Monitoring ground-engaging products for earth working equipment

Abstract

A system and tool for monitoring ground-engaging products for earth working equipment that can monitor characteristics such as part identification, presence, condition, usage, and/or performance of the products on earth working equipment used, for example, in mining, construction, and dredging environments. The monitoring tool includes or is supported by a mobile device that is separate from the earth working equipment, Supporting the monitoring tool on a mobile device can, e.g., provide unique vantage points to monitor the earth working equipment products, monitor the products without inhibiting the operation of the earth working equipment or endangering personnel, closely approach areas of interest for secure and reliable gathering of information, monitor multiple earth working equipment, and/or be protected from the vibrations and impact shocks that can be associated with earth working equipment.

1 - 48 . (canceled) 
     
     
         49 . A monitoring system comprising:
 earth working equipment including a ground-engaging product; and   a monitoring tool including a mobile vehicle movable to different positions independent of the earth working equipment, characterized in that an electronic device on the mobile vehicle is provided to remotely capture a representation of at least a portion of the ground-engaging product to detect the wear and separation of the ground-engaging product from the earth working equipment, wherein the mobile vehicle is an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV).   
     
     
         50 . The monitoring system according to  claim 49 , wherein the unmanned aerial vehicle is remotely or autonomously operated. 
     
     
         51 . The monitoring system according to  claim 49 , wherein the electronic device is a surface characterization device. 
     
     
         52 . The monitoring system according to  claim 51 , wherein the surface characterization device is an optical camera. 
     
     
         53 . The monitoring system according to  claim 51 , wherein the surface characterization device creates a point cloud representation of at least one portion of the ground-engaging product. 
     
     
         54 . The monitoring system according to  claim 49 , wherein the electronic device captures a two or three-dimensional representation of at least a portion of the ground-engaging product to determine wear and/or separation of the ground-engaging product from the earth working equipment. 
     
     
         55 . The monitoring system according to  claim 49 , wherein the ground-engaging product is secured to a digging edge of a bucket. 
     
     
         56 . The monitoring system according to  claim 49 , wherein the ground-engaging product is an excavating bucket. 
     
     
         57 . The monitoring system according to  claim 49 , wherein the ground-engaging product is truck tray for a haul truck. 
     
     
         58 . The monitoring system according to  claim 49 , wherein the ground-engaging product defines a cavity for holding a quantity of earthen material, and the electronic device captures a two or three-dimensional image of the earthen material in the cavity to estimate the amount of material held by the ground-engaging product. 
     
     
         59 . The monitoring system according to  claim 49 , wherein the earth working equipment includes a plurality of ground-engaging products, and the monitoring device detects characteristics of the plurality of ground-engaging products. 
     
     
         60 . The monitoring system according to  claim 59 , wherein one said ground-engaging product is an excavating bucket with a digging edge, and another said ground-engaging product is secured to the digging edge. 
     
     
         61 . The monitoring system according to  claim 59 , wherein one product is a truck tray on a haul truck and another said ground-engaging product is secured to a digging edge of an excavating bucket. 
     
     
         62 . The monitoring system according to  claim 49 , including a remote device remote from the monitoring tool that provides information used to determine the characteristic of the ground-engaging product. 
     
     
         63 . The monitoring system according to  claim 49 , including a programmable logic device to process information obtained by the monitoring device.