 32, wherein the step of communicating on at least one local communications level includes the step of providing to each machine located within a local communications level a message identification number to allow direct communications with each other earthworking machine located within the same local communications level.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
164 words
A communications system for fleets of earthworking machines engaged in earthworking operations, comprising: a global communications level for communicating over long range distances; at least one site communications level for communicating over medium range distances; at least one theater communications level for communicating over short range distances; at least one local communications level for communicating between earthworking machines located in close proximity to each other; a global positioning satellite (GPS) system correction communications level for communicating a GPS system correct ion signal to the earthworking machines; a machine stop communications level for stopping operations of at least one earthworking machine in response to a predetermined condition; and a fleet manager for coordinating communications of the earthworking machines as a function of a desired at least one of the global communications level, the at least one site communications level, the at least one theater communications level, the at least one local communications level, the GPS system correction communications level, and the machine stop communications level.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
164 words
A communications system for fleets of earthworking machines engaged in earthworking operations, comprising: a global communications level for communicating over long range distances; at least one site communications level for communicating over medium range distances; at least one theater communications level for communicating over short range distances; at least one local communications level for communicating between earthworking machines located in close proximity to each other; a global positioning satellite (GPS) system correction communications level for communicating a GPS system correct ion signal to the earthworking machines; a machine stop communications level for stopping operations of at least one earthworking machine in response to a predetermined condition; and a fleet manager for coordinating communications of the earthworking machines as a function of a desired at least one of the global communications level, the at least one site communications level, the at least one theater communications level, the at least one local communications level, the GPS system correction communications level, and the machine stop communications level.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US5477459A
Cited
US5905968A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2003-03-14 | 2003-09-13 | 2004-03-14 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2007-03-14 | 2007-09-13 | 2008-03-14 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2011-03-14 | 2011-09-13 | 2012-03-14 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |