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US 11,601,454 B2Granted
Work machine and method for monitoring a control system at a work machine
AssigneeKomatsu Forest AB
InventorFredrik Tjernberg
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The invention relates to a work machine and a method for monitoring a control system at a work machine (1a). According to the method, in-parameters (32, 34, 36, 38) are obtained in the form of signals from the control system, wherein the control system generates actual values on one or more out-parameters (42, 44) in the form of signals based on said in-parameters. A characteristic of the invention is that a digital flow of data, comprising both said in-parameters and out-parameters via a control bus (5a, 5b), is addressed to a RAM buffer memory (3b,3c), which is included in a personal computer (3a) onboard the work machine, which buffer memory in FIFO mode writes a data file (id:1.1-id1:n) of a predetermined size, which is saved in a non-volatile data support memory (3d).
Claims20
A method for monitoring a control system of a work machine, which method comprises the following steps;
- that a plurality of in-parameters in the form of signals are obtained from the control system, whereby the control system generates actual values on one or more out-parameters in the form of signals based on said plurality of in-parameters, comprising the steps:
- collecting a digital flow of operating and measurement data, comprising both said in-parameters and out-parameters, in real time from the control system;
- addressing the digital flow of operating and measurement data, via a control bus constituent in the control system and a communication interface connected to this, to a data area in a working memory or persistent memory included in a personal computer on board the work machine,
- periodically saving a data file corresponding to the data area in a non-volatile data support memory on board the work machine or transferring via telecommunication and saving in an external non-volatile data support memory,
- creating a process image which provides an image of the state of the control system during a specific time interval which is created by assigning each saved data file a unique log storage function,
- comparing operating data from the process image with nominal values in an analytical tool to detect deviations and when data in the process image deviates from the nominal value then a node in the form of a device or unit from which the deviating data in the process image derives is considered as incorrect, and if incorrect, generating an error report for each detected deviation,
- wherein at least one of the following process steps is performed
- a) displaying the error report in real time to a driver on a monitor in a cab included in the work machine;
- b) sending the error report via a telecommunication system to a receiver for analysis;
- c) adding the error report to other essential information before sending the error report via the telecommunication system to the receiver for analysis in which said information may include any of the following;
- c1) information about the current work machine;
- c2) geographical data such as location information.
9 more elements
A work machine, particularly a forest machine, comprising
- a control system with a machine control level,
- a monitoring system with a monitoring level,
- one or more control buses,
- one or a plurality of primary and secondary nodes, configured to manage and control functions of the work machine by using actual values on the out-parameters based on a plurality of in-parameters,
- wherein the monitoring system on said monitoring level comprises,
- a computer such as a PC with capacity to store data,
- an interface by which the computer is in transmitting connection via said one or more control buses,
- a working memory,
- a non-volatile data support memory,
- wherein a digital flow of operating and measurement data, comprising said in-parameters as well as out-parameters from the primary and secondary nodes is periodically addressed to a buffer in the working memory, which in FIFO mode creates a data file of a pre-determined size comprised by a flow of incoming new data, which overwrite data in an equivalently created older data file in said buffer, and
- that a copy of the created data file contained in said working memory is saved in a non-volatile data support memory,
- an analytical tool in which the operating data from a process image is compared with nominal values to detect deviations, in which a node in the form of a device or unit is considered incorrect when the data in the process image derived from the node deviates from the nominal value, and in which an error report is generated for each detected deviation that is incorrect, wherein the process image comprises an image of the state of the control system during a specific time interval created by assigning each data file a log storage function,
- wherein the work machine further comprises at least one of the following:
- a) a driver's cab comprising a monitor on which the error report is displayed to a driver in real time,
- b) a telecommunication system with which the error report can be sent to a suitable receiver for analysis,
- c) a system by which other essential information can be added to the error report before the error report is sent by the telecommunication system to the suitable receiver for analysis, which information may include at least one of the following;
- c1) information about the current work machine;
- c2) geographical data such as location information.
15 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.