System and method for managing construction machinery

• US 20040236489A1
• Filed: 04/12/2004
• Published: 11/25/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitachi Construction Machinery Company Limited (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Hitachi Construction Machinery Company Limited (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Inventors: Shibata, Koichi, Sugiyama, Genroku, Shibamori, Kazuhiro, Komatsu, Hideki, Adachi, Hiroyuki
• Granted Patent: US 7,162,347 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/50
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/00 Fittings or systems for preventing or indicating unauthorised use or theft of vehicles locks for vehicles E05B77/00-E05B85/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/042 operating on the fuel supply
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/045 by limiting or cutting the electrical supply to the propulsion unit
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/33 of global position, e.g. by providing GPS coordinates
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/24 Safety devices , e.g. for preventing overload E02F9/226 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/26 Indicating devices E02F5/145 takes precedence

Abstract

Construction machine management, permitting operation of a construction machine only under specified conditions and inhibiting its operation in case it is in a state incongruent with preset working conditions. Working conditions for each construction machine are set up by a working conditions setup means, including a geographically divided working area and a working time zone in which a construction machine is allowed to operate in a specified working area. Setup working conditions are stored in a memory means. At the time of starting a construction machine, the status of the construction machine is checked for by a status checkup means which is adapted to check for current position of the construction machine and current time against the working area and working time zone of the setup working conditions. In case a construction machine is found to be in a state incongruent with both of the working area and the working time zone of the preset working conditions, the management inhibits operation of that construction machine.

Claims

1. A construction machine management system, for managing construction machines in such a way as to permit operations of construction machines only under specified working conditions while inhibiting operations of said construction machines when not in agreement with said specified working conditions, said system comprising:

working condition setup means adapted to set up working conditions for each one of said construction machines, said working conditions including a working time zone in addition to a geographically divided working area;

a memory means for storing the working conditions set up by said working condition setup means;

a status checkup means adapted to check for current status of said construction machines against said working area and working time zone of said setup working conditions; and

an operation inhibiting means adapted to inhibit operation of said construction machines when in a state incongruent with said setup working conditions with regard to both of said working area and working time zone.

2. A construction machine management system as defined in claim 1, wherein said working conditions setup means is adapted to set up said working area on the basis of latitudes and longitudes or on the basis of known geographical divisions, and said status checkup means is adapted to measure current position of a construction machine on the basis of position data acquired from GPS satellites.

3. A construction machine management system as defined in claim 1, wherein said working conditions setup means is provided on the side of a management device holding all of construction machines under surveillance and adapted to exchange data with respective construction machines through wireless communication means.

4. A construction machine management system as defined in claim 3, wherein said working conditions setup means is provided in a communication terminal connected to said management device through a communication network.

5. A construction machine management system as defined in claim 1, wherein said memory means and said status checkup means are provided on the side of construction machines.

6. A construction machine management system as defined in claim 1, wherein said working conditions setup means is arranged into a format permitting a plural number of working conditions for one construction machine, along with working time zones in respective setup working areas.

7. A construction machine management system as defined in claim 1, wherein said operation inhibiting means is adapted to inhibit operation of an engine or a hydraulic actuator of a construction machine.

8. A method of managing construction machines in such a way as to permit operations of construction machines only under specified working conditions while inhibiting operations of said construction machines when not in agreement with said specified working conditions, said method comprising the steps of:

setting up working conditions for a construction machine, including a geographically divided working area and a working time zone for operation in said working area;

checking for current location of said construction machine and current time against setup working area and working time zone every time which said construction machine is started, to check whether or not status of said construction machine is in agreement with said working conditions; and

inhibiting operation of said construction machine when incongruent with either said working area or working time zone of said working conditions.

9. A method of managing construction machines in such a way as to permit operations of construction machines only under specified working conditions while inhibiting operations of said construction machines when not in agreement with said specified working conditions, said method comprising the steps of:

setting up for a construction machine working conditions including a plural number of geographically divided working areas and a working time zone for operation in each working area;

checking for current location of said construction machine and current time against the setup working area and working time zone every time when said construction machine is started, to check whether or not status of said construction machine is in agreement with said working conditions; and

permitting start-up of said construction machine only when said construction machine is located in one of the setup working areas and within a working time zone for that particular working area.