Method and system for keyless work machine operation

• US 20070150146A1
• Filed: 12/22/2005
• Published: 06/28/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: Ehrenhardt, Kevin, Bernardi, John
• Granted Patent: US 7,970,518 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/50
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/02 electric constitutive elements
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 1/10 Parallel operation of dc sources

Abstract

The keyless power system has an ignition system including an ignition switch having an “OFF” position and one or more electrical components associated with a work machine. The keyless power system also has one or more alternate power sources configured to provide electrical power to the one or more electrical components. The keyless power system also has a controller configured to determine a power-level requirement of the one or more electrical components and activate at least one of the one or more alternate power sources to at least partially satisfy the power-level requirement based on whether the ignition switch is in the “OFF” position.

Claims

1. A keyless power system of a work machine, comprising:

an ignition system including an ignition switch having an “

OFF”

position;

one or more electrical components associated with the work machine;

one or more alternate power sources configured to provide electrical power to the one or more electrical components;

a controller configured to;

determine a power-level requirement of the one or more electrical components; and

activate at least one of the one or more alternate power sources to at least partially satisfy the power-level requirement based on whether the ignition switch is in the “

OFF”

position.

2. The keyless power system of claim 1, wherein the one or more electrical components includes at least one of an HVAC system, a refrigerator, a light, and a cooling system component.

3. The keyless power system of claim 1, wherein the one or more alternate power sources includes at least one of a battery, an auxiliary power unit, and a connector configured to receive power from external power source.

4. The keyless power system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to determine the availability of the one or more alternate power sources to provide electrical power to the one or more electrical components.

5. The keyless power system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to activate the one or more alternate power sources based on a hierarchy.

6. The keyless power system of claim 1, wherein activation of the at least one of the one or more alternate power sources is further based on an operator request.

7. The keyless power system of claim 6, wherein the operator request includes at least one of a manual input and an automatic mode input.

8. The keyless power system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to shut-down at least one of the one or more alternate power sources based on the power-level requirement of the one or more electrical components.

9. A method of controlling a work machine, comprising:

determining a power-level requirement of one or more electrical components associated with the work machine;

determining whether an ignition switch is in an “

OFF”

position;

activating at least one of one or more alternate power sources to at least partially satisfy the power-level requirement based on whether the ignition switch is in the “

OFF”

position.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the one or more electrical components includes at least one of a HVAC system, a refrigerator, a light, and a cooling system component.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the one or more alternate power sources includes at least one of a battery, an auxiliary power unit, and a connector configured to receive power from external power source.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the controller is further configured to determine the availability of the one or more alternate power sources to provide electrical power to the one or more electrical components.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the controller is further configured to activate the one or more alternate power sources based on a hierarchy.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein activation of the at least one of the one or more alternate power sources is further based on an operator request.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the operator request includes at least one of a manual input and an automatic mode input.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein the controller is further configured to shut-down at least one of the one or more alternate power sources based on the power-level requirement of the one or more electrical components.

17. A work machine, comprising:

a main power source;

an ignition system including an ignition switch having an “

OFF”

position;

one or more electrical components associated with the work machine;

one or more alternate power sources configured to provide electrical power to the one or more electrical components;

a controller configured to;

determine a power-level requirement of the one or more electrical components; and

activate at least one of the one or more alternate power sources to at least partially satisfy the power-level requirement based on whether the ignition switch is in the “

OFF”

position.

18. The work machine of claim 17, wherein the one or more electrical components includes at least one of an HVAC system, a refrigerator, a light, and a cooling system component.

19. The work machine of claim 17, wherein the one or more alternate power sources includes at least one of a battery, an auxiliary power unit, and a connector configured to receive power from external power source.

20. The work machine of claim 17, wherein the controller is further configured to determine the availability of the one or more alternate power sources to provide electrical power to the one or more electrical components.

21. The work machine of claim 17, wherein the controller is further configured to activate the one or more alternate power sources based on a hierarchy.

22. The work machine of claim 17, wherein activation of the at least one of the one or more alternate power sources is further based on an operator request.

23. The work machine of claim 22, wherein the operator request includes at least one of a manual input and an automatic mode input.

24. The work machine of claim 17, wherein the controller is further configured to shut-down at least one of the one or more alternate power sources based on the power-level requirement of the one or more electrical components.