Associating a transmitter and a receiver in a supplemental remote control system for materials handling vehicles

• US 8,193,903 B2
• Filed: 10/27/2011
• Issued: 06/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Crown Equipment Corporation
• Original Assignee: Crown Equipment Corporation
• Inventors: Kraimer, James V., Pollack, Jay G., Wellman, Timothy A., Jensen, Eric, Crabill, Monty, Dykema, Kurt, Duckworth, Paul, Zeilinger, Todd A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mehmood, Jennifer
• Assistant Examiner(s): Knox, Kaleria
• Application Number:
  US13/282,672
• Publication Number:
  US 20120038455A1
• Time in Patent Office: 222 Days
• Field of Search: 340/5.61, 340/338, 340/1.1, 340/10.1, 340/5.52, 340/4.3, 340/3.1, 340/3.7, 180/19.1, 180/19.2, 180/19.3, 180/332, 180/333, 180/334, 345/158, 341/122
• US Class Current: 340/4.3
• CPC Class Codes: B66F 9/07581 Remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0016 characterised by the operator's input device input arrangements for computing systems in general G06F3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0033 by having the operator tracking the vehicle either by direct line of sight or via one or more cameras located remotely from the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/20 Binding and programming of remote control devices
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/92 Universal remote control

Abstract

A method of associating a transmitter and a receiver in a supplemental remote control system for materials handling vehicles includes initiating a power on sequence to enable a vehicle for operation, the vehicle having a receiver for receiving wirelessly transmitted travel commands, and pairing and synchronizing the receiver and a corresponding vehicle controller to a select one of a plurality of wireless remote control devices. Pairing mode confidence signals are received at the vehicle receiver, wherein each pairing mode confidence signal provides a transmitter identification that uniquely identifies a corresponding wireless remote control device within range of the receiver. A known transmitter identification code associated with the select wireless remote control device is matched with a corresponding one of the pairing mode confidence signals received by the receiver, and the matched wireless remote control device is synchronized to the receiver and the controller of the vehicle for communication therebetween.

Claims

1. A method of associating a transmitter and a receiver in a supplemental remote control system for materials handling vehicles comprising:

initiating a power on sequence to enable a materials handling vehicle for operation, said materials handling vehicle having a receiver for receiving wirelessly transmitted travel commands;

pairing said receiver and a corresponding controller on said vehicle to a select one of a plurality of wireless remote control devices comprising;

receiving pairing mode confidence signals at said receiver of said vehicle, wherein each pairing mode confidence signal provides a transmitter identification code that uniquely identifies a corresponding one of said plurality of wireless remote control devices within range of said receiver;

displaying a list of all received pairing mode confidence signals by corresponding transmitter identification codes, said displayed transmitter identification codes being ordered by signal strength; and

matching a known transmitter identification code associated with said select one of said plurality of wireless remote control devices with a corresponding one of the pairing mode confidence signals received by said receiver; and

synchronizing said select one of said plurality of wireless remote control devices to said receiver and said controller of said vehicle such that said materials handling vehicle acknowledges remote travel commands from said select one of said plurality of wireless remote control devices.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein initiating a power on sequence to enable a materials handling vehicle for operation comprises:

requiring an operator to provide an operator identification code to said controller of said vehicle.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein matching a known transmitter identification code associated with said select one of said plurality of wireless remote control devices with a corresponding one of the pairing mode confidence signals received by said receiver comprises an operator locating and selecting said known transmitter identification code in said list of displayed transmitter identification codes.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising providing said known transmitter identification code on a tag on said select one of said plurality of wireless remote control devices, wherein:

matching a known transmitter identification code associated with said select one of said plurality of wireless remote control devices with a corresponding one of the pairing mode confidence signals received by said receiver comprises locating in said list of displayed transmitter identification codes, indicia that is associated with said known transmitter identification code on said tag.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein synchronizing said select one of said plurality of wireless remote control devices to said receiver and said controller of said vehicle comprises storing in said controller on said vehicle, said transmission identification code of the matched select one of said plurality of wireless remote control devices.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

powering off said vehicle for a period of time after successfully pairing and synchronizing said select one of said plurality of wireless remote control devices to said receiver;

starting a timer on said vehicle while said vehicle is powered down;

continuing to transmit a synchronized confidence signal by said select one of said plurality of wireless remote control devices;

powering on said vehicle;

determining if said vehicle is powered back on within a predetermined interval based upon a measurement recorded by said timer;

if within said predetermined interval, performing;

searching for said synchronized confidence signal;

requiring an operator to provide an operator identification code;

comparing said operator identification code provided by said operator with a stored operator identification code recorded before powering down said vehicle; and

reconfirming pairing and synchronization with said select one of said plurality of wireless remote control devices if said operator identification code provided by said operator matches said stored operator identification code.

7. The method according to claim 6, further comprising:

clearing said receiver identification code stored in said select one of said plurality of wireless remote control devices when said select one of said plurality of wireless remote control devices is installed in a corresponding charging station; and

clearing said transmitter identification code stored in said controller on said vehicle after a predetermined time interval lapses after powering down said vehicle.

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

entering a sleep mode by said select one of said plurality of wireless remote control devices after a first predetermined period of inactivity, wherein said select one of said plurality of wireless remote control devices continues to transmit said synchronized confidence signal;

entering a power down mode of said select one of said plurality of wireless remote control devices after a second predetermined period of inactivity in said sleep mode;

clearing said receiver identification code stored in said select one of said plurality of wireless remote control devices after a third predetermined period of inactivity in said power down mode; and

clearing said transmitter identification code stored in said controller on said vehicle after a predetermined time interval lapses after powering down said vehicle.

9. A method of associating a transmitter and a receiver in a supplemental remote control system for materials handling vehicles comprising:

initiating a power on sequence to enable a materials handling vehicle for operation, said materials handling vehicle having a receiver for receiving wirelessly transmitted travel commands;

pairing said receiver and a corresponding controller on said vehicle to a select one of a plurality of wireless remote control devices comprising;

receiving pairing mode confidence signals at said receiver of said vehicle, wherein each pairing mode confidence signal provides a transmitter identification code that uniquely identifies a corresponding one of said plurality of wireless remote control devices within range of said receiver; and

matching a known transmitter identification code associated with said select one of said plurality of wireless remote control devices with a corresponding one of the pairing mode confidence signals received by said receiver comprising;

synchronizing said select one of said plurality of wireless remote control devices to said receiver and said controller of said vehicle such that said materials handling vehicle acknowledges remote travel commands from said select one of said plurality of wireless remote control devices;

storing a receiver identification code that uniquely identifies said vehicle in said select one of said plurality of wireless remote control devices;

clearing said receiver identification code stored in said select one of said plurality of wireless remote control devices when said select one of said plurality of wireless remote control devices is installed in a corresponding charging station; and

clearing said transmitter identification code stored in said controller on said vehicle after powering down said vehicle.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein initiating a power on sequence to enable a materials handling vehicle for operation comprises:

requiring an operator to provide an operator identification code to said controller of said vehicle.

11. The method according to claim 9, wherein pairing said receiver and a corresponding controller on said vehicle to a select one of a plurality of wireless remote control devices further comprises displaying a list of all received pairing mode confidence signals by corresponding transmitter identification codes.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein said displayed transmitter identification codes are ordered by signal strength.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein matching a known transmitter identification code associated with said select one of said plurality of wireless remote control devices with a corresponding one of the pairing mode confidence signals received by said receiver comprises an operator locating and selecting said known transmitter identification code in said list of displayed transmitter identification codes.

14. The method according to claim 13, further comprising providing said known transmitter identification code on a tag on said select one of said plurality of wireless remote control devices, wherein:

matching a known transmitter identification code associated with said select one of said plurality of wireless remote control devices with a corresponding one of the pairing mode confidence signals received by said receiver comprises locating in said list of displayed transmitter identification codes, indicia that is associated with said known transmitter identification code on said tag.

15. The method according to claim 9, wherein synchronizing said select one of said plurality of wireless remote control devices to said receiver and said controller of said vehicle comprises storing in said controller on said vehicle, said transmission identification code of the matched select one of said plurality of wireless remote control devices.

16. The method according to claim 9, wherein synchronizing said select one of said plurality of wireless remote control devices to said receiver and said controller of said vehicle comprises transmitting a first message to said select one of said plurality of wireless remote control devices that includes a receiver identification code that uniquely identifies said vehicle, wherein subsequent messages wirelessly transmitted from said select one of said plurality of wireless remote control devices to said receiver identify both said transmitter identification code and said receiver identification code.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein said receiver is required to receive a predetermined reply message in response to said first message from said select one of said plurality of wireless remote control devices to synchronize said select one of said plurality of wireless remote control devices to said receiver.

18. The method according to claim 9, further comprising:

powering off said vehicle for a period of time after successfully pairing and synchronizing said select one of said plurality of wireless remote control devices to said receiver;

starting a timer on said vehicle while said vehicle is powered down;

continuing to transmit a synchronized confidence signal by said select one of said plurality of wireless remote control devices;

powering on said vehicle;

determining if said vehicle is powered back on within a predetermined interval based upon a measurement recorded by said timer; and

if within said predetermined interval, performing;

searching for said synchronized confidence signal; and

reconfirming pairing and synchronization with said select one of said plurality of wireless remote control devices.

19. The method according to claim 18, further comprising:

requiring an operator to provide an operator identification code; and

comparing said operator identification code provided by said operator with a stored operator identification code recorded before powering down said vehicle, wherein;

reconfirming pairing and synchronization with said select one of said plurality of wireless remote control devices further comprises reconfirming pairing and synchronization if said operator identification code provided by said operator matches said stored operator identification code.

20. The method according to claim 18, further comprising:

entering a sleep mode by said select one of said plurality of wireless remote control devices after a first predetermined period of inactivity, wherein said select one of said plurality of wireless remote control devices continues to transmit said synchronized confidence signal;

entering a power down mode of said select one of said plurality of wireless remote control devices after a second predetermined period of inactivity in said sleep mode;

clearing said receiver identification code stored in said select one of said plurality of wireless remote control devices after a third predetermined period of inactivity in said power down mode; and

clearing said transmitter identification code stored in said controller on said vehicle after a predetermined time interval lapses after powering down said vehicle.