Control system and method for a concrete vehicle

• US 20050131600A1
• Filed: 10/07/2004
• Published: 06/16/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oshkosh Corporation
• Original Assignee: Oshkosh Corporation
• Inventors: Pillar, Duane R., Quigley, Thomas P., Squires, Bradley C.
• Granted Patent: US 7,792,618 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/33
• CPC Class Codes: A62C 27/00 Fire-fighting land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B28C 5/422 Controlling or measuring devices B28C5/4227 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/70 Interactions with external data bases, e.g. traffic centres
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/12 Recording operating variables ; Monitoring of operating variables
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/15 with additional electric power supply with capacitors charged by engine-driven generators B60L50/40; with batteries charged by engine-driven generators B60L50/61
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0315 using multiplexing techniques multiplexing for transmission of signals G08C15/00; multiplexing for electrical communication in general H04J
• CPC Class Codes: B65F 3/043 with additional means for keeping the receptacle substantially vertical during raising
• CPC Class Codes: B65F 3/045 Four-bar linkages
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/0406 Intake manifold pressure
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/0602 Fuel pressure
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/101 Engine speed
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/1012 Engine speed gradient
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/062 for starting F02D41/061 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/22 Safety or indicating devices for abnormal conditions in air/fuel ratio feedback systems F02D41/1495, in electric control linkage F02D11/107, in purge control systems F02M25/0809
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/266 the computer being backed-up or assisted by another circuit, e.g. analogue
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/28 Interface circuits
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/108 for diagnosis of the starter or its components
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2200/022 Engine speed
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2200/043 Starter voltage
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2200/044 Starter current
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2200/062 : Battery current
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2300/306 : with external senders or receivers, e.g. receiving signals from traffic lights, other vehicles or base stations
• CPC Class Codes: F02P 17/10 : Measuring dwell or antidwell time
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 17/00 : Testing of vehicles testing fluid tightness G01M3/00; testing elastic properties of bodies or chassis, e.g. torsion-testing, G01M5/00; testing alignment of vehicle headlight devices G01M11/06; testing of engines G01M15/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 : Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 : Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 : communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/08 : Registering or indicating performance data other than driving, working, idle, or waiting time, with or without registering driving, working, idle or waiting time
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/085 : using electronic data carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/20 : Monitoring the location of vehicles belonging to a group, e.g. fleet of vehicles, countable or determined number of vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 : Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 : Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 : Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02W 30/10 : Waste collection, transportation, transfer or storage, e.g. segregated refuse collecting, electric or hybrid propulsion

Abstract

A concrete vehicle is described herein which includes a chassis, a concrete handling system, a vehicle subsystem control system, and a wireless communication system configured to communicate with an off-board electronic device. The subsystem control system includes status information for a plurality of vehicle parameters. The wireless communication system is used to communicate status information pertaining to at least one vehicle parameter to the off-board electronic device when the vehicle parameter breaches a threshold.

Claims

1. A concrete vehicle comprising:

a chassis including a frame and wheels;

a concrete handling system supported by the frame and wheels;

a vehicle subsystem control system which includes an electronic control unit, the control system being configured to include status information for a plurality of vehicle parameters; and

a wireless communication system configured to communicate with an off-board electronic device, the wireless communication system being configured to communicate status information pertaining to at least one vehicle parameter to the off-board electronic device when the vehicle parameter breaches a threshold.

2. The concrete vehicle of claim 1 wherein the subsystem control system includes at least one of an engine control system, a transmission control system, a central tire inflation control system, or an antilock brake control system.

3. The concrete vehicle of claim 1 wherein multiple thresholds are set for at least one vehicle parameter.

4. The concrete vehicle of claim 1 wherein one of the multiple thresholds is a critical threshold, and wherein the first control system is configured to communicate status information pertaining to a breach of the critical threshold to the off-board electronic device immediately after the breach occurs.

5. The concrete vehicle of claim 1 wherein the off-board electronic device includes at least one of a pager, a computer, a wireless telephone, or a landline telephone.

6. The concrete vehicle of claim 1 wherein the wireless communication system is configured to establish a direct wireless link with the off-board electronic device.

7. The concrete vehicle of claim 1 wherein the wireless communication system is configured to communicate with the off-board electronic device by way of the Internet.

8. The concrete vehicle of claim 1 wherein the vehicle parameters are chassis vehicle parameters.

9. The concrete vehicle of claim 1 wherein the concrete handling system includes a mixing drum.

10. The concrete vehicle of claim 1 comprising a data logger and an operator interface both of which are communicatively coupled to the wireless communication system and/or the vehicle subsystem control system.

11. The concrete vehicle of claim 1 wherein the first control system further comprises a plurality of microprocessor based interface modules, the interface modules being coupled together by way of a communication network, the interface modules being distributed throughout the concrete vehicle.

12. A concrete vehicle comprising:

a communication network;

a plurality of input devices distributed throughout the concrete vehicle, the plurality of input devices being configured to communicate status information pertaining to a vehicle parameter across the network;

a wireless communication system used to communicate with an off-board electronic device, the wireless communication system being configured to receive the status information over the network;

wherein the wireless communication system communicates the status information to the off-board electronic device when the vehicle parameter breaches a threshold.

13. The concrete vehicle of claim 12 wherein the vehicle parameter pertains to an engine and/or a transmission of the concrete vehicle.

14. The concrete vehicle of claim 12 wherein at least a portion of the plurality of input devices are included in a vehicle subsystem control system.

15. The concrete vehicle of claim 12 wherein at least one vehicle parameter includes multiple thresholds.

16. The concrete vehicle of claim 12 wherein the off-board electronic device includes at least one of a pager, a computer, a wireless telephone, or a landline telephone.

17. The concrete vehicle of claim 12 further comprising a data logger and an operator interface.

18. The concrete vehicle of claim 12 wherein the wireless communication system is configured to communicate with the off-board electronic device by way of the Internet.

19. The concrete vehicle of claim 12 further comprising a plurality of microprocessor based interface modules, the interface modules being coupled to the communication network, the interface modules being distributed throughout the concrete vehicle.

20. A concrete vehicle comprising:

a chassis including a frame and wheels;

a concrete handling system supported by the chassis;

an electronic control system which includes a fault code, the fault code being used to determine the source of a problem with the vehicle; and

a wireless communication system configured to communicate the fault code to an off-board electronic device.

21. The concrete vehicle of claim 20 wherein the fault code relates to a problem with at least one of an engine, a transmission, a central tire inflation system, or an antilock brake system.

22. The concrete vehicle of claim 20 wherein the off-board electronic device is used to communicate instructions to the electronic control system in response to receiving the fault code.

23. A concrete vehicle comprising:

a chassis including a frame and wheels;

a concrete handling system supported by the chassis;

a vehicle subsystem control system which includes an electronic control unit, the vehicle subsystem control system being configured to include fault codes; and

a wireless communication system configured to communicate the fault codes to an off-board electronic device.

24. The concrete vehicle of claim 23 wherein the vehicle subsystem control system includes at least one of an engine control system, a transmission control system, a central tire inflation control system, or an antilock brake control system.

25. The concrete vehicle of claim 23 wherein the wireless communication system is configured to communicate with off-board electronic device by way of the Internet.

26. The concrete vehicle of claim 23 wherein the off-board electronic device includes at least one of a pager, a computer, a wireless telephone, or a landline telephone.

27. The concrete vehicle of claim 23 wherein the wireless communication system is configured to communicate with the off-board electronic device by way of the Internet.

28. A concrete vehicle comprising:

a chassis which includes an engine and a transmission;

a body which includes a mixing drum; and

a control system which comprises;

a communication network;

a plurality of microprocessor based interface modules distributed throughout the concrete vehicle, the interface modules being configured to communicate with one another using the communication network;

at least one vehicle subsystem control system configured to be in communication with at least one interface module;

wherein the control system is configured to monitor at least one vehicle parameter and wirelessly communicate status information pertaining to the vehicle parameter to an off-board electronic device when the vehicle parameter breaches a threshold.

29. The concrete vehicle of claim 28 further comprising a plurality of input and output devices coupled to each respective interface module, wherein the vehicle subsystem control system is coupled to one of the interface modules and is configured to communicate over the communication network by way of the interface module.

30. The concrete vehicle of claim 29 wherein each interface module broadcasts status information pertaining to the status of the input and output devices over the communication network, and wherein the interface modules that receive the status information broadcasts are configured to store the status information in an I/O status table.

31. The concrete vehicle of claim 28 wherein one vehicle parameter includes multiple thresholds.

32. The concrete vehicle of claim 28 wherein the control system is configured to wirelessly communicate information to the off-board electronic device by way of the Internet.

33. The concrete vehicle of claim 28 wherein the vehicle subsystem control system includes at least one of an engine control system, a transmission control system, a central tire inflation control system, or an antilock brake control system.

34. The concrete vehicle of claim 28 wherein the off-board electronic device includes at least one of a pager, a computer, a wireless telephone, or a landline telephone.

35. A method for performing diagnostic tests on a concrete vehicle comprises:

establishing a communication link between a first control system located on the concrete vehicle and an off-board computer, the first control system including a concrete vehicle subsystem, the concrete vehicle subsystem including a second control system configured to control the subsystem;

performing a diagnostic test on the concrete vehicle subsystem;

transmitting the results of the diagnostic test to the off-board computer.

36. The method of claim 35 wherein the concrete vehicle subsystem includes at least one of an engine subsystem, or a transmission subsystem.

37. The method of claim 35 wherein the communication link is established at regular intervals.

38. The method of claim 35 further comprising transmitting vehicle usage data from the first control system to the off-board computer.

39. The method of claim 35 wherein the off-board computer is a personal digital assistant.