Electronic control systems for construction machine

• US 7,289,895 B2
• Filed: 01/10/2003
• Issued: 10/30/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hitachi Construction Machinery Company Limited (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Hitachi Construction Machinery Company Limited (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Inventors: Ogura, Hiroshi, Narisawa, Junichi, Eguchi, Yoshinori, Kurosawa, Takao, Ishimoto, Hidefumi
• Primary Examiner(s): Black; Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): Behncke; Christine M
• Application Number:
  US10/476,250
• Publication Number:
  US 20040133327A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,754 Days
• Field of Search: 370/466, 370/467, 370/471, 340/425.1, 719/319, 710/315, 710/105, 701/50
• US Class Current: 701/50
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2228 including an electronic controller
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2235 including an electronic controller
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2246 Control of prime movers, e.g. depending on the hydraulic load of work tools
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2296 Systems with a variable displacement pump

Abstract

In an electronic control system for a construction machine, a governor control unit, an excavator body control unit, and an electric lever control unit are interconnected for transmission and reception of data. A universal communication line is connected to the governor control unit and is adapted for an interface in conformity with universal communication standards A dedicated communication line is connected to the excavator body control unit and the electric lever control unit and is adapted for an interface in conformity with dedicated communication standards different from the univeral communication standards. A communication relay control unit is used for, converting and transmitting communication data received from one of two systems of the communication lines to be in conformity with the communication standards of the other communication line.

Claims

1. An electronic control system for a construction machine, which is equipped in a construction machine comprising a prime mover, a plurality of working devices, and plural pieces of hydraulic equipment generating hydraulic power based on driving forces of said prime mover and driving said working devices, said electronic control system having a plurality of control units including a prime mover control unit for controlling said prime mover and a plurality of hydraulic equipment control units for controlling said hydraulic equipment, said plurality of control units being interconnected for transmission and reception of data, said electronic control system further comprising:

a universal communication line provided as a common bus for data communication, said universal communication line being connected to said prime mover control unit and adapted for an interface in conformity with universal communication standards, said universal communication line enabling transmission and reception of data directly between said prime mover control unit and another control unit when said another control unit is connected to said universal communication line;

a dedicated communication line provided as a common bus for data communication, said dedicated communication line being connected to said plurality of hydraulic control units and adapted for an interface in conformity with dedicated communication standards different from the universal communication standards, said dedicated communication line enabling transmission and reception of data directly between said plurality of hydraulic equipment control units; and

a communication relay control unit connected to said universal communication line and said dedicated communication line, converting communication data received from one of two systems of said communication lines to be in conformity with the communication standards of the other communication line, and transmitting converted data to the other communication line;

said prime mover control unit and said plurality of hydraulic equipment control units having a function to transmit data at a predetermined cycle set for each data; and

said communication relay control unit maintaining said predetermined cycle regardless of the communication standards of the other communication line and transmitting the communication data at that maintained cycle to the other communication line when converting the communication data received from one of two systems of said communication lines to be in conformity with the communication standards of the other communication line, and transmitting the converted data to the other communication line.

2. An electronic control system for a construction machine according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of control units includes both of said prime mover control unit and said hydraulic equipment control units, said universal communication line is connected to said prime mover control unit, and said dedicated communication line is connected to said hydraulic equipment control units.

3. An electronic control system for a construction machine according to claim 1, further comprising at least one monitor connected to said dedicated communication line and monitoring operating status of said construction machine.

4. An electronic control system for a construction machine according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of sensors for detecting status variables related to operating status of said construction machine, and at least one of said control units or said monitors includes collection means for collecting detected signals from said sensor.

5. An electronic control system for a construction machine according to claim 4, wherein said control units or said monitors for collecting the detected signals include information creating means for creating operating information data or failure information data for each of components of said construction machine based on the detected signals collected.

6. An electronic control system for a construction machine, which is equipped in a construction machine comprising a prime mover, a plurality of working devices, and plural pieces of hydraulic equipment generating hydraulic power based on driving forces of said prime mover and driving said working devices, said electronic control system having a plurality of control units including a prime mover control unit for controlling said prime mover and a plurality of hydraulic equipment control units for controlling said hydraulic equipment, said plurality of control units being interconnected for transmission and reception of data, said electronic control system further comprising:

a universal communication line provided as a common bus for data communication, said universal communication line being connected to said prime mover control unit and adapted for an interface in conformity with universal communication standards, said universal communication line enabling transmission and reception of data directly between said prime mover control unit and another control unit when said another control unit is connected to said universal communication line;

a dedicated communication line provided as a common bus for data communication, said dedicated communication line being connected to said plurality of hydraulic equipment control units and adapted for an interface in conformity with dedicated communication standards different from the universal communication standards, said dedicated communication line enabling transmission and reception of data directly between said plurality of hydraulic equipment control units; and

a communication management control unit connected to said universal communication line and said dedicated communication line, and comprising storage means for temporarily storing communication data received from two systems of said communication lines, and conversion means for, when a transmission request for communication data received from one of the two systems of-one-of said communication lines and stored in the storage means is received via the other of said communication lines, converting the stored communication data to be adapted for the communication standards of the other communication line and outputting the converted data; and

said prime mover control unit and said plurality of hydraulic equipment control units having a first communication function to transmit data at a predetermined cycle set for each data and a second communication function to transmit said transmission request for communication data at a predetermined cycle, whereby the data transmitting side of said prime mover control unit and said plurality of hydraulic equipment control units transmit data to said communication management control unit at the predetermined cycle set for each data by said first communication function while the data receiving side thereof outputs said transmission request for communication data to said communication management control unit-at the predetermined cycle by said second communication function and receives the corresponding data from the communication management control unit.