Patent Publication Number: US-2021182758-A1

Title: Data System and Method for Quarry and Mining Operations

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     This patent disclosure relates generally to mining and aggregate material handling, and, more particularly to a system and method for managing and tracking the transportation of such materials at a worksite. 
     BACKGROUND 
     To produce construction materials, aggregates, and the like, raw materials are excavated from the ground and processed. Excavation may involve mining operations like digging, drilling, and blasting to separate the raw material from the earth. Processing may involve crushers and screens that reduce the excavated raw material into smaller sizes or different grades. The processed materials are then stored about the worksite at different zones or locations by grade, size, or type. The processed materials may be transported about the worksite by a series of conveyors and/or by haul trucks. In addition, different materials may be brought from remote mines to a central location. Because the processed materials typically aggregate, they form piles of loose material. The piles of material must be separated from each other in order to avoid intermixing of the different grades, sizes, and types of material. The materials are maintained at the worksite until sold to customers who may be construction contractors or firms or other end users of such materials. 
     To distribute the processed materials, road trucks hauling dump trailers or opened hopper trailers travel to the worksite to receive the material. A loading machine, such as a wheel loader or an excavator, may load the trailers with desired material from the specific piles. In some worksites, the piles locations may be situated considerable distances apart from each other. After entering a worksite, a truck may generally be directed to the vicinity where the pile containing the desired material is located. A truck may need to roam around in the vicinity to identify the exact location of the pile. Even after the pile is located, there is no certainty that the desired type of material and desired quantity of material would be present at the pile. In an event if desired type of material and desired quantity of material is not available at the pile, the truck may have to roam around to identify a pile that contains the desired quantity of desired type of material. This searching may delete valuable system resources and generate unnecessary traffic at the worksite. 
     It is therefore desirable to enable the road trucks to locate and arrive at the correct pile locations for loading the desired material quickly and efficiently. Because such materials are typically sold by quantity or weight, the road trucks and trailers are often weighed as they depart from the worksite. The present disclosure is directed to a system and method for managing and coordinating the transportation of materials and machines about the worksite. 
     SUMMARY 
     The disclosure describes, in one aspect, a data system for managing material loading at a worksite such as a quarry or mine. The data system include a backend system with non-transitory data storage storing a plurality of pile locations each having a particular material. The backend system is configured to receive a customer order data including a material type and a material quantity. Further, the backend system is configured to generate a job order associating the customer order data and to identify an identified pile location from among the plurality of pile locations at the worksite. The data system also includes a front end system at an entrance facility or scale housing configured to generate arrival data associated with a road truck arriving at the worksite and to communicate the arrival data to the backend system. The arrival data may include a road truck identification. The data system is also associated with an onboard controller on a loading machine configured to receive the job order matched to the road truck identification by the backend system. 
     In another aspect, the disclosure describes a method of managing material loading at a worksite like a quarry or mine. The method first involves receiving a customer order data specifying a material type and a material quantity. The method generates a job order based on the customer order data and identifies an identified pile location from among a plurality of pile locations at the worksite associated with particular materials. The method further receives arrival data from a front end system associated with an entrance facility or scale housing that is indicative of a road truck arriving at the worksite. The arrival data can include a road truck identification. The method communicates the identified pile location to the front end system for communication to the road truck. The method further associates the job order with the road truck identification and communicates the job order to an onboard controller associated with a loading machine. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic illustration of a worksite such as a quarry in which mining materials may be excavated, processed and stored for later collection by one or more road trucks in accordance with an aspect of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic block diagram of a loading machine, in particular a wheel loader, including an onboard controller and an operator interface display in accordance with an aspect of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 3  is an illustrative flow diagram of a possible process, routine, or algorithm that may be conducted by a backend system for receiving customer order data and assigning job orders in accordance with an aspect of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 4  is an illustrative flow diagram of a possible process, routine, or algorithm that may be conducted by an onboard controller located onboard a loading machine while loading material to one or more road trucks. 
         FIG. 5  is an illustrative flow diagram of a possible process, routine, or algorithm that may be conducted between a backend system and a front end system to obtain and analyze data regarding departing road trucks. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Now referring to the drawings, wherein whenever possible like reference numbers will refer to like elements, there is illustrated a worksite  100  such as a quarry for the exaction, processing, storage, and delivery of mined materials such as construction aggregates, mineral ores, and the like. Examples of these materials include stone, sand, sandstone, chalk, clay, coal, iron ore, copper ore, gypsum, etc. Various different operations, tasks, and processes may be conducted at different stages at the worksite  100 . By way of example, to obtain the raw materials, the worksite  100  may be associated with one or more mines  102 , which is the location where the raw materials are excavated from the ground. The mine  102  may be a surface mine in which the overburden (vegetation, dirt, and the like) is stripped away and removed to access the raw materials underneath. The raw materials may be separated from the ground by drilling, hammering, or blasting operations and removed from the mine  102 . In other examples, the mine  102  may be a subsurface or underground mine in which tunnels are dug to access the raw materials. In possible examples, the mine  102  may be located onsite at the worksite  100  or may be located a significant distance from other the areas of the worksite. 
     Once obtained from the mine  102 , the raw materials may be directed through various processes conducted by different processing equipment  104 . For example, to break or fragment the raw materials into smaller sizes or grades, the raw materials may be directed through one or more crushers  106  that may include intermeshing gears or jaws, or that may be impact hammer crushers. The crusher  106  may be operatively associated with a screen  108  that separates larger and smaller sizes or grades by allowing the finer materials to pass through while retaining larger sizes. Various other types of processing equipment  104  may be employed to refine the raw materials to have desired qualities. 
     The processed materials, because of their aggregate or granular form, may be disposed in various piles  110  about the worksite  100  until they have been sold and their transportation from the worksite occurs. Because the processed materials are available in different sizes or grades, and because different types of material (e.g., stone and sand) may be obtained from the mine  102 , the piles  110  are typically designated and separated by material type, grade, and/or other characteristics. Physical separation between the piles  110  should be maintained to preserve the homogeneity of the particular material in the pile. In addition, the piles  110  may be located at significant distances from each other, for example, due to the location of the processing machinery, (e.g. crusher  106  and screen  108 ), or due to the location within the mine  102  or among different mines from which the materials are obtained. In addition, the piles  110  may be placed in different zones or areas within the worksite  100  depending upon the type of material available (e.g., limestone verses sand) or the type of processing equipment  104  associated with the zone. Each zone in the worksite  100  can include one or more piles  110 . So, for example, there may be a first pile location  112  having one type or grade of material, a second pile location  114  having a different type or grade of material, and a third pile location  116  having another different type or grade of material  118 . 
     To transport the materials from the mines  102  and the processing equipment  104  to the piles  110 , the worksite  100  may be operatively associated with various machines such as, for example, a belt conveyor  120  which may extend for substantial distances. In addition, one or more haul trucks  122 , which may be large-sized off road trucks with opened dump bodies can be used to transport material about the worksite  100 . To physically move or manipulate material in the piles  110 , a plurality of loading machines  124  can be operatively associated with the worksite  190 . Examples of loading machines  124  include a bucket loader  126  which includes a bucket  128  and which may be supported on wheels or, in an embodiment, continuous tracks to propel the bucket loader about the worksite. The bucket  128  can be mounted to the front of the bucket loader  126  on booms or arms so that the bucket  128  can be articulated through lifting and dumping motions. To provide power, the bucket loader  126  can also include a fuel combusting engine such as a diesel engine and to maneuver the bucket  128  the loader can be associated with a hydraulic system. Another example of a loading machine  124  is an excavator  129  that can include a bucket  128  disposed at the end of a mechanical linkage that can articulate with respect to itself to maneuver the bucket  128 . 
     The worksite  100  may be associated with additional zones or areas responsible for performing specific operations associated with the extraction, processing, storage, and delivery of material. For example, to remove the material from the worksite  100  and transport it to an end use such as a construction site, customers or other responsible entities may send one or more road trucks  130  that are configured to haul the material. The road trucks  130  may include a dump body  132  or a similar structure that can hold the material. The dump body  132  may be an open topped structure to receive the material and may be tilted with respect to the rest of the road truck  130  to dump the material. The road trucks can be adapted to travel on highways or paved roads. When the road trucks  130  arrive at or depart from the worksite  100 , they may encounter or pass through an entrance facility or a scale house  134 , which may be a physical facility or location at the worksite  100 . To weigh road trucks  130  departing from and/or entering the worksite  100 , the scale house  134  is operatively associated with a large sized scale  136  that the road trucks can drive onto during measurement. 
     The entrance facility or scale house  134  can also provide accommodations for worksite personnel and road truck operators to exchange information and conduct transactions relating to the transportation of material from the worksite  100 . To facilitate that exchange, the entrance facility or scale house  134  can be operatively associated with a front end system  138 . The front end system  138  may be part of a larger worksite computer system  140  that may be configured as part of an enterprise network for monitoring and regulating the operations of the worksite  100 . The front end system  138  can include physical components like processing devices or processors and input-output peripherals (e.g., keyboards, monitors, mice) that enables the entry of information and data in computer readable form. The front end system  138  can be responsible for entry and initial processing of data obtained when the road trucks  130  check in and check out when arriving and/or departing from the worksite  100 . For example, in an embodiment, to establish wireless communication with the road trucks  130 , the front end system  138  may be associated with a wireless transmitter/receiver  142  that can exchange radio wave communications with a similar transmitter/receiver  143  disposed on the road truck. The wireless communication can utilize any suitable technology standards or protocols such as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. However, it is possible that parts of the exchange between the road trucks  130  and the scale house  134  associated with the front end system  138  can be accomplished through verbal exchanges or by exchanging traditional paperwork. 
     In addition to the front end system  138 , to monitor and regulate other operations and information associated with the worksite  100 , the worksite computer system  140  may be operatively associated with a backend system  144 . The backend system  144  may be maintained by the owners/operators of the worksite  100 , or may be maintained by an application service provider (“ASP”), through independent contractors or the like. Although in the illustrated embodiment, the functionality of the backend system  144  is depicted in a centralized manner, it may also be distributed over a plurality of computers and platforms networked together within the worksite computer system  140  and that may communicate and exchange information and data among various nodes. Like the front end system  138 , the backend system  144  may include processing devices or processors and input-output peripherals for entry and processing of information and data in computer readable form and for the execution of software instructions and applications. The backend system  144  may also include data storage capabilities to store the software instructions and data in the form of random access memory or other volatile memory, read only memory or other permanent memory, or another suitable form of memory. The backend system  144  may be in operative communication via a network with the front end system  138  and with other computer systems associated with the worksite computer system  140 . For example, the backend system  144  can be operatively associated with a telematics system  146  or the like that enables the backend system to communicate with the haul trucks  122  and the loading machines  124  operating about the worksite  100 . Communication can occur wirelessly through radio waves if the haul trucks  122  and the loading machines  124  each including a wireless transmitter/receiver  148 . Communication can also occur using any suitable protocol or standard such as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth and can occur over sufficient distances to cover the worksite  100 . In addition to wireless communication, the backend system  144  may also include the functionality to communicate via conductive or optical lines. 
     In an embodiment, to determine the position of the haul trucks  122  and the loading machines  124  and possibly the road trucks  130  that may be moving about the worksite  100 , the worksite may be operatively associated with a position determining system that may be implemented in any suitable form. For example, the position determining system can be realized as a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) or global positioning satellite (GPS) system  150 . In the GNSS or GPS system  150 , a plurality of manmade satellites  152  orbit about the earth at fixed or precise trajectories. Each satellite  152  includes a positioning transmitter  154  that transmits positioning signals encoding time and positioning information towards earth. By calculating, such as by triangulation, between the positioning signals received from different satellites, one can determine their instantaneous location on earth. In the present embodiment, the transmitter/receivers  148  on the haul trucks  122  and loading machines  124  and the transmitter/receivers  143  on the road trucks  130  can be configured to also receive the positioning signals from the positioning transmitters  154 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , there is illustrated systems and devices that may be operatively associated with the loading machines  124  such as a bucket loader  126  to facilitate operation at the worksite  100 . In addition to the transmitter/receiver  148  that establishes communication with the worksite computer system  140  including the backend system  144 , the loading machine  124  can include an onboard controller  160  such as an electronic control module or electronic control unit for monitoring and regulating operations of the loading machine  124 . The onboard controller  160  can be a programmable computing device and can include one or more microprocessors  162  for processing computer executable instructions, programs, applications, and data in the form of software encoded as binary bits and bytes. Example of suitable microprocessors  162  include programmable logic devices such as field programmable gate arrays (“FPGA”), dedicated or customized logic devices such as application specific integrated circuits (“ASIC”), gate arrays, a complex programmable logic device, or any other suitable type of circuitry or microchip. In addition, to store the software and data processed by the microprocessor  162 , the onboard controller  160  can include non-transitory computer readable and writeable memory  164  such as read only memory (“ROM”), random access memory (“RAM”), EPROM memory, flash memory, or another suitable storage medium like magnetic or optical storage. The onboard controller  160  may also include input/output interfaces  166  such as data ports, serial ports, parallel ports, USB ports, jacks, and the like. 
     To receive and process data about operations of the loading machine  124 , the onboard controller  160  can be operatively associated with a plurality of sensors, actuators, and other systems disposed about the loading machine  124 . By way of example, this may include a payload monitoring system  168  operatively associated with the bucket  128  to measure load and cycle counts, load weights and the like. Sensors may, for example, monitor load and dump cycles through which the bucket  128  is maneuvered, and may monitor load weights through operative association with the hydraulic system to measure hydraulic forces generated during load and dump cycles or may utilize other force measurement technologies. The payload monitoring system  168  and onboard controller  160  can track performance data such as by daily totals or the like. 
     To interface with an operator or technician, the onboard controller  160  can be operatively associated with an operator interface display  170 , also referred to as a human-machine interface (“HMI”). The operator interface display  170  can be an output device to visually present information to a human operator regarding operation and regulation of the loading machine  124  and/or the payload monitoring system  168  as may be monitored by the onboard controller  160 . The operator interface display  170  can be a liquid crystal display (“LCD”) capable of presenting numerical values, text descriptors, graphs, charts, and the like regarding operations being performed at the worksite  100 . In other embodiments, other visual displays may be used such as a cathode ray tube. The operator interface display  170  may have capabilities like as a touchscreen to receive input from a human operator to direct instructions or requests to the onboard controller  160 . In other embodiments, other interface devices may be included such as dials, knobs, switches, keypads, keyboards, mice, printers, etc. 
     INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY 
     Referring to  FIGS. 3-5 , there is illustrated flow diagrams of exemplary processes the worksite computer system  140  and associated systems may utilize to manage, schedule, and organize operations at the worksite  100  including interaction between the haul trucks  122 , loading machines  124 , and road trucks  130 . For example, the worksite  100  may be significant in size and the plurality of road trucks  130  arriving and departing may require scheduling and guidance to arrive at the correct material piles  110 . In addition, the material must be mined and processed prior to arrival of the road trucks  130 , and appropriate orders and instructions should be timely communicated to the loading machines  124 . The processes depicted in the flow diagrams for accomplishing these tasks may include a series of steps or instructions implemented as non-transitory computer executable software code in the form of an application or program. 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 , which represents steps and processes that may be conducted from the backend system  144 , in an initial order reception step  200 , a customer may place an order in the form of customer order data  202  specifying the material type  204  and material quantity  206  desired. The customer order data  202  may be communicated to the worksite  100  electronically over the internet, may be placed by phone, or may be communicated in other suitable ways. In the initial order reception step  200 , the customer order data  202  is input into the backend system  144  of the worksite computer in computer readable form for further processing. It will be appreciated that multiple customer order data  202  from different customers may be processed by the backend system  144  on a continuous or iterative basis. 
     In a query step  210 , the backend system  144  determines whether the material is available in the type and quantity specified by the customer order data  202 . If not, the query step  210  results in a processing step  212  to make the material available, for example, by mining and processing the material at the worksite  100  or by otherwise obtaining the material. For example, the backend system  144  may generate and communicate instructions to the mine  102  and the processing equipment  104  to mine and process material of the material type  204  and material quantity  206  reflected in the customer data order  202 . The backend system  144  can also generate and communicate instructions to the haul trucks  122  so that the material is directed to and delivered the correct material piles  110 . 
     In a subsequent location step  214 , the backend system  144  determines an identified pile location  216  corresponding to the material ordered from the plurality of the material piles  110  including, for example, the first pile location  112 , second pile location  114 , and third pile location  116  at the worksite. The locality of the pile locations may be maintained as distinct zones about the worksite, worksite addresses, worksite coordinates, or in other suitable forms. Data regarding the plurality of pile locations may be preliminarily input to and maintained by the backend system  144 . Identification of the pile location may be made in part, based on the customer order data which may include a material type and a material quantity and which may be used to assess the suitability of a particular pile for fulfilling the customer order. Once the identified pile location  216  is retrieved, the backend system  144  can start to generate a job order  218  in an order generation step  220  that compiles the relevant data from the customer order data  202 , including material type  204  and material quantity  206 . The job order  218  may be in a form or type suitable for electronic communication. 
     When the road truck  130  arrives at the worksite  100 , it will check in with the scale house  134  where, in a data reception step  222 , arrival data  224  can be input to the front end system  138 . The arrival data  224  can include a road truck identification  226  and a road truck capacity  228 . The road truck identification  226  can be a vehicle identification number, a fleet identification number, a serial number, a vehicle license number or other identifying characteristics. The road truck capacity  228  can be the quantity or weight of material the road truck  130  is capable of hauling, which may be subject to regulatory compliance requirements. In addition, during the data reception step  222 , the road truck  130  may be weighed upon arrival at the scale house  134  to determine an empty or tare weight measurement  232 , which can be accomplished using the scale  136 . In another embodiment, weighing of the road truck  130  may be omitted. In yet another embodiment, based on the truck identification information, the weight information of the empty the road truck  130  may be accessed via a remote server or via backend server. In another embodiment, the empty or tare weight measurement  232  of the road truck  130  may be communicated by the truck operator or may have been prerecorded during a prior arrival of the road truck to the scale house  132 . 
     The arrival data  224  may be communicated from the front end system  138  to the backend system  144  where, in a matching step  234 , the road truck identification  226  can be matched to the job order  218 . In another embodiment, the matching step  234  may be performed by the front end system  138  and then communicated to the backend system  144 . In a check availability step  236 , the backend system  144  checks availability of the loading machines  124  to load the road truck  130 . For example, the loading machines  124  may be associated or preassigned to specific piles  110  or may be assigned to specific zones in which the relevant pile  110  is located. As another example, the loading machines  124  may travel among the plurality of pile locations based on demand. The check availability step  236  can identify a particular loading machine  124  based on, for example, location to the identified pile location or loading capabilities, and in an assignment step  238  assigns and communicates the job order  218  to the assigned loading machine  124 . Communication of the job order  218  to the loading machine  124  can occur wirelessly, for example, using the telematics system  146  associated with the backend system  144 . The job order  218  communicated to the loading machine  124  can include relevant data such as the road truck identification  226 , road truck capacity  228 , location status of the road truck at or arriving at the worksite, and other relevant customer order data  202  such as material type  204  and material quantity  206 . The location of the road truck  130  may be determined through the GPS system  150 , and the location or the road truck with respect to the identified pile location can be used to estimate a time of arrival of the road truck at the identified pile location. 
     In an embodiment, the backend system  144  can be configured to determine a route or path through the worksite  100  for the road truck and in a route generation step  239  can generate a route or path for the road truck  130  to travel to the identified pile locations  216 , which may be based on the shortest distance or time of travel. To provide instructions to the road truck  130 , in a communication step  240  the backend system  144  can communicate the identified pile location  216  and directions which may include the generated route or path to the pile location from the scale house  134  back to the front end system  138  where they can be communicated to the operator of the road truck  130 . In embodiments where the road truck  130  includes a wireless transmitter/receiver  143 , the information can be conveyed electronically and can include digital maps, directions and the like. 
     Referring to  FIG. 4 , which represents steps and processes that may be conducted by the loading machine  124 . In a data reception step  242 , the loading machine  124  may receive a plurality of job orders  218  from the backend system  144 , which may be communicated electronically by the telematics system  146 . These may include the material type  204  and the material quantity  206  associated with the particular job orders  218 . These may also include road truck identification  226  and road truck capacity  228  obtained from the arrival data  224  when the road truck  130  arrives at the scale house  134 . In a sorting step  244 , the plurality of job orders  218  assigned to and received by the loading machine  124  can be sorted and displayed to the operator of the loading machine. 
     For example, referring to  FIG. 2 , the operator interface display  170  may visually present a plurality of job orders  218  to the operator by, for example, road truck identification  226 . Moreover, the job orders  218  may be sorted by suitable criteria. For example, the job orders  218  may be sorted by the order in which the road trucks  130  arrive at the worksite  100 , order in which the road trucks  130  arrive at the identified pile location  216 , the material quantity  206  corresponding to the job order  218 , proximity of the loading machine  124  and road truck  130  as determined through the GPS system  150 , or other suitable criteria. 
     Referring back to  FIG. 4 , the loading machine  124  may conduct a loading operation  250  in which material is loaded from the material pile  110  to the road truck  130 . During the loading operation  250 , the onboard controller  160  and/or payload monitoring system  168  associated with the loading machine  124  can conduct a measurement step  252  to measure attributes and progress associated with the loading operation. For example, attributes may include loaded material quantity  254 , job duration or loading time  256 , cycle count  258  that represents the number of operating cycles such as loading and dumping that the loading machine  124  conducts. The measured attributes may be associated with the road truck  130  being loaded via the road truck identification  226 , associated by the loading machine  124  conducting the loading operation  250 , or otherwise. As illustrated in  FIG. 2 , the attributes measured in the measurement step  252  may be displayed in real time on the operator interface display  170  on the loading machine  124 . In an embodiment, the payload monitoring system  168  may be further configured to cause to display an estimated remaining material quantity and/or estimated remaining loading time for a given job order  218 . In a loading query step  260 , the onboard controller  160  and/or payload monitoring system  168  may assess whether the loading operation  250  is complete, for example, by querying whether the road truck capacity  228  has been reached or whether the material quantity  206  associated with the job order  218  has been reached. If not, the onboard controller  160  may direct that the loading machine  124  return to the loading operation  250 . By repeatedly measuring and assessing the material loaded with road truck capacity  228  and material quantity  206 , the loading query step  260  avoids overloading or under loading the road truck  130 . 
     To make the measured attributes associated with the loading operation  250 , available for tracking and assessment, the onboard controller  160  in a data compilation step  262  can compile and communicate such information to the backend system  144  as job confirmation data  264 . Examples of job confirmation data  264  can include the loaded material quantity  254 , the loading time  256 , the cycle count  258 , and road truck identification  226  associated with the job order  218  and/or road truck identification  226 . The onboard controller  160  can communicate the job confirmation data  264  to the backend system  144  wireless or electronically via the telematics system  146 . In a subsequent query step  266 , the onboard controller  160  can query whether there are additional job orders  218  to perform and, if so, can return to the sorting step  244  to retrieve the next job order  218  as may appear in the operator interface display  170 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 5 , which represents the steps and processes that may be conducted upon departure of the road truck  130  from the worksite  100 , the front end system  138  may collect certain departure data when the road truck checks out at the scale house  134 . It should be noted the road truck  130  may check out at the same or different scale house  134  as which it checked in. In an identification step  270 , the road truck identification  226  of the departing road truck  130  is obtained. In a measurement step  272 , the loaded weight measurement  274  of the departing road truck  130  can be obtained by, for example, using the scale  136  associated with the scale house  134 . In a compiling step  276 , the front end system  138  can compile and communicate the departure data  278 , including the road truck identification  226  and the loaded weight measurement  274 , to the backend system  144 . 
     To assess and process the departure data  278 , the backend system  144  in a retrieval step  280  can retrieve the arrival data  224  that was previously sent by the front end system  138  upon arrival of the road truck  130  to the scale house  134 . The arrival data  224  can include the road truck identification  226 , the road truck capacity  228 , and the empty or tare weight measurement  232  associated with the road truck  130 . In a data warehousing step  282 , the data gathered from the different procedures associated with the road truck  130  and loading operation  250  can be organized and stored for further analysis, including the customer order data  202 , job order  218 , arrival data  224 , job confirmation data  264 , and departure data  278 . For example, to bill and receive payment for the material, the backend system  144  in an invoice generation step  284  can generate an invoice  286  by subtracting the loaded weight measurement  274  from the empty or tare weight measurement  232  for the departing load truck  130 . The generated invoice therefore reflects the quantity or weight of material the load truck  130  received at the worksite  100 . Additionally, through matching the customer order data  202  and road truck identification  226 , the generated invoice  286  can be sent to the appropriate customer. In a further comparison and reorder step  288 , the backend system  144  can compare the data from a plurality of job confirmation data  264  associated with an identified pile location  216  and reorder material to replenish an identified pile location  216  if appropriate. 
     In a further embodiment, the worksite computer system  140  can be configured to provide support and services usable by different individuals and entities associated with the worksite  100 , road trucks  130 , and loading operations  250 . The support and services can provide such individuals and entities with access to the reconciled data from the data warehousing step  282  and other data processing and analysis that may be conducted on the backend system  144 . The support and services may be provided on a subscription basis through a subscription site  290  or portal into the backend system  144 , particularly in the embodiments where the backend system  144  is maintained as an ASP model. For example, the backend system  144  can generate worksite services  292  that can be used by the worksite  100  to manage operations. Relevant services may include material production and processing, logistics analysis, order processing, etc. The backend system  144  may also generate customer services  294  that are usable by customers of the worksite  100 , including those that operate the road trucks  130 . Such customer services  294  may include efficiency analysis relating to road truck operations and operation time analysis, maintenance analysis specific to road trucks based on loading conditions and cycles and time, and the like. The backend system  144  may also generate manufacturer services  296  that may be usable by manufacturers of machines associated with the worksite  100  and operations thereat including the haul trucks  122 , loading machines  124 , road trucks  130 , and the like. 
     It will be appreciated that the foregoing description provides examples of the disclosed system and technique. However, it is contemplated that other implementations of the disclosure may differ in detail from the foregoing examples. All references to the disclosure or examples thereof are intended to reference the particular example being discussed at that point and are not intended to imply any limitation as to the scope of the disclosure more generally. All language of distinction and disparagement with respect to certain features is intended to indicate a lack of preference for those features, but not to exclude such from the scope of the disclosure entirely unless otherwise indicated. 
     Recitation of ranges of values herein are merely intended to serve as a shorthand method of referring individually to each separate value falling within the range, unless otherwise indicated herein, and each separate value is incorporated into the specification as if it were individually recited herein. All methods described herein can be performed in any suitable order unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context. 
     The use of the terms “a” and “an” and “the” and “at least one” and similar referents in the context of describing the invention (especially in the context of the following claims) are to be construed to cover both the singular and the plural, unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted by context. The use of the term “at least one” followed by a list of one or more items (for example, “at least one of A and B”) is to be construed to mean one item selected from the listed items (A or B) or any combination of two or more of the listed items (A and B), unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted by context. 
     Accordingly, this disclosure includes all modifications and equivalents of the subject matter recited in the claims appended hereto as permitted by applicable law. Moreover, any combination of the above-described elements in all possible variations thereof is encompassed by the disclosure unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context.