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EP-4735966-A1 - CONTROL SYSTEM AND OPERATING METHOD FOR SAID CONTROL SYSTEM

EP4735966A1EP 4735966 A1EP4735966 A1EP 4735966A1EP-4735966-A1

Abstract

A control system (2) for the remote control of a machine (6) comprises: a mobile computer (4), which has a transmission means (32) for transmitting control information and a touch and/or gesture-sensitive display (14) serving as an input interface, on which a plurality of virtual input elements (16) for user input of control instructions, and output elements (24) for displaying system information, can be generated; a remotely controlled machine (6), on which receiving means (34) for detecting the transmitted control information and execution means (35) for executing functions of the machine (6) depending on the detected control information are provided; and, system software, by means of which the execution means (35) of the remote-controlled machine (6) can be controlled depending on the control instructions input on the display (14). The system software has a machine control program (40) and an application program (30) stored and executable on the mobile computer (4), which interacts with the machine control program (40) and has a first program part for generating control information that can be transmitted by means of the transmission means (32) and processed by the machine control program (40) in an operating mode, and a second program part for user configuration of the virtual input and/or output elements (16, 24) in a configuration mode.

Inventors

  • HAUG, THOMAS

Assignees

  • Haug, Thomas

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20240522

Claims (19)

  1. 1. Control system (2) for the remote control of a machine (6), such as in particular a lifting and/or transport machine, with a mobile computer (4) which has transmission means (32) for transmitting control information and a touch- and/or gesture-sensitive display (14) serving as an input interface, on which a plurality of virtual input elements (16) for the user's input of control instructions and output elements (24) for displaying system information can be generated, with a remote-controlled machine (6) on which reception means (34) for detecting the transmitted control information and execution means (35) for executing functions of the machine (6) depending on the detected control information are provided, and with system software by means of which the execution means (35) of the remote-controlled machine (6) can be controlled depending on the control instructions entered on the display (14), characterized in that the system software comprises a machine control program (40) and an application program stored and executable on the mobile computer (4). (30) which interacts with the machine control program (40) and which has a first program part for generating control information which can be transmitted by means of the transmission means (32) and processed by the machine control program (40) in an operating mode, and a second program part for user-side configuration of the virtual input and/or output elements (16, 24) in a configuration mode (config).
  2. 2. Control system according to claim 1, characterized in that the application program (30) can be changed independently of the machine control program (40) via a server.
  3. 3. Control system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the application program (30) has a library (42) with configurable input/output elements (16, 24).
  4. 4. Control system according to claim 1 to 3, characterized in that the application program (30) can be switched between different control Z display modes (Mode, Mode 2) with different input and/or output elements (16, 24).
  5. 5. Control system according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that a transmitter device (8) separate from the mobile computer (4) is provided, at which control signals (S) transmitted by the transmitting means (32), which comprise the control information, can be converted.
  6. 6. Control system according to claim 5, characterized in that the transmitter device (8) Primary receiving means (PE) for receiving the control signals (S) transmitted by the transmitting means (32) and containing the control information in the form of primary signals (PS) taken from the group of Bluetooth, W-LAN and/or infrared signals, Modulation means (MM) for converting and/or modulating the primary signals (PS) into radio signals (FS) containing control information and Radio transmission means (FM) for transmitting the radio signals (FS) to the remote-controlled machine (6).
  7. 7. Control system according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that a transmission fuse is provided on the transmitter device (8), by means of which a control of the execution means (35) of the remote-controlled machine can be switched off or blocked.
  8. 8. Control system according to claim 7, characterized in that the transmission security comprises a time monitoring and/or a cyclic redundancy check.
  9. 9. Method for operating a control system according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that in an installation step (SI) the application program (30) is installed on the mobile computer (4) and the machine control program (40) is installed on the remote-controlled machine (6), in an assignment step (SZ) following the installation step (SI) an identification and assignment of the remote-controlled machine (6) to the mobile computer (4) is carried out, in a control step (SS) following the assignment step (SZ) the operating mode of the application program is started in which the execution means (35) of the remote-controlled machine (6) can be controlled, wherein in a configuration step (SK) preceding the control step (SS) the configuration mode (Config) for the user-side configuration of the input and/or output elements (16, 24) of the mobile computer (4) is started.
  10. 10. Method according to claim 9, characterized in that before the assignment step (SZ) an identifier is read into the mobile computer, by means of which a connection can be established between the application program (30) and the machine control program (40).
  11. 11. Method according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that the assignment step (SZ) is started by an identification request sent from the mobile computer (4) via the transmitter device (8) to the remote-controlled machine (6).
  12. 12. Method according to one of claims 9 to 11, characterized in that the identification and assignment is carried out on the basis of an individual MAC address stored on the remote-controlled machine (6) and communicated by the machine control program (40).
  13. 13. Method according to one of claims 9 to 12, characterized in that in the operating mode the control signals (S) are generated on the basis of the control instructions entered on the display (14) and are transferred to the transmitter device (8), which converts the control signals (S) into radio signals (FS) and sends them on to the assigned machine (6), on which the control of the execution means (35) takes place depending on the received radio signals (FS).
  14. 14. Method according to claim 13, characterized in that in the operating mode the transmission security carries out a time monitoring and/or a cyclic redundancy check and, if an error is detected in the signal transmission from the mobile computer (4) to the machine (6), aborts or blocks the control of the execution means (35).
  15. 15. Method according to one of claims 9 to 14, characterized in that before the configuration step (SK) an update of the application program (30) is carried out by a server if necessary, by means of which the configuration options can be changed.
  16. 16. System program product for operating the control system (2) for remotely controlling a machine (6) according to one of claims 1 to 8, which is stored and executable in the control system (2), characterized in that the system program product comprises an application program (30) stored and executable on the mobile computer (4) and a machine control program (40) stored on the machine (6) which has an open protocol that enables interaction with the control information generated by the application program (30).
  17. 17. System program product according to claim 16, characterized in that the interaction between the application program (30) and the machine control program (40) takes place via a Serial Port Profile over Bluetooth Low Energy interface (SPP over BLI).
  18. 18. System program product according to claim 16 or 17, characterized in that an identification program part is provided in which the application program (30) sends an identification request to the remote-controlled machine (6) and the machine control program (40) transfers the individual MAC address of the remote-controlled machine (6) to the application program (30).
  19. 19. System program product according to one of claims 16 to 18, that a security program part is provided by means of which the transmission security is carried out by means of time monitoring and/or the cyclic redundancy check (CRC).

Description

control system and operating procedures for the control system The invention relates to a control system for the remote control of a machine, such as in particular a lifting and/or transport machine. The invention further relates to a method for operating such a control system. The control system has a portable computer, such as in particular a tablet computer or a smartphone, wherein the mobile computer comprises transmission means for transmitting control information. A touch and/or gesture-sensitive display is provided which serves as an input interface. Several virtual input elements for the user to enter control instructions and output elements for displaying system information can be generated on the display. The control instructions entered via the input elements on the display can be converted into control information and sent externally via the transmission means. The control system also has a remote-controlled machine on which receiving means are provided for detecting the transmitted control information. Execution means are also provided for executing functions of the machine depending on the control information detected. The control information sent by the transmission means can thus be received by the receiving means of the remote-controlled machine. The execution means in the remote-controlled machine use the recorded control information to execute functions of the machine. The remote-controlled machine can in particular be a vehicle, a lifting device, an industrial or commercial system or an agricultural device. The control system is also equipped with system software by means of which the execution means of the remote-controlled machine can be controlled depending on the control instructions entered on the display. The system software thus uses the control instructions entered on the display and conveys corresponding control information in such a way that the execution means of the remote-controlled machine are controlled and trigger corresponding functions of the machine. In such control systems, a safety control device is useful so that a safety protocol is executed if the data transmission between the transmitting means and the receiving means is interrupted. Such a safety protocol can in particular include the immediate stopping of the remote-controlled machine. One possibility for improving the operational safety of remote-controlled machines by means of a suitably adapted control system is disclosed, for example, in EP 3 665 117 Bl. Another possibility for increasing safety, in particular against manipulation of the software, is described in DE 10 215 220 229 A1. In previous control systems, it is common for the virtual input elements for the user to enter control instructions on the display to be specified by the manufacturer of the control system. The design, number and arrangement of the virtual input elements is individually adapted to the functions of the remote-controlled machine. The design of the virtual input elements cannot be configured by a user, as the control instructions associated with the virtual input elements are directly linked to a machine control program. Changes to the user interface, in particular the number, selection and arrangement of the input and/or output elements, have a direct effect on the control instructions and the control information generated from them. As a result, the known control systems are generally not universally applicable to several different machine types. In addition, individual adaptation to the respective work environment is difficult or only possible via the manufacturer of the control system. This reduces the ease of use and the possibility of flexible use of the remote-controlled machine, for example in different work areas. Individual adaptation to the needs of the respective user is also difficult. The object of the invention is therefore to provide a control system for the remote control of a machine, which enables a more comfortable and at the same time safe control via a Display input on a mobile computer is possible. Furthermore, it is an object of the invention to provide a method for operating such a control system. This object is achieved by a control system with the features of claim 1. The system software has a machine control program and an application program stored and executable on the mobile computer. The application program interacts with the machine control program. The application program has a first program part for generating control information that can be transmitted by means of the transmission means and processed by the machine control program in an operating mode. The application program also has a second program part for user-side configuration of the virtual input and/or output elements in a configuration mode. The control system thus separates an application level from the machine control level in the system software. In this way, the machine control program and the application program are independent