Method and system for providing work machine multi-functional user interface

• US 7,242,311 B2
• Filed: 10/29/2004
• Issued: 07/10/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: Akasam, Sivaprasad, Baker, Thomas M., Hoff, Brian D.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, HUNG T
• Application Number:
  US10/975,989
• Publication Number:
  US 20060092033A1
• Time in Patent Office: 984 Days
• Field of Search: 340/679, 340/691.6, 340/653, 340/661, 340/680, 340/425.5, 340/438, 340/439, 340/686.1, 340/459, 340/461, 340/945, 701/29, 701/31, 701/14, 701/35, 702/173, 702/176, 703/3, 703/7
• US Class Current: 340/679
• 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: G05B 23/027 Alarm generation, e.g. communication protocol; Forms of alarm
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0739 in a data processing system embedded in automotive or aircraft systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0781 Error filtering or prioritizing based on a policy defined by the user or on a policy defined by a hardware/software module, e.g. according to a severity level
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 3/12 in graphical form

Abstract

A method is performed to provide a multi-functional user interface on a work machine for displaying suggested corrective action. The process includes receiving status information associated with the work machine and analyzing the status information to determine an abnormal condition. The process also includes displaying a warning message on the display device indicating the abnormal condition and determining one or more corrective actions to handle the abnormal condition. Further, the process includes determining an appropriate corrective action among the one or more corrective actions and displaying a recommendation message on the display device reflecting the appropriate corrective action. The process may also include displaying a list including the remaining one or more corrective actions on the display device to provide alternative actions to an operator.

Claims

1. A method for providing a multi-functional user interface on a machine equipped with a display device, comprising:

receiving status information associated with the machine;

analyzing the status information to determine an abnormal condition;

determining whether the machine has automatically performed a corrective action associated with the abnormal condition;

displaying a notification message on the display device reflecting the corrective action automatically performed by the machine;

displaying a warning message on the display device indicating the abnormal condition if it is determined that the machine has not automatically performed the corrective action;

determining a plurality of possible corrective actions to handle the abnormal condition;

determining an appropriate corrective action from the plurality of possible corrective actions; and

displaying a recommendation message on the display device reflecting the appropriate corrective action.

2. The method according to claim 1, further including:

displaying a listing message including remaining corrective actions of the plurality of corrective actions on the display device to provide alternative actions to an operator.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the status information, the recommendation message and the listing message are concurrently displayed in different areas of a display screen of the display device.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the display screen is a touch screen.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the machine is a hybrid electric and fuel cell powered machine.

6. A method for providing a multi-functional user interface on a machine equipped with a display device having a display screen, comprising:

displaying machine status information in a first display area of the display screen;

displaying a warning message indicating an abnormal operation condition of the machine in a second display area of the display screen different from the first display area;

displaying a recommendation message indicating suggested corrective action to respond to the abnormal operation condition in the second display area;

displaying a listing message indicating alternative corrective actions to respond to the abnormal operation condition in a third area of the display screen different from the second display area concurrently with the recommendation message; and

displaying troubleshooting information in the second and the third display areas of the display screen,

wherein displaying troubleshooting information further includes;

receiving a troubleshooting request from an operator;

listing available troubleshooting procedures in the third display area;

determining a troubleshooting procedure based on a selection from the operator via the display screen;

displaying one or more steps of the troubleshooting procedure in the third display area;

automatically performing the one or more steps of the troubleshooting procedure based on a selection from the operator; and

displaying results of the one or more steps of the troubleshooting procedure and suggestions of further troubleshooting steps in the second display area.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the display screen is a touch screen.

8. The method according to claim 6, further including:

displaying contents of one or more maintenance and operation manuals associated with the machine; and

automatically updating the one or more maintenance and operation manuals upon requests from an operator.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein updating further includes:

establishing a communication connection to an off-board system containing version information associated with the one or more manuals;

downloading the version information from the off-board system;

comparing stored version information with the version information from the off-board system to determine an out-of-date manual; and

updating any out-of-date maintenance and operation manuals with the current versions of the out-of-date manuals.

10. The method according to claim 6, further including:

retrieving a remote service record of the machine from an off-board system.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein retrieving further includes:

receiving a request from an operator of the machine to retrieve the remote service record;

establishing a communication connection to the off-board system;

downloading the remote service record from the off-board system; and

displaying the remote service record from the off-board system in the second display area of the display screen.

12. The method according to claim 11, further including:

determining that the remote service record was not successfully downloaded; and

displaying a service record stored on the machine.

13. A system for providing a multi-functional user interface on a machine equipped with a display device, comprising:

means for receiving status information associated with the machine;

means for displaying the status information on the display device;

means for analyzing the status information to determine an abnormal condition;

means for determining whether the machine has automatically performed a corrective action associated with the abnormal condition;

means for displaying a notification message on the display device reflecting the corrective action automatically performed by the machine;

means for displaying a warning message on the display device indicating the abnormal condition if it is determined that the machine has not automatically performed the corrective action;

means for determining one or more corrective actions to handle the abnormal condition; and

means for determining an appropriate corrective action among the one or more corrective actions.

14. The system according to claim 13, further including:

means for displaying a recommendation message on the display device reflecting the appropriate corrective action.

15. The method according to claim 14, further including:

means for displaying a list including the remaining one or more corrective actions on the display device to provide alternative actions to an operator.