Patent ID: 8282312

Claim:
A method of operating a machine system comprising the steps of: receiving expected material placement data for a paving machine adapted to receive material from a first supply volume external to the paving machine, transfer the material through a second supply volume internal to the paving machine and place the material on a work surface via a material placing mechanism of the paving machine, the expected material placement data being indicative of at least one of a quantity of the material expected to be placed on the work surface and a rate at which the material is expected to be placed on the work surface; receiving actual material placement data for the paving machine, the actual material placement data being indicative of at least one of a quantity of the material which has been placed on the work surface and a rate at which the material was placed on the work surface; outputting a signal based on a comparison between the expected material placement data and the actual material placement data; and commanding replenishing material from a supply machine to the first supply volume responsive to the signal, and such that at least one of a planned replenishment time, location, and quantity is changed based on a difference between the expected material placement data and the actual material placement data.