Patent Publication Number: US-2015067567-A1

Title: System and method for providing information on a mobile machine

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     Applicants claim priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 of German Application No. 10 2013 109 444.9 filed Aug. 30, 2013. 
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to a system for providing machine-specific information on a mobile machine which includes a programmable electronic control device with a user interface having means for command input and a graphic display panel. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Mobile machines within the meaning of the invention are motorized vehicles, construction machinery, machinery for agriculture and forestry and associated attachments. Mobile machines are nowadays frequently equipped with a programmable electronic control device for open- and closed-loop control of a variety of drive and device components. The control device is connected to actors and, where applicable, attached devices via the machine&#39;s own network or control bus system and includes a user interface for entering or selecting control commands and control parameters. The user interface allows the input of desired values for specific parameters and possesses a graphic display panel for display of desired values entered, operating parameters measured by sensors, and function signals of the machine. The display panel is frequently equipped with a touchscreen function to facilitate the input of various parameters. Agricultural vehicles and mobile agricultural machines frequently employ control bus systems and user interfaces in conformity to ISO 11783 standard. 
     With the current trend towards elaborate and sophisticated designs of mobile machines, a recurring problem is that failures or malfunctions have to be corrected or repair work needs to be done on site, all of which require detailed information to describe design features, functions and error sources. Hardware constraints of the existing and standardized control devices and user interfaces allow only very rudimentary machine-specific information to be stored there. Therefore, a machine user as a rule has to rely on printed manuals with all their advantages and disadvantages. For customer support by telephone, it is necessary for the customer to first know and provide specific parameters such as serial number, version number, date of manufacture, etc. Because of the long columns of figures customarily involved, this takes a lot of time which in critical situations, as during crop harvesting, is often not available. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the present invention to make available to the user or operator of a mobile machine machine-specific information for general assistance, for correcting a malfunction or for repair or maintenance, in particular on site, in a straightforward and fast manner. 
     According to the present invention, this object is accomplished by a system for the supply of machine-specific information to a mobile machine which includes a programmable electronic control device and an associated user interface comprising means for command input and a graphic display panel, the electronic control device and/or the user interface have implemented in them a program module executing program commands for generating a digital code which is displayed on the display panel and contains address and identification data and/or messages of the machine. 
     The program module for generating a digital code may be implemented in the control device and/or the user interface by the manufacturer, requiring only little implementation effort and memory space. In addition to the machine data relevant for service support, the program module is also able to convert messages available on the user interface, for example, error messages, into a digital code readable on the display panel. There is no need for an additional interface for the transmission of such information. 
     The system of the invention comprises in a first variant a mobile digital reading device including a camera, a data processor, a data memory, an electronic display panel and an application program configured to use the code information to select from a data base stored in the data memory and containing machine-specific information, items of information allocated to the code information and to display them on the electronic display panel. This variant has the advantage that the machine user, upon reading the code displayed on the user interface by means of the reading device, is able to obtain specific information on the electronic display panel of the reading device promptly, and this even in cases where communication to a server is not possible. 
     The system of the invention comprises in a second variant a mobile digital reading device including a camera, a data processor, a data memory and means for installing a wireless communication link, wherein the reading device has implemented in it an application program capable of executing program commands for the installation of a communication link to a digital communications device remote from the machine and of transmitting digital information, such as a digital code captured by the camera or code information, to the remote communications device. 
     Using this mobile reading device and the implemented application program, the machine user may read the generated digital code from the display panel of the user interface and send it promptly and reliably to the machine manufacturer or a service station via the wireless communication link installed by the reading device, so that all the information necessary for support are available there equally promptly and reliably. 
     Preferably, the application program of the reading device is configured to be able to convert the captured digital code into a machine-readable format conventionally used in order to then transmit the converted code information. In this case, the recipient of the code information needs no converter software of his own, but receives all the data directly in the usual machine-readable format. 
     Preferably, the reading device of the second variant is equally provided with an electronic display panel for display of the information sent, for example, by the machine manufacturer or a service point to enable the user to rectify a fault. 
     The system of the invention has the advantage that, dispensing with the need to install an additional interface, it enables machine-relevant data to be captured on the mobile machine and forwarded automatically, without requiring a person to act as intermediary in the data transport. Data transmission errors and delays thereby incurred and human errors are avoided in this manner. 
     In a preferred embodiment, the program module generates a two-dimensional QR code (Quick Response code). The programs for the generation of QR codes are advantageously lean and require little memory space. In addition, they integrate readily into the standardized programs of the control device and user interfaces of mobile machines, in particular those conforming to ISO 11783 standard. 
     As reading devices, smartphones or tablet computers are preferably taken into consideration. The display panels of these devices enable machine-specific service information to be displayed also in image or multimedia format. 
     According to the invention, the code information may contain a machine manufacturer&#39;s address or a service station authorized by the machine manufacturer, including, for example, an internet address accessible by the application program of the reading device, to enable the reading device to install automatically a communication link to a communications device allocated to the address. In this manner, after the code captured on the machine has been read and converted by means of the reading device, any necessary service information can be retrieved automatically and loaded, as the case may be. 
     According to another proposal of the invention, the application program of the reading device may be linked to an address data base and configured to use the code information for selecting from the address data base one or more addresses of data bases containing machine-specific information allocated to the code information. The address data base linked to the application program may then be updated. A permanent update of information stored on the machine is therefore not necessary. The address data base may be stored in the reading device or in a remote server accessible to the reading device by means of a communication link. 
    
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       An embodiment of the present invention will be explained in more detail in the following with reference to the accompanying drawing. The drawing shows schematically by way of example an agricultural tractor  10  equipped with a programmable electronic control device  12 . The control device  12  allows various modes of operation of the tractor  10  and a control of implements adapted to be coupled to the tractor  10 . Via a bus system installed in the tractor  10 , the control device  12  is linked to a user interface  14  which may be configured in conformity to ISO 11783 standard and includes an electronic digital display panel. The display panel comprises a touchscreen with selectable input fields for editing values and selecting displayed work symbols which serve as program-defined keys. Vehicle data, sensor messages and other data may be displayed on sections of the display that are not used for the input of commands. 
     
    
    
     Implemented in the control device  12  or the user interface  14  is a program module which in the event of a malfunction, maintenance need or on demand generates a two-dimensional QR code  16  and displays it on the display panel of the user interface  14 . The QR code  16  contains data for accurate identification of the tractor  10 , its technical features, and it may also contain data and features of attachment devices, if any. Furthermore, the QR code  16  may also contain current news relating to the mode of operation and measurement results supplied by sensors. 
     The user who has available a camera-enabled mobile digital reading device  18 , for example, a smartphone, may capture the QR code  16  displayed on the display panel of the user interface  14  and store it as an image file. 
     The digital reading device  18  possesses a data processor and an electronic display panel  20  with touchscreen input fields and includes a device for installation of a wireless communication link according to conventional standards and protocols. The reading device  18  further includes an installed application program capable of converting the QR code  16  into a machine-readable file and storing it. Allocated to the application program is an address data base containing telecommunication or internet addresses of manufacturers or service stations which are retrievable by means of the telecommunications device of the reading device  18  and are able to provide specific information relating to the tractor  10 . The address data base may be stored in the reading device  18  or in a remote digital device allocated to the reading device  18 , for example, a server accessible by the application program of the reading device  18  by means of the telecommunications device and the stored address. 
     The application program selects addresses from the address data base which are allocated to the information of the QR code  16 , and displays them on the display panel  20 , for example in fields  21 ,  22 . By touching a selected field  21  or  22 , the program causes a communication link  24  to be established to a digital device allocated to the selected address, for example, a server  26 , and transmits to it the machine-readable code information. Based on such data, the program of the server  26  is then able to compile pertinent, machine-specific information from data bases accessible to the server  26  and transmit it through the communication link  24  to the reading device  18  where the information received may be displayed on the display panel  20  in text, image or multimedia format. 
     The system described is capable of providing fast assistance to users of mobile machines and implements in the event of problems and malfunctions so that down times and costs thereby incurred may be reduced. Requiring no additional hardware, the system may be implemented using the digital devices customarily available on the machine and to the user by installation of the programs provided for this purpose. Troubleshooting is more effective and in consequence faster because up-to-date machine information can be captured to be included in the selection of information for troubleshooting.