Systems and methods of remotely controlling a materials handling vehicle

A method of associating a transmitter and a receiver in a supplemental remote control system for materials handling vehicles comprising:

• initiating a power on sequence to enable a materials handling vehicle for operation, said materials handling vehicle having a receiver for receiving wirelessly transmitted travel commands;
• pairing said receiver and a corresponding controller on said vehicle to a select one of a plurality of wireless remote control devices comprising:
• receiving pairing mode confidence signals at said receiver of said vehicle, wherein each pairing mode confidence signal provides a transmitter identification code that uniquely identifies a corresponding one of said plurality of wireless remote control devices within range of said receiver;
• and
• matching a known transmitter identification code associated with said select one of said plurality of wireless remote control devices with a corresponding one of the pairing mode confidence signals received by said receiver;
• synchronizing said select one of said plurality of wireless remote control devices to said receiver and said controller of said vehicle such that said materials handling vehicle acknowledges remote travel commands from said select one of said plurality of wireless remote control devices;
• powering off said vehicle for a period of time after successfully pairing and synchronizing said select one of said plurality of wireless remote control devices to said receiver;
• starting a timer on said vehicle while said vehicle is powered down;
• continuing to transmit a synchronized confidence signal by said select one of said plurality of wireless remote control devices;
• powering on said vehicle;
• determining if said vehicle is powered back on within a predetermined interval based upon a measurement recorded by said timer;
• and
• if within said predetermined interval, performing:
• searching for said synchronized confidence signal;
• and
• reconfirming pairing and synchronization with said select one of said plurality of wireless remote control devices.