Wireless remote control system for vehicle power take-off
AssigneeGM Global Technology Operations LLC
InventorJohn X. Cui
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Methods and apparatus are provided for controlling a power take-off (PTO) of an engine equipped vehicle. Transceivers in a portable wireless remote control device (WRCD) and an in-vehicle control system (IVCS) wirelessly communicate (a) user generated PTO action requests to the vehicle, and (b) PTO and vehicle status information to the WRCD. A PTO control module (PTOCM) in the IVCS translates the wirelessly received user action requests into engine and PTO operating or action commands, monitors the engine and PTO status and has the IVCS transceiver send the status information back to the WRCD where it can be presented to the user on a display. In a preferred embodiment, maximum use is made of components already existing in the vehicle.
Claims20
A method for operating a power take-off (PTO) system of an engine equipped vehicle, wherein a user has access to one or more control devices for controlling the PTO system and the vehicle includes a control system for operating the PTO system, comprising:
- receiving a first action request from a first control device;
- receiving a second action request via a wired connection from a second control device;
- determining what engine and PTO system actuation commands are associated with the first action request and whether the first action request is one of a wireless first action request and a wired first action request;
- when the first action request is a wireless first action request, transmitting the actuation commands to the engine and PTO system via a data bus only if the vehicle is stationary;
- when the first action request is a wired first action request, transmitting the actuation commands regardless as to whether the vehicle is stationary;
- determining whether the second action request is a valid action request;
- and
- when the second action request is a valid request:
- determining what engine and PTO system actuation commands are associated with the second action request;
- transmitting engine and PTO system status information to the first control device and
- transmitting engine and PTO system status information to the second control device.
A system for wirelessly controlling the operation of a power take-off (PTO) of an engine equipped vehicle, comprising:
- a portable remote control device (PRCD) wirelessly coupled to the vehicle and configured to receive a first user PTO action request inputs, convert those action request inputs to signals understandable by the vehicle, and wirelessly transmit the signals to the vehicle;
- an in-vehicle control system wirelessly coupled to the PRCD and configured to receive the signals from the PRCD, convert the signals to engine and PTO action commands corresponding to the user PTO action request inputs, transmit, via a data bus, the action commands to the engine and PTO only when the vehicle is stationary, and report engine and PTO status information back to the PRCD, and
- a wired in-cab control system configured to:
- receive a second action request via a wired connection from a second control device;
- determine whether the second action request is a valid action request;
- and
- when the second action request is a valid request:
- determine what engine and PTO system actuation commands are associated with the second action request;
- issue PTO action commands;
- transmit the actuation commands to the engine and PTO system via a data bus regardless of when the vehicle is stationary;
- and
- transmit engine and PTO system status information to the second control device.
A method for wirelessly operating a power take-off (PTO) system of an engine equipped vehicle, wherein a user has a portable wireless remote control device (WRCD) for controlling the PTO and the vehicle has an in-vehicle control system (IVCS) wirelessly coupled to the WRCD for operating the PTO, the method comprising:
- receiving a user input signal;
- determining whether the user input signal has been received from a user input of the WRCD;
- when a user input signal has been received from the WRCD then:
- testing the received user input signal for validity;
- when the user input signal is valid, forming a corresponding action request code understandable to the IVCS and transmitting the action request code to the IVCS for execution thereby and,
- when the user input signal is not valid, then returning to the first determining step;
- and
- when the user input signal has been received from a user input via a wired connection from a second control device then:
- determining whether the second action request is a valid action request,
- when the second action request is a valid request:
- determining what engine and PTO system actuation commands are associated with the second action request;
- transmitting the actuation commands to the engine and PTO system via a data bus;
- and
- transmitting engine and PTO system status information to the second control device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.