TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to a system and method for automating a machine impeller clutch and more particularly, an automated control system for a machine impeller clutch in earth-moving machinery.

BACKGROUND

Automatic-control of an impeller clutch on an earth-moving machine such as a large wheel loader is a difficult problem to solve because clutch engagement can change dynamically with varying densities and materials in the work pile. A torque converter is used to transfer energy from the engine to the transmission and drive the wheels. The energy transfer is modulated by use of a clutch-driven impeller. A machine operator may depress the clutch pedal to allow for selective driving of the impeller. The impeller clutch can operatively couple the engine and impeller together when engaged (pedal released), and alternatively uncouple the impeller from the engine when not engaged (pedal depressed). By varying impeller engagement by virtue of the degree the pedal is depressed, the operator can modulate how much driving torque is applied to the wheels for a given engine speed, which may also be associated with a wheel speed of the machine.

Achieving the right wheel speed and torque is critical to efficient digging that fills the bucket in a short amount of time without getting it stuck in the pile. Human machine operators use the clutch to minimize fuel and unnecessary digs, and to maximize productivity, whereas human operators may use the clutch inefficiently. Today, the impeller clutch is manually-driven only. Heuristic rule-based controllers exist but are not optimal or adequate because they can address only limited situations encountered by the earth-moving machine. Control algorithms could be devised, but the algorithms would depend on system identifications and un-modelable disturbances that would deviate from reality and not be appropriate for varying material densities.

An attempt to automatically control the tractive effort of a machine based on an input is described in U.S. patent application Publication Ser. No. 11/536,892 (“the '892 publication”). Specifically, the '892 publication describes a method and a device for de-rating tractive effort of wheels of a machine to prevent the boom of the machine from stalling in response to receiving a boom control signals. According to the '892 publication, using a standard-form predefined algorithm such as a the proportional-integral-derivative (PID) algorithm, the tractive effort of the vehicle is controlled according to a comparison of boom velocity and commanded velocity. Based on this relation, according to the '892 publication, it is possible to control the machine (e.g., de-rate the rimpull speed of the engine) to eliminate velocity error between boom velocity and commanded velocity.

Although the method and device of the '892 publication are purported to control tractive effort automatically based on a calculated boom velocity, they are not configured to provide automatic control of the machine using time-based predictive analytics that can account for various or changing work pile conditions. Thus, the method and device of the '892 publication may not be useful to provide fully-automated impeller control for the machine because the '892 publication describes a method that can address only limited situations encountered by the machine. Conventional systems, such as those described in the '892 publication, have not provided an automated impeller clutch for earth moving machines because the dig media is often variably dense, with aggregate of different sizes, having different compact densities throughout the work pile, which makes the linear algorithms described in the '892 publication unreliable for all conditions.

The system and method disclosed herein may be directed to mitigating or overcoming one or more of the possible drawbacks set forth above.

SUMMARY

According to a first aspect, a system for controlling a machine impeller clutch is described. The system includes a power source, a transmission unit, an impeller clutch operatively coupling the power source to the transmission unit, and an input device configured to generate a force data signal indicative of a working fluid pressure. An electronic control module in communication with the input device is configured to execute a time-step predictive analytical model for impeller clutch engagement. The electronic control module configured to receive the force data from the input device, determine an impeller clutch engagement value based at least in part on the force data signal and utilizing the time-step predictive analytical model, and cause engagement of the machine impeller clutch according to the impeller clutch engagement value.

According to a further aspect, a method for training a time-step predictive analytical model for impeller clutch control using a recurrent neural network is described. The method includes obtaining fluidic pressure information a machine hydraulic cylinder as a function of time, the fluidic pressure information being associated with a working fluid disposed within a machine hydraulic cylinder, and generating a training set. The training set can include a set of fluidic pressure values corresponding to a set of impeller clutch engagement values. The method further includes generating, with the machine learning system, a time-step predictive analytical model based on the training set, and storing the time-step predictive analytical model on an electronic control module of a machine. The time-step predictive analytical model is configured to receive a force data signal from an input device of the machine, determine an impeller clutch engagement value based at least in part on the force data signal and utilizing the time-step predictive analytical model, and cause engagement of an impeller clutch of the machine according to the impeller clutch engagement value.

According to another aspect, an electronic control module for a machine includes a computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereupon. The computer-executable instructions, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to execute a time-step predictive analytical model for impeller clutch engagement of an impeller clutch of the machine. The computer-executable instructions are configured to cause the processor to receive a force data signal from a fluidic pressure measurement device configured to generate the force data signal, determine an impeller clutch engagement value based at least in part on the force data signal and utilizing the time-step predictive analytical model, and cause engagement of the machine impeller clutch according to the impeller clutch engagement value.

