Patent ID: 6247538
Filing Date: 2001-06-19
Classification: E02F,G05D

Abstract:
An automatic excavator adapted to automatically carry out a series of processes for excavating an excavation object and loading a loading object with resultant excavation, comprising:a measuring instrument for determining distances from the excavator to the excavation object and the loading object;excavation object recognition means for recognizing a three-dimensional shape of the excavation object on the basis of an output from the measuring instrument;target excavation position computing means for identifying a point having the smallest distance from the excavator in the excavation object of the three-dimensional shape from which portions below the ground level are excluded as a protruding position, and determining the protruding position as a target excavation position;target loading position computing means for computing a relative position of the loading object with respect to the excavator and a relative attitude of the excavator with respect to the loading object on the basis of an output from the measuring instrument, and computing a target loading position on the basis of the computed relative position;automatic positioning means for automatically positioning the excavator or a working machine in the computed target excavation position and target loading position;automatic excavation control means for automatically excavating the excavation object in the target position; andautomatic loading control means for automatically loading the loading object with the excavation in the target loading position.