On-board training mode for mobile equipment

• US 8,777,622 B2
• Filed: 08/28/2006
• Issued: 07/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Deere & Company
• Original Assignee: Deere & Company
• Inventors: Rauch, Brian Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): Yao, Sam
• Assistant Examiner(s): PAGE, EVAN RANDALL
• Application Number:
  US11/511,187
• Publication Number:
  US 20080070227A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,878 Days
• Field of Search: 434/66, 434/379
• US Class Current: 434/66
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 9/00 Simulators for teaching or training purposes for the use of weapons F41; computing aspects G06; protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality H04L67/131
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 9/042 providing simulation in a real vehicle G09B9/052, G09B9/058 take precedence

Abstract

A mobile vehicle is disclosed which includes an on-board training system.

Claims

1. A mobile vehicle, comprising

a chassis;

a traction device adapted to contact the ground and propel the chassis;

a productive device which is operable to perform at least one function;

an input device which is actuatable to control the productive device;

a control system configured to operate the productive device in response to an actuation of the input device; and

a controller operably coupled to the control system, the controller being configurable in at least an operational mode wherein the productive device is enabled to perform a first task in response to the actuation of the input device and in a training mode wherein the productive device is disabled to perform the first task in response to the actuation of the input device, the controller evaluating the actuation of the input device in the training mode.

2. The mobile vehicle of claim 1, wherein the controller is operably coupled to a display and a user input, the display presenting training information when the controller is configured in the training mode and operational information when the controller is configured in the operational mode.

3. The mobile vehicle of claim 1, wherein the training mode includes at least one of a general training portion, a specific operation training portion, and an input device training portion, wherein the general training portion includes training information on a general operation of the mobile vehicle, the specific operation training portion includes information on a specific task to be performed with the productive device, and the input device training portion includes training information on the input device.

4. The mobile vehicle of claim 3, wherein the training mode includes the general training portion, the specific operation training portion, and the input device training portion.

5. The mobile vehicle of claim 3, wherein the controller in the general training portion presents a first segment of training information on a display operably coupled to the controller;

requests an actuation of the input device; and

determines whether a received indication of an actuation corresponds with the requested actuation, wherein the controller in the general training portion presents a second segment of training information on the display if the received actuation corresponds with the requested actuation and presents the first segment of training information on the display if the received actuation does not correspond with the requested actuation.

6. The mobile vehicle of claim 3, wherein the controller in the specific operation training portion presents a first segment of training information corresponding to the specific operation on a display operably coupled to the controller;

requests an actuation of the input device; and

determines whether a received indication of an actuation corresponds with the requested actuation, wherein the controller presents a second segment of training information corresponding to the specific operation on the display if the received actuation corresponds with the requested actuation and presents the first segment of training information corresponding to the specific operation on the display if the received actuation does not correspond with the requested actuation.

7. The mobile vehicle of claim 3, wherein the controller in the input device training portion receives an indication of an actuation of the input device and in response thereto presents on a display operably coupled to the controller training information regarding the input device.

8. The mobile vehicle of claim 3, wherein the at least one of a general training portion, a specific operation training portion, and an input device training portion are provided as instructions stored in a computer readable medium accessible by the controller.

9. The mobile vehicle of claim 8, further comprising a connector to a wireless network, the controller being configured to send information to and receive information from a remote device across the wireless network, the controller at least receiving an update to the at least one of a general training portion, a specific operation training portion, and an input device training portion across the wireless network.

10. The mobile vehicle of claim 8, further comprising a connector to a wireless network, the controller being configured to send information to and receive information from a remote device across the wireless network, the controller at least providing an indication of the completion of the at least one of a general training portion, a specific operation training portion, and an input device training portion across the wireless network.

11. The mobile vehicle of claim 1, wherein the productive device includes one of a blade, a bucket, a cutting head, and a backhoe, and wherein the input device includes one of a lever, a button, a dial, a joystick, and a pedal.

12. A mobile vehicle, comprising

a chassis;

a traction device adapted to contact the ground and propel the chassis;

a power device operably coupled to the traction device;

at least one productive device which is operable to perform at least one function through at least one input device; and

a computer system supported by the chassis and including a display and a user input device, the computer system configured to present an interactive training session, the computer system communicating with the at least one input device during the training session and the at least one productive device being disabled during the training session such that an actuation of the at least one input device during the training session is communicated to the computer system without moving the at least one productive device.

13. The mobile vehicle of claim 12, wherein the interactive training session may be presented in a plurality of languages.

14. The mobile vehicle of claim 12, wherein the interactive training session is activated by positioning a key of the mobile vehicle in an accessory position.

15. The mobile vehicle of claim 12, wherein the traction device includes a track system having an endless track, the at least one productive member corresponds to a blade, the training session includes at least one training session about a general operation of the mobile vehicle, and the chassis includes a first portion and a second portion which are moveably coupled about an articulating joint.

16. The mobile vehicle of claim 15, further comprising three additional traction devices.

17. A method of training an operator of a mobile vehicle, comprising the steps of:

providing a mobile vehicle including a chassis, a traction device adapted to contact the ground and propel the chassis, a power device, and a drive device being coupled to the power device and the traction device to provide power to the traction device, the mobile vehicle further including at least one productive device which is operable to perform at least a first task through at least one input device;

providing an interactive computer system coupled to the mobile vehicle, the interactive computer system communicating with the at least one input device to evaluate an actuation of the at least one input device, the interactive computer system including a training program to train the operator;

selecting the training program; and

disabling the at least one productive device during the training program while retaining communication between the at least one input device and the interactive computer system such that the interactive computer system evaluates the actuation of the at least one input device during the training program.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the training program provides training on the first task in response to a request for training one the first task.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the training program presents the training on the first task in response to an operator actuating the at least one input device.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the training program is activated by placing a key into a keyway of the mobile vehicle and turning the key to an accessory position.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein the training program includes at least one of a general training mode, a specific operation training mode, and a input device training mode, wherein the general training mode presents training information on a general operation of the mobile vehicle, the specific operation training mode presents information on a specific task to be performed with the at least one productive device, and the input device training mode presents training information on a first one of the at least one input devices.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the training program includes the general training mode, the specific operation training mode, and the input device training mode.

23. The method of claim 17, further comprising the steps of:

wirelessly communicating an indication of the completion of the training program to a remote device; and

storing a record of the completion of the training program.

24. A method of training an operator of a mobile vehicle, comprising the steps of:

providing a mobile vehicle, the mobile vehicle including at least one productive device, an input device which is actuatable to control the at least one productive device, and an interactive training program in communication with the input device to train an operator of the mobile vehicle;

operating the interactive training program by requesting an actuation of the input device; and

disabling the at least one productive device during the training program such that the actual actuation of the input device during the training program does not move the productive device and determining whether an actual actuation of the input device communicated from the input device corresponds with the requested actuation of the input device.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising the step of wirelessly sending an update to the training program to the mobile vehicle.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein the training program includes at least one of a general training mode, a specific operation training mode, and an input device training mode, wherein the general training mode presents training information on a general operation of the mobile vehicle, the specific operation training mode presents information on a specific task to be performed with the at least one productive device of the mobile vehicle, and the input device training mode presents training information on the input device of the mobile vehicle.

27. The method of claim 24, further comprising the steps of:

wirelessly communicating an indication of a completion of the training program to a remote device; and

storing a record of the completion of the training program.