Patent ID: 7634863

Claim:
A method of enhancing the repositioning of an excavating machine, including an excavating assemblage, from one set-up position to a next, subsequent set-up position, comprising: controlling a joystick in implement control mode to operate at least one of a boom, a stick, and a bucket of the excavating assemblage during a first excavating phase from a first machine set-up position; terminating the first excavating phase and, during a machine repositioning phase, moving the machine to a second machine set-up position for a second excavating phase at the second machine set-up position; after terminating the first excavating phase and before moving the machine to the second machine set-up position, accessing and activating an input/display device to convert the joystick from implement control mode to machine control mode; controlling at least machine steering and machine propulsion with the joystick set in the machine control mode during the machine repositioning phase; before beginning the second excavating phase, accessing and activating the input/display device to convert the joystick from machine control mode to implement control mode; and controlling the joystick in implement control mode to operate the excavating assemblage during the second excavating phase from the second machine set-up position.