Method and system for wirelessly transmitting control commands for a controller for lifting gear

• US 8,350,672 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2007
• Issued: 01/08/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Konecranes Global Corporation (Konecranes Terex Plc)
• Original Assignee: Demag Cranes & Components GmbH (Konecranes Oyj)
• Inventors: Münzebrock, Anton
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Daniel
• Assistant Examiner(s): OTT, FREDERICK R
• Application Number:
  US12/281,695
• Publication Number:
  US 20090009358A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,126 Days
• Field of Search: 340/9.1, 340/12.22, 340/5.71, 307/328, 212/285
• US Class Current: 340/9.1
• CPC Class Codes: B66C 13/40 Applications of devices for transmitting control pulses; Applications of remote control devices control in general G05
• 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 23/04 using light waves, e.g. infrared

Abstract

Method for wirelessly transmitting control commands for a controller for lifting gear, wherein a wireless operating part has an unmistakeable address and a receiving part of the lifting gear has a selectable identifier, wherein the operating part is unambiguously assigned to a receiving part of lifting gear, said method comprising the following steps for assigning the operating part to the receiving part: (i) an address feature is formed from the address of the operating part and the identifier of the receiving part; (ii) the address feature is emitted in an allocation message; (iii) the emitted allocation message is received in the receiving part and (iv) the operating part is allocated to the receiving part, if the receiving part has not been allocated, by storing the address feature as a valid address feature in the receiving part, and corresponding system.

Claims

1. A method of wireless communication between a wireless remote control and a receiving part of a machine controller for lifting gear wherein said remote control includes a unique address and said receiving part of the machine controller includes a selectable identifier, said method comprising:

setting up an address feature from the unique address of the remote control and the identifier of the receiving part of the machine controller;

transmitting an allocation message from said remote control to said receiving part, said allocation message including the address feature and information identifying the allocation message as an allocation message;

receiving the allocation message at the receiving part;

determining whether the receiving part is in an allocated state or a non-allocated state;

if the receiving part is in the allocated state, ignoring the allocation message; and

if the receiving part is in the non-allocated state, setting the receiving part to an allocated state and storing the address feature at the receiving part whereby the receiving part thereafter controls the machine controller in response to control commands transmitted from the remote control that include the unique address and the identifier for the receiving part of the machine controller, and whereby the receiving part does not control the machine controller in response to control commands transmitted from a different remote control that includes an address different from the unique address.

2. The method of claim 1 further including switching the remote control to an allocation mode prior to transmitting the allocation message.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the remote control stores the identifier of the receiving part after transmitting the allocation message.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the receiving part acknowledges the successful allocation of the remote control by means of a signal unit.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein said signal unit emits one of a visual and audio signal in response to the successful allocation of the remote control.

6. The method of claim 1 further including switching said remote control to a command mode in order to transmit control commands from said remote control.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein said control commands include the unique address feature of the remote control and the identifier of the receiving part.

8. The method of claim 7 further wherein said receiving part verifies the unique address feature of the remote control in said control command prior to passing said control command onto said machine controller.

9. The method of claim 1 further including controlling the power supply of the machine controller via the receiving part.

10. The method of claim 1 further including resetting the receiving part to the non-allocated state.

11. A wireless communication system comprising:

a wireless remote control having a unique address, said remote control adapted to transmit allocation messages and control messages;

a receiving part of a machine controller of a lifting gear having a selectable identifier, said receiving part adapted to receive the allocation messages and control messages from the remote control, said receiving part capable of assuming an allocated and a non-allocated state;

wherein said allocation messages include an address feature being a combination of said unique address and said identifier, and information identifying said allocation messages as allocation messages;

wherein said receiving part being in a non-allocated state switches from the non-allocated state to the allocated state upon receipt of the allocation message by saving the address feature;

wherein said receiving part being in the allocated state passes said control message onto said machine controller upon receipt of the control message;

wherein said receiving part withholds passing other control messages onto said machine controller if said other control messages include an identifier corresponding to a different receiving part; and

wherein said receiving part withholds passing other control messages onto said machine controller if said other control messages include a unique address corresponding to a different remote control.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein said receiving part ignores said allocation message if said receiving part is in the allocated state.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein said receiving part ignores other allocation messages if said other allocation messages include a unique address corresponding to a different remote control.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein said receiving part ignores other allocation messages if said other allocation messages include an identifier corresponding to a different receiving part.

15. The system of claim 11 wherein said receiving part is adapted to store said unique address.

16. The system of claim 11 further including a signal unit adapted to acknowledges the successful allocation of the remote control by one of a visual and audio signal.

17. The system of claim 11 wherein said receiving part is further adapted to control a power supply to said machine controller.

18. The system of claim 11 wherein said receiving part is further adapted to be reset to the non-allocated state.