Machine control and guidance system incorporating a portable digital media device
First Claim
1. A machine control and guidance system for an earthmoving machine, comprising:
- a plurality of sensors mounted on the earthmoving machine, each of said sensors sensing the position or orientation of a portion of the earthmoving machine and providing a wireless output signal indicating said position or orientation, anda portable digital media device, mounted on said earthmoving machine and in wireless communication with each of said plurality of sensors, said device having an associated display and a memory in which is stored, an application program which permits said device to determine the position of one or more portions of the earthmoving machine and to display the position of one or more portions of the earthmoving machine on said display, in which said application program stored in memory of said portable digital media device permits control data to be downloaded into memory such that said portable digital media device also displays the desired position of one or more portions of the earthmoving machine on said display while also displaying the actual position of one or more portions of the earthmoving machine on said display.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A machine control and guidance system for an earthmoving machine, includes one or more sensors and a portable digital media device mounted on the earthmoving machine. The portable digital media device may comprise an iPhone, an iTouch, or other similar device. Each of the sensors senses the position or orientation of a portion of the earthmoving machine and provides a wireless output signal indicating the position or orientation. The portable digital media device is in wireless communication with each of the sensors. The device has an associated display and a memory in which is stored an application program which permits the device to determine the position of one or more portions of the earthmoving machine and to display the position of one or more portions of the earthmoving machine on the display.
28 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A machine control and guidance system for an earthmoving machine, comprising:
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a plurality of sensors mounted on the earthmoving machine, each of said sensors sensing the position or orientation of a portion of the earthmoving machine and providing a wireless output signal indicating said position or orientation, and a portable digital media device, mounted on said earthmoving machine and in wireless communication with each of said plurality of sensors, said device having an associated display and a memory in which is stored, an application program which permits said device to determine the position of one or more portions of the earthmoving machine and to display the position of one or more portions of the earthmoving machine on said display, in which said application program stored in memory of said portable digital media device permits control data to be downloaded into memory such that said portable digital media device also displays the desired position of one or more portions of the earthmoving machine on said display while also displaying the actual position of one or more portions of the earthmoving machine on said display. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A machine control and guidance method for an earthmoving machine having an operator control interface, comprising the steps of:
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providing an earthmoving machine, providing one or more sensors mounted on the earthmoving machine, each of said sensors sensing the position or orientation of a portion of the earthmoving machine and providing a wireless output signal indicating said position or orientation, providing a portable digital media device, said device having an associated display and memory, downloading an application program to said portable digital media device for storage in said memory, and mounting said portable digital media device on or adjacent said operator interface of said earthmoving machine, such that said device, under control of said application program, wirelessly communicates with said one or more sensors, determines the position of one or more portions of the earthmoving machine, displays the position of one or more portions of the earthmoving machine on said display at said operator control interface, and displays the desired position of one or more portions of the earthmoving machine on said display while also displaying the actual position of one or more portions of the earthmoving machine on said display. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A non-transitory computer-readable medium with an executable program thereon, wherein the program instructs a processor of a portable digital media device to perform machine control and guidance method for an earthmoving machine carried out by the steps of:
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providing an earthmoving machine with one or more sensors mounted on the earthmoving machine, each of said sensors sensing the position or orientation of a portion of the earthmoving machine and providing a wireless output signal indicating said position or orientation, providing a portable digital media device, said device having an associated display, processor and memory, downloading an application program to said portable digital media device for storage in said memory, wherein the program instructs a processor of a portable digital media device to perform machine control and guidance method for an earthmoving machine including the step of displaying the desired position of one or more portions of said earthmoving machine on said display while also displaying the actual position of one or more portions of the earthmoving machine on said display, and mounting said portable digital media device on or adjacent an operator interface of said earthmoving machine, such that said device, under control of said application program, wirelessly communicates with said one or more sensors, determines the position of one or more portions of the earthmoving machine, and displays the position of one or more portions of the earthmoving machine on said display at said operator control interface. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15)
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16. A machine control and guidance system for an earthmoving machine, comprising:
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one or more sensors mounted on the earthmoving machine, each of said sensors sensing the position or orientation of a portion of the earthmoving machine and providing a wireless output signal indicating said position or orientation, and a portable digital media device, mounted on said earthmoving machine and in wireless communication with each of said one or more sensors, said device having an associated display and a memory in which is stored, an application program which permits said device to determine the position of one or more portions of the earthmoving machine and to display the position of one or more portions of the earthmoving machine on said display, in which said application program stored in memory of said portable digital media device permits control data to be downloaded into memory such that said portable digital media device also displays the desired position of one or more portions of the earthmoving machine on said display while also displaying the actual position of one or more portions of the earthmoving machine on said display. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification