Joystick input arbitration

• US 9,322,146 B2
• Filed: 12/05/2012
• Issued: 04/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: Marquette, Matthew S., Kristam, Sreeram K., Firman, Michael J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tsai, Henry
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hassan, Aurangzeb
• Application Number:
  US13/705,247
• Publication Number:
  US 20140156139A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,238 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2012 Setting the functions of the control levers, e.g. changing assigned functions among operations levers, setting functions dependent on the operator or seat orientation
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2296 Systems with a variable displacement pump
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/268 with failure correction follow-up actions
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/35438 Joystick
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 2009/04774 with additional switches or sensors on the handle
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 9/04788 comprising additional control elements

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a system and method for arbitrating between joystick inputs. The system generates a first command based on the first input if the first input has a non-zero value, and generates a second command based on the second input if the first input has a zero value and the second input has a non-zero value. The system thereby allows two different inputs to control a single commanded function.

Claims

1. A method for generating a command for a work machine by arbitrating between inputs from a first input device and a second input device, each located on a joystick of a work machine, comprising:

receiving a first input from the first input device on the joystick of a work machine;

receiving a second input from the second input device on the joystick of the work machine;

wherein said first input and said second input are capable of being received concurrently,

generating a first command for a first operation carried out by the work machine based on the first input from the first input device if the first input has a non-zero value;

generating a second command for the first operation based on the second input from the second input device if the first input has a zero value and the second input has a non-zero value;

arbitrating between the first command and the second command; and

executing the first operation based upon either one of the first command or the second command depending upon said arbitrating.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein during a transition between generation of the first and second command, a third command is generated using a rate limit based on the difference between the first command and the second command.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the second command is generated based on the second input if the first input has a zero value for a predetermined period of time and the second input has a non-zero value.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein if either of the first input or second input is out of acceptable range, a fourth command having a zero value is generated.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein a second command is generated based on the second input after the second input has a zero value if the first value is out of the acceptable range.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein a second command is generated based on the second input after the second input has a zero value for a predetermined period of time if after the first value is out of the acceptable range.

7. A system for generating a command for a work machine by arbitrating between inputs from a first input device and a second input device comprising:

a joystick of a work machine, the joystick having a first input device and a second input device; and

a controller of the work machine, the controller configured to perform;

receiving a first input from the first input device on the joystick of the work machine and a second input from the second input device on the joystick of the work machine;

wherein said first input and said second input are capable of being received concurrently,

generating a first command for a first operation carried out by the work machine based on the first input from the first input device if the first input has a non-zero value;

generating a second command for the first operation based on the second input from the second input device if the first input has a zero value and the second input has a non-zero value;

arbitrating between the first command and the second command; and

executing the first operation based upon either one of the first command or the second command depending upon said arbitrating.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein during a transition between generation of the first and second command, the controller generates a third command using a rate limit based on the difference between the first command and the second command.

9. The system of claim 7 wherein the controller generates a second command based on the second input if the first input has a zero value for a predetermined period of time and the second input has a non-zero value.

10. The system of claim 7 wherein the controller generates a fourth command having a zero value if either of the first input or second input is out of acceptable range.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the controller generates a second command based on the second input after the second input has a zero value if the first value is out of acceptable range.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein a second command is generated based on the second input after the second input has a zero value for a predetermined period of time if the first value is out of acceptable range.

13. A method for generating a command for a work machine by arbitrating between inputs from a first input device and a second input device, each located on a joystick of a work machine, comprising:

receiving a first input from the first input device on a joystick of a work machine;

receiving a second input from the second input device on the joystick of the work machine,

wherein said first input and said second input are capable of being received concurrently;

generating the command carried out by the work machine based on arbitrating between the earlier of the first input from the first input device for a first operation or the second input from the second input device for the first operation having a non-zero value; and

,

executing the first operation based upon said generating.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the generated command is based on a later input if the later input has a non-zero value after the first and second input have a zero value.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the generated command is based on another input if the other input has a non-zero value after the first and second input values are zero for a predetermined period of time.

16. The method of claim 13 wherein if either of the first input or second input is out of acceptable range, a fourth command having a zero value is generated.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein a second command is generated based on the second input after the second input has a zero value if the first value is out of the acceptable range.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein a second command is generated based on the second input after the second input has a zero value for a predetermined period of time if the first value is out of acceptable range.

19. A system for generating a command for a work machine by arbitrating between inputs from a first input device and a second input device comprising:

a joystick of a work machine, the joystick having a first input device and a second input device; and

a controller of the work machine, the controller configured to perform;

receiving a first input from the first input device on the joystick of the work machine;

receiving a second input from the second input device on the joystick of the work machine,

wherein said first input and said second input are capable of being received concurrently;

generating the command carried out by the work machine based on arbitrating between the earlier of the first input from the first input device for a first operation or the second input from the second input device for the first operation having a non-zero value; and

executing the first operation based upon said generating.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein the controller generates the command based on a later input if the later input has a non-zero value after the first and second input have a zero value.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein the controller generates the command based on another input if the other input has a non-zero value after the first and second input values are zero for a predetermined period of time.

22. The system of claim 19 wherein the controller generates a fourth command having a zero value if either of the first input or second input is out of acceptable range.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein the controller generates a second command based on the second input after the second input has a zero value if the first value is out of acceptable range.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein a second command is generated based on the second input after the second input has a zero value for a predetermined period of time if the first value is out of acceptable range.