Patent ID: 11891763
Assignee: CATERPILLAR PAVING PRODUCTS INC.
Field: Civil engineering (Other fields)
Classification: CPC E | IPC E

Claim 9:
10. A method of controlling a machine, the machine comprising a frame, a power source, a milling rotor operatively connected to the power source and the frame, at least one obstacle-detection sensor, and a controller, the method comprising:
milling with the machine, by inputting into a human-machine interface at least one milling parameter;
maintaining the at least one milling parameter with a grade and slope system, the grade and slope system automatically adjusts the at least one milling parameter to maintain a grade and a slope entered by an operator;
measuring a grade or slope of the machine, via a slope sensor installed on at least one of a pair of side plates, wherein the milling rotor is located between the pair of side plates;
detecting with the at least one obstacle-detection sensor, any possible obstacles around an exterior of the machine;
determining, via the controller, that an obstacle will contact either of the side plates based at least on a signal from the at least one obstacle detection sensor;
outputting, via the controller, in response to an obstacle that will contact either of the pair of side plates, a change sensor obstacle-detection response;
communicating with the grade and slope system, via the controller, to start receiving signals from a slope sensor installed on an inboard ski connected to the milling rotor; and
raising at least one of the pair of side plates with an actuator in response to the change sensor obstacle-detection response from the controller to prevent an obstacle from contacting either of the pair of side plates.