Advanced drill trail cable management system

Abstract

A system including a platform, a drill connected to the platform, a power source, a cable connected to a cable reel and the drill, and a stinger. The stinger is configured to guide a position of the cable, relative to the platform, as the cable moves relative to the platform and relative to the stinger. An actuator is connected to the stinger and operable to move the stinger relative to the platform. A sensor is disposed to sense a physical parameter of at least one of the platform, the drill, the power source, the cable, and the stinger. A computer system is programmed to convert the physical parameter into a vector data structure and input the vector data structure to a classification machine learning model, which outputs a classification for the physical parameter. A control system is configured to control the actuator to move the stinger based on the classification.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system comprising:
 a platform;   a drill connected to the platform;   a power source for powering the drill;   a cable connected to a cable reel and to the drill;   a stinger having a first end connected to the platform and a second end opposite the first end, wherein:
 the stinger comprises a beam extending outwardly from the platform, 
 the second end of the stinger connects to the cable, and 
 the stinger is configured to guide a position of the cable, relative to the platform, as the cable moves relative to the platform and relative to the stinger; 
   an actuator connected to the stinger and operable to move the stinger relative to the platform;   a sensor operably disposed to sense a physical parameter of at least one of the platform, the drill, the power source, the cable, and the stinger;   a computer system in communication with the sensor and programmed to execute a computer-implemented method to:
 receive the physical parameter, 
 convert the physical parameter into a vector data structure, 
 input the vector data structure to a classification machine learning model trained to classify the physical parameter as either inside a control limit or outside the control limit, to generate a classification, and 
 output, by the classification machine learning model, the classification; and 
 a control system connected to the actuator, wherein the control system is configured to control the actuator to move the stinger based on the classification. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the computer system is programmed to control the actuator to move the stinger such that the cable remains inside the control limit. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the actuator comprises one of a solenoid actuator, a linear actuator, and a rack and pinion actuator. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the computer system is further programmed to execute the computer-implemented method to:
 iterate receiving, converting, inputting, and outputting, until the physical parameter is inside the control limit.   
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the sensor comprises a plurality of sensors and the physical parameter comprises a plurality of physical parameters measuring a stinger position of the stinger, a cable position of the cable, a tension in the cable, hazards on a field on which the platform moves, a drill position of the drill, and locations of drill piles in the field,   the vector data structure comprises the plurality of physical parameters in a format transformed for input to the classification machine learning model, and   the computer system is programmed to command the control system to actuate the actuator to move the stinger such that the cable remains inside the control limit.   
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a trailer connected to the platform via the cable, wherein:
 the cable reel is disposed on the trailer, and 
 the trailer is horizontally offset from the platform, relative to a direction of gravity, by an offset distance, 
   wherein:
 the sensor comprises a plurality of sensors and the physical parameter comprises a plurality of physical parameters measuring a stinger position of the stinger, a cable position of the cable, a tension in the cable, hazards on a field on which the platform moves, a drill position of the drill, a trailer position of the trailer, and locations of drill piles in the field, 
 the vector data structure comprises the plurality of physical parameters in a format transformed for input to the classification machine learning model, and 
 the computer system is programmed to order the control system to actuate the actuator to move the stinger such that the cable remains inside the control limit. 
   
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a propulsion system connected to the platform and configured to move the platform as the cable reel dispenses the cable, wherein:
 the sensor comprises a position sensor for measuring a platform movement of the platform and a cable movement of the cable, 
 the vector data structure comprises the platform movement and the cable movement in a format transformed for input to the classification machine learning model, and 
 the computer system is programmed to order the control system to actuate the actuator to move the stinger such that the cable remains inside the control limit while both the platform and the cable are moving. 
   
     
     
         8 . A system comprising:
 a platform;   a drill connected to the platform;   a power source for powering the drill;   a propulsion system comprising a track system and an engine for driving the track system;   a track controller for controlling the track system to maneuver the platform;   a cable connected to a cable reel and to the drill;   a stinger having a first end connected to the platform and a second end opposite the first end, wherein:
 the stinger comprises a beam extending outwardly from the platform, 
 the second end of the stinger connects to the cable, and 
 the stinger is configured to guide a position of the cable, relative to the platform, as the cable moves relative to the platform and relative to the stinger; 
   an actuator connected to the beam and configured to move the stinger relative to the platform; and   a control system connected to both the track controller and the actuator, wherein the control system is configured to control the actuator to move the stinger based on a movement of the track system.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the control system is programmed to move the cable to prevent the cable from interfering with movement of the platform as the track system moves the platform. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 a sensor operably disposed to sense a physical parameter of at least one of the platform, the drill, the power source, the engine, the cable, and the stinger,   wherein the control system is further programmed to control the actuator to move the stinger based on a combination of the movement of the track system and the physical parameter.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the control system comprises a connector joint that translates the movement of the track system to modify the position of the stinger. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 a sensor operably disposed to sense a physical parameter of the track system, and a computer system in communication with the sensor and the control system, and programmed to execute a computer-implemented method to:
 receive the physical parameter, 
 convert the physical parameter into a vector data structure, 
 input the vector data structure to a classification machine learning model trained to classify the physical parameter as being either inside a control limit or outside the control limit to generate a classification, 
 output, by the classification machine learning model, the classification, and 
 command the control system to control the stinger according to the classification. 
   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 a sensor operably disposed to sense a physical parameter of the track system and an additional parameter of at least one of the platform, the drill, the power source, the engine, the cable, and the stinger; and   a computer system in communication with the sensor and programmed to execute a computer-implemented method to:
 receive the physical parameter and the additional parameter, 
 convert the physical parameter and additional parameter into a vector data structure, 
 input the vector data structure to a classification machine learning model trained to classify the physical parameter as being either inside a control limit or outside the control limit to generate a classification, 
 output, by the classification machine learning model, the classification, and 
 command the control system to control the stinger according to the classification. 
   
     
     
         14 . A system comprising:
 a platform;   a drill connected to the platform;   a power source for powering the drill;   a cable connected to a cable reel and to the drill;   a stinger having a first end connected to the platform and a second end opposite the first end, wherein:
 the stinger comprises a beam extending outwardly from the platform, 
 the second end of the stinger connects to the cable, and 
 the stinger is configured to guide a position of the cable, relative to the platform, as the cable moves relative to the platform and relative to the stinger; 
   a hazard detector operably disposed to sense a hazard;   an actuator connected to the beam and configured to move the stinger relative to the platform; and   a control system connected to both the hazard detector and the actuator, wherein the control system is configured to control the actuator to move the stinger such that the cable avoids the hazard.   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the hazard is external to the system. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the system further comprises:
 a propulsion system connected to the platform and configured to move the platform as the cable reel dispenses the cable, wherein:   the control system is programmed to control the actuator to move the stinger and to control the propulsion system to move the platform to avoid the hazard.   
     
     
         17 . A system comprising:
 a platform;   a drill connected to the platform;   a power source for powering the drill;   a cable connected to a cable reel and to the drill;   a stinger having a first end connected to the platform and a second end opposite the first end, wherein:
 the stinger comprises a beam extending outwardly from the platform, 
 the second end of the stinger connects to the cable, and 
 the stinger is configured to guide a position of the cable, relative to the platform, as the cable moves relative to the platform and relative to the stinger; 
   an actuator connected to the stinger and configured to move the stinger;   a sensor operably disposed to sense a cable position of the cable and locations of a pattern of holes dug by the drill; and   a computer system in communication with the sensor and programmed to execute a computer-implemented method to control the actuator to move the stinger to adjust the cable position of the cable to avoid the pattern of holes.   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 a global positioning system in communication with the computer system and configured, in combination with the computer system, to sense and to map a placement of the cable and to sense and to map reference positions of the pattern of holes,   wherein the computer system is further programmed to execute the computer-implemented method to:
 control the actuator based on the placement of the cable and the reference positions of the pattern of holes. 
   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 a trailer connected to the platform via the cable, wherein:
 the cable reel is disposed on the trailer, 
 the trailer is horizontally offset from the platform, relative to a direction of gravity, by an offset distance, and 
 the computer system is further programmed to execute the computer-implemented method to control the actuator based on positions of the trailer and of the platform, as determined by the global positioning system. 
   
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 a communication system in communication with the computer system;   a control system for controlling the stinger; and   a remote control system, remote from the platform, in communication with the communication system, wherein the remote control system is configured to control the computer system to command the control system to control the cable position of the cable by controlling operation of the stinger.