INDICATOR SYSTEM FOR OUTDOOR POWER EQUIPMENT

• US 20140266664A1
• Filed: 10/28/2011
• Published: 09/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Husqvarna AB (HUSQVARNA)
• Original Assignee: Husqvarna AB (HUSQVARNA)
• Inventors: Dwyer, Sean
• Granted Patent: US 9,679,419 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/459
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 2101/00 Lawn-mowers
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 34/006 Control or measuring arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/1523 Matrix displays
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/166 Navigation
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/168 Target or limit values
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/172 Driving mode indication
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/182 Distributing information between displays
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/184 Displaying the same information on different displays
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/186 Displaying information according to relevancy
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/1868 according to driving situations
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/34 Backlit symbols
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/573 Mobile devices controlling vehicle functions
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/583 Data transfer between instruments
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/586 Wired data transfers
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/5899 Internet
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/797 at the vehicle exterior
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/22 Display screens
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/28 characterised by the type of the output information, e.g. video entertainment or vehicle dynamics information; characterised by the purpose of the output information, e.g. for attracting the attention of the driver
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/29 Instruments characterised by the way in which information is handled, e.g. showing information on plural displays or prioritising information according to driving conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/60 : Instruments characterised by their location or relative disposition in or on vehicles arrangements of lighting devices on dashboards B60Q3/10
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/80 : Arrangements for controlling instruments
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/85 : Arrangements for transferring vehicle- or driver-related data
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/223 : Ridable lawn mowers
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/08 : Registering or indicating performance data other than driving, working, idle, or waiting time, with or without registering driving, working, idle or waiting time

Abstract

An indicator system for outdoor power equipment, such as a riding lawn mower, may include an illuminating element around the perimeter of a display screen. The illuminating element may be configured to illuminate in a predetermined manner based on a predefined condition occurring in order to alert the operator to the display screen. The display screen may be configured to display more detail about the predefined condition while the illuminating element is illuminated.

Claims

1. A riding lawn mower comprising:

a cutting system comprising at least one blade for cutting grass;

a drive system comprising at least one wheel for propelling the riding lawn mower;

an engine operably coupled to the cutting system and the drive system for powering the drive system and the cutting system;

an operator station upon which an operator can ride during operation of the riding lawn care vehicle;

an operator control system located proximate to the operator station and operably coupled to the drive system and the cutting system;

a computer system configured to detect an occurrence of a predefined condition related to the operator or operation of the cutting system, drive system, or engine; and

an indicator system positioned proximate to the operator station, the indicator system comprising an illuminating element and a display screen,

wherein the illuminating element surrounds at least a portion of the perimeter of the display screen, and

wherein the computer system is configured to, upon detection of the occurrence of a particular predefined condition, illuminate the illuminating element in a particular manner based on the particular predefined condition and display information about the particular predefined condition on the display screen.

2. The riding lawn mower of claim 1, wherein the illuminating element is capable of lighting in a plurality of different colors, each color being associated with a different predefined condition or type of condition.

3. The riding lawn mower of claim 1, wherein the illuminating element is configured to glow at least three colors, wherein a first color indicates a warning being displayed on the display screen that requires attention, a second color indicates that there are no warnings, and a third color indicates that information of a neutral type is being displayed on the display screen.

4. The riding lawn mower of claim 1, further comprising:

a memory device comprising information stored therein that pairs each of a plurality of predefined conditions with a combination of;

a manner of illuminating the illuminating element, and

a textual or graphical message to be displayed on the display screen.

5. The riding lawn mower of claim 1, wherein the illuminating element comprises a light source that completely surrounds the perimeter of the display screen.

6. The riding lawn mower of claim 1, wherein the operator control system comprises a steering assembly for steering the riding lawn care vehicle, and wherein the indicator system is integrated into a portion of the steering assembly.

7. The riding lawn mower of claim 1, wherein the predefined condition comprises a fault such that in response to the fault occurring the illuminating element illuminates a predetermined color associated with the fault, and wherein the predefined condition comprises at least one of:

detecting if there is no operator in the operator station;

detecting if fuel in a fuel tank has dropped below a predetermined level indicating low fuel;

detecting a service/check engine warning;

detecting a low oil/oil pressure fault;

detecting a tire pressure fault;

detecting a engine heat warning;

detecting a transmission heat warning;

detecting that RPM of a blade or the engine has passed a threshold;

or

detecting a steep incline fault.

8. The riding lawn mower of claim 1, wherein the predefined condition comprises detecting an incoming communication, and

wherein, in response to the detecting the incoming communication, the illuminating element is configured to illuminate a predetermined color associated with incoming communications and the display screen is configured to display a textual message regarding the incoming communication.

9. The riding lawn mower of claim 8, further comprising:

a wireless communication device configured to communicate with a mobile device,

wherein the detecting the incoming communication comprises detecting that the mobile device is receiving at least one of;

a cellular telephone call;

an incoming email;

a short range wireless communication call;

a text message;

a page;

or

a calendar reminder.

10. The riding lawn mower of claim 8, wherein the display screen is configured to display information about a sender of the incoming communication.

11. The riding lawn mower of claim 1, wherein the illuminating element glows a first predetermined color in response to detecting an incoming communication,

wherein the illuminating element glows a second predetermined color in response to detecting an occurrence of a predetermined condition of a fault relating to operation of the riding lawn mower,

wherein the illuminating element glows a third predetermined color in response to no predetermined conditions currently detected, and

wherein the first, second, and third predetermined colors are all different colors.

12. An indicator system for outdoor power equipment, the indicator system comprising:

an electrical system configured to determine an occurrence of a predefined condition;

a display screen; and

an illuminating element corresponding to the display screen,

wherein the electrical system is configured to, upon detection of an occurrence of a particular predefined condition, illuminate the illuminating element in a particular manner based on the particular predefined condition and display visual information about the particular predefined condition on the display screen while the illuminating element is illuminated in the particular manner.

13. The indicator system of claim 12, wherein the illuminating element comprises a light source that surrounds a perimeter of the display screen.

14. The indicator system of claim 12, wherein the illuminating element is capable of lighting in a plurality of different colors, each color being associated with a different predefined condition.

15. The indicator system of claim 12, further comprising at least one button selectable by an operator, wherein the illuminating element comprises a light source that surrounds a perimeter of a combination of the display screen and the at least one button.

16. The indicator system of claim 12, further comprising at least one button selectable by an operator, wherein the at least one button comprises at least a mode select button to change a mode of the display screen and an override button to override an alert presented in response to the predefined condition occurring.

17-21. -21. (canceled)

22. A method of alerting an operator of a riding lawn care vehicle, comprising:

monitoring the riding lawn care vehicle to determine if any predefined triggering conditions have occurred;

detecting that a particular predefined triggering condition has occurred;

in response to detecting an occurrence of the particular predefined triggering condition, illuminating a periphery of a display screen in a first predetermined manner based on the particular predefined triggering condition or based on a type of predefined triggering condition that comprises the particular predefined triggering condition; and

displaying text or graphics that provide more detail about the particular predefined triggering condition on a display screen while illuminating the periphery of the display screen in the first predetermined manner.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

in response to the particular predefined triggering condition having been corrected or overridden, illuminating an illuminating element of an indicator system to a second predetermined color, wherein the second predetermined color is different from a first predetermined color associated with the first predetermined manner.

24. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

determining if the predefined triggering condition is an alert that can be overridden; and

in response to detecting an override button being activated or depressed, overriding the alert and illuminating an illuminating element of an indicator system to a second predetermined color, wherein the second predetermined color is different from a first predetermined color associated with the first predetermined manner.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein the monitoring the riding lawn care vehicle to determine if any predefined triggering conditions have occurred comprises at least one of:

detecting brakes of the riding lawn care vehicle not being engaged,

detecting that there is no operator in a seat of the riding lawn care vehicle,

detecting if blades of a cutting deck of the riding lawn care vehicle are on,

detecting low fuel,

detecting a service/check engine warning,

detecting a sharpen blades fault,

detecting a low oil/oil pressure fault,

detecting a tire pressure fault,

detecting a engine heat warning,

detecting a transmission heat warning,

detecting a steep incline fault, or

detecting an incoming cellular telephone call.