Communications: electrical – Land vehicle alarms or indicators
Reexamination Certificate
2000-02-24
2001-11-20
Lefkowitz, Edward (Department: 2632)
Communications: electrical
Land vehicle alarms or indicators
C340S438000, C340S459000, C701S035000, C702S183000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06320497
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a display control system for a working vehicle having a plurality of sensors arranged on a vehicle body, a display for displaying messages on various information, and a display control device for selecting information to be displayed on the display based on information from the sensors.
2. Description of the Related Art
Techniques relating to a working vehicle having a display as noted above are disclosed in Japanese Patent Laying-Open Publications S58-26652 and S62-39716, for example. In these publications, plural types of information are displayed on one display. In the former publication, vehicle running information and alarm items are switchable for display. In the latter publication, an inspection image is displayed before an engine start, and vehicle running information after the engine start.
Taking an agricultural tractor for an example of working vehicles, one developed in recent years performs not only a lift control and rolling control of a plow, but various other controls such as a change speed control of front wheels based on a steering wheel operation and a braking control of rear wheels based on a steering wheel operation. The sensors required for the lift control of the plow, for example, may include a setter for setting a target height of the plow relative to the tractor body, a sensor for measuring a pivoting angle of a rear cover, and a sensor for measuring a height of the plow relative to the tractor body. To perform these lift controls smoothly, a conventional tractor further includes an engine speed sensor to correct the controls based on an engine speed. It is important for the display to keep displaying information on a quantity of fuel needed in time of an operation, and on a temperature of engine cooling water. In addition, the technique as disclosed in the former of the above prior art publications is useful, when a normal operation cannot be performed, to utilize the display for allowing the operator to promptly recognize the situation. The technique as disclosed in the latter prior art publication is also useful to utilize the display in inspecting and adjusting the sensors arranged on the tractor body.
The prior art noted above facilitates maintenance and inspection of the numerous sensors arranged on the tractor body, in that whether the sensors are normal or abnormal may be determined on the display screen based on the signals from the sensors. However, the display cannot be used to the extent of correcting values of the signals from the sensors. In this sense, there is room for improvement. Particularly, it is unsatisfactory that an inspection image (safety monitor screen) is always displayed immediately before an engine start, and that too many pieces of information displayed are difficult to discern.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of this invention is to provide a display control system for making effective use of a display disposed on a vehicle body to display various information necessary to operations, and for allowing the operator, by using this display, to grasp and check, without difficulty, conditions of numerous sensors arranged on the vehicle body.
The above object is fulfilled, according to this invention, by a display control system for a working vehicle comprising a plurality of sensors arranged on a vehicle body; a display for displaying messages relating to various information; a display controller operable in response to information from the sensors for selecting information to be displayed on the display, wherein the display controller has an ordinary display mode for displaying, on the display during an operation, information necessary to the operation, an adjusting mode for displaying, on the display during a non-operating time, information for correcting signals from the sensors, and a diagnostic mode for displaying, on the display during a non-operating time, information for checking the signals from the sensors; and a display mode selecting device for selecting one of the three display modes according to a state of the working vehicle.
With this construction, during an operation, displays are made in the ordinary display mode for the operator to obtain information necessary to the operation from the display. When correcting signals from the sensors in a non-operation time, necessary information may be obtained from the display in the adjusting mode. When checking the signals from the sensors in a non-operation time, necessary information may be obtained from the display in the diagnostic mode.
In one preferred embodiment of this invention, in the ordinary display mode, at least one of remaining fuel information and engine cooling water temperature information is displayed as a standard display on the display; and when the sensors detect an abnormality in time of the standard display, the standard display is overridden by messages corresponding to the abnormality to be displayed as an alarm display on the display. With this construction, when an operation is carried out with displays made in the ordinary display mode, the operator may obtain from the display at least one of the remaining fuel information and engine cooling water temperature information displayed as a standard display. When the sensors detect an abnormality, the standard display is overridden by the alarm display to be shown on the display. Based on the alarm display, the operator may take appropriate action to deal with the abnormally.
In another preferred embodiment, in the adjusting mode, messages for operations to be carried out by an operator are displayed on the display, and in the diagnostic mode, information on the sensors diagnosed is displayed on the display. Thus, in the adjusting mode, the operator may carried out a proper operation based on the messages appearing on the display. In the diagnosis mode, states of the sensors may be determined reliably from the information on the sensors shown on the display.
In a further preferred embodiment, in the adjusting mode, messages for plural types of operations to be carried out by the operator are displayed in a predetermined order on the display, the messages being excluded after the operations are determined to have been carried out properly, based on signals from the sensors, and the messages being displayed again when the operations are determined not to have been carried out properly, based on signals from the sensors. Thus, in the adjusting mode, the operator may carried out an operation based on the messages appearing on the display, and the same messages are not displayed after a proper operation are carried out. When an operation cannot be carried out as indicated by the messages or an improper operation is carried out, the same messages are displayed again for the operator to carry out an operation according to the display. A necessary operation may be carried out properly since the messages are displayed until this is done.
In a further preferred embodiment, in the diagnostic mode, when a signal from one of the sensors diagnosed shows an abnormal value, a message indicating the one of the sensors diagnosed to be abnormal or a signal value from the one of the sensors is displayed on the display. Thus, in the diagnosis mode, when one of the sensors diagnosed shows an abnormal value, the state of the sensor may be determined with ease.
In a further preferred embodiment, one of the adjusting mode and the diagnostic mode is selectable by operating an engine starting switch to a power supply position with a plurality of working switches turned on. With this construction, to set the display to the adjusting mode or diagnosis mode, the engine starting switch must first be operated to the power supply position in a way not performed in time of usual engine starting. The display controls in the adjust mode or diagnostic mode never take place in time of an ordinary operation. One of the adjusting mode and diagnosis mode may be selected only when the operator intends to do so.
As described above, the display control sys
Fukumoto Toshiya
Nakai Shohei
Goins Davetta W.
Kubota Corporation
Lefkowitz Edward
Webb Ziesenheim Logdson Orkin & Hanson, P.C.
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