Communication device and working vehicle provided with the same

• US 9,230,144 B2
• Filed: 09/19/2013
• Issued: 01/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Komatsu Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Komatsu Ltd.
• Inventors: Kawasaki, Shinpei, Ishidou, Motoi, Tsushimi, Yasushi
• Primary Examiner(s): Zanelli, Michael J
• Application Number:
  US14/345,534
• Publication Number:
  US 20150081177A1
• Time in Patent Office: 838 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/0866 Engine compartment, e.g. heat exchangers, exhaust filters, cooling devices, silencers, mufflers, position of hydraulic pumps in the engine compartment
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/267 Diagnosing or detecting failure of vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10009 sensing by radiation using wavelengths larger than 0.1 mm, e.g. radio-waves or microwaves
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10158 methods and means used by the interrogation device for reliably powering the wireless record carriers using an electromagnetic interrogation field
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/006 Indicating maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C

Abstract

A reader writer (a communication device) executes at least one of reading identification information of an IC tag (an identification component) and writing the identification information to the IC tag. The reader writer includes a CPU board (a control board) that includes CPU (a controller) and a wireless control circuit to output radio waves by a command from the CPU, an antenna that is spaced from the CPU board, and a connection cable that electrically connects the CPU board to the antenna. The CPU board includes a disconnection detector that detects a disconnection of the connection cable, and a transmission controller that interrupts an output from the wireless control circuit to the antenna when the disconnection detector judges that the connection cable is disconnected.

Claims

1. A communication device mounted in a working vehicle and configured to execute at least one of reading identification information stored in an identification component attached to a component of the working vehicle and writing the identification information to the identification component, the communication device comprising:

a control board comprising;

a communication controller that is configured to control an execution of the at least one of reading and writing the identification information;

a wireless control circuit that is configured to generate an output of radio waves in response to a command from the communication controller; and

a wireless power supply that is configured to supply power to the wireless control circuit;

an antenna that is spaced from the control board and configured to transmit the output of the radio waves obtained from the wireless control circuit based on the wireless control circuit being supplied with power; and

a connection cable that is configured to electrically connect the control board to the antenna, wherein

the control board comprises;

a disconnection detector that is configured to detect a disconnection of the connection cable;

a transmission controller that is configured to transmit the output of the radio waves from the wireless control circuit to the antenna based on the wireless control circuit being supplied with power and to interrupt a transmission of the output of the radio waves from the wireless control circuit to the antenna based on the disconnection detector determining that the connection cable is disconnected; and

a wireless power supply controller that is configured, based on the disconnection detector determining that the connection cable is disconnected, to interrupt the supply of power to the wireless control circuit in response to a command signal from the transmission controller before the output of the radio waves is transmitted from the wireless control circuit to the antenna.

2. The communication device according to claim 1, wherein

the control board comprises:

a main power supply, and

the transmission controller comprises;

the wireless power supply controller; and

a switch command generator that is configured to generate a switch command of interrupting the supply of the power from the main power supply to the wireless power supply and to transmit the switch command to the wireless power supply controller based on the disconnection detector determining that the connection cable is disconnected.

3. The communication device according to claim 2, wherein

the communication controller is connected to the wireless control circuit via a transmission line, is configured to control communication of the identification information with the wireless control circuit, and is configured to decrease a voltage level of the transmission line based on the disconnection detector determining that the connection cable is disconnected.

4. The communication device according to claim 2, wherein

the communication controller is connected to the wireless control circuit via a transmission line and is configured to control communication of the identification information with the wireless control circuit, and

the transmission line comprises a relay that is configured to electrically interrupt the transmission line based on the disconnection detector determining that the connection cable is disconnected.

5. The communication device according to claim 2, wherein

the communication controller is connected to the wireless control circuit via a transmission line, is configured to control communication of the identification information with the wireless control circuit, and suppress a sneak current from the communication controller to the wireless control circuit based on the disconnection detector determining that the connection cable is disconnected.

6. The communication device according to claim 1, wherein

the control board comprises a pull-up resistor connected to a transmission line between the control board and the antenna including the connection cable,

the antenna comprises a pull-down resistor that connects the transmission line to a ground line, and

the disconnection detector is configured to detect a voltage of the transmission line on the control board.

7. The communication device according to claim 1, wherein

the disconnection detector is configured to detect the disconnection based on the communication controller being activated by receiving power from a battery of the working vehicle.

8. The communication device according to claim 7, wherein

the power is supplied to the communication controller to actuate the communication controller based on an engine of the working vehicle being started upon an operation of a key switch, and the disconnection is detected by the disconnection detector.

9. The communication device according claim 1, wherein

the disconnection detector is configured to detect, as the disconnection, breakage of the connection cable or an unplugged state of the connection cable from a connector connected to the control board or the antenna.

10. A working vehicle comprising the communication device according to claim 1.

11. A communication device that is mounted in a working vehicle and executing at least one of reading identification information stored in an identification component attached to a component of the working vehicle and writing the identification information to the identification component, the communication device comprising:

a control board comprising;

a communication controller that controls an execution of the at least one of reading and writing the identification information; and

a wireless control circuit that generates an output of radio waves in response to a command from the communication controller;

an antenna that is spaced from the control board and transmits the output obtained from the wireless control circuit; and

a connection cable that electrically connects the control board to the antenna, wherein

the control board comprises;

a disconnection detector that detects a disconnection of the connection cable;

a transmission controller that interrupts the output from the wireless control circuit to the antenna when the disconnection detector judges that the connection cable is disconnected;

a main power supply;

a wireless power supply that generates power for the wireless control circuit from power supplied from the main power supply;

a wireless power supply controller that switches between a supply and an interruption of the power from the main power supply to the wireless power supply; and

a pull-up resistor connected to a transmission line between the control board and the antenna including the connection cable,

the transmission controller comprises;

the wireless power supply controller; and

a switch command generator that generates a switch command of interrupting the supply of the power from the main power supply to the wireless power supply and transmits the switch command to the wireless power supply controller, when the disconnection detector judges that the connection cable is disconnected,

the antenna comprises a pull-down resistor that connects the transmission line to a ground line, and

the disconnection detector detects a voltage of the transmission line on the control board.

12. A working vehicle comprising the communication device according to claim 11.

13. A communication device mounted in a working vehicle and executing at least one of reading identification information stored in an identification component attached to a component of the working vehicle and writing the identification information to the identification component, the communication device comprising:

a control board comprising;

a communication controller that controls an execution of the at least one of reading and writing the identification information; and

a wireless control circuit that generates output of radio waves in response to a command from the communication controller;

an antenna that is spaced from the control board and transmits the output obtained from the wireless control circuit; and

a connection cable that electrically connects the control board to the antenna, wherein

the control board comprises;

a disconnection detector that detects a disconnection of the connection cable;

a transmission controller that interrupts the output from the wireless control circuit to the antenna when the disconnection detector judges that the connection cable is disconnected;

a main power supply;

a wireless power supply that generates power for the wireless control circuit from power supplied by the main power supply; and

a wireless power supply controller that switches between a supply and an interruption of the power from the main power supply to the wireless power supply, and

the transmission controller comprises;

the wireless power supply controller; and

a switch command generator that generates a switch command of interrupting the supply of the power from the main power supply to the wireless power supply and transmits the switch command to the wireless power supply controller, when the disconnection detector judges that the connection cable is disconnected.

14. The communication device according to claim 13, wherein

the communication controller is connected to the wireless control circuit via a transmission line, controls communication of the identification information with the wireless control circuit, and decreases a voltage level of the transmission line when the disconnection detector judges that the connection cable is disconnected.

15. The communication device according to claim 13, wherein

the communication controller is connected to the wireless control circuit via a transmission line and controls communication of the identification information with the wireless control circuit, and

the transmission line comprises a relay that electrically interrupts the transmission line when the disconnection detector judges that the connection cable is disconnected.

16. The communication device according to claim 13, wherein

the control board comprises a pull-up resistor connected to a transmission line between the control board and the antenna including the connection cable,

the antenna comprises a pull-down resistor that connects the transmission line to a ground line, and

the disconnection detector detects a voltage of the transmission line on the control board.

17. The communication device according to claim 13, wherein

the disconnection detector detects the disconnection when the communication controller is activated by receiving power from a battery of the working vehicle.

18. The communication device according claim 13, wherein

the disconnection detector detects, as the disconnection, breakage of the connection cable or an unplugged state of the connection cable from a connector connected to the control board or the antenna.

19. A working vehicle comprising the communication device according to claim 13.