LIFTGATE CONTROLLER

• US 20090240402A1
• Filed: 03/18/2009
• Published: 09/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RS Drawings, LLC
• Original Assignee: RS Drawings, LLC
• Inventors: BARK, Paul, LUGASH, Casey
• Granted Patent: US 8,798,871 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/49
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 1/4471 General means for controlling movements of the loading platform, e.g. hydraulic systems
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/24058 Remote testing, monitoring independent from normal control by pc
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2641 Fork lift, material handling vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C

Abstract

A controller for a lift, includes a communication module configured to wirelessly transmit data relating to the personnel operating and operating conditions of a lift to a remotely located station. The remote station wirelessly sends satisfaction or non-satisfaction messages to the lift controller in response to received input data or sensed conditions relating to the operation of the lift. The lift controller includes circuitry for obtaining and/or storing the sensed conditions and received input data, where the communication module then transmits this information to a remote station using a wireless network either public or private depending on the desired application. In accordance with one implementation, the sensed conditions can include a lift state, a motion of the lift, a load applied to the lift, a lift temperature, a hydraulic fluid pressure, a wait time for recharging a hydraulic pump, an operator safety condition and a number of cycles of operation of the lift. The operator safety conditions may include, for example, whether the operator is using both hands for inputting a command into the lift controller, whether the vehicle is properly parked, whether the operator is off a deck of the lift, and whether the operator is clear of a projected motion pay of the lift.

Claims

1. A control system (31c) for a lift gate system, the control system comprising:

a field subsystem (31a) disposed on a vehicle having the lift gate system, the field subsystem having a controller (32) and a communication module (35) configured to wirelessly communicate data relating to operation of the lift gate system to a remotely located station (31b).

2. The control system according to claim 1, wherein the communication module and the remotely located station are configured to operate on a secure wireless network.

3. The control system according to claim 1, wherein the communication module and the remotely located station are configured to operate on a WiFi network.

4. The control system according to claim 1, wherein the communication module and the remotely located station are configured to operate on a wireless network using one selected from a group consisting of Bluetooth, Radio Frequency and Infrared.

5. The control system according to claim 1, wherein the data relating to the operation of the lift gate system comprises at least one input and at least one sensed condition relating to the lift gate system and the remotely located station is configured to wirelessly communicate a condition or input data satisfaction or non-satisfaction notification to the field subsystem in response to received operation data.

6. The control system according to claim 5, wherein the at least one sensed condition comprises at least one selected from a group consisting of:

a lift state;

a motion of the lift;

a load applied to the lift;

a lift temperature;

a hydraulic fluid pressure;

a delay time for pump activation ;

an operator safety condition; and

a number of cycles of operation of the lift.

7. The control system according to claim 6, wherein the lift state comprises whether the lift is fully extended, partially extended or in a completely closed position.

8. The control system according to claim 6, wherein the condition or input data non-satisfaction notification comprises a warning/error message sent wirelessly to a lift operator via the communication module.

9. The control system according to claim 6, wherein the condition or input data non-satisfaction notification comprises a warning/error message sent wirelessly from the controller to the remotely located station.

10. The control system according to claim 5, further comprising a geographic positioning sensor (GPS) device disposed on the vehicle having the lift gate system and providing GPS conditions to the controller.

11. The control system according to claim 10, wherein the condition or input data non-satisfaction notification comprises a warning/error message based on sensed GPS conditions.

12. The control system according to claim 6, wherein the operator safety condition comprises at least one of:

whether the operator of the lift is using both hands for inputting a command to the controller;

whether the vehicle is properly parked;

whether the operator is off a deck of the lift;

whether the operator is clear of a projected motion path of the lift;

whether a lift platform is down; and

whether a projected path of motion of the lift platform is clear.

13. The control system according to claim 12, wherein the controller is configured to restrict movement of the lift based on one or more of the sensed safety conditions.

14. The control system according to claim 5, wherein the control system further comprises memory for storing the sensed conditions, said stored sensed conditions being retained in said memory until said remote station authorizes removal of the same from the memory.

15. The control system according to claim 1, wherein the control system further comprises a communication jack for wired connection of the controller to the remote station or a customer.

16. A method for controlling the operation of a lift gate, the method comprising the steps of:

sensing at least one condition of the lift;

wirelessly transmitting from a lift controller the sensed at least one operating condition to a remote station; and

wirelessly transmitting from the remote station to the lift controller a satisfaction or a non-satisfaction indication based on the sensed at least one operating condition.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein said sensing comprises sensing at least one condition selected from a group consisting of:

a lift state;

a motion of the lift;

a load applied to the lift;

a lift temperature;

a hydraulic fluid pressure;

a wait time for recharging a hydraulic pump;

an operator safety condition; and

a maintenance condition.

18. The method according to claim 16, wherein said steps of wirelessly transmitting are performed over a wireless network.

19. The method according to claim 17, wherein sensing of a lift state further comprises sensing whether the lift is fully extended, partially extended or in a completely closed position.

20. The method according to claim 17, wherein the lift gate is disposed on a vehicle and the sensing of an operator safety condition comprises sensing at least one selected from a group consisting of whether the operator is using both hands for inputting a command to the lift controller, whether the vehicle is properly parked, whether the operator is off a deck of the lift, and whether the operator is clear of a projected motion of the lift.

21. The method according to claim 17, wherein the sensing further comprises receiving input data from an operator via the lift controller, wherein the step of wirelessly transmitting from the lift controller to the remote station includes the wireless transmission of said received input data, and wherein said step of wirelessly transmitting from the remote station a satisfaction or non-satisfaction indication to the lift controller is further based on the received input data.

22. The method according to claim 17, wherein the sensing of a maintenance condition comprises verifying authenticity of components of the lift system.

23. The method according to claim 17, further comprising:

wirelessly transmitting, to the lift controller from the remote station, commands to change the operation of the lift in response to the sensed at least one condition.