Machine centric control for compaction machines

A control system for controlling a direction of movement and speed of a construction machine that moves in a forward and reverse direction during a working mode of the machine, the reverse direction being 180 degrees to the forward direction, the control system comprising:

• an operator seat attachable to the machine and rotatable to move the operator seat among various positions on the machine;
• and
• a lever attached to the operator seat and movable about two axes, a first axis being a longitudinal axis, a second axis being a lateral axis, and an origin corresponding to a neutral position of the lever,
• wherein a direction of movement of the machine in the forward and reverse directions is responsive to and is controlled by a position of the operator seat, a position of the lever on the longitudinal axis, and a position of the lever on the lateral axis, and
• wherein a speed of movement of the machine in the forward and reverse directions is responsive to and is controlled by the position of the operator seat and the position of the lever on the longitudinal and lateral axes.

A method of operating a construction machine that moves in a forward and reverse direction during a working mode, the reverse direction 180 degrees relative to the forward direction, the construction machine having an operator seat and a dual-axis lever movable on a longitudinal axis and a lateral axis, the method comprising:

• positioning the seat to generally face in the forward direction;
• moving the machine in the forward direction by moving the lever in the forward direction, a speed of the machine depending on a distance of the lever from neutral on the longitudinal axis;
• rotating the seat at least 90 degrees to change a position of the seat from facing in the forward direction to generally facing in the reverse direction, the machine changing from moving in the forward direction to moving in the reverse direction when the seat is at an angle of approximately 90 degrees to the forward direction, and the machine decreases in speed in the forward direction as the angle increases to 90 degrees;
• and
• moving the machine in the reverse direction,
• wherein the machine is capable of changing from the forward to reverse direction without moving the lever and instead in response to and controlled by rotating the seat.