Caterpillar Inc.

Innovations in the mechanical design, modularity, and enhanced functionality of excavator attachments and implements, including multi-axis rotation, specialized grapples, and integrated compaction tools.

Systems and methods for enabling earth-moving machines to perform tasks with reduced or no human intervention, often leveraging predictive models, sensor fusion, and coordinated multi-machine operations.

Techniques and components for improving the efficiency, control, and responsiveness of hydraulic systems in heavy machinery, often involving variable displacement pumps, pressure regulation, and flow control.

Software, algorithms, and associated hardware for monitoring, controlling, and optimizing battery performance, safety, and lifespan, including charge/discharge cycles, thermal regulation, and system integration.

Methods and components for optimizing the performance, efficiency, and control of electric motors, inverters, and power converters within electric vehicle and hybrid vehicle drivetrains.

Methods and apparatus for performing non-standard or highly specific excavation tasks, such as underwater harvesting, material screening, or earth removal with structural reinforcement.

Systems for coordinating and controlling fleets of autonomous vehicles or machines, including task allocation, route optimization, and monitoring their operational status and progress.

Integration of diverse sensors and machine perception algorithms to gather and interpret data about the machine's environment, its own state, and subsurface conditions for improved operation, safety, and mapping.

Systems designed to manage the temperature of multiple components in electric or hybrid vehicles, such as batteries, electric motors, power electronics, and the passenger cabin, often using shared or interconnected cooling/heating circuits.

Methods and components for converting power into mechanical motion to drive pump mechanisms, encompassing electric motors, hydraulic actuators, and specialized motion converters like ball screws or solenoids.

Integration of power converters with energy storage devices (batteries, supercapacitors) or grid interfaces, often involving AC/DC conversion, power flow management, and fault handling for hybrid power systems or specific applications like EVs or PV.

Systems and methods employing sensors, data processing, and control algorithms to automate and optimize drilling, fracturing, and fluid production processes in real-time.

Focuses on the structural integrity, housing, mounting, and physical integration of battery cells into robust and protected packs within electric vehicles, including manufacturing considerations.

Innovations in the design, materials, and maintenance of seals, valves, and related components to improve durability, reduce leakage, and enable specific pump functions like high-pressure operation or automated seal replacement.

Technologies and systems for removing unwanted components or separating desired gases from a mixed gas stream, including adsorption, absorption, and membrane-based methods.

Methods and apparatus for generating, storing, and distributing electrical power within a wellbore, or for powering downhole tools and systems from the surface.

Technologies for efficiently delivering power to electric vehicles, encompassing fast charging, wireless charging, and smart grid integration, alongside vehicle-side control and management of the charging process.

Design and control of power supply architectures that combine multiple power sources (e.g., AC grid, DC battery, generators) or modular battery units, often featuring switching, conversion, and redundancy for enhanced reliability and flexibility.

Techniques and systems for optimizing pump operation, including capacity modulation, energy management, pulsation reduction, and precise fluid dispensing to improve performance and reduce energy consumption.

Membrane and depth filtration for industrial separation, gas purification, and bioprocess clarification including cross-flow, dead-end, tangential flow filtration, and oil/water separation.

Design and engineering of specialized mechanical and electrical tools for drilling, coring, perforating, and manipulating equipment within the wellbore environment.

Innovations in the materials, manufacturing, and assembly of vehicle body components to enhance rigidity, crashworthiness, and functional integration.

Electronic, hydraulic, or steer-by-wire systems that precisely control vehicle direction, often incorporating feedback loops, compensation, and adaptation for various driving conditions or vehicle types.

Technologies for safely and efficiently connecting, stabilizing, and maneuvering trailers, including hitch mechanisms, load sensing, and trailer-specific steering or stabilization.

Systems and methods for transferring electrical energy without physical contact, often utilizing inductive or resonant coupling, including antenna design, resonance tracking, and control mechanisms for efficient power delivery.

Systems utilizing various sensors (e.g., cameras, radar, sonar) to perceive the vehicle's surrounding environment, detect objects, and process/display relevant information to the driver for enhanced awareness, assistance in maneuvers, or safety.

Devices and structural elements within the vehicle cabin or attached to the vehicle body designed to organize, secure, or support various articles, equipment, or even pets, often featuring customizable compartments or robust attachment mechanisms.

Equipment and processes for separating solid particles from liquid or gas phases in industrial settings, encompassing mechanical screening, filtration of molten materials, and various filter media designs.

Design and engineering solutions for creating self-contained, mobile, or miniaturized pump systems, often incorporating battery power, ergonomic features, and integrated components for ease of use and transport.

Processes and apparatus for disassembling spent batteries and recovering valuable materials (e.g., metals, electrolytes, plastics) through mechanical, chemical, or electrochemical methods for reuse or sustainable disposal.

Technologies for monitoring vehicle performance, detecting faults, collecting operational data, and providing remote assistance or automated control based on sensor inputs and network connectivity.

Techniques and hardware for autonomous systems to gather and interpret data about their surroundings, including obstacle detection, object recognition, and depth estimation, to inform control decisions.

Algorithms and systems for generating, optimizing, and executing trajectories for autonomous vehicles or robots to move through an environment, often involving obstacle avoidance, route validation, and goal reaching.

Methods and systems for managing the interaction, communication, and collaborative tasks among multiple autonomous entities, or between autonomous entities and a central control system or users.

Process and equipment for producing solid-state battery cells, including solid electrolyte synthesis (sulfide/oxide/polymer), thin-film deposition, lamination, sintering, dry-electrode fabrication, and stacking under controlled atmosphere.

Deployment and operation of specialized sensors within wellbores to monitor formation properties, fluid flow, and well integrity, often using acoustic, optical, or radiation-based methods, and integrating with well operations.

Safety features built into or around vehicle seats to protect occupants during various accident scenarios, including airbags, pre-crash positioning, and blast attenuation.

Systems and methods specifically engineered for removing pollutants and impurities from water sources, ranging from groundwater decontamination to point-of-use filtration, often employing adsorption, membrane, or distillation techniques.

Technologies that enable automated or mobile device-controlled access to a vehicle, including keyless entry, remote functions, and power-assisted steps or pedals designed to facilitate easier ingress and egress.

Specialized fluid compositions, including additives and inhibitors, used in oil and gas exploration and production for purposes like drilling, fracturing, cementing, corrosion inhibition, and formation stimulation.

Systems designed to streamline and automate various commercial transactions, including mobile-enhanced processes, secure online checkouts, customer service interactions, and privilege issuance, often leveraging digital authentication.

Slurry compositions and coating processes for battery electrodes, including binder/active-material slurries, surface coating layers, and electrode-to-foil adhesion for cathode and anode.