On-Board Service Tool and Method

• US 20090070672A1
• Filed: 09/11/2007
• Published: 03/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vermeer Manufacturing Company
• Original Assignee: Vermeer Manufacturing Company
• Inventors: Hartwick, Ty
• Granted Patent: US 9,222,239 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/716
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 5/06 with digging elements mounted on an endless chain E02F5/109 takes precedence; with digging elements mounted on an endless chain per se E02F3/08
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 5/145 control and indicating devices
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/26 Indicating devices E02F5/145 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/267 Diagnosing or detecting failure of vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials

Abstract

A self-contained, on-board diagnostic system integrated with a control system and method of using the same. Various control system coefficients and parameter settings may be set and edited with the on-board system, without the use of external hardware. In certain embodiments, an operator panel display may be used as a display for the on-board system. A menu navigation scheme can be employed to access a plurality of screens in an organized, efficient manner. The on-board system can be adapted for use with a tracked trencher and/or other mobile equipment.

Claims

1. A method of monitoring and diagnosing a plurality of trencher systems on-board a trencher, the method comprising:

displaying an operator menu containing a diagnostic menu item;

upon selecting the diagnostic menu item, entering a diagnostic display routine and displaying a first trencher system status screen corresponding to a grouping of inputs and outputs related to a first trencher system;

upon selecting a scroll menu item while within the diagnostic display routine, displaying a second trencher system status screen corresponding to a grouping of inputs and outputs related to a second trencher system; and

upon selecting an escape menu item while within the diagnostic display routine, exiting the diagnostic display routine and displaying the operator menu.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

one of the trencher system status screens corresponding to a grouping of inputs and outputs related to a trencher track drive system.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

one of the trencher system status screens corresponding to a grouping of inputs and outputs related to a trencher attachment drive system.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

one of the trencher system status screens corresponding to a grouping of inputs and outputs related to a trencher boom control system.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

one of the trencher system status screens corresponding to a grouping of inputs and outputs related to a trencher conveyor drive system.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

the operator menu containing a system settings menu item;

upon selecting the system settings menu item, entering a system settings review and edit routine and displaying a first trencher system settings edit menu;

upon selecting the scroll menu item while within the system settings review and edit routine, displaying a second trencher system settings edit menu; and

upon selecting the escape menu item while within the system settings review and edit routine, exiting the system settings review and edit routine and displaying the operator menu.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

one of the trencher system settings edit menus corresponding to a grouping of system settings related to the first trencher system.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

one of the trencher system settings edit menus corresponding to a grouping of system settings related to the second trencher system.

9. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

the second trencher system settings edit menu being a password restricted trencher system settings edit menu;

the first trencher system settings edit menus containing a password input field; and

only upon entering an appropriate password within the password input field, viewing and editing access is gained to the password restricted trencher system settings edit menu.

10. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

at least one additional trencher system settings edit menu;

upon selecting the scroll menu item while within the system settings review and edit routine, displaying a subsequent trencher system settings edit menu;

at least one of the trencher system settings edit menus being a password restricted trencher system settings edit menu;

another of the trencher system settings edit menus containing a password input field;

only upon entering an appropriate password within the password input field, viewing and editing access is gained to the password restricted trencher system settings edit menu.

11. A method of reviewing and editing a plurality of trencher control system settings on-board a trencher, the method comprising:

displaying an operator menu containing a system settings menu item;

upon selecting the system settings menu item, entering a system settings review and edit routine and displaying a first trencher system settings edit menu;

upon selecting a scroll menu item while within the system settings review and edit routine, displaying a second trencher system settings edit menu; and

upon selecting an escape menu item while within the system settings review and edit routine, exiting the system settings review and edit routine and displaying the operator menu.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

one of the trencher system settings edit menus corresponding to a grouping of system settings related to a first trencher system; and

another of the trencher system settings edit menus corresponding to a grouping of system settings related to a second trencher system.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

one of the trencher system settings edit menus corresponding to a grouping of system settings related to a trencher track drive system.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

one of the trencher system settings edit menus corresponding to a grouping of system settings related to a trencher attachment drive system.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

one of the trencher system settings edit menus corresponding to a grouping of system settings related to a trencher boom control system.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

one of the trencher system settings edit menus corresponding to a grouping of system settings related to a trencher conveyor drive system.

17. An apparatus for diagnosing a plurality of trencher systems on-board a trencher, the apparatus comprising:

a memory configured to store a plurality of trencher system status screens and a plurality of trencher system settings edit menus;

a display;

a programmable circuit in electrical communication with the memory and the display, the programmable circuit programmed to generate a user interface configured to;

display an operator menu containing a diagnostic menu item;

upon selecting the diagnostic menu item, enter a diagnostic display routine and display a first trencher system status screen corresponding to a grouping of inputs and outputs related to a first trencher system;

upon selecting a scroll menu item while within the diagnostic display routine, display a second trencher system status screen corresponding to a grouping of inputs and outputs related to a second trencher system; and

upon selecting an escape menu item while within the diagnostic display routine, exit the diagnostic display routine and display the operator menu.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein one of the trencher system status screens corresponds to a grouping of inputs and outputs related to a trencher track drive system.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein one of the trencher system status screens corresponds to a grouping of inputs and outputs related to a trencher attachment drive system.

20. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the user interface is further configured to:

display the operator menu containing a system settings menu item;

upon selecting the system settings menu item, enter a system settings review and edit routine and display a first trencher system settings edit menu;

upon selecting the scroll menu item while within the system settings review and edit routine, display a second trencher system settings edit menu; and

upon selecting the escape menu item while within the system settings review and edit routine, exit the system settings review and edit routine and display the operator menu.

21. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein one of the trencher system settings edit menus corresponds to a grouping of system settings related to a first trencher system and another of the trencher system settings edit menus corresponds to a grouping of system settings related to a second trencher system.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein one of the trencher system settings edit menus corresponds to a grouping of system settings related to a trencher track drive system.

23. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein one of the trencher system settings edit menus corresponds to a grouping of system settings related to a trencher attachment drive system.

24. An apparatus for reviewing and editing a plurality of trencher control system settings on-board a trencher, the apparatus comprising:

a memory configured to store a plurality of trencher system settings edit menus;

a display;

a programmable circuit in electrical communication with the memory and the display, the programmable circuit programmed to generate a user interface configured to;

display an operator menu containing a system settings menu item;

upon selecting the system settings menu item, enter a system settings review and edit routine and display a first trencher system settings edit menu;

upon selecting a scroll menu item while within the system settings review and edit routine, display a second trencher system settings edit menu; and

upon selecting an escape menu item while within the system settings review and edit routine, exit the system settings review and edit routine and display the operator menu.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein one of the trencher system settings edit menus corresponds to a grouping of system settings related to a first trencher system and another of the trencher system settings edit menus corresponds to a grouping of system settings related to a second trencher system.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein one of the trencher system settings edit menus corresponds to a grouping of system settings related to a trencher track drive system.

27. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein one of the trencher system settings edit menus corresponds to a grouping of system settings related to a trencher attachment drive system.