US-20260125876-A1 - CONFIGURING TIMESTAMPED ACTIONS FOR A CONSTRUCTION MACHINE

US20260125876A1US 20260125876 A1US20260125876 A1US 20260125876A1US-20260125876-A1

Abstract

There is disclosed a computer system comprising processing circuitry. A wake-up request is received at a telematics gateway in a construction machine from an on-board machine application in the construction machine. A timer is set in the telematics gateway based on a control action and a timestamp. Responsive to the timer expiring, the system action and the timestamp are sent from the telematics gateway to a communication bus implemented in the construction machine. The telematics gateway initiates the machine master electric controller to wake up from an unpowered state. The machine master electric controller reads the system action and the timestamp on the communication bus. The machine master electric controller acknowledges receipt of the system action and the timestamp to the telematics gateway.

Inventors

Erik Andrén Zachrisson
Pasi Plattonen

Assignees

VOLVO CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT AB

Dates

Publication Date: 20260507
Application Date: 20251027
Priority Date: 20241107

Claims (15)

1 . A computer system comprising processing circuitry configured to: receive a wake-up request at a telematics gateway in a construction machine from an on-board machine application in the construction machine, the wake-up request comprising a control action for the telematics gateway, a timestamp, and a system action for the construction machine; set a timer in the telematics gateway based on the control action and the timestamp; send, responsive to the timer expiring, the system action and the timestamp from the telematics gateway to a communication bus implemented in the construction machine; initiate, by the telematics gateway, the master electric controller to wake up from an unpowered state; read, by the master electric controller, the system action and the timestamp on the communication bus; and acknowledge receipt of the system action and the timestamp by the master electric controller to the telematics gateway.
2 . The computer system of claim 1 , wherein the control action pertains to at least one of: setting the timer, updating the timer, cancelling the timer, listing all set timers.
3 . The computer system of claim 1 , wherein the system action pertains to at least one of: preheating, cooling, ventilating the construction machine, turn on/off work lights in the construction machine, stop/start battery charging of the construction machine, perform on-board diagnostics in the construction machine, waking up a machine application controller in the construction machine.
4 . The computer system of claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to: perform an error check of the wake-up request by the telematics gateway before setting the timer.
5 . The computer system of claim 1 , wherein the timer is run by a real-time clock in the telematics gateway whilst the rest of functionality of the gateway is in a sleep state.
6 . The computer system of claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to cause the telematics gateway to initiate the master electric controller to be woken up from the unpowered state by setting a digital output that is connected to an electrically controlled switch that powers the master electric controller.
7 . The computer system of claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to continuously send the system action and the timestamp from the telematics gateway to the communication bus until the telematics gateway receives acknowledgement of receipt from the master electric controller.
8 . The computer system of claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to: initiate, by the master electric controller, the system action in accordance with the timestamp.
9 . The computer system of claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to: receive an update to the wake-up request at the telematics gateway from the on-board machine application or a human machine interface, wherein the update to the wake-up request pertains to any of: cancelling the wake-up request, changing the timestamp, changing the system action, or deleting the wake-up request.
10 . A construction machine comprising the computer system of claim 1 .
11 . A computer-implemented method for configuring timestamped actions to be performed in a construction machine where a master electric controller is in an unpowered state, the method being performed by processing circuitry of a computer system and comprising: receiving a wake-up request at a telematics gateway in the construction machine from an on-board machine application in the construction machine, the wake-up request comprising a control action for the telematics gateway, a timestamp, and a system action for the construction machine; setting a timer in the telematics gateway based on the timestamp; sending, responsive to the timer expiring, the system action and the timestamp from the telematics gateway to a communication bus implemented in the construction machine; initiating, by the telematics gateway, the master electric controller to wake up from the unpowered state; reading, by the master electric controller, the system action and the timestamp on the communication bus; and acknowledging receipt of the system action and the timestamp by the master electric controller to the telematics gateway.
12 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising: performing an error check of the wake-up request by the telematics gateway before setting the timer.
13 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising: initiating, by the master electric controller, the system action in accordance with the timestamp.
14 . A computer program product comprising program code for performing, when executed by the processing circuitry, the method of claim 11 .
15 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions, which when executed by the processing circuitry, cause the processing circuitry to perform the method of claim 11 .

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This application claims foreign priority to European Application 24211421.3 filed on Nov. 7, 2024, the disclosure and content of which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. TECHNICAL FIELD The disclosure relates generally to a construction machine. In particular aspects, the disclosure relates to configuring timestamped actions to be performed in a construction machine. The disclosure can be applied to heavy-duty construction equipment, among other construction machine types. Although the disclosure may be described with respect to a particular construction machine, the disclosure is not restricted to any particular construction machine. BACKGROUND In the field of construction machinery, ensuring optimal functionality and reliability of the machine may be critical to maintaining productivity. One aspect that operators may need to manage is the behavior of the construction machine when it is not in use, particularly after a shutdown. Construction machines often remain idle for extended periods, and during such times, the construction machine's electronics and various systems need to be managed effectively to conserve energy. This is especially important because the state of charge of the construction machine's starter battery directly impacts the operator's ability to restart the construction machine when needed. For an operator, one concern may be the ability to start the construction machine and its engine at any time, even after it has been shut down for a long period. Construction machines are typically equipped with numerous electronic components and systems that assist in their operation. These include telematics systems, controllers, sensors, and communication buses. However, many of these electronic components continue to consume power, even when the construction machine is turned off, which can lead to a significant drain on the starter battery. To address this concern, almost all electronics within the construction machine must be shut down after the operator has performed a key-off procedure, which is the standard process for turning off the construction machine. The key-off procedure signals the end of the construction machine's active state, and the electronics are expected to power down. One reason for this is to prevent the battery from reaching critically low levels of charge. If the electronics continue to consume power while the construction machine is off, the starter battery may eventually be depleted to a point where the construction machine cannot be restarted. In such a scenario, the operator would need to recharge or replace the battery, causing delays and potentially reducing overall machine availability. Starter battery management is therefore one aspect of construction machine operation. Given the heavy reliance on electronic systems in modern machinery, ensuring that these systems do not continue to drain power after shutdown is essential. If the battery charge drops too low, it may not be possible for the operator to start the construction machine or its engine without first recharging the battery. This situation can result in machine downtime and a loss of productivity on the job site, which can be costly in terms of both time and labor. Consequently, there is a need to manage construction machine behavior and the operation of electronic systems in a manner that ensures the battery retains enough charge for the operator to reliably start the construction machine when necessary. SUMMARY Management of construction machine behavior may involve having efficient control over which systems remain operational during machine idle states and which should be powered down to preserve battery life. At the same time, the operator may have the ability to configure the machine's future behavior, particularly in relation to starting and controlling the machine's actions after a key-off event. The herein disclosed embodiments therefore generally relate to managing the balance between power consumption and machine readiness. According to a first aspect of the disclosure, there is disclosed a computer system comprising processing circuitry. The processing circuitry is configured to receive a wake-up request at a telematics gateway in a construction machine from an on-board machine application in the construction machine, the wake-up request comprising a control action for the telematics gateway, a timestamp, and a system action for the construction machine. The processing circuitry is configured to set a timer in the telematics gateway based on the control action and the timestamp. The processing circuitry is configured to send, responsive to the timer expiring, the system action and the timestamp from the telematics gateway to a communication bus implemented in the construction machine. The processing circuitry is configured to initiate, by the telematics gateway, the machine master electric controller (also referred to herein as the master el