Determining Milled Volume Or Milled Area Of A Milled Surface

Abstract

A system is provided for determining a volume of material milled, or a surface area milled, by a construction machine having a milling drum. The volume of material milled is determined as a function of a cross-sectional area of material to be milled in front of the milling drum and a distance traveled by the construction machine while actively milling. The cross-sectional area is determined in part by direct machine observation of one or more profile characteristics of a ground surface in front of the milling drum. The surface area milled is determined as a function of the width of the area to be milled in front of the milling drum and a distance traveled by the construction machine while actively milling.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of determining usage of a construction machine including a milling drum, the milling drum having a drum width, the method comprising:
 (a) detecting with at least one profile sensor at least one profile parameter of a ground surface in front of the milling drum;   (b) detecting with at least one distance sensor at least one distance parameter corresponding to a distance traveled by the construction machine; and   (c) determining the usage of the construction machine at least partially as a function of the profile parameter and the distance parameter.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the usage of the machine is measured by determining a volume of material milled by the construction machine, the method further comprising:
 (d), prior to step (c), determining with at least one depth sensor at least one depth parameter corresponding to a milling depth of the milling drum, and   wherein step (c) comprises determining the volume of material milled at least partially as a function of the profile parameter, the depth parameter and the distance parameter.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein:
 steps (a) and (d) are performed repeatedly at successive times; and   step (c) further comprises determining a series of sub-volumes, each sub-volume being associated with at least one of the successive times, and summing of the sub-volumes.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein:
 each sub-volume corresponds to a selected distance traveled so that all sub-volumes correspond to equal distances traveled.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein:
 each sub-volume corresponds to a selected elapsed time interval, and the time interval is no greater than 10 seconds.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein:
 in step (d), the at least one depth parameter corresponds to a position of a stripping plate relative to a machine frame of the construction machine and to a position of a side plate relative to the machine frame.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein:
 in step (d), the at least one depth parameter corresponds to a position of a stripping plate relative to a side plate of the construction machine.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein:
 in step (d), the at least one depth parameter corresponds to a cross-slope of the milling drum.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein:
 in step (d), the at least one depth parameter includes an uncut ground surface depth parameter detected with the at least one profile sensor, and a milled surface depth parameter detected with the at least one depth sensor.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 in step (a), the at least one profile parameter comprises a location along the drum width of at least one previously cut edge of a previously milled area in front of the milling drum; and   step (c) further comprises accounting for an actual width of material being milled being less than the drum width due to the presence of the previously milled area in front of the milling drum.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein:
 in step (a), the at least one profile sensor used to detect the location of the at least one previously cut edge comprises a laser profile scanner.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein:
 in step (a), the at least one profile sensor used to detect the location of the at least one previously cut edge comprises an LED object detecting sensor.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein:
 in step (a), the at least one profile sensor used to detect the at least one previously cut edge comprises a touch free distance sensor supported from a side plate of the milling machine, the side plate being located on the previously milled area, the touch free distance sensor being directed transverse to a direction of travel of the construction machine.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 in step (a), the at least one profile sensor comprises a laser profile scanner.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein:
 in step (a), the laser profile scanner is a triangulation scanner.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein:
 in step (a), the laser profile scanner is a time of flight scanner.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 in step (a), the at least one profile sensor comprises an LED object detecting sensor.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 in step (a), the at least one profile parameter relates to a varying surface elevation of the ground surface to be milled in front of the milling drum.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 in step (b), the at least one distance sensor comprises a touchless sensor configured to detect objects within its field of view on the ground surface and configured to measure changes in position of those objects in the field of view.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 in step (b), the at least one distance sensor comprises a ground engaging free-wheeling distance sensor.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein:
 in step (b), the ground engaging free-wheeling distance sensor is mounted in a side plate of the machine.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 in step (b), the at least one distance sensor comprises a GNSS sensor.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 in step (b), the at least one distance sensor comprises a total station sensor.   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the usage of the machine is measured by determining an area of a ground surface milled by the construction machine, the method further comprising:
 determining whether the milling drum is actively milling the ground surface; and   wherein step (c) comprises determining the area of the ground surface milled at least partially as a function of the profile parameter and the distance parameter for all time intervals during which the milling drum is actively milling the ground surface.   
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein:
 step (a) is performed at successive times; and   step (c) further comprises determining a series of sub-areas milled between successive times, and summing of the sub-areas.   
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 in steps (a) and (b) the at least one profile sensor and the at least one distance sensor are both at least partially embodied in a single dual-purpose sensor component.   
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the single dual-purpose sensor component comprises a CCD camera. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 in steps (a) and (b) the at least one profile sensor and the at least one distance sensor are separate components.   
     
     
         29 . A method of determining usage of a construction machine having a milling drum, the method comprising:
 determining a volume of material milled as a function of a cross-sectional area of material to be milled in front of the milling drum and a distance traveled by the construction machine while actively milling, the cross-sectional area being determined in part by direct machine observation of one or more profile characteristics of a ground surface in front of the milling drum.   
     
     
         30 . A method of determining usage of a construction machine having a milling drum, the drum having a drum width, the method comprising:
 (a) detecting by machine observation a width parameter corresponding to a surface width, of a ground surface to be milled in front of the milling drum, the ground surface extending above a milling depth of the milling drum, the surface width being perpendicular to a direction of travel of the construction machine, the surface width being less than the milling drum width at least part of the time of step (a); and   (b) determining a volume of material milled or a surface area milled at least partially as a function of the width parameter.