Method and apparatus for transmitting machine operation data

• US 20030037466A1
• Filed: 09/20/2002
• Published: 02/27/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitachi Construction Machinery Company Limited (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Hitachi Construction Machinery Company Limited (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Inventors: Watanabe, Hiroshi, Shibata, Koichi, Komatsu, Hideki, Adachi, Hiroyuki
• Granted Patent: US 6,751,541 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 37/348
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/20 Drives; Control devices gearings in general F16H; controlling in general G05; electric multi-motor drives H02K, H02P
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/26 Indicating devices E02F5/145 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/007 with remote control systems remote control in general G08C

Abstract

To permit grasping operation conditions of a working machine at a control station located at a remote place no matter whether or not a trouble has occurred on the working machine, CPU 12 of a controller 3 arranged on a hydraulic excavator 1 produces operation data in accordance with signals outputted from operation detecting means 4 such as various sensors. These operation data are stored in a memory unit 13 on a basis of a time outputted from a clock unit 11, for example, depending upon the day. The operation data stored depending upon the day are outputted from an output unit 14 of the controller 3 to satellite communication terminal equipment 2, for example, when a key switch has been turned on. The operation data is transmitted from the satellite communication terminal equipment 2 to an earth station 6 via a communication satellite 5 and further, is automatically transmitted from the earth station 6 to a control station 8 via a telephone line 7 such that said operation data can be obtained as daily report data or the like by operating PC at the control center 8.

Claims

1. A method for automatically transmitting operation data of a working machine from a controller, which is arranged on said working machine and has produced said operation data, to a control station located at a remote place via predetermined communication means, which comprises:

storing said operation data at intervals of a predetermined time in said controller, and automatically transmitting at least a group of operation data out of said operation data, said group of operation data having been stored during desired one or more of said intervals, at a predetermined time point from said controller to said control station.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein said predetermined time is 1 day.

4. A method according to claim 3, wherein, only when said working machine was operated on a preceding day, operation data of said preceding day are transmitted.

5. A method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said controller transmits operation data of a preceding day.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein said predetermined time point is a time at which a key switch for starting said working machine has been turned on.

7. A method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said predetermined time point is a time designated beforehand.

8. A method according to claim 7, wherein said time is around 0:

00 a.m.

9. A method according to any one of claims 1, 2, 4 and 7, wherein said working machine is a hydraulic excavator.

2. A method for automatically transmitting operation data of plural working machines from controllers, which are arranged on said working machines, respectively, and have produced said operation data of the corresponding working machines, to a control station located at a remote place via predetermined communication means, which comprises:

storing said operation data of said respective working machines at intervals of a predetermined time in their corresponding controllers, and automatically transmitting groups of operation data out of said operation data, said groups of operation data having been stored during desired ones or more of said intervals, from said controllers to said control station at predetermined time points shifted from one another.

10. A system for transmitting operation data of a working machine, said system being provided with operation detecting means for detecting operating conditions of said working machine, a controller for producing, as operation data, data detected by said operation detecting means, said operation detecting means and said controller being arranged on said working machine, and a control station located at a remote place, connected with said controller via predetermined communication means and adapted to receive operation data outputted from said controller, wherein:

said controller comprises a clock unit, a memory unit for storing said produced operation data at predetermined time intervals on a basis of a time clocked at said clock unit and an output unit for outputting at least a group of operation data out of said operation data, said group of operation data having been stored in said memory unit during desired one or more of said intervals, at a predetermined time point, and automatically transmits to said control station said operation data outputted from said output unit of said controller.

11. A system according to claim 10, wherein said predetermined time point is a time stored in said memory unit of said controller.

12. A system according to claim 11, further comprising rewriting means capable of rewriting said time stored in said memory unit of said controller.

13. A system according to claim 10, wherein said predetermined communication means comprises satellite communication terminal equipment arranged on said working machine and adapted to receive said operation data outputted from said output unit of said controller, a communication satellite for receiving said operation data outputted from said satellite communication terminal equipment, and an earth station for receiving said operation data outputted from said communication satellite and outputting said operation data to said control station.

14. A system according to claim 10, wherein said predetermined communication means comprises a telephone line.

15. A system according to claim 14, wherein said predetermined communication means comprises a cellular telephone.

16. A system according to claim 10, wherein said predetermined communication means comprises radio-communication equipment.

17. A system according to claim 10 or 13, wherein said working machine is a hydraulic excavator.