Modular system mode controller and related methods

A control system for a machine, the control system comprising:

• one or more component controllers for one or more components of the machine, including at least a power source, and at least one of a direct current (DC) bus or a pump motor, wherein at least the DC bus and the pump motor require the power source to be operational in order to be operational themselves, each of the one or more component controllers having a component memory that stores component instructions, and at least one component processor configured to execute the component instructions;
• and
• a supervisory controller, connected to the one or more component controllers, and having a supervisory memory that stores supervisory instructions, and at least one supervisory processor configured to execute the supervisory instructions to perform operations comprising:
• receiving supervisory system inputs, including at least one of a machine component status input, a key switch input, a directional input, or an operator presence input, from an operator of the machine;
• determining whether one or more of the received supervisory system inputs is in an operational state or a non-operational state;
• upon determining that one or more of the received supervisory system inputs is in the operational state, requesting and receiving, from each of the one or more component controllers, a status of the one or more components, the status of the one or more components being one of standby, operational, shutdown, and faulted;
• upon receiving an indication that a component, of the one or more components, is operational, enabling the operational component;
• and
• outputting an operational component indicator to any other components, of the one or more components, that require the operational enabled component for operation, including, upon receiving an indication that the power source is operational, outputting the operational component indicator to the at least one of the DC bus or the pump motor to thereby enable the at least one of the DC bus or the pump motor.

A method of configuring a control system for a plurality of different types of machines, including at least a wheel loader, a motor-grader, a mining truck, and a marine-type machine, wherein the control system comprises:

• one or more component controllers for one or more components of a machine, of the plurality of different types of machines, the one or more components including at least a power source, and at least one of a direct current (DC) bus or a pump motor, wherein at least the DC bus and the pump motor require the power source to be operational in order to be operational themselves, the one or more component controllers being configured to provide outputs to the one or more components and each of the one or more component controllers having a component memory that stores component instructions, and at least one component processor configured to execute the component instructions;
• and
• a supervisory controller, connected to the one or more component controllers, configured to receive inputs from and generate outputs to the one or more component controllers, and having a supervisory memory that stores supervisory instructions, and at least one supervisory processor configured to execute the supervisory instructions to perform the method, the method comprising:
• receiving supervisory system inputs, including at least one of a machine component status input, a key switch input, a directional input, or an operator presence input, from an operator of the machine;
• determining whether one or more of the received supervisory system inputs is in an operational state or a non-operational state;
• upon determining that one or more of the received supervisory system inputs is in the operational state, requesting and receiving, from each of the one or more component controllers, a status of the one or more components;
• upon receiving an indication that a component, of the one or more components, is operational, enabling the operational component;
• outputting an operational component indicator to any other components, of the one or more components, that require the operational component for operation, including, upon receiving an indication that the power source is operational, outputting the operational component indicator to the at least one of the DC bus or the pump motor to thereby enable the at least one of the DC bus or the pump motor;
• and
• upon receiving an indication that a status of a component, of the one or more components, is faulted, disabling the faulted component, and disabling any other components, of the one or more components, that require the faulted component for operation, including, upon receiving an indication that the power source is faulted, disabling the at least one of the DC bus and the pump motor that require the power source for operation.