Interchangeable interface system for work vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9840826-B2
Application number	US-201615077550-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 22, 2016
Priority date	Mar 22, 2016
Publication date	Dec 12, 2017
Grant date	Dec 12, 2017

Abstract

An interchangeable operator interface system for a work vehicle has at least one controller, at least one operator interface device having a plurality of controls, and at least one interface device docking arrangement. The docking arrangement removably mounts different interface devices to alternatively physically connect them to the work vehicle and operatively couple them to the controller. Different operator interface devices have at least one common control that operates in a different mode of operation and/or in a different physical layout on the associated operator interface device. The controller is configured to effect an associated common change in state of an associated component of the work vehicle upon receiving a control input from the different common controls.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An interchangeable operator interface system for a work vehicle, comprising:
at least one controller;
at least one operator interface device selected from a plurality of operator interface devices each having a plurality of controls; and
at least one docking arrangement configured to removably mount the operator interface device to physically connect to the work vehicle and operatively couple to the controller such that, when the operator interface device is removed from the docking arrangement, the docking arrangement is configured to removably mount another of the interface devices to physically connect to the work vehicle and operatively couple to the controller;
wherein at least one of the operator interface devices has at least one common control that operates in one or more of a different mode of operation and a different physical layout on the associated operator interface device than that of another at least one common control of another of the operator interface devices, the controller being configured to effect at least one common change in state of at least one component of the work vehicle upon receiving a control input from each of the at least one common controls of the associated operator interface devices.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein there is a single docking arrangement for alternatively removably mounting the operator interface devices.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein one of the operator interface devices is a multi-joystick pod and another of the operator interface devices is a single joystick having a plurality of controls.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein there are first and second operator interface devices and first and second docking arrangements; and
wherein the first and second operator interface devices are mounted to the respective first and second docking arrangements to physically connect to the work vehicle and operatively couple to the controller.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the docking arrangement includes a mounting interface; and
wherein the operator interface devices each have a complementarily configured mounting interface such that each of the operator interface devices is mountable to the docking arrangement.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to recognize which of the operator interface devices is mounted to the docking arrangement.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein, upon receipt of a control signal from the at least one common control of one of the operator interface devices, the controller is configured to output a modified component control command that is modified with respect to one or more control parameters based upon the configuration of the associated at least one common control.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the control parameters include: a range of motion of the control, a dead band of the control, a center position of a control and a metering value associated with the control signal.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the work vehicle is a motor grader; and
wherein the at least one common control includes a transmission gear change control, a wheel steer control, a wheel lean control, a chassis articulate control, a circle rotate control, a circle shift control, a blade shift control, and a blade height control.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein one of the operator interface devices has a base and a static coordinate system for one or more of its plurality of controls that is fixed with respect to its base; and
wherein another of the operator interface devices has a base and a dynamic coordinate system for one or more of its plurality of controls that is movable with respect to its base.

11. An interchangeable operator interface system for a work vehicle, comprising:
at least one controller;
a set of left-hand and right-hand operator interface devices selected from a plurality of operator interface devices and each having a plurality of controls; and
a set of left-hand and right-hand docking arrangements configured to removably mount the left-hand and right-hand operator interface devices to physically connect to the work vehicle and operatively couple to the controller;
wherein, the left-hand and right-hand docking arrangements are configured such that, when the left-hand and right-hand operator interface devices are removed from the left-hand and right-hand docking arrangements, the left-hand and right-hand docking arrangements removably mount another set of left-hand and right-hand operator interface devices to physically connect to the work vehicle and operatively couple to the controller;
wherein one set of left-hand and right-hand operator interface devices has at least one common control that operates in one or more of a different mode of operation and a different physical layout than that of at least one common control of another set of left-hand and right-hand operator interface devices; and
wherein the controller is configured to effect at least one common change in state of at least one component of the work vehicle upon receiving a control input from each of the at least one common controls of the associated set of left-hand and right-hand operator interface devices.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein one set of left-hand and right-hand operator interface devices is a set of multi-joystick pods and another set of left-hand and right-hand operator interface devices is a set of single joystick each having a plurality of controls.

13. The system of claim 11 , wherein each docking arrangement includes a mounting interface; and
wherein the operator interface devices each have a complementarily configured mounting interface such that each left-hand operator interface device is mountable to the left-hand docking arrangement and each right-hand operator interface device is mountable to the right-hand docking arrangement.

14. The system of claim 11 , wherein the controller is configured to recognize which set of left-hand and right-hand operator interface devices is mounted to the left-hand and right-hand docking arrangements.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein, upon receipt of a control signal from the at least one common control of one set of left-hand and right-hand operator interface devices, the controller is configured to output a modified component control command that is modified with respect to one or more control parameters based upon the configuration of the associated at least one common control.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the control parameters include: a range of motion of the control, a dead band of the control, a center position of a control and a metering value associated with the control signal.

17. The system of claim 11 , wherein the work vehicle is a motor grader; and
wherein the at least one common control includes a transmission gear change control, a wheel steer control, a wheel lean control, a chassis articulate control, a circle rotate control, a circle shift control, a blade shift control, and a blade height control.

18. The system of claim 12 , wherein in one set of left-hand and right-hand operator interface devices, each operator interface device has a base and a static coordinate system for one or more of its plurality of controls that is fixed with respect to its base; and
wherein in another set of left-hand and right-hand operator interface devices, each operator interface device has a base and a dynamic coordinate system for one or more of its plurality of controls that is movable with respect to its base.

19. An interchangeable operator interf

Assignees

• Deere & Co

Inventors

• Huber Ronald J
• Wuisan Giovanni A

Classifications

• B60K35/20

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

• B60K35/50

  Instruments characterised by their means of attachment to or integration in the vehicle (B60K35/231 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G06F3/048

  Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI] · CPC title

• E02F9/2004 Primary

  Control mechanisms, e.g. control levers (control levers per se G05G) · CPC title

• E02F3/7636

  Graders with the scraper blade mounted under the tractor chassis · CPC title