Electronic control system for construction machinery

• US 20020138188A1
• Filed: 03/14/2002
• Published: 09/26/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitachi Construction Machinery Company Limited (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Hitachi Construction Machinery Company Limited (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Inventors: Adachi, Hiroyuki, Watanabe, Hiroshi, Ishimoto, Hidefumi
• Granted Patent: US 6,718,245 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/50
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2228 including an electronic controller
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2235 including an electronic controller
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2246 Control of prime movers, e.g. depending on the hydraulic load of work tools
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2296 Systems with a variable displacement pump
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/26 Indicating devices E02F5/145 takes precedence

Abstract

A system having a monitoring function in addition to a control function is able to suppress an increase in the amount of data communication and the communication frequency via a common communication line, and is flexibly adaptable for addition of a new function without causing mutual interference between control data and monitor data.

A hydraulic excavator 1 includes a first control unit 17 for a prime mover 14, a second control unit 23 for a hydraulic pump 18, a third control unit 33 for control valves 24, 25 and 26, and first and second monitor units 45, 46. A first common communication line 39 for control and a second common communication line 40 for monitoring are further provided as common buses for data communication. The control units 17, 23 and 33 are interconnected via the first common communication line 39 for transmitting and receiving signals necessary for control among them, and the monitor units 45, 46 and the first control unit 17 are interconnected via the second common communication line 40 for transmitting and receiving signals necessary for monitoring among them.

Claims

1. An electronic control system for a construction machine (1) comprising a prime mover (14), hydraulic equipment and systems (11-13, 19, 24-26), and a working device (7), said construction machine further comprising a plurality of control units (17, 23, 33) divided for each function and at least one monitor unit (45 or 46) for monitoring the operating status of said construction machine, said plurality of control units and said monitor unit being connected to each other for communication of control data and monitor data, wherein:

said electronic control system comprises at least two common communication lines including a first common communication line (39) for communicating said control data and a second common communication line (40) for communicating said monitor data; and

said plurality of control units (17, 23, 33) are connected to said first common communication line (39) for communicating said control data among said plurality of control units via said first common communication line, and said monitor unit (45 or 46) and a particular one (17) of said plurality of control units are connected to said second common communication line (40) for communicating said monitor data between said monitor unit and said particular control unit via said second common communication line.

2. An electronic control system for a construction machine according to claim 1, further comprising a display device (47;

47A) connected to said second common communication line (40) and displaying the monitor data communicated via said second common communication line.

3. An electronic control system for a construction machine according to claim 2, wherein said display device (47;

47A) includes processing means (4710-4719;

4720-4736) for displaying the monitor data communicated via said second common communication line in graphical form.

4. An electronic control system for a construction machine according to claim 1, further comprising a display device (47A) connected to both said first and second common communication lines (39, 40) and selectively displaying the control data communicated via said first common communication line and the monitor data communicated via said second common communication line.

5. An electronic control system for a construction machine according to claim 4, wherein said display device (47A) includes processing means (4720-4736) for displaying at least one of the control data communicated via said first common communication line (39) and the monitor data communicated via said second common communication line (40) in graphical form.

6. An electronic control system for a construction machine according to claim 4, wherein said display device (47A) includes input means (4703a, 4703b, 4703c), generates a command signal for control and a command signal for monitoring in conjunction with contents of a display screen upon operation of said input means, transmits said command signal for control to a corresponding one (48) of said plurality of control units (17, 23, 33, 48) via said first common communication line (39), and transmits said command signal for monitoring to said monitor unit (46) via said second common communication line (40).