Remote control console for a machine
AssigneeCaterpillar Inc.
InventorsRandall Todd Anderson, Machael William Bridenbaugh
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A remote control console or operator's station includes a proportional travel control joystick that effects continuous changes in machine travel speed through movement of the joystick away from a central-biased position, a sensor that measures progressively changing positions of the joystick, and an electronic controller communicatively coupled to the sensor and the joystick. The electronic controller is programmed to perform a closed loop control including mapping the progressively changing positions of the joystick to corresponding desired machine travel speeds, and adjusting the speeds of an engine used to propel the machine and the amounts of service braking used to slow the machine to achieve desired machine travel speeds.
Claims19
A remote control console including a plurality of input devices configured for controlling a machine having a work tool, the remote control console comprising:
- a proportional travel control joystick configured to cause continuous changes to a current speed of machine travel through movement of the joystick away from a central-biased position;
- a sensor configured to generate progressively changing signal information based on progressively changing positions of the joystick as the joystick is moved away from the central-biased position;
- and
- an electronic controller communicatively coupled to the sensor and the joystick, the electronic controller configured to:
- receive the progressively changing signal information from the sensor;
- determine, based on the progressively changing signal information, progressively changing desired speeds for machine travel;
- determine, for an engine used to propel the machine, respective engine speeds configured to cause the machine to travel at the progressively changing desired speeds;
- adjust, based on the respective engine speeds determined for the engine, current engine speed;
- receive, from the sensor, a signal indicating that the joystick is in the central-biased position;
- cause, based on the signal indicating that the joystick is in the central-biased position, the current engine speed to be fully decelerated;
- and
- cause, based on the signal indicating that the joystick is in the central-biased position, service brakes of the machine to be fully applied.
A remote operator station used for remotely controlling a machine, the remote operator station comprising:
- an operator's seat;
- one or more display screens mounted in front of the operator's seat and configured to display a view indicative of a view from a perspective of an operator's cabin on the machine;
- a proportional travel control joystick configured to cause continuous changes to a current speed of machine travel through movement of the joystick away from a central-biased position;
- a sensor configured to generate progressively changing signal information based on progressively changing positions of the joystick as the joystick is moved away from the central-biased position;
- and
- an electronic controller communicatively coupled to the sensor and the joystick, the electronic controller configured to:
- receive the progressively changing signal information from the sensor;
- determine, based on the progressively changing signal information, progressively changing desired speeds for machine travel;
- determine, for an engine used to propel the machine, respective engine speeds configured to cause the machine to travel at the progressively changing desired speeds;
- adjust, based on the respective engine speeds determined for the engine, current engine speed;
- receive, from the sensor, a signal indicating that the joystick is in the central-biased position;
- cause, based on the signal indicating that the joystick is in the central-biased position, the current engine speed to be fully decelerated;
- and
- cause, based on the signal indicating that the joystick is in the central-biased position, service brakes of the machine to be fully applied.
A method of remotely controlling a work machine using one of a remote control console or a remote operator station, the method comprising:
- receiving progressively changing signal information from a sensor,
- wherein the sensor is configured to generate progressively changing signal information based on progressively changing positions of a joystick as the joystick is moved away from a central-biased position, and
- wherein the joystick is a proportional travel control joystick configured to cause continuous changes to a current speed of machine travel through movement of the joystick away from the central-biased position;
- determining, based on the progressively changing signal information, progressively changing desired speeds for machine travel;
- determining, for an engine used to propel the machine, respective engine speeds configured to cause the machine to travel at the progressively changing desired speeds;
- adjusting, based on the respective engine speeds determined for the engine, current engine speed;
- receiving, from the sensor, a signal indicating that the joystick is in the central-biased position;
- causing, based on the signal indicating that the joystick is in the central-biased position, the current engine speed to be fully decelerated;
- and
- causing, based on the signal indicating that the joystick is in the central-biased position, service brakes of the machine to be fully applied.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.