Patent ID: 11961027
Assignee: CATERPILLAR INC.
Field: IT methods for management (Electrical engineering)
Classification: CPC G | IPC G

Claim 17:
18. A computer-implemented method of optimal utilization of machines for performing tasks across a predetermined work area on a construction site that includes a first segment and a second segment, the computer-implemented method comprising:
electronically receiving a request to initiate a job on the predetermined work area, the job comprising a plurality of tasks associated with a plurality of machines;
autonomously deploying, in response to the single request, a first machine of the plurality of machines to the first segment of the predetermined work area to execute a first task of the plurality of tasks autonomously;
determining a location of the first machine in the first segment as the first machine performs grading work;
determining whether the first machine in the first segment will be able to trigger a deployment event to deploy a second machine of the plurality of machines based on operation of the first machine in the first segment toward autonomously completing the first task;
determining, prior to deploying any additional machines of the plurality of machines to the first segment, that the first machine will be unable to trigger the deployment event;
in response to said determining that the first machine will be unable to trigger the deployment event, without another request to initiate the job being received, and prior to occurrence of the triggering event, outputting signaling to deploy a third machine to execute the first task of the plurality of tasks autonomously instead of the first machine continuing to execute the first task;
deploying, in response to the signaling automatically deploy the third machine, the third machine to complete execution of the first task of the plurality of tasks autonomously and trigger the deployment event;
determining occurrence of the deployment event triggered by the third machine, the deployment event triggered by the third machine being determined based on characteristics of the third machine and the second machine, and based on characteristics of the predetermined work area, including determining that the first machine is no longer in the first segment and that the third machine has entered the second segment to perform grading work, based on information indicative of location of the third machine relative to the first segment; and
in response to determining the occurrence of the deployment event triggered by the third machine, and without another request to initiate the job being received, autonomously deploying the second machine to the first segment of the predetermined work area to execute a second task of the plurality of tasks autonomously,
wherein the single request to initiate the job on the predetermined work area is the only request to perform the job by way of the second machine and a combination of the first machine and the third machine,
wherein occurrence of the deployment event is determined prior to the third machine leaving the first segment, and
wherein the second task is based on the first task and cannot occur without the first task being completed by the third machine.