Patent ID: 8210991

Claim:
A control system for a remotely or autonomously controlled machine, comprising: a first sensor configured to generate a first signal indicative of an inclination of the remotely or autonomously controlled machine; a second sensor configured to generate a second signal indicative of a travel speed of the remotely or autonomously controlled machine; a third sensor configured to generate a third signal indicative of an engine speed of the remotely or autonomously controlled machine; a controller disposed in communication with each of the first, second, and third sensors, a transmission configured to be placed in one of a plurality of gears or a neutral condition; and a service brake configured to be modulated by the controller; wherein the controller is configured to determine whether the machine is freewheeling in a neutral condition, to generate a neutral condition machine braking command based on at least one of the first, second, and third signals, and to modulate the service brake based on the neutral condition machine braking command, until the machine has come to a stop; wherein the controller is further configured to determine whether an engine of the remotely or autonomously controlled machine is operating above a threshold speed, to generate an over-speed machine braking command based on at least one of the first, second, and third signals, and to modulate the service brake based on the over-speed machine braking command, until the engine is operating below the threshold speed; wherein the controller is further configured to determine whether the transmission will be placed in a gear that results in a travel speed or an engine speed above a threshold speed, based on at least one of the first, second, and third signals, and to inhibit the transmission from being placed in a gear that results in the travel speed or the engine speed exceeding the threshold speed; and wherein the neutral condition machine braking command and over-speed machine braking command are based on a history and a rate of change of one or more of the first, second, and third signals.