INDUSTRIAL VEHICLE GEO-FEATURE SYSTEM

• US 20190023180A1
• Filed: 09/25/2018
• Published: 01/24/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Crown Equipment Corporation
• Original Assignee: Crown Equipment Corporation
• Inventors: Manci, Lewis H., Swift, Philip W., Waltz, Lucas B.
• Granted Patent: US 10,604,069 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/00 Arrangement or adaptation of signal devices not provided for in one of main groups B60Q1/00 - B60Q7/00 , e.g. haptic signalling
• CPC Class Codes: B66F 17/003 for fork-lift trucks
• CPC Class Codes: B66F 9/24 Electrical devices or systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/206 specially adapted for indoor navigation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0631 Resource planning, allocation, distributing or scheduling for enterprises or organisations
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C

Abstract

In location-based geo-feature implementations, messages for conveyance on an industrial vehicle are determined based on a current operating state of the industrial vehicle, information about a zone with expected operating conditions, and the industrial vehicle'"'"'s location. When the industrial vehicle enters the zone, the current operating state of the industrial vehicle is compared to the expected operating state, which determines the message for display. Further, the current operating state may change the way the message is displayed. In vehicle-based implementations, vehicle data is collected and analyzed to generate messages upon the triggering of predetermined events. The detection of an event can be combined with vehicle position data to create an event record that captures location. Tools are also provided for setting up, managing and using the above capabilities.

Claims

1. A machine-executable process in an industrial vehicle environment, comprising:

obtaining geo-feature information about a geo-feature that is located in an area upon which an industrial vehicle travels;

detecting that the industrial vehicle has encountered the geo-feature; and

performing, upon detecting that the industrial vehicle has encountered the geo-feature;

identifying a current operating state of the industrial vehicle by collecting operational information from the industrial vehicle;

determining an expected operating state of the industrial vehicle from the obtained geo-feature information;

comparing the current operating state of the industrial vehicle to the expected operating state of the industrial vehicle; and

generating an output message comprising a select one of;

a first message where the comparison indicates that the current operating state is within an acceptable range of the expected operating state, and

a second message different from the first message, where the current operating state is outside the acceptable range of the expected operating state; and

conveying the output message on the industrial vehicle.

2. The process of claim 1, wherein determining an expected operating state further comprises identifying an acceptable range for the expected operating state selected from the group consisting of speed of the industrial vehicle, a height of forks of the industrial vehicle, a time that the industrial vehicle remains in the predefined geo-feature, and an orientation of the industrial vehicle.

3. The process of claim 1, wherein:

performing, upon detecting that the industrial vehicle has encountered the geo-feature further comprises;

determining whether the geo-feature is a message zone or an action zone;

monitoring location information identifying a current location of the industrial vehicle; and

storing, periodically, the operational information and the location information at least during the encounter with the geo-feature; and

conveying the output message on the industrial vehicle, comprises;

conveying, by a processor on the industrial vehicle, the output message where the industrial vehicle is within the message zone.

4. The process of claim 1 further comprising selecting an output device among a display, an audio device, and an illumination device for conveying the output message based on at least one of:

the operational information, a speed of the industrial vehicle, and an orientation of the industrial vehicle.

5. The process of claim 1 further comprising:

configuring at least two types of output messages including a first type of message as text on a screen of the industrial vehicle, and a second type of message as at least one color on a screen of the industrial vehicle without using text;

wherein conveying the output message further comprises;

selecting whether to display the first type of message or the second type of message; and

displaying the selected type of message.

6. The process of claim 1, wherein the industrial vehicle comprises a first light visible to an interior of the industrial vehicle and a second light visible to an exterior of the industrial vehicle, the process further comprising:

activating at least one of the first light and the second light of the industrial vehicle upon outputting the message.

7. The process of claim 1, wherein obtaining geo-feature information comprises dynamically generating the geo-feature in response to a detected impact involving the industrial vehicle.

8. The process of claim 1, wherein:

obtaining geo-feature information comprises;

receiving by the processor of the industrial vehicle, via a wireless transceiver mounted on an industrial vehicle, the geo-feature information about the defined geo-feature;

detecting that the industrial vehicle has encountered the geo-feature comprises;

monitoring, by a processor on the industrial vehicle, location information identifying a current location of the industrial vehicle; and

comparing, by the processor, obtained geo-feature information identifying a location of the geo-feature to the identified current location of the industrial vehicle;

collecting operational information comprises;

collecting the operational information by the processor on the industrial vehicle by communicating with at least one vehicle component across a vehicle network bus; and

outputting the message further comprises displaying the message on a display on the industrial vehicle.

9. The process of claim 1 further comprising performing:

obtaining geo-feature information, detecting that the industrial vehicle has encountered the geo-feature, and performing, upon detecting that the industrial vehicle has encountered the geo-feature, by a processor on the industrial vehicle.

10. The process of claim 1 further comprising performing:

obtaining geo-feature information, detecting that the industrial vehicle has encountered the geo-feature, and performing, upon detecting that the industrial vehicle has encountered the geo-feature, by a processor on a server computer remote from the industrial vehicle.

11. A graphical user interface for defining geo-features, comprising:

a hardware computing device configured to execute computer code to generate the graphical user interface, comprising a processor coupled to memory, where the processor executes program code stored in the memory to implement;

a display area that depicts a graphical representation of a virtual environment that models a physical environment where industrial vehicles operate;

a tool that enables a user to define a geo-feature and position the defined geo-feature within the virtual environment;

a data entry feature that enables the user to define properties that characterize the defined geo-feature;

an upload feature that uploads the defined geo-feature and associated properties to a wireless infrastructure that enables wireless communication across the physical environment modeled by the virtual environment such that;

a processor maps the virtually positioned geo-feature to a corresponding geo-feature positioned in the physical environment, and programs the functionality of the geo-feature in the physical environment according to the properties associated with the geo-feature in the virtual environment; and

upon an industrial vehicle encountering the defined geo-feature in the physical environment, a process triggers an action associated with the user-defined properties.

12. The graphical user interface of claim 11, wherein:

the display area depicts the graphical representation of the virtual environment as a two-dimensional map of the physical environment.

13. The graphical user interface of claim 11, wherein:

the display area depicts the graphical representation of the virtual environment as a three-dimensional map of the physical environment.

14. The graphical user interface of claim 11, wherein:

the data entry feature enables the user to define a select one of the properties that characterize the defined geo-feature, comprising at least one of;

a first type of the industrial vehicle that detects the geo-feature;

a second type of the industrial vehicle that does not detect the geo-feature;

an operator of the industrial vehicle;

a time of day;

an identification of an operating shift;

detected volume of congestion in the area of the geo-feature;

an operating condition of the industrial vehicle; and

a state of productivity; and

upon the industrial vehicle encountering the defined geo-feature in the physical environment, the process triggers the action associated if the select one of the properties is satisfied.

15. The graphical user interface of claim 11, wherein:

the tool enables the user to configure the geo-feature by defining at least one of;

data identifying the spatial location of the geo-feature;

a parameter that defines a type of geo-feature;

a rule that modifies the action; and

a first property that defines the action.

16. The graphical user interface of claim 11, wherein:

the tool further enables the user to define a second geo-feature that is associated with a movable physical object, such that the second geo-feature moves about the environment.

17. The graphical user interface of claim 11, wherein:

the tool further enables the user to draw a geo-zone on the graphical representation of the virtual environment, which corresponds to the geo-feature.

18. The graphical user interface of claim 11, wherein:

the tool further enables the user to define the action to be an alert to an operator of the industrial vehicle.

19. The graphical user interface of claim 11, wherein:

the tool further enables the user to define the action to be an alert to a pedestrian proximate to the industrial vehicle.

20. The graphical user interface of claim 11, wherein:

the tool further enables the user to define the action to be a set of messages comprising;

a critical message;

an alert;

a warning;

a pre-action instruction; and

a post action reinforcement; and

the process triggers the action, which selects at least one message in the set of messages, based upon detected industrial vehicle conditions.

21. The graphical user interface of claim 11, wherein:

the tool further enables the user to define geo-features in layers that are overlaid on the model based upon a predefined delineation so that the user can show or hide layers on the model in the display area.

22. The graphical user interface of claim 21 further comprising:

a report that enables the user to navigate the model and layers of geo-feature information overlaid on the model to navigate to those geo-features that triggered the associated action responsive to the industrial vehicle encountering the corresponding geo-feature.

23. The graphical user interface of claim 11 further comprising:

a menu option that enables the user to establish a hierarchy that defines a prioritization and conflict resolution where multiple geo-features overlap.