Method and apparatus for displaying operation status of construction machine, and construction machine therefor

• US 6,982,657 B2
• Filed: 09/20/2001
• Issued: 01/03/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kobelco Construction Machinery Company Limited (Kobe Steel Limited)
• Original Assignee: Kobelco Construction Machinery Company Limited (Kobe Steel Limited)
• Inventors: Kinugawa, Hideki, Kadowaki, Hisashi
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Hung T.
• Application Number:
  US09/956,008
• Publication Number:
  US 20020033833A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,566 Days
• Field of Search: 340/990, 340/988, 340/989, 340/995.1, 340/870.16, 340/870.05, 340/870.06, 340/691.6, 340/500, 340/679, 340/684, 340/425.5, 340/457.4, 701/50, 701/29, 701/33, 345/629
• US Class Current: 385/39
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/04 Arrangements for synchronous operation

Abstract

The present invention provides a method for displaying an operation status of a construction machine by sensing operating information of the construction machine by means of a coolant water sensor and the like, sending the operating information to a control computer while the control computer receives the operating information which has been sent from the construction machine, determines whether the construction machine is in operation or not based on the received operating information, and displays the result of judgment on a monitor screen, so that the current operation status of the construction machine can be known easily.

Claims

1. A method for displaying an operation status of construction machines, comprising the steps of:

transmitting operating information obtained from the construction machines to a control device that can communicate with the construction machines, said operating information including identification information which represents a model and machine number of each of the construction machines and transmission date and time of the operating information;

having said control device receive said operating information;

having said control device determine whether the construction machines are in operation or not based on said operating information;

having the control device determine whether it is necessary to provide the construction machines with maintenance service or not based on the operating information; and

displaying, on a monitor screen of said control device, a result determined by said control device as to whether the construction machines are in operation or not and, when it is determined by said control device that maintenance service is necessary, displaying on said monitor screen both the required maintenance service and the result determined as to whether the construction machines are is in operation or not.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein said operating information includes location information of the construction machines.

3. The meted according to claim 2 wherein said location information is displayed on the monitor screen together with the result.

4. The method according to claim 3 wherein a map of an area including a place where the construction machines are located is displayed on the monitor screen, while the result being superimposed on a position which corresponds to the location information on the map.

5. An apparatus for displaying an operation status of construction machines provided for a control device which can communicate with the construction machines, comprising:

a receiver that receives operating information of the construction machines transmitted from the construction machines, said operating information including identification information which represents a model and machine number of each of the construction machines and transmission date and time of the operating information;

operation status judging means for judging whether the construction machines are in operation or not based on said operating information;

maintenance service judging means provided on the control device for judging whether it is necessary to provide the construction machines with maintenance service or not based on the operating information; and

display means for displaying a result of a judgment by said operation status judging means on a monitor screen and, when the maintenance service judging means judges that it is necessary to provide the construction machines with maintenance service, for displaying both a required maintenance service and the result of the judgment by the operation status judging means on the monitor screen.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5 wherein said operating information includes location information of the construction machines and said operation status display means has location display means which displays the location information together with the result of judgment on the monitor screen.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said operation status display means has map display means displaying on the monitor screen a map of an area including a place where the construction machines are located, and displaying on the map the result of judgment superimposed on a position which corresponds to the location information.