WORK MACHINE AND COMMUNICATION MONITORING

• US 20160073275A1
• Filed: 02/20/2014
• Published: 03/10/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kubota Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kubota Corporation
• Inventors: INOUE, Hirotsugu, TAKAHARA, Kazuhiro, IKEDA, Hiroshi, MATSUFUJI, Kazunori
• Granted Patent: US 9,906,967 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 34/008 for automated or remotely controlled operation
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 41/127 Control or measuring arrangements specially adapted for combines
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2054 Fleet management
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/264 Sensors and their calibration for indicating the position of the work tool
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/00 Telephonic communication systems specially adapted for combination with other electrical systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/04 Arrangements for maintaining operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/38 for collecting sensor information

Abstract

Disclosed are a work machine and a communication monitoring method that allow recording of work information even in the event of interruption of communication in a communication path between the work machine, a mobile communication terminal and a server. There is provided a control section (71) configured to transmit work information to a server (Z) via a communication section (68) and a smartphone (Y) if a monitoring section (69) detects that communication is possible between the communication section (68) and the smartphone (Y) and also to cause a storage section (70) to store the work information if the monitoring section (69) detects that communication is not possible between the communication section (68) and the smartphone (Y).

Claims

1. A work machine comprising:

a work section for effecting a ground work;

a communication section capable of communication with an external server via a mobile communication terminal;

a monitoring section for monitoring communication condition between the communication section and the mobile communication terminal;

a storage section capable of storing information of work effected by the work section; and

a control section configured to transmit the work information to the server via the communication section and the mobile communication terminal if the monitoring section detects that communication is possible between the communication section and the mobile communication terminal and also to cause the storage section to store the work information if the monitoring section detects that no communication is possible between the communication section and the mobile communication terminal.

3. The work machine according to claim 1, further comprising:

an alarming section to effect alarming to a driver if the monitoring section detects that the communication is not possible.

4. The work machine according to claim 1, wherein the control section links time information at time point of detection of communication impossibility by the monitoring section with the work information.

5. The work machine according to claim 1, wherein:

there is provided an input section capable of inputting location information of a location where the ground work was carried out when the monitoring section detects the communication is not possible; and

the control section links the location information inputted by the input section with the work information.

6. The work machine according to claim 1, wherein the control section transmits the stored work information to the server via the mobile communication terminal if the monitoring section detects the communication has become possible again after the monitoring section detected communication impossibility.

7. The work machine according to claim 1, wherein the control section links GPS location information acquired by the mobile communication terminal with the work information if the monitoring section detects the communication is not possible.

2. A work machine comprising:

a work section for effecting a ground work;

a communication section capable of communication with an external server via a mobile communication terminal;

a monitoring section for monitoring communication condition between the mobile communication terminal and the server;

a storage section capable of storing information of work effected by the work section; and

a control section configured to transmit the work information to the server via the communication section and the mobile communication terminal if the monitoring section detects that communication is possible between the mobile communication terminal and the server and also to cause the storage section or a terminal storage section of the mobile communication terminal to store the work information if the monitoring section detects that no communication is possible between the mobile communication terminal and the server.

8. A communication monitoring method for monitoring communication among a work machine that effects a ground work, an external server and a mobile communication terminal, the method comprising:

a monitoring step for monitoring communication condition between the mobile communication terminal and the server;

a transmitting-receiving step for receiving, from a communication section of the work machine, work information of a work effected by a work section of the work machine and transmitting the work information to the server if it is detected at the monitoring step that communication is possible between the mobile communication terminal and the server; and

a storing step for causing a storage section of the work machine or a terminal storage section of the mobile communication terminal to store the work information if it is detected at the monitoring step that communication is not possible between the mobile communication terminal and the server.

9. The communication monitoring method according to claim 8, further comprising an alarming step to effect alarming to a driver if it is detected at the monitoring step that the communication is not possible.

10. The communication monitoring method according to claim 8 or 9, further comprising a time linking step for linking time information at time point of detection of communication impossibility at the monitoring step with the work information.

11. The communication monitoring method according to claim 8, further comprising:

an input step for inputting location information of a location where the ground work was carried out when it is detected at the monitoring step that the communication is not possible; and

a location linking step for linking the location information inputted at the inputting, step with the work information.

12. The communication monitoring method according to claim 8, further comprising a follow-up transmitting step for transmitting the stored work information to the server via the mobile communication terminal if it is detected at the monitoring step that the communication has become possible again after communication impossibility is detected.

13. The communication monitoring method according to claim 8, further comprising a GPS linking step for linking GPS location information acquired by the mobile communication terminal with the work information if it is detected at the monitoring step that the communication is not possible.