CONTROL UNIT FOR DISPLAY TERMINAL

• US 20120256843A1
• Filed: 09/16/2010
• Published: 10/11/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: AGCO GmbH (AGCO Corporation)
• Original Assignee: AGCO GmbH (AGCO Corporation)
• Inventors: Epple, Johann, Hofman, Rainer
• Application Number:
  US13/496,501
• Publication Number:
  US 20120256843A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/169
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 41/127 Control or measuring arrangements specially adapted for combines

Abstract

A display terminal for a tractor or other agricultural machine. The terminal has a screen and a control unit, wherein the control unit comprises a steadying portion and at least one push button. The steadying portion provides a grip for steadying the operator'"'"'s hand whilst allowing operation of the at least one button by the thumb of the hand.

Claims

1. A display terminal for a tractor or other agricultural machine, having a screen and a control unit, wherein the control unit comprises a steadying portion and at least one push button, the steadying portion providing a grip for steadying an operator'"'"'s hand whilst allowing operation of the at least one button by the thumb of the hand.

2. A display terminal according to claim 1 wherein the control unit is detachable from the screen.

3. A display terminal as claimed in claim 1 wherein the control unit is connected to the screen by a cable or wirelessly.

4. A display terminal as claimed in claim 1 wherein the control unit includes a pad of push buttons.

5. A display terminal as claimed in claim 1 wherein the control unit comprises a rotary dial operable by the thumb for the input of data or the selection of a screen displayed parameter.

6. A display terminal as claimed in claim 1 having a touch sensitive screen where the pressing of pre-determined areas of the screen designated as control areas initiate pre-determined actions in the operation of the terminal or machine, the terminal also having a control unit and a matrix of push buttons external to the screen the pressing of which duplicates the pressing of the touch sensitive screen areas.

7. A display terminal as claimed in claim 6 wherein at least one of the touch sensitive screen areas comprises a virtual toggle switch which indicates the state of operation of the function concerned.

8. A display terminal as claimed in claim 6 wherein partial areas of the touch sensitive screen can be re-sized by touching the screen.

9. A display terminal as claimed in claim 6 wherein the screen is split into a number of pre-determined areas for the display/control of different machine operating or control parameters.

10. A display terminal as claimed in claim 9 wherein the screen is split into four quadrants to display/control different machine operating or control parameters.

11. A display terminal as claimed in claim 6 in which the screen has an area which includes a list of pre-determined functions of the machine which can be assigned to separate areas of the screen for the display of pre-determined parameters relating to the selected function.

12. A display terminal according to claim 11 in which the touch sensitive areas or buttons are used to select from the pre-determined functions in the separate areas of the screen.

13. A display terminal according to claim 6 wherein data concerning an operating or control parameter is transferable between the display terminal and a personal computer via a remote server.

14. A display terminal according to claim 13 wherein an ISO XML format is used to transfer the data.

15. A display terminal according to claim 13 wherein the data is downloadable from the server over the internet.

16. A display terminal according to claim 6 wherein data concerning an operating or control parameter is stored on the terminal.

17. A display terminal according to claim 13 wherein the data is downloadable from the server over the internet.

18. A display terminal as claimed in claim 1 wherein re-sizing of a data mask on the screen is implemented by an internal terminal scaling mechanism.

19. (canceled)