Remote control console for a machine

A remote operator station used for remotely controlling a machine, the 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 the perspective of an operator's cabin on the machine;
• a proportional travel control joystick configured to perform continuous changes in machine travel speed through movement of the joystick away from a central-biased position;
• a sensor configured to generate progressively changing signals indicative of 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 being programmed to:
• receive the signals from the sensor;
• determine the progressively changing positions of the joystick from the sensor signals;
• and
• perform a closed loop control, comprising:
• mapping the progressively changing positions of the joystick to corresponding desired machine travel speeds;
• determining simultaneous combinations of the speeds of an engine used to propel the machine and the amounts of service braking used to slow the machine wherein the simultaneous combinations result in the desired machine travel speeds;
• generating control command signals to adjust the speed of the engine used to propel the machine and adjust an amount of service braking in accordance with the determined simultaneous combinations;
• determining a resulting machine travel speed and comparing the resulting machine travel speed to the desired machine travel speed;
• and
• further adjusting the speed of the engine used to propel the machine and the amount of service braking to reduce any difference between the resulting machine travel speed and the desired machine travel speed below a predetermined threshold level.

A method of remotely controlling a work machine using one of a remote control console or a remote operator's station, wherein the one of a remote control console or a remote operator's station comprises:

• a proportional travel control joystick configured to perform continuous changes in machine travel speed through movement of the joystick away from a central-biased position;
• a sensor configured to generate progressively changing signals indicative of 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 method comprising:
• receiving the signals from the sensor by the electronic controller;
• determining, using the electronic controller, the progressively changing positions of the joystick from the sensor signals;
• and
• performing a closed loop control, using the electronic controller, the closed loop control comprising:
• mapping the progressively changing positions of the joystick to corresponding desired machine travel speeds;
• determining simultaneous combinations of the speeds of an engine used to propel the machine and the amounts of service braking used to slow the machine wherein the simultaneous combinations result in the desired machine travel speeds;
• generating control command signals to adjust the speed of the engine used to propel the machine and adjust an amount of service braking in accordance with the determined simultaneous combinations;
• determining a resulting machine travel speed and comparing the resulting machine travel speed to the desired machine travel speed;
• and
• further adjusting the speed of the engine used to propel the machine and the amount of service braking to reduce any difference between the resulting machine travel speed and the desired machine travel speed below a predetermined threshold level.