US 5,402,257 AGranted

Method and apparatus for the wireless control of lift devices by infrared transmission

AssigneeMannesmann Aktiengessellschaft

InventorsHeinz Hasselmann, Anton Munzebrock, Peter Stehr, Walter Voll

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Abstract

In this method and apparatus for the wireless control of a lift device and, in particular, of a traveling crane, a plurality of transmitting units communicate by infrared transmission of data telegrams to a receiving unit associated with the crane. The data telegrams include an integrated address signal that is unique to each transmitting unit and is stored in a memory module of the transmitting unit. The receiving unit decodes the data telegram and, if the crane is not then in use, stores the address signal in a comparison circuit of the receiving unit. Only subsequently-received data telegrams incorporating the stored address signal are passed to the crane for controlling the crane, thereby assuring that a user not then in control of a crane operation cannot interfere with its operation. Each transmitting unit also includes a user-operable release switch for releasing that user's control of the crane by clearing the address signal then stored in the comparison unit so as to permit control of the crane by other users through other transmitting units.

Claims16

Dependent claims

A method for wireless remote control of a lift device from a user-controlled transmitter including user-operable means for selecting an operating command to be carried out by the lift device, comprising the steps of:

manually selecting a lift device operating command at the transmitter;
encoding the selected lift device operating command to define a function signal identifying the selected operating command, and encoding the function signal and an address signal associated with and uniquely identifying the transmitter to produce an integrated data telegram;
transmitting the data telegram from the transmitter by infrared transmission;
receiving the transmitted data telegram from the transmitter at a receiver remote from the transmitter;
decoding the data telegram received from the transmitter so as to recover the function signal and the address signal from the data telegram;
providing a data retaining means at the receiver for storing a recovered address signal;
and
comparing the recovered address signal from the decoded data telegram with an address signal stored in the data retaining means and
(a) if no address signal is currently stored in the data retaining means, storing the recovered address signal in the data retaining means,
(b) if the recovered address signal from the data telegram is the same as an address signal currently stored in the data storage means, forwarding the recovered function signal from the data telegram to the lift device for operating the lift device in accordance with the operating command of the recovered function signal, and
(c) if the recovered address signal from the data telegram is different from an address signal currently stored in the data storage means, withholding forwarding of the recovered function signal from the data telegram to the lift device so as to prevent the lift device from operating in accordance with the operating command of the recovered function signal.

8 more elements

Apparatus for wireless remote control of a lift device by a user, comprising:

a transmitter, comprising:
user-operable means for selecting an operating command to be carried out by the lift device;
storage means for storing an address signal associated with and uniquely identifying said transmitter;
coder means for defining a function signal from the user-selected operating command and for producing an integrated data telegram from said function signal and said transmitter-stored address signal;
and
means for wireless infrared transmission of the data telegram from said transmitter;
and
a receiver remotely disposed from said transmitter and comprising:
sensor means for receiving infrared transmissions from the transmitter;
means for decoding data telegrams received by said sensor means from the transmitter so as to recover the function signal and the address signal from each said data telegram;
and
comparison means, including data retaining means for storing a recovered address signal, for receiving the address signal recovered by said decoding means, for comparing each said recovered address signal from said decoding means with an address signal stored in said data retaining means, and for operating in accordance with a result of said comparison such that
(a) where no address signal is currently stored in the data retaining means, storing the recovered address signal from said decoding means in the data retaining means;
(b) where the recovered address signal from a data telegram is the same as an address signal currently stored in the data storage means, forwarding the recovered function signal from the data telegram to the lift device for operating the lift device in accordance with the operating command of said recovered function signal;
and
(c) where the recovered address signal from a data telegram is different from an address signal currently stored in the data storage means, withholding forwarding of the recovered function signal from the data telegram to the lift device so as to prevent the lift device from operating in accordance with the operating command of said recovered function signal.

13 more elements

Apparatus for wireless remote control of a lift device by a plurality of users, comprising:

a first and a second transmitter, each said transmitter comprising:
user-operable means for selecting an operating command to be carried out by the lift device;
storage means for storing an address signal associated with and uniquely identifying the transmitter;
coder means for defining a function signal from the user-selected operating command and for producing an integrated data telegram from said function signal and said transmitter-stored address signal;
and
means for wireless infrared transmission of the data telegram from said transmitter;
and
a receiver remotely disposed from said first and second transmitters and comprising:
sensor means for receiving infrared transmissions from said first and second transmitters;
means for decoding data telegrams received by said sensor means from the transmitters so as to recover the function signal and the address signal from each said data telegram;
and
comparison means, including data retaining means for storing a recovered address signal, for receiving the address signal recovered by said decoding means, for comparing each said recovered address signal from said decoding means with an address signal stored in said data retaining means, and for operating in accordance with a result of said comparison such that
(a) where no address signal is currently stored in the data retaining means, storing the recovered address signal from said decoding means in the data retaining means;
(b) where the recovered address signal from a data telegram is the same as an address signal currently stored in the data storage means, forwarding the recovered function signal from the data telegram to the lift device for operating the lift device in accordance with the operating command of said recovered function signal;
and
(c) where the recovered address signal from a data telegram is different from an address signal currently stored in the data storage means, withholding forwarding of the recovered function signal from the data telegram from the lift device so as to prevent the lift device from operating in accordance with the operating command of said recovered function signal.

13 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.