Snow groomer with touch screen control user interface

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12257899-B2
Application number	US-202017789853-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 30, 2020
Priority date	Dec 30, 2019
Publication date	Mar 25, 2025
Grant date	Mar 25, 2025

Abstract

A snow groomer with touch screen controls for tensioning tracks, suspension, drive unit, accessories and other, comprising:
a plurality of tracks; at least one accessory device selected in a group comprising a shovel or blade, a tiller assembly and a winch assembly; and a user interface comprising a display and a selector device for receiving commands from an operator, preferably the selector device is a device that detects a touch of an operator on the display; a control unit coupled to the user interface, in particular to the display, for sending images to be displayed to the display and receiving commands from the display which are related to the touches detected; wherein the control unit is configured to display on the display a main screen divided into a plurality of main screen portions, wherein the plurality of main screen portions are displayed together in the main screen and each in a different position in the main screen; wherein each main screen portion is configured to display an image that illustrates one or more pieces of data and/or information correlated to the tracked vehicle; the control unit is configured to detect one or more selections made by an operator, preferably on the display by means of a touch, corresponding to the type(s) of data or information that are required to be displayed in each portion of the display, and to display a main screen portion in each portion of the display, wherein each main screen portion is configured to illustrate a respective image relating to the data or information selected by the operator for said portion of the display.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A tracked snow groomer vehicle, for preparation of ski runs, comprising:
a plurality of tracks;
at least one accessory device selected in a group comprising a shovel or blade, a tiller assembly and a winch assembly; and
a user interface comprising a display and a selector device for receiving commands from an operator, the selector device includes a touch screen detection device that detects a touch of an operator on the display;
a control unit coupled to the user interface, in particular to the display, for sending images to be displayed to the display and receiving commands from the display which are related to the touches detected;
wherein the control unit is configured to display on the display:
a main screen divided into a plurality of main screen portions and a plurality of further screen portions, wherein the plurality of main screen portions are displayed together in the main screen and each in a different position in the main screen; wherein each main screen portion is configured to display an image that illustrates one or more pieces of data correlated to the tracked snow groomer vehicle;
a secondary screen, associated with one of the plurality of main screen portions, wherein the secondary screen illustrates configuration parameters and wherein the operator sets the configuration parameters for one of: a drive unit, the plurality of tracks, and the at least one accessory device; and
the control unit is further configured to:
detect one or more selections made by an operator, on the display by means of a touch, corresponding to data that are to be displayed in at least one of the main screen portions and corresponding to the configuration parameters displayed in the secondary screen of the display;
display an image, corresponding to the detection of one or more selections, on the at least one of the main screen portions of the display;
couple the plurality of further screen portions to corresponding secondary screens;
switch temporarily the main screen to a corresponding secondary screen based on the detection of one or more selections on the display in one of the plurality of further screen portions of the main screen;
adjust a tensioning of tracks, sensitivity of a driving pedal and control levers using one or more of the secondary screens and based on the detection of the one or more selections made by the operator via the touch screen detection device;
determine a relative angular position of the tiller assembly with respect to the frame of the vehicle using a control system, thereby defining a cutting angle of the tiller assembly;
display on one or more of the secondary screens a position of the tiller assembly and the cutting angle of the tiller assembly; and
based on the displayed cutting angle, the operator rotates the tiller assembly to adjust the cutting angle;
defining a pulling force of a winch rope using a drum and defining a position of an arm of a winch using an actuator;
display values relating to the winch;
based on the display of the values related to the winch, the operator controls the pulling force of the winch rope and the angular position of the arm.

2. The tracked snow groomer vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the control unit is configured to display in a first main screen portion of the plurality of main screen portions a first depiction of the tracked snow groomer vehicle, the first depiction being schematic; and wherein the first depiction of the tracked snow groomer vehicle comprises a representation of the accessory devices that are currently connected to the tracked snow groomer vehicle, one or more among the shovel, the tiller, track setting devices, and the winch; and wherein said representation of the accessory devices comprises a representation of a current position of one or more of the accessories, in particular a raised or lowered position of the tiller and the position of the arm of the winch, including a front or rear position.

3. The tracked snow groomer vehicle of claim 2 , wherein the control unit is configured to display in a second main screen portion of the plurality of main screen portions a second depiction of the tracked snow groomer vehicle, the second depiction being schematic; wherein the first depiction is a top view of the tracked snow groomer vehicle and the second depiction is a side view of the tracked snow groomer vehicle; wherein the tiller of the tracked snow groomer vehicle comprises two side wings configured to vary their position with respect to the tiller, wherein the second representation of the tracked snow groomer vehicle comprises a representation of the position of the side wings of the tiller; wherein the shovel of the tracked snow groomer vehicle comprises a central blade and the two side blades coupled to the central blade and configured to vary their position with respect to the central blade, wherein the second representation of the tracked snow groomer vehicle comprises a representation of the position of the side blades.

4. The tracked snow groomer vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the control unit is configured to display in a third main screen portion of the plurality of main screen portions data relating to drive speed of the tracked snow groomer vehicle and data relating to engine revolutions of the tracked snow groomer vehicle.

5. The tracked snow groomer vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the control unit is configured to display in a fourth main screen portion of the plurality of main screen portions data relating to tilt of the tracked snow groomer vehicle according to a roll axis and data relating to tilt of the tracked snow groomer vehicle according to a pitch axis.

6. The tracked snow groomer vehicle of claim 1 , comprising a tracking device coupled to the control unit to send a position of the tracked snow groomer vehicle, wherein the control unit is configured to display in a fifth main screen portion of the plurality of main screen portions a navigation map of the tracked snow groomer vehicle, the navigation map of the tracked snow groomer vehicle highlights a path already travelled by the tracked snow groomer vehicle.

7. The tracked snow groomer vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the tracked snow groomer vehicle comprises at least one video camera facing the rear of the tracked snow groomer vehicle, and framing a portion of ground on which the tracked snow groomer vehicle has passed; the control unit is configured to display in a sixth main screen portion of the plurality of main screen portions images captured by the video camera.

8. The tracked vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the tracked snow groomer vehicle comprises at least one video camera facing a rear of the tracked snow groomer vehicle, and framing a portion of ground on which the tracked snow groomer vehicle has passed; the control unit is configured to display on the display a further display mode wherein a first, a second, a fifth and a sixth main screen portion display an image captured by the video camera and a miniature portion of a navigation map of the tracked snow groomer vehicle, the navigation map of the tracked snow groomer vehicle highlights a path already travelled by the tracked snow groomer vehicle; the tracked snow groomer vehicle comprises a tracking device coupled to the control unit to send a position of the tracked snow groomer vehicle.

9. The tracked vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the tracked snow groomer vehicle comprises a tracking device coupled to the control unit to send a position of the tracked snow groomer vehicle; the control unit is configured to work in a further display mode wherein a first, second, fifth and sixth portion of the screen show a navigation map of the tracked snow groomer vehicle, the navigation map of the tracked snow groom

Assignees

• Prinoth Spa

Inventors

• Kirchmair Martin
• Muehlsteiger Stephan

Classifications

• B62D55/065 Primary

  Multi-track vehicles, i.e. more than two tracks {(soil-shifting machines E02F; mining machines E21C)} · CPC title

• B60K35/22

  Display screens · CPC title

• B60K35/81

  for controlling displays · CPC title

• B60K35/28 Primary

  characterised by the type of the output information, e.g. video entertainment or vehicle dynamics information; characterised by the purpose of the output information, e.g. for attracting the attention of the driver · CPC title

• B60K35/10

  Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor · CPC title