Coordinated motion system and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12442159-B2
Application number	US-202318378037-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 9, 2023
Priority date	Oct 22, 2021
Publication date	Oct 14, 2025
Grant date	Oct 14, 2025

Abstract

A vehicle system includes a first vehicle, a second vehicle, and a control system. The first vehicle includes a first implement and a first actuator configured to facilitate controlling a first operation of the first implement. The second vehicle includes a second implement and a second actuator configured to control a second operation of the second implement. The control system is configured to receive an input from an operator, transmit a first signal to the first actuator based on the input to control the first operation of the first implement, and transmit a second signal to the second actuator based on the input to control the second operation of the second implement such that the first operation and the second operation are coordinated.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A vehicle system comprising:
a first vehicle including a first implement and a first actuator configured to facilitate controlling a first operation of the first implement, wherein the first implement includes at least one of a first aerial ladder or a first water turret;
a second vehicle including a second implement and a second actuator configured to facilitate controlling a second operation of the second implement, wherein the second implement includes at least one of a second aerial ladder or a second water turret; and
a control system configured to:
receive an input from an operator;
transmit a first signal to the first actuator based on the input to control the first operation of the first implement; and
transmit a second signal to the second actuator based on the input to control the second operation of the second implement such that the first operation and the second operation are coordinated.

2. The vehicle system of claim 1 , wherein the control system includes a first controller of the first vehicle and a second controller of the second vehicle.

3. The vehicle system of claim 2 , wherein the first controller is configured to receive the input, transmit the first signal to the first actuator, and transmit the second signal to the second controller, and wherein the second controller is configured to transmit the second signal to the second actuator.

4. The vehicle system of claim 2 , wherein the control system includes a third controller, wherein the third controller is configured to receive the input, transmit the first signal to the first controller, and transmit the second signal to the second controller, wherein the first controller is configured to transmit the first signal to the first actuator, and wherein the second controller is configured to transmit the second signal to the second actuator.

5. The vehicle system of claim 4 , wherein the third controller is a control device separate from the first vehicle and the second vehicle.

6. The vehicle system of claim 4 , wherein the third controller includes an interface within a cab of the first vehicle, wherein the first controller is associated with the first implement.

7. The vehicle system of claim 1 , wherein the control system is configured to accommodate for a first lag in the first signal and a second lag in the second signal to maintain coordination between the first operation and the second operation.

8. The vehicle system of claim 1 , wherein the control system is configured to operate the first implement and the second implement in a mimic mode such that the first operation and the second operation are parallel.

9. The vehicle system of claim 1 , wherein the control system is configured to operate the first implement and the second implement in a converge mode such that the first operation and the second operation converge towards each other.

10. The vehicle system of claim 9 , wherein, during the converge mode, the control system is configured to maintain a separation distance between the first implement and the second implement.

11. The vehicle system of claim 1 , wherein the first implement includes the first aerial ladder and the second implement includes the second aerial ladder, and wherein the first operation is a vertical height, a horizontal extension, and a pivot angle of the first aerial ladder.

12. The vehicle system of claim 1 , wherein the first implement includes the first water turret and the second implement includes the second water turret, and wherein the first operation is a spray pattern of the first water turret.

13. A vehicle system comprising:
a first vehicle including a first implement, a first actuator, and a first controller configured to control a first operation of the first implement using the first actuator, wherein the first implement includes at least one of a first aerial ladder or a first water turret;
a second vehicle including a second implement, a second actuator, and a second controller configured to control a second operation of the first implement using the second actuator, wherein the second implement includes at least one of a second aerial ladder or a second water turret; and
a third controller configured to:
receive an input from an operator;
transmit a first signal to the first controller based on the input to control the first operation of the first implement; and
transmit a second signal to the second controller based on the input to control the second operation of the second implement such that the first operation and the second operation are coordinated.

14. The vehicle system of claim 13 , wherein the third controller is a control device separate from the first vehicle and the second vehicle.

15. The vehicle system of claim 13 , wherein the third controller includes an interface disposed within a cab of the first vehicle.

16. The vehicle system of claim 13 , wherein the third controller is configured to accommodate for a first lag in the first signal and a second lag in the second signal to maintain coordination between the first operation and the second operation.

17. A vehicle system comprising:
one or more processing circuits having programmed instruction to:
receive an input from an operator;
transmit a first signal to a first actuator of a first vehicle based on the input to control a first operation of a first implement of the first vehicle; and
transmit a second signal to a second actuator of a second vehicle based on the input to control a second operation of a second implement of the second vehicle such that the first operation and the second operation are coordinated;

wherein the first implement includes a first aerial ladder and a first water turret;
wherein the second implement includes a second aerial ladder and a second water turret; and
wherein the first operation includes at least one of (a) a vertical height, a horizontal extension, and a pivot angle of the first aerial ladder or (b) a spray pattern of the first water turret.

18. The vehicle system of claim 17 , wherein the one or more processing circuits have programmed instructions to:
selectively operate the first implement and the second implement in a mimic mode such that the first operation and the second operation are parallel; and
selectively operate the first implement and the second implement in a converge mode such that the first operation and the second operation converge towards each other.

Assignees

• Oshkosh Corp

Inventors

• Linsmeier Eric
• Archer David
• Kobel Korry
• Yutzy Fredric

Classifications

• E02F9/265

  with follow-up actions (e.g. control signals sent to actuate the work tool) · CPC title

• E02F9/205 Primary

  Remotely operated machines, e.g. unmanned vehicles (E02F3/8866 takes precedence) · CPC title