Preventive Automatic Ripping for Hard Material

Abstract

A controller-implemented method for automatically performing preventive ripping passes using a machine along a work surface is provided. The controller-implemented method may include defining a ripper control depth, a minimum control depth, and a maximum control depth, generating a first ripping pass command for performing a first ripping pass and a first set of cut commands for performing a first set of normal cuts, tracking one or more of machine parameters of the machine and profile parameters of the work surface to detect failed cuts, and modifying the ripper control depth by an adjustment value that is determined based on any detected failed cuts.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A controller-implemented method for automatically performing preventive ripping passes using a machine along a work surface, comprising:
 defining a ripper control depth, a minimum control depth, and a maximum control depth;   generating a first ripping pass command for performing a first ripping pass and a first set of cut commands for performing a first set of normal cuts;   tracking one or more of machine parameters of the machine and profile parameters of the work surface to detect failed cuts; and   modifying the ripper control depth by an adjustment value that is determined based on any detected failed cuts.   
     
     
         2 . The controller-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the initial ripper control depth is defined as the minimum control depth, and the adjustment value is configured to increment the ripper control depth by a predetermined fraction of a difference between the maximum control depth and the minimum control depth if no failed cuts are detected, and decrement the ripper control depth by a predetermined fraction of a prior advance depth if a failed cut is detected. 
     
     
         3 . The controller-implemented method of  claim 2 , wherein the adjustment value increments the ripper control depth by the difference between the maximum control depth and the minimum control depth divided by a number of steps therebetween, each step having a predefined advance depth. 
     
     
         4 . The controller-implemented method of  claim 2 , wherein the adjustment value decrements the ripper control depth by approximately half of a prior advance depth if a failed cut is detected, decrements the ripper control depth by a prior advance depth if a failed cut is detected and the machine was stuck, and decrements the ripper control depth by a maximum missed depth if a failed cut is detected and the machine was not stuck. 
     
     
         5 . The controller-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the first set of normal cuts is performed until the earliest of when a failed cut has been detected and the machine is stuck, and when the maximum control depth has been reached. 
     
     
         6 . The controller-implemented method of  claim 1 , further generating a second ripping pass command for performing a second ripping pass according to the modified ripper control depth and a second set of cut commands for performing a second set of normal cuts. 
     
     
         7 . The controller-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the machine parameters include assessment of any one or more of machine traction, machine mobility, machine orientation, machine position, machine speed, and machine operation, and the profile parameters include assessment of any one or more of a number of normal cuts performed, a position of a current cut relative to a previous cut, video feed data, slot geometry, work surface geometry, prior ripping pass locations, anticipated productivity indices, predetermined decision rules, and predetermined learning algorithms. 
     
     
         8 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the ripping pass commands are generated as electronic signals configured to automatically engage the machine to perform the ripping pass according to a predetermined ripping pass routine, and the machine parameters and the profile parameters are received as electronic signals from any one or more of feedback devices, locating devices, satellites, sensors, and command centers. 
     
     
         9 . A control system for automatically performing preventive ripping passes using a machine along a work surface, comprising:
 a memory configured to retrievably store one or more algorithms; and   a controller in communication with the memory and, based on the one or more algorithms, configured to at least define a ripper control depth, a minimum control depth, and a maximum control depth, issue a first ripping pass to be performed along the work surface, issue a first set of normal cuts to be performed after the first ripping pass, track one or more of machine parameters of the machine and profile parameters of the work surface to detect failed cuts, and modify the ripper control depth by an adjustment value that is determined based on any detected failed cuts.   
     
     
         10 . The control system of  claim 9 , wherein the controller is configured to define the initial ripper control depth as the minimum control depth, and define the adjustment value such that the ripper control depth is incremented by a predetermined fraction of a difference between the maximum control depth and the minimum control depth if no failed cuts are detected, and such that the ripper control depth is decremented by a predetermined fraction of a prior advance depth if a failed cut is detected. 
     
     
         11 . The control system of  claim 10 , wherein the adjustment value increments the ripper control depth by the difference between the maximum control depth and the minimum control depth divided by a number of steps therebetween, each step having a predefined advance depth. 
     
     
         12 . The control system of  claim 10 , wherein the adjustment value decrements the ripper control depth by approximately half of a prior advance depth if a failed cut is detected, decrements the ripper control depth by a prior advance depth if a failed cut is detected and the machine was stuck, and decrements the ripper control depth by a maximum missed depth if a failed cut is detected and the machine was not stuck. 
     
     
         13 . The control system of  claim 9 , wherein the controller is further configured to issue a second ripping pass to be performed according to the modified ripper control depth, and issue a second set of normal cuts to be performed after the second ripping pass. 
     
     
         14 . The control system of  claim 9 , wherein the machine parameters include assessment of any one or more of loss of traction, machine mobility, machine orientation, machine position, machine speed, and machine operation, and the profile parameters include assessment of any one or more of a number of normal cuts performed, a position of a current cut relative to a previous cut, video feed data, slot geometry, work surface geometry, prior ripping pass locations, anticipated productivity indices, predetermined decision rules, and predetermined learning algorithms. 
     
     
         15 . The control system of  claim 9 , wherein the controller is configured to receive the machine parameters and the profile parameters from any one or more of feedback devices, locating devices, satellites, sensors, and command centers. 
     
     
         16 . A controller for automatically performing preventive ripping passes using a machine along a work surface, comprising:
 a control depth module configured to define at least a ripper control depth, a minimum control depth, and a maximum control depth;   a command module configured to generate a first ripping pass command for performing a first ripping pass along the work surface and a first set of cut commands for performing normal cuts;   a tracking module configured to track one or more of machine parameters of the machine and profile parameters of the work surface to detect failed cuts; and   an adjustment module configured to modify the ripper control depth by an adjustment value that is determined by any detected failed cuts.   
     
     
         17 . The controller of  claim 16 , wherein the control depth module is configured to define the initial ripper control depth as the minimum control depth, and the adjustment module is configured to define the adjustment value such that the ripper control depth is incremented by a predetermined fraction of a difference between the maximum control depth and the minimum control depth if no failed cuts are detected, and such that the ripper control depth is decremented by a predetermined fraction of a prior advance depth if a failed cut is detected. 
     
     
         18 . The controller of  claim 17 , wherein the adjustment value increments the ripper control depth by the difference between the maximum control depth and the minimum control depth divided by a number of steps therebetween, each step having a predefined advance depth. 
     
     
         19 . The controller of  claim 17 , wherein the adjustment value decrements the ripper control depth by approximately half of a prior advance depth if a failed cut is detected, decrements the ripper control depth by a prior advance depth if a failed cut is detected and the machine was stuck, and decrements the ripper control depth by a maximum missed depth if a failed cut is detected and the machine was not stuck. 
     
     
         20 . The controller of  claim 16 , wherein the command module is further configured to generate a second ripping pass command for performing a second ripping pass according to the modified ripper control depth and a second set of cut commands for performing a second set of normal cuts.