Serviceability Strategy for Machine Control System

• US 20140229033A1
• Filed: 02/08/2013
• Published: 08/14/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: McTavish, Melissa A., Cook, Jarrod J.
• Granted Patent: US 9,244,448 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/2
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/00 Programme-control systems
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/042 using digital processors G05B19/05 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25296 Identification module, type connected I-O, device

Abstract

A system and method for controlling a machine is provided. For example, the method includes coupling removeably, at an on-board controller module of a machine, a first identification device, reading, using a reader in the on-board controller module, a code stored in the first identification device, receiving, at the on-board controller module, a wireless message including another code from a control console, comparing, using a processor in the on-board controller module, the code with the received another code, and processing, using a processor coupled to the reader, the wireless message based on the comparing to determine pairing with a second external wireless identification device of a control console to the machine if the code and the received another code match.

Claims

1. A control system, comprising:

a first and a second identification device storing a first and a second identification code, respectively;

a control console; and

an on-board electronic controller module of a machine to which the first identification device is removeably coupled externally, the on-board electronic controller module comprising;

a first identification device reader to read the first identification code, and

a first processor, coupled to the first identification device reader, adapted to;

receive the first identification code from the first identification device reader,

receive a first wireless message, including the second identification code, from the control console,

compare the first and second identification codes, and

process the first wireless message if the first and second identification codes match.

2. The control system of claim 1, wherein the control console comprises:

a second identification device reader to obtain the second identification code, and

a second processor, coupled to the second identification device reader, adapted to;

receive the second identification code from the second identification device reader,

transmit the first wireless message, including the second identification code, to the on-board electronic controller module,

receive a second wireless message, including information regarding whether the first and second identification codes match, from the on-board electronic controller module, and

transmit a third wireless message to control the machine if the first and the second identification codes match.

3. The control system of claim 2, wherein at least one of the first and the second identification devices is a radio frequency identification (RFID) chip, and at least one of the first and the second identification device readers are RFID readers.

4. The control system of claim 2, wherein the control console comprises a plurality of identification devices associated with a plurality of machines, such that the plurality of identification devices are removeably coupled to the control console and are selected based on one of the plurality of machines to be controlled by the control console.

5. The control system of claim 2, wherein if the first identification device is unreadable by the first identification device reader, the first processor is further adapted to:

perforin a diagnostic test on the first identification device, and

indicate a result of the diagnostic test in a fourth wireless message to the control console.

6. The control system of claim 5, wherein when the result indicates that the first identification device is defective, the second processor is further adapted to:

order a replacement of the first identification device, and

stop the control of the machine.

7. The control system of claim 1, wherein the first identification code in the first identification device is read wirelessly by the first identification device reader.

8. The control system of claim 1, wherein the on-board electronic controller module comprises a transceiver.

9. The control system of claim 1, wherein the first identification device is a passive device.

10. A remote control system for a machine, comprising:

an identification device storing a first identification code; and

a controller module comprising;

an identification device reader to read the first identification code stored on the identification device, and

a processor, coupled to the identification device reader, adapted to;

receive the first identification code from the identification device reader,

receive a wireless message, including a second identification code, from a control console,

compare the first and second identification codes, and

process the wireless message if the first and second identification codes match.

11. The remote control system of claim 10, wherein the identification device is a radio frequency identification (RFID) chip and the identification device reader is an RFID reader.

12. The remote control system of claim 10, wherein the first and second identification codes match when same, the processor further adapted to:

receive another wireless message, including control information, from the control console, and

control the machine based on the matched first and second identification codes.

13. The remote control system of claim 10, wherein the second identification code is stored on another identification device uniquely paired with the identification device.

14. The remote control system of claim 10, wherein the identification device is removeably coupled to the controller module externally.

15. The remote control system of claim 10, wherein the controller module is in the machine and comprises a transceiver, and wherein the processor is further adapted to control the machine if the first and second identification codes match.

16. An identification device removeably coupled externally to an on-board electronic controller module of a machine, the identification device having a code stored thereupon to faun a unique pair with another identification device of a control console outside the machine, wherein the control console is adapted to control the machine remotely upon a verification of the code to form the unique pair.

17. The identification device of claim 16, wherein the identification device is a radio frequency identification (RFID) chip, such that the code is read wirelessly by an RFID reader internal to the on-board electronic controller module.

18. A machine control method, comprising:

coupling removeably, at an on-board controller module of a machine, a first identification device;

reading, using a reader in the on-board controller module, a code stored in the first identification device;

receiving, at the on-board controller module, a wireless message including another code from a control console;

comparing, using a processor in the on-board controller module, the code with the received another code; and

processing, at the processor, the wireless message based on the comparing to determine pairing with a second external wireless identification device of the control console to the machine if the code and the received another code match.

19. The machine control method of claim 18 further comprising:

controlling the machine using signals received at the on-board controller module from the control console if the code and the received another code match.

20. The machine control method of claim 18, wherein the coupling is carried out externally with respect to the on-board controller module.