Remote Control System for a Machine
First Claim
1. A system for remotely operating a machine, comprising:
- a portable computing device, the portable computing device being removably mountable at the machine and at a remote control console, the portable computing device including a portable device controller;
the machine including;
a plurality of sensors for generating signals indicative of operating conditions of the machine;
a visual image sensor for generating visual image signals indicative of a point of view relative to the machine;
a machine mounting location for removably mounting the portable computing device thereat;
a machine instrument array including, upon operatively mounting the portable computing device at the machine mounting location, a machine display device and a machine input device, the machine display device being configured to display information related to operation of the machine, the machine input device being configured to receive an input command from an operator; and
a remote control console configured to control the machine remotely, the remote control console including;
a console mounting location for removably mounting the portable computing device thereat;
a console instrument array including, upon operatively mounting the portable computing device at the console mounting location, a console display device and a console input device, the console display device being configured to display information related to operation of the machine, the console input device being configured to receive an input command from an operator;
a point of view display for displaying an image of the point of view relative to the machine; and
a controller including the portable device controller, andupon operatively mounting the portable computing device at the machine, the controller is configured to;
receive signals from the plurality of sensors of the machine;
determine the operating conditions of the machine based upon the signals; and
transmit a plurality of machine signals to the machine instrument array indicative of the operating conditions of the machine and, for each operating condition, the machine instrument array having a predetermined configuration; and
upon operatively mounting the portable computing device at the remote control console, the controller is further configured to;
receive signals from the plurality of sensors of the machine;
determine the operating conditions of the machine based upon the signals;
transmit visual image signals indicative of the point of view relative to the machine to the remote control console;
display point of view images on the point of view display based upon the visual image signals;
transmit signals from the remote control console to the machine to direct the machine to perform desired operations; and
transmit a plurality of console signals to the console instrument array indicative of the operating conditions of the machine, the console signals further defining a configuration of the console instrument array and, for each operating condition, the configuration of the console instrument array being generally identically to the predetermined configuration of the machine instrument array.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A controller implemented method of remotely operating a machine includes determining, for each of a plurality of operating conditions of the machine, a predetermined configuration of a machine instrument array and removably mounting a portable computing device on a remote control console. The method further includes defining a configuration of a console instrument array of the remote control console in which, for each of the plurality of operating conditions, the configuration of the console instrument array is generally identically to the predetermined configuration of the machine instrument array. A system is also disclosed.
46 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A system for remotely operating a machine, comprising:
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a portable computing device, the portable computing device being removably mountable at the machine and at a remote control console, the portable computing device including a portable device controller; the machine including; a plurality of sensors for generating signals indicative of operating conditions of the machine; a visual image sensor for generating visual image signals indicative of a point of view relative to the machine; a machine mounting location for removably mounting the portable computing device thereat; a machine instrument array including, upon operatively mounting the portable computing device at the machine mounting location, a machine display device and a machine input device, the machine display device being configured to display information related to operation of the machine, the machine input device being configured to receive an input command from an operator; and a remote control console configured to control the machine remotely, the remote control console including; a console mounting location for removably mounting the portable computing device thereat; a console instrument array including, upon operatively mounting the portable computing device at the console mounting location, a console display device and a console input device, the console display device being configured to display information related to operation of the machine, the console input device being configured to receive an input command from an operator; a point of view display for displaying an image of the point of view relative to the machine; and a controller including the portable device controller, and upon operatively mounting the portable computing device at the machine, the controller is configured to; receive signals from the plurality of sensors of the machine; determine the operating conditions of the machine based upon the signals; and transmit a plurality of machine signals to the machine instrument array indicative of the operating conditions of the machine and, for each operating condition, the machine instrument array having a predetermined configuration; and upon operatively mounting the portable computing device at the remote control console, the controller is further configured to; receive signals from the plurality of sensors of the machine; determine the operating conditions of the machine based upon the signals; transmit visual image signals indicative of the point of view relative to the machine to the remote control console; display point of view images on the point of view display based upon the visual image signals; transmit signals from the remote control console to the machine to direct the machine to perform desired operations; and transmit a plurality of console signals to the console instrument array indicative of the operating conditions of the machine, the console signals further defining a configuration of the console instrument array and, for each operating condition, the configuration of the console instrument array being generally identically to the predetermined configuration of the machine instrument array. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method of remotely operating a machine, comprising:
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determining, for each of a plurality of operating conditions of the machine, a predetermined configuration of a machine instrument array; removably mounting a portable computing device on a remote control console, the portable computing device having a portable device controller; transmitting to the remote control console signals from a plurality of sensors operatively associated with the machine indicative of the operating conditions of the machine; determining the operating conditions of the machine based upon the signals received from the plurality of sensors; determining a plurality of console signals indicative of the operating conditions of the machine and defining a configuration of a console instrument array of the remote control console and, for each of the plurality of operating conditions, the configuration of the console instrument array being generally identically to the predetermined configuration of the machine instrument array; and transmitting the plurality of console signals to the console instrument array of the remote control console. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19)
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20. A system for remote control operation of a machine, comprising:
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a portable computing device, the portable computing device being removably mountable at the machine and at a remote control console, the portable computing device including a portable device controller; the machine including; a prime mover; a plurality of sensors for generating signals indicative of operating conditions of the machine; a display for displaying images related to the operating conditions of the machine; and a visual image sensor for generating visual image signals indicative of a point of view relative to the machine; a machine mounting location for removably mounting the portable computing device thereat; a machine instrument array including, upon operatively mounting the portable computing device at the machine mounting location, a machine display device and a machine input device, the machine display device being configured to display information related to operation of the machine, the machine input device being configured to receive an input command from an operator; a remote control console configured to control the machine remotely, the remote control console including; a console mounting location for removably mounting the portable computing device thereat; a console instrument array including, upon operatively mounting the portable computing device at the console mounting location, a console display device and a console input device, the console display device being configured to display information related to operation of the machine, the console input device being configured to receive an input command from an operator; a point of view display for displaying an image of the point of view relative to the machine; and a controller including the portable device controller, and upon operatively mounting the portable computing device at the machine, the controller is configured to; receive signals from the plurality of sensors of the machine; determine the operating conditions of the machine based upon the signals; and transmit a plurality of machine signals to the machine instrument array indicative of the operating conditions of the machine and, for each operating condition, the machine instrument array having a predetermined configuration; and upon operatively mounting the portable computing device at the remote control console, the controller is further configured to; receive signals from the plurality of sensors of the machine; determine the operating conditions of the machine based upon the signals; transmit visual image signals indicative of the point of view relative to the machine to the remote control console; display point of view images on the point of view display based upon the visual image signals; transmit signals from the remote control console to the machine to direct the machine to perform desired operations; and transmit a plurality of console signals to the console instrument array indicative of the operating conditions of the machine, the console signals further defining a configuration of the console instrument array and, for each operating condition, the configuration of the console instrument array being generally identically to the predetermined configuration of the machine instrument array.
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Specification