System For Gathering Data From An Industrial Vehicle

• US 20130338874A1
• Filed: 06/06/2013
• Published: 12/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Raymond Corporation (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: The Raymond Corporation (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Donahue, Timothy E.
• Granted Patent: US 9,355,065 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/31.4
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 17/00 Digital computing or data processing equipment or methods, specially adapted for specific functions information retrieval, database structures or file system structures therefor G06F16/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0808 Diagnosing performance data testing of vehicles G01M17/00; testing of electrical installation on vehicles G01R31/005

Abstract

Operation of an industrial vehicle is managed by systems onboard that vehicle. One such management system monitors operation of vehicle components and produces performance data which is transmitted to an computer at the facility in which the industrial vehicle operates. That system includes an interface module with a plurality of inputs for receiving signals from components on the industrial vehicle. The interface module derives performance data from the signals and conveys the performance data over a communication network. A data acquisition module receives the performance data from the communication network and has a communicator for wirelessly transmitting the performance data.

Claims

1. A system for acquiring performance data from an industrial vehicle comprising:

a data acquisition module having a port adapted to connect to a communication network on a vehicle to receive data, and having a communicator for wirelessly transmitting the data;

an interface module having an input for receiving a signal from a component on the industrial vehicle, wherein the interface module derives data from the signal, and a network interface connected to the port to convey the data to the data acquisition module.

2. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein the communicator periodically transmits the data.

3. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein the interface module has a plurality of inputs for receiving signals from a plurality of components on the industrial vehicle;

and further comprising a storage device containing an input mapping table designating a relationship between each of the plurality of inputs and each of the plurality of components.

4. The system as recited in claim 3 wherein at least one of the plurality of components comprises a sensor.

5. The system as recited in claim 3 wherein the interface module has a programming port for connection to a device for changing the input mapping table.

6. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein the interface module derives data from the signal by measuring an amount of time that the signal is active.

7. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein the communicator transmits the data in response to occurrence of a predefined event.

8. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein the interface module derives data from the signal by measuring an amount of time that the signal is active.

9. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein the interface module comprises:

a processor;

a network interface connected to the processor and connected to the port of the data acquisition module;

an input circuit connected to the processor and having inputs for receiving signals from a plurality of components on the industrial vehicle.

10. The system as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

a first communication circuit connected to another component on the industrial vehicle for sending data messages through a power line through which electrical power is supplied to industrial vehicle components; and

a second communication circuit for receiving the data messages that were sent through the power line.

15. The system as recited in claim 10 wherein the interface module comprises:

a processor;

a network interface connected to the processor and connected to the port of the data acquisition module; and

an input circuit connected to the processor and having inputs for receiving signals from a plurality of components on the industrial vehicle.

11. A system for acquiring performance data from an industrial vehicle comprising:

a data acquisition module having a port adapted to connect to a communication network on a vehicle to receive data, and having a communicator for wirelessly transmitting the data;

an interface module having a plurality of inputs for receiving signals from a plurality of components on the industrial vehicle, wherein the interface module derives data from the signals, and a network interface connected to the port to convey the data to the data acquisition module.

12. The system as recited in claim 11 wherein the interface module further comprises a storage device containing an input mapping table designating a relationship between each of the plurality of inputs and each of the plurality of components.

13. The system as recited in claim 12 wherein the interface module has a programming port for connection to a device for changing the input mapping table.

14. The system as recited in claim 11 wherein the interface module derives data from the signal by measuring an amount of time that the signal is active.

16. The system as recited in claim 11 wherein the communicator periodically transmits the data.