System and method for activating machine components

Abstract

The present invention provides a method, comprising: receiving first information indicating a first selection of a machine disposed at a work site, wherein the first information is received from an electronic device disposed remotely from the work site. The method further comprises receiving second information from the electronic device, wherein the second information indicates a second selection of a component of the machine. The method further comprises determining, using at least one sensor, that an area surrounding the machine is free of unknown objects, and receiving third information indicating a request to activate a component. The method further comprises causing activation of the component based at least in part on the third information.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for activating machine components. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to systems and methods for remotely activating one or more components of a paver, compactor, cold planer, or other machine of a paving system. Background Art

[0002] A paver, such as an asphalt paver, is a self-propelled construction machine designed to receive, convey, distribute, contour, and partially compact paving material. Such a paver can receive heated paving material (e.g., asphalt) into a receiving hopper at the front of the paver. The heated asphalt material in the hopper is transported to the rear of the paver by a conveyor located at the base of the hopper. The asphalt material is then distributed over the width of the paver with the aid of two opposing screws or augers. Finally, a leveling assembly located at the rear of the paver contours the asphalt material and compacts the asphalt material into a mat on the paving surface. Typically, one or more additional paving equipment (e.g., a cold planer) will remove the top layer of the road or other such working surface to expose the paving surface on which the mat is placed. In addition, one or more compactors typically follow the paver to compress the mat to a desired stiffness.

[0003] Before paving operations begin, an operator is typically required to activate certain components of the paver, compactor, and / or other paving system machines. For example, an operator may activate a heating assembly associated with a screed assembly to raise the temperature of the screed plate or other screed assembly components before asphalt is delivered to the screed assembly. Similarly, an operator may activate one or more pumps or other hydraulic components of the paver to raise the temperature of the engine oil or other hydraulic fluid prior to operation. Depending on ambient temperature and other weather conditions, it may take an hour or more to raise the temperature of such components to the desired operating temperature. As a result, in some cases, paving operations may be delayed in order for various machine components to reach the corresponding operating temperatures, and the efficiency of the overall paving system may be hindered.

[0004] An exemplary vehicle starting system is described in U.S. Patent No. 10,144,390 (hereinafter referred to as the '390 patent). Specifically, the '390 patent describes a system associated with a work vehicle and configured to automatically activate certain components of the work vehicle. As explained in the '390 patent, the automatic starting operation may pre-condition the cab of the work vehicle prior to the arrival of an operator. In such an example, when the cab temperature or ambient temperature reaches a predetermined threshold, the vehicle starting system may generate a start command to activate a climate control system of the work vehicle, thereby heating or cooling the cab. However, the '390 patent does not describe a system that is configured to activate various components of a machine based at least in part on information received via a network from a separate electronic device located remotely from the work site. Specifically, the '390 patent does not describe a system in which an operator may activate one or more components of a machine using an electronic device that is outside the range of various local, near-field, or other relatively short-range network protocols.

[0005] Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to improving the various paving systems described above. Summary of the invention

[0006] In one aspect of the present disclosure, a method includes: receiving first information indicating a first selection of a machine set at a work site, wherein the first information is received by a controller from an electronic device set away from the work site via a network. The method also includes receiving second information from the electronic device with the controller, wherein the second information indicates a second selection of a component of the machine. The method also includes determining, with the controller and using at least one sensor, that an area around the machine is free of unknown objects. The method also includes receiving third information from the electronic device with the controller, wherein the third information indicates a request to activate the component. In addition, the method includes causing activation of the component with the controller based at least in part on the third information.

[0007] In another aspect of the present disclosure, a paving system includes: a paver disposed at a work site, the paver having a first controller, a leveling portion, a heating system associated with the leveling portion, a power source, and a plurality of hydraulic components driven by the power source. This exemplary paving system also includes a second controller, the second controller being separate from the paver and communicating with the first controller via a network. In such an example, the second controller is configured to receive first information indicating a first selection of the paver, wherein the first information is received via the network from an electronic device disposed away from the work site. The second controller is also configured to receive second information from the electronic device, wherein the second information indicates a second selection of a component of the paver, and the component includes at least one of the heating system and a pump of the plurality of hydraulic components. In such an example, the second controller is also configured to receive third information from the electronic device, wherein the third information indicates a request to activate the component. The second controller is also configured to receive fourth information via the network from a sensor connected to the machine, wherein the fourth information indicates an area surrounding the paver. Additionally, the second controller is configured to provide instructions to the first controller based at least in part on the third information and the fourth information, the instructions being executable by the first controller to activate the component.

[0008] In yet another aspect of the present disclosure, a paving machine includes: a first controller; a screed portion configured to deposit a mat of paving material onto a work surface at a work site; a heating system associated with the screed portion and operably connected to the first controller; a power source operably connected to the first controller; a plurality of hydraulic components driven by the power source; at least one sensor operably connected to the first controller; and a communication device operably connected to the first controller. In such instances, the communication device communicates with a second controller via a network, the second controller being separate from the paving machine. The second controller is configured to receive first information via the network from an electronic device disposed away from the work site. In such instances, the first information indicates a first selection of a component of the paving machine, and the component includes at least one of a heating system and a pump of the plurality of hydraulic components. The second controller is further configured to receive second information from the electronic device, wherein the second information indicates a request to activate the component. In addition, the second controller is configured to receive third information from the at least one sensor, wherein the third information indicates an area surrounding the paving machine. The second controller is further configured to provide instructions to the first controller based at least in part on the first information, the second information, and the third information. The first controller is configured to execute the instructions, and the execution of the instructions by the first controller causes the first controller to activate the component. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a system (eg, a paving system) according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 1 The exemplary system shown in includes a paver, a cold planer, and a compactor.

[0010] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of a paver and a compactor operably connected to a controller according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0011] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of a first user interface according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0012] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of a second user interface according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0013] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of a third user interface according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0014] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of a fourth user interface according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0015] Figure 7 is a flowchart depicting a method according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0016] Whenever possible, the same reference numerals will be used throughout this disclosure to refer to the same or similar parts. In an exemplary embodiment, the systems and methods described herein may be used to activate one or more components of a machine located at a work site based at least in part on signals, instructions, and / or other information received from an electronic device located remotely from the work site. In some examples, the electronic device may include a laptop, tablet, cellular phone, or other device of an operator, and the electronic device may be located outside the perimeter of the work site and / or within a local area network (LAN), wide area network (WAN), The electronic device may be located outside the range of a wireless communication protocol, a near field communication (NFC) protocol, or other relatively short range communication protocol. For example, in various examples, the electronic device may be located a mile or several miles away from the perimeter of the work site and / or away from the second controller, and may communicate with at least the second controller via an Internet communication protocol or other relatively long range wireless network.

[0017] In any of the examples described herein, delays associated with starting / preheating various machine components can be avoided and system efficiency can be improved because the example systems and methods described herein are capable of activating such components while the operator is deployed away from the work site (e.g., before the operator arrives at the work site). Figure 1-7 Examples of such systems, machines, components, and methods are described in greater detail.

[0018] Figure 1 An exemplary system 100 of the present disclosure (e.g., paving system 100) is shown disposed at an exemplary work site 101. Exemplary paving system 100 includes at least one exemplary machine 102 configured for one or more excavating, hauling, compacting, paving, or other such processes at work site 101. Machine 102 is shown as a paver 102, which may be used, for example, in road or highway construction and other related industries. Alternatively, machine 102 may be any other machine for laying asphalt, concrete, or similar materials.

[0019] The illustrated paving machine 102 includes a tractor portion 104 supported on a set of ground engaging elements 106. The tractor portion 104 includes a tractor frame 108 and a power source 110 for driving the ground engaging elements 106. Although the ground engaging elements 106 are shown as wheels, it should be understood that the ground engaging elements 106 can be any other type of ground engaging elements, such as continuous tracks, etc. The power source 110 can be a conventional internal combustion engine operated using a fossil or hybrid fuel (e.g., gasoline, compressed natural gas, diesel fuel, etc.), or an electrically operated drive powered by an alternative energy source (e.g., a fuel cell, a battery, solar energy, etc.). The paving machine 102 also includes a hopper 112 for storing paving material. The paving machine 102 also includes a conveyor system 114 for conveying paving material from the hopper 112 to other downstream components of the paving machine 102. For example, the paving machine 102 may include an auger assembly 116 that receives paving material supplied via the conveyor system 114 and distributes the paving material onto the paving surface 118. Figure 1 The middle figure shows item 120.

[0020] exist Figure 1In the example shown, the auger assembly 116 includes at least one main auger. In some embodiments, the auger assembly 116 may include a main auger and an auger extension connected to the main auger via an auger bearing or other connecting member. In other examples, the auger assembly 116 may include a main auger and an additional auger disposed opposite the main auger. In such examples, the main auger and the additional auger may be configured to distribute the paving material 120 over substantially the entire width of the paver 102. The paver 102 may also include a traction arm that couples a height-adjustable leveling portion 124 to the tractor portion 104. The traction arm may be actuated by a hydraulic actuator, an electric actuator (not shown), and / or any other type of actuator as required by the application, and raising or lowering the traction arm may cause the leveling portion 124 to be raised or lowered accordingly. For example, the paving machine 102 may include one or more hydraulic pumps, hydraulic cylinders, hydraulic actuators, and / or other hydraulic components 122, and at least one of the hydraulic components 122 may be coupled to the tractor frame 108 and / or to the tractor arm described above. In such examples, at least one of the hydraulic components 122 may be configured to raise, lower, actuate, and / or otherwise move the tractor arm relative to the tractor frame 108, thereby causing corresponding movement of the screed section 124 and / or its components. As will be described below, such hydraulic components 122 may also include one or more propulsion pumps, one or more pumps connected to the auger assembly 116, one or more pumps connected to the conveyor system 114, one or more tamper bar pumps, one or more fan pumps, one or more engine oil pumps, one or more engine coolant pumps, one or more pumps connected to a stick, boom, bucket, tool, or other component of the machine, and / or other such pumps.

[0021] The screed section 124 may include one or more augers, rollers, and / or other components configured to facilitate spreading and / or compacting the paving material 120 into a pad 126 on the paving surface 118. The screed section 124 may also include a first end door and a second end door configured to define a width of the pad 126. For example, the screed section 124 may include a first end door located on the right side of the paver 102 and a second end door located on the left side of the paver 102 opposite the right side. The screed section 124 may be configured to spread and / or compact the paving material 120 substantially evenly from the first end door to the second end door when forming the pad 126. The screed section 124 may also include a screed plate 128 and a heating system 130 that is coupled to the screed plate 128, thermally connected to the screed plate, and / or otherwise associated with the screed plate. The screed plate 128 may extend substantially horizontally between first and second end doors of the screed portion 124 and may be configured to at least partially compress the paving material 120 (e.g., in a substantially vertical direction) downwardly onto the paving surface 118 of the work site 101 when forming the pad 126.

[0022] The heating system 130 may include, for example, one or more electronic hot plates, hot coils, or other components configured to increase the temperature of the screed plate 128 to a desired operating temperature. For example, the heating system 130 may include an electronic hot plate operably connected to a battery, a generator, and / or other power source. In such instances, it may be activated by directing electronic power to the electronic hot plate, and the hot plate may be controlled to obtain and / or maintain a desired temperature during operation. The hot plate and / or other components of the heating system 130 controlled in this manner may cause the temperature of the screed plate 128 to rise accordingly, and may cause the screed plate 128 to obtain and / or maintain a desired temperature during operation. In some instances, this desired temperature of the screed plate 128 may be between approximately 200 degrees Fahrenheit and approximately 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Alternatively, in other instances, this desired temperature may be greater than or less than the temperature mentioned above.

[0023] Continue to refer Figure 1, an operator station 132 may be coupled to tractor portion 104. Operator station 132 may include a console 134 and / or other levers or controls for operating paving machine 102. For example, console 134 may include a control interface for controlling various functions of paving machine 102. The control interface may include an analog, digital, and / or touch screen display, and such a control interface may be configured to display, for example, at least a portion of a map of paving surface 118, a travel path associated with paving machine 102, one or more alarms, requests, or other information provided to an operator of paving machine 102, a boundary, centerline, or other information associated with a portion of paving surface 118 acted upon by one or more other machines of paving system 100, and / or other information. The control interface may also support other functions, including, for example, sharing various operational data with one or more other machines of paving system 100.

[0024] As shown, the paving machine 102 also includes a communication device 136. The communication device 136 may include one or more receivers, transmitters, antennas, transceivers, and / or other components configured to enable the paving machine 102 to communicate with one or more other machines of the paving system 100, with one or more servers, processors, controllers, computing devices, electronic devices, or control systems located at and / or remote from the work site 101. For example, the communication device 136 may include a transceiver configured to transmit data, signals, and / or other information from the paving machine 102 to a processor, server, or other controller 140 that is separate from the paving machine 102, and such communication device 136 may also be configured to receive data, signals, and / or other information from such separate processor, server, or other controller 140. In such instances, the communication device 136 may also be configured to transmit data, signals and / or other information from the paving machine 102 to one or more tablet computers, computers, cellular / wireless telephones, personal digital assistants, mobile devices, or other electronic devices 142 located at the work site 101 and / or remotely located from the work site 101.

[0025] Additionally, in some examples, communication device 136 may be configured to assist in determining the location of paving machine 102 and may include and / or incorporate a global positioning system (GPS), universal total station (UTS) system, or other system configured to assist in determining the location and / or position of paving machine 102. For example, communication device 136 may communicate with one or more GPS satellites 138 and / or UTS system components to continuously, substantially continuously, or at various time intervals determine the location of paving machine 102. One or more additional machines of paving system 100 may also communicate with one or more GPS satellites 138 and / or UTS, and such GPS satellites 138 and / or UTS may also be configured to determine the respective locations of such additional machines.

[0026] In any of the examples described herein, the communication device 136 may be connected to and / or otherwise communicate with such controllers 140 and / or electronic devices 142 via a network 144. The network 144 may be a LAN, a larger network such as a WAN, or a collection of networks such as the Internet. A protocol for network communications, such as TCP / IP, may be used to implement the network 144. Although embodiments are described herein as using a network such as the Internet, other distributed technologies for transmitting information through a memory card, flash memory, or other portable memory device may be implemented.

[0027] In any of the examples described herein, the network 144 can be configured to facilitate communication between the controller 140 and the electronic device 142, which is located outside the perimeter of the work site 101 and / or is otherwise remote from the work site. In some examples, the network 144 can enable the transmission of data, signals, and / or other information between the controller 140 and the electronic device 142, which is located on a LAN, WAN, The electronic device 142 may be located outside the range of the NFC protocol, NFC protocol, or other relatively short-range communication protocol established at the work site 101. For example, in various examples, the electronic device 142 may be located a mile or several miles away from the perimeter of the work site 101, away from the paving machine 102 and / or other machines of the paving system 100, and / or away from the controller 140. In such examples, the electronic device 142 may communicate with at least the controller 140 via the network 144 through the Internet communication protocol or other relatively long-range wireless protocol.

[0028] In such an example, the controller 140 may include a machine control engine 141, and the electronic device 142 may include an activation engine 143. The machine control engine 141 may include hardware components of the controller 140, software components of the controller 140 (e.g., executable programs, modules, instruction sets, or other logic-based components of the controller 140 stored in a memory associated with the controller 140), and / or combinations thereof. Similarly, the activation engine 143 may include hardware components of the electronic device 142, software components of the electronic device 142 (e.g., executable programs, modules, instruction sets, or other logic-based components of the electronic device 142 stored in a memory associated with the electronic device 142), and / or combinations thereof. The activation engine 143 may be configured to, for example, generate one or more user interfaces and provide such user interfaces through a display of the electronic device 142. Such user interfaces may be configured to receive one or more inputs from a user of the electronic device 142, and transmit signals, data, and / or other information indicative of such inputs to the machine control engine 141 through the network 144. As will be described below, machine control engine 141 and / or other components of controller 140 may be configured to cause activation of one or more components of paving machine 102 and / or other machines of system 100 based at least in part on this information.

[0029] Continue to refer Figure 1, the paving machine 102 may also include a controller 148 that is operably connected to and / or otherwise in communication with the screed section 124, the power source 110, the conveyor system 114, the auger assembly 116, the hydraulic components 122, the heating system 130, the control console 134, the communication device 136, and / or other components of the paving machine 102. The controller 148 may be a single controller or multiple controllers that work together to perform various tasks. The controller 148 may include a single or multiple processors, microprocessors, field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), digital signal processors (DSPs), and / or other components configured to calculate and / or otherwise determine one or more operating parameters of the paving machine 102 based at least in part on information received from one or more other machines of the paving machine 100, paving machine operating information received from an operator of the paving machine 102, one or more signals received from GPS satellites 138, data, signals, instructions, and / or other information received from the controller 140, data, signals instructions, and / or other information received from the electronic device 142, and / or other information. Many commercially available processors may be configured to perform the functions of the controller 148. Various known circuits may be associated with the controller 148, including power supply circuitry, signal conditioning circuitry, actuator driver circuitry (i.e., circuitry to power a solenoid, motor, or piezoelectric actuator), and communication circuitry. In some embodiments, the controller 148 may be located on the paving machine 102, while in other embodiments, the controller 148 may be located off-board and / or remotely relative to the paving machine 102. The present disclosure is not limited in any way to the type of controller 148 or the positioning of the controller 148 relative to the paving machine 102. In any of the examples described herein, operating parameters and / or any other information determined, processed, calculated, or generated by the controller 148 may be provided to one or more additional machines, the controller 140, and / or the electronic device 142 via the network 144. Similarly, any information received by the controller 148 may be received from the controller 140, the electronic device 142, and / or from one or more additional machines of the paving system 100 via the network 114 and / or the communication device 136.

[0030] The paving machine 102 may also include one or more sensors connected thereto and configured to sense an area around the paving machine 102. For example, the one or more sensors 149 may include a camera, a thermal camera, an infrared camera, a proximity sensor, a SONAR sensor, a RADAR sensor, a LIDAR sensor, and / or other sensors configured to sense, identify, detect, and / or observe one or more objects disposed near the paving machine. In some examples, the paving machine 102 may include one or more of the sensors mentioned herein to sense, identify, detect, and / or observe one or more objects disposed within an area around the paving machine 102, and in this example, the area may be defined by a field of view (or, for example, a combination of corresponding fields of view) of the one or more sensors 149. In any example described herein, the one or more sensors 149 may be individually or in combination configured to provide information to the controller 140 via the network 144. In such examples, such information may indicate an area around the paving machine 102. Using image recognition software and / or other object detection software, the controller 140 may be configured to process such information and determine whether the area around the paving machine 102 is free of unknown objects.

[0031] like Figure 1 As shown, the paving system 100 may also include one or more cold planers 152 and / or one or more haul trucks 154. In such examples, the cold planer 152 may include a controller 156 that is substantially similar and / or identical to the controller 148 described above with respect to the paving machine 102. In such examples, the controller 156 of the cold planer 152 may communicate with the controller 148 of the paving machine 102 via the network 144. For example, the cold planer 152 may include a communication device 158 that is configured to send information to and / or receive information from the communication device 136 of the paving machine 102 via the network 144.

[0032] The cold planer 152 may also include one or more rotors having ground engaging teeth, drill bits, or other components configured to remove at least a portion of a road, pavement, asphalt, concrete, gravel, dirt, sand, or other material of a working surface 160 on which the cold planer 152 is disposed. For example, in any of the examples described herein, the cold planer 152 may include a single rotor 162 that may be lowered by the cold planer 152 to contact the working surface 160. In such examples, the rotor 162 of the cold planer 152 may rotate in a clockwise and / or counterclockwise direction relative to the frame of the cold planer 152 as the corresponding ground engaging teeth, drill bits, or other components of the rotor 162 contact the working surface 160 to remove a portion thereof and expose the paving surface 118. Alternatively, in some examples, the rotor 162 may include a first rotor 162 of the cold planer 152. In such an example, the first rotor 162 may be located on the right side of the cold planer 152, and the cold planer 152 may also include a second rotor located on the left side of the cold planer 152 opposite the right side (at Figure 1 160). The first and second rotors can be lowered by the cold planer 152 into contact with the work surface 160 and can be rotated in a clockwise and / or counterclockwise direction relative to the frame of the cold planer 152 when the corresponding ground engaging teeth, drill bits, or other components of the first and second rotors 162, 164 contact the work surface 160. As a result of this rotation, in combination with a force applied to the work surface 160 by one or more rotors of the cold planer 152 in a substantially downward direction (e.g., away from the frame of the cold planer 152 and substantially vertically toward the work surface 160), portions of the work surface 160 can be removed by the cold planer 152 to expose the paving surface 118. The cold planer 152 may also include a conveyor system 166 that is configured to transport the removed portions of the work surface 160 from adjacent the rotors 162 (or from adjacent the first and second rotors) to the body 168 of the haul truck 154.

[0033] like Figure 1 As shown in , the cold planer 152 may also include one or more GPS sensors or other similar position sensors 170 configured to determine the location of the cold planer 152 and / or its components. The position sensor 170 connected to the frame of the cold planer 152 can be configured to determine GPS coordinates (e.g., latitude and longitude coordinates), grid coordinates, map location, and / or other information indicating the location of the cold planer 152 in conjunction with one or more GPS satellites 138 described above. Figure 1 As shown in , one or more similar position sensors 170 may also be coupled to the paving machine 102 and operably connected to the controller 148 .

[0034] Continue to refer Figure 1 , the paving system 100 may also include one or more compactors 172 configured to compress the mat 126 of paving material 120 to a desired density and / or stiffness. In some examples, the compactors 172 may include a "punch-through" compactor having a punch-through roller and / or other such rollers 174. In such examples, the compactors 172 may be configured to follow relatively closely behind the paving machine 102 so that the rollers 174 may compact the paving material 120 dispensed by the paving machine 102 while the paving material 120 is still relatively hot. Compacting with the compactors 172 while the paving material 120 is still relatively hot allows the rollers 174 of the compactors 172 to perform a relatively greater proportion of the total compaction required for a particular lift of the paving material 120 because the relatively hot asphalt in the paving material 120 may flow relatively easily and therefore compact easily.

[0035] Additionally or alternatively, one or more compactors 172 of paving system 100 may include “intermediate” compactors, and may include one or more intermediate rollers 174 that compact paving material 120 that has been compacted at least once by another compactor 172. In another example, one or more compactors 172 of paving system 100 may include “finishing” compactors, and may include one or more finishing rollers 174 configured to perform final compaction of paving material 120.

[0036] In addition to the one or more sensors 149, communication device 158, and position sensor 170 described above, compactor 114 may also include any number of additional sensors configured to assist compactor 114 in performing various paving (e.g., compaction) tasks. For example, such sensors may include one or more accelerometers or vibration sensors configured to sense vibration levels (e.g., impacts per foot) imparted by one or more of rollers 174. Compactor 172 may also include a power source 176 that is substantially similar to power source 110 described above, for example, for paving machine 102. For example, power source 176 of compactor 172 may be configured to drive rotation of one or more rollers 174, thereby causing corresponding movement of compactor 172. In such examples, power source 176 may include a conventional internal combustion engine operated on a fossil or hybrid fuel (e.g., gasoline, compressed natural gas, diesel fuel, etc.), or an electrically operated drive powered by an alternative energy source (e.g., a fuel cell, a battery, solar energy, etc.).

[0037] The compactor 172 may also include one or more hydraulic components 178 operably connected to a controller 180 of the compactor 172. Such hydraulic components 178 may be substantially similar and / or identical to the various hydraulic components 122 of the paving machine 102, and the controller 180 may be substantially similar and / or identical to the controller 148 of the paving machine 102. For example, the hydraulic components of the compactor 172 may include one or more hydraulic pumps, hydraulic cylinders, hydraulic actuators, propel pumps, fan pumps, engine oil pumps, engine coolant pumps, and / or other such hydraulic devices. In addition, similar to the controller 148 described above, the controller 180 of the compactor 172 may include a single or multiple processors, microprocessors, FPGAs, DSPs, and / or other components that are configured to calculate and / or otherwise determine one or more operating parameters of the compactor 172 based at least in part on information received from one or more other machines in the paving system 100, operational information received from an operator of the compactor 172, one or more signals received from GPS satellites 138, data, signals, instructions and / or other information received from the controller 140, data, signals, instructions and / or other information received from the electronic device 142, and / or other information.

[0038] Additionally, the compactor 172 may include one or more vibration components configured to induce vibration of the one or more rollers 174. In such examples, the vibration components 182 may be operably connected to the controller 180 and may be coupled to the one or more rollers 174. Such vibration components may include one or more hydraulic actuators, electronic actuators, pneumatic actuators, and / or other actuators configured to vibrate within a desired range of amplitudes and / or intensities in order to induce corresponding vibrations of the one or more rollers 174.

[0039] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of various components of paving system 100 is provided. Specifically, Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the controller 140, the electronics 142, the paving machine 102, and the compactor 172 is provided. Figure 2 1, but it should be understood that the exemplary paving system 100 may also include one or more additional machines (e.g., a cold planer 152, a haul truck 154, etc.), and the information included herein regarding Figure 2 Any description of may also apply to this type of machine. Figure 2As shown, and as described above, the electronic device 142 may include an activation engine 143. For example, the electronic device 142 may include a processor, a microprocessor, and / or any other such controller that operates in a logical manner to perform operations, execute control algorithms, store and retrieve data, and other desired operations. The electronic device 142 may include or access a memory, an auxiliary storage device, a processor, and any other components for running an application. The memory and auxiliary storage device may be in the form of a read-only memory (ROM) or a random access memory (RAM) or an integrated circuit accessible by the electronic device 142. Various other circuits may be associated with the electronic device 142, such as power supply circuits, signal conditioning circuits, driver circuits, and other types of circuits. In addition, the activation engine 143 may include components of the electronic device 142 (e.g., software components of the electronic device 142 stored in the above-mentioned memory).

[0040] In any of the examples described herein, the activation engine 143 may include a user interface engine 200. Similar to the activation engine 143, the user interface engine 200 may include hardware components of the electronic device 142, software components of the electronic device 142 (e.g., an executable program, module, instruction set, or other logic-based components of the electronic device 142 stored in a memory associated with the electronic device 142), and / or a combination thereof. The user interface engine 200 may be configured to, for example, generate one or more user interfaces and provide such user interfaces through a display of the electronic device 142. Such user interfaces may be configured to receive one or more inputs from a user of the electronic device 142 and transmit signals, data, and / or other information indicative of such inputs to the machine control engine 141 through the network 144. It should be understood that the machine control engine 141 and / or other components of the controller 140 may be configured to cause activation of one or more components of the paving machine 102 and / or other machines of the system 100 based at least in part on this information. It is also understood that, similar to electronics 142, controller 140 may include or have access to memory, secondary storage, a processor, and any other components for running application programs. The memory and secondary storage may be in the form of ROM, RAM, and / or integrated circuits accessible by controller 140. In such an example, machine control engine 141 may include components of such memory.

[0041] Continue to refer Figure 2 , and as mentioned above about Figure 1As described, the exemplary paving machine 102 may include various components, including one or more of a controller 148, a communication device 136, a power source 110, a sensor 149, a heating system 130, and various hydraulic components 122. In some examples, the hydraulic components 122 may include one or more hydraulic pumps 202, an oil pump 204, a coolant pump 206, and / or other hydraulic components configured to provide desired functions to the paving machine 102. For example, such hydraulic components 122 may include one or more hydraulic cylinders, hydraulic actuators, a propulsion pump, one or more pumps connected to the auger assembly 116, one or more pumps connected to the conveyor system 114, one or more tamper bar pumps, one or more fan pumps, and / or one or more additional pumps connected to movable components of the paving machine 102. In any of the examples described herein, the hydraulic pump 202, the oil pump 204, the coolant pump 206, and / or any other hydraulic component 122 may be coupled to the power source 110, driven by the power source, and / or otherwise connected to the power source. For example, any of the hydraulic components 122 described herein may be coupled to an output shaft and / or other driven components of the power source 110. In such examples, activation of the power source 110 and / or other operation of the power source 110 causing rotation of its output shaft may cause corresponding activation of one or more hydraulic components 122 connected thereto. For example, such rotation of the output shaft may drive corresponding rotation of one or more input shafts of the corresponding hydraulic component 122, thereby causing activation of the corresponding hydraulic component 122. It should be understood that the paving machine 102 may also include one or more clutches or other variable torque components connected between the output shaft of the power source 110 and the input shaft of the corresponding hydraulic component 122. In such examples, such clutches may facilitate variable activation of the corresponding hydraulic component 122 when the power source 110 is operable. The paving machine 102 may also include one or more vibrating components connected to the screed section 124, various motors or other actuators connected to the auger assembly 116, the conveyor system 114, and / or other additional components 210. Any such additional components 210 may be operably connected to the controller 148 and may be activated by the controller 148 based on one or more signals, instructions, and / or other information received from the controller 140 .

[0042] In some examples, the paving machine 102 may also include one or more generators 208 connected to the output shaft of the power source 110 and operably connected to the controller 148. For example, the paving machine 102 may include an integrated generator having a rotor, an input shaft, and / or other components coupled to the output shaft of the power source 110. In such examples, rotation of the output shaft of the power source 110 may drive corresponding rotation of such rotatable components of the generator 208, and such rotation of the rotatable components of the generator 208 may cause the generator 208 to generate electricity. The electricity generated by the generator 208 may be stored in one or more batteries (not shown) or other storage devices operably connected to the generator 208. Additionally and / or alternatively, the electricity generated by the generator 208 may be directed to the heating system 130 and / or other electronic components of the paving machine 102. For example, the electricity generated by the generator 208 may be directed to the heating system 130 to increase the temperature of one or more electronic hot plates, hot coils, or other components configured to increase the temperature of the screed plate 128 to its desired operating temperature. In any of the examples described herein, the generator 208 may also provide power to one or more of the sensors 149, the controller 148, the various lighting components of the paving machine 102, and / or its other electronic components. In addition, in some examples, activation of the generator 208 may cause a corresponding activation of the power source 110. Specifically, activation of the generator 208 may cause the power source 110 to operate at or above a predetermined RPM threshold. In some examples, this RPM threshold may be equal to about 1200 RPM. In other examples, on the other hand, this RPM threshold may be greater than or less than 1200 RPM.

[0043] In some examples, the paving machine 102 may also include an alarm system 212 operably connected to the controller 148. For example, the alarm system 212 may include one or more speakers or other devices configured to output audible sounds, tones, and / or other alarms in response to one or more signals received from the controller 148. The alarm system 212 may also include one or more displays, lighting assemblies, and / or other components configured to output visual alarms, messages, or other indicia in response to one or more signals received from the controller 148. In any of the examples described herein, the alarm system 212 may be configured to output audible and / or visual indicia indicating that one or more unknown objects are disposed within the area surrounding the paving machine 102. For example, in the event that one or more sensors 149 detect an object disposed within its field of view and / or any other area surrounding the paving machine 102, the one or more sensors 149 may provide one or more signals or other information indicating the detection of the object to the controller 148 and / or the controller 140. Based at least in part on one or more such signals, the controller 148 and / or the controller 140 may cause the alarm system 212 to output one or more corresponding audible and / or visual alarms. For example, based at least in part on information received from the one or more sensors 149, the controller 140 may provide instructions to the controller 148 via the network 144. In such instances, the execution of such instructions by the controller 148 may cause the controller 148 to control the alarm system 212 to output one or more corresponding audible and / or visual alarms. In any of the examples described herein, the various audible and / or visual alarms output by the alarm system 212 may include safety measures that may be used to avoid activation of various components of the paving machine 102 when one or more unknown objects are disposed in proximity to the paving machine 102.

[0044] In any of the examples described herein, the paving machine 102 and / or other machines of the paving system 100 may also include one or more removable electronic components 214. For example, such removable electronic components 214 may include one or more sonic feed sensors, grade sensors, slope sensors, pendant sensors, and / or controls associated with the leveling portion 124, lighting assemblies, thermal imagers, and / or other sensors, controls, or electronic devices. In some examples, the removable electronic components 214 may include one or more of the sensors 149 described above. In any of the examples described herein, such removable electronic components 214 may be disconnected from the controller 148 and / or from the paving machine 102 at the end of the workday and may be placed in a safe location until they are reconnected to the controller 148 and / or the paving machine 102. Disconnecting such removable electronic components 214. In this way, damage and / or theft of such components when the paving machine 102 is not in use may be prevented.

[0045] In any examples described herein, disconnecting the removable electronic component 214 from, for example, the paving machine 102 may include disconnecting the removable electronic component 214 from the power circuit 216 of the paving machine 102. For example, the power circuit 216 may include a circuit configured to provide power to various electronic components of the paving machine 102. In such examples, the power circuit 216 may include a generator 208, one or more batteries (not shown), and / or other components configured to store power. In such examples, the power circuit 216 may be configured to provide current to, for example, one or more of the controller 148, the communication device 136, the sensor 149, the alarm system 212, and / or the removable electronic component 214. The power circuit 216 may also include a switch system 218 configured to electronically separate the removable electronic component 214 from the power circuit 216 without, for example, de-energizing (e.g., shutting down) the entire paving machine 102. For example, the switch system 218 may enable the removable electronic components 214 to be connected to and / or disconnected from the power circuit 216 during operation of the paving machine 102 without causing damage to the removable electronic components 214 from electrostatic discharge, arc flash, and / or other harmful power surges.

[0046] Continue to refer Figure 2 , compactor 172 may include one or more components similar and / or identical to the components described above with respect to paving machine 102. For example, Figure 2As schematically shown in and described above, the compactor 172 may include a controller 180, a power source 176, one or more hydraulic components 178, one or more vibration components 182, a communication device 136, and / or one or more sensors 149. In such examples, the hydraulic components 178 of the compactor 172 may include one or more hydraulic pumps 220, oil pumps 222, coolant pumps 224, and / or other hydraulic components configured to provide desired functions to the compactor 172. For example, such hydraulic components 178 may also include one or more hydraulic cylinders, hydraulic actuators, propulsion pumps, fan pumps, and / or one or more additional pumps connected to the movable components of the compactor 172. As with the paving machine 102, in any of the examples described herein, any of the hydraulic pumps 220, oil pumps 222, coolant pumps 224, and / or other hydraulic components 178 may be coupled to, driven by, and / or otherwise connected to the power source 176. For example, any of the hydraulic components 178 described herein may be coupled to the output shaft of the power source 176 and / or other driven components. In such examples, activation of the power source 176 and / or other operation of the power source 176 causing rotation of its output shaft may cause corresponding activation of one or more hydraulic components 178 connected thereto. It should be understood that the compactor 172 may also include one or more clutches or other variable torque components connected between the output shaft of the power source 176 and the input shaft of the corresponding hydraulic component 178. In such examples, such clutches may facilitate variable activation of the corresponding hydraulic component 178 when the power source 176 is operable. The compactor 172 may also include one or more lighting assemblies, various motors, actuators, and / or other additional components 226. Any such additional components 226 may be operably connected to the controller 180 and may be activated by the controller 180 based on one or more signals, instructions, and / or other information received from the controller 140.

[0047] In some examples, the compactor 172 may also include an alarm system 228 that is substantially similar and / or identical to the alarm system 212 described above with respect to the paving machine 102. The compactor 172 may also include one or more removable electronic components 230. For example, such removable electronic components 234 may include one or more grade sensors, slope sensors, lighting assemblies, thermal imagers, and / or other sensors, controls, or electronic devices. One or more such removable electronic components 230 may be similar and / or identical to the removable electronic components 214 described above with respect to the paving machine 102. In addition, in any examples described herein, such removable electronic components 230 may be disconnected from the controller 180 and / or from the compactor 172 at the end of the workday and may be placed in a safe location until it is reconnected to the controller 180 and / or the compactor 172. Disconnecting the removable electronic component 230 from, for example, the compactor 172 may include disconnecting the removable electronic component 230 from the power circuit 232 of the compactor 172. For example, similar to the power circuit 216, the power circuit 232 of the compactor 172 may include circuits configured to provide power to various electronic components of the compactor 172. In such examples, the power circuit 232 may also include a switch system 234 configured to electronically separate the removable electronic components 230 from the power circuit 232 without, for example, de-energizing (e.g., shutting down) the compactor 172.

[0048] Figure 3-6 A schematic diagram of an exemplary user interface generated by the user interface engine 200 and provided via a display of the electronic device 142 is provided. Such exemplary user interfaces may be displayed and / or otherwise provided by the electronic device 142 to facilitate activation of one or more components of the paver 102, compactor 172, cold planer 152, and / or other machines of the paving system 100. For example, such user interfaces may be provided to a user of the electronic device 142 to enable the user to activate one or more such components when the electronic device 142 and / or the user is remote from the work site 101 and / or remote from one or more machines of the paving system 100.

[0049] like Figure 3As shown in, the exemplary user interface 300 of the present disclosure may include one or more input fields, which are configured to receive text input, touch input, voice input and / or other input from a user. For example, the user interface 300 may include an input field 302, which is configured to receive a touch input, text input and / or other input indicating a user identification (hereinafter referred to as "user ID") unique to the user from the user. Such user IDs may include, for example, a number, text-based or alphanumeric code that uniquely identifies the user. The user interface 300 may also include an input field 304, which is configured to receive a touch input, text input and / or other input indicating a unique password of the user from the user. The password may also include a number and text-based or alphanumeric code that uniquely identifies the user, and the user ID may be associated with this password in a database stored in a memory of the electronic device 142 and / or stored in a memory associated with the controller 140. In this way, the user ID and password may facilitate two-part authentication and / or identification of the user. The user interface 300 may also include an input field 306 configured to receive touch input, text input, and / or other input from a user indicating a unique job identification (hereinafter referred to as a "job ID"). Such a job ID may include, for example, a numeric, text-based, or alphanumeric code that uniquely identifies a work site, job, task, and / or other operation associated with the user. The user interface 300 may also include: one or more controls 308, which are configured to receive touch input, text input, and / or other input from the user indicating a request to continue to another page and / or another user interface. For example, upon receiving touch input through control 308, the user interface engine 200 may generate additional user interfaces, such as Figure 4 An exemplary user interface 400 is illustrated in FIG.

[0050] like Figure 4 As shown in , additional user interfaces 400 of the present disclosure may include, provide, display, and / or otherwise present information 402 associated with the job ID entered using input field 306. For example, such information 402 may include the job ID itself, the name of the paving, construction, mining, agriculture, etc., or other company sponsoring the particular job identified by the job ID, the location of the work site 101 where the particular work identified by the job ID is being performed, and / or other information. For example, although Figure 4 Not shown, such information 402 may also include a name, user ID, and / or other information associated with the user.

[0051] This user interface 400 may be used by a user in a variety of different applications. User interface 400 may include portion 404 that is configured to enable a user to select one or more machines of paving system 102 disposed at work site 101. In some examples, this selection may indicate a request by the user to activate one or more components of the selected machine while electronic device 142 and / or the user is remote from work site 101 and / or remote from one or more machines of paving system 100 deployed. For example, portion 404 of user interface 400 may include, provide, display, and / or otherwise present information 406 identifying a plurality of available machines disposed at work site 101. As shown in FIG. Figure 4 As shown in , in some examples, such information 406 may indicate a particular type or classification of machine (e.g., a paver, a compactor, a cold planer, etc.). Additionally and / or alternatively, such information 406 may indicate a machine identifier that uniquely identifies each of the plurality of machines. Such a machine identifier may include, for example, a numeric, text-based, or alphanumeric code that uniquely identifies the respective machine (e.g., Figure 4 123A, 123B, 123C, etc. as shown in FIG. Figure 4 As shown in , in some examples, information 406 may include and / or otherwise indicate a particular type of machine and a machine identifier for each of a plurality of available machines at worksite 101 .

[0052] The user interface 400 may also include, provide, display, and / or otherwise present a plurality of input fields 408, and each input field 408 included in the user interface 400 may correspond to a respective one of the plurality of available machines identified by the information 406. Each input field 408 may be configured to receive touch input, text input, and / or other input from a user, and such input may indicate that the user has selected one or more of the available machines identified by the information 406. It should be understood that upon receiving input from a user, the input fields 408 of the user interface 400 may change color, change shape, change size, change orientation, change position, and / or may otherwise change visual appearance to visually indicate that such input has been received. In instances where a large number of available machines are indicated by the information 406, the user interface 400 may also include a scroll bar, a scrub bar, and / or other tool 410. This tool 410 may be configured to receive touch input (e.g., swipe, tap, drag, etc.) and / or other input from a user, and may cause the portion 404 of the user interface 400 to display additional information 406 based at least in part on such input. The user interface 400 may also include one or more controls 412 configured to receive touch input, text input, and / or other input from the user indicating a request to continue to another page and / or another user interface. For example, upon receiving touch input via the control 412, the user interface engine 200 may generate additional user interfaces, such as Figure 5 An exemplary user interface 500 is illustrated in FIG.

[0053] like Figure 5 As shown in , the user interface 500 may include a portion 502 configured to enable a user to select one or more components of a machine to activate. For example, the portion 502 of the user interface may enable a user to select one or more components of a corresponding machine selected through the user interface 400. Figure 5 Information associated with a single machine (e.g., paving machine 123A) is shown, but it should be understood that information associated with more than one selected machine may be provided via user interface 500. Thus, user interface 500 may enable a user to select components of multiple different machines, and each such selection may indicate a request by the user to activate a corresponding machine component when electronic device 142 and / or the user is remote from worksite 101 and / or remote from one or more machines deployed by paving system 100.

[0054] For example, portion 502 of user interface 500 may include, provide, display, and / or otherwise present information 504 identifying one or more machines (e.g., paving machine 123A) selected via user interface 400. Portion 502 of user interface 500 may also include, provide, display, and / or otherwise present information 506, 508 identifying one or more components of a particular machine. Figure 5 As shown in , in some examples, such information 506 may identify multiple groupings or categories of machine components based on type, component location, etc. (e.g., all hydraulic pumps, all electronic components, all heating components, all vibration components, etc.). Such information 508 may also specifically indicate a particular machine component (e.g., power source 110, propulsion pump, screw pump, conveyor pump, tamper pump, oil pump, coolant pump, etc.). In some examples, such information 508 may also identify other component groupings or systems associated with the selected machine (e.g., heating system, additional components, etc.). It should be understood that although Figure 5 The exemplary illustration of includes information 508 that individually indicates specific machine components (propeller pumps, screw pumps, conveyor pumps, etc.), but in some instances, these machine components may each be coupled to a drive shaft and / or other output components of power source 110. In such instances, activation of power source 110 may drive and / or otherwise cause corresponding activation of all such machine components. Thus, in such instances, user interface 500 may provide information 508 that identifies and / or indicates power source 110, and may omit information that individually indicates one or more specific machine components that are directly and / or otherwise coupled thereto. Omitting such information from portion 502 of user interface 500 may simplify user interface 500, and may therefore further improve the efficiency of paving system 100.

[0055] The user interface 500 may also include, provide, display, and / or otherwise present a plurality of input fields 510, 512, and each input field 510, 512 included in the user interface 500 may correspond to a respective one of a plurality of available machine components identified by the information 506, 508. Each input field 510, 512 may be configured to receive touch input, text input, and / or other input from a user, and such input may indicate a user selection of one or more components identified by the information 506, 508. Similar to the input field 408 described above with respect to the user interface 400, upon receiving input from a user, the input fields 510, 512 of the user interface 500 may change color, change shape, change size, change orientation, change position, and / or may otherwise change visual appearance to visually indicate that such input has been received. As described above, in some instances, the user interface 500 may provide information 508 identifying and / or indicating the power source 110, and may omit information individually indicating one or more specific machine components directly and / or otherwise coupled thereto. Although Figure 510, but in such examples, the user interface 500 may include input fields 510, 512 corresponding to the power source 110. Receiving operator input through such input fields 510, 512 may cause activation of the power source 110, and may also cause corresponding activation of various machine components directly and / or otherwise coupled to the power source 110.

[0056] although Figure 5 Not shown, but in some instances, user interface 500 may also include scroll bars, scrub bars, and / or other tools configured to receive touch input (e.g., swiping, tapping, dragging, etc.) and / or other input from a user. Such tools may cause portion 502 of user interface 500 to display additional information 504, 506, 508 based at least in part on such input. User interface 500 may also include: one or more controls 514, which are configured to receive touch input, text input, and / or other input from a user indicating a request to continue to another page and / or another user interface. For example, upon receiving touch input through control 514, user interface engine 200 may generate additional user interfaces, such as Figure 6 An exemplary user interface 600 is illustrated in FIG.

[0057] like Figure 6 As shown, user interface 600 may include portion 602 associated with performing safety verification prior to activating certain components of a selected machine. For example, as described above, user interface 400 may enable a user to select one or more machines of paving system 100 disposed at work site 110. In any such instance, processor, machine control engine 141, and / or other components of controller 140 may provide instructions to controllers of one or more selected machines (e.g., controller 148 of paving machine 102, controller 180 of compactor 172, etc.). Such instructions, when executed by the controller of the selected machine, may cause the controller to control one or more sensors to sense an area around the machine. One or more sensors 149 may provide one or more signals and / or other information indicative of an area around the machine to controller 140, and controller 140 may determine, based at least in part on this information, whether the area around the machine includes one or more unknown objects. User interface 600 illustrates an example in which controller 140 has determined that a first area around a specifically selected paver 123A and a second area around a specifically selected compactor 456A are free of unknown objects, but in which controller 140 has determined that a third area around a specifically selected compactor 456B includes unknown objects.

[0058] For example, portion 602 of user interface 600 may include, provide, display, and / or otherwise present information 604 identifying one or more machines (e.g., paver 123A, compactor 456A, and compactor 456B) selected via user interface 400. Portion 602 of user interface 600 may also include, provide, display, and / or otherwise present corresponding icons, symbols, images, text, visual indicia, and / or other indications 606 indicating that a first area around the selected paver 123A and a second area around the selected compactor 456A are free of unknown objects. Although Figure 6 The indication 606 illustrated in FIG. 6 includes a colored circle, but in other instances such indication 606 may include a check mark, a colored box, one or more words (e.g., "Object Not Present," "Safe," "OK," etc.) or other visual indicia indicating that the corresponding area is free of such objects and that the selected components of each corresponding machine may be activated without risk of damage or endangerment to the corresponding machine, or items, personnel, or other objects disposed at the work site 101. Portion 602 of user interface 600 may also include, provide, display and / or otherwise present a corresponding icon, symbol, image, text, visual indicia and / or other indication 608 indicating that a third area surrounding the selected compactor 456B includes an unknown object. Although Figure 6 The indication 608 shown in includes a hollow circle, but in other instances, such indication 608 may include an “X,” a colored box, one or more words (e.g., “Object present,” “Stop,” “See foreman,” etc.), or other visual indicia indicating that the corresponding area includes at least one unknown object. In such instances, the controller 140 may prohibit activation of selected components of the corresponding machine so that the risk of damage or harm to the corresponding machine or object can be avoided. It should also be understood that in some instances, various other colors (e.g., green as an indication that the area around the selected machine is free of unknown objects, red as an indication that the area around the selected machine includes at least one unknown object), shapes, audible alarms, symbols, or other indications 606, 608 may be presented through the user interface 600 of the electronic device 142 based at least in part on a determination made by the controller 140 using information received from one or more of the sensors 149 described herein.

[0059] The user interface 600 may also include, provide, display, and / or otherwise present one or more input fields 610 configured to receive touch input, text input, and / or other input from a user. For example, in an instance where the controller 140 has determined that the area around a particular selected machine (e.g., compactor 456B) includes an unknown object, the user interface 600 may provide at least one input field 610 corresponding to the respective machine. Figure 6In the example shown, the input field 610 can be configured to receive input from a user indicating a user's request to send a message to a foreman associated with the current job, the back office, and / or to one or more additional operators. This message may contain information indicating that the controller 140 has identified and / or otherwise determined that an unknown object exists in the area around a particular machine, among other things. Similar to the input field 408 described above with respect to the user interface 400, upon receiving input from a user, the input field 610 of the user interface 600 may change color, change shape, change size, change orientation, change position, and / or may otherwise change visual appearance to visually indicate that such input has been received. The user interface 600 may also include one or more controls 612 configured to receive a touch input, text input, and / or other input from a user indicating a request to continue to another page, another user interface, and / or to begin activating a selected machine component. For example, upon receiving a touch input through the control 612, the activation engine 143 may provide a corresponding signal to the machine control engine 141, and this signal may include information indicating a request to activate one or more machine components selected through, for example, the user interface 500. The machine control engine 141 may provide one or more signals, instructions, and / or other information to a controller of the corresponding machine (e.g., controller 148, controller 180, etc.) based at least in part on this signal received from the activation engine 143. When executed by the controller of the corresponding machine, the instructions may cause the controller to energize, direct power to, actuate, and / or otherwise activate selected components of the corresponding machine. Because this activation may occur while the user and / or electronic device is away from the work site 101 and / or away from the corresponding machine, machine startup time may be reduced, operator downtime may be minimized, and the overall efficiency of the paving system 100 may be increased.

[0060] Figure 7A flow chart depicting a method 700 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. The exemplary method 700 is illustrated as a collection of steps in a logical flow chart that represents operations that may be implemented in hardware, software, or a combination thereof. In the context of software, the steps represent computer-executable instructions stored in a memory. When such instructions are executed by, for example, the controller 140, the electronic device 142, the controller 148 of the paver 102, the controller 156 of the cold milling machine 152, the controller 180 of the compactor 172, and / or other components of the paving system 100, such instructions may cause one or more controllers and / or various components of the paver 102 to perform the operations. Such computer-executable instructions may include routines, programs, objects, components, data structures, etc. that perform specific functions or implement specific abstract data types. The order in which the operations are described is not intended to be construed as a limitation, and any number of the described steps may be combined in any order and / or in parallel to implement the process. For discussion purposes, and unless otherwise specified, reference is made to the description of the steps described herein. Figure 1 Method 700 is described with respect to paving system 100 and / or paving machine 102. For example, method 700 is described with respect to one or more processors, machine control engine 141, and / or other components of controller 140 unless otherwise indicated below.

[0061] Furthermore, it should be understood that Figure 7 Any of the operations described may be performed by the paver 102, compactor 172, cold planer 152, and / or other components of the paving system 100 in a manual operation mode, in an autonomous operation mode, and / or in a semi-autonomous operation mode. For example, in an autonomous operation mode, the controller 148 of the paver 102, the controller 140, the one or more electronic devices 142, and / or other components of the paving system 100 in communication with the paver 102 may automatically and / or without input from an operator of the paver 102 to control one or more operations of the paver 102. In such examples, the paver 102 may include an autonomous paver of the paving system 100. In an exemplary semi-autonomous operating mode, on the other hand, controller 148 of paver 102, controller 140, one or more electronic devices 142, and / or other components of paving system 100 in communication with paver 102 may control one or more operations of paver 102 based at least in part on one or more inputs from an operator of paver 102.

[0062] refer to Figure 7At 702, controller 140 of paving system 100 may receive various information from one or more sources associated with paving system 100. For example, at 702, controller 140 may receive a login ID, a user name, a password, a company name, a workstation name, a workstation location, a job ID associated with workstation 101, and / or other information from electronic device 142 via network 144. In some examples, the information received by controller 140 at 702 may be received by a user of electronic device 142 via network 144. Figure 3 The method 700 may be performed by the controller 140 to provide at least some of the information in the form of one or more input fields 302, 304, 306 of the user interface 300 shown. At 702, the controller 140 may associate at least some of this information with corresponding information stored in a database, a user list, a workstation list, a password list, a job ID list, and / or other components of a memory associated with the controller 140. In such instances, the additional information identified in various portions of the method 700 may be received by the controller 140 based at least in part on the long and ID, password, job ID, and / or other information received at 702. For example, the controller 140 may require the user of the electronic device 142 to provide acceptable login information and / or other information at 702, and then the controller 140 may receive the additional information.

[0063] At 704, controller 140 of paving system 100 may receive information indicating a selection of one or more machines disposed at work site 101. In such examples, the information received at 704 may be received from electronic device 142 via network 144. Additionally, in such examples, electronic device 142 may be disposed remotely from work site 101. For example, electronic device 142 may be disposed outside of the perimeter of work site 101 and / or within a LAN, WAN, protocol, NFC protocol, or other relatively short-range communication protocol. For example, in various examples, the electronic device 142 may be located a mile or several miles away from the perimeter of the work site 101 and / or away from one or more selected machines of the paving system 100. In such examples, at 704, the electronic device 142 may communicate with at least the controller 144 via an Internet communication protocol or other relatively long-range wireless network 144. In any of the examples described herein, the information received by the controller 140 at 704 may be communicated by a user of the electronic device 142 via Figure 4 One or more input fields 408 of the user interface 400 illustrated in FIG.

[0064] For example, at 704, the controller 140 may send instructions to the user interface engine 200 of the electronic device 142, and / or may otherwise cause the presentation of information 406 identifying a plurality of available machines disposed at the work site 101 through the electronic device 142. Additionally, at 704, the controller 140 may send instructions to the user interface engine 200, and / or may otherwise cause the presentation of a plurality of input fields 408 through the electronic device 142. As described above with respect to the user interface 400, in some examples, each input field 408 of the plurality of input fields may correspond to a respective one of the plurality of available machines identified by the information 406. Additionally, the selection indicated by the information received at 704 may be provided as input by the user through one or more such input fields 408.

[0065] At 706, the controller 140 may receive information indicating a selection of one or more machine components. In such instances, the information received at 706 may be received from the electronic device 142 via the network 144. In addition, the selected machine components may include components of the corresponding machine identified by the information received at 704. For example, at 706, the controller 140 may send instructions to the user interface engine 200 of the electronic device 142, and / or may otherwise cause information 506, 508 identifying a plurality of components of the corresponding selected machine to be presented via the electronic device 142. In addition, at 706, the controller 140 may send instructions to the user interface engine 200, and / or may otherwise cause a plurality of input fields 510, 512 to be presented via the electronic device 142. As described above with respect to the user interface 500, in some instances, each input field 510, 512 may correspond to a respective one of the selected machines identified by the information 504. In addition, the selection indicated by the information received at 706 may be provided as input by a user via one or more such input fields 510, 512.

[0066] At 708, the controller 140 may determine whether the area around the machine (e.g., the paving machine 102) is free of one or more unknown objects. For example, at 708, the controller 140 may receive one or more signals from a sensor 149 connected to the machine. Such signals may include data or other information indicating the area around the machine. As described above, such an area may be defined by, for example, the field of view of the sensor 149 and / or by the combined field of view of multiple sensors 149 connected to the machine. In such instances, at 708, the controller 140 may process the information included in such signals using one or more image recognition programs, facial recognition programs, collision avoidance programs, and / or other hardware and / or software components to determine whether one or more people, work site structures, additional machines, and / or other objects are disposed in the area around the machine. In some instances, this area may include a substantially circular area that extends at least 10 feet from the perimeter of the machine in all directions. In other instances, such an area may be substantially rectangular, substantially square, and / or any other shape. In addition, such an area may extend greater than or less than about 10 feet from the perimeter of the machine in all directions.

[0067] like Figure 7 As shown in FIG. 6 , based at least in part on determining that the area around the selected machine includes an unknown object (step: 708—No), the controller 140 may cause an indication that the area around the machine includes such an unknown object to be presented via the electronic device 142 at 710. This exemplary indication 608 is presented in the FIG. 608 associated with the selected compactor 456B. Figure 6 The user interface 600 is shown.

[0068] At 712, the controller 140 may also specify a particular state of the machine (e.g., the selected compactor 456B) based at least in part on determining that the area surrounding the selected machine includes the unknown object. In such instances, the state specified at 712 may include an "inactive" state and / or any other state that causes the controller of the machine (e.g., the controller 180 of the compactor 456B) to prohibit activation of one or more components of the selected machine in order to avoid damage to the machine itself and / or endangerment of one or more objects disposed in the area surrounding the machine. In such instances, the controller 140 may store the state specified at 712 in one or more databases and / or other memory components thereof. Additionally and / or alternatively, at 712, the controller 140 may provide one or more signals to the controller of the machine (e.g., the controller 180 of the compactor 456B) to prohibit activation of one or more components of the selected machine.

[0069] At 714, the controller 140 may determine whether the user has selected one or more additional machines through the user interface 400. In instances where the user has not selected additional machines through the user interface 400 (step: 714—No), at 716, the controller 140 may cause a request for additional information to be presented through the electronic device 142. For example, at 716, the controller 140 may provide one or more signals to the user interface engine 200 including instructions that, when executed by the user interface engine 200 and / or other components of the electronic device 142, cause the user interface engine 200 to provide, through the electronic device 142, an additional user interface to confirm whether the user wishes to select one or more additional machines and / or whether the user wishes to log out. This additional user interface may also include one or more input fields configured to receive various inputs from the user, and the user interface engine 200 may be configured to take various additional actions (e.g., provide the user interface 400, provide a logout screen, etc.) based on the input received from the user through such input fields. Alternatively, in instances where the user has selected one or more additional machines via the user interface 400 (step: 714 —yes), the controller 140 may continue with step: 708 .

[0070] like Figure 7 As shown in FIG. 1 , based at least in part on determining that the area around the selected machine is free of unknown objects (step: 708—Yes), the controller 140 may cause an indication that the area around the machine is free of unknown objects to be presented via the electronic device 142 at 718. This exemplary indication 606 is presented in the FIG. 100 associated with the selected compactor 456A and the selected paving machine 123A. Figure 6 As described above, the user interface 400 may enable a user to select a plurality of available machines that may be used at the work site 101. Thus, in any of the examples described herein, actions and / or other features associated with at least steps 704-722 of the method 700 may be performed for each of the selected machines.

[0071] At 720, the controller 140 may determine whether information indicating a request to activate one or more selected machine components has been received. For example, at 720, the controller 140 may determine whether one or more signals containing information indicating a request to activate one or more machine components have been received from the electronic device 142 via the network 144. Figure 6 As described, the control 612 of the user interface 600 can be configured to receive a touch input or other input from a user indicating such a request. Upon receiving such input, the activation engine 143 and / or other components of the electronic device 142 can provide one or more signals to the controller 140 via the network 144, and such signals can include information indicating a request to activate one or more selected machine components.

[0072] If at 720, the controller 140 determines that information indicating a request to activate one or more selected machine components has not been received (step: 720—No), the controller 140 may proceed to step: 716. As described above, at 716, the controller 140 may cause a request for additional information to be presented via the electronic device 142. However, if at 720, the controller 140 determines that information indicating a request to activate one or more selected machine components has been received (step: 720—Yes), the controller 140 may proceed to step: 722.

[0073] At 722, the controller 140 may cause one or more selected machine components to be activated. For example, based at least in part on receiving input via the controls 612, the activation engine 143 and / or other components of the electronic device 142 may provide one or more signals to the machine control engine 141 and / or other components of the controller 140. At 722, the controller 140 may receive such signals and may provide one or more signals to a controller of the selected machine (e.g., the controller 148 of the paving machine 102). The signals provided to the controller of the selected machine may include instructions that, when executed by the controller (e.g., the controller 148), may cause the controller to provide power to such selected components, actuate, and / or otherwise activate such selected components. For example, in an instance where the selected components include one or more of the hydraulic components 122, the controller 148 of the paving machine 102 may cause activation of the power source 110, which may drive activation of the one or more hydraulic components 122. Additionally or alternatively, in instances where the selected components include hot plates, heating coils, or other components of the heating system 130, the controller 148 of the paving machine 102 may cause activation of the power source 110, which may drive activation of the generator 208. In such instances, once activated, the generator 208 may direct power to one or more components of the heating system 130, thereby causing activation thereof. Thus, the exemplary systems and methods of the present disclosure may enable activation of one or more machine components using electronic devices that are located outside the range of various local, near-field, or other relatively short-range network protocols.

[0074] Industrial Applicability

[0075] The present disclosure provides systems and methods for activating machine components at a work site 101, such as a construction site, a mine, a paving site, a road repair area, and / or other such sites. In particular, the systems and methods of the present disclosure can be used to activate selected machine components from locations outside of relatively short-range network protocols. The various systems and methods described herein can be used to minimize the amount of startup time required for such components to reach a desired operating temperature, and thus can minimize operator downtime and improve overall system efficiency.

[0076] As mentioned above about Figure 1-7 As described, an exemplary method of the present disclosure may include receiving, with the controller 140, information indicating a selection of a machine disposed at the work site 101. The controller 140 may receive such information, for example, from an electronic device 142 disposed remotely from the work site 101 via a network 144. For example, such information may correspond to input received through one or more input fields 408 of the user interface 400 described above. This method may also include receiving, with the controller 140, additional information from the electronic device 142, and such additional information may indicate a selection of a component of the machine. For example, such additional information may correspond to input received through one or more input fields 510, 512 of the user interface 500 described above.

[0077] In some examples, the method may also include receiving information with the controller 140 from one or more sensors 149 connected to the selected machine, and such information may indicate an area around the selected machine. For example, the one or more sensors 149 may sense a defined area around the selected machine. In such examples, the controller of the selected machine may provide one or more signals to the controller 140, and such signals may include information indicating the surrounding area. The controller 140 may determine that the area around the machine is free of unknown objects based at least in part on the information contained in such signals.

[0078] Additionally, the controller 140 may receive additional information from the electronic device 142, and such information may indicate a request to activate a selected component of the machine. Such information may correspond to input received through the control 612 of the user interface 600 described above. In any of the examples described herein, the controller 140 may cause activation of the selected component based at least in part on the information indicating the request to activate the selected component.

[0079] In any of the examples described herein, the electronic device 142 described above may be located at a significant distance from the selected machine while the information described above is provided to the controller 140. For example, the electronic device 142 may be located on a LAN, WAN, protocol, NFC protocol, or other relatively short-range communication protocols established at the work site 101. Thus, the exemplary systems and methods described above can reduce the startup time required for such components, can minimize operator downtime, and can improve overall system efficiency.

[0080] Although various aspects of the present disclosure have been particularly shown and described with reference to the above embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various additional embodiments may be conceived by modifying the disclosed machines, systems, and methods without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosed content. Such embodiments should be understood to fall within the scope of the present disclosure as determined by the claims and any equivalents thereof.

Claims

1. A method comprising: First information indicating a first selection of a machine among a plurality of machines disposed at a work site is received at a controller operably connected to the plurality of machines, wherein: The controller receives the first information from an electronic device via a network, the electronic device including an activation engine, The electronic device is arranged away from the work site, The machine control engine of the controller is configured to activate a component of the machine without activating one or more other components of the machine based on second information received from the activation engine, and The machine control engine at the controller is further configured to enable activation of a component of one or more of the plurality of machines other than the machine; receiving second information from the electronic device with the controller, wherein: the second information indicates the component of the machine; receiving, with the controller, third information from the activation engine of the electronic device, wherein the third information indicates a request to activate the component; and The machine control engine at the controller causes activation of the component based at least in part on the third information without activating the one or more other components of the machine.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising receiving, with the controller, fourth information from the electronic device, wherein: The fourth information includes at least one of a login ID, a password, and a job ID associated with the work site, and The first information is received based at least in part on receipt of the fourth information.

3. The method according to claim 2, further comprising: causing presentation, through a portion of a user interface, of information identifying a plurality of available machines disposed at the work site based on the fourth information; as well as causing a plurality of input fields to be presented via the portion of the user interface, wherein: Each of the plurality of input fields corresponds to a respective one of the plurality of available machines, and The first selection of the machine is provided via a first input field of the plurality of input fields.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: causing a portion of a user interface to be presented by the electronic device based on the first selection; as well as causing a plurality of input fields to be presented via the portion of the user interface, wherein: Each of the plurality of input fields corresponds to a respective one of a plurality of components of the machine available for remote activation.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein: The machine includes at least one of a paver and a compactor, and the component includes at least one of a heating system, a hydraulic pump, an oil pump, a coolant pump, and a vibrating component.

6. A paving system comprising: A paver disposed at a work site, the paver having a first controller, a screed section, a heating system associated with the screed section, a power source, and a plurality of hydraulic components driven by the power source; as well as a second controller, separate from the paving machine and in communication with the first controller via a network, the second controller comprising a machine control engine, the machine control engine being configured to: receiving first information indicating a first selection of a paving machine from among a plurality of machines disposed at the work site, wherein the first information is received via the network from an electronic device including an activation engine, wherein the electronic device is disposed remotely from the work site; receiving second information from the activation engine of the electronic device, wherein the second information indicates a second selection of a component of the paving machine, wherein the second selection is made via a portion of a user interface presented on the electronic device, the portion identifying a plurality of components of the paving machine available for remote activation, and wherein the portion is presented based on the first selection; receiving third information from the electronic device via the portion, wherein the third information indicates a request to activate the component; receiving fourth information from a sensor connected to the paving machine via the network, wherein the fourth information indicates an area surrounding the paving machine; as well as By providing instructions to the first controller to activate the component based on the second information received from the activation engine based at least in part on the third information and the fourth information, the instructions are executable by the first controller to activate the component without activating one or more other components of the paving machine.

7. The paving system of claim 6, wherein: Activation of the component comprises activation of the power source, and Activation of the power source drives activation of a generator connected to the power source at or above a predetermined revolutions per minute (RPM) threshold.

8. The paving system of claim 6, further comprising at least one of a compactor and a cold planer, wherein the second controller is further configured to: receiving fifth information from the electronic device, wherein the fifth information indicates a third selection of at least one of the compactor and the cold planer; and Sixth information is received from the electronic device, wherein the sixth information indicates a fourth selection of a component of at least one of the compacting machine and the cold planer machine.

9. The paving system according to claim 8, wherein: The second controller is further configured to: receiving seventh information from a sensor connected to at least one of the compactor and the cold planer; as well as A status of the at least one of the compacting machine and the cold planer is specified based at least in part on the seventh information, the status being effective to inhibit activation of a component of the at least one of the compacting machine and the cold planer.

10. The paving system of claim 6, wherein: The second controller is further configured to cause presentation, via the electronic device, of an indication that an area surrounding the paving machine is free of unknown objects based at least in part on the fourth information.

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