Mobile crane

• US 8,798,851 B2
• Filed: 03/21/2008
• Issued: 08/05/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Liebherr-Werk Ehingen GmbH (Liebherr-International AG)
• Original Assignee: Liebherr-Werk Ehingen GmbH (Liebherr-International AG)
• Inventors: Morath, Erwin
• Primary Examiner(s): Olszewski, John R
• Assistant Examiner(s): MELTON, TODD M
• Application Number:
  US12/077,850
• Publication Number:
  US 20080246658A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,328 Days
• Field of Search: 701/24, 701/29, 701/30, 701/50, 701/56, 701/207, 701/213, 701/215, 701/300, 701/2, 701/29.1, 701/29.4, 701/29.6, 701/31.4, 701/31.6, 701/32.3, 701/33.4, 701/33.5, 701/408, 701/517, 701/521, 340/426.1, 340/426.11, 340/426.16, 340/426.19, 340/539.1, 340/539.19, 340/539.21, 340/539.24, 340/539.25
• US Class Current: 701/32.3
• CPC Class Codes: B66C 13/18 Control systems or devices exclusively for rope, cable, or chain winding mechanisms B66D1/40
• 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: G01S 19/16 Anti-theft; Abduction
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0027 of actual mobile position, i.e. position determined on mobile
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/085 using electronic data carriers

Abstract

The present invention relates to a mobile crane having means for wireless reception or for the determination of data identifying the location of the crane as well as having transmission means which are in communication with these means or can be connected to them, wherein the transmission means are configured such that they transmit the data identifying the location of the crane from the crane to a receiver in a wireless manner.

Claims

1. A mobile crane comprising:

means for identifying a location of the crane by wireless reception of location data or by determination of location data;

means for wirelessly transmitting the location data to a receiver in communication with or connectable to the wireless reception or determination of the location data;

means for storing the location data;

means for testing a connection quality and existence of a transmission path for the wireless transmission of location data from the crane to the receiver; and

a controller configured to;

initiate storage of the location data when the connection quality is below a limit value or when the connection does not exist, and

initiate transmission of the stored location data when the connection quality exceeds a limit value or when there is a connection;

wherein if a wireless signal is not transmitted or not transmitted in a specific period of time by the wirelessly transmitting means, the operation of the crane is restricted or stopped.

2. A mobile crane in accordance with claim 1, wherein the means for wireless reception or for the determination of data identifying the location of the crane include a GPS receiver.

3. A method for the localization of a crane in accordance with claim 1, wherein the location of the crane is detected or determined based on the data transmitted on the part of the crane and identifying the location of the crane.

4. A mobile crane, comprising:

means for wirelessly transmitting a query signal to a software management unit or means for wirelessly checking the software management unit;

means for receiving a response signal from a software management unit;

means for evaluating the response signal; and

means for wirelessly receiving software;

wherein if a wireless signal is not transmitted or not transmitted in a specific period of time by the wirelessly transmitting means, the operation of the crane is restricted or stopped.

5. A mobile crane in accordance with claim 4, wherein the crane furthermore has means for the independent loading and installation of the software received by the receiving means.

6. A mobile crane in accordance with claim 4, wherein the crane is designed such that the wireless transmission of a software update signal or the wireless checking of the software management unit takes place at predetermined time intervals or at predetermined points in time.

7. A mobile crane in accordance with claim 6, wherein the crane has detection means by which it can be detected when the time intervals or the points in time were not observed.

8. A mobile crane in accordance with claim 7, wherein the crane has means for the restriction or for the stopping of the crane operation which are in communication with or can be connected to the detection means and which are designed such that the crane operation can be restricted or stopped when it is determined by means of the detection means that the time intervals or the points in time were not observed.

9. A method in accordance with claim 4, wherein the crane loads and installs the software received in a wireless manner independently.

10. A mobile crane, comprising:

means for wirelessly transmitting maintenance data relating to maintenance of the crane or problem data relating to a problem of the crane or means for providing wireless retrieval of the data;

means for wirelessly transmitting an operation signal; and

means for wirelessly receiving diagnostic data or service data based on the maintenance data or problem data;

wherein if a wireless signal is not transmitted or not transmitted in a specific period of time by the wirelessly transmitting means, the operation of the crane is restricted or stopped.

11. A method for the carrying out of a diagnosis and/or for the provision of service information for a mobile crane in accordance with claim 10, wherein the crane transmits data relating to the maintenance and/or a problem of the crane in a wireless manner to a diagnostic or service unit and/or provides these data for wireless retrieval by a diagnostic or service unit and then receives diagnostic or service data determined in dependence on the data transmitted in a wireless manner.

12. A method in accordance with claim 11, wherein the diagnostic or service data are determined in a center based on the data transmitted by the crane and are transmitted to the crane in a wireless manner.

13. A mobile crane, comprising:

means for optically detecting the crane, parts of the crane, or the crane working area; and

means for wirelessly transmitting data based on the optical detection;

wherein if a wireless signal is not transmitted or not transmitted in a specific period of time by the wirelessly transmitting means, the operation of the crane is restricted or stopped.

14. A method for the operation of a crane in accordance with claim 13, wherein the data transmitted by means of the crane and based on the optical detection or the crane operating data are utilized, further processed or stored for the operation of the crane.

15. A mobile crane, comprising:

means for wirelessly transmitting one or more signals; and

means for testing whether the one or more signals were emitted by the wireless transmission means;

wherein the testing means restrict or stop operation of the crane if the one or more signals were not emitted, were not emitted at a predetermined point in time, or were not emitted within a predetermined time period.

16. A mobile crane in accordance with claim 15, wherein the predetermined point in time or the time period or its ending and/or the time duration between the predetermined point in time or time period or its ending and the restriction or the stopping of the crane operation can be set.

17. A method for the operation of a crane, in particular of a crane in accordance with claim 15, wherein the crane or a determination unit carries out a check of whether the crane has transmitted wireless signals or whether the crane has transmitted wireless signals in due time.

18. A method in accordance with claim 17, wherein the crane operation is restricted or stopped when it is found by means of the crane or by the determination unit that the wireless signals were not emitted or were not emitted in due time.

19. A mobile crane, comprising:

means for wirelessly transmitting a query signal to a software management unit or means for wirelessly checking the software management unit,

wherein the wireless transmission of the query signal takes place at predetermined time intervals or at predetermined points in time;

means for wirelessly receiving a response signal from the software management unit or the result of the wireless check;

means for evaluating the response signal or the wireless check;

means for wirelessly receiving software;

means for detecting whether the query signal was transmitted at the predetermined time intervals or the predetermined points in time; and

means for restricting or stopping operation of the crane that are in communication with or connectable to the means for detecting;

wherein, if the query signal was not transmitted at the predetermined time intervals or the predetermined points in time, operation of the crane is restricted or stopped.

20. A method in a mobile crane having means for wireless transmission of a query signal to a software management unit or means for wirelessly checking the software management unit, means for wireless reception of a response signal from the software management unit or the result of the wireless check, means for evaluation of the response signal, means for wireless reception of software, means for detection of whether the query signal was transmitted, and means for restricting or stopping operation of the crane, the method comprising:

wirelessly transmitting the query signal at predetermined time intervals or at predetermined points in time;

detecting whether the query signal was transmitted at the predetermined time intervals or at the predetermined points in time; and

if the query signal was not transmitted at the predetermined time intervals or the predetermined points in time, restricting or stopping operation of the crane.