Wireless Network Machine Control or a Hydraulic System

• US 20140379098A1
• Filed: 06/19/2013
• Published: 12/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Billy R. Masten, Gaylen R. Stukey, Leland P. Stukey
• Original Assignee: Billy R. Masten, Gaylen R. Stukey, Leland P. Stukey
• Inventors: Masten, Billy R., Stukey, Leland P., Stukey, Gaylen R.
• Granted Patent: US 9,360,852 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/19
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/042 using digital processors G05B19/05 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/0421 Multiprocessor system
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25022 LAN local area network for controllers
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25187 Transmission of signals, medium, ultrasonic, radio
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25312 Pneumatic, hydraulic modules, controlled valves
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/35444 Gesture interface, controlled machine observes operator, executes commands

Abstract

A machine control system, comprises at least first and second nodes of a wireless network in communication with each other, each node including a three axis accelerometer having a data output coupled to a respective sensor input of the node; and a hydraulic machine having a manifold and a plurality of hydraulic mechanisms coupled to respective outputs of the manifold, the manifold being responsive to electrical actuating signals provided from respective electrical outputs of the first node.

Claims

1. A hydraulic machine control system, comprising:

a hydraulic machine having a plurality of actuating devices coupled to a manifold for controlling a plurality of hydraulic mechanisms coupled to said manifold;

an electronic network of at least first, second, and third nodes, each said node including a processor circuit board in wireless communication with each other node in said network;

wherein

each said processor circuit board comprises at least a CPU having a plurality of individually addressable serial I/O ports, and a communications transceiver;

said serial I/O ports include a plurality of electrical inputs and outputs, at least one input port of each said node connected to a sensor device on said processor circuit board;

each said output of said first node connected to a corresponding actuating device for a hydraulic mechanism in said hydraulic machine control system; and

each said processor circuit board including at least one user-operable switch device coupled to said CPU for initiating execution of at least one operation of machine control in said system.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said sensor device is a three-axis accelerometer.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said sensor device is selected from the group consisting of an accelerometer, gyroscope, and position sensor.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said first node is operable to control a hydraulic mechanism responsive to gesture signals sent via said network from one of said second and third nodes on said network.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said electrical outputs include pulse-width-modulated (PWM) and ON/OFF control signals for operating hydraulic mechanisms selected from the group consisting of hydraulic cylinders, hydraulic motors, and hydraulic jacks.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said electrical outputs include analog control signals from a digital-to-analog converter in said processor circuit board for operating hydraulic mechanisms selected from the group consisting of hydraulic cylinders, hydraulic motors, and hydraulic jacks.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said network is configured as a mesh network.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein a control operation of said machine control is selected from the group consisting of forward and reverse rotation of a take up spool, rotation speed of said take up spool, side-to-side disposition of said take up spool, rotation speed of a shaft, extension and retraction of a telescoping beam element, angle of elevation of said beam, angle of elevation of a crane, angle of azimuth of a crane, extension of said crane, and elevation of at least one jacking mechanism.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein each said processor circuit board is housed in an enclosure such that said at least one user-operable switch is accessible to a user for entering an operation of machine control.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein said at least one input includes a plurality of user-operable switches for initiating control operations of machine control of said hydraulic mechanism.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein said communications transceiver is coupled to said CPU via a communications interface.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein said serial I/O ports include a plurality of inputs, each said input coupled to a corresponding sensor device on said processor circuit board.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein said serial I/O ports include a plurality of inputs, each said input coupled to a corresponding sensor device.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein said serial I/O ports further include digital outputs, each said digital output coupled to a corresponding ON/OFF actuating device.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein said first node is configured as a master unit and includes a plurality of user-operable switches for initiating commands.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein said second node is configured as a handheld remote unit and includes a plurality of user-operable switches for initiating commands.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein said handheld remote is powered by a power source selected from the group consisting of a battery, solar generator, and wired electricity.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein said third node is configured as a console remote unit and includes a plurality of user-operable switches for initiating commands.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein one of said first, second, and third nodes is unoccupied by a processor circuit board.

20. The system of claim 1, wherein said electronic network comprises:

at least first and second nodes, each said node including a processor circuit board in wireless communication with each other node in said network.

21. The system of claim 1, wherein said actuating device comprises a pneumatic actuator.

22. The system of claim 1, wherein said hydraulic machine control system is adapted to control of apparatus selected from the group consisting of a flexible conduit dispensing device for water or gas well installations, a bulk communications cable dispensing device, a skid-steer loader, a backhoe machine, and a crane.

23. The system of claim 1, wherein said hydraulic machine control system is adapted to control of apparatus selected from the group consisting of an aggregate dispenser, and machines adapted to lifting, pressing, bending, conveying, cutting, stamping, molding, and combinations thereof.

24. The system of claim 1, said network further comprising:

a fourth node configured as a second master unit including a processor circuit board in wireless communication with each other node in said network.

25. A machine control system, comprising:

at least first and second nodes of a wireless network in communication with each other, each said node including a three axis accelerometer having a data output coupled to a respective sensor input of said node; and

a hydraulic machine having at least one manifold and a plurality of hydraulic mechanisms coupled to respective outputs of said at least one manifold, said manifold responsive to electrical actuating signals provided from respective electrical outputs of said first node.

26. The machine control system of claim 25, wherein:

each said node includes at least one user-operable control for initiating a control function, said user-operable control selected from the group consisting of switches, rotary controls, linear controls, joysticks, and keypads.

27. The machine control system of claim 25, wherein:

said electrical outputs of said first node are coupled to corresponding electrical inputs of said manifold.

28. The machine control system of claim 25, wherein said first node is operable to control a hydraulic mechanism responsive to gesture signals sent via said network from said second node on said network to said first node.

29. The machine control system of claim 25, wherein each said at least first and second nodes comprises:

a processor including a CPU and a program for operating said processor embedded in said CPU;

a wireless transceiver coupled to said processor through a communications interface; and

a plurality of inputs coupled to user-operable controls for initiating respective control functions.

30. The machine control system of claim 29, further comprising:

at least one sensor having a data output coupled to a sensor input of said processor.

31. The machine control system of claim 29, wherein said plurality of inputs comprises:

at least one input coupled from a sensor selected from the group consisting of a accelerometer, tachometer, GPS receiver, compass, thermometer, spectrometer, camera or image sensor, and gyroscope.

32. The system of claim 25, wherein said machine control system is adapted to control of apparatus selected from the group consisting of an aggregate dispenser, and machines adapted to lifting, pressing, bending, conveying, cutting, stamping, molding, and combinations thereof.

33. The machine control system of claim 25, wherein said hydraulic machine comprises:

apparatus selected from the group consisting of a flexible conduit dispensing device for water or gas well installations, a bulk communications cable dispensing device, a skid-steer loader, a backhoe machine, and a crane.

34. The machine control system of claim 25, wherein said hydraulic machine comprises:

a mobile hydraulic machine for transporting and dispensing polyethylene pipe during water and gas well servicing operations.

35. The machine control system of claim 25, wherein said plurality of hydraulic mechanisms includes at least one mechanism selected from the group consisting of:

a hydraulic jack, a single acting hydraulic cylinder, a double acting hydraulic cylinder, a hydraulic motor, a reversible hydraulic motor, a fixed displacement hydraulic pump, a variable displacement hydraulic pump, and a bidirectional hydraulic pump.

36. The machine control system of claim 25, wherein said network includes at least one additional node, said additional node occupied by a processor circuit board in wireless communication with each other occupied node;

and

each said processor circuit board comprises at least a CPU having a plurality of individually addressable serial I/O ports, a program for operating said processor embedded in said CPU; and

a communications transceiver coupled to said processor via a communications interface.