A tower crane hardware module management system and method

Abstract

This invention discloses a tower crane hardware module management system and method. The system includes: multiple flexible tags, each including a flexible substrate, a flexible PCB circuit, a flexible battery, a Bluetooth communication module, and an LED indicator, attached to various structural components of the tower crane using 3M adhesive; a PAD base station, which communicates with the flexible tags via Bluetooth, identifies a unique identification code, and receives Bluetooth signals; and a cloud platform, which stores production information, customer information, location information, and status information of the structural components. The PAD base station uses the AOA (Angle of Arrival) positioning method to calculate the precise position of the structural components and uploads it to the cloud platform. The method includes: collecting the structural component's identity and real-time location information; uploading the information to the cloud platform and mapping it with pre-stored information to determine the current state; generating management decisions based on the difference between the current state and a preset target state and executing the operation. This invention achieves precise management of tower crane structural components throughout their entire lifecycle, improves positioning accuracy and management efficiency, and avoids installation errors.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a tower crane hardware module management system and management method, belonging to the field of tower crane technology. Background Technology

[0002] Tower cranes have a complex structure, with the core structure comprising four main categories: metal structure, working mechanism, electrical system, and safety devices. These four categories are further divided into numerous smaller structural components. For example, the metal structure includes the base frame, tower body, and jib, while the working mechanism includes hoisting, slewing, and luffing mechanisms. This complexity often leads to the loss of various structural components during transportation and storage, resulting in frequent part shortages during production and extended project timelines.

[0003] Currently, the common practice for addressing this issue is to use RFID technology to track inventory in real time. However, existing technology has the following drawbacks: First, RFID technology can only be used to scan structural components manually in real time, and the signal is easily blocked or interfered with, which can easily lead to omissions, resulting in low accuracy and high labor costs.

[0004] Secondly, RFID technology can only be used to count the number of structural components currently in stock, but it cannot accurately locate the position of the structural components.

[0005] Third, during the manufacturing, storage and transportation of structural components, different models of structural components may be mixed up and difficult to distinguish, requiring manual identification and sorting.

[0006] Fourth, during the installation process, existing technologies cannot effectively locate the storage position and usage status of structural components, nor can they provide guidance and verification for the installation process.

[0007] Therefore, how to achieve precise positioning, full life-cycle management, and installation guidance for the various structural components of tower cranes has become a technical problem that urgently needs to be solved by those skilled in the art. Summary of the Invention

[0008] The purpose of this invention is to provide a tower crane hardware module management system and management method, which solves the technical problems of easy loss, inaccurate positioning, low management efficiency, and easy installation errors of tower crane structural components in the prior art by using flexible tags.

[0009] To achieve the above objectives / to solve the above technical problems, the present invention is implemented using the following technical solution.

[0010] On one hand, the present invention provides a tower crane hardware module management system, including: a plurality of flexible tags, wherein each flexible tag includes a flexible substrate, a flexible PCB circuit disposed on the flexible substrate, a flexible battery electrically connected to the flexible PCB circuit, and a Bluetooth communication module disposed on the flexible PCB circuit, and each flexible tag is detachably attached to each corresponding structural component of the tower crane by means of a 3M adhesive layer disposed on its back; At least one PAD base station is used to communicate with the Bluetooth communication modules of the plurality of flexible tags via Bluetooth, identify the unique identification code of each flexible tag, and receive Bluetooth signals transmitted by the Bluetooth communication modules of the flexible tags. The cloud platform is connected to the PAD base station and is used to store production information, customer information, location information and status information of each structural component. Wherein: the location information includes at least one of the following: the relative position coordinates of the structural component with respect to the PAD base station, the absolute position coordinates of the structural component on the preset warehouse map, and the preset installation position coordinates of the structural component in the tower crane three-dimensional assembly model; The PAD base station calculates the current position information of each structural component using the AOA angle of arrival positioning method based on the Bluetooth signal emitted by the flexible tag, and uploads the relative position coordinates of the current position information to the cloud platform.

[0011] Furthermore, the flexible label is also provided with an LED indicator light, which is used to illuminate in at least one of the following situations: In response to the user's command to call the target structural component, it performs auxiliary positioning and object finding; During the installation and verification process, when an installation error of a structural component is detected, the alarm will flash in a preset alarm mode. During the asset inventory process, the system responds to query commands from PAD base stations and issues location confirmation instructions.

[0012] Furthermore, the flexible battery is prepared using a flexible substrate and a lithium-ion gel electrolyte.

[0013] Furthermore, the flexible PCB circuit uses polyimide, polyester film, or liquid crystal polymer as a flexible insulating substrate.

[0014] Secondly, the present invention provides a management method for the above-mentioned tower crane hardware module management system, comprising: The PAD base station scans the flexible tags within a preset range to obtain the unique identification code of the structural component; simultaneously, the relative position coordinates of the structural component in the current physical space are collected based on the Bluetooth AOA angle of arrival positioning method. The unique identification code and the relative position coordinates are uploaded to the cloud platform and associated with the pre-stored production information, customer information, preset installation position coordinates and the absolute position coordinates of the warehouse map in the cloud platform to determine the current status of each structural component. The cloud platform or the PAD base station generates corresponding management decisions and executes corresponding operations based on the difference between the current state and the preset target state.

[0015] Furthermore, the Bluetooth AOA (Angle of Arrival) positioning method acquires the relative position coordinates of the structural component in the current physical space, specifically including... The PAD base station receives the Bluetooth signal transmitted by the flexible tag through the antenna array and calculates the phase difference between the signals received by different antennas; Based on the geometric relationship between the phase difference and the antenna spacing, the azimuth angle of the flexible tag relative to the PAD base station is derived, and combined with the signal strength or time difference of arrival, the precise current position coordinates of the structure are calculated.

[0016] Furthermore, the management decisions include warehouse management decisions, including: when the current state is "in stock and ready for use", responding to the user's call command for the target structural component, controlling the LED indicator on the corresponding flexible tag to light up to assist in locating and finding the item.

[0017] Furthermore, the management decision includes installation verification decision, which includes: comparing the relative position coordinates with the preset installation position information in the cloud platform; if the two do not match, it is determined that the installation is incorrect, and an alarm prompt is issued through the PAD base station, and / or the LED indicator on the corresponding flexible tag is controlled to flash in a preset alarm mode.

[0018] Furthermore, the management decision includes asset inventory decision, which includes: periodically scanning the flexible tags within a preset range using the PAD base station to obtain the unique identification code and relative position coordinates of the structural components; if the signal of the flexible tag disappears or its position exceeds the preset electronic fence range, the corresponding structural component is determined to be lost or abnormal, and the abnormal information is recorded to the cloud platform. An electronic fence refers to a preset geographical boundary on a warehouse map or construction site map. It can be a polygonal area bounded by the warehouse boundary or a circular area with the PAD base station as the center and a preset distance as the radius.

[0019] Furthermore, it also includes energy management steps: in the non-working state, the flexible tag enters a silent mode to reduce power consumption; when the data acquisition step needs to be performed, the PAD base station sends a wake-up signal to wake up the flexible tag for Bluetooth communication and positioning.

[0020] Compared with existing technologies, the beneficial effects achieved by this invention are as follows: This invention constructs an integrated architecture of end (flexible tag) - pipe (PAD base station) - cloud (cloud platform), which solves the problem of inconvenient access to IoT systems for tower crane structural components and realizes full life cycle tracking and management of structural components; the use of flexible tags not only perfectly solves the problem of power required for normal operation of equipment, but also perfectly solves the problem of inconvenient installation of tower crane structural components, allowing for free installation without structural component changes, and the 3M adhesive on the back can adapt to the installation methods of various hardware modules; this invention manages in-stock structural components through PAD base stations, which can bind structural components to the cloud platform and query the status of each structural component through the cloud platform.

[0021] This invention employs AOA high-precision positioning technology, which facilitates the accurate positioning of structural components, makes it easier to locate components in stock, and enables the correct determination of whether the installation sequence of structural components is correct during the assembly process, thus avoiding installation errors.

[0022] This invention also allows the device to remain in a silent state for extended periods, increasing its standby time; and through the multi-scenario application of LED indicator lights, it achieves intuitive visual feedback, improving human-computer interaction efficiency and operational accuracy. Attached Figure Description

[0023] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the tower crane hardware module management system in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0024] Figure 2 This is a flowchart illustrating the tower crane hardware module management method in an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0025] It should be noted that: The technical solution of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. It should be understood that the embodiments of the present invention and the specific features in the embodiments are detailed descriptions of the technical solution of the present invention, rather than limitations thereof. In the absence of conflict, the embodiments of the present invention and the technical features in the embodiments can be combined with each other.

[0026] The term "and / or" simply describes the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A alone, A and B simultaneously, or B alone. Additionally, the character " / " generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects have an "or" relationship. Example

[0027] like Figure 1In one embodiment, a tower crane hardware module management system is provided, including: multiple flexible tags, each flexible tag including a flexible substrate, a flexible PCB circuit disposed on the flexible substrate, a flexible battery electrically connected to the flexible PCB circuit, and a Bluetooth communication module disposed on the flexible PCB circuit. Each flexible tag is detachably attached to its corresponding structural component of the tower crane through a 3M adhesive layer on its back, and can be pasted or removed as needed without affecting the structure and performance of the structural component itself. The flexible battery is made of a flexible substrate and a lithium-ion gel electrolyte. The flexible battery can be cut according to the installation space requirements of the flexible tag. When the surface space of the structural component is small, the battery can be cut to a suitable size to adapt to the installation environment of different structural components. The flexible PCB circuit uses polyimide, polyester film or liquid crystal polymer as flexible insulating substrate. Compared with traditional rigid PCB, it can be bent and folded freely to adapt to various irregular surfaces of tower crane structural components.

[0028] At least one PAD base station is used to communicate with the Bluetooth communication modules of the plurality of flexible tags via Bluetooth, identify the unique identification code of each flexible tag, and receive the Bluetooth signal transmitted by the Bluetooth communication module of the flexible tag. The PAD base station calculates the precise position of each structural component based on the Bluetooth signal transmitted by the flexible tag using the AOA angle of arrival positioning method, and uploads the current position information to the cloud platform. The AOA (Angle of Arrival) positioning method is as follows: when the Bluetooth signal transmitted from the flexible tag is transmitted to the antenna array of the Bluetooth receiver of the PAD base station, the antennas generate a phase difference due to the physical distance. By calculating the geometric relationship between the phase difference and the antenna distance, the signal direction angle is derived, thereby calculating the precise distance between the flexible tag and the receiver. The cloud platform communicates with the PAD base station and transmits data via 4G, 5G or Wi-Fi to store production information, customer information, location information and status information of each structural component. Wherein: the location information includes at least one of the following: the relative position coordinates of the structural component with respect to the PAD base station, the absolute position coordinates of the structural component on the preset warehouse map, and the preset installation position coordinates of the structural component in the tower crane three-dimensional assembly model; Relative position coordinates: refers to the real-time spatial position of the flexible tag on the structural component relative to the PAD base station. Through AOA technology, the PAD base station can calculate the direction angle and distance of the tag relative to itself, thereby obtaining polar coordinates or three-dimensional coordinates with the PAD base station as the origin. It is suitable for scenarios such as mobile inventory in warehouses and on-site temporary search.

[0029] Absolute location coordinates: refers to the actual geographical location of the structural component in the preset warehouse map or construction site map. When the PAD base station itself has fixed geographical location coordinates (such as GPS positioning or pre-calibration), relative location coordinates can be converted into absolute location coordinates, such as marking the precise location of each structural component on the warehouse electronic map.

[0030] Preset installation position coordinates: These refer to the theoretical installation positions of structural components in the tower crane's 3D assembly model. This information is pre-stored in the cloud platform for use during the installation verification phase. For example, in the tower crane's 3D model, the preset position coordinates for the "first section of the boom" are (X1, Y1, Z1). The system will compare the actual installation positions collected in real time with these preset coordinates to determine whether the installation is correct. The flexible label is also provided with an LED indicator light, which is used to illuminate in at least one of the following situations: In response to the user's command to call the target structural component, it performs auxiliary positioning and object finding; During the installation and verification process, when an installation error of a structural component is detected, the alarm will flash in a preset alarm mode. During the asset inventory process, the system responds to query commands from PAD base stations and issues location confirmation instructions. The LED indicator has multiple lighting modes to provide visual feedback in different scenarios. Example

[0031] like Figure 2 As shown in one embodiment, this embodiment provides a management method for the above-mentioned tower crane hardware module management system, including: Step S1: Data Acquisition The PAD base station scans the flexible tags within a preset range to obtain the unique identification code of the structural component; simultaneously, the real-time position information (relative position coordinates) of the structural component in the current physical space is collected based on the Bluetooth AOA angle of arrival positioning method. The specific calculation process of the AOA (Angle of Arrival) positioning method is as follows: The PAD base station receives the Bluetooth signal transmitted by the flexible tag through the antenna array and calculates the phase difference between the signals received by different antennas; based on the geometric relationship between the phase difference and the antenna spacing, the azimuth angle of the flexible tag relative to the PAD base station is derived, and combined with the signal strength or time difference of arrival, the precise position of the structural component is calculated.

[0032] Step S2: State Mapping The unique identification code and the real-time location information are uploaded to the cloud platform and associated with the pre-stored production information, customer information, preset installation location coordinates and the absolute location coordinates of the warehouse map in the cloud platform to determine the current status of each structural component. In the state mapping step, the cloud platform executes the following mapping logic: Identity-location mapping: Binding the unique identification code of a flexible tag to its current real-time location to form a relationship of "what structural component is where"; Location-map mapping: Matches real-time location coordinates with electronic maps of warehouses or construction sites to achieve visual display; Actual position-preset position mapping: Compare the actual position collected at the installation site with the preset installation position in the tower crane's 3D model to generate a deviation value or a judgment on the correctness of the installation.

[0033] The current status includes the matching relationship between the physical spatial position status of the structural component and the preset target status, such as "in stock and ready for use - normal position", "in installation - position to be verified", "installed - correct position" or "installed - incorrect position", etc. Step S3: Decision Implementation The cloud platform or the PAD base station generates corresponding management decisions and executes corresponding operations based on the difference between the current state and the preset target state.

[0034] Depending on the application scenario, management decisions include the following types: Warehouse management decisions include: when the current status is "in stock and ready for use", responding to the user's call command for the target structural component, controlling the LED indicator on the corresponding flexible tag to light up to assist in locating and finding the item. When staff need to find "crane boom section 2" in the warehouse, they only need to enter the structural component number (unique identification code) into the system, and the corresponding flexible tag LED light will flash to guide staff to quickly find the target.

[0035] The installation verification decision includes: comparing the real-time location information with the preset installation location information in the cloud platform; if the two do not match, it is determined that the installation is incorrect, and an alarm is issued through the PAD base station, and / or the LED indicator on the corresponding flexible tag is controlled to flash in a preset alarm mode. When the tower crane's 3D model specifies that the "counter boom" should be installed at a specific coordinate position on the top of the tower, if the actual position collected by the PAD base station deviates from the preset coordinates by more than a threshold, the system will immediately sound an alarm to avoid safety accidents caused by incorrect installation.

[0036] The asset inventory decision includes: periodically executing the data collection steps through the PAD base station; if the signal of a flexible tag disappears or its position exceeds the preset electronic fence range, the corresponding structural component is determined to be missing or abnormal, and the abnormal information is recorded to the cloud platform.

[0037] Step S4: Energy Management When not in operation, the flexible tag enters a silent mode to reduce power consumption; when the data acquisition step needs to be performed, the PAD base station sends a wake-up signal to wake up the flexible tag for Bluetooth communication and positioning.

[0038] This invention achieves precise, full-lifecycle management of tower crane structural components through the collaborative operation of flexible tags, PAD base stations, and a cloud platform. The flexible hardware design solves the installation challenges arising from the diversity of tower crane structural components, while AOA high-precision positioning technology achieves centimeter-level positioning accuracy. The end-to-end-to-cloud architecture constructs a complete data closed loop, and LED indicators provide an intuitive human-machine interface. Compared with existing RFID technologies, this invention offers significant advantages in positioning accuracy, management efficiency, and installation security.

[0039] The embodiments of the present invention have been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments described above. The specific embodiments described above are merely illustrative and not restrictive. Those skilled in the art can make many other forms under the guidance of the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the claims. All of these forms are within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A tower crane hardware module management system, characterized in that, include: Multiple flexible tags, each flexible tag including a flexible substrate, a flexible PCB circuit disposed on the flexible substrate, a flexible battery electrically connected to the flexible PCB circuit, and a Bluetooth communication module disposed on the flexible PCB circuit, each flexible tag being detachably attached to a corresponding structural component of the tower crane by means of a 3M adhesive layer disposed on the back; At least one PAD base station is used to communicate with the Bluetooth communication modules of the plurality of flexible tags via Bluetooth, identify the unique identification code of each flexible tag, and receive Bluetooth signals transmitted by the Bluetooth communication modules of the flexible tags. The cloud platform communicates with the PAD base station and is used to store production information, customer information, location information and status information of each structural component; Wherein: the location information includes at least one of the following: the relative position coordinates of the structural component with respect to the PAD base station, the absolute position coordinates of the structural component on the preset warehouse map, and the preset installation position coordinates of the structural component in the tower crane three-dimensional assembly model; The PAD base station calculates the current position information of each structural component using the AOA angle of arrival positioning method based on the Bluetooth signal emitted by the flexible tag, and uploads the relative position coordinates of the current position information to the cloud platform.

2. The tower crane hardware module management system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The flexible label is also provided with an LED indicator light, which is used to illuminate in at least one of the following situations: In response to the user's command to call the target structural component, it performs auxiliary positioning and object finding; During the installation and verification process, when an installation error of a structural component is detected, the alarm will flash in a preset alarm mode. During the asset inventory process, the system responds to query commands from PAD base stations and issues location confirmation instructions.

3. The tower crane hardware module management system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The flexible battery is prepared using a flexible substrate and a lithium-ion gel electrolyte.

4. The tower crane hardware module management system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The flexible PCB circuit uses polyimide, polyester film, or liquid crystal polymer as a flexible insulating substrate.

5. A management method based on the tower crane hardware module management system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, include: The unique identification code of the structural component is obtained by scanning the flexible tag within a preset range using the PAD base station; Meanwhile, the relative position coordinates of the structural component in the current physical space are collected based on the Bluetooth AOA angle of arrival positioning method; The unique identification code and the relative position coordinates are uploaded to the cloud platform and associated with the pre-stored production information, customer information, preset installation position coordinates and the absolute position coordinates of the warehouse map in the cloud platform to determine the current status of each structural component. The cloud platform or the PAD base station generates corresponding management decisions and executes corresponding operations based on the difference between the current state and the preset target state.

6. The management method according to claim 5, characterized in that, The Bluetooth AOA (Angle of Arrival) positioning method acquires the relative position coordinates of the structural component in the current physical space, specifically including... The PAD base station receives the Bluetooth signal transmitted by the flexible tag through the antenna array and calculates the phase difference between the signals received by different antennas; Based on the geometric relationship between the phase difference and the antenna spacing, the azimuth angle of the flexible tag relative to the PAD base station is derived, and combined with the signal strength or time difference of arrival, the current implementation position of the structure is calculated.

7. The management method according to claim 5, characterized in that, The management decisions include warehouse management decisions, including: when the current state is "in stock and ready for use", responding to the user's call command for the target structural component, controlling the LED indicator on the corresponding flexible tag to light up to assist in locating and finding the item.

8. The management method according to claim 5, characterized in that, The management decision includes installation verification decision, which includes: comparing the relative position coordinates with the preset installation position information in the cloud platform; if the two do not match, it is determined that the installation is incorrect, and an alarm prompt is issued through the PAD base station, and / or the LED indicator on the corresponding flexible tag is controlled to flash in a preset alarm mode.

9. The management method according to claim 5, characterized in that, The management decisions include asset inventory decisions, which include: periodically scanning the flexible tags within a preset range using the PAD base station to obtain the unique identification code and relative position coordinates of the structural components; if the signal of the flexible tag disappears or its position exceeds the preset electronic fence range, the corresponding structural component is determined to be lost or abnormal, and the abnormal information is recorded to the cloud platform.

10. The management method according to claim 5, characterized in that, It also includes energy management steps: when not in operation, the flexible tag enters a silent mode to reduce power consumption; when the data acquisition step needs to be performed, the PAD base station sends a wake-up signal to wake up the flexible tag for Bluetooth communication and positioning.

Images